Slow Monday so far, which is always how it is heading into training camp. But a couple of things I’ll pass along.
• According to the “where will the Lakers finish†poll (look to the right), most of you are most optimistic than I am about the Lakers this season. The winner as of now in the poll is the Lakers finishing sixth or higher. For the record, I voted for 7th but think they need to keep the starting five healthy this year to make that happen.
• While you almost never see trades this time of year, the Laker rumor mill is humming, as mentioned in the comment thread below. Inside Hoops is reporting that Sprewell is still likely to be a Laker and that Los Angeles and Minnesota are now working on a multi-player deal (it reads as if they got this from Sprewell’s agent). Over at Hoopsworld they are hinting that some big-name players are involved in this trade. Personally, I’m not sure there’s enough salt in the Salton Sea for me to swallow this rumor, but there may be a little smoke at least (but not a fire).
• Joke that made me laugh out loud last week, from comedy Writer Jerry Perisho via Ben Maller:
The dramatic landing of a Jet Blue jetliner in Los Angeles on Thursday ended with a loud grinding noise and the smell of burning rubber. It reminded me of Timberwolves center Michael Olowokandi running down the floor.
KD says
I wasn’t aware Eric Pincus was allowed to come up with trade rumors without Ms. Boozer’s blessing.
john says
well, at first a trade seems ridiculous. but what has minnesota done to improve this offseason? do they expect to make the playoffs again this year?
which could make both garnett and mchale thinking aboutr a change.
why on earth [besides loyalty] would kg want to stay in minnesota?
supposedly he was pissed when cassell was dealt, so who knows.
bah. somehow i suspect that phil is pretty happy with the chance to coach lamar. to be able to bring out his potential.
kg is so great, but i think i’d still rather see what phil can do with the young guys he has now..
Kurt says
I would “rather” have KG in a heartbeat. I just can’t think of a senario where Minn would trade him. Well, one: McHale is addicted to crack and Mitch K. is his dealer. Outside of that I’m stumped. There would be riots in Minn if they traded KG now.
john says
the problem with minnesota has been that it’s a one-man team. that changed for a couple years, but now it’s right back to hell.
is it fair to kg? isn’t it probable he wants to go someplace to compete for a title while he’s still in his prime? what other options does mchale have to improve his team? he lost out on all the free agent sweepstakes this year. does he expect to fare any better the next?
i wonder if fans in this day and age ever come up with trades on the internet that GMs look at and go, “hmm, we should try that…” because on the hoopsworld forums they had some nifty ideas… a three-way trade where curry goes to minn, kg goes to l.a., mihm and somebody else [george] goes to chicago, brown and odom to minnesota.
maybe that’s why divac hasn’t offically retired, so he can be thrown in as some salary cap relief somewhere.
the t-wolves becoming a more balanced team might stave off some of those riots. sure they still don’t make the playoffs, but they got a whole young roster to come of age.
meanwhile i’ve only seen this rumor reported at hoopsworld, so it’s basically fantasy basketball.
personally a year or two from now i see this trade not looking so lopsided.
Renato Afonso says
The way to land KG in L.A. is pretty simple. Convince the Timberwolves owner that Isaiah Thomas is the GM he needs. Then you will get KG for Odom straight up!!! 😀 OH, wait, it was a wet dream…