As of July 1st this year, Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics will become a free agent and has already gained the attention of Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers. Even though he is the NBA’s all-time leader in three-point field goals, the Celtics will most likely not sign Allen again.
Allen and Kobe together could be fatal; Ray is one of the best outside scorers of the league and is still able to command the floor. What is working against him is his age. At 37, Allen is experienced, but also a lot older than most NBA talent. We saw in the playoff series against the Thunder how younger players really made a difference. The Lakers are an older team, and adding age may not be the best idea. A way to combat this would be to just offer him a year or two contract.
What else is brewing in Laker land? Our very own Gabe Lee writes and interesting piece on the trade of big man Gasol or Bynum. In essence, Bynum is the only viable option if Kupchak is to work around Kobe’s salary. Gabe states:
The way the Lakers are currently constructed it’s nearly impossible to get better without taking a risk on trading one of the big men because Kobe Bryant’s salary accounts for nearly 50 percent of the salary cap; and with the harsher luxury tax looming over Mitch Kupchak’s shoulders, the Lakers are in a bind. The very nature of Bryant’s contract implies the Lakers must build around him until his contract runs out.
But to be blunt, any move the Lakers could make involving Gasol would just be making a move for the sake of making a move instead of re-opening the Lakers’ title window with Bryant in tow. Despite Gasol’s lackluster play in the last two years in the playoffs, you at least know what you’re going to get from him on a night-to-night basis. The same can’t be said about Bynum.
Interesting to consider, and very true. For more on why Gasol is better for the team, check out Gabe’s article. He brings to light some very interesting dynamics in the NBA and on the Lakers.
Lakers Nation News
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Lakers News
Kobe, Mike Brown Need to Learn from Spurs [OC Register]
Fast Break Thoughts [Forum Blue and Gold]
Bynum’s Talent Worth the Long Term Investment [LA Times]
Ray Allen and the Other Lakers Franchise Fixers [OC Register]
The Five Worst Moments of the Lakers 2011-2012 Season [Silver Screen and Roll]
Bid For a Chance to play H-O-R-S-E Against Kobe [OC Register]
Looking Ahead to the Offseason [Land O’Lakers]
The Reason Not to Amnesty Kobe are Not Basketball Reasons [Silver Screen and Roll]
What to Expect if you Expect the Lakers to Win [Flip Collective]
NBA News
More and More Reports Stan Van Gundy Will Take a Year Off [Pro Basketball Talk]
Hornets Hope to replace Paul with #1 Draft Pick Davis [NBA.com]
Morning Rehash: Spurs Run Wild [SB Nation]
Thunder Needs to Get Ugly to Beat Spurs [NBA.com]
Anthony Davis Won’t Be Enough for the Nets to Hold Onto Deron Williams [Yahoo Sports]
Talking Spurs Dominance, Thunder’s Chances [Pro Basketball Talk]
Popovich Once Threatened Tony Parker with the Worst Punishment Imaginable [The Basketball Jones]
NBA’s Problematic Ownership of Hornets Opens Door to Rigged Talk Over Draft Lottery [Yahoo Sport]
Rajon Rondo Outstanding but Lebron James, Heat are 2-0 [ESPN]
If Pacers Owners Want Him, Bird Says He Will Return to Team [NBA]
