2. Sign and trade for Chauncey Billups and Flip Murray to lakers and
Smush Parker, Chris Mihm ,and Aaron McKie to Pistons. (If necessary ).

3. Sign Darko Milimic, Andres Nocioni, Mo Petterson, and Anderson
Varajao. ( If necessary )

I completely agree. the lakers biggest problem was lack of perimeter defense. However, the line up you presented does not work. In the trangle the PG position does not have a big part in the offense so playing Kobe at the point does not work, Kobe needs to play at the wing position. You could put artest where pippen played and then let Odom do the playmaking since artest is not a good play maker. Walton could play the “PG” in the offense which really is just a spot up shooter for the most part like KERR. Then you would just have Walton guard the player that was the least offensive threat on the opposing team. But i think if you could add a pure shooter to that line up and someone that oculd possibly bring the ball up the floor then you could bring Walton off the bench to run the offense and increase the bench depth.

The other BIG problem is that Artest would not work as a Laker. He’s not really interested in being a team player he’s more interested in being the team. He wants to be the center of the offense and obviously playing with Kobe he would not be. But if Jackson could control him and he could buy into the whole team concept I think it would be a good fit, but thats a big risk.

That team would definitely be better. All you would need is a good interior defender, Brown is a good defender but he would have to go in a trade for artest, and a couple of shooters to increase the depth of the bench.

James

Howard

The announcement of the trade’s completion was made Thursday by the Timberwolves, who also dealt forward Justin Reed to Houston.

“Even Houston thinking about me is a blessing but until I see it on the ticker I won’t believe it. I’m so excited,” James told Houston television station KRIV on Wednesday night prior to the trade’s completion. “It would give me that chance to retire in Houston.”

The Timberwolves beat out Houston for James’ free-agent signature last summer because of their willingness to include a trade kicker in the well-traveled point guard’s four-year, $23.4 million contract, but the acquisition was questioned from the start after Minnesota landed Randy Foye in the 2006 draft.

“Maybe this will be good for both sides,” James was quoted as telling the Star Tribune in a story posted Wednesday night on the newspaper’s Web site. “You know, it’s tough. Change is always tough. But, for me, it’s like going back home.”

James then struggled to make an impact with his new team, averaging just 10.1 points in 25.3 minutes per game and eventually losing his starting spot after enjoying a breakout season in Toronto in 2005-06.

A strong recruiting pitch from Wolves forward Kevin Garnett — along with the trade bonus he held out for in negotiations — convinced James to spurn similar financial offers from the Dallas Mavericks and the Rockets, even though he maintains an offseason home in Houston. But the intense Garnett and the chatty James clashed almost from the start, according to club sources, adding to the Wolves’ remorse after it quickly became apparent that there wasn’t rotation room for James and Foye.

So the Wolves decided by midseason that they would try to move their lone significant offseason acquisition and were on the verge of sending James to Houston for Howard when the deal fell through on Feb. 22, in part because the Rockets were reluctant to change the chemistry on a team that wound up overcoming numerous injuries to win 52 games.

But Houston’s interest in James and adding depth to its backcourt under new coach Rick Adelman hasn’t wavered, thanks to the 31-year-old’s successful stint with the Rockets in the second half of the 2004-05 season.

“This has been difficult,” James told ESPN.com in late March when asked to describe his debut season with the Wolves. “Physically, mentally, emotionally … all of the above.”

Garnett, meanwhile, is expected to welcome the arrival of Howard, a 34-year-old former All-Star, after publicly calling — repeatedly — for more size in the Wolves’ frontcourt and more of a veteran presence in the locker room.

Howard averaged 9.7 points and 5.9 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per game last season. His contract is one year shorter than James’ deal, with just two seasons to run at $14.3 million

PG: Kobe Bryant
SG: Ron Artest
SF: Luke Walton
PF: Lamar Odom
C : Andrew Bynum

That is a big lineup in which two players, Kobe and Artest, can guard the guards that continuously broke down the defense last year. And with Kobe, Walton and Odom, their is more than enough playmaking for the whole team. And IF, thats a big if, Bynum does get better (for example like Al Jefferson of the Celtics), we have a pretty formidable team. Maybe not like Phoenix, Dallas or San Antonio, but like Houston, Utah and Denver.

U’ll hear from me soon.
David Brickley

At least from all reports around it seems that the Lakers and Indy are talking and heading towards the trade. Again, it won’t officially go down until after the finals and probably when Tellum returns. Sounds like everything is in place. Reports say Bynum is off the table which would really be great. Anyone who doesn’t think JO will fit a lot better than Odom is on the wrong track. He will be a much better power forward to go with Kobe. Tinsley may not be such a fantastic fit but he’s better than what we’ve currently got. We do really need to hold on to Farmar, though. Seriously. I am really hoping that Sasha is in the trade. I do not want to see him play another Laker game.