g. smitts

This trade keeps them contenders. They could have gone the way of the
Bulls and been losers for years to come. Which would have INSTANTLY
lost 'em their bandwagon fan base.

The Heat have just bet the farm on Wade\Shaq. They did a sharp turn
in another direction and I wonder if Van Gundy can hold on for the ride.

On the flip side I suspect Rudy T is breathing a sigh of relief that
he will be coaching a contending team and not a rebuilding team.

chainsaw

CONTENDERS? You're dreaming. More like
low-seeded playoff team. You can't rebuild
and contend at the same time. A Shaq trade
should have either brought them back another
all-star center, or a bunch of expiring contracts
so that they could truly rebuild.

They could have gone the way of the

If Kobe decides to sign elsewhere that will still happen.


You just went to zero on the credometer.

jk

Can't agree. The Lakers, without Kobe, look like a .500 team which spells
last place in that division.
--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
http://www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
http://www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories

g. smitts

Only two players on the Lakers team played better than Odom,
Caron in the playoffs. One of 'em is being shipped off to Miami.

And, Brian Grant in the playoffs outplayed ever single forward on
the Lakers with the exception of Karl Malone. LA got three good
starters and a first round pick for 1 great starter.

The 2005 season will prove who got the better end of this deal.

tigercat

did i miss something? LA has Kobe, they may lose Shaq.

chainsaw

We don't have Kobe until/unless he deigns to indulge
his humble Laker management peons by signing a contract.

jk

Yup you missed a couple of things... Shaq is gone, Kobe may be either
gone, or in jail!

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
http://www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
http://www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories

ajali@students.wisc.edu

I have a strong feelings that both teams will end up a loser. Here is
why:

Lakers:
1. Lakers basically will be a brand new team with all the new pieces
that being add up. As at this point, this will be a shadow of the
starting five

C- Grant
PF-Odom
SF- George
SG- Kobe
G- Gary Payton

Reserve:
Brian Cook
Kareem Rush
Caron Butler
Slava Medvedenko
Walton
Vajnonic (can't remember his name yet)

Looking at the roaster, I can't imagine anyone could think that they
are going to be a competitive team in the Western Conference. They
will be very lucky if they can make a playoff with a team just being
assemble. Even Clippers look a lot stronger and they never qualified
for playoff last season.

Heat:
C- Shaq
PF-
SF- Eddie Jones
SG- Rasul Butler
G- D. Wade

Same with the Lakers. Brand new starting 5. A little bit better
because they play in the Eastern Conference. So they are quite sure
for the playoff. But thats about it. As dominant as Shaq was, I don't
think his body can handle the rigor of the season. Its too much for
one body to handle especially if you try to use the season as a way to
get into playing condition. Shaq mind might think he can do it, but I
don't think a 32 going 33 body going to cooperate. I think at best,
Heat might get a 3 years of reasonable good Shaq. Thats about it. Then
they will have to start all over again. Reasonable good Shaq will not
get it done. If their goal to get Shaq is to win a championship, I
think they are totally misguided franchise. They only have 2 or 3
years window with Shaq but without a reasonable good players
surrounding Shaq, there is no way they can pass the second round.

Bottomline is, a team need 2 or 3 years to gel with each other and
with the system in place to be competitive. You can add one or two
missing pieces to make it a better team but you cannot put a brand new
team and expect to be competitive right away. That exactly where the
?Lakers and Heat will start as the season begin.

Finally, I think, the winners will be Shaq and Kobe's egos and Pat
Riley dream.

gil cintron

I think I have to disagree as well.

If anything, the Heat win. Despite the fact that the Pistons won the Ring,
the West is still head and shoulders above the East. DET and IND are the
only teams that can play with the West. Adding Shaq to Wade and E Jones
instantly puts them in second place in the division and a mid to low playoff
seed. The Lakers, on the other hand, will not even make the playoffs. WHo
will they beat out?
in no particular order:
1. Kings
2. Mavs
3. Spurs
4. TWolves
5. Grizzlies
6. Rockets
7. Suns (added Nash and QRichardson)
8. Hornets
9. Nuggets

No guarantee the Lkers even make the playoffs next year.

Shaq is ALWAYS in.

GC

g. smitts

I watched Miami's playoff games. I know what Caron, Odom, Grant
can do. I'd pimp Greenstein out to get those three on a NY roster.

I don't know how far Gundy is going to go with a team that traded
three good players for one star. Good players are just as hard to
come by in this league as stars.

Plus Odom imo is a star in the making. If anybody can bring out
the star in Odom its Rudy T.

I think the Magic will beat out the Heat in the southeast division.
And the Lakers will beat out the Queens in the pacific division.