What If...Garnett had gone to the Lakers

[johnnyrondo]

I believe they would've been a lock for the NBA Finals for the next three years winning at least two of them.  With Bynum and perhaps then Gasol they would be looking at what they are now, being consistently good for as long as Kobe can keep up his level of play.


Another interesting what if is if KG went to Phoenix.  Then both Kobe and Pierce would probably on different teams and neither us or the Lakers would be in the Finals.

If KG had gone to LA, they wouldn't have Gasol there. They'd had sent their expiring and picks to Minny.

Probably the C's would have a starting line-up of Rondo-Ray-Pierce-Gasol-Al and we would be talking about a renewed rivalry.

Which probably could of gotten us to the Finals this year and for many years to come. Also if KG is off Minnesota, they suck for years and we'd still own their #1 pick, so we'd get a young stud in a few years.

No one could of predicted the Gasol 5 cents on the dollar trade though. You have to think there's more to that deal that we don't know about (Buss paying Heisley under the table? A future Buss favor to Heisley? West connection to the grizz? Wallace spiteful to the C's?). If Gasol was put on the market, he goes for much more. Last yr the Grizz wanted more for Gasol than we ended up giving up for KG (and we gave up a lot for KG, especially Big Al and giving Minny it's pick back)

[Redz]

I'd hate him.  I'd think he was a trash talking jerk who's overly emotional ways are annoying.  I wouldn't understand who KG is, and what kind of player he is, like I do now.

He'd look like this:



OK...Anyone want to go further with this now?

[Roy Hobbs]

-127 symbolic Tommy Points, Redz.  Party foul.

[Redz]

-127 symbolic Tommy Points, Redz.  Party foul.

Well...the question was raised wasn't it?

[RebusRankin]

Redz, my eyes, my eyes, my poor eyes. How could you do that to us. 

[pslakerfan]

Even today, I'd take Big Al over Gasol, and he'll still be getting better as KG gets older.

Would you trade Big Al for Bynum straight up right now (I know the salaries probably don't work but since we are playing what if)?

No idea.  Haven't seen enough of Bynum.  Doesn't seem like LA would even consider making that deal, FWIW.

The other issue with this whole exercise is that if we ended up with Pau instead of KG, all the other pieces (Posey, House, PJ, etc) probably don't fall into place - both because of the timing of when they happened and because a Pierce/Pau combo wouldn't be viewed as Championship-caliber.

I know you guys haven't seen enough of Bynum so I will answer this one for you.  Hell no.  Trust me no way would we make that trade.  First of all Bynum's upside is much, much higher, and he is younger.  The Lakers could have traded him for Jason Kidd and didn't.  If they don't do that they wouldn't do the trade for Al.  I am not trying to disrespect Jefferson's game, but Bynum led him this year in FG% Reb./48 mins., Blocks/48 mins., and TO/48 mins.  Al leads in Points/48 minutes, but the last thing the Lakers need is more offense.

Anyway that is my 2 cents.  I don't mean to sound as if I am disrespecting Jefferson's game, I just know the Lakers opinion of Bynum and it won't happen.

It's ok.  I don't think many on this side are for that hypothetical either.  I see you guys are big on Bynum.  You concerned with his injury?  He seems to be recovering much later than expected.       

Very concerned.  Bad knees and 300lb. men don't mix.

[TheReaLPuba]

Kobe and KG would have been enough to get them to the Finals for the next 3-4 years.

The Lakers would arguably have the BEST TWO ALL-AROUND players at BOTH ENDS of the floor on their team which should only happen in FANTASY basketball.

Sick team.

Then again the a team with KG, PP, RA is a pretty sick team too

[BASSTHUMPER]

would not have mattered as long as we got the bench we have now~

we would be meetin kobe and kev 1st round of the nba championship tomorrow night~

and scalabrine would fo show have his minutes~

[Discoflux]

The Lakers did offer LO and Bynum for KG.
Fortunately McHale was too myopic/ Lakerphobic to pull the trigger on the better deal and is now going to pay for it. 
McHale's Laker phobia ended up working for us quite nicely for us as Bynum is developing into a Beast.

I can't sleep.  I can't wait for game time.

[Bahku]

How to speak such sacrilege?!? Seriously, instead of getting too far into that "what-if" territory that I despise because of it's irrelevence, I'll just say that I'm glad it worked out the way it did ... very, very glad! (KG looks much better in green than he does in yellow).