Highway (101) Robbery

How ya like Mitch Kupchak now?

I take back everything (well, some) I ever said about Kupchak and his idiotic trading pattern. Besides, trading a future All-Star in Caron Butler for Kwame "Doodoo" Brown, almost all of his moves have worked.

He got rid of Shaq when he was clearly physically in decline and wanted too much money, and now you look and the Diesel can't even make the All-Star game as a reserve. He drafted Andrew Bynum amid league-wide criticism and stubbornly held on to him through trade talks, amid league-wide criticism. Now the young Bynum is a double-double developing beast, a damaging knee injury not withstanding.

Jordan Farmar has become a reliable spark plug off the bench, Ronny Turiaf is an ultimate glue guy, and he and the Lakers organization stayed patient through Kobe's trade talk madness..

Now you can add today's move to his growing list of accomplishments.

Quite simply, the Lakers stole an All-Star-caliber big man for absolutely nothing. Kwame Brown was only kept around because of Bynum's injury; Javaris Chrittenton was the third guard on L.A.'s depth chart, and was a project with no real position, and Aaron McKie is more coach than player these days.

The Lakers do give up a couple of first round picks (2008 and 2010), but they should be a veteran-laden championship contending team by 2010 and won't really need them. You don't see the Spurs sweating over late-20s picks.

So what does this mean for the Lakers in the spring of 2008? They immediately move up a level in the stacked West. They went from a playoff lock with the emergence of Bynum giving them a chance to go deep to Bynum getting hurt and the Lakers being in jeopardy of falling out of the top 8 (and making room for my Rockets *sad*), and now they should be regarded as a team that should be expected to challenge for the West crown.

Their whole core is still intact, including their starting five. Gasol gives them not only a consistent low post threat in Bynum's absence, he provides a mid-range game young Andrew had not yet developed, and he is a very good shot blocker with those long arms. Not to mention his passing is a definite upgrade over Kwame (especially Kwame) and Bynum. And just think about a starting lineup of Fisher, Kobe, Odom, Gasol, and Bynum. Nasty.

Can they beat the Mavs? Yes. Suns? They already could with their young center beasting Phoenix's soft interior. Can they beat the Spurs? Probably not, but Pau Gasol surely gives them a better chance than Doodoo Brown.

Heart-Attack Houston

Was all that really necessary?

As my boy Blaze and I always say, the Rockets can't just blow a team out in peace. They were up 14 with two minutes left and almost blew it. Typical Rox.

If we want to be a championship squad, which we should be, we have to learn how to finish off games, especially road games against teams (like the Lakers) that won't even sniff the postseason. That's the reason T-Mac was crying after Game 7 last season.

With that said, great game and I'm glad we won. 1-0, 81 more victims. You're next, Jazzies.

Be Careful What You Wish For

So the big news of the day is that Lakers owner Jerry Buss is open to trading Kobe Bryant. This, of course, re-heats the Kobe trade rumors that started up when KB demanded (albeit softly) to be traded back in May.

Wonder what changed Doc Buss' mind. Buss has made it all too clear since the spring that Bryant was untouchable and would not be traded. The lesson, as always, is that no player in the NBA is untouchable. No one.

In my opinion, Buss looks at the fact that the options for improving the team are limited, what with the Lakers being over the cap by almost $15 million and no tradeable assets outside of Kobe, Lamar Odom, and the unfulfilled potential that is Andrew Bynum. Seriously, who else would you want off that roster?

That's the real reason the Lakers didn't get Kevin Garnett or Jermaine O'Neal (not yet at least), and in the latter case, O'Neal would not have vaulted L.A. to the upper elite in the West and would have handcuffed the Lakers payroll even worse than it is now, meaning they would have been stuck with Kobe and J.O. and no one else. That may work in Boston this year, not in the Western Conference.

Add to the fact of Kobe's unhappiness, and you can somewhat see how Buss might be a little ready to grant Kobe's wish. Doc and Kobe know this team is not any good and can't get any better outside of the draft (which is a great time to mention the fact that the Lakers draft horribly), so the best option would be to find the best available deal and let Kobe go while venturing straight into rebuilding mode.

The bigger issue here (which I discussed back in August) is that there is absolutely no place for Kobe to go. He missed his chance to sign with a talented team on the rise when he resigned with the Lakers instead of signing with the neighbor Clippers in '04. New homes for Bryant are insufficient at this point:

1. The Chicago Bulls, Kobe's preferred destination, have the pieces to get him, but it would take enough players to get him that would gut their core and leave them with a unit very similar to what the Lakers have now. One pro here is that he'll be in the East (the same East in which the one-man show that was the Cavs made it to the Finals last season).

2. The New York Knicks wouldn't be able to get their heads out of their own asses to make a competent deal for Kobe. I'm befuddled at this franchise (if you wanna call it that). If Allan Houston sucked so bad when you were trying to get rid of him two years ago, why even entertain the thought of bringing him back to the team. I'm sorry, I'm ranting.

3. Kobe reportedly would like to go to Dallas (which would literally scare the shit out of me as a Rockets fan), which would really work. The Mavs would only have to part with Erick Dampier and Jason Terry, according to ESPN's NBA Trade Machine. Dampier is an overpaid disappointment and Terry was an underachieving 'tweener last postseason. The Mavericks wouldn't have to gut their 67-win squad to pit Kobe with Dirk and Josh Howard, and they'll finally have a crunch-time killer. (On second thought, let's make sure this doesn't happen, please. PLEASE!!!)

The question is, would the Lakers want to take back two large contracts for two players that have no chance at being impact stars in the long term? Hmmm.

I'm of the belief that once it was realized that Kobe could only take this D-league roster so far and that Doc Buss and his sons were prostituting the prime of the league's best player, Kobe no longer was the untouchable star people said he was. No one is "untouchable". Shaq got traded for god's sake. Wilt, A.I., etc.

MJ was forced out of Chicago, people. It's not impossible for somebody to ship Kobe's bratty ass out of town to improve the franchise in the long term.

Somebody Wake Doc Buss Up

It's official. Shawm Marion reportedly has asked the Suns' braintrust for a trade out of the desert. Apparently, he's tired of hearing of hearing his name in trade rumors. As if.

Where to now? Marion said he would welcome a trade to the Lakers, and there has been reports of trade talks with L.A. that would send Marion to Hollywood and Lamar Odom to Phoenix. I say, make this happen yesterday.

The proposed trade works well for both teams, financially and on the court. I don't even have to say how much it improves the Lakers. With Marion, Kobe gets a running mate that can both score when needed and defend like hell (in my opinion, he should have won the Defensive POY last year). He really can't create his own shot (which Kobe probably won't like when teams start doubling him), but he can give you 20 and 10 without having one single play ran for him in the halfcourt (which Kobe will definitely like).

Odom, on the other hand, has been dying to get as far away as possible from 24 since he got there and will relish getting to play with a successful team full of unselfish players. The Suns also run a system that utilizes LO's talents. Mike D'Antoni implemented a style that allows for multiple playmakers outside of Steve Nash. Odom is a good enough rebounder, so he give the Suns another option to run the fast break when Nash isn't on the floor. Marion is a better rebounder, but not the ball handler and passer Lamar is.

Lamar also gives them a more positive presence in the locker room, an alternative from the constant bitching about "being noticed" and what not. Odom doesn't even want to be noticed, he just wants to play, as long as it's not with KB.

The Lakers also would get some much needed playoff experience that Lamar never came close to offering. Plus, Shawn Marion is 10x the athlete Lamar Odom is, hence the nickname "Matrix".

Kobe should like this trade, seeing that it's the closest Mitch Kupchak and Jerry Buss will come to getting a "star" player around him this season. If getting Marion doesn't appease him, nothing will.

Though the Lakers front office has been morally irresponsible concerning the improvement of their roster, I have to give them props for jumping on this Marion situation, knowing that he already had an interest in playing there. And this also works for the Suns, considering they have been cutting costs like the Depression was coming back around.

Hopefully this deal gets done before training camp starts on Monday. Of course, we have to be skeptical about this deal even happening at all, considering how it makes too much sense and all.

Kobe Ain't Goin' Nowhere

At least not until '09.

Somebody tell Kobe to sit his ass down somewhere.

Yes, I know he's stuck under the realm of the Kupchack era. *Shivers* But, seriously, who really thinks the Lakers would be stupid enough to trade KB? Anyone?

Here's a better question. Do you think L.A. would actually trade him two, two years before he can opt out of his contract? Hell no.

What is happening with Mamba is this: he sees the roster assembled around him and knows its not good enough to compete for a championship and he's frustrated. That's fair. He also saw Billy King and Kevin McHale waste the latter prime years of Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett and doesn't want the same thing to happen to him. Completely understandable.

But some things to consider here:

1. Jerry Buss already traded his biggest attraction and the main person that kept the Lakers contending each year in Shaquille O'Neal. He's not going to trade his only (good) marketable asset - and not to mention the best player in the game.

2. The Lakers have about a 3 percent chance of getting fair value for him. If you are in the Lakers front office, who else would you want to get back for Kobe? Only two names come to mind as far as talent and market value: Lebron James and Dwyane Wade. Cleveland would never, ever trade Lebron for anybody, especially somebody who doesn't make his teammates better (and let's face it: Kobe has it much better than Bron Bron in terms of surrounding talent.) Also, James isn't quite the dominant player Kobe is, though he matches him in marketability (maybe more).

And you think Miami is going to give up a player that has shown he can A)Get along with teammates; B)Make said teammates better; C)Co-exist with Shaq; D)Actually lead a team to a title (key word: lead)? Of course, not.

What other stars are there? T-Mac's not as dominant and injury-prone; plus, Kobe would seriously corrupt Yao Ming; Carmelo can't get out of the first round either, and there's no way Kobe is going back to Colorado; Gilbert Arenas is too erratic with not as much star power as Kobe, though Kobe would love to go to the East and Gil0 would love to back in L.A.

My suggestion to Kobe would be to play out this next year and, if the team fails to make any significant trades, threaten to walk the next summer if they don't trade him to wherever his heart desires. By the summer of '09, Chris Paul and Deron Williams will be unrestricted free agents and might possibly want to head to Hollywood.

Just hope for Kobe's sake it won't be to the Clippers.

Let's Show These Dudes How We Do It On the Westside

Cuz you and I know it's the best side.

I know I'm a little late with this early Western Conference preview, but, with a girlfriend and friends plus an early start on the weekend, it just wasn't gonna happen.

Anyway, what can you say about the West that hasn't been said about the American League in baseball. Totally dominant, save for the 2004 Finals.

It features the league's best player (Kobe Bryant), the league's best team by far (San Antonio), the league's most exciting teams (Phoenix, Golden State), even the NBA's best two rookies in years (Greg Oden, Kevin Durant).

But the recent rise of the Cleveland Cavaliers as an Eastern Conference powerhouse behind one superstar and a bunch of JV players, a bunch of West stars have been planning their escape from Alcatraz to the East.

So without further ado, your early-August Western Conference preview:

-Dallas: Quite fitting that we start with the 67-win team which stormed through the 2007 regular season, featured the league MVP (Dirk Nowitzki), peaked in late March, and flamed out in the first round at the hands of the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors. Disappointment is an understatement. The team returns this season almost the same way it ended last season. They re-signed vet Jerry Stackhouse to go along with the core of Dirk/Josh Howard/Jason Terry/Desagna Diop/Devin Harris. The team drafted forward Nick Fazekas and signed guard Eddie Jones from the Heat. None of those moves will vault them back to title favorites, but they will keep them as main contenders.

-Denver: The Nuggets showed potential greatness last year despite many setbacks and changes to the roster. First, forward Kenyon Martin was lost for the season. Then, star Carmelo Anthony got suspended for 15 games in December after the brawl (cat-fight?) in MSG. Lastly (and most importantly), was the addition of future Hall of Famer Allen Iverson that could possibly propel the team to the upper stratosphere in the West. With no first rounders this summer, the Nuggets return the same core from last year, along with Nene, J.R. Smith, and Marcus Camby, who was featured in a slew of trade rumors since the end of 2007.

-Golden State: 2007's Cinderella squad comes back strong for next season. The team traded away former franchise cornerstone Jason Richardson to Charlotte for the number 8 pick, Brandon Wright, who should help out the Warriors' horrid rebounding and inside defense (unless he's traded before next season; a possibility). A healthy Baron Davis and a mature Stephen Jackson will take the snake-bitten Warriors back to the postseason for an unprecedented second time. (Wooow!)

-Houston: *sets bias aside* The Rockets have improved dramtically since that devastating game seven home loss in the first round against Utah in April (believe me, I was there). They addressed every need on their roster, and not with just third-tier players. They needed a creative point guard that can score and defend, then went and got former franchise (literally) player Steve Francis and drafted Aaron Brooks (possibly the sleeper of the draft) in the first round. They needed an athletic, versatile power forward that could defend, then went and traded for Luis Scola (the Argentina MVP that killed the U.S. in the Olympics) from the Spurs. They needed a backup for Yao, and got the young, athletic Jackie Butler in the Scola deal. With T-Mac, Yao, and Battier, Houston's recent additions should immediately elevate them (us) to the next level in the crowded (South)West.

-L.A. Clippers: Well, at least nobody got killed. The Clippers have had a truly forgettable last 5 months. First, there was prodigy Shaun Livingston suffering a quite possibly career-threatening injury; then, the Clips missed the playoffs after almost making the West finals in '06; then they watched Baron Davis led G.S. to the second round, the same Baron Davis they had a chance to trade for the year before; then, to top it off, Elton Brand goes down during a simple daily workout with a ACL injury. It's tough in LA these days. The only good news, if any, is that first-rounder Al Thornton will have a lot more opportunities to show his talents with Brand out. Expect another lottery season for the Clippers and a shot at Memphis' Derrick Rose, USC's O.J. Mayo, Indiana's Eric Gordon, or North Carolina's Tywon Lawson.

-L.A. Lakers: With Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Andrew Bynum, and Luke Walton plus the re-signing of former Laker Derek Fisher, and the drafting of 19-year-old Georgia Tech freshman guard Javaris Chrittenton, it's a wonder why Kobe Bryant doesn't want to return to Lakerland with that core intact. If that's not a championship-contending team, what is? *releases sarcasm button* I assume Kobe watched closely as the primes of the careers of Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett were wasted by bone-headed GMs that couldn't put enough talent around their high-priced superstars and decided he wouldn't be next. Although he probably won't get his way this time, it doesn't mean he's wrong. The Lakers are still a playoff team, just not a contender in any kind of way.

-Memphis: After a season that saw Memphis go from playoff squad to cellar-dwelling lottery team (the Grizzlies had the worst record in the league in '06-'07), the team added an influx of talent for this season. The Grizz drafted point guard Mike Conley, Jr. with the fourth pick in June, then signed former second overall pick F/C Darko Milicic. Conley and Milicic add to a group of young players that showed promise last season (Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry, Hakim Warrick). Plus, the team still has star Pau Gasol, who, despite many rumors, hasn't been traded, yet. They're still a long way from playoff contention, but they're on the way.

-Minnesota: The good news is that Minny finally has a lot of young talented pieces to go around their best player. The bad news is that their best player is no longer cornerstone Kevin Garnett, but unproven young forward Al Jefferson, who the T-Wolves received from Boston in the blockbuster 7-for-1 player deal last week (Minnesota also got Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff, and two first round picks). The Wolves also drafted NCAA champion Corey Brewer (one of the most NBA-ready prospects) and feature lead guard Randy Foye and third-year swingman Rashad McCants. That's alot of talent. Plus, they weren't going to go to the playoffs anyway, so they should benefit from all the youthful assets (or be like the Celtics and have a bunch of inexperienced players and no direction). And, of course, Kevin McHale is still the GM, so there's a high possibility for screwups.

-New Orleans: By all accounts, the New Orleans Hornets are supposed to be going for their third consecutive postseason appearance. But ever since 2005 (when Chris Paul was drafted), the team has been ravaged with injury after injury to key role players and even Paul himself. In both of Paul's two seasons, the Hornets have been good enough to be in the playoffs. This summer New Orleans addressed their biggest need, scoring. They drafted versatile forward Julian Wright and signed Morris Peterson from Toronto. Jannero Pargo re-signed and they're expected to try to get John Lucas III from the Rockets, just in case CP3 goes down. With Tyson Chandler emerging and Peja Stojakovic coming back healthy, the Hornets should a dangerous team in 2008.

-Phoenix: The window of opportunity is getting smaller and smaller in the Valley of the Sun, with Steve Nash's aging body, Amare Stoudamire's uncertain future health, and the cost-cutting deals that have forced the Suns to unload first round picks and players in order to avoid the luxury tax. James Jones is gone; Kurt Thomas is gone. The team, in my opinion, should have packaged Amare for Garnett this summer, as Garnett would have improved the team's playoff chances with his post play and inside defense and rebounding. Phoenix tried to dangle Shawn Marion to try to get KG to no avail. The Suns are still a lock to get at least to the 2nd round, but will need another move to uproot the Spurs as title favorites.

-Portland: Any summer that gets you the number 1 pick, a future perennial All-Star, a dominant defensive big man, and legitimate 7-foot franchise center all in one in Greg Oden is a good summer. Actually a great summer. Oden joins a very talented core of players, led by 2007 Rookie of the Year in Brandon Roy. Big man LaMarcus Aldridge will team with Oden in the middle for a formiddable 1-2 punch. And the team also got sharpshooting swingman James Jones from Phoenix and signed Steve Blake last month. The Blazers are also hoping to get more contributions from former first rounders Martell Webster and Travis Outlaw. Coach Nate McMillan sure has alot of good players on his hand, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

-Sacramento: The Kings have been anything but in 2007. They missed the playoffs and looked dreadful doing it. Guard Mike Bibby and forward Ron Artest faced countless trade rumors all season long, and those rumors surely won't go away with the team's sad state. The team features a budding star in Kevin Martin, which is Sac-town's only bright spot. Expect Bibby or Artest (or both) to be gone sometime soon.

-San Antonio: What more can you say about the champs? They're the NBA's version of Groundhog Day. The good news for the other 29 teams is that the Spurs simply do not repeat. They just don't. More good news is that the Spurs really didn't do much to change the roster. They do keep the 3-time title core of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginoboli, though. That's always good.

-Seattle: Well, they give up their franchise cornerstone in Ray Allen, and traded forward Rashard Lewis (getting rid of his massive new contract). All this after they drafted the new franchise cornerstone (and future superstar; it's a mortal lock) Kevin Durant, the number 2 pick and easily the best player in the draft. Durant will get the ball instantly, and most likely be the Rookie of the Year. The Sonics also got Jeff Green(the number 5 pick) and Delonte West(in the Allen trade) to compliment Durant. The team also got Kurt Thomas from the Suns to add frontcourt toughness. Seattle has a great future ahead of them, but they're nowhere close. Pencil them in for the Rose/Mayo/Gordon sweepstakes.

-Utah: The Jazz are in a good place. They have a great core that features a great point guard (Deron Williams), a great big man (Carlos Boozer), and a versatile center (Mehmet Okur), and a wide cast of role players. They drafted the deadly shooter Morris Almond with the 24th pick and were relieved of Derek Fisher's contract after he asked to be released. If Almond becomes a reliable scorer and defender in Jerry Sloan's system and the Jazz pick up more inside scoring after Boozer, they could be a serious Finals contender after coming close last year. (Utah lost to San Antonio in the Western Conf. finals)

Playoff Teams:
Spurs, Mavericks, Rockets, Suns, Nuggets, Jazz, Hornets, Warriors (contingent on if the Lakers trade for another star)

Finals Team:
Rockets (no bias; we're that good)