This is a brilliant idea. We all know Kareem, Dream, Robinson, Shaq etc. didn't turn into HOFers until they started camping out at the three point line and chucking their way to Championships. D'Antoni just needs to get Nash in the post to draw double teams so Dwight can catch and shoot his deadly three ball.
I still think Pau can play at a high level when he's allowed to operate on the low block. I bet the Lakers would be hard to stop if they ran their offense more like the Grizzlies (loathe as I am to give that team any credit). Too bad Pringles can't adapt. You have to admit, if Dwight had anything resembling Dream or Robinson's face-up game he would be a hell of a player. Too bad he's never put in the work to expand his offensive repertoire. While I think DH is going to bounce back physically once he's fully recovered from his surgery, I'll be surprised if he ages as gracefully as the other great centers.
Pau is one of the most versatile offensive players in the game and an offense centered around the Pau/Nash pick & roll/pop would be impossible to defend. Unfortunately, that would leave less shots for the other players and certain Lakers aren't OK with that.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Latest Lakers setback: Metta World Peace has a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. He is returning to LA for further examination.</p>— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinDing/status/316718504411803648">March 27, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I just went to that thread. That thread perfectly sums up the delusions of Lakers fans. LOL at them thinking they're better off with Dwight Howard and his expiring deal, back issues, diva issues, rather than a 23yr old superstar locked in for 5 more years at ~70% what Howard will be making.
Well they have Kobe who has 3 years left in the tank. And Howard when healthy is a bigger game changer then Harden.
If the Lakers re-sign Kobe(he expires after next year), they will have no capspace after Howard+Kobe. If the Lakers can't win with their current core, why would they win with lesser surrounding talent all while Kobe and Howard and Nash get even older?
this is what I have been trying to say since they were swept out of the playoffs by Dallas two years ago, knocked out again by OKC, and with the addition of Howard before this year started...
With mwp out, this is gonna get interesting. I heard artest was going to decline his player option to get more years with the lakers but after this injury they would really low ball him so I guess he's going to accept his player option. This is going to really kill them in the tax category. With them being over the cap are they eligible for mle and if so how much is it?
I almost spit my drink out reading that the lakers don't get the calls, i wonder if that has to do with having super homers as your callers, because i noticed spurs fans feel the same way. Whereas the teams with reasonably unbiased foul calling commentators, don't see the imaginary world.
I think Kobe will have to take a paycut. He's not going to be worth 30 mil+ a year two years from now. Also, what's he going to do if the Lakers offer him something reasonable, like 10 mil/year? His realistic options would be to take it or to retire. I don't see him joining the Mavs or something like that for an extra few mil.
Vast majority of fans of teams don't ever acknowledge the calls that go their way, and they only acknowledge fouls that aren't called or fouls that go the other team's way... Just the nature of fans.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Mike D'Antoni says he's not optimistic that Metta World Peace returns before end of regular season. Jodie Meeks starts tonight vs. Minny.</p>— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Bresnahan/status/316953285909159936">March 27, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Lakers forward Metta World Peace will have surgery tomorrow for a torn lateral meniscus and is expected to be out 6 weeks.</p>— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpearsNBAYahoo/status/316992118545600513">March 27, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>