Most Tradeable Player on Lakers

So the Lakers will be wheeling and dealing this summer. That’s almost a certain fact given Bryant’s demands that something “happen now” or else. It seems the only people on the Lakers that you are guaranteed to see next season if you get Los Angeles Lakers tickets are Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson. The bench might have a completely different look. Even Penny Marshall could be missing from the jumbotron close ups next year. I don’t mean to frighten you but it’s true.

So the question stands: “who is the most tradeable player?” If you had to rank them, or give them a score out of, say, ten Kobe Bryant scowls, who would be the most Alberto Gonzalesed of the bunch? One Kobe scowl means the player is only annoyingly useless. Ten means his resume is on craigslist with a title like “Role Player Seeks Less of Role.”

Tomorrow we will begin the assessment. I’m already thinking that Brian Cook will be first up. Expect something like ten Kobe scowls and three national television chew outs, which is, of course, off the charts, but because it actually happened in three separate TNT games last year, it’s within the range of possibilities. Make sure to write letters to Mitch Kupchak about who you want out of L.A., and then go to StubHub.com for some Los Angels Lakers tickets for next year’s new and improved season.

Permalink - Posted in General on May 10, 2007 - Post a comment

Bryant to Bulls in ‘08?

Now that the season is over for the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s time to speculate and speculate hard. The Lakers need change, and it seems like anybody and everybody on the roster is on the table for a trade save for Kobe Bryant, of course. Kobe wants the team shaken up badly, and there are a few names out there that are being thrown around.

The guy the Lakers will probably try hardest to get is Kevin Garnett, but he hasn’t said anything particularly optimistic about going to Los Angeles. He lives in Malibu, and he is on good terms with Kobe Bryant, but outside of that, there isn’t much else to go on besides a long time Lakers lust for a center, and Garnett’s floundering team in Minnesota.

But here’s a scenario that just occurred to me (and Sam Smith): what if the Lakers don’t do anything? What if they keep the same basic personnel and they end up losing in the first round again or even failing to make the playoffs? Well, that would be a nightmare situation. Kobe would likely have to opt out of his contract in ‘08… and go to the Bulls, a team which would be well under the salary cap, and which Kobe has openly admired. Then, when you go to StubHub.com in about a year, you’ll be getting Los Angeles Lakers tickets without the promise of seeing Kobe. Unless the Bulls are in town.

Permalink - Posted in General on May 9, 2007 - Post a comment

Possible Trades Abound for Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have, as Kobe Bryant called it, “a big summer” ahead of them. Bryant has make his feeling heard loud and clear following Los Angeles’ 2007 playoff exit last week. Baby wants to win, and baby wants it now.

Of course, there’s just a few things standing in the way of a big change for next season. First of all, money. The Lakers don’t have much of it. Kobe and Lamar Odom take up the lion’s share of it, so the Lakers management will be working the phones this summer looking to deal. Most likely any big trades will involve Lamar Odom, who gives the kind of numbers a player half his cost and size could produce, and Andrew Bynum, a young big man with potential. If Kobe Baby wants to win now, there isn’t much time to wait for a guy like Bynum. Oh, plus the Lakers need a point guard.

Some of the names you’ll probably be hearing around the Lakers blogs all summer are Kevin Garnett, Germaine O’Neal and Jason Kidd. But those are the same names you’ve heard said before, and look where they are now. Stay tuned for all the latest trade rumors and rumors of rumors. Then, once somebody makes a move, gun it over to StubHub.com to get some Los Angeles Lakers tickets for a new ego for Kobe to run off.

Permalink - Posted in General on May 8, 2007 - Post a comment

Bryant Passes… to Kupchak

Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers will have to wait until next year to do anything about the state of the Los Angeles franchise. Right now, it is all up to GM Mitch Kupchak to improve a roster that clearly couldn’t get it done this past season. Though Kobe hasn’t exactly said that he would opt out of his contract following next season if there weren’t any big changes in the win column, he hasn’t denied that he would either.
Said Kobe Bryant, “I know my patience is about as short as my 1-year old daughter. … Here we are now, three years from then and my patience is really on `E,’ so we really have to put our pedal to the metal and do something.”

With the Lakers already pushing the salary cap limit, the only real options that Kupchak has is to make trades. The Lakers need a point guard first and foremost. There is also the annual Kevin Garnett trade rumors that keep floating around. There might not be any big changes very soon, but stay tuned. Then, once the Lakers bag a big ticket player like Garnett, be the first on StubHub.com getting Los Angeles Lakers tickets for games next season.

Permalink - Posted in General on May 8, 2007 - Post a comment

Lakers Reflect on Season

Most of the Los Angeles Lakers returned to LA yesterday to empty out their lockers and take exit interviews with coach Phil Jackson and general manager Mitch Kupchak.  Overall, the team’s feelings about the season were those of frustration and dissapointment. 

Said Lakers forward Luke Walton, “We just kind of talked about how disappointed we all were with how the season ended. I think last year, at the end we really had a lot to build on. Early in this year, it looked like we had built and we’d gotten better as a team and we’d be able to start competing for championships again… Then we kind of got hit by the injury bug and it was all downhill from there.”

Injuries were the death of this team. Then there were the altercations on and off the court, with players and coaches fighting amongst themselves and, sometimes, with the NBA. Luke Walton is an unrestricted free agent this summer, as are Shammond Williams,  Aaron McKie, Chris Mihm, and Smush Parker.

Though the Lakers will likey lose Parker and McKie, but the rest are questionable. Then there’s the rumors that Kevin Garnett migh be coming to L.A. So pay attention to the moves this summer. If you like what you see, make sure to check out StubHub.com for Los Angeles Lakers tickets to a game or two next year.

Permalink - Posted in General on May 4, 2007 - Post a comment

Lakers Out of Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Suns last night in Phoenix 110-119. The Suns will move on to the second round to face the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers will be go back home to stew about their disappointing season.

The Suns kept a fairly comfortable lead over the Lakers throughout the entire game, save for a late scoring binge by Kobe Bryant and a sudden interest in scoring by Lamar Odom. But it was too little too late, in more ways than one.

Kobe, obviously peeved about his team’s performance this year, wasted no time before demanding changes over the summer. Said Bryant, “Do it and do it now. Personally for me, it’s beyond frustration — three years and still being at ground zero. This summer’s a big summer. We have to see what direction we want to take as an organization and make those steps and make them now.”

After last night Los Angeles Lakers tickets will have to be bought and sold for next year. You can start looking for good ones early at StubHub.com.

Permalink - Posted in General on May 3, 2007 - Post a comment

Lakers Must Win Tonight to Survive

The Phoenix Suns can potentially give a knockout punch to the Los Angeles Lakers tonight in what could be the Lakers’ last game of the playoffs. Phoenix leads the best-of-seven series three games to one. If the Lakers win, you can get tickets to game six in LA at StubHub.com. If the Lakers lose, you can get Los Angeles Lakers tickets… for games next season.

Phil Jackson has been irked by the Lakers’ lack of focus and hustle. He cut practice short on Monday after saying a few words and going through some game film. Said Jackson about his discussion with the team, “I did tell them they have the brain power of slugs or earthworms. That was just in a moment of irritation.”

Last year the situation was reversed. The Suns trailed the Lakers 3-1 in the opening round of the playoffs. Phoenix came back to win the series. Can the Lakers do the same this year? Stay tuned to find out.

Permalink - Posted in General on May 2, 2007 - Post a comment

Lakers Await Do-or-Die Game in Phoenix

The Los Angeles Lakers took most of Monday off, going through a short film session before coach Phil Jackson sent them home early. The Lakers are down 3-1 in their opening round series with the Phoenix Suns. Jackson allowed his team, which has suffered more injuries than characters in both of the first two Robo Cop movies combined, to rest up and prepare themselves for a more concentrated effort in practice Tuesday.

Jackson was unimpressed with the Lakers’ effort in game four on Sunday. Said Jackson, “Just bring it back to L.A. Bring the series back to L.A. and let the chips fall where they may. It’s just a one-game scenario. If you get to thinking (beyond that), you get yourself in trouble.”

In other news, Kobe Bryant was named to the NBA’s first team All-Defensive squad for the seventh time in his career. He joins Tim Duncan, Marcus Camby, Bruce Bowen and Raja Bell.

Wednesday’s game is do-or-die for the Lakers. If they win, you get the chance to buy Los Angeles Lakers playoff tickets at StubHub.com for a game 6 in L.A.

Permalink - Posted in General on May 1, 2007 - Post a comment

Lakers Trail Suns 3-1

The Los Angeles Lakers are now down three games to one in their opening round series versus the Phoenix Suns. Steve Nash had a brilliant night on Sunday, dishing out a near-record 23 assists in route to a 113-100 victory in Los Angeles.

The Suns implemented a much faster pace to their offense last night, on that had been lacking in their game three loss to the Lakers. Said Suns coach Mike D’Antoni, “The speed of the game was ours. They surprised us with their intensity in Game 3. Today wasn’t a surprise. We have our system, and we ran it pretty good today. We had 34 assists on 41 baskets and that’s because of our spacing. That’s what we do — we’ve done it all year.”

Things look grim for the Lakers, and the fans who are wanting to get Los Angeles Lakers tickets at StubHub.com for a potential game 6 at home at the Staples Center. Very few teams have ever come back from a 1-3 deficit to win a series. Of course, The Dallas Mavericks, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, are also hoping to overcome a 1-3 deficit. Things might get interesting in the NBA playoffs.

Permalink - Posted in General on April 30, 2007 - Post a comment

Kobe Comes Alive in Game 3

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 95-89 last night at the Staples Center. Kobe got hot in the fourth quarter and carried his team to victory, chalking up 45 points in the game. The Lakers now trail the Suns 2-1 in the series. They play again tomorrow night in LA.

The most telling statistic out of the game was Kobe’s 45 points. In playoff games where Bryant scores at least 40 points the Lakers are 4-1. Los Angeles Lakers ticket buyers have known that basic fact for a long time now. Fifteen of Kobe’s 45 points came in the fourth quarter, a time when the Lakers needed a consistent scoring threat in both this game, and game one. The difference between a win and a loss, therefore, is if Kobe can get going down the stretch.

Whether by luck or good defense, the win was made even more possible by the fact that it was relatively low-scoring, and the Suns were kept out of their typical quick strike style. If you’d like to see a potential game six, you can still get tickets at StubHub.com, your source for great NBA playoff tickets.

Permalink - Posted in General on April 27, 2007 - Post a comment


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