http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakers26jun26,1,6107504.story?coll=la-headlines-sports

6/25/2007 4:54:09 PM

sounds retarded

6/25/2007 4:56:57 PM

Can't read the article at work, but who is going to the T-wolves if this is true?

6/25/2007 4:57:11 PM

Quote :

"The owners of the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves have begun talks for a trade that would involve sending Kevin Garnett to the Lakers, league sources said Monday. A multi-team trade discussion is underway involving the Lakers, Indiana, Minnesota and possibly a fourth team, with the Lakers getting Garnett and the Pacers getting Lamar Odom and teenage center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers. Another minor player will likely be added to make the deal work financially. Jerry Buss and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor spoke by phone for 20 minutes Friday. Buss reportedly ended the conversation by suggesting that Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale would continue the discussion Monday. Such a move could address the concerns of Kobe Bryant, who has demanded to be traded for more than four weeks. Bryant met with Kupchak for about an hour Friday, a day after Garnett rejected a trade that would have sent him to Boston. Bryant did not step down from his desire to be traded. However, Kupchak, Buss and Lakers Coach Phil Jackson met later that day to discuss options based on the assumption they would still have Bryant, The Times has learned. Garnett, 31, has never formally asked for a trade while signaling his distress in recent years as the Timberwolves fell from top-notch status. The No. 1-seeded team in the Western Conference in 2004, they lost to the Lakers in the West finals and haven't made the playoffs since then. The Timberwolves finished 33-49 in 2005-06 and 32-50 last season, tied for 12th in the West with Portland. Garnett can opt out of his contract after next season. He wants an extension, which Buss reportedly told Taylor he was willing to offer. Garnett is due to earn $22 million next season and $23 million in 2008-09, the last year of his contract. Garnett, a 10-time All-Star, averaged 22.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 blocked shots last season while showing few signs of slowing down, other than spending the last five games of the season in Los Angeles — he has a home in Malibu — to rest a sore right quadriceps. Bynum, 19, started his second NBA season with a flurry, including a memorable game against Minnesota in which he had 20 points,14 rebounds and three blocked shots last November. But Bynum struggled during the second half of the season and finished with averages of 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds a game. The Lakers have been criticized by Bryant for not trading Bynum at the February trade deadline in order to get Jason Kidd from New Jersey. Odom, 27, was acquired three years ago as part of the trade that sent Shaquille O'Neal to Miami. Odom averaged 15.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season and missed 26 games because of knee and shoulder injuries. He had a torn labrum in his left shoulder repaired last month and is expected to return in time for training camp in October"

6/25/2007 4:58:20 PM

another fucking Kobe/LA Lakers thread.

This is getting retarded.

[Edited on June 25, 2007 at 4:59 PM. Reason : asdf]

6/25/2007 4:58:31 PM

I don't know why KG didn't want to go to Boston

Boston isn't great but KG + Pierce + the Eastern Conference = contenders for years to come

6/25/2007 5:01:53 PM

^I think i heard that he said he would only go somewhere warm if he were to be traded

6/25/2007 5:03:20 PM

^^

Quote :

"If you're the Suns and you can win the 2008 title, you make a run at Kevin Garnett. If you're the Celtics and have Paul Pierce, a painfully young supporting cast and a coach with a career winning percentage of .467, you don't. Of course, this is the NBA, so the Suns are backing off and the Celtics are pursuing KG with a package that includes Al Jefferson, the No. 5 pick, Gerald Green, Wally Szczerbiak's contract and/or Theo Ratliff's expiring deal (for KG and possibly one more contract). It's hard to blame them for considering the deal because, for the first time in five years, the Celtics would be relevant again. You can sell tickets with a Pierce-Garnett combo, make a few more TNT appearances, maybe even get Barkley and the "PTI" guys talking about you. After what happened in the 2007 playoffs, it's not unrealistic to think that Pierce, KG and 10 drunks from Sullivan's Tap could win the East next spring. Then the common sense starts kicking in. They'd be sacrificing every non-Pierce trading asset for superior defense at the 4-spot and a slight points/rebounding upgrade. They'd also be losing the league's best young low-post scorer (Jefferson) for a mercurial clubhouse guy who peaked three years ago and hasn't made the playoffs since. Seriously, would you rather pay Jefferson $4 million combined for the next two seasons, take Corey Brewer fifth (someone who could guard LeBron, Wade, Arenas and Kobe for the next 10 years), use Ratliff's contract to pursue one more veteran (someone like Andrei Kirilenko, for instance) and build a real basketball team? Or would you rather pay Kevin Garnett $46 million over the next two seasons, flank him with Pierce and nobody else, then hope both guys somehow stay healthy for the next three years? When Kobe and Shaq won three straight titles as a two-man team, they had the likes of Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, Glen Rice, Brian Shaw, Ron Harper and Phil Jackson to help them. Do you see anyone like that on Boston's roster from the coach on down? Overpaying for KG looks like a classic Sonny Corleone move, a panic trade specifically pushed by people worried about their jobs, a short-term fix that gets OK'd once the owner becomes sufficiently excited about owning an NBA team that has Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on it. So what if it's 2007 and not 2003? We have KG and Pierce! Anytime the reason for a sports trade is, "We need to roll the dice, I'm tired of treading water, I want to be relevant again," it's almost like watching somebody lose for a few hours at a $25 blackjack table, then become frustrated and start betting $100 a hand. Well, you know what happens to those people? They lose. They run out of money. They slink away. And after a few seconds, somebody else sits in their seat. Which is exactly what's going to happen here. Anyway, I'm against the KG trade, if only for this reason: If I were running Minnesota, I'd grab Jefferson, Green and the No. 5 for KG in a cocaine heartbeat. It's a no-brainer for them, especially when the sucky contract they'd take back (Szczerbiak) happens to be one of the most popular athletes in the history of the franchise. I want the Celtics to be on the other side of a no-brainer for once. Call me idealistic. Fortunately, as a basketball buddy pointed out last night, "You're forgetting one thing: Why the hell would KG want to play in Boston?" Excellent point. He'll squash this deal in two seconds. "

6/25/2007 5:15:12 PM

^^Boston can be warm if you insulate yourself with cash.

6/25/2007 5:15:37 PM

I hope this falls through.

Or somehow the Lakers end up trading away Kobe instead of Odom and Bynum.

Then I could actually root for them.

6/25/2007 5:17:44 PM

that trade makes no sense.. who would Minnesota get? I would guess J. O'Neil and a few others but that article doesn't mention any compensation for Minnesota

6/25/2007 5:20:36 PM

more than likely Jermaine O'NEAL is going to the fourth team possibly boston while minnesota would get bostons pick and probably al jefferson

6/25/2007 5:23:39 PM

Danny Ainge would be a complete idiot if he trades Al Jefferson and a pick only to get J. O'NEAL in return

6/25/2007 5:33:24 PM

he already is a complete idiot!

but so is kevin mchale in minnesota

win-win!

6/25/2007 5:36:18 PM

Quote :

"Here is the proposed trade that works cap wise: KG to LA, Jermaine O'Neal to Boston, Odom & Bynum to Indiana, Kwame Brown, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Lakers #19 pick, and Boston's #5 pick to Minny. Minny would get 4 young players out of this deal and 2 expiring contracts to rebuild with. Much better to get this package than lose KG for nothing next year."

4 team trades are difficult to pull off, though.

6/25/2007 5:40:07 PM

THis trade sounds insane. I'm not sure I buy it though

6/25/2007 5:55:43 PM

^^ That is a horrible deal for Boston. No way they give up Jefferson, Green, and the #5 pick for Jermaine O'Neal.

6/25/2007 5:58:22 PM

ya that would be a miserable trade for boston, great for LA and Minny

[Edited on June 25, 2007 at 7:32 PM. Reason : a]

6/25/2007 7:31:51 PM

Seriously.. I'd rather have Corey Brewer than J ONeal

6/25/2007 8:03:24 PM

trade him for sabonis

6/25/2007 8:06:48 PM

^not saying i disagree with that but J O is a pretty damn good forward in the EAST

6/25/2007 8:07:00 PM

so i guess this would shut kobe up if it went down

6/25/2007 8:08:47 PM

they'd probably get along since neither of them went to college...shaq's lsu education clearly put a huge intellectual gap between him and the kobester

6/25/2007 8:09:44 PM

^LMAO gg

6/25/2007 8:12:36 PM

Quote :

"not saying i disagree with that but J O is a pretty damn good forward in the EAST"

so is Al Jefferson

Al Jefferson + Pierce + Brewer + a differnt coach = maybe a playoff team

6/25/2007 9:52:34 PM

Jermaine O'Neal + Paul Pierce = Top 6 team in the EAST next year

6/25/2007 9:55:27 PM

ok, so a playoff team who if they get lucky as hell and the east is weak as shit again next year, they can get slaughtered by the West champ

a 2 player team isnt necessarily better than lebron's 1 player team since neither of the player's are anywhere close to lebron. maybe 3 or 4 years ago PP and JO could do some damage, but not now.

and let's compare 2007:
j o'neal: PPG 19.4 | RPG 9.6 | BPG 2.6 28 yrs old $18 mil
a Jeff: PPG 16 | RPG 11 | BPG 1.5 22 yrs old $1.5 mil
d how: PPG 17.6 | RPG 12.3 | BPG 1.9 21 yrs old $4.5 mil
c bosh: PPG 22.6 | RPG 10.7 | BPG 1.3 23 yrs old $4 mil

is anyone of those better than the other by a margin of a #5 draft pick in one of the deepest drafts in memory?

basically, Simmons' writeup on the KG-to-Boston trade reads he same for this except replace KG w/a worse player:

Quote :

"They'd be sacrificing every non-Pierce trading asset for superior defense at the 4-spot and a slight points/rebounding upgrade. They'd also be losing the league's best young low-post scorer (Jefferson) for a mercurial clubhouse guy who peaked three years ago and hasn't made the playoffs since. Seriously, would you rather pay Jefferson $4 million combined for the next two seasons, take Corey Brewer fifth (someone who could guard LeBron, Wade, Arenas and Kobe for the next 10 years), use Ratliff's contract to pursue one more veteran (someone like Andrei Kirilenko, for instance) and build a real basketball team? Or would you rather pay Kevin Garnett $46 million over the next two seasons, flank him with Pierce and nobody else, then hope both guys somehow stay healthy for the next three years?"

6/25/2007 11:22:40 PM

garnett and kobe in la for the win

6/25/2007 11:26:19 PM

garnett/kobe would be better than garnett/pierce, but it still wouldn't get a ring

6/25/2007 11:28:12 PM

so i like the idea of garnett in la with kobe!

6/25/2007 11:59:57 PM

i still can't believe KG has been in the league for 11 years now...

6/26/2007 1:01:31 AM

i heard there was a possible trade of the top two picks in the draft this year for the entire nba...based on the media coverage, they may just pull it off!

oden and durant to the lakers with kobe in a 30 team trade that leaves the lakers with three players and they will win 11 championships under the spiritual guidance of bill walton and the memories of the greatest inbounds passer in the world, luke walton.

6/26/2007 2:18:10 AM

the version i heard had smush parker staying in LA too though

6/26/2007 2:18:59 AM

bttt...supposedly its a 4 team trade now...thats what espn said

6/26/2007 2:19:43 AM

Quote :

"another fucking Kobe/LA Lakers thread. This is getting retarded. "

6/26/2007 3:22:40 AM

^ don't click on it

6/26/2007 3:37:20 AM

this trade makes no sense for anyone but the Pacers

i dont understand

Kobe said even if they get KG he still wants out

the Lakers had better figure some shit out quick

6/26/2007 7:45:16 AM

Yeah, this four team trade stuff isn't going to work...getting 2 teams to agree on terms of a trade is hard enough. four? c'mon

6/26/2007 7:48:43 AM

no it could work

theres just no reason for it too

it helps the Pacers and Wolves

and hurts the Lakers and Celtics

6/26/2007 7:56:20 AM

bttt for kg in la!

6/26/2007 7:55:47 PM

boston would be stupid to do this

6/26/2007 7:56:33 PM

supposedly it's more of a two team deal now....just LA and Minnesota

Personally, I think it's good for both teams if Minnesota gets Bynum and Odom, plus the Lakers pick.

KG has proven that it's not going to work with Minnesota, and now Minnesota realizes it too.

6/26/2007 9:14:49 PM

Not gonna happen

Quote :

"Kevin Garnett went so far as to talk to Kobe Bryant about the two stars playing together on the Los Angeles Lakers. He might want to give Steve Nash a call. ESPN's Jim Gray reported on Tuesday night that a league source said that the latest trade scenario has Garnett landing in Phoenix with the Suns. Three teams are involved in these discussions, with the Suns getting Garnett, the Celtics picking up Phoenix forward Shawn Marion and the Wolves acquiring the fifth pick in Thursday's draft and players from Boston. This development comes after ESPN's Ric Bucher reported earlier on Tuesday that talks between the Lakers and Wolves concerning Garnett had broken down. The Lakers had reportedly offered a package containing at least forward Lamar Odom and center Andrew Bynum. The current trade is basically contingent on whether Marion would agree to a contract extension with the Celtics, Gray reported. Marion can opt out of his contract after the 2007-08 season. The Suns have spoken to Marion about the deal. The Suns and Wolves spoke about a Garnett trade last week, and according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Marion told Phoenix that he would not want to play for Minnesota or Boston. Sources have told Stein that Garnett and Nash have become good friends in recent years. Garnett, a 10-time All-Star, has told the Wolves that he wants to play for a warm weather team that has a legitimate chance to win the championship. Garnett can also opt out of his contract after the coming season, prompting talks that the Timberwolves refused to entertain for years. "

6/26/2007 11:39:59 PM

and the suns still wont win cause they dont play defense

6/26/2007 11:58:42 PM

um, you don't think the presence of Kevin Garnett would positively effect their defensive play?

[Edited on June 27, 2007 at 12:58 AM. Reason : ...]

6/27/2007 12:57:38 AM

hes good for about 14 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block per game + his points

i just looked up his career stats and shit

6/27/2007 1:38:49 AM

um, 1 player is not going to make the whole team all of a sudden learn defense, they will still get to the western finals and lose, prob to that team from san antonio

and they already have a player who does basically the same thing kevin garnett does, stoudemire, why have 2 of them?

6/27/2007 1:58:17 AM

because 2 is better than 1?
..who wouldn't rather have a frontcourt of Amare(if he isn't the one that ends up being traded) and Garnett or Amare and Kurt Thomas?

6/27/2007 2:06:15 AM

Id have a hard time believing phoenix wouldnt be a much better team if you added garnett to the mix.

6/27/2007 2:12:00 AM

that doesnt make sense to me, what are they going to try to build a tower in front of the rim so tony parker cant drive down the lane?

6/27/2007 2:12:28 AM