Los Angeles Lakers Off Season Thread

[ronpage69]

and move artest.much better guys out there that can defend

[key2win]

Calderon is going to get amnestied. And Bargnani is overpaid and not that good. Lakers are looking to get younger and save some money. Both Bargnani and Calderon make too much money.

[whalechaser]

If Stern never vetoed that trade, the Lakers would be sitting pretty right now and not have to worry about the offseason / FA scramble. It's time to move Bynum, his trade value is probably at an all time high, no reason to risk having him injured next year on your roster.

[key2win]

Today's rumors are that Calderon would be interested in the Lakers if no one claims him after the Raptors amnesty him. Rashard Lewis also is getting bought out. So potentially, Lakers could go after Calderon and Lewis to fill their starting PG and SF issues while still keeping Pau. This is unlikely though.

[bakemeister52]

I am not a Lakers fan but Gasol needs to go and pretty much is gone. They need an overhaul for sure!

[key2win]

Rumors for today. Lakers are back in the running for Dwight Howard. LOL! I guess the good part of trading Bynum for Dwight is that team will still overpay for Dwight even though he may leave them next summer. So Lakers may get a chance to get a lot of younger players, salary cap relief and draft picks this way.

Free Agents (not including their own) that Lakers are interested in and talking to are Chauncey Billups, Jameer Nelson, Kirk Hinrich, Jonny Flynn, Nick Young, and Brandon Rush.

[key2win]

Todays news after the Blockbuster Deal that brought Steve Nash to Lakers.

Nash trying to bring Grant Hill to Lakers. Lakers also looking at Rashard Lewis and Antawn Jamison. It would be nice if we can get two of those players. I see Grant Hill signing.

Also supposedly Dwight will reconsider the Lakers now that Nash is on the team. LOL! Now we have Orlando where we want them. Make them take Artest or Blake in the deal. LOL!

[key2win]

Latest rumors are the Lakers told someone on their team (other than Bynum) that they may be traded to Orlando. Speculation is it is Ron Artest.

Now with Ryan Anderson going to the Hornets, Magic need a starting power foward. They are interested in Jordan Hill. Sign and trade scenario?

Bynum, Hill, and Artest for Dwight and Hedo?

[key2win]

Latest Lakers news from Yahoo Twitter. Stupid Bynum, way to mess up our trade for Dwight. At this point, just trade this stupud bum and get the best return you can for him. I am getting sick of him.

Andrew Bynum has shown no interest in signing an extension with the Magic should they agree to a trade with the Lakers involving Dwight Howard.

Like Howard, Bynum will become a free agent in the offseason of 2013.

If Bynum doesn't sign an extension, the Cavaliers and Mavericks are among the teams with cap space that would interest him.

[key2win]

Agent -- Devin Ebanks, Los Angeles Lakers agree on one-year deal - ESPN Los Angeles

Lakers resign Devin Ebanks to 1 Year $1.4 million contract. I like Ebanks. He is a young player who is compared to Trevor Ariza.

[key2win]

Orlando Magic exploring other Dwight Howard trades, source says - ESPN Los Angeles

The big news for today.

The Houston Rockets have joined the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets as the most serious potential trade partners with the Orlando Magic on a Dwight Howard deal, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Rockets are discussing a multitude of trade scenarios with the Magic, offering to serve both as the team that would acquire Howard in a direct trade between the clubs and also as a third team that would participate in a trade that lands Howard with the Lakers and brings All-Star center Andrew Bynum to Houston.

The Rockets, in the latter scenario, would push to acquire Bynum from the Lakers while furnishing the Magic with a package of future draft picks and cap-friendly contracts to set Orlando up for a full-fledged roster reload. Sources confirmed a HoopsWorld.com report that the three-team trade construction that sends Bynum to the Rockets instead of the Magic -- with Orlando said to be concerned about its ability to re-sign Bynum for the long term -- gained traction Tuesday.

The key elements of the three-team proposal, sources said, call for the Lakers to acquire Howard and the Rockets -- realizing their longrunning quest to acquire a top-20 player -- to take back the mercurial Bynum as he enters the final year of his contract.

It's believed that Houston would have to absorb the contract of Magic swingman Jason Richardson and perhaps another unpalatable contract or two to complete a trade directly with the Magic for Howard or to get Bynum. Central to the Rockets' offer is a 2013 first-round draft pick that they'll soon acquire from the Toronto Raptors as part of a verbally-agreed trade last week that will send guard Kyle Lowry to Toronto. Houston also has movable veterans Luis Scola and Kevin Martin to sweeten any trade proposal.

It's been an open secret for months, meanwhile, that the Rockets were willing to trade for a player of Howard's or Bynum's caliber with no assurance that either one will sign an extension as opposed to becoming a free agent in 2013.

Houston's posture, sources said, remains one of confidence that any top-20 player it can acquire will be convinced to stay once he becomes part of the organization.

Sources say that new Magic general manager Rob Hennigan might feel more comfortable taking back a package of youngsters, recent draftees and future first-round draft picks -- while shedding some long-term salary as well -- than taking on Bynum as Howard's replacement and facing a similar challenge on convincing him to commit to the franchise long-term like the Magic have dealt with for months with Howard.

[key2win]

Newest Laker. Its official!!!!!

[key2win]

Source -- Los Angeles Lakers looking at Antawn Jamison, Elton Brand, Jermaine O'Neal - ESPN Los Angeles

Dwight Howard isn't the only big man on the minds of the Los Angeles Lakers' front office staff these days.

One source familiar with the trade negotiations said Thursday that calls between the Houston Rockets and Lakers discussing a three-way trade have cooled, while the Atlanta Hawks appear to be gaining steam in their pursuit of Howard.

With Howard's eventual destination still anybody's guess, the Lakers are turning their attention to adding a backup big man or two.

The Lakers remain in negotiations with Jordan Hill, who averaged 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in seven regular-season games with L.A. after being acquired from the Houston Rockets at the trade deadline in March. Hill's agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPNLosAngeles.com on Wednesday that there was still some distance between the two sides, but he planned to circle back with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak before Hill made his final decision. The Lakers hold partial Bird rights to Hill and can offer him a maximum of $3,632,450 per season for up to five years.

Aside from Hill, appearing on the Lakers' "short list" of names they are hoping to add to the roster for the veteran's minimum are Antawn Jamison, Elton Brand and Jermaine O'Neal, according to a source familiar with the team's thinking.

The Lakers also have the "mini" mid-level exception available to them, beginning at $3 million a season, but prefer to hold off on using that in case a Howard deal goes down involving multiple players and they are left needing to fill a glaring void.

Not only is adding a backup big man a priority because signing Hill might not work out, but because Josh McRoberts and his expiring $3.1 million contract have drawn interest from other teams in potential Howard trade scenarios.

Jamison, 36, averaged 17.2 points and 6.3 rebounds last year for Cleveland in his 14th season in the league, but shot a career-low 40.3 percent from the field.

He was acquired by the Cavaliers via trade in 2009-10, the last season Lakers coach Mike Brown was at the helm for the Cavs. The Lakers are in competition with several other teams for Jamison's services, including Brooklyn, Golden State and Charlotte, and a source close to Jamison said on Thursday the Nets appeared to be his preferred destination at the moment.

The final one-year, $18 million remaining on Brand's contract was amnestied by Philadelphia on Thursday. Brand, 32, averaged 11.0 points and 7.2 rebounds for the 76ers last season. Brand will be first made available to teams under the salary cap through the waiver process, with under-the-cap teams able to bid on him. Dallas is under the cap and has interest in Brand, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

If Brand clears waivers, he will be free to sign as a free agent wherever he chooses and could decide a return to L.A., where he played for the Clippers for seven seasons, would be in order.

O'Neal, 33, played just 25 games for Boston last season, averaging 5.0 points and 5.4 rebounds before having his year end because of left wrist surgery. The market for O'Neal is not as robust as it is for Jamison and Brand and the Lakers figure he could be worth the risk if he can come into camp healthy.

O'Neal recently traveled to Germany to visit Dr. Peter Wehling, the same doctor who Kobe Bryant has consulted in recent years. O'Neal is also a member of the famed 1996 draft class, along with Bryant and Steve Nash. Bryant said that draft connection helped in convincing Nash to want to come to the Lakers.

[key2win]

Todays rumors. I dont see the Mayo signing happening, he will go to Suns for like $8 million a season since Hornets matched Gordon.

O.J. Mayo has received interest fro the Lakers, Bulls, Suns and Mavericks. Mayo is an unrestricted free agent after the Grizzlies elected not to give him the qualifying offer. Mayo hopes to make a decision within the next 10 days.

The Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers have discussed a three-team deal that would send disgruntled superstar Dwight Howard to Los Angeles, according to sources close to the situation. The three teams have discussed a number of scenarios. While no trade is imminent, the talks are ongoing.

One scenario would send Howard to Los Angeles, Andrew Bynum to Cleveland and a package of picks and prospects to Orlando, according to sources.

The Lakers would land Howard, who they have been aggressively pursuing for quite some time.

The Cavaliers would acquire a second star to put alongside Kyrie Irving, one that they should be able to keep long-term since Cleveland has been mentioned as a team that Bynum will consider signing an extension with.

[key2win]

Antawn Jamison Rumors: Free Agent PF Reportedly Picks Lakers Over Bobcats - SB Nation Los Angeles

Nothing is official but hopefully it will be tomorrow. I love this signing as I liked Jamison since he was drafted in 1998. He will become our 6th man off the bench and someone the Lakers can actually rely on from there.

The Los Angeles Lakers have made another veteran signing and picked up power forward Antawn Jamison, according to a report from Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.

The Charlotte Bobcats have lost out on free agent Antawn Jamison, who will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Observer has learned.

The Bobcats were recruiting free agent Jamison as both a power forward and a veteran mentor to a young team. Jamison was torn between the chance to play for his hometown team or to pursue a championship with what figures to be his last NBA contract.