The Miami Heat have finally made their move, landing the three biggest free agents on the market. But what will the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers do to counteract this "dream team"? Can they be beat? Yes.
The Heat still need a team. Reports are that Miami are closing in on trading Michael Beasley to Minnesota for a future draft pick, which would leave the Heat with only four players under contract. Their roster only consists of LeBron, Wade, Bosh, and Mario Chalmers. They will need to fill out the rest of their roster with minimum contract deals, and I don't see any good players wanting to play for less than the mid-level exception.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are still stacked. They have Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Odom, Artest, and have just signed Steve Blake to a 4-year deal, making them the best team in the NBA for the foreseeable future. But could they get better? Yes.
Reports have been circulating around the league that Tracy McGrady is willing to take a huge pay cut in order to join in on the Lake Show. Also, sources close to the league have reported that Mike Miller is willing to take a 5-year $30 million contract with LA, however, the deal hasn't fallen through just yet.
Additionally, there are amazing rumors that Shaquille O'Neal will also join the Lakers for a second go-around. He will, of course, have to agree to a veterans minimum and a bench role. However, reports suggest that the Atlanta Hawks are looking to sign Shaq to a 2-year deal.
If all things fall into place, the Lakers lineup should look something like this:
Center: Andrew Bynum, Shaquille O'Neal
Power Forward: Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom
Small Forward: Ron Artest, Mike Miller, Luke Walton
Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Sasha Vujacic
Point Guard: Derek Fisher, Steve Blake, Shannon Brown
A team like this will compete beautifully with any "Dream Team" that Miami can put out. What do you think?
**You can reach the author of this post at kc@gacksports.com
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- Category: NBA
- Tags: Dwyane Wade, lebron james, los angeles lakers, Miami Heat, Mike Miller, shaquille o'neal, Tracy McGrady
I wouldn't mind if Shaq returned to the Lakers, if these things happened first:
1.) Shaq makes an apology during a press conference for the things he said about L.A. and Kobe over the years (specifically that 2008 Kobe diss-rap). 2.) Shaq, upon re-signing, announces right off the bat that this team belongs to Kobe and Pau, 3.) Shaq obviously takes a major pay cut and 4.) Shaq starts on the bench. GO LAKERS!
I've been thinking about Tracy mcgrady going to the lakers since the season ended and I didn't even know he was intrested in coming. Lakers need him more than they think. Although he's been out of the game for a while the dude is a 7 time all star and is only 31 years old. If anyone should be taken a gamble on it's Tracy. it's not like he would be starting anyways and coming off the bench with odom the bench would be tough for any team. But ultimately it comes down to the heat and the lakers need to shore up their bench to compete. If I'm Kobe I'm telling mitch kupchak. Get me Tracy and mike miller cuz I'm more deserving of a dream team than lebron.
lmao this is a pipedream lmao its not gonna happen get these deals just won't happen bogut coming to the lakers jaja sign and trade deal im presuming just wake up and smell the coffee dude
let me retract my last comment im a little tired but shaq and tracy are pipe dreams i tihkn tracy is more likely to go lakers than boston he would mess around with chemistry
Mike Miller joining the heat and most likely shaq to your just a fan of the lakers should have stated that.
um... steve blake was signed by the MLE and took 4 from the 5.8
how r they going to sign Mike Miller
genius...
To be even put in the same category as the lakers must mean miami heat is a threat to many. Listen whom ever is assembled on whatever team does not mean that pat riley spent blood sweat and money to get the newest big 3 here for nothing. The guy is a genious period. I see miami heat being champs for a long time because they act, think, and make moves like champs. SMOKE ON THAT???
I am also sick of everyone saying jordan and magic and bird did it on there own. "Why cant lebron". They had 14 other guys STUPID!! JORDAN had pipen, grant, cartwright ......MAGIC had worthy, jabbar, scott......BIRD had mcCale, robert parish, and all 3 teams won championships. Why on earth are people criticizing lebron saying he cant do it on his own. NOBODY CAN!!! Everyone needs help. Instead of congradulating lebron for wanting to win championships you critics want to hate on him. The whole idea of sports is who can WIN not who can stay with there team the longest. Find something else to cry about. losers.
We already slayed a green three headed monster. Garnett, Allen and Pierce oh yeah don't forget Rondo. It will take time for these three All-Stars to gel. They will win a Championship but not this coming season. We can give the edge to Miami on the backcourt, but Bosh will be overwhelmed with our front three. Dont forget these three have to contend in a rough eastern conference. Boston, Chicago and Orlando. Then stay healthy through out the year thru the playoffs. One of three goes down, there is a major drop off there. One thing I want to say about LeBron. He should havemade his own legacy. Stayed home, join the Knicks rebuild in New Jersey where he could have been the MAN!! Jordan didn't call Barkley and Ewing to create a super team when he struggled to win. He got scared!! he didn't want to become a Malone or Barkley. Great players with no championship. He didnt will a team to win he joined a team that on paper looks like a championship caliber team. Good Luck Queen James!!!
Could you give us some sources for all these rumors?... Because i can't find it any where but here that the lakers are gonna get shaq... the t-mac thing isnt gonna happen... and they dont have money to sign mike miller now that they signed blake...
shaq would never return to the lakers because he would be seen as kobe's bitch, suckign off kobe to get a ring
so you can forget that!