Imagine you are Kobe Bryant, sitting at home this off-season, trying to figure out if you can enjoy playing for the Lakers this year while watching Mitch Kupchak make these off-season moves: * Drafted Javaris Crittenton and Marc Gasol * Signed Derek Fisher * Lost Smush Parker and got nothing in return * Resigned Luke Walton and Chris Mihm That's it. Fisher over Parker is a bit of an upgrade, but you never know what Fisher's personal situation might demand. I think Crittenton will be a pretty good player, but he doesn't improve the team very much this year. On top of this lack of making a good move or two, the Lakers have two of their key players coming off of off-season shoulder surgery (Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom). Their bench is decent (Turiaf, Cook, Radmanovich, Mihm, Mo Evans) but that starting lineup has only two consistent starter-caliber players, Kobe and Odom. I see the Lakers as having two A-level talents and a buttload of C-level talents. The lack of strong B-level guys is going to kill them, especially if Odom misses any serious time due to injury, which his history shows is likely. My guess is that Kobe is fuming at this point. The Lakers refuse to trade him and Kupcake does next to nothing to upgrade the team. With the likely rise of the Trail Blazers to lower-tier playoff status, the Lakers are not even guaranteed to MAKE the playoffs this year. So back to Kobe, sitting at home watching Kupcake's moves. He compares that to what Morey has done: * Added Francis, A/B-level talent * Added James, solid B-level talent * Convinced Bonzi to return, solid B-level talent * Added Scola, likely B/C-level talent this year * Added Brooks, likely B/C-level talent this year * Lost Howard, solid B-level talent with an A+ level contract * Dumped Spanclueless, A-level whiner, C-level talent Not to mention the Adelman signing AND the moves Morey was smart enough NOT to make (Alston for Doleac?!?). I'm just glad I was never able to switch my allegiances away from the Rockets when I moved to L.A. 20 years ago.
during the season when we needed him to help makeup for Yao being gone, he was B+ dont let him running out of gas in the playoffs blind you to the fact that he was very productive for us last year.
The Lakers are in sorry shape. What could they get for Kobe. To use your analogy, I'm not sure that two B level players equal one A++ player. Throw in a lineup of two Bs and one B+ (Odom is not an A player) and you get lottery bound for a long time. Yet, the only way to get O'Neal or Garnett is to deal your second best player. Good luck.
He won't be there next season. I predict the Lakers are going to keep him this summer and he is going to explode during the season and force a trade. I'm talking major eruption from this dude. Maybe choking Mitch Kupchak or something.
In response to your Laker's evaluation, I think Derek Fisher is a HUGE upgrade over Smush, because Fisher will defend. Period. Smush is quick but doesn't provide any of the same assets that Fisher offers: leadership, strength, defense, poise. I'd be sitting shivered if I were Kobe, but the offseason isn't over. Keep in mind they were still trying to land some guy named KG. If we are using you're subjective, all things considered letter grading system to evaluate talent level, then I would say the Lakers report card comes home looking like: Kobe: A++ Odom: B+ Fisher: B+ Kwame: C++ Walton: C+ Mihm: C- Cook: C+ Turiaf: D+ Radmanovich: D++ Williams: D Crittenton: C+??? Scale: [A++ to F--] meaning there are 30 total rankings (ie. A-- is better than B++). It is quite rewarding to implement your own arbitrary system of evaluation. In fairness, here's how I would grade the Rockets talent level. Yao: A+ Tmac: A+ Shane: B++ Steve: B- Mike James: B-- Scola: C++ Hayes: C Skip: C+ Bonzi: B Luther: C+ This is purely talent projection, I'm not saying bonzi will have a B season but he sure could if he put down the fork, so this is a player potential type eval. that was fun, bring on the flames
I highly doubt Brooks will be a B level talent this year. I'll be ecstatic if he turns out to be a C level talent. That would mean he's getting off the bench. I like him, but I won't be shocked if he struggles to succeed in the regular season. Especially since most of his success in the summer league (and college for that matter) was carrying the scoring load and it's unlikely the Rockets will ever ask him to do that. That isn't to say I don't think he can become a solid pro. I do. I'm just not sure if it's realistic to expect that to happen during his rookie campaign. p.s. If Juwan Howard was a B level talent on an A level contract, then so is Mike James. They both got MLE deals, only Juwan's contract has a few less years left on it.
Ummm....Rafer is not anywhere close to C+. I would give him an F------------------------------------------------- on a good day. God I hate that guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I'm not mistaken, you are equating Lamar Odom and D.Fish here. That pretty much blows your talent evaluation cred right out of the water.
yeah im pretty hot on derek fisher. maybe its because he tore us up this year, maybe its all those years with the lakers, i just think his leadership will result in a great match for both derek, and moreover the lakers as a team. i rated them the same because i like the 'fisher-with-LA-fit' so much, although maybe it was a little generous in regards to fishers overall talent. and if you think i have no 'talent evaluation cred', then i guess that's your right to feel as such. i would concede that lamar is, undoubtedly more valuable to the lakers than fisher, but you are comparing apples and oranges. fisher and odom will be bringing two completely different desert trays to the party. its also possible the party could get busted by the cops, or the main attraction could leave for a cooler, more happening party. there really is no right/wrong line of absolution for talent evaluation, wouldn't you say? every poster in here plays gm like we all know everything but all we we really have to go on are: stats, observation, and 'intuition'. i think some might call those opinions. just addin my 2cents, and if that cant buy anything from stupidmoniker's book, then i can live with that
On an individual basis Odom might be better than Fisher, but when they are both on the floor with Kobe, I would say they are fairly equal.
I think Yao and T-Mac are more A's or A- than A+...which I would reserve for the likes of Shaq from 3 1.2 years ago with Kobe, Garnett, Duncan....with maybe Nash and Kidd.
Lakers drafted that Chinese PG so Kobe will be be big in China. More No.24 jerseys will be sold and maybe he will make another few millions of chump change with a new shoe deal over there too. What does he not like about it?
