Done Deal. Do not see how Phoenix would refuse a 3 point shooter with size coming to their team.

DrRayEye,
I was only counting players under contract,Walton and the first rd pick to get 11. Mihm is getting interest elsewhere,it’s not foregone conclusion he’ll sign w/LA.-and it would be most optimistic to think he’ll play near 80 games. Last time I suggested here Walton should bulk up a bit to play PF I was informed by several stalwarts here that Walton IS a SF.
The players under contract,the rookie and Walton-and Turaif- are going to put the Lakers very close to lux tax-not a big deal to us,but for the Buss’ a very big consideration. Paying the full MLE to one player makes it very difficult to get a decent free agent as only small exceptions are left.

The Lakers have so far released three players from last year’s team–Smush, McKie, and Shammond. They are obligated to Crittendon–which leaves two slots. They intend to leave one open–and they have one for the MLE. They’ve already re-signed Walton, and they intend to re-sign Mihm. Since these players are already Lakers, they don’t need any “exception” to do that. That would give us three “bigs” at center–we normally carry two. In addition to them, we have Turiaff, Cook , and Lamar as power forward. That’s at least 6 “bigs” up front.

If everything goes as planned, the Lakers will have 14 under contract.

They intend to spend the MLE as part of this plan–it just depends on who.

Somehow, when they get to this point, they always try to chintz a bit on the veteran point guard position. It has had GRAVE consequences–especially in the playoffs.

Fisher will not cost them more than they intended to spend–probably less.

We would have to go quite far back to find a Laker point guard starter that was paid even the average amount for point guards–let alone the amount paid to Kidd. There are any number of point guards earning in the range of $10 million right now–and that number is likely to rise this year.

You get what you pay for!

Since not every deal has been completed yet, we don’t have the exact numbers, but the Lakers (with three centers) will have $18 million invested in the center, $18 million in the power forwards (3), #11 million in the small forwards, $28 million in the shooting guards, and (so far) $4 million invested in point guards.

$6 million more for that position does not seem out of proportion.

Steve Blake is being pursued by others besides the Lakers. According to reports, Steve wants the maximum MLE for five years–if he chooses us. We’re already starting to chintz with him. It’s a familiar losing pattern, but one can see why for Blake.

The way things stand right now, Steve would back up Farmar and try to learn the triangle.

When the Lakers have a special veteran like Fisher, they try to limit his minutes during the season and give him more toward the playoffs. They might make him the starter then.

I’d see Fisher having an early season 20 minutes (sharing with Farmar), dropping to 10–bringing Crittendon in for 10 sometimes.

This is all conjecture so far. We don’t know that Derek will even come if we give him the full MLE for 5 years!

I think he would be willing to consider as few as three years (his previous term) at the MLE with incentives to get him the additional $1 million or more depending on how far we get in the playoffs.

Why are we even talking about this? If we can’t pay Derek, I can’t think of anyone else on the Lakers that we CAN pay.

Kurt, I’ll respond to your column if appropriate.

But he was getting $7 mil a year for the next three years, and that is too much for a backup PG, in my opinion. For the Lakers, I can’t see giving Fish the full MLE (which his agent told the LA Times that is what he wants) when you could get a better shooter and guy six years younger in Blake for that money. I would say at this point, anything more than $12 mil over three years is too much for Fish.

I have a post coming about this, later today or tomorrow morning.

you said, “Golden State gave him (Fisher) a seven year deal . . .at starter’s money.”

Are we talking Smush Parker starting money, Jason Kidd starting money, Henry Bibby starting money, Chauncy Billups starting money, or Steve Blake starting money? I believe that’s a range of less than $1 million to about $20 million.

Derek Fisher had already proven himself to be a team leader and an almost legendary clutch performer with the Lakers. Some say that he saved the championship Laker’s butt more times than is commonly known.

Derek knew the triangle. He transformed himself to meet the requirements of the triangle. He was a true leader in the best sense oncourt and offcourt. He was such a critical piece at that time that he should have been worth MORE than the prevailing rate. That was established by the Warriors. When confronted with reality, the Lakers waffled, all but called the Warriors crazy–and punted.

If the Lakers had been correct about Fisher, the Warriors would have been stuck with him and his “huge” contract. That was tested when the Warriors changed direction.

His value was verified by the Jazz last year–even though he did not get the most minutes at point guard. Anyone who watched the playoffs saw that they got their money’s worth.

Just as in LA, with the series on the line, Fisher took and made key three point baskets–especially against the Warriors. We all saw a scene from some Hollywood movie reenacted in one game when Fisher flew back from the East, arrived near the end of the game–and without warmup or anything walked unto the court and hit a key three. That alone was probably worth more than his salary. Without Fisher’s threes, the Warriors might have prevailed!

What exactly is a “reasonable salary” for Derek Fisher?

I’d welcome him back, but at a more reasonable salary.

One theory is the Bulls would be willing to send Nocioni, first-round draft pick Joakim Noah, backup point guard Chris Duhon and filler to the Grizzlies in exchange for the 7-foot Gasol, who averaged 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds last season.

Here is the link as well.
http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/bulls.asp?id=328635

If the bulls are talking to Memphis then I hope the Lakers are as well. Memphis will probably want Deng or Gordon probably both. I don’t know how true this is but if it is I would think that Bynum is a better prospect than Noah and might interest the Grizzlies more.

Get him back know, anyone who knows basketball can easily remember how many big shots he made in a Lakers uniform…..compare that to what is on the roster now and its a COMPLETE NO-BRAINER!!

please no more “fools-gold” TALK about the young promise on the roster, lets stick to REALITY!