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2Cleva
08-21-2004, 10:13 PM
I know this isn't a Laker forum and most Laker fans have already seen it, but after getting props from a Spurs fan I thought the board may be interested - This is my breakdown of the Lakers. My friend from Hoopsworld was kind enough to post it.

www.hoopsworld.com/article_9378.shtml (http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_9378.shtml)

KoriEllis
08-21-2004, 10:29 PM
Nice job.

Thanks for posting it.

adidas11
08-22-2004, 05:48 PM
Excellent find 2Cleva.

Although I'm still pissed about losing my favorite player of all time (Shaq), I understand what the Lakers are trying to do, and this article verifies that. It's just going to be painful knowing that for the next couple of seasons, the Lakers will have virtually no chance at winning the title. But I do appreciate that they are looking at things long term, and are making the most of a tough situaiton.

timvp
08-22-2004, 06:35 PM
Excellent find 2Cleva.

He wrote it.

2Cleva
08-22-2004, 08:24 PM
addidas - did you just come along at the beginning of the Shaq era? Magic is my all-time favorite and I've been a fan from the ups (80s) to down (90s) and back up again. I agree completely with what the Lakers are doing. They don't try just to win for today, but they always have a mind on tomorrow. That's why they have had continued success like no other franchise.

Taking a step back to take 2 steps forward. The loss of Shaq this year will be considerable but for every year thereafter this deal was a great one for LA. Like losing the battle to win the war.

Kevin Kaster
08-22-2004, 09:23 PM
Nice writeup. Still don't understand what Laker fans are complaining about, Shaq wanted $40M per at age 38. Hello, that's nearly the entire freaking cap we'd have to give to a guy already on the decline with a terrible work ethic!!!!!

And yeah, you definitely must not have been a Laker fan all that long adidas11 if Shaq is your favorite Laker of all time.

2Cleva
08-22-2004, 10:32 PM
Kaster - I didn't mean it as a knock on addidas at all. Just a matter of perspective.

adidas11
08-22-2004, 11:13 PM
No 2Cleva, I started watching basketball back in the 1984 Finals, when the Lakers lost to the Celtics. And yes, Shaq is my favorite player of all time, even above Magic (who was my fave before Shaq came into the league.). I was even a Shaq fan before he came to LA. But I've been die-hard Laker fan since I first started watching ball, with the most devestating loss for me was in 1990, when the Lakers lost to the Phoenix Suns 4 - 1 in the Western Semis (that year, the Lakers had the best record in the league)

Anyhow, what I was hoping for the Lakers to do was to hold on to Shaq until his current contract expired. Just don't give him an extension or new deal. What was he going to do? He would have been pissed as hell, but he still would have gone out and played. And when his contract expired, then the Lakers would have had all of the cap room. Now they're still above the cap, but with a lot of players who I'm not really thrilled with. But I just have to trust that Laker management knows what they're doing.

2Cleva
08-23-2004, 08:56 AM
addidas - strong word was that Shaq still would not have played. I've heard it from a number of sources. He was going to have surgery before the season started, been out for the year, then walked in FA. If he wasn't getting paid, he wasn't going to play. It was that simple. Throw in him throwing that same threat to teams interested in him if they weren't on his list (only Sac, Dallas, Orl, Miami, Atl, NO) and its even worse. Shaq would only go to teams where he liked the weather. But LA did have a deal with the Clipps for Brand and Maggette but Shaq vetoed it because he didn't want to go there. LA also had one with Indy with Jermaine but it was too cold in Indy for Shaq.

He had to go.

Yogurt210
06-13-2009, 01:13 PM
hmm seemed like it worked

IronMexican
06-13-2009, 01:22 PM
Pretty cool reading this.