Steve Blake agrees to 4 year deal with the Lakers

[Mike-Dub]

I actually think this is a downgrade if the Lakers don't keep Fisher. I don't know if you guys noticed, but Fisher doesn't miss shots. Like ever. Its infuriating. He also has a lot of friends in the reffing department. He gets to murder  people on D and flop all the time. That makes Blake a weaker defender than Fisher by default (he can't get away with the same crap). Blake might be better on offense but his net plus minus I think will be lower than Fisher's. Fisher gives a little to a medium on offense and a little to a medium on defense. Blake gives a medium on offensive but is a subtraction on defense. Feel me?

Those are all very good points and you could be right.  In one on one I'd choose Blake, but you make very good points on why Fisher could be better than Blake as the starter.

[Lucky17]

It's $4 mil a year, 4 years, according to the folks at ESPN.

So, Blake joins Kobe, Artest, Gasol, and Pegleg Bynum in the starting five.

Laker bench is Odom, Sasha, and Luke Walton. They have vet minimum contracts and roughly $1.8 mil of the MLE left to offer free agents.

Fisher might be an asset they can sign and trade, but who knows how angry he feels after this. He may not care to help them out.

[JSD]

Blake is no Artest with the MLE. From that perspective, I'm happy. I mean, he's a solid distributing point gaurd, can hit the three and take care of the ball but... man he's small.

Hey Rondo, just mucsle the dude to the hoop. You'll have no problem.  

[Rondo_is_better]

It's $4 mil a year, 4 years, according to the folks at ESPN.

So, Blake joins Kobe, Artest, Gasol, and Pegleg Bynum in the starting five.

Laker bench is Odom, Sasha, and Luke Walton. They have vet minimum contracts and roughly $1.8 mil of the MLE left to offer free agents.

Fisher might be an asset they can sign and trade, but who knows how angry he feels after this. He may not care to help them out.

Pegleg is a GREAT nickname for Bynum. We should chant that next year when he's at the line.

[Mike-Dub]

It's gonna be weird seeing Blake as the starter and Fisher not there anymore.  It was weird seeing Kobe without Fisher for those few years and now it is going to be even weired after the last three years.

[thedawg]

How about us offering Fisher 3m/1 year deal just for the sake of it?

[Mike-Dub]

How about us offering Fisher 3m/1 year deal just for the sake of it?

No way!  Fisher is the only Laker I respect, but I do not want him here at all!

[Lucky17]

How about us offering Fisher 3m/1 year deal just for the sake of it?

But that would seriously limit our ability to address the wing and C positions via free agency.

[Who]

It's $4 mil a year, 4 years, according to the folks at ESPN.

So, Blake joins Kobe, Artest, Gasol, and Pegleg Bynum in the starting five.

Laker bench is Odom, Sasha, and Luke Walton. They have vet minimum contracts and roughly $1.8 mil of the MLE left to offer free agents.

Fisher might be an asset they can sign and trade, but who knows how angry he feels after this. He may not care to help them out.

There were some reports saying that Luke Walton may not be able to fully recover from his back injury.

I think there is a good chance that Ebanks gets into the rotation as the main backup wing. Good defender and rebounder. Brings some athleticism and size to the table. I think he'll do a good job for LA if called upon.

The Lakers should try to sign a veteran wing for safety reasons though. Someone like Raja Bell or Rasual Butler. With the remaining MLE money.

[nba is the worst]

Not a surprise, but still a good thing for the lakers and Blake.

I think Fisher will still sign with them as well

[Lucky17]

It's $4 mil a year, 4 years, according to the folks at ESPN.

So, Blake joins Kobe, Artest, Gasol, and Pegleg Bynum in the starting five.

Laker bench is Odom, Sasha, and Luke Walton. They have vet minimum contracts and roughly $1.8 mil of the MLE left to offer free agents.

Fisher might be an asset they can sign and trade, but who knows how angry he feels after this. He may not care to help them out.

There were some reports saying that Luke Walton may not be able to fully recover from his back injury.

I think there is a good chance that Ebanks gets into the rotation as the main backup wing. Good defender and rebounder. Brings some athleticism and size to the table. I think he'll do a good job for LA if called upon.

The Lakers should try to sign a veteran wing for safety reasons though. Someone like Raja Bell or Rasual Butler. With the remaining MLE money.

Bell's name came up recently. But I think he could get more than the vet min from a contender. Miami, if they make the FA splash they hope to.

Bynum will have to rehab from his surgery, and likely won't be ready for the regular season opener. They'll sorely need a big to help fill in. Did they draft a rookie big as well?

[Mike-Dub]

It's $4 mil a year, 4 years, according to the folks at ESPN.

So, Blake joins Kobe, Artest, Gasol, and Pegleg Bynum in the starting five.

Laker bench is Odom, Sasha, and Luke Walton. They have vet minimum contracts and roughly $1.8 mil of the MLE left to offer free agents.

Fisher might be an asset they can sign and trade, but who knows how angry he feels after this. He may not care to help them out.

There were some reports saying that Luke Walton may not be able to fully recover from his back injury.

I think there is a good chance that Ebanks gets into the rotation as the main backup wing. Good defender and rebounder. Brings some athleticism and size to the table. I think he'll do a good job for LA if called upon.

The Lakers should try to sign a veteran wing for safety reasons though. Someone like Raja Bell or Rasual Butler. With the remaining MLE money.

Bell's name came up recently. But I think he could get more than the vet min from a contender. Miami, if they make the FA splash they hope to.

Bynum will have to rehab from his surgery, and likely won't be ready for the regular season opener. They'll sorely need a big to help fill in. Did they draft a rookie big as well?

Yeah, Derrick Caracter, but I don't expect him to get a lot of playing time if Bynum is out.  I think they would go with Odom in the starting lineup and play Josh Powell more off the bench.

[nba is the worst]

Blake is no Artest with the MLE. From that perspective, I'm happy. I mean, he's a solid distributing point gaurd, can hit the three and take care of the ball but... man he's small.

Hey Rondo, just mucsle the dude to the hoop. You'll have no problem.  

Well, he's listed at 6'3" to Fisher's 6'1"...

[Lucky17]

Yeah, Derrick Caracter, but I don't expect him to get a lot of playing time if Bynum is out.  I think they would go with Odom in the starting lineup and play Josh Powell more off the bench.

Then they will have to resign Powell, assuming they have his Bird Rights (I think they do).

[Mike-Dub]

Yeah, Derrick Caracter, but I don't expect him to get a lot of playing time if Bynum is out.  I think they would go with Odom in the starting lineup and play Josh Powell more off the bench.

Then they will have to resign Powell, assuming they have his Bird Rights (I think they do).

I didn't know Powell was a free-agent.  I think they go after someone with the vet min then.