Ron Artest to the Lakers is not yet official but it looks like we’re just waiting for the formalities.

I don’t necessarily like this deal but this is a great pick up, knowing the Lakers could not afford Trevor Ariza.  Ariza is good and he probably deserves the $7 million to $8 million he was asking but in this Laker team where you have Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, that price is a stretch.

It’s what they call “the business side of basketball”.  I hate it but that’s what it is.  Like I said, I like Trevor Ariza for the Lakers better than Ron Artest.

I’m not a cap or negotiation guru but my ideal deal for Trevor Ariza and the Lakers would’ve been the $5.6 million mid-level exception for Ariza for 2 or 3 years and then he can get his big payday after that when Lamar Odom has started to decline at 33 years old.  That is also assuming that Odom takes a 2 to 3 year contract himself. » read more

I can already hear Shaq’s statements:

“The Cleveland Cavaliers is the best team ever assembled… after Phoenix, when I was still there.”

“Me and Lebron is the most devastating one-two punch ever!”

“Lebron is the best player in the world right now.  I know I said earlier during the year that it was Kobe.  That was just marketing, baby!”

“The Phoenix Suns owner is not a real owner.  Steve Kerr is not a real GM, I am the GM.”

“The Lakers could’ve had me but they didn’t.  Now, let them taste my ass.”

(Insert a possible Shaq quote here…)

I love Lebron but sometimes he’s just weird.
Like he’s just having too much fun playing basketball (camera / team posing antics before games)
or proclaiming himself the leader of the U.S. National Team.

If you want to win in the NBA, you have to be serious.
Look at Dwight Howard, he was just too funny to win a championship.
Oh, and you have to lead by example too, not just say it.

Wow.  I’m really happy for Kobe and Phil.  Now, first things first, why didn’t I predict the Lakers to win it all?  In the Houston series, I predicted that the Rockets will win game 7.  In the Nuggets series, I predicted that the Nuggets would win in 6. In the championship round, I predicted that Orlando will win in 5. » read more

My prediction is Orlando Magic in 5 games.  Why?

First, in my entire life, I only heard one NBA player thank God.  I’m not saying only one NBA player ever thanked God.  Well, it could happen, but *I* only heard one NBA player thank God.  Yeah, that player is Dwight Howard.  If Howard is grateful to God, how can He not answer his prayers?

Second, the Lakers‘ defensive scheme, the Strong Side Zone plays to the strengths of Orlando’s offense.  With SSZ, you leave shooters open and that’s what Orlando has, a lot of shooters.  Does Phil adjust the defense?  If yes, isn’t it too late in the game for that?

Third, it seems that the Lakers haven’t even reached its peak yet.  It seems it started to hit its peak during games 5 and 6 of the Nuggets series.  However, they “enjoy” a week’s rest after closing out that series.  A bad time to hit your peak, don’t you think?  Even if they haven’t had a week’s rest, don’t you think they hit their peak a tad too late?  » read more