Re: NBA thread
well, I'm not exactly sure how player acquisition works in the NBA, but my friend was telling me that unlike baseball, where you can go over the salary cap as long as the team can afford it (but you have to pay additional "luxury tax"), in NBA, there is in fact a salary cap. In other words, there is a limit, I guess to prevent wealthy teams from assembling an ALL Star roster.
I'm sure Venom can elaborate further.
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For more on salary caps, in general, and for all major sports, check Wikipedia here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salary_cap
There's also a section about "luxury tax", i.e. in MLB (did you know that currently, the Yankees have A Rod, Giambi, Jeter, Clemens --> four of these players are in the top 5 most paid players in baseball!!!!????)
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That's why when the Lakers acquired Malone and Payton, they both sacrificed huge sums of salary, just so they can play with Shaq and Kobe. Otherwise they would have exceeded the salary cap which is unacceptable in the NBA.
One of the main reasons that Laker team collapsed in that playoffs, if you remember, was because of Kobe's Colorado trial, which affected the whole team's chemistry. It wasn't obvious during the regular season, but once the playoffs got rolling, it resurfaced. Basically there was too much drama within that team, in addition to Kobe's law troubles, that they pretty much fell apart. Plus, the media was all over them, the expectations were too high, and as a result, Malone and Payton got affected psychologically....they weren't, afterall, used to this new Hollywood lifestyle.
And you just had to give Detroit some credit, they played well as a team, and the Laker's lack of teamwork was exposed during that Finals. Had there been team chemistry all along, and Kobe having not gotten into trouble, we would have seen a completely different Lakers team.
Lesson learned: too many Hall of famers in one team = trouble. Egos will collide.
I wouldn't mind J O'Neal going to the Lakers, he'll definitely help Lakers esatblish the defensive mindset. There's been rumors that Pippen would like to return, and is interested in the Lakers, and will agree to a limited role, i.e. 15 minutes playing time...at the same time, he isn't asking for a big salary.
And from my understanding, Garnett's contract with the Wolves will expire by the end of next season. If there is no positive changes in Minnesota, he has expressed a desire to play for the Lakers.
Lakers need to get rid of everyone, but keep Odom as long as possible...Kobe is getting older, he's already peaked, it's time to put real players around him...because that'll be such a waste if he doesn't get it. If only Jerry West was still the GM, too bad. I'm just glad Phil Jackson is still coaching, otherwise the Lakers would be garbage.
