|| LocK Dis Up ||

[darthska]

Throw all of the funds at Jerry West.

When discussing his salary, when he goes, "Well, I also need __________," you do that.

I've said many times that him bailing to Memphis was the beginning of our end. And he turned Memphis around.

He's not at Memphis anymore, and they've tapered off, even starting to dip downward the last couple years.

Know where he's at now? Go look.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

We've succeeded without Jerry, we'll succeed again without him.

 

[CP1708]

He's gettin WAY up there in age tho. Dicey.

But as an assistant to someone, I'd be down for that. Absolutely.

 

[kal-el-8]

Throw all of the funds at Jerry West.

When discussing his salary, when he goes, "Well, I also need __________," you do that.

I've said many times that him bailing to Memphis was the beginning of our end. And he turned Memphis around.

He's not at Memphis anymore, and they've tapered off, even starting to dip downward the last couple years.

Know where he's at now? Go look.

Should be noted he put his body in front of the Klay for Love deal. West just gets it.

 

[jab step]

Throw all of the funds at Jerry West.

When discussing his salary, when he goes, "Well, I also need __________," you do that.

I've said many times that him bailing to Memphis was the beginning of our end. And he turned Memphis around.

He's not at Memphis anymore, and they've tapered off, even starting to dip downward the last couple years.

Know where he's at now? Go look.

He was in Memphis from 2002-2007. Way before their recent success and tapering off. He did turn them around a bit, but that was partially cause of Pau emerging and I don't think West even drafted him. 

Laker fans are legitimately spoiled. 3 years of a rebuild and these rumors constantly come up. Relax, this is part of rebuilding. 3 years is nothing. They've put themselves in a real good position for the future IMO. It's no coincidence they have all this cap the year Kobe i about to retire and the cap jumps. 

 

[MVP]

Well we have his son already, hopefully he's got some of the smarts already. Jerry isn't coming back without more control I don't think. I think if they completely whiff this summer, wholesale changes will be made.

Cap space is only as good as the players who want to take it. Ask the Knicks.

 

[lovehateself]

Ryan west is the heir to Mitch's throne
Mitch won't get fired, he'll step down

 

[usdlaw]

Jerry west coming back to advise Ryan? I'm all for it

View media item 1904921

 

[pmatic]

Heat send center Hassan Whiteside home after ejection in loss to Spurs

Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside's All-Star break got started early when he was sent home by the team soon after he was ejected from Tuesday's blowout 119-101 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Whiteside was immediately tossed at the 9:35 mark of the fourth quarter when he swung an elbow in apparent frustration toward the head of Spurs center Boban Marjanovic as they battled for position near the free throw line.

Whiteside remained on the court for several moments as game officials reviewed the altercation. He was assessed a flagrant foul 2, which resulted in an automatic ejection and a one-game suspension. Heat teammates said Whiteside had already left the arena by the time they returned to the locker room after the game, and coach Erik Spoelstra confirmed that Whiteside was told to leave.

"That's something we'll deal with with Hassan," Spoelstra said. "We don't condone that kind of play. We've been through this with him before. But it's a disappointing play. That's not a basketball play."

Whiteside finished with 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks in 25 minutes off the bench.

Marjanovic indicated after the game that Whiteside's elbow did make contact, but that he did not believe there was malicious intent. Regardless, the Heat have pointed to previous incidents when they've dealt with Whiteside's inability to maintain composure on the court during games.

Last season, Whiteside, 26, was ejected from a March 9 home game against Boston after delivering a forearm blow to the back of Kelly Olynyk's back and neck. A week earlier, Whiteside was ejected for his role in an altercation on the court with Phoenix Suns center Alex Len, who was also tossed and fined.

Whiteside, the NBA's leader in blocked shots, has avoided similar altercations on the court this season in what is a contract year. He'll enter free agency this summer after earning $990,000 in the second season of a two-year deal he signed with Miami. Whiteside is in line for a major contract in free agency that could be in the range of $80 million over four years, according to some NBA projections.

Teammates who have mostly tried to keep Whiteside in line expressed disappointment over his setback.

"You never turn your back on your teammate, but at the same time you are not always in a position to grab someone's hand and walk them through every step of the way," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "He has been pretty good to this point [in the season]. Everyone has a lapse in judgement and obviously he had one. ... Sometimes, we don't know what he is thinking, but like I said, we support each other."

Heat forward Chris Bosh, who serves as a team co-captain with Wade, said Whiteside needs to better understand there's a lot at stake for him this season. Whiteside ranks among the top 10 players in the league in blocks, rebounds and field goal percentage and averages 12.2 points, 11 boards and 3.9 blocks per game. If the flagrant 2 isn't reduced on an appeal to the league, Whiteside would serve his suspension when the Heat return from the All-Star break for a Feb. 19 game in Atlanta.

"The next step for him is really learning about reputation," Bosh said. "Unfortunately, he's taken a step back. You have to build your reputation back up. Whether it's right or wrong, whether he made contact or not, I really don't know. But people see that and tend to expect certain things."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...ami-heat-being-ejected-loss-san-antonio-spurs

Good talent, but stay away from him this summer.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

With the right staff I think Whiteside is a no-brainer. Just need to channel his energy appropriately, ala Ron.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

I don't think he has metta's dedication or love for the game. To me he's psycho bynum

 

[Lizakers]

Ryan west is the heir to Mitch's throne
Mitch won't get fired, he'll step down

I agree, but that's basically being forced to resign just to save face. "Hey Mitch we want to go in a different direction, we'll tell the public it was your decision to step down and we'll pay you the rest of the money left on your contract rather than firing you....."
Very rarely is a resignation authentic and not forced

Like someone said, if they whiff AGAIN, wholesale changes

 

[lovehateself]

I don't think he has metta's dedication or love for the game. To me he's psycho bynum

love of the game is key, dude is playing to get paid right now, dude could get even more out of control after he gets his money...think larry sanders

hey mitch, call larry 

 

[pmatic]

Al Horford this summer pls.

 

[essential1]

Still would go after Whiteside. Horford before him. But still go after him.

 

[pmatic]

Ultimate what-if: Sources reveal 2007 Kobe-for-LeBron trade talk

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James play each other Wednesday night, Bryant's final game in Cleveland.

Their matchup over the years has been one of cross-conference shadow boxing; injury and circumstance have kept them from ever having an epic playoff showdown. One or the other played in every NBA Finals from 2007 to 2015, but never against each other.

But there is another piece of history the two share, one mostly hidden until now. According to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the event, the Lakers once contacted the Cavs to investigate whether Cleveland would make James available in a possible Bryant trade.

In the summer of 2007, Bryant was 28 years old and coming off a season where he averaged 32 points a game and shot 46 percent from the field. He had three rings and would win his first Most Valuable Player award the following season.

Bryant was under contract for two more seasons, but was frustrated with the Lakers after three consecutive subpar seasons following the Shaquille O'Neal trade.

"At that time, the Lakers had to do something. I was just losing faith in what they were trying to do. It was like I was a meal ticket," Bryant told ESPN's Baxter Holmes this week. "You come out and score 40, 50 points, fill the seats, we're going to keep the payroll at a minimum, generate revenue. It's like, look, listen, I am not with that, dude. I have to win without Shaq. I've got to do it. We've got to do something."

Bryant famously agitated for change, and as the rhetoric reached a fever pitch in the media, for a period some kind of blockbuster trade seemed almost likely.

James, at that time, was 22 years old. He'd just led a team with limited talent to the Finals before losing to the Spurs. He'd averaged 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists during the Cavs' playoff run, including a 48-point game in Detroit in the conference finals when he scored 29 of his team's final 30 points. He'd win his first MVP award two years later. James was under contract for three more seasons, determined to be better the next time he made the Finals.

This was the moment in time. One was the best player in the league and one was the next best player in the league. If Bryant was ever going to be traded, it would have to be for a player of this caliber.

According to multiple sources, as the Lakers went through their options, a call was placed to the Cavs. The intent of the call, sources said, was clear: Would the Cavs make James available in a potential deal for Bryant?

Those who worked in Cleveland's front office remember it for one reason, it was the only time a team had ever called and made an offer for James. He was considered an ultimate untouchable. Frankly, until that time, so was Bryant.

Even in 2003, when the Cavs won the draft lottery, the team's front office figured it would get a "Godfather" offer or two to give up the No. 1 pick they planned to use on James. But the phone never rang.

"I believe it," James told ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin this week about the 2007 offer. "If you give up one big fish, you got to give a big fish too."

The Cavs said that James, indeed, was untouchable, sources said. Then they attempted to make the Lakers a different offer for Bryant, offering anyone else on their team in a package for him. The Lakers had no interest.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak declined comment on the matter this week.

For Bryant, who had a no-trade clause in his contract, the answer was simple.

"I never would've approved it. Never. The trade to go to Cleveland? Never," Bryant told Holmes. "That wasn't one of the teams that was on my list. It was Chicago, San Antonio (or) Phoenix."

The Lakers attempted to find a deal with the Bulls and neared completion that summer but it ultimately was voided when Bryant didn't approve of Luol Deng being included.

So Kupchak had to go off of Bryant's list and look elsewhere, which is likely what led him to a due diligence call to the Cavs just to see if they'd be willing to consider a swap for James. Though a deal was always a long shot, Kupchak wouldn't have been doing his job if he didn't check.

Eventually, Kupchak and Detroit Pistons general manager Joe Dumars agreed to terms on a possible trade. It was believed to have included Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton among other pieces. Late team owner Dr. Jerry Buss presented that deal to Bryant, who rejected it because the Pistons were not on his list either.

But that meeting ended up starting a thaw between the sides. Patience prevailed, and the following season the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol and started a run of three straight Finals, two of which the Lakers won. The Cavs also made a series of trades, won 60 games in 2008-09 and 2009-10 but didn't return to the Finals at a time when James could have faced off against Bryant.

Barring a shocking Lakers run in the second half, Bryant will retire never having faced James in the postseason, leaving only two regular season games -- Wednesday, and another in March -- as the final chapters in a rivalry built largely on asking "what if?"

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...ts-sources-reveal-2007-kobe-lebron-trade-talk

Well damn.

 

[lovehateself]

 

[pmatic]

We Asked 18 Journalists for Their Favorite Kobe Bryant Stories

http://www.complex.com/sports/2016/02/kobe-bryant-stories

 

[WAKKO!]

John Ireland mentioned this morning that the lakers should go all out for Phil and Magic and how him and magic would be the greatest FO ever....Ireland always bringing up up non sense

 

[CP1708]

John Ireland mentioned this morning that the lakers should go all out for Phil and Magic and how him and magic would be the greatest FO ever....Ireland always bringing up up non sense

Skip Bayless commends Ireland's career choices.

 

[Lizakers]

Whiteside getting a max deal with averages of 12 pts and 11 rebs

Bill Russell is rolling over in his grave

 

[MVP]

12/11/4 blocks in 28 min a game when they run no plays for him is pretty impressive. He's needed for his defense and rebounding, there's enough gunners on the team.

 

[lovehateself]

at least his ft% is better than deandres

 

[CP1708]

ESPN All Time rankings:

12 Kobe
11 Oscar
10 Hakeem
9 Shaq
8 Duncan
7 Russell
6 Bird
5 Wilt
4 Magic
3 Bron
2 Kareem
1 MJ

 

[lovehateself]

ESPN All Time rankings:

12 Kobe
11 Oscar
10 Hakeem
9 Shaq
8 Duncan
7 Russell
6 Bird
5 Wilt
4 Magic
3 Bron
2 Kareem
1 MJ

espn turning into complex magazine