Selling the Melo-Drama (Why the Lakers should re-evaluate Carmelo Anthony)

I would’ve hoped the Lakers management learned from Dwight Howard to think wisely on which big names to chase. The Lakers need a new face but they need the right face and the right pieces around said face to work. That's why when considering Carmelo Anthony, I don't like it because it reminds me of the chase for Howard.

Howard is a great player but he wasn’t a good fit because 1) he didn’t have a role in Mike D’Antoni’s offense, 2) he was coming off a back injury, 3) he didn’t solve the Lakers biggest problems. Defending the perimeter and point guard play. Plus the Lakers didn’t need size as much as they needed help in the backcourt and on the wing.

Enter Melo. A shooting star who can score from anywhere. A volume shooter who happens to play similar to one Kobe Bryant. Which is nice except Melo isn't a ballhandler or a good defender. I've seen him for 11 years and I don't see where he can lead any team to a championship with the way he plays. Yes he won at Syracuse but Jim Boeheim's system isn't the NBA and while he can you into the playoffs, he needs more help than just outscoring folks.

So why go after him? Because he’s a big name? That’s a sign of desperation. You can’t convince me Carmelo is a great fit here with the team as constructed. When you need upgrades at point guard and defense, what on Earth makes you think he fixes those problems?

Lakers Fans vs. Kobe Fans

Losing reveals a lot of things. It tests your character and it exposes a lot things. In the case of the Lakers, it exposed a lot folks stooping to desperate levels.

For the first time, I heard Lakers fans and fan sites talk about tanking - that silly concept I debunked earlier this year. I settled for accepting a team that was competitive and moral victories meant giving up less than 100 points. I dealt with Nick Young being the West Coast JR Smith except not as destructive. And then there’s the Kobe conundrum.

If this season exposed anything, it’s the great divide between Lakers fans and Kobe fans. One group of folks know the Lakers way and respect the franchise as much or more than one player. The other group believes in Kobe Bean Bryant and can sometimes forget the realities of the game.

Yes, Kobe's opinion and actions matter considering he's given half his life to the team. But at the same time, resting the hopes of next year solely on him is a fool's errand. Yet there are fans who do this and I can't figure out why they can't balance their love for Kobe with the same reality check other superstars have.

Andy Kamenetzky did a great job laying this out and to add on to it, here’s things I notice.

Friday Wrap! (Weekend Links and Thinks)

Saw the Lakers' recent preseason game against Utah and I realized this team might actually be alright. For the first time in a while, they have youth and guys who can score on their own. If Steve Nash stays healthy, he might actually feel like he's in Phoenix again with Xavier Henry, Nick Young and Jordan Farmar splitting some backup duties with Steve Blake.
Alas, that tough opening schedule makes it also easy to realize it's going to be every bit a struggle as I thought. But I'm glad Kobe is taking his time because it's not how the season starts but how it ends.

The Grambling situation has been far too complicated for me to address here. As someone whose parents and sister went to HBCUs and personally had to overcome my anti-HBCU bias in college, I'm saddened by what the administration and the Louisiana government have done here and I'm glad the players took an eloquent stand for their rights and safety.

Check out the excellent Monday edition of His & Hers Podcast with Jemele Hill, Michael Smith and HBCU product Bomani Jones speaking on it all.

Tell me which sounds better? The Boston Red Sox saw their nine-game World Series streak ended or they lost their first game in 27 years? Which is more accurate when you add that Boston has only been in three World Series since 1986 and had completely different teams in 2004, 2007 and this year. You decide but as I always say, context is so critical and we as the media need to do better with numbers to make it sound cool AND accurate

That said, on to the links of what I've done this week.

Peace Go With You, Metta

As expected, the Lakers waived Metta World Peace using their amnesty provision, ending his four-year tenure with the team. His impact is simple. Much as I didn't like losing Trevor Ariza in 2009, the Lakers don't win the 2010 NBA championship without MWP's contributions in the playoffs.

Many of us remember this. Game 7 of the 2010 Finals. I watched at my house with several of my close friends after failing to get a spot at Buffalo Wild Wings.  I remember talking to my man Keith about the game beforehand and he predicted that MWP would play huge to seal it. It was a vintage performance that I celebrated the following day.

Which led to this classic press conference that will live forever in NBA history. Not just for the comedy and pure joy, but the honesty - esp. when he acknowledged his Pacers days.

But I also remember this. His buzzer beater to beat the Suns in Game 5 in the 2010 Western Conference Finals. Right place, right time, basketball IQ to follow Kobe's shot, fight for the rebound and put it up.

I feel glad that we got to see Ron Artest mature in Los Angeles and grow into Metta World Peace, a funny character who was still fiery on the court. A fierce advocate for mental health awareness. A reminder to be yourself and be free. A winner of the NBA's Citizenship Award and a reminder that anybody can change if we allow ourselves to see them grow up instead of what they used to be.

It's been a fun four years. Metta may not be the dominant two-way threat he was 10 years ago but he's still a solid player. He'll be fondly remembered here like many other Lakers who won a title and endeared themselves to Los Angeles. I'll miss his antics, his passion, his fierce defense, those Metta moments that only he could do.

I'll leave it with words from the legendary Gil Scott Heron that inspired this title. Thank you, Metta World Peace.

What's Next for the Lakers (Apocalypse Now)

Now that Dwight Howard is gone and we've all dealt with the aftermath, I want to look deeper in what faces the Lakers in 2013-14.  In short, it's basically "Apocalypse Now". The result of two seasons that have left the this team without an identity and wondering what's going on.

Folks wondered when the Lakers' recent good stretch would end and the downfall has come. It's true they made the playoffs the last two years but we've known that the flaws of this team have been evident. The lack of perimeter defense, players getting older, an inconsistent bench...all of it showed at times and it really showed during the playoffs.

At this point, I and a few other Laker fans have accepted that this season is probably a lost one. Let's look at why.

The best five now? Pau Gasol, Chris Kaman, Steve Nash, Jodie Meeks and Jordan Hill. It looks good but consider that Nash will be 40 next February and Kaman, while still only 31, had a career-low in rebounds last year while struggling in Dallas. Nash's health was a problem last year so the hope is that he can play at least 60-70 games.

Gasol will probably be the team's best offensive weapon. At 33, he's still an effective power forward despite being misused as a jump shooter. I'm not worried about his game as much as I'm worried about Mike D'Antoni keeping him away from the post where he can do just as much damage. In the last year of his contract, Gasol needs to be able to show all he can to convince the Lakers to resign him if they so choose.

Meeks and Hill aren't bad but Meeks/Hill are role players. Hill also plays the same position as Gasol so chances are they won't start. So who will be the Lakers' small forward until Kobe Bryant comes back?

Analyzing the Dwightmare (D12, The Media and the Lakers)

So Dwight Howard is a Houston Rocket. Just as I expected in May. No real surprise so allow me to break down this whole thing a bit, starting with how this impacts D12. I'll quickly add that I hate calling this a Dwightmare so apologies for the title when really Dwight handled this quite well.

Howard goes to a team where he'll be loved and get what he wants. I don't have a problem with that. He earned the right to decide where he was going and what was a great fit. He earned the right to pick his future at his own pace and with careful thought. It's never easy to make a decision involving that much money and the prime of his career.

If the last three years have taught us anything, Howard's biggest issue is that he wants to be loved and being unaware of how it makes him look. He's a gifted player on the court but offensively, he's not as refined as he is defensively or as a rebounder.

Injured or not, he didn't adjust to a town where he wasn't coddled and had high expectations from Day One. It's not about rings, it's about embracing a mentality of toughness and going all out. I didn't see him as a true Laker because I didn't see that desire all the time.

I feel he wanted the love without the criticism. It's not easy playing with Kobe Bryant or surrounded by hungry veterans who don't have time to clown. Not to mention losing left a sour taste on things. That's why most of the vibe here is good riddance and good luck. Besides it wasn't as if Dwight gave folks a great glimpse of what he can do.

Are the Lakers Getting Desperate?

So this is real huh?

We know that Dwight Howard has a decision to make. We also know that he didn't impress many during his 2012-13 season due to his injury recovery, mental state, lack of post moves and overall inconsistent play despite leading the league in rebounds. Heck, we know the Clippers have stolen the buzz in LA with a thunderclap with Doc Rivers.

It's important the Lakers do their best to convince Howard to stay here, despite my nonchalance over it. But this billboard the Lakers have on Staples Center? This has gone too far.

What has this team become? With Kobe hurting and Pau Gasol or Metta World Peace maybe being amnestied, this is what they stoop to?? Begging a quality big man to stay instead of working hard to convince him behind the scenes?? Begging?!??!?!?!?!

Lakers fans don't beg someone to stay. Neither do the Lakers. They don't hang billboards like teams who haven't had anything close to their years of success. They don't reduce themselves to being at the mercy of a free agent. Free agents choose to be here or don't. No harm, no foul.

A Moment of Truth: Kobe is Mortal

This is not a eulogy for Kobe Bryant or his career.

This is, however, a moment of truth where we finally realize that one of the greatest athletes of our generation is mortal. Mortal after rupturing his Achilles tendon in one of the worst Los Angeles sports moments in a decade.

I saw the injury and figured it was serious but nothing he couldn't come back from. I've seen Kobe play with injured fingers, bad knees and any assortment of small injuries you can think of. When he misses a game, it surprises you. I figured he'd be back on Sunday.

I was wrong. So wrong that when I left the movie theater 3 hours after seeing the Lakers win and heard the news, I called my girlfriend feeling numb. One of my church members did pass away Friday so to compare reacting to an injury to death seems foolishness. But the numbness I felt on that drive home was about as bad as a non-death or personal moment can be.

Seeing Kobe fall was like seeing Derek Jeter fall in the ALDS last year. A bad injury this late in an iconic career is still beatable but harder. It's Father Time's greatest ally - old injuries means longer recovery and a reminder that he's undefeated.

LA Lakers: No Sleep Til Playoffs

Your weekly video update not only features an underrated Jurassic 5 jam but an understanding of why I'm so cool, calm and collected after Kobe's gem last night and Pau Gasol had one of his best all-around games.

1 game above Utah. 3 games left. The Lakers have to at least go 2-1 to put themselves in the playoffs, assuming Utah doesn't go 3-0.

Also, I end by speculating on where Kobe should finish in the MVP voting and on the All-NBA teams. Here's a hint, it's nowhere near first, second or third as King James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony locked those spots.

Celebrating Shaq's Night (and Shaming Those Who Didn't)

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Tuesday was a great night to be a Lakers fan. Shaquille O'Neal's No. 34 was raised to the rafters and it felt like being at another Lakers parade where the Diesel wielded the mic to the loud applause of the faithful fans.

While most media/Lakers fans rightly celebrated the moment, some chose to still stir up dead embers of his feud with Kobe Bryant. Exhibit A: Bill Plaschke's commentary from last night. Instead of praise and fond memories of an era he covered, he nitpicks what didn't happen between the duo.

Now imagine me yesterday. All day I was thinking about how great it would be to see No. 34 go up to the rafters. Even when I called my girlfriend last night after leaving my youth group, she didn't answer because she was watching the ceremony. That's the kind of love L.A. had for the successful eight years of Shaq.

Plaschke missed the chance to focus on it. Nevermind that Kobe made a video praising Shaq and Shaq mentioned Kobe in his own video tribute. Since 2006, Shaq and Kobe have made peace. They may not be "buddy buddy buddy all up in your face" but they're far more respectful and comfortable than they were before.