Sessions/Eyenga to the Lakers for 2012 1st rounder + Walton

[jsab4807]

Where's Kerwin?! I know he's pumped that Walton's finally gone lol

Glad we got a 1st for Sessions, since he would've been gone at the end of the season anyways. Hate that I'll even have to look at Luke Walton in a Cavs uniform though.

Eyenga has crazy athleticism, but never really looks like he knows what he's doing out there...I doubt he'll crack the Lakers rotation at all.

[gladdyontherise]

How in the world does Walton have a job still? I wouldn't be suprised if they just buy him out.

Hopefully for the Cavs sake, the Lakers don't do much so the draft pick can be as solid as possible.

[arod1973]

Nice move for the Lakers...Sessions is putting together a pretty good season...

[jsab4807]

I'm surprised the Lakers gave up a first round pick in a really deep draft for a rental player. But I'm glad they did.

[key2win]

OMG someone actually took Puke Walton!!! That bum is finally off my team and this isnt NBA 2K12!

[key2win]

Jeremy - who is Christian Eyenga? LOL!

And eh on Jason Kapono. He was so bad a Rookie in Goudelock took all his minutes. LOL!

I read that Sessions has a player option for about $4.5 million next season. Odds are he picks it up since no one is going to pay him that. At least the Lakers now have a real starting point guard who is only 25 and is not the slowest point guard in the league anymore.

[JesRey]

Lakers & Clippers Deadline Trades

The NBA trade deadline was a big one for both Lakers & Clippers fans. I was sitting in the library at school just watching my twitter feed, hoping the Lakers would make a couple of moves to make this current team better.

The Lakers first acquired Ramon Sessions and Christian Eyenga from the Cleveland Cavaliers for Luke Walton, Jason Kapono & 2012 Lakers 1st round pick. I figured the Lakers would make a move for Sessions since he wasn't going to re-sign with the Cavaliers at the end of the year and Fisher wasn't getting the job done this season. They needed an upgrade at the point guard position. The Lakers also cut some of their salary by trading away Luke Walton. I know he was a bench warmer but I enjoyed having him on the team (I'm one of the few, I know).

Michael Beasley's name kept popping up in trade talks for the Lakers. I had a feeling that Mitch Kupchak had something up his sleeve. He was going to make a deal that no one saw coming. I even told my friend 15 minutes before the deadline was suppose to pass.

Sure enough, the Lakers shocked everyone by trading away their captain. The Lakers traded Derek Fisher and their other 2012 1st round pick (from the Mavericks), to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill. I was frustrated when I saw that deal. I know Fisher was declining but it's tough to see a player, who's done so much for the franchise, get traded away. I'm hoping the Lakers re-sign him so he can retire as a Laker. This was another trade that helped the Lakers get younger and cut salary at the same time. I haven't watched Hill play much, but this gives the Lakers some depth at the PF position.

The Clippers haven't been the same since losing Chauncey Billups, for the season, a couple weeks ago. They have been lacking a shooting guard who can shot from the outside. They fixed their problem today by trading away an expiring contract in Brian Cook and a 2012 second round pick to the Washington Wizards and in return they received, Los Angeles native, Nick Young. He played his college ball at USC. I believe Ray Allen would have been a better fit for the Clippers, but the Celtics were asking for too much.

The Nick Young deal also included Nene to Washington and Javale McGee to Denver.


The playoff race in the Western Conference should be exciting with both Los Angeles teams making moves for the better.


Photo credits: NBA, AMBasketball, AP

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[whitney777]

I like the deal for both teams. I loved Sessions in Cleveland, but he surely would have opted out next year. That may not be the case now that he's with the Lakers. The Lakers got a huge upgrade and I like that the Cavs have the option of switching picks in 2013 with the Heat/Lakers picks.

[jsab4807]

Jeremy - who is Christian Eyenga? LOL!

Ton of athleticism, but a HORRIBLE basketball player. Can't really shoot, can't defend, can't really do anything besides dunk lol

His claim to fame:
Christian Eyenga dunks over Pau Gasol 2-16-11 - YouTube

[jsab4807]

I like the deal for both teams. I loved Sessions in Cleveland, but he surely would have opted out next year. That may not be the case now that he's with the Lakers. The Lakers got a huge upgrade and I like that the Cavs have the option of switching picks in 2013 with the Heat/Lakers picks.

Yea I love this part. I'm sure a lot of people are overlooking it, but it's almost a guarantee that the Heat will have a better regular season record next year over the Lakers, which means the Cavs can upgrade their back-end 1st round pick at least a few spots...maybe even more if Kobe falls off next year.

[whitney777]

Agreed. I'm glad that Grant had it added. It may possibly mean nothing, but it's definitely worth a shot. At this point, I'd expect the Heat to have the better record, as well.

[bakemeister52]

Walton is nothing and the Lakers actually came out the best on this trade

[jsab4807]

Walton is nothing and the Lakers actually came out the best on this trade

The trade wasn't about Walton. It was about the Cavs getting a 1st round pick.

[key2win]

To me the trade was about Walton. LOL!

[whitney777]

Well said Kerwin!