What Snakell would do if He Were GM of the Lakers...

#1. Sign Juwan Howard with the Mid Level Salary Cap Exception.
A lot of people say he can't play defense and chokes. I have two arguments. One, he doesn't need defense, look at my other moves. 2, We have a couple players I trust over anyone else to take a late game shot (#8, #5) also Devean, D-Fish and Shaq know how to hit late, so who needs Howard to do the clutch shooting?

#2. Sign Walker and Madsen to Veteran Minimum contracts of 800k.
Phone Atlanta to redo the Madsen, Rush and Horry for Theo Ratliff and Jason Terry trade. This time, in Horry's place, we send Samaki Walker and our #32 pick. Walker and a draft pick means more to Atlanta than Horry, they still get the expiring contract (younger guy, less $) and a draft choice to rebuild...

#3. Resign Horry to the 5.3 Million Dollar option.
We promise to take care of him until he retires, relieving the pressure on him to perform.

#4. Dump Rick Fox to the IL until he recovers.
He might not make it, even for the playoffs. With players like Eric Piatkowski, Adrian Griffin and James Posey @ the LLE, we can cover for him until he returns.

#5. Sign Adrian Griffin for the LLE in Fox's place.
He is younger, fresher and at the very least AS GOOD a defender as Rick and he is one less roadblock for Kobe in the west.

#6. Draft Travis Hansen with the #24 pick as Kobe's back up.
We can still sign undrafted rookies like Darius Rice, so drafting Hansen is the smartest move for the future of the team. He gives us an all around talented player who is, unlike the departed Rush, a natural SG that plays hard-nosed defense.

Those moves give us this roster:

PG: Jason Terry / Derek Fisher
SG: Kobe Bryant / Travis Hansen
SF: Devean George / Adrian Griffin / Rick Fox (after recovery)
PF: Juwan Howard / Theo Ratliff / Robert Horry
C: Shaquille O'neal / Stanislav Medvedenko

Looks good to me, and there isn't much room for improvement. Resign all the key players in there and develop Slava slowly by giving him 15 minutes behind Shaq, along with Hansen getting 10 behind Kobe so Mr. Bryant can rest for the playoffs, and we will be on top for as long as Shaq stays dominant...let us hope that started with the signing of that personal trainer.

In the playoffs, I would tinker a little bit and make this our main rotation:

PG: Jason Terry / Derek Fisher
SG: Kobe Bryant / Rick Fox / Travis Hansen
SF: Devean George / Adrian Griffin
PF: Juwan Howard / Robert Horry / Stanislav Medvedenko
C: Shaquille O'neal / Theo Ratliff

That would allow us to only use Slava and Travis as insurance in case of injuries, junk time fodder or foul trouble plug-ins. The rotation here is as solid defensively as it is offensively...tough for any team to beat IMHO...

Luv the lineup Snake. Hopefully, the Hawks are willing to make that trade to give us Terry and Ratliff. I've seen you in other threads include Terry and Ratliff. Have you heard any news and info about the Hawks trying to pursue that trade.? Are there any new developments or rumors about the Hawks and Lakers?Thanks.

No, there can't be because now it would be considered tampering and a conflict of interest. However, once july 1st hits, everyone will be able to start courting the free agents, but no one can sign them until the middle of July. SO, the Lakers can make the trade after free agents can be signed. What they do is set the deals in stone before the start of the FA signing period, that way they can swiftly build a dominant team...

By the way, I feel like they will be just as receptive to the deal this season as they were last because they were unable to do any deals last year but now every team knows they have restricted free agents that they want to trade away so they can rebuild, so they would be happy to get a #32 pick, two expiring contract minimum power forwards and an up and coming shooter for an established shooter and a quality power forward. That sounds like a pretty fair and even deal to me, how about you...Why WOULD they reject the deal, they have nothing to lose.

If rebuilding is the route Atlanta is tring to take, then I have no objections to what you just said. Since Terry and Ratliff have not panned out yet, in terms of providing them with a winning team, then wiping the slate clean is a good route. Hopefully, they don't ask too much and try to inquire about our 24th pick to be included.

Well, if they do we can always sign undrafted free agents, minimum contract players and NBDLers...but that is only IF, howeverm, I think IF we offer them Madsen, Walker, Rush and our #32 pick they will be happy to send us Terry and Ratliff...

yea.. lets get rid of those guys... their just stocking stuffers. I'll feel bad if MADSEN goes. He was always a popular guy. Shaq even likes him. For the best of the team we have to do what we have to do. Whats our chances in getting Shareef?

As I said in another post, Shareef is a ball hog, a big small forward with bad defensive ability and weak rebounding fundamentals.

Theo Ratliff is an offensively challenged power forward that is always thinking pass, has amazing rebounding ability and just won the league shot blocking title...hmmm.....tough choice....

i like the team alot JT will do very well i think becouse with kobe it will free him up for good shots and with fisher to back him up thair is no weak spot the PFs look really good and that will help shaq down low and back door cuts very good team

hmmm thats not all quite true SB,

Shareef averaged 21.1pts and 9.4 rebounds vs. Theo's 8.7pts and 5.3rebs

After Theos currents injury he has had 8 block shots all season
Shareef had a total of 58 block shots

And to correct you Shareef is not a ball hog. He is third in his team in ASSIST. He is behind after TERRY and VAUGHN (point guards).

Theo did miss almost all of last season due to injury. And he hasn't finished a season injury free thus being injury prone. It maybe due to lack of conditioning. Shareef on the other has been their most consistent player although he was hurt in the middle of the season he's been durable most of his career. Lets face it. We don't know if Theo will ever be a defensive shot blocking machine he once was. He certainly won't stop DUNCAN. The best defensive we can give DUNCAN is to make his feet move on the defensive end. Shareef is quicker/can run/athletic/great post up player that will give defenses problems, especially since the team already has KOBE SHAQ. His defense is questionably but he isn't worse than SLAVA or Walker.

Where do you get your stats, Jason Blair? Check NBA.com,
Theo, in '02-'03 (a year in which he played 81 games), averaged (in 31 mpg) 8.7ppg, 7.5 rpg and 3.2 bpg. He also shoots 72% from the FT line, and 46% from the floor. Defense and Rebounding and he has had some injuries, but they are finally behind him.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim may average (in 38 mpg):
19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 3.0 apg, but he doesn't play any defense (.47 bpg) under the basket, which is what WE NEED from a PF. He also isn't as solid a rebounder as Theo Ratliff, I know he averages .9 more, but he plays 7 more minutes a game and the offense of his team is run through him. Theo is the tough intimidator we need, Sharif is just a soft big body that likes to shoot, like Glen Robinson with better size...

LOL.... It was on espn.com.. it was a Wednesday game.... DOE!!!
I hate it when I do that!

my fault SB.... lol

Naw, don't worry about it. It can happen to anyone. No biggie, you were just misinformed. And I just prefer Theo because he will at least CHALLENGE Duncan defensively and lower his FG% and his PPG against us. We will have Slava and Horry to score on Tim. I wouldn't want Shareef against Duncan because of the defensive issues...

I love Shareef's offense, don't get me wrong, and he is almost an identical rebounder to theo, but Theo gives you 2 blocks a night when he is banged up and is better than Ben Wallace when he is healthy...remember how we said one of the biggest problems with our defense this season was lacking a shot blocking presence down low to alter attempts and thusly our opponent's FG%? And how Shaq said he needs a bully PF (how about one that played center for Philly for years) to block shots, rebound and defend the post? Hmm...who would do that....