Payton goes to the Lakers

[Jedi Master Carr]

Just saw this on ESPN

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0708/1578233.html

Payton will become a Laker very soon and Karl Malone will follow that will be some lineup, if that happens I can't see the Lakers not winning next season and Malone will finally get his ring. The Lakers only problem is this whole Kobe Bryant mess. If nobody knows Kobe got arrested for a sexual assault in Denver. I have no clue what the details of that is still, seeing how most high profile stars get off (Mike Tyson excluded) Kobe probably has nothing to worry about.

[sirdizzy]

they haven't even charged Kobe yet, it seems aweful fishy but i will wait to pass verdict

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think its full of crap too myself the girl is 19 from what I just read she might be some glory hound trying to get money. Still if he did do anything he will get away with it there is no question in my mind there.

[sirdizzy]

i am a big jazz fan and i hate the lakers but honestly i hope malone goes to LA

first off because i would like to see him get a ring before he retires

secondly because for the first time in 15 years the jazz will actually be able to shop the free agent market with both malone and stockons contracts off their hands, its time to rebuild

[JediBoricua]

But i wouldn't be giving the Lakers the title just yet.

If SA can get Kidd and Dallas Mourning, it'll be a tough WEstern Division, and a really exciting one too.

[JMK]

How will all those egos fit into the L.A. locker room? And how can 4 stars share the same ball when Shaq and Kobe are essentially the only 2 who touch it?

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well Payton doesn't score too much he passes the ball so that won't be a problem with him. Malone is the question mark if he can put aside his ego and be willing to take a back seat and be more of a rebounder and defender like Chamberland did with the Lakers at the end of his career that it will work.

[imported_Grev Drasen]

Malone and Shaq on the same team is a fight in the making.

[JMK]

That's what I was thinking....

[Jedi Master Carr]

I don't know Malone maybe desperate to get a ring

[JMK]

Well that's the flip side of the story. He's willing to take a huge pay cut, maybe he's willing to take a back seat to Kobe and Shaq as well just to get that ring.

[sirdizzy]

the 2 things i think karl cares about right now are

#1 going out with a championship, the fact that he is willing to make only 1.5 million when he got 18 million from the jazz last year says a hell of a lot that is no measly paycut, i see few players taking a cut like that

#2 breaking kareems record, if he styaed with the jazz i think he could do this in 2 years since he gets the ball tons in utah, if he goes to LA it will take him 3 years if not more he will not see the ball nearly as much

so i guess it comes down to malone which he values more the record or the ring

[sirdizzy]

well its official malone has verbally agreed to sign for the lakers next wednesday

[Jedieb]

Friggin Lakers............
The addition of Payton made them dangerous enough, but now Malone, ughh. Imagine him coming off the bench and muscle people around while Shay gets a breather. Plus, if Shaq really is serious about getting back in shape then their may be no stopping them. The Spurs would have to use their Robinson money wisely to be able to combat this. Maybe the Kings might be healthy and fast enough to beat this Laker team, but I just know if SA can match against a deep Laker team with a healthy O'Neal. Oh, the horror.....

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Lakers will be tough next year no question there. Still I would be happy for Malone if they won.

[AmazonBabe]

The Lakers will be tough next year no question there.

Hehehehehehe >D

:p :D

[Jedi Master Carr]

In other news Mourning will sign with the Nets and Jason Kidd is staying. The very interesting news is the renouion of the Twin Towers from Georgetown (Mourning and Mutombo) that should be a good one two punch for the Nets they might make another trip to the NBA Finals though does anybody else see that they might become the Bills of the NBA :p

[Sene Unty]

Mourning...what a bastard....the heat have paid his salary for the last three seasons and the guy as played NO MINUTES! is there no loyalty in sports anymore? what is this? The guy should stay with the heat and try to make up for all the money the heat lost in paying him for not playing....this is just disgusting. I want to go to a Heat game now just so I can throw something at the bastard...he disgusts me

[Figrin D'an]

So... let's see... the Bucks ship Glenn Robinson to Atlanta for a bench player in Tony Kukoc, trade Ray Allen to get Gary Payton whom plays out the season only to leave, then get rid of Sam Cassel...

Yeah... they're really committed to winning. :rolleyes


I hope Malone and Shaq get into fisticuffs, and that Kobe and Payton scream at each other about who's gonna run the offense.

This whole thing reminds me so much why I hate the NBA. About 10 teams control the TV coverage and the free agent pool, and everyone else has to suck regularly and hope that once every few years, they get a playoff berth to break up the monotony.


I'm so ready for football season, I could scream...

[Morgan Evanar]

I'm so ready for football season, I could scream... Both NCAA football and the NFL are a million times more competetive than the NBA or MLB right now. Some teams are better than others, but its not just an elite few that seem to run the show, and that makes things interesting.

Couldn't agree more Figs.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I disagree with you MLB it is very close this year I think we are seeing the effect of the new agreement already. The team with the best winning % is the Braves with a .660 something winning % and they only have a 2 game lead on Seattle for that. They are followed closely by the Yankees, Giants, and Red Sox. And then there are several divisions really close the NL Central, AL Central, AL East, and NL West. I think I think we finally are seeing some parity this year there isn't a dominant team.

[Jedieb]

The NBA's East is starting to resemble the NFL's AFC from the 80's and early 90's. I still see the MLB as a league ruled by the purse. Yeah, it's a bit more competitive this year, but there are still so many small market teams that have no chance that it just seems pointless at times. I really think no league has parity down like the NFL. Especially these last few years. Every year a team seems to come out of nowhere and make a strong run for the playoffs and even the Superbowl. Anybody see the Tigers making a run anytime soon? Aside from the Bungles, every team has hope because of teams like the Rams and the Ravens.

[CMJ]

I have to hear about the Lakers more than anyone...:p I *so* want them to lose next season, but it appears that the Spurs title was only a road bump in the Lakers dynasty.

With those 4 guys - I honestly don't know how they won't win the title.