malone has to play atleast 2 more years of bball, at 13 ppg to break jabbars all time scorring record. im pretty sure hes capable of that in LA.
I believe Karl Malone needs 2,000 points approx to break the alltime scoring record. Don't see him doing that in LA
Kobe is opting out of his contract after next season also. I doubt he would go with all of the talent around him but I could see him signing for just a few years so he will be free to leave when Payton and Shaq are gone. Other than that nobody will be able to touch the Lakers for the next 2 seasons baring any injuries.
kobe is opting out of his contract because he'll be able to make more money. I don't seriously see him leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. That's one of those teams you want to play your career at.
Shaq will still be a force b/c his game is predicated on power, not quickness. Still, I expect a Kobe led Lakers team to pick up an interior guy. Then Kobe will be the main cog, with the pick up being the 2nd wheel.
I think i had this argument a couple of season ago when everyone on this board thought everyone else's players would decline or stay the same but ours would be special. Dallas with a 24yr old Dirk and Cuban will be players in this game for a while, not just 3 yrs. Someone said between Shaq and Magic eras, the lakers were bad. During that so called bad era, they missed the playoffs 1 time, not 4 in a row. Minny in 4 yrs will have a 30yr old KG which is still way better than anything we have right now. In that same 4 yr, Dncan will be 30 also and thats the same as the Garnett situation. What is lost in all this is the east. What if the extremely talented, but young bulls get it together? What if Chandler and Curry become the monsters of the midway? In 4 yr O'Neal will be 28 as will artest,harrington will be 27 and bender 25, what about that team? What if Darko is the real deal, what about that team in Detroit? I understand that 4 yr plans are nice and believe somewhat in what you're saying, but i think that any chance you have to improve, you have to do it. I'm not saying scorch the earth trades like lrry brown,but if you can upgrade, do it. The 86 Rockets were going to be the tem of the future as well as the 95 Magic, but because of injuries and other reasons, neither won titles. Every yr a team doesn't win the title, is a yr that team didn't acheive its goal. The goal long range or even short range should be rings, not 1st rd losses. Sacramento has added and subtracted players every since getting on the scene because they haven't won the ring. In 98 they had Williams,Wahad,Corliss,Webber and Divac.In 99 they had Williams,Anderson,Corliss,Webber and Divac. In 00 they had Williams,Christie,Peja,Webber,and Divac. In 01,02 they had Bibby ,Christie,Peja,Webber,and Divac. Not only did their win totals change during those yrs, but their starting 5 and their bench players. Guys like derrick anderson, j barry,tony delk have all been replaced by jackson,clark,j.jackson,hedo,and funderburke,pollard. Even if you have a championship caliber, you have room to improve.
You don't think Malone can avg 12.3 ppg for 2 seasons? If you don't think so, then you haven't watched basketball.
the only plan that we need to have is the one that we can control: player development. if Yao doesnt become an all-world player and EG doesnt improve to the point of being a dominant 4 we are screwed. we cant plan for what other teams are going to do, bball is like life (its a crapshoot). every team in the L is a major injury (or arrrest) away from rebuilding.
no way Malone or Payton are still playing in 2006-2007 season like you say.. both will retire next year if they win a ring
