-Wow long day.. Anyhow, jjust wanted to check in and say that LA is really putting all their cards on the table for Anthony. They desperately want him, and they're hoping he can see the benefits of playing for the Lakers, and what it means to play for the franchise. It's an exciting yet nervous feeling I'm told.. Still optimistic but a bit worrisome that he'll wanna stay in the East and play for the Bulls.. Or think money first and stay with New York. But that's not going to stop them from divulging their plan to him, and it is a good one.
-If Melo stays, Pau will come with him. If he doesn't choose LA.. Gasol is just about 100% gone. He likes the thought of playing for OKC or Miami of all places. But he'd stay for Anthony.. Add Randle and Bryant to that, and a decent placeholder pg.. And regardless of the pessimism.. That's a scary solid team. The Lakers are thinking Randle is almost a surefire thing.. That team can do damage if healthy of course.
-I hear that Kobe is insisting how healthy he is.. That he's coming back better than ever. He's that confident about it. Sure he's got a big ego.. But he knows his body more than anyone else, and him being that sure of himself, along with everyone prematurely shoveling dirt on his grave has him motivated more than ever. That will be relayed heavily to Carmelo as well.
-They'll let him know they'll have the requisite cap space to get the team back into contention, that money won't be a concern.. And that they'd pay luxury tax to ensure the Lakers return to the top, and that they need him in order to do that. He's the first step to doing that.
-They did want Lowry, and they wanted to have him agree before the meeting today to show him that the ball was rolling. But if that would've occurred, like I had heard earlier, they were probably going to ask him to take a lesser salary in order to cobble the rest of the roster together.. And that might not have been good. Especially since they'd then ask Pau to take a paltry sum to stay.. Another not so good look. But that never had a chance of occurring in the end.
-I will say one thing. People, me included, have scratched their heads at the front office, and their decisions, or lack thereof. But I heard that Jim Buss, yes Jim Buss, is working his ass off trying to bring this team back to prominence. He totally understands what fans expect, and the shoes he has to fill. Just know that. The guy cares.
-The last thing, please don't bother listening to Broussard and the ESPN east coast bias. Anthony didn't take the meeting with LA out of respect for Kobe or because it was "on his way home".. What a joke. Carmelo is interested, and to say anything otherwise is nothing but garbage..
