Papaloukas a Laker

[Ellinaras]

Heard this on the Greek news earlier, according to a L.A. Times article, the Lakers offered a 5 year/30M for Papaloukas. Their whole mid-level exception basically, interesting.

[Johnny RIngo]

He's too slow to be successful in the NBA. Glad to see the Lakers getting help anyway. I think they're going to have to push for another superstar(JO, KG) to be a contender though.

[ChumpDumper]

The Lakers reportedly are going beyond U.S. borders in their search for a backcourt starter.

With Smush Parker out the door and Farmar having played only one NBA season, the Lakers have offered a multi-year contract to 30-year-old guard Theodoros Papaloukas, according to Eleftheros Tipos, a newspaper in Greece. The report said Papaloukas had confirmed the offer and was pondering it among a handful from NBA teams. Lakers officials declined to comment.

Papaloukas, a Greek native who is listed at 6 feet 7, was the Euroleague player of the year last season with CSKA Moscow, and is widely thought to be the best point guard in Europe.

He signed a three-year deal with CSKA Moscow in June 2006, a contract that could require a substantial buy-out price. The Lakers probably would have to use most or all of their mid-level exception — five years and about $30 million — to sign him. The mid-level exception is given to teams that are over the salary cap and can be divvied up to sign more than one free agent.

Papaloukas had 12 assists to lead Greece to an upset of the U.S. in the semifinals of the 2006 world championships. He had 10 points and nine assists for CSKA Moscow in a 94-75 exhibition victory over the Clippers last October, an effort that prompted Clippers forward Elton Brand to tell the Associated Press that he "definitely [had] flashbacks of Papaloukas," from the U.S. semifinal loss.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers.28jun28,1,1739875.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers&ctrack=3&cset=true

1) That's an enormous amount of money.

2) I imagine the Lakers had no comment because the free agency period hasn't started yet.

[ducks]

they must not like smush parker !

[Obstructed_View]

Kobe must be thrilled. This should keep him in LA.

[bdictjames]

Is this guy a pass-first or a shoot-first PG?

[Medvedenko]

I heard this guy had 13 assists against team US in a Greek victory...he's 6'7..and the euroleage MVP...so probably not too bad. Also, he's 30, so not a some young dude like that Sasha punk they have on their team. Still, if Kobe bolts, it's ok, as long as we get some young talent...still, Kobe, KG and this dude should round out the team quite nicely....if they get them both that is...

[zekes]

1) That's an enormous amount of money.

2) I imagine the Lakers had no comment because the free agency period hasn't started yet.

A lot of years too...

[Ellinaras]

Theo is a winner and will definitely be an impact player on a good team. He won 4 out of 5 title games in one year, Russian League championship, Russian league Cup, Euroleague, and European Championship only to lose at the World's Finals.
Slow by NBA standards, but tall and creative, good slasher. His statistics are great, not a great 3pt shooter but clutch when it matters and he does it off the bench.
Miami is also courting him, definitely a rotation player on any NBA team.

[JamStone]

Phil loves tall point guards

[Marcus Bryant]

Unless the European point is French, he's a bust.

[Solid D]

He's a drive and dish playmaker. He has a real knack for getting to the basket off the dribble. He overpowers smaller PGs but he's not extremely fast...just very quick with a nice crossover move.

He's a winner. The Lakers are getting a good one, if he ends up there.

[Gros Membres!]

agree. I like this guy a lot and hoped the Spurs would nab him. Though 30 million without playing any NBA basketball seems a bit desperate to me.

[Admidave50]

He would have been a great fit for us, but he's overpaid

[velik_m]

Not a bad pick up, but the price tag does show signs of desperation.