Jermaine Wants Lakers But Trade Talks Stall

14th June, 2007


Los Angeles Times -
The Lakers and Pacers have stalled on trade talks involving Jermaine O'Neal because the Lakers do not want to give up both Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom in a swap for O'Neal and power forward Troy Murphy, a source said. The Lakers would also include Kwame Brown in the trade.

Numerous sources have said O'Neal wants to play in L.A., but the Lakers simply do not want to part with Odom and Bynum to make it work.

Lakers officials declined to comment Thursday.

Talks between the Pacers and Lakers could be jump-started again as the June 28 draft draws closer.

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Interesting that Jermaine could be going to the Lakers (as I mentioned could happen in another thread ) and though he is injuryprone the last few seasons, Lakers really should go for this trade of Odom and Bynum for Jermaine and Murphy. Murphy may not be as highly rated anymore but he would get rebounds and open outside shots on Lakers team with Jermaine and Kobe. Surprised Pacers aren't asking for more as Bynum may end up a bust. If this trade was to happen, Lakers could be a serious team next season, depending on health of Jermaine

Kobe's already reitterated to Jerry Buss that he wants to be traded.

Even if LA does come up were Jermaine O'Neal, its still possible that Kobe may still want out of town. Have you heard the way Shaq talks about Jerry Buss? Nobody on the Lakers respects the guy.

Going after Jermaine is like going after Artest; the short term effects are huge, the long-term effects are a stall. O'Neal is injury-prone, immature, and has a max contract. On a team like Golden State, he'd thrive because he doesn't have to be the only option. But on teams like Indiana or LA, where they'd both demand 25/10/2 out of him, his body breaks down fast.

Kobe apparently has made it look like he wants to be traded. That guy is a loser and should come out like a man and say what he really wants.

About jermaine, I think he is very mature and has put up with more than most stars would, with the Artest brawl and then Artest leaving instead of sticking it out with the Pacers like most there expected. Jermaine's biggest negative is that he is injuryprone recently. Reckon Kobe would stay in the Lakers if the rumoured trade was to happen but hard to tell

migya wrote:Kobe apparently has made it look like he wants to be traded. That guy is a loser and should come out like a man and say what he really wants.

Uh?. He has already said three times that he wants to be traded. It's pretty clear what he really wants.

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:Kobe apparently has made it look like he wants to be traded. That guy is a loser and should come out like a man and say what he really wants.

Uh?. He has already said three times that he wants to be traded. It's pretty clear what he really wants.

And then he turned around and said the opposite. He has to make a statement that leaves no doubt as to what he wants, to be traded or not

migya wrote:And then he turned around and said the opposite. He has to make a statement that leaves no doubt as to what he wants, to be traded or not

What he said later is that he would stay a Laker if they improve enough to be a contender. I don't see the contradiction. He just wants to win.

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:And then he turned around and said the opposite. He has to make a statement that leaves no doubt as to what he wants, to be traded or not

What he said later is that he would stay a Laker if they improve enough to be a contender. I don't see the contradiction. He just wants to win.

If he just wanted to win he wouldn't be such a selfish bastard

migya wrote:If he just wanted to win he wouldn't be such a selfish bastard

I do agree with that. Although, on the other side, the Lakers wouldn't be in the playoffs if he weren't that selfish.

TMC wrote:

migya wrote:If he just wanted to win he wouldn't be such a selfish bastard

I do agree with that. Although, on the other side, the Lakers wouldn't be in the playoffs if he weren't that selfish.

The team concept goes out the window with Bryant though so that team will never be any better than what they have been

migya wrote:Kobe apparently has made it look like he wants to be traded. That guy is a loser and should come out like a man and say what he really wants.

err...I think Kobe has made it pretty damn clear he wants to be traded, bro!

migya wrote:Kobe apparently has made it look like he wants to be traded. That guy is a loser and should come out like a man and say what he really wants.

I completely disagree. Kobe said exactly what was on his mind.

Mitch Kupchak is among the worst GMs in the league. Going from winning 3 titles in a row to being a 'playoff-maybe' in less than 5 years is just ridiculous. The Lakers would still be winning rings today if anybody other than Kupchak was the GM. If Shaq and Kobe were together today, there's no doubt in my mind they'd have 5 rings by now.

Kobe's right to be calling out the franchise. LA is in disarray... largely due to Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak's doing... yet the league incriminates Kobe more than anybody else for the Laker's fiasco. Why not expose the true instigators to the Laker's slow, cruel demise? Its been over 3 years since Shaq left the team and the Lakers still don't win. Why? Because LA's not an attractive enough city to lure free agents? Because Kobe's not playing like an MVP every year? **** no. It's Buss & Kupchak's fault. If I were Kobe, I'd say the same thing. How frustrating is it to get, virtually, NOTHING back for Shaquille O'Neal? How long did that set the Orlando Magic back?

migya wrote:About jermaine, I think he is very mature and has put up with more than most stars would, with the Artest brawl and then Artest leaving instead of sticking it out with the Pacers like most there expected. Jermaine's biggest negative is that he is injuryprone recently. Reckon Kobe would stay in the Lakers if the rumoured trade was to happen but hard to tell

Who would the Lakers trade to get Jermaine? Odom's not enough... and they've proven they won't part with Bynum.

32 wrote:

migya wrote:Kobe apparently has made it look like he wants to be traded. That guy is a loser and should come out like a man and say what he really wants.

I completely disagree. Kobe said exactly what was on his mind.

Mitch Kupchak is among the worst GMs in the league. Going from winning 3 titles in a row to being a 'playoff-maybe' in less than 5 years is just ridiculous. The Lakers would still be winning rings today if anybody other than Kupchak was the GM. If Shaq and Kobe were together today, there's no doubt in my mind they'd have 5 rings by now.

Kobe Bryant lead to Shaq being shipped out of LA, everyone knows that! That selfish turd deserves nothing good

32 wrote:

migya wrote:About jermaine, I think he is very mature and has put up with more than most stars would, with the Artest brawl and then Artest leaving instead of sticking it out with the Pacers like most there expected. Jermaine's biggest negative is that he is injuryprone recently. Reckon Kobe would stay in the Lakers if the rumoured trade was to happen but hard to tell

Who would the Lakers trade to get Jermaine? Odom's not enough... and they've proven they won't part with Bynum.

The Lakers would go for that trade

The only way the Lakers get someone like O'Neal is if they part ties with Bynum. He's the Ike Diogu of a possible trade between the Pacers and Lakers. Bird's wanted Diogu since his rookie season, he was pretty much the key to the Warriors getting a huge steal in their trade. Bynum is a big part in getting O'Neal if they want him.

But no matter what, O'Neal would never work well in LA. If Kobe leaves, O'Neal will be their only and primary scoring option. He can't do any good if he's their only man.

Jermaine wants to go to a contending team so any move to get him would mean the Lakers would have to keep Kobe. Both together could be a duo that leads the Lakers to some 50 wins but since Kobe is so selfish, it likely wouldn't work anyway

migya wrote:

32 wrote:

migya wrote:Kobe apparently has made it look like he wants to be traded. That guy is a loser and should come out like a man and say what he really wants.

I completely disagree. Kobe said exactly what was on his mind.

Mitch Kupchak is among the worst GMs in the league. Going from winning 3 titles in a row to being a 'playoff-maybe' in less than 5 years is just ridiculous. The Lakers would still be winning rings today if anybody other than Kupchak was the GM. If Shaq and Kobe were together today, there's no doubt in my mind they'd have 5 rings by now.

Kobe Bryant lead to Shaq being shipped out of LA, everyone knows that! That selfish turd deserves nothing good

That's funny, since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal have both confirmed in interviews that Jerry Buss was the instigator behind O'Neal's trade. And I'll bet you anything that Phil Jackson would say the same thing.

migya wrote:

32 wrote:

migya wrote:About jermaine, I think he is very mature and has put up with more than most stars would, with the Artest brawl and then Artest leaving instead of sticking it out with the Pacers like most there expected. Jermaine's biggest negative is that he is injuryprone recently. Reckon Kobe would stay in the Lakers if the rumoured trade was to happen but hard to tell

Who would the Lakers trade to get Jermaine? Odom's not enough... and they've proven they won't part with Bynum.

The Lakers would go for that trade

The Lakers won't trade Bynum. That is a fact.

If you won't part with Bynum for Ron Artest or Jason Kidd, why would you suddenly change your mind when it comes to Jermaine O'Neal? LA's proven that they believe their future lies on Bynum's shoulders. Therefore, its far more likely that Kobe will be dealt, rather than Bynum.