What The Hell Are The Lakers Doing?

                                         
       I hope I’m not the only one that actually breathed a sigh of relief when the proposed trade between the Hornets, Rockets and Lakers fell through (at the time). I thought the Lakers were giving up too much and the Hornets were getting back way too much in the trade, and for some reason the Commissioner nixed the trade citing “basketball reasons”, essentially intimating that the Hornets weren’t getting back enough in the trade, and that it would change the balance of power more towards the Lakers side. The Lakers were intent on trading away their two best big men, who exemplify why the Lakers were viewed to have an advantages over much of the competition, forcing other teams to adjust their rosters just to compete with the group of tall players the Lakers had on their front line. The Hornets were going to get Lamar Odom (from the Lakers), Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, and another player (from the Rockets), and probably a draft pick or two. Meanwhile the Rockets were going to get the Lakers’ Paul Gasol, and the Lakers would just end up with Chris Paul. According to those who opposed the trade- the commissioner and some other owners who complained- the Lakers would be getting a great player and saving money in the deal, so they could be in line to make another trade for a good player, therefore it was a lopsided trade in their favor. The only reason the trade could be vetoed like that, is because the New Orleans Hornets are the only team owned by the NBA, so the commissioner had the final say on the trade, even though the teams’ GMs had agreed on the trade. That is a distinct conflict of interest, it seems, and it seems like the other owners shouldn't have a say in what one team does, but that is the way it is, so the league acts as the owner and vetoes the trade that it didn't like (whether for selfish reasons for the better of the Hornets team). If you examine the end results of the proposed trade, the Lakers were losing two of their best three players, and getting one great player back who doesn’t play their position, leaving the power forward position basically vacant, as well as hurting their overall depth on the bench (especially at forward position).

        Chris Paul is obviously a great point guard, and would make a formidable back court with Kobe Bryant, but what else would they have left? I haven’t mentioned their center Andrew Bynum, who would have been the lone remaining tall player who actually poses a threat offensively and defensively. He usually looks good when he plays, but his only evidence of consistency, is the fact he has seemingly failed to stay healthy and/or productive for more than half a season, each year since coming into the league. The owners who complained about the Chris Paul trade, complained that the Lakers would then be able to trade for the Orlando Magic center, Dwight Howard, but I still have no clue what they think the Lakers would have left on their roster to trade for the most sought-after low-post center in the league, since their only tradable player of value left (excluding Kobe) on their team would be the injury-prone, still unproven young center Bynum, and maybe Metta World Peace (AKA Ron Artest), or… Luke Walton, I presume, as if anyone would want to take on his contract. Basically, assuming anyone would value any of the other players left on the Lakers roster makes no sense, so they wouldn’t have any great advantage like those trade proposal opponents seem to assume, not to mention that the Hornets would have received three former (and potential) all-star players, in exchange for a player they are certainly (100% chance) going to lose by next season. Sure, I'll admit that it really isn’t the Laker management’s fault that the trade did eventually fall through, but the fact they were trying to make the swap in the first place, along with the consequences and mishaps since then certainly can be blamed entirely on them, and this team is going to suffer because of this nonsense, possibly for a very long time to come.



       Lamar Odom is obviously a sensitive individual based on any interview or TV show you watch , and the fact that the Lakers even though about trading pissed him off, and he felt betrayed, so he went into the General Manager’s office and complained and “demanded” to be traded. I don’t understand how a player can demand a trade when you’re under contract; you can ask to be traded, but it’s in the player’s best interest to continue to play well, or other teams won’t want him anyway, so you can‘t just tank a season because your feelings are hurt and you don‘t like your team‘s management any more. So what does the Lakers GM, Mitch Kupchak, do? He trades Odom away to the defending champion Mavericks (who whooped the Lakers last year) for a future draft pick (that will be low because the Mavs are a playoff team), to save money and get a trade exemption for Odom’s contract value, whatever that really means. Maybe the trade exception allows them to get another player at the same salary as Odom, in a possible trade with another trade without some salary cap implications or without affecting the salary numbers being traded, or whatever benefit they get for making the trade. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t help their team now, and it doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense, since losing a quality player like that should only hurt their chances to make a possible trade. Why would someone want to trade away their great player to the Lakers for a draft pick, instead of a good player like Lamar Odom? Why not keep him on your team, and either he will simmer down and be happy with his team once again, or if his trade [requests] continue, then look to trade him for some actual value. I understand the money they “save” helps out the team’s bottom line (and luxury tax fees, etc), and it’s not my money to complain about their accounting methods, but the fact remains that it serves very little purpose for the team playing on the basketball court to just dump his salary and get practically nothing back in return, in a knee-jerk reactionary, unnecessary trade.



       Odom is one of the most team-oriented players I have ever seen, one of the more versatile players in the league, who can play almost every position on the court. and he is playing for what appears to be a discount, at less than $8.5 million per year. That doesn’t sound like a discount to people like you and me, in relation to our lives and the fact I will never ever see that much money in my lifetime, let alone for playing 66 games of basketball. Rest assured, within the realm of the huge payrolls and salaries in the NBA, where [arguably] inferior overall players like Nene and Tyson Chandler just signed 4 or 5 year contracts for $13-15 million per season, the best 6^th man (who would have even better stats if he started) in the league deserves, who is probably a better rebounder than those two taller centers, and is easily a better passer than those two and only behind Chandler in overall defense (maybe). Maybe the trade exemption allows them to get another player at the same salary as Odom, in a possible trade with another trade without some salary cap implications or without affecting the salary numbers being traded, or whatever benefit they get for making a (possible) trade. Whatever the case is, if they were so insistent on trading him, they could have waited any number of days or weeks until another team actually offered something of value, or better yet, wait to see if he changes his mind, after the initial sting of the perceived deception subsided.



       Now, the Magic are saying they aren’t even fielding offers for Dwight Howard because he‘s changed his mind about ‘demanding‘ a trade again, and the Hornets just traded Chris Paul to the LA Clippers- of all teams- so the Lakers now have little to no chance to add a good player, and have lost one of their best players, while pissing off most of the players, (especially Pau Gasol who was part of the initial proposed trade), too, who were also opposed to the proposed trades. On top of that, they lost their second best performer off the bench, Shannon Brown, who signed with the Phoenix Suns, to go along with the fact they have a new head coach, who is implementing a whole new offense and defensive strategies in a couple short weeks of training camp.


        I was hoping that the commissioner would deem the new Lamar Odom trade to be unfair and bad for the Lakers basketball operations, so he could veto that one too, since he is supposed to approve all trades, but that obviously didn't happen. The Lakers management better hope that the league decides to veto the Clippers trade, too, so they get another shot at it, or else their only chance at a successful season seems to if each starting player remains completely healthy all season , since they have no depth at any position. One could argue (and maybe the same owner who whined last time will again) agains the equality of the trade, since the Clippers have become a very good team, while also saving money in the trade, and the Hornets don’t appear to get that much more than they would have in the proposed Laker trade. The Clippers now have new players Paul, Chauncey Billups, and Caron Butler to fill up the back court, accompanying their rookie phenom Blake Griffin, and the expert dunker/shot blocker DeAndre Jordan, to go along with three or four guards (Williams, Bledsoe, Foye) and they received two first round picks, which they can and probably will use to trade for more front court players, and on top of all of those benefits, they are something like $14 million under the salary cap. The Hornets receive Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, A.F. Aminu, and a first round pick, belonging to the Timber wolves (which is almost certainly a top-10 pick since the Wolves are perennially terrible). Kaman is a prime example of inconsistency, Eric Gordon is the best player of the bunch, with major all-star potential, but he also has proven to be somewhat injury prone, and Aminu is a 2^nd year player with apparent potential, so on the surfce, it seems the only real benefit is youth and possibly high potential, compared to the lot of experienced, all-star calibur players the Hornets would have received in the original Paul-to-Lakers trade. It certainly appears like all of the reasons the commissioner and owners protested before, could also be in play here as well, if they decide to go with it, but I doubt it, considering the negative feedback when they did it the first time. The other alternative for the Lakers' success is every starter remaining healthy and playing [well] in every game, since the bench is composed of Steve Blake, 2^nd-year man Character, newly acquired shooter Jason Kapono, and a bunch of rookies or players they will add later. That is about as likely as an undefeated season, especially with the short preseason time, the compressed schedule caused by the lockout, resulting in a higher game per week ratio and more back-to-back scenarios than usual, as well as the fact that hundreds of players get injured every year, in normal circumstances.



       Perhaps the money that the Lakers saved in the Odom debacle will actually result in a good team next season, because this team as it presently stands is obviously worse than last year, and they now are the 2^nd best team in LA.(unless the new trade is vetoed too), considering the moves the Clippers have made and will make to get even better (and because they legally have to spend that money to get closer to the salary cap, according to the rules). Now I wish that original trade had been approved, since the team gained nothing in exchange for losing Odom in the long run, and now most of Odom's ex-teammates are befuddled or just plain angry, and the prospects of making a good trade are basically null and void. Great job, Lakers! At least the Clipper games will be on TV all season too….