Jermaine O'neil Is Close To Coming To The Lakers

[Infamous]

Peter Vescey is reporting that the Lakers and Pacers have laid the groundwork for a deal to send Jermaine O'Neal to Los Angeles.

Within the last week, the Lakers inquired about O'Neal and were told he is available. According to Vescey, the Pacers also confirmed that the Lakers have enough assets to make a deal work. But no negotiations have been undertaken between the two sides, which would seem to cast doubt on the credibility of the entire report to begin with.

Lamar Odom would have to be the principal player heading back to Indiana. Center Andrew Bynum is another likely piece in such a deal.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Peter Vescey is reporting...

So Jermaine will be staying in Indiana.

[DarrinS]

Peter Vescey is reporting


PV is the white version of Stephen A. Smith

[TheNextGen]

Peter "I Plagiarize Spiteful Fans" Vescey??

[Infamous]

Two deals with Lakers are being discussed

1. JO and Murphy for Lamar Odom , Kwame Brown , Sasha Vujacic OR Brian Cook and pick #19

Key here is dumping Murphy's long term salary and Brown's expires after next season.

Savings would amount to 14.5 mil coming off pay roll after next season. Even more the next 2 years. In 2009 summer Pacers payroll would be at 22 million but Granger and Diogu plus Odom and Foster( if they still want LO and Foster)would have to be resigned.

2. JO and Greene to Lakers for Bynum , Brown and prob 3 cheap fillers Brian Cook , Vujacic and Mo Evans + pick 19

Bynum would give the Pacers a possible good center in future-

According to a source these are what Vescey was talking about when he said Pacers had received an offer from Lakers for JO they liked. Source in LA says this is what he has been told.

[ducks]

I think a deal is close
kobe wants lakers to do something to help them win a title
bitching he got their attention
oneal makes the west tougher

[NBA Junkie]

How does this deal make the Lakers significantly better? I'm not seeing it.

Jermaine is good for what? 60 games! Murphy? Decent defensive rebounder, but too perimeter happy offensively, IMO.

The move may make them no better than sixth or seventh in the west-exactly where they are right now.

[Infamous]

If they go with the second option they have Kobe, O'Neil, and Odom..that's one hell of a trio. It speaks for itself. Plus they have Jordan Farmar who is the future pg of the team at the point, and Luke Walton who can only get better.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I doubt they go with #2. If I were the Lakers I 'd go with #1 since I doubt the trade will not include Odom. And I would trade Brian Cook over Sasha.

[SpursIndonesia]

IMHO, the Lakers won't get JO without giving up BOTH Odom & Bynum. The Pacers FO will play hardball with all the drama in LA Land, they hold all the trump cards.

OTOH, if the Lakers could pry one of the Pacers's young prospect, i must say they should do it anyway, fact that a happy Kobe & (hopefully) healthy JO + some young decent teammates & FAs would be a deadly duo in both their prime years. The point is, they should compete NOW, not counting on Bynum future development while wasting Kobe's prime.

[TheNextGen]

anyone hear about theWalton, and #19 pick for Artest?

[K-State Spur]

If the Knicks are truly involved, I don't think they can beat a deal of Odom + Bynum.

But they can absolutely beat any deal that only includes 1 of the 2.

Laker fans might be kidding themselves if they think they can keep one of the two and add O'Neal.

[itzsoweezee]

PV is the white version of Stephen A. Smith

don't insult stephen a. smith like that.

[itzsoweezee]

if the pacers don't get at least bynum and odom out of this, they're fucking idiots. then again, with the personnel moves that team has made over the past few seasons, i wouldn't put it pass them to fuck this up too.

[MrChug]

If they go with the second option they have Kobe, O'Neil, and Odom..that's one hell of a trio. It speaks for itself. Plus they have Jordan Farmar who is the future pg of the team at the point, and Luke Walton who can only get better.

Jordan Farmar and "future...of the team" is an oxymoron.

[SpursIndonesia]

Jordan Farmar is decent, not everybody is blessed with the talent of superstar PG, yet this kid is in fact a REAL PG compared to that shitty Smush Parker of old. Avery Johnson wasn't exactly top talent either, yet he could survive as Spurs starting PG for how long ?

[ChumpDumper]

So the Boozer deal is off the table?

[Fabbs]

FWIW Vecsey broke his fairytale pattern and correctly reported A.I. to Denver in advance.