Interesting article on how even the susposed, great Laker organization, has its share of problems.
http://hoopshype.com/articles/brown_lazenby.htm
http://hoopshype.com/articles/brown_lazenby.htm
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Dissention in Laker land.
- Thread starter bajaden
- Start date
I read in the LA times today that Andrew Bynum and his agent would like a contract extension before the season starts. It appears that they're requesting a 5 year 80 million dollar deal. Now if thats not insane, I don't know what is. Your talking about a player that had 30 really good games in his career and, is coming off knee surgery. For those that thought that Beno was overpaid for what he did last year, this is what overpayment looks like.
I can't honestly believe that the Laker's would even consider this.
I can't honestly believe that the Laker's would even consider this.
The only thing crazy here is the CBA that makes those numbers possible. And even crazier than that is the 3-4 yr scale system for draftees is actually an improvement over what used to be (1st rounders dictating their salary before playing a single minute). Beyond that consider signings like Rashard Lewis, Monta Ellis, Andrew Bogut, or Kwame Brown for that matter. Or Brian Grant. Or Jon Koncak or Jim McIlvaine.
When the guy is a lottery center with a back-to-the-rim game, 80 over 5 doesn't look quite as silly as the above. The knee injury is minor enough not to be something to sneeze too hard at when what's at stake is Bynum tapping his potential on another team.
When the guy is a lottery center with a back-to-the-rim game, 80 over 5 doesn't look quite as silly as the above. The knee injury is minor enough not to be something to sneeze too hard at when what's at stake is Bynum tapping his potential on another team.
I Agree with most of what you said, but its one thing to take a flyer on an unproven NBA player for a couple of million for 2 or 3 years. Its another to give a player thats only had 25 or 30 really good games in his entire career, 16 million a year. Your talking superstar money here, and at last look, he's not a superstar.
I don't really know for a fact that they're asking for that much, but if they are, I think its something you really have to think about long and hard if your the Lakers. They're payroll is nothing to sneeze at right now and if you add another 16 mil a year to it, you better guess right.
I don't really know for a fact that they're asking for that much, but if they are, I think its something you really have to think about long and hard if your the Lakers. They're payroll is nothing to sneeze at right now and if you add another 16 mil a year to it, you better guess right.
His agent is asking for the max. They've shelved talks until Sept to get a better assessment of how the knee responds to offseason training.
This is a tough case, much harder than the decision Mullin made to lock Ellis in for more than he's worth. Buss would never have paid a non-superstar guard that much. His pattern has been to trade guys like Eddie Jones and Caron Butler and give the huge contracts to bigs or Kobes/Magics. He gave $9 mill a year to KWAME based on the P-word. He makes Bynum look like Patrick Ewing by comparison. ...so he's gonna get paid.
I don't know how many games of Bynum's you saw last year, but it's a much safer bet after those 30 gms that his ceiling is 18/10/2 at minimum. The knee has overtaken his potential as the major question mark. I wouldn't focus as much on the surgery as the potential for reinjury. The surgery itself was minor arthroscopy to remove debris. The concern is that knees can dislocate easier after the first time.
With all that said, LA is primarily in a bind because no matter the questions, he's still a lottery center and not a Monta. You lose one of those and you could regret it for years. Your point about team salary is also significant, but it's not just the max contracts they're worried about, it's the other guys. They're shopping Odom, they let Turiaf go, they refused to give Vujacic their usual bad longterm deal, they'll probably lose Ariza next year. Buss knows he has to pay Bynum. In future years, it'll be the money players and a horrible bench.
This is a tough case, much harder than the decision Mullin made to lock Ellis in for more than he's worth. Buss would never have paid a non-superstar guard that much. His pattern has been to trade guys like Eddie Jones and Caron Butler and give the huge contracts to bigs or Kobes/Magics. He gave $9 mill a year to KWAME based on the P-word. He makes Bynum look like Patrick Ewing by comparison. ...so he's gonna get paid.
I don't know how many games of Bynum's you saw last year, but it's a much safer bet after those 30 gms that his ceiling is 18/10/2 at minimum. The knee has overtaken his potential as the major question mark. I wouldn't focus as much on the surgery as the potential for reinjury. The surgery itself was minor arthroscopy to remove debris. The concern is that knees can dislocate easier after the first time.
With all that said, LA is primarily in a bind because no matter the questions, he's still a lottery center and not a Monta. You lose one of those and you could regret it for years. Your point about team salary is also significant, but it's not just the max contracts they're worried about, it's the other guys. They're shopping Odom, they let Turiaf go, they refused to give Vujacic their usual bad longterm deal, they'll probably lose Ariza next year. Buss knows he has to pay Bynum. In future years, it'll be the money players and a horrible bench.
