Sunday, June 20, 2004
LAKER DRAIN
To borrow the LA Times headline, this year should have culminated in another Purple Reign, but instead, it's looking more like a Purple Drain. Phil Jackson has been canned, Shaq is feeling disrespected and demanding to be traded, Kobe and Karl Malone have opted out of their contracts (with Payton and Fisher to potentially follow). Next year's starters could include Medvedenko, Rush, and Walton (scary!).
Here's the bottom line: Lakers owner Jerry Buss should have not chosen between Kobe and Shaq (he chose Kobe). Instead, he should have gone with the middle of the road approach and sided with both. Yes, Shaq is aging and doesn't deserve the money he's asking for in his contract extension. And yes, there are many stars in the league like Kobe, but few with his resolve and killer instinct (especially with the game on the line). You can't break those two up. Phil Jackson, albeit a good coach with a great record, had to go because nobody was listening to him anymore. Bring in Rudy Tomjanovich and still run the offense through Shaq and let's go. Neither will love it, but it'll hang more championship banners on the wall.
To borrow the LA Times headline, this year should have culminated in another Purple Reign, but instead, it's looking more like a Purple Drain. Phil Jackson has been canned, Shaq is feeling disrespected and demanding to be traded, Kobe and Karl Malone have opted out of their contracts (with Payton and Fisher to potentially follow). Next year's starters could include Medvedenko, Rush, and Walton (scary!).
Here's the bottom line: Lakers owner Jerry Buss should have not chosen between Kobe and Shaq (he chose Kobe). Instead, he should have gone with the middle of the road approach and sided with both. Yes, Shaq is aging and doesn't deserve the money he's asking for in his contract extension. And yes, there are many stars in the league like Kobe, but few with his resolve and killer instinct (especially with the game on the line). You can't break those two up. Phil Jackson, albeit a good coach with a great record, had to go because nobody was listening to him anymore. Bring in Rudy Tomjanovich and still run the offense through Shaq and let's go. Neither will love it, but it'll hang more championship banners on the wall.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]