Artest and Ariza are making the same money. Even if Ariza wanted a little more, he'd have settled for a smaller contract in terms of years - now they have Artest in the books for 5 more seasons - and he's getting worse quickly every year. They preferred Artest to Ariza, like most Lakers fans. Big mistake.
The refs have been pretty good - that reversed call on Kobe's travel was their biggest mistake. People are just trying to find justifications because they were too deep into the Lakers kool-aid to see this coming.
They didn't have full bird rights for Ariza last summer, or even early bird rights. TO re-sign Ariza they had to use their MLE, which they thought could be better used on Artest and they did so later. I don't think Buss is such a scrooge that would sacrifice a chance to upgrade his squad for some financial reason only.
Pretty sure they did (I thought that you have full bird rights to any player you trade for).
my god you guys need to reminded of the story? lakers said yo ariza we want you but if you think you are worth more than the MLE go find it cause thats what we will offer you. so he did and then artest came on the market and he said " yeah ill sign for the MLE". so they said it lets sign him. then ariza said oh nobody wants to give me more than the MLE. well it lets to go houston.
The fact that the Lakers couldn't pull off any trades with about 10 million in expirings is beyond pathetic.
Lakers held full Bird rights on Ariza. They could have signed him to any amount up to the max with using any part of the MLE.
But, then they'd a lost Odom & Artest. They owed Odom big money because he was key in delivering Number 15. Buss told Odom: you can have the money, or, Artest. You can one or the other, but, not both. Odom chose Artest.
Ariza bombed in Houston.
We're tied 2-2 going back to California with HC.
I mean, are you serious?
As a heart attack.
As long as the Thunder keep attacking the rim and take care of their defensive boards they will not only stay compe ive with the Lakers they'll have a great chance of beating them. Those two things are the key ingredient for this team. Not only because it limits LA's 2nd shots (which killed the Thunder in Game 1 and 2) but also because when the Thunder take care of their boards and get out on the break they run the Lakers ragged. LA's transition defense is horrendous. They can't keep up with those youngsters flying up and down the court.
And anytime the Thunder wing players attack the rim they draw a Laker big man challenging the shot which frees up other Thunder players to hit the offensive glass for easy putbacks. I've lost count how many times I've seen this happen in the last 2 games. They have to take the same kind of play on the road. If they do that and keep the game close (where all the pressure is on LA) they'll have a great chance to steal it just like Game 2.
You are incorrect Culby.
The Lakers told Ariza to look around the market to get his value...but they had NO intention of signing him. Mitch's plan A WAS Artest and his plan B was Ariza.
Even IF we had signed Ariza, LO would NOT have left LA. He has business here. He LOVES it here. No chance he would have left.
Exactly. They wanted no part of Ariza. They did not want to alienate Odom by letting Artest go past by screwing around with Ariza.
Sure, you can say it now that Odom would not have left, but, there was no risk by giving Odom what he wanted instead of money (Artest) and dropping Ariza off in Bakersfield. And Ariza crapped out in TX.
I hated the Artest and Sheed signings for LA and Boston, but I don't fault Mitch and Danny entirely; they did what 99% of their fans, who pay their salaries, thought it was right.
Wallace is coming around now in the playoffs. He's hit some shots Vs the Heat that called for a double take from the recliner. Squared up, quick release, center cut the cyclinder.
The problem isn't hitting or not hitting shots. I never cared for his shooting; never worried me. Pretty sure he'll hit shots at a better rate in the post-season. The problem is that he's too slow for today's game and doesn't rebound - which is a bigger problem considering the Celtics big man rotation already have 2 slow guys + 2 average rebounders.
Aside from the Thunder, and possibly the Nuggets who else isn't "slow?" You know where everybody is going to be with Orlando & Cleveland. Everybody else is marking time.
Agreed. But we can say the chances of LO leaving were slim to nil.
And Ariza went into a situation that was not suited for him as has been discussed on here ad naseum.
If he was on the Lakers he would be an EXCELLENT role player and would be impacting games more than Artest is 10 fold IMO.
All of that is conjecture, Milk.
You'd a been the first one crying the blues if we'd a lost Odom and Artest and had to beg and overpay Ariza to come back.
The shower thing with Kobe, Artest wanting that ring (Ariza was sated ring wise), Odom beholden to Artest to stand up with him after ringing.
It's not over yet. We're being tested. Severely. It's a two month ordeal, and we're already close to an ELE (extinction level event). Let's see what Artest and his tights Odom are made of.
If we're vanquished by the Thunder then we can conduct a port mortem, but, let's get back to California and make our stand first.
The Thunder have to win game 5 in order to have a chance at winning the series in my opinion. They don't need to give anything to the Lakers. They need to keep anal raping the Lakers and the rapist until their assholes are bloody red. Kevin Durant needs to keep on being a stud and make shots and get to the FT line. If the Thunder crap out in game 5, it's over for them.
This post is full of WTF.
1) We'd a.... You'd a.... come on dude. You can't be that dumb.
2) I really don't understand what you meant when you said "sated"
3) Extinction level event is not a term, it's a le from one of Busta Rhyme's albums.
4)port mortem? Do you mean post-mortem?
Who's the other average rebounder besides Big Baby? Shelden? I don't really count him as a part of our playoff rotation.
1. Horse .
2. I'm saying Ariza already got getting a ring out of his system. Artest still hadn't gotten his. Ipso facto Artest would be hungrier, more possessed of the idea of ringage.
3. It is too a term. It's from the movie "Deep Impact." tee, hee.
4. Of course I mean post mortem. Use your head, man.
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