I guess the Lakers already know that Shaq will not be around forever, so they are already looking on trading for woods this coming draft. If the guy turns out to be as good as his hype (Tmac clone) then after Shaq leaves, there will be another dynasty with Woods and Bryant. Hopefuly the Rockets or another team can nab him before they do. I dont want to hear about a trade for woods 3 years from now; where they picked up a superstar for nothing. Lakers preparing to reload with Woods? Added: 10th June, 2002 Chad Ford of ESPN reports that the Lakers may be making a move on draft night. While putting the finishing touches on the New Jersey Nets to win their third straight title, Phil Jackson’s team will also work out potential lottery selection Qyntel Woods. Woods told ESPN.com this weekend he'll fly to New York and conduct a private workout with the Lakers on Thursday. The Lakers' workout will come on the heels of a big workout for Woods in Denver early this week against other top prospects like Drew Gooden, Caron Butler and Jared Jeffries. Woods is drawing comparisons to Tracy McGrady. At 6-9, 230 pounds, he can handle the ball like a point guard and score like a small forward. Scouts say he's an excellent passer, has a killer jumper and a certain "knack" that just can't be taught. Woods had refused earlier invitations by the Lakers because of their draft position. They were able to convince him to come in for the workout last week after revealing their plan to move up into the draft. In order to have a shot at Woods in the draft, the Lakers are going to have to move up. They would likely have to offer a player like Robert Horry or Rick Fox to get that high in the draft. Both the Clippers, who draft No. 8 and the Bucks, who draft No. 13, are interested in moving their picks. http://realgm.com/src_wiretap.php
I did post that we should try to trade for him But more important, the better information was already posted (insider) a few moments before me. my bad...
Even if they get Woods...can he play Center? No The Lakers will be nothing more than the West coast version of the Mil Bucks. No inside game, alot of great smaller players but they get eaten up in the middle. Bottom line is that 2 great perimeter player will not win you a championship unless one of your player's name is Jordan. Every champion for the last decade or so had a dominate inside game whether that was from a PF or a center. The last champ I can remember without a dominate inside game was the Detriot Pistons and even then they had Lamibeer and Mahorn which was not dominate but very strong defensively.
I don't think LA would have a problem getting a big man in FA if Kobe and Woods were the real deal. How attractive to McDyess or TD would Orlando be if both Hill and TMac were at full strength? And don't forget...Milwaukee was a game away from the finals---and they cracked their team this season by a bad acquisition: Mason.
The Lakers aren't getting Woods, and here's why: no tradeable commodities. To get him, they have to get into the top 10, likely around 8. Beyond Shaq and Kobe, who do they have to offer? Insider mentions Fox and Horry, but Fox has already said he'd retire if he was ever traded. Now who would trade a high lotto pick for Robert Horry? Ditto for Derek Fisher. Note that the Lakers' youngest talent, Devean George, is a free agent, so he cannot be traded. Mark Madsen? He's under contract, but he's a backup at best. Unless they absolutely rape a team in a trade - very unlikely, since it's the Lakers and no one is going to help them - they have no tradeable commodities to get the deal done. It's mere hyperbole on the part of the ESPN Insider crew.
Even in a three way, for the Lakers to give up almost nothing and get a high draft pick is not going to happen - if solely because no team wants to see the Lakers win. What team would trade enough in salary PLUS a high draft pick in order to bring in Horry, Fox, or Fisher or some scrub from another team? In any case, one team gets screwed, and it's not going to happen with the Lakers. And the post Shaq years could be 2 years away, or they could be 6. Is any team going to take a chance on a pick far in the future like that, a pick that almost assuredly still won't be lottery and produces no tangible results for many years? Only a team well off - and those AREN'T the teams in the lottery.
What team would be stupid enough to trade a potential stud in Woods for below average role-players that the Lakers have an abundance of? It's laughable that they think they can move up high enough to nab him.
Lakers get Anfernee Hardaway, #9 (Woods) Phoenix gets Brian Grant, Derek Fisher, Lindsey Hunter, Chris Gatling Miami gets Bo Outlaw, John Wallace, and poor Bobby Horry, +22 & 28 Trade Accepted, unfortunately.
I bet Robert Horry would retire or ask to be traded to Houston (Louisianna?) before he gets shifted around like cattle.
Three way? Horry to Houston (he probably wants to go home after 5 rings) L. Hunter to Clips Fox to Clips #28 to Houston #1 to Clippers Cato to Lakers Motay to Lakers #15 to Clips #8 to Lakers #12 to Houston (switch the two maybe?) Odom to Houston Olowakandi to Houston The clippers are probably going to lose Odom anyway, and they get a possibly amazing player in Ming, along with the #15 and a vet influence in Fox. Odom/Olowakandi would help plug your holes at 3/5, and you'd never have to worry about Mobley taking clutch shots again with Horry there. The Lakers would lose Fox/Horry but gain an amazing player in Woods. Cato can back up Shaq better than Walker, and Jerry Buss gets to pay Taylor an incredibly ludicrous amount of money. Just by the salary estimates that I have in my head, this doesn't work, but I'm sure some filler could be added. (Plus, i'm pretty sure the Lakers still have an exception to help make it work).
I still doubt it, but I'm very excited as a Laker fan that the Lakers aren't content with standing pat this offseason. That's worth more than any insane 29-way trades anybody can come up with.
The Lakers only have one thing of value (outside of O'Neal and Bryant) to offer for a lottery pick: they can take on salary. They might be able to swing something with a team like New York in which they take on some big, long-term contracts and bail the other team out of some albatrosses and get the pick in the process. They can't trade talent for talent for Woods. Can they trade their whole team except O'Neal and Bryant for Shandon Anderson, Howard Eisley and New York's first rounder?
