http://www.lakersnation.com/the-arms-race-continues-dallas-is-clear-2nd-in-the-west-for-now/2009/07/10/ Join Lakers Nation for information on Lakers Schedule, Lakers Tickets, Lakers News and Lakers Rumors. See what a Lakers Site really looks like for Fans, by Fans! Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:15:23 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.lakersnation.com/the-arms-race-continues-dallas-is-clear-2nd-in-the-west-for-now/2009/07/10/comment-page-1/#comment-380 ddwriter Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:16:25 +0000 http://www.lakersnation.com/?p=839#comment-380 I beg to differ. Mark Cuban blinked and gave J Kidd who until late in the season looked old and tired, a 3 year contract when the NY Knicks came sniffing around. Shawn Marion is a legend in his own mind. He pouted when he couldn't be The MAN in Phoenix. His trade demands were answered and he was swapped with The Diesel-The Truth-The Big Cactus and now The Big Freezer. His and O'Neil's impact on the game since that blockbuster trade? The Big Zero. Now he lands in Dallas in another blockbuster trade, be it his 5th team where expectations run high and patience low. Gortat played well during the playoffs behind D Howard in Orlando and his stock rose accordingly earning him a fat contract. Now he's no longer under the radar and as a starting center how effective will he be in a Western Conference loaded with premier big men like Gasol, Duncan, Bynum, Boozer and Yao (pending trade and health issues), Nene, Chris Anderson, Oden, and talented rookie Blake Griffin night in and night out? Journeyman Humphries along with Jawai (who?) where throw-ins in the Marion trade and they'll probably be buried deep on the bench. Nomad Buckner bounces around in the league based on defense. He isn't in the same area code as Ron Artest and Shane Battier. He plays limited minutes shot and his offensive skills are minimal at best. And then there's the critical issue of chemistry. Offensively, is Dirk Nowinski still going to be the go to man? Is it possible for Josh Howard (if healthy) and Marion to work together? All three players require a fair amount of touches to be effective meaning should losses mount, someone going to start grumbling a la Jerry Stackhouse. Age is another factor with the majority of the players in their 30's. Success or failure will come down to Rick Carisle who has the unenviable job of meshing the new acquisitions with what's left of last year's ho-hum team into a marquee cohesive unit all the while dealing with a yelping and meddlesome owner literally behind the bench. Time will tell, but in the powerful Western Conference billionaire Mark Cuban's flash of cash will ultimately result in another 7th or 8th seed in the playoffs or humiliating visit to Lottery Land. I beg to differ. Mark Cuban blinked and gave J Kidd who until late in the season looked old and tired, a 3 year contract when the NY Knicks came sniffing around. Shawn Marion is a legend in his own mind. He pouted when he couldn’t be The MAN in Phoenix. His trade demands were answered and he was swapped with The Diesel-The Truth-The Big Cactus and now The Big Freezer. His and O’Neil’s impact on the game since that blockbuster trade? The Big Zero. Now he lands in Dallas in another blockbuster trade, be it his 5th team where expectations run high and patience low. Gortat played well during the playoffs behind D Howard in Orlando and his stock rose accordingly earning him a fat contract. Now he’s no longer under the radar and as a starting center how effective will he be in a Western Conference loaded with premier big men like Gasol, Duncan, Bynum, Boozer and Yao (pending trade and health issues), Nene, Chris Anderson, Oden, and talented rookie Blake Griffin night in and night out? Journeyman Humphries along with Jawai (who?) where throw-ins in the Marion trade and they’ll probably be buried deep on the bench. Nomad Buckner bounces around in the league based on defense. He isn’t in the same area code as Ron Artest and Shane Battier. He plays limited minutes shot and his offensive skills are minimal at best. And then there’s the critical issue of chemistry. Offensively, is Dirk Nowinski still going to be the go to man? Is it possible for Josh Howard (if healthy) and Marion to work together? All three players require a fair amount of touches to be effective meaning should losses mount, someone going to start grumbling a la Jerry Stackhouse. Age is another factor with the majority of the players in their 30’s. Success or failure will come down to Rick Carisle who has the unenviable job of meshing the new acquisitions with what’s left of last year’s ho-hum team into a marquee cohesive unit all the while dealing with a yelping and meddlesome owner literally behind the bench. Time will tell, but in the powerful Western Conference billionaire Mark Cuban’s flash of cash will ultimately result in another 7th or 8th seed in the playoffs or humiliating visit to Lottery Land.

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