Posts Tagged ‘Los Angeles Lakers’
Wasn’t the recent NBA CBA supposed to prevent this type of deal?
Now that the dust has settled and the nightmare off season for not only Dwight Howard but the Orlando Magic is at a stated end the question still remains, has the NBA’s recent collective bargaining agreement done its job leveling the playing field for all its franchises? Let’s check the scorecard.
Pre-CBA
2007-08
Boston – Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen commit to joining Paul Pierce in the summer of 2007, Garnett’s 7-for-1 trade one of the most heavily one sided (player wise) trades in NBA history, totally benefiting the Boston Celtics with the two coming to the parquet floor. Showing immediate dividends the Boston Celtics were able to win the championship during the 2007-08 season.
Los Angeles – the lakers were able to pull off a major coup trading for Pau Gasol away from the Memphis Grizzlies for what was essentially his brother Marc Gasol and two 1st rd draft pics, leading the lakers to immediate championship hardware in back – to – back season in 2008-09&2009-10.
2010-11
Miami – With the ‘decision’ made by Lebron James the newest ‘big three’ had been made when he and Chris Bosh decided to join Dwyane Wade in South Beach! Miami was able to after a year of adjusting were able to capitalize that decision into a championship during the 2011-12 season.
So the theme here big time potentially NBA hall of fame type players were able to move from their essentially smaller metropolitan cities to bigger ones scoring championships in the aftermath, leaving their former teams in disarray in attempts to turn their received players and draft picks into successful formulas. This led many smaller city teams to decry for restraints that would prevent players, teams, etc from moving and penalizing/stabilizing the bigger city teams with financial burdens if they made a move to obtain the wanted players. Hence the new collective bargaining agreement had financial, selective points in place to slow or prevent the recent movements discussed. So the aftermath…..Lakers were able to seek three big time players Chris Paul (unsuccessful), Steve Nash and Dwight Howard (successful). Now coupled with their new television contract and packed home stadium for the upcoming season how can they not be one of the favorites for not only this season but barring not be able to keep D12 for seasons to come! Is that a level playing field the same for Orlando, Indiana, Atlanta, etc.?
It’s all about the boards with these Lakeshow Players!!!! Bynum joins the ranks!!!
Wilt Chamberlain
42
March 7, 1969
George Mikan
36
January 10. 1952
March 4, 1952
K
areem Abdul-Jabbar
34
December 14, 1975
Elgin Baylor
30
January 14, 1961
Andrew Bynum
30
April 11, 2012
It’s true to the Mamba and to most pundits, he hasn’t had a consistent rival during his great career!
I would have to agree with the Mamba’s assessement. Throughout his career he has beeen assigned a rival from Allen ‘AI’ Iverson, to Tracy McGrady to Vince Carter to Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant!
He really hasn’t had any rivals but he does have the chance to chase legends in Michael and Magic! Go Mamba!
Wanting to be starting something, much to do about nothing a day in the clubhouse!!!
It’s all about the Black Mamba explanation of nothing, being benched by Coach Mike Brown last week! Much to do about nothing! Laker guard Bryant on getting benched against Memphis Grizzlies.
Wrinkle City..
It was reported Mike B bought himself an iron and ironing board at the local Target en route to a game. I can dig and appreciate that. Hoorah to the everyday man but coach we still gots some ironing to do. BOOM.
I know the Steve Blake injury caught you off guard and Metta World Least, I meant Peace, hasn’t been that 2nd unit offensive punch you were hoping for. But, it’s time to get your rotation going and perhaps keeping at least two starters on the floor at ALL times could help. It has too because it’s down right putrid to watch at times. Boom.
Another wrinkle that needs some attention is the BIG MAN dilemma. The two 7 footers, who we know are skilled and effective, aren’t playing too well together. Its 405 freeway crowded in the lane and they both look uncomfortable. You’re an apple from the San Antonio tree so you must remember those *insert Avery Johnson voice here* Twin Tower days. Time to draw some good high-lo, motion, cut or whatever to free up the bigs and get them into their sweet spots.
I’m sure you’ll attack these wrinkles with the same trait that saw you go from the “video guy” to the Head Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Passion. Boom.
A Tale of Two Basketball Cities (Los Angeles style)
O.k. ruwkus, ire has subsided and the sportsfiend can now objectively look at the chances of both professional NBA squads occupying L.A.’s staples center. Being that the NBA has had its on tumultuous summer with the recent work stoppage and early free agency period, it’s easy to loose track of things. In particular the free agency attempts made by both L.A. teams hit the forefront of all L.A. fans minds and hearts touching off a firestorm not seen in recent memory. So let’s look at the proposed make up of both teams the chances for regular and post-season success in their attempts to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy!
Los Angeles Clippers -
With the addition of PG Chris ‘CP3′ Paul the L.A. Clippers have become the grown up little brother who has just entered adulthood. The league approved trade has transformed the team into a legitimate destination for NBA superstars – a prerequisite of the new collective bargaining agreement just recently approved by both owners and players in the NBA. LAC’s starters look like this;
Projected starting lineup
PG – Chris Paul
SG – Chauncey Billups
SF – Caron Butler
PF – Blake Griffin
C – Deandre Jordan
So now the high-flying new and improved pushing for the team of Los Angeles rights are the LAC. But a closer examination shows a team in serious transition. Let’s start with the high number of guards in the back court (namely Mo Williams) and lack of 4′s & 5′s in the front court. It’s going to be interesting to see how Coach Del Negro finds time for his back court (namely Mo Williams) and finds some depth for Butler, Griffin and Jordan. But bottom line the culture may have finally changed in clipperdom and that first team is going to be fun to watch, definitely predicting playoff noise for clippernation!
Los Angeles Lakers -
What more can you say for a team built on glamor, glitz and hollywood hoorah unparalleled in the NBA? Well how about after back to back championships in 2009 & 2010 a complete and utter breakdown in 2011 run for a 3rd 3peat with a hard fought first run vs the New Orleans Hornets and a complete sweep by the eventual champion Dallas Mavericks. So in the off-season a new coach was found in Mike Brown, replacing Phil Jackson a chance to up grade at the PG spot was nullified by the commissioner’s office, leaving the team without the services of CP3 at PG and F with the departure of perceived disrespected Lamar Odom (and to the Mavericks no doubt – LA does it BIG right!!!?). And with the on again, off again push for Dwight Howard it looks like the LAL will have to re-tool with the likes of Josh McRoberts, Jason Kapano and Troy Murphy, Okkkkkaaaayyyyyyy?!? Let’s have a look at LAL’s starters for 2011-12;
Projected starting lineup
PG – Derek Fisher
SG – Kobe Bryant
SF – Metta World Peace
PF – Pau Gasol
C – Andrew Bynum
So your on the clock Coach Mike Brown, your staff and schemes are front and center for the most glamorous and vilified team in the NBA. Your task will be to find an offense to replace the ‘triangle’ and a defense to shore up the older extreme mileage put upon the Lakers in the NBA.
Good luck tenants of staples center the tale of two cities will be well chronicled in the city of angels for both teams, noting anything less than the hoisting of the Larry O will be ultimately considered a failure campaign!
NBA’s LA Teams get the blessing and curse of the NBA’s Office Leadership!
O.k. ruwkus the latest is this the NBA’s Commissioner’s office is led by one of the shrewdest most far-reaching strategist the sports industry has ever seen. Over his tenure the league has grown in size, in perception and money accounting to reverence and legacy to the league and its commissioner.
But all that seemingly has eroded somewhat due to the 149+ day work stoppage, for a still to be displayed collective bargaining agreement, condensed free agency & training camp period! This still leaves the unanswered questions lingering from last year; like the ownership isues in Atlanta and New Orleans. But let’s get back to the legacy of the league and it’s leadership. In the infinite wisdom of a league leadership, they were able to wrangle back some big BRI points from its players, continue to champion the cause of the small market teams in the interest of fair-play and in essence let the kids know the grown-ups still run the show!
Exhibit one; building up the NBA Hornets for future ownership, by vetoing the proposed trade last week between the Houston Rockets, the NBA Hornets and the Los Angeles Lakers this effectively happened when you consider the previous team of; Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic and a couple of draft picks versus the team now; headed by Eric Gordan, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu and some draft picks! If your a perspective buyer of the NBA Hornets which would you prefer ruwkus?!?
It just doesn’t seem the best approach for a league to have conflicted interests and this whole affair smells of collusion, didn’t the zen coach prophetically state this?! Not to mention the less than stellar correspondences coming from owners, most notably those in Cleveland and Dallas. So so long L.O. hello CP3 hope Los Angeles is ready for the departure and the arrival!
DawgVidShotz (it’s media day with the Lakeshow!!!)
Ruwkus its the start of a new Laker season but without some bonded former comrades!
courtesy of youtube/ESPNLandOLakers;
Kobe Bryant talks L.O. Trade, GM Mitch, and Lakeshow Chances in 2012!!!
D-Fish talks L.O. Trade and the bonds made by playing together!!!
O.k. NBA explain these moves..motives to the Ruwkus!!!
So ruwkus, after 149+ days of work stoppage we are to believe the reason for the new collective bargaining agreement in the association was to have the playing field leveled so all teams (perceived big & small market) could have the chance to compete, ok let’s examine the reason in the first place for the lockout;
- depending on whom you reference or believe; anywhere from 17-22 teams of 30 lost money last fiscal year;
- according to owners, player contracts were becoming fiscally unstable and a constant tax on the salary cap balancing;
- player movement was becoming increasingly manipulated by the players towards big market teams;
- small market teams were being squeezed of the big revenue producing opportunities and lure of the nba super-stars
So the NBA and NBAPA wrangled forever for the right to change some of these perceived wrongs and eventually agreed to a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signaling a new equal level playing field where all teams will be competitive in the association. Let’s examine this ruwkus;
- NBA discontinues sale of troubled Atlanta Hawks (missing on the new owner, possibly a’ la MLB’s Arte Moreno & NBA’s Mark Cuban – look how well they’re doing lately?)
- NBA still owns the NBA..erreeerrr…New Orleans Hornets creating a definite conflict of interest (let’s stick a pin in this one and come back later)
- class of 2012 free agent starts; Chris Paul and Dwight Howard pushed to move a year early testing early the validity of the new CBA;
- proposed 3-team deal – where Chris Paul goes to LA Lakers, Pau Gasol goes to Houston, and 3+players headlined by Lamar Odom would go to New Orleans, voted null by commissioner’s office for “basketball reasons”, which are commish?
O.k. here’s the slope the NBA has now slipped into, all the things the CBA was supposed to fix it hasn’t why? Because super-star players still want to play in New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. In part due to a league not accepting of new ownership able to build a palatable product down in Atlanta and its continued ownership of New Orleans has created an indifference at ownership level! Maybe it is because a perfectly good trade has be voted down by the same office that technically owns the team, smells stinky!
So now that they’ve prevented CP3 from going hollywood, does that mean D12 has to stay in Orlando or any other player now has to go where the league says? Or along those same lines does the new CBA allow for the revenue sharing of new revenues found by teams, such as the Los Angeles Lakers new 20-year, reported $3-5 billion dollar TV deal with Time-Warner?
All in all a great way to start the season, when talking about free-agency, NBA coming back and your favorite team’s chances of hoisting the Larry O! But in the back of your mind you have to wonder if its really golden or wondering why all the glitters ain’t gold sometimes it is just shiny dawg poop!!
Sharman’s Streakers and the 1st of many championships in L.A., starting from that ’71-72 team!!!
It was nearly 40 years ago, nearly because with the current NBA lockout reaching day 113 the anniversary stands in limbo. With the start of the 65th season when that does occur it will mark a beginning to the start of greatness here in our very own backyard in the city of champions down Manchester Blvd at the corner of Century Blvd at the Fabulous Forum.
The team had moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota prior to the 1960-61 season, being settled into
their fabulous digs for 4 seasons so magic was happening before that kid from Michigan got there and it started with Coach Bill Sharman.
Coach Sharman became the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers beginning that star strung season after winning an ABA title as coach of the Utah Stars the prior season. And the job couldn’t have been bigger, sort of reminiscent of a high profile coach coming on aboard during that 1999-2000 season. It was such a parallel coming it fit to a T!!! Rival coach from heated rival, Sharman a former player with the Boston Celtics came in undeterred, with the backing of a far-seeing owner, start of art arena and ready to steer an all-star laden roster (Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor leading the way) had all the pieces to success.
What happened next was legendary and it wall started with Sharman inputs, like the never before used, morning shoot around. It was also genius getting Baylor, Chamberlain and West to adhere to their roles for the greater good of the team. The next level came on a Friday night, November 5, 1971 versus the Baltimore Bullets a win the 1st of a myth-ion 33 that will go down in sports untouchable status!
The end results was the best record in the NBA until the 1995-96 Bulls went a unthinkable 72-10. Series wins over the the Chicago Bulls in the WC semifinals (4-0), the Milwaukee Bucks in the WC finals (4-2) and the New York Knicks (4-1) in the NBA Finals brought the redemption for West and Chamberlain with the next chapter of NBA franchise dynasty was born!!!
Dawg Shotz!!!(..its Peace & Basketball)..formerly Ronald William "Ron" Artest, Jr.
When a pix conveys a thousand messages:
..just give Peace a chance..’Nuff Seen!
Dawg Shotz ( in remembrance of what was or could’ve been!!!…)
When a picture conveys a thousand messages:
Man..what could’ve been…Nuff said/seen!!!
Dawgz Shotz (it’s the Diesel in Championship Lakeshow PnG!!!!)
A picture is worth a thousand messages:
Nuff Said!!!
So long Diesel, it was fun, frustrating and a phenomenal run!!!
Friends a major shift has occurred in the NBA, NOOOOO..not the MAVERICKS come from behind mastery vs the HEAT in game two of the NBA Finals or the recent hire of Lakeshow coach Mike Brown. It was the announcement first on Twitter; check the account below; courtesy of youtube/scottaminute
That one of the great NBA Basketball players; Shaquille O’Neal would be retiring from the game after 19 years, 6 teams, over 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds.
Like all the things done by the Diesel his official retirement announcement was done at his palatial estate located in Orlando, FL. and the way he led his life on and off the court was on full display check clip, courtesy of youtube/SniperXClip4:
There is no discounting the amount of play, the Diesel possessed since coming into the league as the number 1 draft pick in 1992 here are some of the massive numbers:
1 – Number #1 NBA Draft Pick – ’92 – Orlando Magic
1 – NBA Rookie of the Year ’92-’93
1 – NBA MVP Award ’00
2 – 2x NBA Scoring Champ (’95,’00)
3 – 3x NBA Champion (’00-’03,’06)
4 – 3x NBA FINALS MVP (’00-’03)
8 – 8x All NBA 1st Team (’98, ’00-’06)
15 – 15x NBA All-Star (’93-’98, ’00-’07, ’09)
15 – 18 – $15-$18 million per year in endorsements made during NBA career
290 -300 – $292,198,327 made in salary over NBA career.
Now at 7-1, 325 lbs over the course of his NBA career, the Diesel was the premiere center / player in the NBA. The power of Wilt, the intensity of Russell and the ornery streak all his own the Diesel dominated like centers of yore! But O’Neal did more than that, he helped ease the lose of Air Jordan era ushering in the new millennium NBA player aware of not only his play but his image for good and bad it was the new player way. When O’Neal was on it was amazing ride a joy to behold, when he was off like those dang free throws, it was agonizing to witness.
Over a course of a 19 year career O’Neal was able to amass; 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds, 3,026 assists and 2,732 blocks. Just imagine if he could have made more than 52% of his free throws.
Off the court was just as big a ride as on the court; O’Neal’s endorsements deals starting with companies like Reebok, Pepsi, Taco Bell, Burger King, Radio Shack and ended with 24-Hour Fitness, Icy-Hot, Kraft Foods and Susta. O’Neal was able to sell over 80 million basketball shoes under his Dunkman design. The movie appearances, starring and guest appearance launched that massive smile and personality. Then there were several million hip-hop albums that made their way into mainstream. O’Neal also went into other ventures that centered on creating community commercial/retail projects. Lastly its the non-public marks of humanity that O’Neal is/was involved in that helped many that may never be counted.
So it is a pleasure as a representative of RSDz to congratulate the Diesel on his set into NBA retirement, hoping that he didn’t make the announcement to sly some juice from the NBA finals stage he so towered over, stays retired and continues to be the pied piper of all the goodness the human spirit can share….so long Diesel!
Dawg Shotz ( its the LOOK of DEFEAT!!!!.its on Next Year!!!…)
When a pix conveys a thousands messages:
..dangit nuff said!!!
Is the beginning or the end of NBA Dynasty Era?!.Lakeshow fanz unite!
O.k. friendz, followers of the ruwkus it has come down to this, the NBA is full of challenges; the rigors of 82 game season, consistency to be obtain and maintained! Offensive and defensive schemes to enforce and rule over the immediate opponent league beware. And if a team is able to maintain enforcing their will into the 2nd season..dominance is at a hand!
Take the Los Angeles Lakers, left-coast best coast’s very own joy ride of sports triumph and tragedy, peaks and valleys with 3 years of dynasty like comparisons with 3 consecutive finals run for the Larry O’s resulting in the last two! But teams adjust, champions run either to old, to full of themselves or the course. It seems this lakeshow has ran afoul of itself and now the team built to beat them (Mark Cuban be damn!) has them at the brink of elimination with more questions than normal (due to NBA lockout and a lakeshow championship team not resulting with additional Larry O’s)!
So look on adoringly lakeshow fans lets root our 3x journeying into the 2nd season faved squad, it may be the last ride for some and the end of a dynasty-laden team built for the ages yet coming up surprisingly and stunningly short! Fight on Lakeshow, live on Lakeshow…this fan remains on ship! Fiend out!
Congratz to ‘da Mamba’..#6 All Time in NBA scoring in a career..next up da Diesel!!!
O.k. it’s da mamba’s march up the glamor stat of statistics in the National Basketball Association; scoring! The Mamba’s average of 25.1 over 64 games equates to apprx 1600 pts so far this year! That has enabled the Mamba to move into the 6th place all time in the glitzy glamor stat of stats in the NBA passing the great Moses Malone..next up & next year…da DIESEL!!! (#5 – 28,590)
Congratzzzz Mamba..next up 6th NBA Championship?!!..well go get then Mamba!!!
*Note: players da mamba has passed on the scoring list (this season); -Moses Malone, -Elvin Haynes, -Hakeem Olajuwon, -Oscar Robertson, -Dominique Wilkins and -John Havlicek. Total work in NBA -**- 5 NBA MVP’s, 13 NBA Larry O’s, 161, 441 career points!!!
New TV Deal for Lakeshow good Buss family, Team /Time Warner Cable but bad for fans!?!!?!
O.k. friendz, followers of the rukus you’ve heard the news, a reported 20-year deal/worth an estimated $3 billion dollars with initial super stations to be broadcasting in Spanish and English. This un-seen announcement made by a combination of Laker brass, Time-Warner and LA Times can be seen as the further demise of ‘free tv’ in regards to sporting events.
According to LA Times reports, SBNation, Yahoo & SportsbyBrooks, (The must-see Lakers will mean must-pay fans under new TV deal, increased fan-base; Lakers, NBA reaching out to fast-growing Latino market, New Lakers TV Deal with Time Warner Worth a Reported $3 Billion Dollars, Billion Deal TV Deal saves team for Buss Family, Laker Tweet by Adrian Wojnarowski), the Lakers received approximately $30 million dollars per year from Fox Sports West to broadcast games locally, in conjunction with local network KCAL-TV it was a match made for cable/satellite and local TV networks appealing to all fan bases! The bottom line was this equated to approximately 60 games viewed by mostly all fans with a $500,000 per game going to the Buss family coffers! The new deal more than quadruples that amount to $2.5 million per game ensuring Dr. Buss’s heirs will not have to deal with the inheritance on the $568 million valued (in ’08) Lakeshow, whenever the transition occurs.
O.k. so the deal is sweet for the Buss family and ensures exclusiveness for Time Warner but what about the fans not accessible to cable? Not to good for fans. Ask sports reporter, Bill Plaschke; With the new TV deal, Lakers are taking the little guy out of the picture.
Bottom line; again the regular fan is getting squeezed out but being counted on to support billion dollar industries, what an uneven alliance. Fiend gone!!!…
The Road will cure what ails them…its a ROADTRIP!!!
DawgShotz….supermotorcrosser stileto strutting for heart disease awareness!!!
When a pix conveys a thousands messages:
…Tommy A…strutting for the cause!!!..’NUFF SAID’!!!
Dawg Shotz (5th anniversay of the mamba 81!!!..da boxscore & thnk u’s!!!)
When a pix conveys a thousand messages:
‘Nuff Said…dizzam 81 pts on 46 FG attempts and 20 FT attempts!!!
Lakers File- "It’s a Marathon not a Sprint"…
Had a dream last night that Kwame Brown and Smush Parker were still wearing the purple and gold..nah that was a nightmare!!! Gotta watch what I eat before bed. These Lakers are sucka free and sitting pretty at 7-0 and with room for improvement. A word to wise for my fellow Laker fanz…PATIENCE!!! As you know the NBA season is extremely long and rigorous..a lot can happen. This squad is meshing real well together from the starters to the real “BENCH MOB”…the reality of 3 potential Western Conferemce All Stars in the Mamba, Spanish Bird and LO. Team basketball is fun to watch and one Andrew Bynum is nearing closer to a return. Again, patience friendz!! This team is built for the post season and this is a dynasty in the making. You sure this is your last one Zen Master? You might wanna reconsider that!! Fanz enjoy the journey and lets keep the champagne on ice….trust the SportsAce it’ll taste better come June anyway…Hail to the champs!!!