if he gets to coach the Lakers with both Kobe and Shaq ... A pretty big effing IF. Kobe gets what Kobe wants from the Lakers (the state of Colorado is a different story). If Kobe wants Shaq to be his teammate next year, ... The Lakers could be a very bad team next year, Rudy should proceed with great care.
All indications are that Rudy will be the Lakers coach by Wednesday. Jerry Buss is heading out of the country Thursday and is said to want this done before then. We'll see.
Hakeem was here, as was Thorpe and Smith, all mainstays of the Chaney era. Maxwell may not have been a veteran, but he wasn't a rookie either. While Rudy helped revitalize our ballclub, I wouldn't call it rebuilding.
The wheels have been set in motion. From an article in today's DMN: From a Lakers standpoint, they could be looking to stockpile players whose contracts end in 2005, when they could pursue the No. 1 free agent, perhaps 7-5 Yao Ming. Eddie Sefko article Scary thought, I know this is two years off, but still, scary thought.
I believe the Rockets will sign Yao to a long term contract after next season. No way they will let him go into FA like that.
Actually, it would be after 2005 until Yao can be a FA: 3rd year - 2004-2005 Option year - 2005-2006 (RFA afterwards) 1 year tender offer - 2006-2007 So no way he leaves without compensation till the summer of 2007 at the earliest.
Just Like Orlando doesn't have a choice if Mc grady stays or goes. The rockets won't have much say in whether Yao stays or goes... all they can do is try to keep him happy with the coach and players around him and show him that loyalty to your team is important, then and only then might he stay. OOPS! Fired Rudy traded half his teammates. They can Always pray.
