So, since Kobe is still the biggest story of the day, until tonight, when hopefully either LeBron will rise up, play some YouSick, win the big game and make the David Stern and the rest of the NBA management very happy. Here's the latest on Kobe from around the nets....
Lang Whitaker from Slam Online is betting big on Kidd going to Los Angeles:
"How about this? The Lakers are going to get Jason Kidd.
At least, that’s what I’m hearing from someone in the know.
Kidd goes to L.A., and Bynum goes to Jersey. Soon. The Bynum Brigade might need to establish an East Rutherford chapter.
(And while we’re at it, I hear Vince is going to be heading to Orlando.)"
Sorry, Lang, but no way. We'll bet against this. Where to start? One, until Carter is dealt, the Nets won't trade Kidd. No reason to. Unless they are breaking up the Kidd/Carter/Jefferson/Krstic combo, which is still good enough to win the still-weak Eastern Conference, there's no reason to toss in the towel. And the Nets have not worked out a decision on re-signing Carter or not, much less worked out a trade with Orlando. Too soon for all that - whatever happens there will take a little while to sort out.
Secondly, the rush to trade Kidd is the last move the Nets will make. If they are in dump salary mode, getting rid of RJ is a higher priority. Which is the worst contract - $40 million over the next two years to an aging point who is still the best point in the league, one of the top-5 players in the NBA, and who averaged a triple-double in his 12 playoff games, or... paying $55 million over the next 4 seasons (including $29 million from 2009-2011, the two biggest free agent years in forever) to a small forward who might not even be in the top 10 SFs in the league (my list, in no order: Carmelo Anthony, Caron Butler, LeBron James, a sane Ron Artest, Rashard Lewis, Tayshaun Prince, Paul Pierce, Tracy McGrady, Andrei Kirilenko, Antawn Jamison, Gerald Wallace, and some borderline guys)? Point being, if the Nets are in rebuild mode (a.k.a. pick up Bynum mode), they will probably also want to shed Jefferson, too.
Thirdly, why would the Lakers want Kidd? That is not what they need... the point of Phil Jackson's triangle offense is that the traditional point guard is obsolete - what you need is a strong defender who can hit threes at the point, and that's it. Kerr as a point? Paxson? Hodges? These guys were really your traditional 3-pt specialist. What the Lakers need is a low post presence to keep the defenses from crashing too much on Kobe at the top of the key, just like in the Shaq days. Either that or another swingman who can create his own shot (like Pippen to Kobe's Jordan). Kidd is not that guy.
Also mentioned in rumors going to the Lakers: Jermaine O'Neal. We wrote about this rumor like a month ago, but there is Peter Vecsey today writing about it. It's still a hot rumor, huh:
"Within the last week, the Pacers and Lakers have laid the groundwork for a trade that would certainly placate both sorrowful All-Stars. L.A. inquired about O'Neal - another fake franchise player pocketing maximum money on the prowl for someone to save him from losing. And was told he was available. Indiana let it be known the Lakers have ample assets (players and/or picks) to make a fair deal.
No specifics were delivered. No negotiating has been done."
Well, I don't know how much I believe Peter Vecsey - he's always making up trade rumors. Plus, why would the Lakers have contacted the Pacers within the last week, if this Kobe thing only just went down last night. Unless the conversation went badly, which is what set Kobe off. Perhaps the Lakers have not been aggressive enough in their pursuit of Jermaine O'Neal (the Lakers, hoping to save some money, don't want to trade Bynum and/or Farmer for heavy salaried Jermaine), and Kobe is forcing the issue.
This is the trade that makes sense for the Lakers - Garnett ain't happening, Randolph and Gasol are contracts that are too long for the Lakers to take on. They know that Mamba can opt out in 2 years, so they don't want to get stuck holding the bag (in this case Randolph or Gasol) when they can use that freed up money to sign a premier free agent (hello Dwayne Wade or Chris Bosh or most likely, Carmelo Anthony).
Bonus: We're gonna take a shot at calling the deal. Our recommendation - the Pacers only have one asset right now - O'Neal. They need to get back some salary cap help, as they have the worst situation in the league. How about Brian Grant's expiring contract ($15.5 million), plus Odom ($12.5), plus Bynum and Farmer, for O'Neal ($18 million), Tinsley ($6 million, but a long contract, and the Lakers need a point) and Marquis Daniels (another long contract, not too expensive, and a young talent for the Lakers to take back in return for giving up their top two young dawgs. Plus the Pacers aren't doing anything with Daniels' potenial anyway).
Lakers can re-sign Luke Walton, and toss out Tinsley, Kobe, Walton, O'Neal and Kwame or some other schlub they sign. The Pacers get Farmer and Bynum plus $22 million less a year for the next two years, to go with Odom and Troy Murphy. They are in rebuilding mode, right? Not a bad start. Maybe the Lakers also throw in their #1 pick this year or next to complete the deal.
Or, if the Lakers aren't giving up both the youngsters for whatever reason, a third team can get involved and absorb some salary cap damage from the Pacers - I mentioned earlier the Knicks could ship Francis to the Lakers, and take back one of the Pacers' bad contracts (possible Murphy), in return for something out of the deal - perhaps also dumping Jerome James on the Lakers? Isiah gets rid of his two worst contracts - Francis and James - and gets back one more manageable contract. I don't know, that might require some work....
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I agree, I don't think Rod Thorn will break up the team, unless Vince forces his way out (and I don't think he really wants out, just wants the money and 3-year extension).
And, honestly: Kidd, Carter, Jefferson (provided Thorn can't swap him for something decent), Krstic... that's not bad for the East. Add Nachbar and Williams off the bench, and whoever the Nets add in the offseason - I like the makeup of the Nets. They need a decent shot-blocking PF (like the Knicks, look at Sean Williams, even though all indications now are that he is lock into one team, and therefore not working out for anyone else - more on this in a bit), and/or another three point shooter off the bench.
1) You say the triangle needs a traditional 3pt specialist, then you contradict yourself by suggesting Jamaal Tinsley.
2) Brian Grant was waived. I'm not entirely sure, but I believe when a player is waived, you may not include his contract in a trade. ;)
3) Farmar is going nowhere for that price.
4) The Knicks don't want to be the third team, they want to be the only team.
Hey CA-Born,
Thanks for the feedback:
1) Tinsley can make threes. He shot 37.2% in 03-04 (and again the next season), when he was used primarily a three point specialist. That may not make him Capano, but he's up there with Ray Allen and Jason Richardson, who are both known to drop threes. That season more than half of Jamaal's FG and FGAs were from behind the arc. He's not the ideal 3-point specialist, but he's certainly capable. And he could work on it and improve.
Though I think Billups is a better possibility, I just don't know how the Lakers are going to pull that off. I don't think they are under the cap enough to make it happen, unless they find a taker for Kwame Brown.
2) You say that sarcastically. Are you sure? Because I've looked at a lot of literature on the NBA's salary cap, and while I can tell you how much Ron Artest's proclivity for getting suspended actually helps a team's salary cap, I can't say I know for sure if you can trade a waived player's expiring contract or not. Can you? If so, would you be willing to send me the article?...
3) Depends on what the Lakers are doing - building for the win now with Kobe, or building for the future with Bynum and Farmer.
4) Believe me, if Isiah Thomas could get rid of Francis (and Jerome James), he'll be happy to be the third team.
shipping off both VC n jefferson would be my call, rebuiding around Kidd where he still has 2-3 more years in his legs is better than putting the burden around those two guys, but Kidd wants to win a championship and if the team do rebuild, i don't think Kidd would wanna hang around. So, retaining all the pieces together for another pplayoff push won't be surprising