Reply With QuoteI am going to lay out some insider info. This guy has been on the money. He broke the D.Fish deal a week before it even happened.
I told you that the Lakers organization were actively trying to get Ron Artest here once again...and look what happned? There are sometimes "hiccups" that occur(which I will elaborate on further) but this is what I can tell you from talking with my uncle yesterday on the phone. I will break it down as simplistically as I can.
1. Derek Fisher- The Lakers organization tried(according to my uncle) to sign Derek Fisher to a 2 year deal(with the 2nd being a team option). They ideally wanted fisher for the Veteran's Minimum. Fisher pushed for more, because of the money that was left on the table from Utah. Had Utah had to pay his contract completely(like what we did with Brian Grant) he would have most likely been ours at the Veteran's Minimum. However, Utah loved Derek, and they didn't want to let him go from the organization. So, suffice it to say that this was the only way Fisher to LA was a viable option
2. Chris Mihm- Says that he feels a loyalty and a kinship with the fans and organization. He is extremly close to his sister, who lives in California as well, and loves the city. He also according to my uncle is looking pretty good in practice drills and runs, and doesn't appear to be favoring the ankle that cause him problems over the course of 2 seasons. He is sadly looking for a 4 year 20 million dollar deal. Yes, I said that right. The Lakers and Jeff Austin are " a little off" number wise in terms of what Chris wants. The silver lining? Few teams are interested in him other than Chicago and Seattle. If he would accept the Lakers offer of 3 years 10 million, then we would be over. Phil Jackson wants him back though.
3. Jamal Magloire- NO TALKS have ever occured, and contray to the Lakers saying their interested, it doesn't appear that they are at this point. I have heard nothing
4. Ron Artest- Lakers are offering Vladamir Radmonvic, Jordan Farmar for Ron Artest. Sacaremnto, supposedly countered our offer and said they want Kwame(expiring contract), Jordan Farmar, AND our 1st rounder in 2008!! The Lakers don't want to deal Kwame away, just yet, knowing they would then only have one pure center on the roster in Andrew Bynum. Not to mention the front office is more intereted in aquiring Kevin Garnett than ever. If they give up Kwame, they would then have to deal Bynum for Garnett, and then ithe center position becomes more thin than Victoria Beckham in a swimsuit.
5. Jermaine O'neal- IT's OFFICALLY OVER!!!! Donnie Walsh refushes to budge on the "either Bynum or Odom" and wants them both. Not to mention the Lakers are not that high on Jermaine to begin with. He does want to com e here though...but it isn't going to happen. My uncle said, "Rosanne Barr has a better chnace of playing for our organization than Jermaine has". Ouch!
6. Kevin Garnett- Known accross the world, "The Big Ticket", would be "The Big Draw" here in Los Angeles with Kobe Bryant. According to my uncle Mitch feels like he really wants to appease the fans, as well as Kobe Bryant, but is playing his hand very carefully right now. According to my uncle Mitch is loosing sleep over this, and his on the phone with Minnesota , "every other day" trying to get a deal in place. Larry Miller, actually has no problems trading him here for Kwame, Odom, Cook and our '08 first rounder BUT your firiend and mine Kevin McHale shoots down every trade. The good news? Kevin wants to come here...and EVEN more so than Jermaine. If he is dealt ( an extremly liklihood now that the cat is out of the bag) he will take that as a personal threat against McHale, and would mostly likely sign with us next year for the Full Mid-Level exception? Sounds like pure pipe? I know....that's what I thought when he first conveyed that to me. Nevertheless.... he's the one with the connections and is "in the know".
Look for us to add one more player...ideally it will be Mihm, just because of his experience and knowledge of the triangle if his agent and the lakers can just get on the same page number-wise. If not.... the lakers are looking at two other players right now. The first being Scott Pollard from Cleveland, and the other being Pape Sow from the Raptors. Again, salary most likely will prevent them from signing one or the other....but this is what it looks like in Laker land right now.
