To be fair, I did say that, and still think Ron will blow up on that team at some point, but it may be a case that Ron recognizes he is not the alpha dog and settles into his place. My initial concerns about Ron in Houston were right on the money, that with such weak leadership that the Rockets had...Yao and TMac....Ron would be a chemistry disaster....and he was..... Figured the same in LA, but it looks like he has fallen in line behind Kobe.... DD
Exactly. Gasol/Bosh/Odom would be a matchup nightmare for every team. Kobe doesn't even have to show in the game. He could just sit back and watch his teammates take the Lakers to the finals then switches to attack mode and grabs the MVP trophy. Ridiculous.
Landry averages more points in less minutes and a higher FG% than Bynum so far this year. Bynum is a legit 7 foot center with skills and those players are hard to come by, but to me Landry is the more complete player. And the point is that Bosh would be better off in a supporting role with the Lakers, whereas with the Rockets he'll be asked to carry the team with Yao (assuming Yao holds up). The Lakers can play even faster and frees up Gasol, Kobe, and Odom to work in the post. 2 seven footers tend to clog things up in the lane.
This would be great for Toronto, horrible for LA. A Bynum/Gasol attack is more lethal than a Bosh/Gasol one. Bosh and Gasol pretty much play the type of offense, they both like to face up the defender. Bynum is more of a back to basket guy so he operates closer to the rim. Plus, Bynum is probably a better defender than Bosh, and he is improving. Bosh/Gasol would be redundant. Bynum's skills match up better with LA. Bosh is still the better player than Bynum, but it's not always about talent, it's about fit.
For sure. Pau is a finesse 4,not a 5. Odom is a 4/3. Bynum can still be a good fit for the Lakers provided he starts playing defence/rebounding. He will still get his touches as well. He isn't very smart,but he isn't Kwame either.
I don't see this happening. The Lakers haven't been willing to give up Bynum in any of the prior potential trades (Kidd, Garnett, etc.), and Bosh + Gasol together seems a little redundant. I think their best chance to repeat as champions is with Bynum. Getting Bosh would be a step back; they don't need what he brings, they need what Bynum brings.
You make a solid point about fit and Gasol is better as a PF vs C. The Lakers would also lose some of their huge size advantage. On the other hand, Pau is very multi-skilled and adaptable. He is one of the smartest, team-oriented players in the NBA. I have no doubt he would adapt his game to fit the need. The Lakers would probably become more up-tempo. If his ego would allow, Kobe would take fewer shots and focus more on getting Bosh & Pau their touches and he would become more of a facilitator & closer. One more comment on skill matchup: Bynum doesn't have the highest bball IQ in the world. Bosh is a smarter, savvier, more mature player. Bynum's immaturity and inconsistency prevents the Lakers from maximizing his match with Pau. Perhaps he will grow up figure things out soon. I'm disappointed in him after blowing his horn on this forum so many times in previous seasons.
This could just be rumor the Lakers put out there to force the Rockets into giving up more talent, than what they were all ready going to give, in the trade for Bosh..... --RB
I wouldn't say that. Sam "Trader" Smith? Yes. But Vecsey doesn't make up his news. Where he gets himself into trouble is he reports what he's told (and it is true), when he's told. But 96% of talks in this league amount to nothing happening. Vecsey leads you to believe something is imminent (technically your assumption), when it's just in the loose informal chit chat stages. When nothing happens, folks accuse him of being a hack, but it's really just that nothing came to fruition. He could do a better job making that clear. On the topic of reading between the lines, Colangelo's statements make me think they're definitely looking to move him. They aren't "actively" shopping him (translation: we want to take calls, not make them with desperation) and they aren't offering him a contract because they know full well he's rejecting it. Agreed that Bynum trumps and offer we have, unless Bynum starts pissing and moaning in LA about being a brat if sent to Canada.
I don't see how this trade would substantially help either team, except in certain areas. On one hand, the Lakers would gain athleticism and better player on the front line, while being able to run a more up-tempo style or perfecting the triangle offense. Having an unstoppable offense at times. Then, there is Toronto who would finally have a legitimate big man, a top 10 center in the league, who is also younger than Bosh, and will allow Andrea Bargnani play at his natural position, since he's not built to play center, physically or skill wise. While, Toronto will also have a little more cap room to improve their wings. Potentially, Bynum could make them more competitive in the East, being a better low post defender and rebounder. Bynum might actually like it, as well, he in a sense gets to be go to guy on the team, not share shots with Gasol, Odom, and most of all Kobe. On the contrary, LA gets much worse on defense. If Gasol is your center, and Bosh is your power forward (and Odom), who is going to protect the paint. Who is going to guard the more traditional centers, like Shaq, Yao, Dwight Howard, and lesser guys, like Kaman, Bogut, and Jermaine O'Neal. If some critics think it is an achilles heel now, with Bynum could imagine how much worse and exposed it might be with Bosh in his place. Who is going to keep those speedy and shifty guards out of the paint, certainly not Bosh and suspect not Gasol either? The Lakers will still probably hold to the #1 seed in the West, but the thing is will that be enough to beat teams who defensively-oriented and have great low post player on the roster. For Toronto, they lose a bonafide all-star for someone who is still somewhat questionable. Bynum is an above average player, but he is going to be good enough to carry a team like Toronto beyond the 1st Round in the EC. Possibly. Though not as skilled and consistent as Bosh, he is arguably a more complete player and can probably produce as many wins as the team has with Bosh. He'd also be in a weaker conference, since after the Celtics, Cavs, Hawks, and Magic, the next best team is probably near Memphis Grizzlies and OKC quality. I don't think get numbers against these teams will be a problems. Some games will be like exhibition for him. The problems are his health; can he play 70 to 82 games in season and lead a team to playoffs? Another one is his consistency and BB IQ, can he be the go to guy every night, instead of every odd game and not make so many mental mistakes. I can't see either team making this trade, if it happens though...I won't be surprised. Kupachak might actually pull deal, like this off for some reason. The "name" Bosh, I guess.
In case this happens, I still Love Yao and Landry down low.... I'll put it up against Gasol and Bosh any day....
Quit letting your hatred of the Lakers cloud your judgement. Bosh isn't an alpha dog. That's the knock on him. He'd fall in line behind Kobe like all the rest of their players. Personally, I don't think Pau would have any problem stepping behind Bosh in the hierarchy. Most international players seem very adept at accepting the role needed for their team to succeed. I just honestly don't see Bosh caring about enough touches. He'd have a max salary. He'd be winning for the first time in his career. He'd be moving from freezing Toronto to beautiful California. He'd be surrounded by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. And he'd be getting more media attention and endorsement deals than ever before - even if he does get less touches. Seriously, what's not to like about that?
It is not hatred....man, people just automatically go to hatred because they don't understand. I am saying it is a CHEMISTRY mess. You can't just assume that you can put together talented individuals and it will work, You would think that Houston fans would know this after the CB4, Clyde and Hakeem trial balloon. DD
But would you put Yao, Landry, Battier, Ariza and Brooks vs. Gasol, Bosh, Artest, Kobe, & Fisher with Lamar Odom coming off the bench?
I understand chemistry. I just think you're way off in your assessment of Bosh. Clyde worked because he had no problem accepting a secondary role to his buddy Hakeem. CB4 didn't work because he was a clear alpha dog personality that had difficulty accepting a back seat to anybody. I think the only person in the league he'd have been okay with being a second option to was MJ. Chris Bosh is not Charles Barkley. He doesn't have that mentality. Ron Artest is much closer to that mentality, and even he didn't have any problem falling in line behind Kobe and doing as Phil Jackson asks him to do. I challenge you to present ANY evidence that supports your idea that Bosh is the kind of guy that demands that the offense be run through him and would have any problem with a decrease in touches.
