[cmd34]

If re-signing George is a done deal, here is our current depth:

PG: Derek Fisher
SG: Kobe Bryant -- Devean George -- Kareem Rush
C: Shaquille O'Neal
PF: Samaki Walker -- Robert Horry -- Mark Madsen
SF: Rick Fox -- Tracy Murray

That leaves us with 2 spots with the easiest answer being re-signing UFA Brian Shaw and RFA Stanislav Medvedenko. I hope not because I think we need a little more to hold off the Kings.

 

[Chops]

Originally posted by cmd34
If re-signing George is a done deal, here is our current depth:

PG: Derek Fisher
SG: Kobe Bryant -- Devean George -- Kareem Rush
C: Shaquille O'Neal
PF: Samaki Walker -- Robert Horry -- Mark Madsen
SF: Rick Fox -- Tracy Murray

That leaves us with 2 spots with the easiest answer being re-signing UFA Brian Shaw and RFA Stanislav Medvedenko. I hope not because I think we need a little more to hold off the Kings.

That is the Lakers only option, other than pulling a trade. They gave the whole exception to Devean George, so they can't go out and sign a FA from another team.

 

[<<<D>>>]

Any truth in Popeye Jones, C.Oakley or even Sabonis signing with the Lake Show??? how about the back- up for Fish??:uhoh:

 

[cmd34]

KC...don't they still have the 1 year $1 million exception?? Not that will land us a major free agent.

 

[Damian Necronamous]

First of all...George is a SF. He always backs up Fox, and Fox is a SF. George should start at SF this year.

Second, Oakley or Jones might be good back-ups for Shaq, but they are both true PF. The Lakers already have Walker, he can play back up center, he's pretty good at it too.

Third, since the Magic signed Jacque Vaughn, they will most likely let Troy Hudson go. If the Lakers can convince Hudson to sign with them, they will have a great back up PG.

Fourth, The Lakers need a starting PF, Walker is better at center in the West, and Horry only starts the Playoffs. Gary Trent would be absolutely perfect for the Lakers.

If the Lakers can just re-sign Brian Shaw, and Slava Medvedenko and they'll be fine. I don't say re-sign George, because it seems that he is already re-signed.

Depth chart would be:

Shaq/Walker/Medvedenko
Trent/Horry/Madsen
George/Fox/Murray
Kobe/Rush/Shaw
Fisher/Hudson/Shaw

That's 14 guys. The Playoff roster would be everyone except Slava and Madsen.

 

[Damian Necronamous]

Wait a minute, so since the Lakers signed George for top dollars, the only other FA they can sign are their own players, or FA for 1 year 1 million. Now I'm starting to think that they should've let George go.

 

[Chops]

Originally posted by cmd34
KC...don't they still have the 1 year $1 million exception?? Not that will land us a major free agent.

I'm pretty sure they do, but that won't get anyone significant. Maybe you guys could go after Charles Oakley....

 

[cmd34]

George plays on the wing so in this offense he is the back-up SG and SF. My decison to list him behind Kobe is because Phil Jackson doesn't play rookies so I figured Murray would get more minutes(initially) than Rush. I personally wouldn't have re-signed George at this point especially after stealing Rush in the draft. By the Lakers giving him this contract they must think he will be the starting small forward in the next year or two. As long as he remains an undisciplined shooter and lapses on defense, Fox will play ahead of him.

 

[BayCatch]

with the size of george's new contract, i think it is more than likely that he will be the new starter at small forward. murray is a salary equalizer/filler and a three point specialist. i doubt he'll get more than 5 minutes a game.

 

[STING]

I think the Lakers definitly have the best first team in the league, but now i think they might have the worst second team in the league. Hopefully, their younger players will step up and help the team out.

 

[jazzy1]

I'd like to see them go after Travis Best on the cheap and Oakely, Hudson would be my second option at the back-up point,I agree with one of the other guys we probably should have let George go because like it was mentioned above George is way too undisciplined on defense ,reaches too damn much and he has terrible hands in transition against the Kings he kept fumbling the ball, Fox's savy will always keep him ahead of george,unless Rush developes and they play Kobe at the 3 which he wants to do some. But Phillip hates rookies so no chance of that.

 

[Wilt_The_Stilt]

I think we should re-sign Slava-to play PF than move Samaki to backup C-I don't think we should re-sign Shaw..there has got to be someone better who can play PG for cheap. Shaw is more like a SG anyway.

 

[cmd34]

I thought NBA teams can go over the cap to re-sign their own free agents?? So again why run out and spend the whole thing on George now? What if a player like Keon Clark or Travis Best realizes the money isn't as big as they had hoped and decided that if they have to take less $$$$ then they why not play for a ring. We've taken ourselves out of the running. All we have now is the $1 million exception and we definitely need to wait on Medvedenko and Shaw until we are convinced we can't land a free agent with that. Another option is trading but every other NBA teams seems hellbent on dealing with the Lakers.

 

[cmd34]

update

ESPN is reporting that Medvedenko just signed a 2-year deal so here is the updated depth chart.

PG: Derek Fisher
SG: Kobe Bryant -- Devean George -- Kareem Rush
C: Shaquille O'Neal -- Stanislav Medvedenko
PF: Samaki Walker -- Robert Horry -- Mark Madsen
SF: Rick Fox -- Tracy Murray

That's 11 guaranteed contracts. 1 spot left. Shaw????

 

[JerryWest]

I hope it's shaw. I really don't want oakley....

If they somehow get sabonis that'd be sweet too, he's an excellent passer and would work well in the triangle; but I don't think it'll happen.

 

[cmd34]

luxury tax

I read that since the cap actually went down that there will be no luxury tax. I'm thinking the Lakers will go ahead and carry 13 or 14 players

Lakers:Mark Madsen your back hurts.
Madsen:Ummm, no it doesn't.
Lakers: I wonder how much per diem is in the NBDL?
Madsen: Dang Coach my back is killing me.

So I expect them to sign one outside free agent and then bring back Brian Shaw for one more season.

 

[cmd34]

**UPDATE**

PG: Derek Fisher -- AJ Guyton -- Jannero Pargo
SG: Kobe Bryant -- Brian Shaw -- Kareem Rush
C: Shaquille O'Neal -- Stanislav Medvedenko
PF: Samaki Walker -- Robert Horry -- Mark Madsen
SF: Rick Fox -- Devean George -- Tracy Murray