Archive for December, 2011

Damn, homie…I mean damn. When it rains it muthafu*kin’ pours. Yet the rain falls on the just and unjust the same. I guess I’m just trying to gather my thoughts after seeing TMZ’s report of Vanessa Bryant filing for divorce from her husband of 10-years, Kobe Bryant. Far be it for me to even speculate on what went wrong. We all know about that night in Colorado that was no doubt a game changer in the relationship. We also know the couple weathered the storm to see their family name again restored. So to learn of Vanessa’s filing for divorce, [...]

Mike Brown impresses me as a glass-is-half-full kinda guy. So maybe his decision to bring Metta World Peace off the bench is more a stroke of genius than it is common sense. No matter how you slice it, the time has come for the Lake Show to face reality. Their window is closing like a used car salesman behind on child care payments. That’s real. What else is real is that the beginning of the World Peace era could be the end of his days in Los Angeles. Coach Brown’s decision to give Metta a new role can be viewed [...]

So, Mitch Kupchak, now what? Is the hoops monopoly in Los Angeles over? Has the Lakers’ window officially been slammed shut? Too many questions and not nearly enough answers. At least no time soon. While we’re on the subject of time, GM Mitch might already be out of it. He lost out to that other team in L.A. when it came to Chris Paul. Looks like the same will be said of Dwight Howard as well. Though Howard might actually decide to deviate from the Shaq script he’s so far followed during his career. This Magic big might just stay [...]

Mitch Kupchak is making moves though they’re not of the blockbuster variety. Never mind blockbuster these hardly even qualify for the now defunct Hollywood Video. In keeping with our rental theme here it appears as if GM Mitch is just borrowing time until a good deal comes along. Today was the busiest day the Lakers have had in this young season. At least as far as actual roster moves go. Kupchak added three players to the Lake Show roster. The most notable of the new acquisitions is power forward Josh McRoberts who has apparently been inked to a two-year deal [...]

If this is the way Derrick Caracter will end his time as a Laker then he’ll be remembered more for a run-in with an IHOP waitress than he will for his play. Fair or unfair that’s just the life of a professional athlete in the TMZ era. Caracter suffered a torn meniscus on Sunday that will require surgery on Wednesday. No timetable has been set for his return but it should be noted Matt Barnes suffered a similar injury last season and we know how that whole process went. What makes this such a detrimental injury to Caracter’s chances at [...]

As we all try to stop the Laker world from spinning given the events that have unfolded in the last 72 hours we’re finally starting to get a little better idea as to why Lamar Odom was so abruptly traded. Kevin Ding of the OC Register got a chance to pick the brain of general manager Mitch Kupchak on the matter. As you might expect Kupchak didn’t like the way things ended last season. As a result he’s been given the freedom to actively seek out opportunities to improve the roster. Apparently part of the home improvement process involves addition [...]

Perhaps the Lakers had no other option. Maybe it was a salary dump. Could be that the Lakers were trying to do Lamar Odom a favor. Whatever the case, the short lived Chris Paul trade drama has now done collateral damage. In a somewhat head scratching move, the Lake Show has traded with the enemy. According to the L.A. Times, Odom is being shipped off to Dallas for a first round pick in 2012 and could receive an addition pick as well. Whatever comes of that pick, likely to be one situated late in round one, will not come close [...]

Just as quickly as the Lakers seemed to have landed Chris Paul they were denied his services and now seem unlikely to pursue any trade to acquire the point guard. After resubmitting a trade for league approval, the Lakers mysteriously backed out of the Paul sweepstakes. On the glass is half full front the hope is that the Lake Show will now set their sights on Dwight Howard. Andrew Bynum would likely be a part of any package to acquire Howard. From the glass is half empty perspective the Lakers were denied an opportunity improve and as a result have [...]

Oh yeah…it ain’t over yet. That three-team trade involving the Lakers, Rockets and Hornets is back on. According to ESPN the three teams have resubmitted a deal for league approval that could put Chris Paul in purple and gold before Christmas. All of the particulars of the new deal are not known as of now. We’ll just have to wait and see if this is more to Dan Gilbert’s liking or if David Stern will continue his marionette status.

Here’s a headline you could have seen coming from a mile away. Metta World Peace arrives to training camp out of shape. About the only thing less surprising was Metta’s explanation for his less-than-impressive cardio. “When David Stern says there’s going to be a nuclear winter, I’m thinking the season isn’t starting anytime soon. So a little more martinis in November and then, boom, David Stern says no nuclear winter and we have a season.” Such is the conundrum that is the man formerly known as Ron Artest. You want to give him credit for being honest and owning it [...]