GDawgs88 Wrote:cbfranchise3 Wrote:I would rather play for a better team than make more money, but that is just me.
Me too. Unfortunately, most players don't think that way. But Kobe gets more money, AND he also is on a better team. I don't see why people think the Clippers will be better than the Lakers. The Lakers did lose Shaq, and there's no way to replace him, but they got a lot back in that trade. The Clippers are good on paper...so what? They've been good on paper the last few years and they still lose 50 games.
Without Kobe...
Livingston/Jaric
Richardson (they will probably match)
Maggette
Brand
Kaman
Payton
Rush
Butler
Odom
Grant
With those lineups, I would take the Clippers. The Lakers are extremely undersized in the western conference where size is everything. Payton is in decline, they have no bench (Fisher is gone, Medvedenko is still a free agent, Fox is done, Malone isn't coming back). Grant will get eaten alive if he is their starting center next year, and Odom doesn't have the size to guard Duncan, Garnett, Brand, Gasol, Nowitzki, and the other power forwards in the West. Butler and Rush have promise but are still very unproven.
Meanwhile, the Clippers have one of the best post players and offensive rebounder in Brand, a 20 ppg scorer in Maggette who is still getting better, a possible top 5 point guard in Shaun Livingston, and a solid seven footer with great footwork in Chris Kaman. Add Richardson and Chris Wilcox to that and you have a very solid team. From strictly a player's standpoint of going to the better team, I would go to the Clippers.
Personally, I don't think either of these teams will make the playoffs next year, and if the Lakers do, they won't be challenging for homecourt advantage. The way I see the west:
1. Spurs
2. Wolves
3. Nuggets
4. Rockets
5. Kings
6. Suns
7. Mavs
8. Grizzlies
9. Lakers
10. Jazz
11. Clippers
12. Hornets
13. Blazers
14. Sonics
15. Warriors
That will obviously change as more people are signed and more trades happen. If the Clippers match, the Suns should make a run at Dampier, and that would put them right with the Spurs as the best team. That is how much difference a center makes, and the Lakers will find out soon enough that life minus Shaq will be rough.