Memphis most likely got something under the table from the league for this trade, because it gives Stern and his minions along with the Media a Celtics - Lakers Finals. This is Stern's dream matchup until he can work it so that a NBA final is between a U.S. and European team. That will be his next goal. Enjoy the regular season while you can because the Finals match-up is set in cement.
It was the local LA Radio guys talking the smack though..Mychal Tompson, Steve Hartman and Vic "the Brick" Jacobs on KLAC this afternoon.. they are the ones that thought that Odom blew the chance to pull out the victory with the air ball after the Lakers dominated the Pistons in the second half..No credit was given to tay's three ball.....and there as no mention of any bad officiating....
Its Los Angeles. You live here. You know what the people here are like, especially the media people. Only in Los Angeles could they make Britney Spears a running headline story. Well maybe also in France or Italy.
Bynum has a very serious knee injury........i just hope in all the euporia,they do not rush him back. On espn shootaround just know, rick carlisle just called luke walton a"great player".....incredible
You hit the hammer on the nail there....Maybe Stern is in partership with Kevin Mchale and Jerry West too? Jerry is still a Grizzly consultant who probably OK'd the deal to make Mitch Kupcake look good and Mchale gave away KG to help his old buddy Ainge. Let conspirators come out now old school rivalry >>Celtic/Lakers it's fannnnntastic!!
Conspiracy theories or not, it's pretty amazing how much better Kupchak's perfomance as GM looks now as compared to before this season started. In the last year or so, he's weathered the storm of Kobe's whining and mood swings without trading probably the best player in the league, he hung on to Bynum and was rewarded with a breakout season by a young talented center (the hardest position on the floor to fill), and now he's brought in an All-Star caliber big man without giving up any of the team's key contributors. I'm not ready to just hand them the 'ship now, for many of the reasons already listed in this thread, but that's one hell of a year for a GM who had a very underwhelming record in his tenure before this season started. Kwame is now increasing his stature as the biggest draft bust of modern times through the reality of how he improved both NBA teams that he's played for: by getting traded for guys who are way better than him.
Gasol needed a change of scenery and where better to go than sunny LA under Jackson...Pau is probably peeing himself right now. The trade is HUGE to the Lakers post season possibilities and drives an even bigger wedge between the WC haves and have nots. It also helps to make the EC look even more pathetic in comparison. Barring a miracle, IMO there's no way the ECF champion has a chance against the WCF champion this year. The WCF winner will have played through at least two tough series to get to the Finals. And the ECF champion will have coasted through two series against teams that made the playoffs by default because they didn't suck as bad as the rest of the EC bottom-feeders. The talent disparity between conferences is alarming and it's obviously not because of the players.
I doubt it. Most likely he is thinking of what Beverly Hills and Hollywood restaurants and nightclubs he is going to be hanging out in to look for and get some gorgeous L.A. talent.
Seriously though, its not that unheard of to tank it for a season and clear up some future cap space at the same time. For all practical purposes Memphis is out of the playoff picture this season. Similiar way to how we got Sheed so cheap from Atlanta.
I think it would be easier to name the teams that are worse than Memphis than teams that are better than Memphis. The Grizzlies are currently 13-33. Only three teams in the entire NBA have a worse record (Miami, Seattle, Minnesota). Seattle is 11-35 and Minnesota is 10-36. The T-Wolves have won 5 of their last 7, though, so they are coming on. I'm sure that win-loss record doesn't measure the quality of a team, though....
Ok, Phoenix Suns LA Lakers Portland Trailblazers SA Spurs Houston Rockets Utah Jazz Denver Nuggets Golden State Warriors And there is probably a couple more.
