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Standing Pat
For the next two weeks, daydreaming will be the favorite pastime of NBA fans. They will try hard picture what Kevin Garnett would look like in a Laker uniform, or what Jason Kidd would look like running the Clippers offense.
Two weeks from today (Feb. 22) is the NBA trading deadline, so for the next fortnight fans on Web sites and sports talk radio hosts will dream up ways the Lakers could trade for Dwyane Wade while only giving up bench-warmer Shammond Williams and a bag of Doritos. In the rarely rational world of sports fandom, this is the silly season.
Laker fans: Don’t get your hopes up. Let me give you three good reasons the Lakers will stand pat:
1) Kevin Garnett is not on the trade block. Is he unhappy in Minnesota? I know I would be. Would he welcome a trade? Probably. Is Minnesota’s ownership going to okay the trade of the one draw they have at the gate and the one last shred of credibility they have with their fan base? No. Not until Garnett asks out. Then, if and when he does ask, the move will come in the off-season when the team has time to evaluate offers without a deadline looming. Bottom line, this ain’t happening in the next two weeks.
2) Andrew Bynum. Laker fans are growing to love him. So are opposing general managers. Every borderline decent trade offer Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak hears in the next two weeks will involve an ask for Bynum. He’s not about to give up a future All-Star center at the age of 19 for anyone not named Garnett (see item 1). Plus, Bynum was the pick Jim Buss pushed the franchise to take two years ago, the kid he staked his reputation on. Think he’s going to let that walk out the door?
3) The triangle offense. The Lakers run one of the more structured and harder to learn offenses in the NBA. It takes a player all of training camp and half a season to start to find his way in Phil's beloved triangle (hey, it won him nine NBA titles). Just ask Vladamir Radmanovic how hard it is - he is just now starting to look comfortable in the offense. If you make a trade now for someone who hasn't played in the offense before, he will still be wandering around lost come playoff time.
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Of course, the best reason to stand pat is that this team is 30-19 on the season, is growing together and is fun to watch. Moves may need to come eventually, but the Laker franchise has never been one of rushed decisions and harried moves. That's not about to change now.
AP photo by Gregory Smith
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