Does D'Antoni to Lakers make it more likely that Smoove-for-Pau will happen?

[sturt]

My two cents...I agree that it is highly unlikely that DH leaves the Lakers... unless... the Lakers end the year like they've begun it, and D'Antoni ends the year like he finished his last job.Here's the thing... if this team implodes, they have nowhere to go but continue to go down (ie, because of its age, of course).Do I think they'll do that?No.But if they do, Dwight will be on the open market and assuming some good momentum created by a playoff year with this roster, we'll have as good a shot as anyone else, if not better.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

My two cents...

I agree that it is highly unlikely that DH leaves the Lakers... unless... the Lakers end the year like they've begun it, and D'Antoni ends the year like he finished his last job.

Here's the thing... if this team implodes, they have nowhere to go but continue to go down (ie, because of its age, of course).

Do I think they'll do that?

No.

But if they do, Dwight will be on the open market and assuming some good momentum created by a playoff year with this roster, we'll have as good a shot as anyone else, if not better.

Rambis (a close friend of Phil Jackson) stated that the Buss family feels exactly the way I do about the present Lakers... They know that Kobe is only playing a few more years and they want to get one more title before he retires. That's why they fired Brown after that 1-4 start because they feel they don't have time to poke around waiting for Brown to get it together. Getting Nash and Dwight is more of a last hurrah effort and, as Rambis said, that Jerry Buss feels that it is very possible that Nash retires and Dwight walks after this season. They feel this is the last season to get another one with Kobe. Also, Buss has said that he wants the payroll significantly reduced.

With that said, it is still a small chance that Dwight bolts from LA, but as long as he is a FA next offseason, anything is possible.

[Supporter]

Josh's trade value has to be at an all time low right now. If this trade didn't happen before, no way it happens now. Let's just all pray that Josh gets his shit together.

[Eddielives]

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/clipArchive?showID=bsreportSorry if this has already been mentioned but Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe discuss the Josh for Pau trade and how it affects both teams quite a bit in the early part of this podcast.

[maljanNBAfan]

http://espn.go.com/e...showID=bsreport Sorry if this has already been mentioned but Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe discuss the Josh for Pau trade and how it affects both teams quite a bit in the early part of this podcast.

This was an interesting conversation, and I think it brings up the positional issue of where Smith is best suited to play. I wrote a little bit about it here: http://soaringdownsouth.com/2012/11/14/josh-smiths-positional-battle/

[DatWerkk]

For those questioning my statement re: Josh in D'Antoni's system earlier in this thread, I understand that his system relies on having lots of shooters to space the floor, but it's not like he's been putting five shooters out there at a time. Having small, fast (dare I say, high flying) players in the front court is also valuable. Josh might be comparable to Shawn Marion, although admittedly not quite the shooter Marion was. I think he'd make a great 4 for D'Antoni.I think he could deal with not having the ball in his hands so much if he was all up in Lob City, being fed alley oops by Steve Nash.