The Lakers traded Chris Jeffries and Lyndsey Hunter to the Raptors for Kareem Rush and Tracy Murray. Raps get a really good perimeter defender/slasher that I was kinda hoping the Rox would get, and the back up pg that they'll need when they lose Chris Childs to free agency, while the Lakers get a lot of added offense off the bench, as well as pretty good upside. My opinion, one of those trades that works both ways....
1) Can't put up a link, as I saw it on Raptors television, but it was the Raptors GM Glen Grunwald announcing it, so it's definite. 2) While I could stretch it with the Tracy Murray thing, as mentioned in the blurb for this forum, I actually meant to put this in the NBA Forum.
That was a pretty good trade for both teams and it brought the Lakers more scorers, which they wanted, but who will the Lakers use as their backup pg now? Will they have to use Brian Shaw at this position again? Maybe they can bring back Mike Penberthy.
Trading for Kareem Rush makes the Lakers an even MORE dangerous team. The guy can flat out shoot the ball. When Shaq draws the double team, Rush is gonna burn them everytime.
I don't think it's a slam dunk for either team. The Lakers have even less PG depth now, so they've gotta keep Brian Shaw around as Fisher's backup. Rush plays the same position as Kobe and he's not gonna beat out Rick Fox, so he's just another shooter from the bench (at least for now). The Raptors get a decent player in Jeffries, though they already have Carter and Peterson. Definately better than Tracy Murray, though. Hunter has a bad contract and really is redundant to Alvin Williams, though the Raptors needed PG depth and some outside shooting. I really think both teams would've been better off keeping what they had, though.
The Lakers got a steal..............Rush will be siting pretty in the wings when Kobe slashes to the basket and the ball gets pushed inside to ShaQ.............Great shooter, and athlete, the Laker offense is not point guard oriented, it's the triangle. Fisher will get his 30-35 minutes a game, plus Kobe is just fine against the smaller players( But how can they stop him, that's the real problem for everyone else), and Rush is also good for some minutes on "D" against smaller guards. Murray left open is very deadly from 3............Which means the defense's will be spread out more, giving Shaq and Kobe a little more space. I think Rush will get 20-25 minutes a night right away, and in his second year be the Lakers 3rd option with 30+ minutes, he is that good, a real steal for the Lakers. Plus don't forget the Lakers are in the market for Malik Rose,muscleman Rogers, or Keon Clark.................yup the best just get better.............
I'm not sure Rush will get so many minutes his first year, but otherwise I agree completely. If the Lakers can get a decent backup 4/5 they're gold. Lindsay Hunter? Bricklayer played some decent D, but we can get a servicable backup via free agency.
His 3 shot is suspect and a little too small for Phil's tastes. Plus he's a locker room cancer (at least that's his rep). He's underrated imo and is one of the best mid range shooters and great at making those floating buckets near the free-throw line ala Van Exel and Cassell.
I think the most important thing is that this is the first step towards building a post-shaq team for Kobe.
