Wes Matthews was on SportsNation. -Looking for the best place for him, dodged the if he'll be back to Portland question. -Grinned, smiled, and laughed during the "future Laker" chant and the couple times they brought up him signing with LA. -on losing money due to the injury - realized it during the MRI and said, 'Damn!" Said "God's got a plan" -on Dudley's statement, SHUT IT (shut it/shout it segment). "Kobe had to take a lot of shots. Has 5 rings. If you don't want to be part of greatness, something's wrong with you." -Shut it on Bill Lame-beer taking LBJ over MJ (anther big story from earlier today). Said he'd draft MJ before him. Said all the right things as far as I'm concerned. If cheap enough or interested in taking a 1 year deal so he can make more next summer, I'll gladly take him even after his injury.
Yes, but we don't know Carroll's preferences as it pertains to lifestyles. And I think the Knicks could go to almost 4/50. Anything over 4/50, do we still want to continue to court Carroll? At that point I'd rather look to Danny Green who would be cheaper.
Lame-beer picked James over Jordan? LOL what? Piston hate over being swept in 1991. Very nice rebuttal on Doughboy Dudley's comment. Matthews' Pops was a Laker... Has two rings to show for it and the X-Man's mitts on his neck.
Carroll has already stated a couple of times on the record that he will consider LA. He specifically mentioned playing in the Staples center at least once.
He's mentioned both big market stadiums for a reason. He and his agent want the big bucks and the big market opportunities. If you're him who do you pick? Knicks or Lakers if all is equal in terms of dollars?
^Lakers are assembling a core of young talent plus impending cap space for a high profile free agent AND room for a vet to lead by example and blend in. New York is an looming mess with Jackson, Dolan and Thomas co-existing uneasily. Makes our perceived front office dysfunction look like a book club meeting in comparison.
It's considerably more expensive to live in NY than CA. Here's some examples. NY is literally the only state MORE taxed than California at this point.
Well, you're asking a Laker fan. But if I was not, I'm 28 so I have about 3 years left of prime basketball. The Knicks (assuming they get Monroe which they are heavily rumored to be the frontrunners) it boils down to Carmelo and Monroe in their relative primes vs. a bunch of young kids who may take my entire prime to develop. If Phil manages to flip that pick for some veteran help, I'm not sure I don't go to NY. With the Knicks being in the East, I would get to play in the playoffs. With the loaded West and our young roster, we may be two years away from making the playoffs. I know everyone wants to take shots at the Knicks, but for a player of Carroll's age, it's not a slam dunk. If he were 25 or 26 even, I think it makes a difference, and he signs here. As a competitor, I want the chance to play in the playoffs. Carroll on the Knicks with Melo and Monroe and maybe even a vet acquired by flipping that pick, it gives him a better shot for the rest of his prime
The Knicks had a playoff capable team last year and blew it up. Even in the sorry Leastern Conference, they ended up dead last because Melo doesn't bring it. He doesn't get the best out of his players like a Kobe or Lebron do, he's really a secondary player. Monroe/Melo/Carroll + 4th isn't going to be much better than last years team tbh.
Melo didn't even play in half the Knicks' games last season. When he did play they were 10-30. That stinks, but it's not as bad as 7-35. And to be honest, Melo wasn't healthy the whole year. You're also talking about flipping out Bargnani (maybe the most ineffective player in the NBA) for Monroe. Melo moves to pf where he's actually more effective and Carroll essentially replaces Lou Amundson. I mean, to say that wouldn't make the team SIGNIFICANTLY better is asinine.
It looks like D-Wade and the cHeat are in a feud over him wanting a new deal and he is threatening to leave elsewhere (I think it's a ploy to get the money, but anyway). Does the Lakers FO look at bringing Wade to LA?
I don't think of Harris as a Tweener. He's a SF or a PF. He added a three-point game this past season, hitting 87 of them at 36.4%. That's respectable. He rebounds well enough, averaging nearly 7 over the past two seasons, and he has a better than 1:1 ast/to ratio. He doesn't have any glaring weaknesses in his game, but he's not great at anything. Check his SF vs. PF stats: SF: 22.8 pts, 7.4 rebounds, 2.4 ast, 50.4% eFG PF: 24.6 pts, 10.7 rebounds, 2.6 ast, 51.9% eFG And he allowed SFs to post a 15.9 PER and PFs a 14.4. Harris is one of a few players I wouldn't mind signing.
My dream offseason is signing Harris and Monroe. I realize the fit is bad, and the Lakers are unlikely to go after Monroe if they draft Okafor or Towns, but I believe those two players have the best chance of outperforming their contract value and thus will be positive trade assets. A $15 million max for Monroe in particular will look like a steal when the cap rises, and if Harris continues to improve (given his age he should) he will as well.
My dream offseason is Harris as our only FA acquisition (other than resigning Lin and Davis) then drafting Okafor and Justin Anderson. I totally get what you're saying about Monroe, but the truth is we need help at so many positions, I don't think we can afford to "double up" at a position just to snag an extra tradeable asset. Besides, Monroe maxed out leaves us only 6-7 million for Harris. No way he goes that low. Harris might make it tough to even retain Lin and Davis at reasonable contracts. Monroe will outperform that contract, and I think he'll be in New York with one of the small forwards (maybe even Harris). With a healthy Melo and maybe using that #4 pick to get a Hezonja, NY is instantly a playoff team, maybe even a 4-5 seed in the pathetic East.
In order to do it we would have to shed salaries, likely using a combination of 27 and/or 34 to get someone to take Young without getting salary back. And yeah, NY can get better fast in the east. Both Monroe and Harris are rumored to be interested in going there, unfortunately.
Yep. I have read rumors of both eyeing the Big Apple, especially Monroe. Take WCS at #4 Monroe/WCS Melo/WCS Harris/Early Hardaway/Galloway Calderon/Galloway Not a bad start in the East.
