Lakers Trade Rumors

Could city's own NBA team soon follow?
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October 8
Orange County Register
 
"The Los Angeles Lakers made their annual pilgrimage to Anaheim Tuesday night to play a preseason game at Honda Center. For some local fans, it was an exciting chance to welcome their favorite team and send a reminder that Lakers fans come from Orange County, too. But for others, it was a reminder that Anaheim - home to world-champion professional baseball and hockey - has yet to land a National Basketball Association team. That could change soon, an Anaheim official said this week. "I'm pretty confident that, maybe not next year, but within the next five years, Anaheim will have its own NBA team," said Greg Smith, executive director of sports, entertainment and conventions for the city. ..."
Bryant: I'd go to Italy for $50 million
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August 11
Orange County Register
 columnist Randy Youngman
"Is Kobe Bryant guilty of premature posturing? At the very least, he gets the bad timing award for telling the worldwide media, during a USA Basketball news conference Friday in Beijing, that he would consider signing with a pro team in Italy if offered a $50 million salary when he becomes a free agent next summer. "I'd go. I'd probably go," Bryant said when asked by a Boston Globe reporter if he would think about playing in Europe, as Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James earlier hinted he would do for an outrageous contract. "Like Milan or something like that, where I grew up ... "Do you know any reasonable person that would turn down 50 (million dollars)?" The Lakers brass - especially ..."
Report: Warriors to add Maurice Evans
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July 23
Contra Costa Times
 
"On the heels of adding point guard Marcus Williams, the Warriors have reportedly added free agent forward Maurice Evans, who played for both the Lakers and Magic last season. Golden State has signed Evans to a three-year, $6.4 million deal, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. By adding Evans, it more than likely means the Warriors will not match the three-year, $9 million contract restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike signed with the Los Angeles Clippers last week. Golden State have until Friday to match Azubuike's deal, but Evans represents a cheaper _ and perhaps better _ alternative."
Posey wants a four-year deal
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July 16
Boston Globe
 
"James Posey, the Celtics' highest-priority unsigned veteran, is seeking a four-year contract, an NBA source said yesterday. Posey, 31, is treating negotiations as if this could be his final contract and has been in talks with Detroit, the Lakers, New Orleans, Cleveland, and Washington. No team has been willing to offer a deal beyond three years."
Posey goes public: Celtics are top choice
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July 15
Boston Globe
 
"James Posey and Eddie House, key reserves in the Celtics' NBA championship run last season, last night expressed a desire to remain with the team, in their first public comments regarding free agency. "That's my No. 1 choice," said Posey. "I've stressed that to the organization and to everybody. At the same time, I'm still waiting. So we'll see what's going to happen." House and Posey were interviewed before a screening of a highlight DVD of the Celtics' season at TD Banknorth Garden. Posey played down the possibility of returning to Cleveland, his hometown, though an NBA source said the Cavaliers might up the ante in an effort to get a talented player to aid LeBron James. Other ..."
Turiaf hasn't told Lakers of Warriors offer
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July 10
Orange County Register
 
"General Manager Mitch Kupchak has heard the rumors that Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf received an offer sheet from the Golden State Warriors. He hasn't seen proof, though. Kupchak said Wednesday that he has not received by fax or registered mail notification that Turiaf, a restricted free agent, has signed with another team. "A lot of times where there's smoke, there's fire and I don't know if that's the case here," Kupchak said Wednesday "I'm aware of the rumors, but my understanding of the process is that we have to be notified with a document, and there's been no document or notification — written or verbally." Turiaf reportedly agreed to a four-year, $17 million offer from ..."
Warriors are still in the market for a big man
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July 9
Contra Costa Times
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"The Warriors are still in the market for a big man and a point guard. Even with Maggette, the still don't have the inside presence they need or a player who can consistently create for others as did point guard Baron Davis during his three-plus years in Oakland. According to sources inside the NBA circle, the Warriors have offered the Los Angeles Lakers' restricted free agent forward Ronny Turiaf a contract (believed to be paying about $4 million a year) and have shown interest in free-agent combo guard Keyon Dooling."
Posey officially on market
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July 9
Boston Globe
 
"While Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein, wouldn't say which teams were interested in his client, he did say they were contenders. Among those also expected to be wooing the Cleveland native are the Cavaliers, Wizards, Hornets, Spurs, and Lakers. "We're just working through this thing," said Bartelstein yesterday. "Free agency is just a moving roller coaster. He'd like to get something done, and he'd like to get something done quickly and be over with it. Every team that is interested has a chance to win a title." Although a Celtics official has denied it, an NBA source said Posey was initially offered a three-year, $12 million deal by Boston, but the source said the Celtics have ..."
Lakers interested in James Posey, Brent Barry
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July 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers continue to wait for Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf, but they have fall-back plans in case their restricted free agents don't re-sign with them.The Lakers have talked with representatives of Boston small forward James Posey and veteran San Antonio sharpshooter Brent Barry to gauge the free agents' interest. Posey, a key reserve for the Celtics, is expected to draw the full mid-level exception of five years and about $30 million, though the Celtics have said they consider signing him an off-season priority."
Celtics make offer to James Posey
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July 2
Boston Herald
 
"The Celtics opened the free agent season, as expected, by making an offer to James Posey yesterday. The NBA champions also had to get in line in order to keep Posey. Though agent Mark Bartlestein declined to name the other franchises that filed offers for the valuable swingman, the group is known to include a substantial list of playoff teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Houston Rockets, the New Orleans Hornets and possibly the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s unclear how close the Celtics’ offer came to the mid-level, long-term deal that Posey wants, with the desired first year starting at approximately $5.8 million and extending over four or five seasons. The ..."
James Posey chooses free agency over C’s
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July 1
Boston Herald
 
"James Posey, after deciding not to exercise the option on the final year of his contract yesterday, is a free agent with what may be one of the largest markets of the summer. The fact that there is a limited pool of teams with significant salary cap space (Philadelphia 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies) does not bode well for the biggest names (unrestricted free agent Gilbert Arenas, restricted free agents Luol Deng and Andre Iguodala) this summer, but Posey’s lower-level aims are likely to draw a bigger crowd. The Celtics forward reportedly is looking for a midlevel deal that starts at approximately $5.8 million and carries over 4-5 years...Posey’s hometown Cleveland Cavaliers are said to be ..."
Lakers will aim to sign Vujacic, Turiaf
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June 30
Orange County Register
 
"Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is expected to be on the phone shortly after 9 p.m. Monday when the NBA free agency period begins. First he will call Sasha Vujacic's agent. After getting some idea of which way the restricted free agent is leaning, Kupchak then will dial Ronny Turiaf's agent. Both players are restricted free agents, meaning the Lakers can match any offer sheet they sign with another team. Kupchak is hoping to avoid that scenario by re-signing the two."
Lakers and Clippers get a look at their options
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June 30
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers, for their part, are well over the salary cap and cannot sign any big names on other teams, so they hope to retain two of their own players, Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf. Both are restricted free agents, meaning the Lakers can match any offer sheet they sign with another team.Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak recently said he would call Vujacic's agent immediately after free agency begins at 9 p.m. The Lakers also will try to keep Turiaf but are willing to spend more money to bring back Vujacic, who might receive a payday of close to $5 million a year."
Heat should move Marion, keep Beasley
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June 23
Miami Herald
 columnist Israel Gutierrez
"So no second-hand news here. Just a simple suggestion to Heat brass on how to make the best of a big week: Make Shawn Marion the player you look to trade. Keep Beasley. By Tuesday, Marion has to decide whether to stay put and collect his $17 million next season or pass on that for a chance at millions more with a new deal. That means the Heat has to make the same choice, deciding whether The Matrix is worth seeing again for the next few years or for just one more year. The third option would work best: Move Marion and avoid either scenario. Move him to the Clippers for Brand? Of course, if you can pull some sort of Jedi mind trick on Donald Sterling and Elgin Baylor and convince them ..."
What's next for the Lakers?
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June 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"Now what? Somewhere between a staggering 131-92 loss to Boston and the start of training camp in early October, the Lakers will reconfigure their roster, though it doesn't figure to be drastic or franchise-shifting. Kobe Bryant will still be here in the fall, as will Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, but there are some decisions to make, none of which will be solved in next Thursday's NBA draft (the Lakers have only a second-round pick, 58th overall). Coach Phil Jackson referred to any forthcoming changes as "incremental," not sweeping, which makes sense for a team that was two victories from a championship despite going five months without its most intimidating defensive ..."
Lamar Odom likely candidate to be traded
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June 19
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Mark Heisler
"Now for the cruelest season in Lakerdom . . . the off-season. Just kidding, I think. The Lakers have had some horrific ones -- such as 2004 when they thought they might lose Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, or their Kobe Summer of 2007 -- but this isn't one of those. Predictably, the sky fell on them right after the Celtics did as the Lakers were surprised, overwhelmed, bullied, mocked and humiliated -- and that was just in Game 6. The story line went as it always does: No matter how great the losing team's star is -- in this case he's the NBA's best player and its newly crowned MVP -- he's dirt. The Lakers lost by 39 points so if Bryant had just scored 62 instead of ..."
Bryant's future
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June 15
L.A. Daily News
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"Kobe Bryant declined to answer a question about his future with the Lakers. He would not say whether he would sign a contract extension if one were offered to him during the offseason. He said it was a question for another day. "First of all, you're talking like the season is over," Bryant said. "You see what I'm saying? So, like, for me to even answer that question and speculate what's going to happen this summer, this season ain't over. It's far from over. So for me to talk about that would be acknowledging defeat, and that's something I just don't do.""
Trades? They're a comin'
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June 10
Toronto Sun
 
"The calendar and the weather may suggest otherwise, but the NBA climate has the feel of February. Much like the frenzy and wild speculation that serve as a prelude to the league's trade deadline, caution must be observed and logic exercised. With so many teams looking to improve and so many names being bandied about, it wouldn't surprise any one if one or two roster-altering moves are completed, perhaps more. Until the NBA final runs its course, no deal will be announced in an environment where there's no shortage of possibilities, some that appear to have merit."
Porter could be leading Suns coaching candidate
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June 3
East Valley Tribune
 
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