Fox Sports Net's Jack Haley is reporting the Lakers will trade Vlade Divac, Caron Butler and Devean George to the Utah Jazz in exchange for big man Carlos Boozer, pending league approval.
Trade rumors swirled around the Lakers all through All-Star Weekend in Denver, particularly forward Lamar Odom. One report Sunday said Odom had been offered to the Kings for All-Star forward Peja Stojakovic. And another said that Odom was dangled to Utah in a Boozer trade.
But the Los Angeles Times reported Monday that the Lakers said Odom had not been discussed in any trade talks.
I think it is a good long term deal for Utah. They overpaid for Boozer and deluded themselves into thinking the team's success last season wasn't a mirage, and now get him off of the cap for the next 5 years. Butler could still turn out to be a good 17 pt/6 reb/2.5 assist per game player, and he's relatively cheap. Vlade will be off the cap soon and George is a guy they could package in the off-season. Of course, clicking on Boozer's name in the story to get his stats come these quotes from Utah regarding this possible trade: Utah VP Kevin O'Connor call the rumor "absoluely ludicrous," and team owner Larry Miller can't envision a scenario where they would trade Boozer.
Chad Ford was just saying that the Jazz were thinking that Boozer at the 4 and AK-47 at the 3 would be the way to go, but that Kirilenko has been struggling defending small forwards and the team hasn't come together since AK's return, so in that respect I like this deal for the Jazz, swapping out Boozer and an out-of-position-Kirilenko for an in-position-Kirilenko and Butler.
I REALLY like this trade for the Lakers, though. Bryant, Odom, AND Boozer? With Atkins & Mihm that's a pretty solid starting five.
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Carlos Boozer should be great as a second or third option in this league. Expecting him to carry a team let alone one in the deep western conference was a mistake in the first place. Then when AK-47 went down it made it even worse on him. I think the Lakers are stealing him and he should make for a great second man with Kobe for the next few years.
The Jazz on Monday continued to deny rumors of a possible trade with the Los Angeles Lakers involving power forward Carlos Boozer. Rumors involving Boozer and Lakers forwards Lamar Odom and Caron Butler, emanating from the just-concluded NBA All-Star Weekend in Denver, were rampant in various reports Monday. The Chicago Tribune: "The talk includes a package of (Lakers) Caron Butler, Luke Walton and Slava Medvedenko for Boozer." ESPNInsider.com's Chad Ford: "Sunday, Odom's name surfaced in another rumor, one that had him, (Caron) Butler and Jumaine Jones going to the Jazz for Carlos Boozer and Matt Harpring." Ford, however, also reported Monday that the Jazz-Lakers rumors were without merit. Yet one Web site even claimed agreement on a Jazz-Lakers deal had been reached, using the banner headline "Lakers reportedly to get Boozer from Jazz."
Originally posted by DJ FrostyFreeze(Almost) any scenario that gets that loser Devean George & that bum Vlade off the roster works for me.
No deal. Never was a deal. The Lakers get to keep all their stiffs and Kobe. Did you notice all the high fives Kobe got at the all-star game? Yeah, me neither.
Prepping for the Celtics/Lakers game tonight, pieman?
Anyhwow, ESPN confirmed it. The deal (if there even was one) is dead.
Originally posted by Chad FordThe ugly ones not only aren't happening, but never were discussed and make no sense for at least one of the teams allegedly involved. In short, they look a lot like the "reports" out of L.A. and New York over the weekend that the Jazz had agreed to send Carlos Boozer to the Lakers for Caron Butler, Devean George and Vlade Divac.
That scenario, reported both by Fox Sports' Jack Haley and the New York Post's Peter Vecsey, reeks of all three "ugly rumor" criteria.
As of late Monday, Haley was standing by his story. Tuesday's L.A. Times quoted Haley as saying, "I'm very confident in my report. Whether it happens or not is not important." Vecsey at least admitted in his Tuesday column that he hadn't bothered talking to Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor before reporting it. When he did, he found out the same thing most of us found out Sunday. The rumor, to quote O'Connor, is "ludicrous."
Monday, Insider quoted O'Connor as saying there was no substance even to a much more plausible rumor – Boozer and Matt Harpring for Lamar Odom and Butler. Insider also asked O'Connor on Sunday about the other scenario – Boozer for Butler, George and Divac – but he shot it down so quickly we didn't even bother writing about it.
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak also denied Monday that the two sides were even talking.
Now comes word – via the same Jazz official that told Insider two weeks ago the Jazz would be willing to move Boozer for the right player, preferably an All-Star-caliber point guard – that the chances of a Boozer trade actually happening before Thursday's deadline are slim.
TNT is calling this week in the NBA "Rivalries week". I dont know what other games are on the schedule for TNT this week, but hopefully the other "rivalries" going on arent as 10+ years old (and DEAD) as this one is.
Back on topic, how depressing. Not that we didnt get Boozer specifically, but that it's already Tuesday afternoon, and Laker GM "Asleep at the Switch" Mitch Kupchak hasnt made any personel moves yet, and probably wont before Thursday's trade deadline.
Originally posted by DJ FrostyFreezeWhatta mean old man pieman turned out to be
What do you expect? Pieman is a Giants fan (J/K Pieman)
Originally posted by DJ FrostyFreezeTNT is calling this week in the NBA "Rivalries week". I dont know what other games are on the schedule for TNT this week, but hopefully the other "rivalries" going on arent as 10+ years old (and DEAD) as this one is.
That's true. While the Lakers successfully re-loaded post the Magic/Kareem era, the post-Reggie Lewis passing on years were destroyed by the Pitino/Wallace regime. As for this game tonight, it's on NBA TV, not TNT.
Originally posted by DJ FrostyFreezeBack on topic, how depressing. Not that we didnt get Boozer specifically, but that it's already Tuesday afternoon, and Laker GM "Asleep at the Switch" Mitch Kupchak hasnt made any personel moves yet, and probably wont before Thursday's trade deadline.
To me that deal sounded too one-sided in the Lakers favor. I'm not too surprised it looks to be untrue at this point.
BTW, nice pic in your signature. (edited by BOSsportsfan34 on 22.2.05 1836)