# Laker trade with Orlando



## Rentaponcho (Jun 30, 2006)

on 570 today, Hartman said according to a Laker insider, the Lakers traded Cook and Mo Evans for Trevor Ariza......


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## KillWill (Jul 1, 2003)

*Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/071120_lakersacquireariza.html

welcome back trevor.

thoughts???

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## deanwoof (Mar 10, 2003)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

thoughts - 



Realgm said:


> Failed Trade Scenario
> Sorry, but this trade does not work.
> 
> There were BYC players involved in this trade, so this trade is subject to the BYC provisions of the CBA. Due to L.A. Lakers and Orlando being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. L.A. Lakers and Orlando had to be no more than 125% plus $100,000 of the salary given out for the trade to be accepted, which did not happen here (only L.A. Lakers met the condition). This trade does not satisfy the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.


LOL


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

Wow!! I like that we got rid of Cook. He is not needed with Vlad around and especially so with Cook not being able to hit his shot. 3.5 mill off the books, a good move. I have no clue about this guy we got until this trade happened. Does this mean Karl gets released?


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## koberules24 (Nov 12, 2006)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

Well, they move some salary. I'm not sure I'd take Ariza over Mo Evans though. Ariza has potential but b/c he left UCLA so early he's struggled. I'm not sure where he fits in the Lakers plans or whether they simply acquired him in order to use him as trade bait in a bigger deal.....I HOPE, I HOPE!


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

Cook is gone!!!! yes!!!!


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## KillWill (Jul 1, 2003)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

here's a good one guys -

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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*



CubanLaker said:


> Cook is gone!!!! yes!!!!


HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!!! :yay::clap2::yay::clap2::yay::clap2::bananallama:


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

Oh, happy day!!! Cook is gone everybody!!!


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## Rentaponcho (Jun 30, 2006)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*



DaRizzle said:


> HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!!!! :yay::clap2::yay::clap2::yay::clap2::bananallama:


LOL made my day


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

I love it. Don't really like to see Evans go, but as long as he's taking Cook with him it's all good!!


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## KillWill (Jul 1, 2003)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

the kid's a freakin' pogo stick who loves to play defense. he's got the prototype nba body and a back pocket full of hustle. i think he came out of ucla a little early but i think this is his forth or fifth year now, and he should have the where-with-all to plug right in here.

also this opens a roster slot for critter or coby.

c-webb anyone?


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

I'm sad to see Mo Evans go. However Cook had an adverse effect on the Lakers when he played (good guy and all, just horrible player) and Phil being Phil, he insists on playing Cook.

Good trade overall IMO>


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## koberules24 (Nov 12, 2006)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

Overall, the Lakers squeeze under the luxury tax and get the raw defensive talent they wanted when they almost drafted James White (thank god they didn't).


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*

That means Brian34Cook won't visit Lakers forum.


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## Ninerballin (Feb 21, 2006)

Can you spell D-U-M-B. Ariza isn't worth an NBDL player. WTF is Lakers management thinking?


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Glad Cook is gone...too bad it couldn't be Cook for Ariza straight up. I liked Mo Evans.


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## southeasy (Jun 11, 2003)

ariza is one of my favourite players.. he has quick hands for steals, he has great hustle defense & is one of the better rebounders for SF in the league.. he is a big dunk facial waiting to happen every game if he gets the right kind of play time, i think he will fit in well with kobe.


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## Imdaman (Nov 29, 2006)

Phew, I almost had a heart attack. I was waching PTI and then it went to a commercial break with a special report saying the lakers have finally made a trade. I immediately rushed to this site thinking Kobe got traded but to my surprise nope. I am so happy cook is gone, but I liked Mo though.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

As long as Cook is gone, I like this trade.


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## KillWill (Jul 1, 2003)

Ninerballin; said:


> Can you spell D-U-M-B. Ariza isn't worth an NBDL player. WTF is Lakers management thinking?



not a bowler huh?


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## Duck (Jan 30, 2006)

huh..as a Magic fan I don't really know what to think about Brian Cook now.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

I absolutely hate to see Mo Evans go, but Trevor Ariza is younger and just as good (if not better) of a defender.

However, I am absolutely thrilled about this trade because we got rid of Brian Cook! I hate that bum and I'm so glad we won't have to deal with him for another two years!!!!:clap::clap:

Great trade! I look forward to watching Ariza bounce all over the court.

Good trade for Orlando too. Mo Evans fits better into the 2/3 role that they needed than Ariza did. Cook also gives them a PF that can score...even though he sucks and I hate him.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

So I know very little about this guy, in the article Im reading it says he is known for defense, and looking at his numbers Im hoping thats the case. 

I need more feedback on this guy!!


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

Ninerballin said:


> Can you spell D-U-M-B. Ariza isn't worth an NBDL player. WTF is Lakers management thinking?


He got 9ppg and 4rpg while shooting 54% from the field last year off of Orlando's bench. He's a solid backup and he sheds some salary for us.

Basically, Evans = Ariza, but we lose Brian Cook's ball-hogging and his huge salary along the way.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Cook is gone!!!!!!!

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u280/sarahbear488/happy-2.gif" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><--- Me


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

This could be a move to free up a roster spot for a bigger trade OR Lakers FO was soooo stoked that someone wanted Cook AND would give up someone who isn't a total stiff that they had to do it. Once they heard that they viewed Evans as an acceptable loss


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

This definitely leaves us short-handed for tonight's game, so hopefully that won't affect us much.

By the way, my friend texted me saying the Lakers traded Kobe Bryant for Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. If I had been at class (like I should be), I probably would have gone just about insane. Luckily, I was right by the computer and knew that the trade didn't happen.


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

Hopefully Phil will stop being a ***** and play Critt now


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

I keep wondering is this a domino effect trade where something bigger is coming.

Kinda odd, we trade 2 players who knew the triangle very well for one who doesn't.

I think Ariza is a bigger athlete, but not quite as good a player as Evans overall.When Evans has it going he can really score.

Ariza is explosivce but isn't a real smart player.

Cook was a good change of pace offensively type player. He wasn't good for anything other than shooting but that can be an asset being a bigger deep shooter once the ball rotates.

Mitch was on the radio saying it gives someone like J Critt more of a shot to play at the sg spot.So I guess its not all that bad a thing if Critt can get on the floor.

An odd trade.

I think there's something else coming.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

What the hell is with the sudden Cook hate? Does there have to be a Laker everyone hates for every season?

I don't think this trade really helps or hurts at all. Is Ariza going to play guard? Because I don't want him in over Vladi and Walton. I guess Sasha is the backup SG now? Vladi is the backup PF? Maybe even Mihm?


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

Why does everyone miss Evans? He has athletic ability, but he is a chucker and isn't interested in playing defense.

With Cook gone, we might need to sign another big man.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

KennethTo said:


> Hopefully Phil will stop being a ***** and play Critt now


yeah thats what I'm saying.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> What the hell is with the sudden Cook hate? Does there have to be a Laker everyone hates for every season?
> 
> I don't think this trade really helps or hurts at all. Is Ariza going to play guard? Because I don't want him in over Vladi and Walton. I guess Sasha is the backup SG now? Vladi is the backup PF? Maybe even Mihm?


The Cook hate hasn't just been from this season. The guy refuses to play defense, and offensively, all he does is hang around the perimeter, because he can't post up very well. If the ball is in his hands and he's even remotely open, he'll shoot it. Sure, he knows the Triangle well, but that doesn't mean that he ever PLAYED well.


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## Cris (Jun 18, 2003)

It does blow to lose Evans. I hope this doesn't **** with our bench. 

This does give us a roster spot, which is nice.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

Jamel Irief said:


> What the hell is with the sudden Cook hate? Does there have to be a Laker everyone hates for every season?
> 
> I don't think this trade really helps or hurts at all. Is Ariza going to play guard? Because I don't want him in over Vladi and Walton. I guess Sasha is the backup SG now? Vladi is the backup PF? Maybe even Mihm?


I feel you on this.I never hated Cook because my expectations were reasonable for him. He's a 6'10 jumpshooter. On the right team its gonna be a big asset.He can get really hot and make buckets at times.


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

Ninerballin said:


> Can you spell D-U-M-B. Ariza isn't worth an NBDL player. WTF is Lakers management thinking?


What? I have to strongly disagree with on this point of view. Ariza is a very talented player who tends to produce when given the opportunity. With Cook struggling on both ends of the court while still being in the first year of a mult-year deal, I think the Lakers did very well to get rid of him. Ariza is also in the final year of his deal, so if doesn't work then so be it. At least Cook's contract is off the books. Evans was not going to be re-signed anyway in all likelihood, and he wasn't playing very much anyway.


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

Basel57 said:


> The Cook hate hasn't just been from this season. The guy refuses to play defense, and offensively, all he does is hang around the perimeter, because he can't post up very well. If the ball is in his hands and he's even remotely open, he'll shoot it. Sure, he knows the Triangle well, but that doesn't mean that he ever PLAYED well.


THANK YOU. You laid it out perfectly.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

Not real high on Ariza. I think when all else plays out we should have followed Jamel's idea and gone after Ricky D. 

Losing 2 tri ready players for a young one who's not is questionable. 

Not real high on Ariza at all.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

How much is Ariza making and how long is his contract?

Mo was coming off the books after this year and not making much, Cook was the big salary dump. In order to meet the +/- 25% doesnt that mean he has to make a lot?


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

By the way, even though he may not be the most talented offensive player, he appears to have those certain plays that a team could just build off of. If he was to throw down a jam like some of the ones posted in this thread, the crowd would go insane, and the team would feed off that energy.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> What the hell is with the sudden Cook hate? Does there have to be a Laker everyone hates for every season?


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## KDOS (Nov 29, 2005)

Phil needs to let Javaris gets some minutes with the departure of Mo Evans. I mean just give him 10 minutes for cyring out loud. Kid has shown he can play, preseason it may be, but he just needs to give this guy a chance in order for him showcase his talent.

Phil stop being a retard!


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## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

Weird trade. I guess I am not as big of an Evans fan as a lot of you. He doesn't seem to fit well in the offense at all. When he gets the ball on the elbow, he watches the cutters go by, then jacks up a shot. He shoots nearly everytime he touches the ball. When you get hot Mo, it's a good thing. That's not always the case though. His defense is way overrated. At the same time, I'm thrilled to see Cook go. Don't know a whole lot about Ariza.


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

Jamel Irief said:


> What the hell is with the sudden Cook hate? Does there have to be a Laker everyone hates for every season?
> 
> I don't think this trade really helps or hurts at all. Is Ariza going to play guard? Because I don't want him in over Vladi and Walton. I guess Sasha is the backup SG now? Vladi is the backup PF? Maybe even Mihm?


I've hated Cook every since we drafted his sorry *** instead of Barbosa. My hatred of Cook runs deep.

Vlady can play PF, I don't see why we insist on having him at SF. He does a decent job there. Ariza is also useful for tough defensive assignments (he's pretty much the opposite of Walton, athletic with good defensive ability).


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

elcap15 said:


> How much is Ariza making and how long is his contract?
> 
> Mo was coming off the books after this year and not making much, Cook was the big salary dump. In order to meet the +/- 25% doesnt that mean he has to make a lot?


Three years, $8 million (starting in 2006)


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

elcap15 said:


> How much is Ariza making and how long is his contract?
> 
> Mo was coming off the books after this year and not making much, Cook was the big salary dump. In order to meet the +/- 25% doesnt that mean he has to make a lot?


Orlando used some $2.6 million exception they had to make it work.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

elcap15 said:


> How much is Ariza making and how long is his contract?
> 
> Mo was coming off the books after this year and not making much, Cook was the big salary dump. In order to meet the +/- 25% doesnt that mean he has to make a lot?


Ariza makes 2.7 million this year with a player option for 2.9 next year.

The Magic used a trade exception to cover the difference in salaries.


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

*Re: Cook and Mo traded for Ariza*



Lynx said:


> That means Brian34Cook won't visit Lakers forum.


I'll still be here..unless I was part of the package?


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## Wilmatic2 (Oct 30, 2005)

This came out of nowhere. Ariza's had his moments with the Magic, just needs to be consistent. Sad to see Evans gone, good luck in Orlando Mo.


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## Schilly (Dec 30, 2002)

Just an outsiders view here, but.... I think this is a precursor move. I know supposedly Orlando needed a Big, but they waived Bo Outlaw in order to make the trade, and Outlaw can't be much worse than Cook is. That's not really the main thing though, the main thing is timing. Little dinky trades like this one don't usually happen prior to January or February. The affect to either team is minimal in the long run. LA basically just cleared up a roster slot is about all IMO.

My thinking is a deal with Chicago is in the works with Ben Wallace 2 other players (gordan and Thomas) and 2 1st round picks for Kobe.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Schilly said:


> Just an outsiders view here, but.... I think this is a precursor move. I know supposedly Orlando needed a Big, but they waived Bo Outlaw in order to make the trade, and Outlaw can't be much worse than Cook is. That's not really the main thing though, the main thing is timing. Little dinky trades like this one don't usually happen prior to January or February. The affect to either team is minimal in the long run. LA basically just cleared up a roster slot is about all IMO.
> 
> My thinking is a deal with Chicago is in the works with Ben Wallace 2 other players (gordan and Thomas) and 2 1st round picks for Kobe.


Gordon, Wallace and Thomas would be horrible for Kobe. No thanks.


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

CubanLaker said:


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Good stuff...err...should I say BAD stuff. I'm so happy both of those guys are off the team.


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## KDOS (Nov 29, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> What the hell is with the sudden Cook hate? Does there have to be a Laker everyone hates for every season?



I agree. Cook is what he is. An outside threat with below avergae rebounding skill for a big man, no more. Any defensive contribution from him is a consolation. I think his usefulness will be magnified in Orlando and their magical post presence courtesy of Howard.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

KennethTo said:


> I've hated Cook every since we drafted his sorry *** instead of Barbosa. My hatred of Cook runs deep.
> 
> Vlady can play PF, I don't see why we insist on having him at SF. He does a decent job there. Ariza is also useful for tough defensive assignments (he's pretty much the opposite of Walton, athletic with good defensive ability).


In Cook's second season you came in here and said you take back what you said and that he's a good player.

I hope people won't be shocked when he dumps a couple of 20 point games in Orlando.


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## KDOS (Nov 29, 2005)

And Ariza is an upgrade over Mo Evans defensively. He's a better man to man defender, has more length and shares the same hustle like Mo Evans.


If I remember correctly. Trevor guards Kobe occassionaly last year.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> In Cook's second season you came in here and said you take back what you said and that he's a good player.
> 
> I hope people won't be shocked when he dumps a couple of 20 point games in Orlando.


I wouldn't be shocked since he's done it before in LA.


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

Jamel Irief said:


> In Cook's second season you came in here and said you take back what you said and that he's a good player.
> 
> I hope people won't be shocked when he dumps a couple of 20 point games in Orlando.


Lapse of judgement  I will always resent Cook for the simple fact that he was picked instead of Barbosa.

I can't envision Cook dropping 20 points ever unless he takes 30 shots.


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

I think if you look at my history of cook posts (over 97% of them have had negative connotations).


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

As a whole though, I'm just glad we are grabbing some defensive specialists.

There is no way in hell the lakers are Kobe for the two bens, that would be a god awful trade, a lot worse then the shaq trade ever was. I stick my comment that is better to let Kobe walk next season then to take on Ben Wallace's horrible contract, not to mention that Gordon wants max.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

KennethTo said:


> Lapse of judgement  I will always resent Cook for the simple fact that he was picked instead of Barbosa.
> 
> I can't envision Cook dropping 20 points ever unless he takes 30 shots.


I'm pretty sure you made that statement after one of Cooks 20 point games. He even had 3 last year, remember?


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

Jamel Irief said:


> I'm pretty sure you made that statement after one of Cooks 20 point games. He even had 3 last year, remember?


Don't remember making that comment, though it is possible. My stance still holds that over 97% of my comments about Cook have been negative.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

KennethTo said:


> Don't remember making that comment, though it is possible. My stance still holds that over 97% of my comments about Cook have been negative.


But how do you not envision him dropping 20 when hes done it several times already?


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## KDOS (Nov 29, 2005)

Its just his way of expressing a figure of speech man. Its like saying when people here say, "Derek Fisher sucks, I bet he cant guard my Grandma in her wheelchair"


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## SoCalfan21 (Jul 19, 2004)

We Finally ****ing Did It!


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## afobisme (Apr 29, 2006)

it's a good move by us, but a better move would have been not to extend his contract (especially that was vlad's first season)


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## ElMarroAfamado (Nov 1, 2005)

Ninerballin said:


> Can you spell D-U-M-B. Ariza isn't worth an NBDL player. WTF is Lakers management thinking?


well yeah, Brian Cook is a great player :lol:


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## ElMarroAfamado (Nov 1, 2005)

by the way, good move Brian Cook sucks and although i liked Mo Evans it seems Ariza can replace most everything Mo did, except without the nagging injuries...but hmm whos gonna take Cooks place at PF now


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## afobisme (Apr 29, 2006)

omg this rox, i found a link where i get to watch lakers games live... the screen is small, but i dont care.


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## Ninerballin (Feb 21, 2006)

Damian Necronamous said:


> He got 9ppg and 4rpg while shooting 54% from the field last year off of Orlando's bench. He's a solid backup and he sheds some salary for us.
> 
> Basically, Evans = Ariza, but we lose Brian Cook's ball-hogging and his huge salary along the way.


Evans is twice as good as Ariza. Remember, what Ariza was doing is in the East. Don't think for one minute that Ariza will average those numbers from the bench in the west. Think more of a 4 ppg 2 rpg type of guy that throws down a dunk or two.

What are the Magic going to do with Cook anyways? I don't know, maybe Cook can actually do something with Nelson at the point.


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## Ninerballin (Feb 21, 2006)

ElMarroAfamado said:


> well yeah, Brian Cook is a great player :lol:


You gave up Mo Evans as well, Ariza isn't worth Mo Evans alone. Why do you think Ariza has been sent packing every place he's been?


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

Honestly, how anyone can defend Cook is beyond me. Theres an odd parallel with the Kwame defenders and the Brian cook defenders... 

Truth is Brian Cook when he is hot was awesome to have out there. But he inst hot enough for long enough to warrant keeping him on the pine. Aside from starting the last few games, he has been riding the pine most of the season and the Laker's have been better defensively and offensively because of it. 

Not to mention when Cook comes out and his man goes off for 10 he automatically cancels out any nice jump shots he might have have had. 

I know nothing about this other guy except I can already promise he will be better defensively than Brian Cook. Rather he can hit the broad side of a barn or not, I dont care. This team has plenty of scorers, we need defense.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

CDRacingZX6R said:


> Honestly, how anyone can defend Cook is beyond me. Theres an odd parallel with the Kwame defenders and the Brian cook defenders...
> 
> Truth is Brian Cook when he is hot was awesome to have out there. But he inst hot enough for long enough to warrant keeping him on the pine. Aside from starting the last few games, he has been riding the pine most of the season and the Laker's have been better defensively and offensively because of it.
> 
> ...


So what? Is that any reason to crave his death and act like he is 100% worthless?

And I hate Kwame way more than you do, not even close.


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## Weasel (Oct 18, 2003)

I like the deal for the Lakers, I like Ariza and he has good potential but hasn't got much of a chance to show it. I think he is has a player option for next year, that can be good or bad however you like it. Losing Evans hurts as plays well but taking Cook off the books is real nice.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Can it be that the Lakers' brass is actually looking to improve the roster?

Cook and Evans are scrubs who won't be missed. Ariza is known as a solid defensive player. It's adiction by subtraction, IMHO. Cook and Evans were odd men out in this year's rotation system, so they won't be missed. cue in a defensive player and i'm all tingling inside with the prospect of a Laker playoff run (now that Bynum is showing what he's got)...


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> So what? Is that any reason to crave his death and act like he is 100% worthless?


Yes. It is a good reason. Why isn't it enough? Are you satisfied with a one dimensional player that isn't even good at the only thing he is good at?


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

CDRacingZX6R said:


> Yes. It is a good reason. Why isn't it enough? Are you satisfied with a one dimensional player that isn't even good at the only thing he is good at?


Brian Cook isn't a good shooter? That's blind hate. Don't let the early season numbers fool you. There are two things he can do, shoot and take charges.

Again, he will drop a couple 20 point games with Orlando shooting nothing but jumpers.


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> Brian Cook isn't a good shooter? That's blind hate. Don't let the early season numbers fool you. There are two things he can do, shoot and take charges.
> 
> Again, he will drop a couple 20 point games with Orlando shooting nothing but jumpers.


Brian Cook average 6.9ppg. It's not like he was an offensive machine out there. Whatever the guy would do in offensive he would turn and get burned on defense. Thats not hate, its reality. 

With Vlade, we don't need Cook anymore. But we could use defense, which is something Cook was never going to give us. I'll trade his 6.9 off the bench, and his ability to trick someone into fouling him for a hard nosed defender any day.


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## deanwoof (Mar 10, 2003)

Weasel said:


> I like the deal for the Lakers, I like Ariza and he has good potential but hasn't got much of a chance to show it. I think he is has a player option for next year, that can be good or bad however you like it. Losing Evans hurts as plays well but taking Cook off the books is real nice.


what do you mean he hasnt had much of a change to show his potential? have you looked at orlando's guards in the last 2 years? 

keith bogans, jj redick, and keyon dooling. and he couldnt break out to play more than 15-20 minutes.


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## Duck (Jan 30, 2006)

On the defensive end, Ariza is a poor man's Bruce Bowen. He can lock down some of the top offensive aces in the league, but at times he is over aggressive (especially when he gets limited PT) and ends up fouling the opposing player. 

I think the biggest problem with Ariza is that he can neither shoot the ball nor handle it. He's a great spark plug and an energy guy, but he didn't fit into what we were trying to do in Orlando. He'll be exactly what you want him to be in Orlando though. However, I think the absence of a big, inside presence will hurt his production. Part of the reason why he was so successful late last season was his chemistry with Dwight.


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## ceejaynj (Oct 9, 2005)

Duck34234 said:


> I think the biggest problem with Ariza is that he can neither shoot the ball nor handle it.


Great...not another Kwame Brown!


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## ceejaynj (Oct 9, 2005)

afobisme said:


> omg this rox, i found a link where i get to watch lakers games live... the screen is small, but i dont care.


What is the link??? Please share!!!


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## DANNY (Aug 9, 2005)

I'm glad cookies going to a team like orlando where he can flourish. Other than the suns it looks the magics are match in heaven for brian. if SVG can stomach the loses on the defensive end i can easily picture cook being very productive for orlando. His untapped potential was never going to fulfilled by wearing purple and gold so even if cookie puts up crazy numbers it wont give me butterflys up my stomach.

for mo evans, sorry to say it but dont really care about ya. Your game frustrates me so much. I never understood why he got minutes over sasha. good to see him gone. good guy and all but his game doesnt mess well with the other lakers.

I like ariza's game but i dont think he's going have any major impact for the lakers. Anything he puts up will be a postive for the lakers as we didnt get any production from cook and evans anyways (yeah they got minutes off the bench but it was nothing spetacular. I'm sure guys like coby karl and critt could do better anyways). I wouldnt be surprised to see him glued to the bench intially but come out later as our best defensive player as the season progresses. He's likely going to get the kwame treatment here. We'll be criticizing his game to no-end but when its all done and over we'll appreciate how value his defense is to this team.


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## xoai (Jun 14, 2005)

I like this trade for both team. Orlando don't need any more small forward and they need someone who can be a shooting threat to spread out the floor for Howard, so they got that player in Cook. And Cook also doesn't have to play D as Howard can erase all Cook's mistake in Defense. Plus they have a good back up shooting guard in Mo.
As for the Lakers, they can get rid of Brian Cook contract, he's no use for the Lakers since Vlade is the same type of player as Brian Cook. I don't know what to expect from Ariza. I only watch him play for 1 year at UCLA and he didn't show anything at that time except for a being good athletic. I just hope this move means some playing time for Crit, I really feel bad for him, he didn't even get a chance to prove he deserve or not deserve to be in the team. Good luck Mo, I am sad to see you go. You are a decent player, you deserve better than this. Even though I hate you Cookie, but I think you are better player for Orlando (or Phoenix), wish you well also.
One more thing, Brian Cook's defense = Kwame Brown's offense. Man, sometimes I wish we have a player who has Brown's D and Cook's O.


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## Silk D (Feb 6, 2006)

WTF?? I'm I the only one that's happy to see Mo go? What are we gonna loose, FGAs? The guy's talented, but he takes about twice as many shots as he should, and makes bone-head plays on a regular basis. And as for his highly regarded D, well, I sure haven't seen much of it. He gambles frequently, and get's beat all the time. 

Getting rid of Cookie's contract was reason enough to do this deal. IMO, Ariza can be a better player for us off the bench than Mo seeing as how we already have plenty of gunners, and not enough defenders. And as previously mentioned, this should give Critt a chance to work his way into the rotation. 

Good Deal, IMO. Not of particular significance, but still...


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## Auggie (Mar 7, 2004)

great trade for you guys :clap:


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## knicksfan89 (Jan 6, 2005)

as a knicks fan I know ariza very well, so he should be a asset for us, BTW great win on the road last night


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## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

Ariza seems like a taller, longer, more athletic version of Mo with far greater upside. So that makes this trade by itself great. The fact that we got rid of Cook, who is redundant talent, was just an added bonus. 

And while Cook was bad this year, he was a damn good sharp shooter the year before, so he did indeed serve a purpose. Of course, like I said, he's redundant talent if Radman is anywhere near as consistent as Cook as a shooter. He wasn't exactly a great, uh, defender either.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

CDRacingZX6R said:


> Brian Cook average 6.9ppg. It's not like he was an offensive machine out there. Whatever the guy would do in offensive he would turn and get burned on defense. Thats not hate, its reality.
> 
> With Vlade, we don't need Cook anymore. But we could use defense, which is something Cook was never going to give us. I'll trade his 6.9 off the bench, and his ability to trick someone into fouling him for a hard nosed defender any day.


In how many minutes did he average those 6.9? His per 48 minute scoring numbers were better than Vladis... and just as good as Lamars!

Would I take Vladi over him? Yes. Will I miss Cook? Not really. Does that mean I hope Cook dies? NO! That's the difference.

Every year it seems like their is a vogue Laker to hate. 01-04 it was Fisher... who went on to be a starter on a playoff team. 05 it was Atkins... who went on to be a starter on two (soon to be three when he gets healthy with Denver) playoff teams. Then it was everyones favorite whipping boy in George... who went on to be the 7th man on a team that won 67 games. Last year it was Smush... who, well I'll give you that one, but Riley thought enough of him to make him his first guard off the bench.

And Cook will be one of the top 3 bench players on a playoff team. Yet to Laker fans these guys should all be in the WNBA and probably deserve to rot in hell.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

Now that Cook is gone, the only trade this team should be thinking about is trading Kwame Brown and others to give Kobe a legitimate second option.

I'd love to see Kwame Brown, Luke Walton and Javaris Crittenton traded to Sacramento after December 15 in exchange for Ron Artest and Kenny Thomas (who we'd have to take for salary cap purposes).

PG: Derek Fisher...Jordan Farmar...Sasha Vujacic
SG: Kobe Bryant...Trevor Ariza...Coby Karl
SF: Ron Artest...Vladimir Radmanovic
PF: Lamar Odom...Ronny Turiaf...Kenny Thomas
C: Andrew Bynum...Chris Mihm


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## px (Apr 21, 2005)

this is a good trade for both teams.. mo looked lost in the rotation along with cook.. with the vast improvement of farmar and vujacic, it was obvious that these 2 were the odd ones out.. with what vujacic has shown, i'd pick him over mo just because he's consistent.. farmar may be the next steve nash and andrew's summer training paid of.. blocking jermaine twice and being perfect from the field and grabbing 10 boards is a real improvement for him.. this was a decent trade.. i just hope we can develop ariza's shooting just like what the lakers did with farmar..


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## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> In how many minutes did he average those 6.9? His per 48 minute scoring numbers were better than Vladis... and just as good as Lamars!
> 
> Would I take Vladi over him? Yes. Will I miss Cook? Not really. Does that mean I hope Cook dies? NO! That's the difference.
> 
> ...


The vitriol of Laker fans towards those players is pretty much duplicated by any other team's fans, too. Not exclusive to the Lakeshow. 

Besides, Atkins started for exactly one playoff team (that could cover for his horrid D) but was promptly booted when the Pistons finally became contenders. The best job he has been able to get since was in Memphis. 9 starts for the Nuggets hardly qualifies as much of anything. 

George was more like a 9th man for the Mavs, and Fish never started at PG for the Jazz, except maybe when Deron was injured. Fish started at SG because the Jazz had nobody else except Gordan Giricek. Not to mention players who are/were out of the league like Slava, Rush, Vlade, McKie, etc. had it not been for the Lakers signing them to multi-year deals or picking up their options. Add Sasha to that list soon too.


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

Jamel Irief said:


> In how many minutes did he average those 6.9? His per 48 minute scoring numbers were better than Vladis... and just as good as Lamars!
> 
> Would I take Vladi over him? Yes. Will I miss Cook? Not really. Does that mean I hope Cook dies? NO! That's the difference.
> 
> ...


Yeah and look what has happened to Riley's Heat since :lol:


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

I don't know why Cook's offense is being discussed. Everyone knows he can shoot. It was his lack of ability in other areas (defense, rebounding) that caused distaste for him.

He was one-dimensional and when that one dimension was off, he didn't contribute much. But he certainly had his moments. Good luck Cookie.


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## Cris (Jun 18, 2003)

Ariza is going to wear #9

http://my.lakers.com/blogs/2007/11/21/what-to-wear/


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## kobesthegoat (Jul 14, 2005)

Ariza is a tough defender hes 6'8" so we get some size we just have to worry about him scoring cook's problem is he cant play PF, so i think its a good trade in that regard but Mo! is my man he will be missed.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

Cris said:


> Ariza is going to wear #9
> 
> http://my.lakers.com/blogs/2007/11/21/what-to-wear/


...for two games, before he officially gets #3 when the Lakers return home from their three-game trip.


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## Affirmative Action (Aug 15, 2007)

You guys got a winner out of Ariza. I think he's LA most athletic player right now outside Kobe. 


Check out youtube for some of his highlights. The boy can flat out jump, he has massive srpings on those heels. I like his facials over Jermaine O'Neal, Emeka Okafor,Alonzo Mourning and Yao Ming. This is the first time (outside Kobe) you'll have another player who is not afraid to make contact and go to the hoop.


A bit raw and reckless, but nonetheless has a lot of potential.


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## KillWill (Jul 1, 2003)

Damian Necronamous said:


> Now that Cook is gone, the only trade this team should be thinking about is trading Kwame Brown and others to give Kobe a legitimate second option.
> 
> I'd love to see Kwame Brown, Luke Walton and Javaris Crittenton traded to Sacramento after December 15 in exchange for Ron Artest and Kenny Thomas (who we'd have to take for salary cap purposes).
> 
> ...


scary lineup.


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## Affirmative Action (Aug 15, 2007)

KillWill said:


> scary lineup.


Too bad it wont happen. Getting Artest is one thing, but adding Kenny Thomas that will help propel LA to championship status is a move the Maloofs would love to turn down.


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## Cris (Jun 18, 2003)

Damian Necronamous said:


> ...for two games, before he officially gets #3 when the Lakers return home from their three-game trip.


Oops didnt read on.


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

LAKERS REPORT: Ariza is acquired for his defense

Veteran reserves Cook and Evans are sent to Orlando in trade.
By Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer; November 21, 2007 


INDIANAPOLIS -- The Lakers got younger, shed some salary and hoped they added a future lockdown defender by acquiring rangy forward Trevor Ariza from the Orlando Magic on Tuesday for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans.

Ariza, 22, excelled at Westchester High and UCLA, but had been playing limited minutes in his fourth NBA season because the Magic signed All-Star forward Rashard Lewis during the off-season.

Ariza, listed at 6 feet 8 and 210 pounds, was averaging 3.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.5 minutes for a team that is 10-2 this season. He has two years left on his contract -- $3.1 million this season and a player option next season for $3.1 million.

Ariza will suit up tonight against Milwaukee if all three players pass physicals today.

"Trevor was ecstatic," Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. "His ties are deep to Los Angeles."

The move leaves the Lakers with 14 players, one below the NBA maximum, and saves the franchise about $6 million over the next three seasons, potentially $9.1 million if Ariza opts out next July. The Lakers remain about $1 million over the luxury tax this season.

Orlando was said to covet veteran players, which it will get in Cook and Evans.

Cook, who turns 27 in two weeks, had been struggling with his shot and defensively in his fifth NBA season. The Lakers' first-round pick in 2003, Cook was averaging 2.3 points and made four of 21 shots (19%) this season. He was in the first year of a three-year, $10.5-million contract.

Evans, 29, was in the final year of a contract that pays him $1.7 million this season. He was a hot-and-cold contributor off the bench, and there were mild concerns he would question his lack of playing time in a contract year. He was averaging 4.4 points and 13.7 minutes this season.

*"There's a couple different reasons why we did it," Kupchak said. "We felt we had some duplication on the roster, in particular at that power forward position. I just didn't think that Cook was going to play. I also felt that we had duplication in the backcourt. Although Maurice was a backup player, I thought he might not get the minutes he felt he needed.

"Another factor and maybe the biggest factor . . . we like Trevor Ariza. He brings us a dimension we don't have, which is a defensive player at that position. We don't know how much he's going to play initially, so I'm not going to go out there and say he's going to be our lockdown defender. It may take him a while to get acclimated to what we do, but we don't have a player like that.

"I wouldn't say that Lamar [Odom] is the type of guy that can be that lockdown defender at that [small forward] position. Luke Walton also has struggled a little bit with athletic small forwards."*

Ariza helped take Westchester to two state titles before averaging 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds in one season at UCLA. He was taken 44th overall by New York in the 2004 draft and was traded to Orlando during the 2005-06 season.

The news of Tuesday's trade surprised some of the Lakers, who were privately concerned that the success of the second unit could be affected by losing two peripheral contributors.

Also, Cook was close friends with Walton, and Evans was close with Andrew Bynum.

"Mo was my best friend, so it kind of hurt me a little bit more than a lot of people on the team," Bynum said. "I came out there and gave a little bit extra energy for him."

Bynum had 17 points on six-for-six shooting in the Lakers' 134-114 victory Tuesday over Indiana.

Cook was also surprised. He did not ride on the team bus, but watched the game from the crowd in street clothes and went into the locker room afterward for a final goodbye.

"I've fought a lot of wars with these guys," he said. "I'm sad right now. After a few days, I'll get settled."

Teams that make trades must be within 25% of each other in exchanged salaries, but the deal was accomplished because the Magic had a $2.6-million trade exception that would have expired Dec. 11. The exception came from an injury transaction involving former Magic center Tony Battie.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...868.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

EHL said:


> The vitriol of Laker fans towards those players is pretty much duplicated by any other team's fans, too. Not exclusive to the Lakeshow.
> 
> Besides, Atkins started for exactly one playoff team (that could cover for his horrid D) but was promptly booted when the Pistons finally became contenders. The best job he has been able to get since was in Memphis. 9 starts for the Nuggets hardly qualifies as much of anything.
> 
> George was more like a 9th man for the Mavs, and Fish never started at PG for the Jazz, except maybe when Deron was injured. Fish started at SG because the Jazz had nobody else except Gordan Giricek. Not to mention players who are/were out of the league like Slava, Rush, Vlade, McKie, etc. had it not been for the Lakers signing them to multi-year deals or picking up their options. Add Sasha to that list soon too.


Atkins started for Washington and then signed for Memphis. Memphis made the playoffs that year. 

George was 7th in mpg for the Mavs.

Fish did start for the Jazz as you said.

The thing is, I think Cook is better than Slava, Rush, Vlade and McKie and will be in Orlando's 8 man rotation. Besides, none of those players besides maybe Slava got a lot of vitriol from Laker fans. Mainly because there weren't high expectations. If you were expecting Cook to do anything outside of be a threat from the arc than you are the one that should be hated, not Cook.



> I don't know why Cook's offense is being discussed. Everyone knows he can shoot. It was his lack of ability in other areas (defense, rebounding) that caused distaste for him.


According to CDR Cook couldn't shoot.


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## LamarButler (Apr 16, 2005)

Great trade

It is addition by subtraction when you give up Cook. He's a nice guy, especially after watching the Lakers when he wasn't a player for them anymore. But, he just isn't good for us. Sure, he's instant offense, but his rebounding and defense just aren't good. I think he'll get away wit that in Orlando, because he'll play with the best rebounder in the league and a total beast on defense in Howard. You can hide him there. But here, we just don't have a Dwight Howard to cover him up.

So it boils down to Evans vs Ariza. I agree with a lot of posters that Mo Evans looked awkward out there. Evans was sort of a black hole. Ariza will add something that we desperately need. Defense. 

Trevor Ariza will be a huge contributer to this team. His athleticism and defense will help a ton. It's these little tweaks to the roster that will bring us to contention. Now we just need to trade Vujacic....


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## Pinball (Aug 3, 2002)

I like the deal. In terms of talent, we probably got a little bit worse but we had too much talent on the back end of the bench to begin with so unloading some of it for a young, defensive-minded player isn't a bad idea. Ariza is basically a younger, taller, slightly less polished version of Maurice Evans. It's a lateral move that could pay dividends in the future. I'm happier to get Cook off the roster, if for no reason other than to shorten the bench and eliminate some of the redundancy. I want a bench that has specialists that perform unique roles. Cook was a unique player in that he was big and could shoot but we have Luke and Vlad who pretty much do the same thing. I'm going to miss Cook getting on fire and shooting us back into games but we're much more balanced now than we were a few days ago. I really think this team is a move away from being a top 4 seed in the West. It doesn't have to be a big move, just a smart one. We need a low-post scorer who can rebound and defend at a decent level. We don't need 20-12-4. More like 12-8-2. Think about this roster for a second:

PG-Fisher
SG-Bryant
SF-Odom
PF-Player
C-Bynum

PG-Farmar
SG-Ariza
SF-Walton
PF-Turiaf
C-Mihm

PG-Critt
SF-Vlad

Maybe we can move Brown, Sasha and a pick for that player and maybe someone will bite. The team above has everything. You've got a superstar and a star. You have an emerging big man. You have athletes in Critt and Ariza. You have snipers in Fisher, Farmar, Vlad, and Walton. You have bangers in Turiaf and the player I'm looking to acquire. This team could actually contend.


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## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> Atkins started for Washington and then signed for Memphis. Memphis made the playoffs that year.
> 
> George was 7th in mpg for the Mavs.
> 
> ...


Washington also traded him, and Memphis wasn't too impressed with him when they let him go too. He's also with his 7th team in 10 years for a reason. Pretty clear that nobody has really been impressed with Atkins. 

George with virtually tied for 7th in minutes with two other players, so again, not impressive. And Fisher started at shooting guard, because 1) Deron is far superior, but more pertinent to Laker fans 2) Fisher is not a good PG. He played SG with the Warriors too. Laker fans' criticism of Fisher were largely because of his poor PG skills, though his D was obviously never elite either. 

And I never expected much for Cook. I didn't think his signing was all that bad, either. And we got Ariza out of it, so that was probably a very good signing in the long if Ariza turns out well.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

EHL said:


> Washington also traded him, and Memphis wasn't too impressed with him when they let him go too. He's also with his 7th team in 10 years for a reason. Pretty clear that nobody has really been impressed with Atkins.
> 
> George with virtually tied for 7th in minutes with two other players, so again, not impressive. And Fisher started at shooting guard, because 1) Deron is far superior, but more pertinent to Laker fans 2) Fisher is not a good PG. He played SG with the Warriors too. Laker fans' criticism of Fisher were largely because of his poor PG skills, though his D was obviously never elite either.


The point is that these players that have Laker fans wanting to piss on their graves have value to winning teams in the NBA. Are they replaceable? Of course. But Cook, just like Atkins, George and Fisher will have a lengthy 10+ year career as a rotation player.


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> The point is that these players that have Laker fans wanting to piss on their graves have value to winning teams in the NBA. Are they replaceable? Of course. But Cook, just like Atkins, George and Fisher will have a lengthy 10+ year career as a rotation player.


As long as it's not on the Lakers, I don't care where they have a lengthy career at. When you have a team full of scrubs, you can stand to let a few go. The one thing that remains is the Laker's are no short on role players that will have lengthy careers in the NBA. What they are short of is consistency and defensive minded players. DG might have moments of good defense, only problem is you have to be healthy for more than a handful of games to actually show it off on the court.

I'm sure having Cook will put Orlando over the top. Just like having DG put Dallas over the top. I have a feeling the Lakers will be just fine without them.


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## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> The point is that these players that have Laker fans wanting to piss on their graves have value to winning teams in the NBA. Are they replaceable? Of course. But Cook, just like Atkins, George and Fisher will have a lengthy 10+ year career as a rotation player.


I see your point. But there are plenty of bad and/or mediocre players out there that have had 10 year careers. Tyronn Lue is in his 10th year too, you know.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Pinball said:


> I like the deal. In terms of talent, we probably got a little bit worse but we had too much talent on the back end of the bench to begin with so unloading some of it for a young, defensive-minded player isn't a bad idea. Ariza is basically a younger, taller, slightly less polished version of Maurice Evans. It's a lateral move that could pay dividends in the future. I'm happier to get Cook off the roster, if for no reason other than to shorten the bench and eliminate some of the redundancy. I want a bench that has specialists that perform unique roles. Cook was a unique player in that he was big and could shoot but we have Luke and Vlad who pretty much do the same thing. I'm going to miss Cook getting on fire and shooting us back into games but we're much more balanced now than we were a few days ago. I really think this team is a move away from being a top 4 seed in the West. It doesn't have to be a big move, just a smart one. We need a low-post scorer who can rebound and defend at a decent level. We don't need 20-12-4. More like 12-8-2. Think about this roster for a second:
> 
> PG-Fisher
> SG-Bryant
> ...


Webbers averaged 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds last year.

PG-Fisher
SG-Bryant
SF-Odom
PF-Webber
C-Bynum

PG-Farmar
SG-Ariza
SF-Walton
PF-Turiaf
C-Mihm

PG-Critt
SF-Vlad


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

EHL said:


> I see your point. But there are plenty of bad and/or mediocre players out there that have had 10 year careers. Tyronn Lue is in his 10th year too, you know.


And he's only gotten minutes on lottery teams. When he was on a playoff team he was a 12th man.

Not the case with the other guys.


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## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> And he's only gotten minutes on lottery teams. When he was on a playoff team he was a 12th man.
> 
> Not the case with the other guys.


Lue was on the Rockets in 05, a playoff team. 

But again, no one here is going to buy that Fish, George, et al were anything other than mediocre talent at best.


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

L.A. trade hasn't meant playing time for Trevor Ariza
Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
December 3, 2007 

Trevor Ariza, the former Magic forward traded to the L.A. Lakers Nov. 20 for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans, said he isn't bitter and realizes he simply didn't fit into Orlando's plans any longer.

"It's not that I asked for it [a trade]," he said. "I wasn't playing. They were looking for different pieces . . . that's what kind of happened.

"That's business, I guess. . . .They had a different style. I guess I just didn't fit. I don't take it personally or nothing. I mean, what value do I bring to a team if I'm not playing?"

[Link]


Magic's Brian Cook saw Lakers' troubles firsthand
BY JOHN DENTON
FLORIDA TODAY

LOS ANGELES - If anyone knows what a dysfunctional mess the Los Angeles Lakers are because of Kobe Bryant's preseason trade demands and critical critiques of the roster and can talk freely about it, it's new Orlando Magic forward Brian Cook.

Cook, who was traded from the Lakers to the Magic on Nov. 20, got a firsthand look at how Bryant's negativism ripped at whatever chemistry the Lakers might have had. Cook says he is friends with Bryant, but also was one of the players hurt by the All-Star shooting guard openly demanding a trade to leave the Lakers.

"When training camp opened there were a lot of distractions because of the way Kobe talked about the team over the summer," Cook said. "But once the team came together, it was really humbling to Kobe. He's a good friend of mine and never did anything bad to me. And he certainly set me up a lot of times on the court. Kobe did kind of open up this season and hang out with the fellas some, so that did kind of help smooth things out some."

[Link]

Ariza misses old Magic teammates
BY JOHN DENTON
FLORIDA TODAY

LOS ANGELES - Not a day goes by that Trevor Ariza doesn't pick up the phone and talk to Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson or Keyon Dooling. The difference now, of course, is that he's usually doing it from 3,000 miles away.

Ariza was traded from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 20., a transaction that he welcomed at the time because he thought it would offer him more playing time. But a slow transition to Phil Jackson's triangle offense and the frustration of a season gone horribly wrong has Ariza feeling reflective.

"Man, I miss those guys," Ariza said of his former Orlando teammates before facing the Magic Sunday night in Los Angeles. "I mean, that's this business. I guess I just didn't fit. I don't take it personally. I guess I just didn't fit."

[Link]

Cook, Evans return with some jabs
Traded Nov. 20 for Ariza, the former Lakers rave about their offensive freedom, with one even noting that there's less drama in Orlando.
By Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 3, 2007 

Brian Cook and Maurice Evans were in the visitors' locker room at Staples Center, happy to be back in Los Angeles but also eager to be part of a less restrictive offense, they said.

Cook and Evans are feeling their way through a different team and new surroundings since being sent to the Orlando Magic for Trevor Ariza on Nov. 20. The Magic beat the Lakers on Sunday, 104-97.

"It's been great because I've got a lot more freedom here to play," Cook said. "We've got the motion offense and I've got the beast down low."

Orlando was seventh in the league in scoring before Sunday, which was two spots below the Lakers, although Evans reiterated what Cook said.

"We've got so much offensive freedom out there," Evans said. "We're just excited to be here."

[Link]


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

Since Ariza is exploding I'm bringing this back up from the dead.


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## JerryWest (Jun 24, 2002)

Jamel Irief said:


> Brian Cook isn't a good shooter? That's blind hate. Don't let the early season numbers fool you. There are two things he can do, shoot and take charges.
> 
> Again, he will drop a couple 20 point games with Orlando shooting nothing but jumpers.


Thus far in Orlando, Cook is averaging a 31% FG, 26.7% 3PT and an amazing 2 points per game.


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

Let this thread burn...

Anytime there is a debate about rather or not a team should keep Brian Cook.. That thread should be burned in a deep hell fire.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

KennethTo said:


> Thus far in Orlando, Cook is averaging a 31% FG, 26.7% 3PT and an amazing 2 points per game.


Yeah he's sucking? so what? I never even said he deserved to get minutes on the Lakers. Just that he had a bad start to the season and would turn it around, so far he hasn't and probably won't.


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## compsciguy78 (Dec 16, 2002)

Brian Cook was arguably our worst 1st round pick in the last 10 years...
Good riddance.

When your that big you need rebound.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

I wonder if Cook ever cooked cookies for his teammates.






Yeah, I know, that was lame. Dammit.


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## Cris (Jun 18, 2003)

Basel57 said:


> I wonder if Cook ever cooked cookies for his teammates.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow... Im not sure how to respond to that. 

Ship his *** out!


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

compsciguy78 said:


> Brian Cook was arguably our worst 1st round pick in the last 10 years...
> Good riddance.
> 
> When your that big you need rebound.


Sam Jacobsen, Mark Madsen, Chris Jefferies and Sasha would like to speak with you.


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## compsciguy78 (Dec 16, 2002)

Mark Madsen and Sasha have already done more then Cook ever did.

Those other two guys make no difference.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

compsciguy78 said:


> Mark Madsen and Sasha have already done more then Cook ever did.
> 
> Those other two guys make no difference.


uh huh.

Cook has double the career points of Mad Dog (despite being in the league 3 less years) and Sasha both. 

Those other two guys "make no difference" so they are worse right?


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

I think comparing crap to crap is pointless.

I just understand why Laker fans should love every player that management brings in. Is there an unwritten rule that you should like everyone that puts on the Laker uniform even if there talent level is average (or below average in some cases)?

Whats wrong with being satisfied with trading Cook for Ariza? Did cook fill any needs this team really had? Did we need another shooter off the bench when we got one making full MLE right now? If there was one thing this team needed was defense. Cook was not going to bring that ever in his career. 

Mo brought defense, but he seemed to get complacent towards the end of his laker career. He really got into the flow of chucking, and took many low quality shots. 

I personally don't get why this topic exists past the main point of the trade itself? It's almost like it's just something to debate, thats not really worth debating. I have no ill feelings toward Cook. If he goes off and becomes the best three point shooter in the NBA.. Good for him. Same for Mo...

If DG becomes sixth man of the year on Dallas, good for him. I just thought the Lakers would be better off with someone who wasn't hurt all the time. Better to have someone who plays than not? Whats wrong with that. 

These people get paid so much money, in some cases to do nothing. To bring nothing to the table. DG, Cook, Mo Evans, all will make more money than most the people in this forum combined. Why not expect something out of them? And if they fail to meet that, why not wish that someone else might come here and do it if they can't..


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

CDRacingZX6R said:


> I think comparing crap to crap is pointless.


I'm a Laker historian, just setting the facts straight.



> I just understand why Laker fans should love every player that management brings in. Is there an unwritten rule that you should like everyone that puts on the Laker uniform even if there talent level is average (or below average in some cases)?


There is a area between love and hate. Why do we have to hate every Laker that isn't as athletic as Kobe?



> Whats wrong with being satisfied with trading Cook for Ariza? Did cook fill any needs this team really had? Did we need another shooter off the bench when we got one making full MLE right now? If there was one thing this team needed was defense. Cook was not going to bring that ever in his career.
> 
> Mo brought defense, but he seemed to get complacent towards the end of his laker career. He really got into the flow of chucking, and took many low quality shots.


Nothing? Who in this thread was against the trade? I agree with both your assesments on Cook and Evans.



> I personally don't get why this topic exists past the main point of the trade itself? It's almost like it's just something to debate, thats not really worth debating. I have no ill feelings toward Cook. If he goes off and becomes the best three point shooter in the NBA.. Good for him. Same for Mo...
> 
> If DG becomes sixth man of the year on Dallas, good for him. I just thought the Lakers would be better off with someone who wasn't hurt all the time. Better to have someone who plays than not? Whats wrong with that.


The topic mainly existed because I was a bit baffled by the "get the **** out of here" posts in regards to Cook. It was a lot of the same stuff Devean got. Devean is probably hustled more than any Laker the past 10 years, yet the same posters who hated Shaq because he was lazy hated Devean.

Every time a Laker has a stretch of bad games he sucks. Lamar sucks, Vladi sucks, Luke sucks, Kwame (ok he does), Mihm sucks, Sasha sucks... pretty much every Laker that's played this season sucks except Kobe, Fisher, Bynum, Turiaf, Farmar and Ariza. Half the roster on a 19-10 team sucks. And if any of the players go on a hot streak they are great all over again. Look at Fisher, he was despised his first go around with the team.

The thing that baffles me is that Ariza is not a better basketball player than Lamar, Luke or Vladi. He's inferior to Lamar and even with the other two. I guess he just hasn't been around long enough for people to decide he sucks. But like Phil said- "This is Hollywood, the land of the stars, where top billing means everything. Fans, spoiled by the Magic Johnson-led Showtime squads from the 1980s, have been conditioned to prefer entertainment, a Kobe slash to the hoop over a Shaq turnaround in the lane. They don't appreciate the degree of difficulty in a Gary Payton left-handed layup from twelve feet away or a Karl Malone fallaway. They only appreciate Kobe's degree of difficulty." 



> These people get paid so much money, in some cases to do nothing. To bring nothing to the table. DG, Cook, Mo Evans, all will make more money than most the people in this forum combined. Why not expect something out of them? And if they fail to meet that, why not wish that someone else might come here and do it if they can't..


What were you expecting out of those guys? To play like Kobe and Shaq? Do you think when the Lakers traded Cheik Samb or whatever for Evans they expected Mo to start alongside Kobe and Lamar? When they resigned Brian Cook after 3 seasons of being a black Matt Bullard did they want a low-post scorer? Evans was expected to spell Kobe and Lamar for 18 minutes a night and provide some scoring and energy. Did he not do that? Did Cook not shoot the hell out of the ball until this season?

If you ask why I hate Kwame it's because he is grossly not meeting his expectations. The Lakers traded Caron for him hoping he would be a stellar defender and rebounder and a capable low-post scorer. He's getting paid 8 million a year. I hate him.


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## Darth Bryant (Feb 1, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> I'm a Laker historian, just setting the facts straight.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Who here said Ariza is better than Lamar? If you can show me the person who said that I'll flog him. I don't believe such a person could exist. Because that is insanity. 

Those other two.. Well that's very open for debate at least this season. I don't care what Luke did in the past.. The lakers are trying to win today. The past is over, if Luke cant help on the offensive end, he isn't helping. Same with Vlade.. Who was 2 of his last 17 going into the Utah game.. Vlade doesn't help on defense. Doesn't help with rebounding on average. If he isn't scoring, he is not doing anything. With Ariza, you get at least defense. I've said it before, and I'll say it now, if the guy can make smart defensive plays... Help take some of the pressure off Kobe on the wing, and occasionally get a dunk or easy basket. He is worth Brian Cook to me. Because Trevor can play decent defense every night.. Cook, Vlade, and Luke (right now) are not consistent with ANY part of there game, and have never been good in the defensive department.

I said before, there are lots of nonathletic people who can kill you all day by draining three pointers. Thats what we wanted Vlade for. It's not like the Lakers wanted to get Radman so he could be a slasher, or guard the post. We wanted him to drill three pointers consistently. He hasn't lived up to that yet in two seasons. Theres plenty of time to go this season, maybe he will come around. If he does i'll be the first to jump on the bandwagon. As for last year, I know he was injured last year, but it's not the fault of the Lakers the guy went snow boarding and ate is crap. 

And personally I think Luke was in better shape last year when he came in and I do think it helped him. He had more confidence to me. He was quicker up and down there court, and I think he was a little faster on the defensive end. He also got his contract, and it doesn't look to me that he worked on any of his game. I might be wrong, and maybe he always stunk this much and I just was oblivious to it last season, but I don't think I am wrong on this one.

Only thing I expect from any player that wants to stay a Laker, is some level of consistency or bringing something that can help the team most nights (not always every night). I do not think Ronny is starter material yet, or maybe ever. But when he comes out I know he will give it his all, play some good defense, attempt to swat anything that moves, and he can get you a few baskets in a relative short time. Is he Shaq? Is He Kobe? Hell is he Lamar? Is he even Bynum at this point? No, but he is one of my favorite Laker's on this current team. Because you always know what you will get from him. A solid defender, a decent rebounder, a decent jumper with quick post moves. And he is capable of bringing that in limited minutes, or excess minutes most nights.

I don't disagree about anything Kwame wise. But to me, he is a lot like DG. DG was grossly over paid for his talents when he did play, and so injury prone you could never count on him to make it through a season, let alone be ready for the playoffs most of the time towards end. (No I'm not saying its his fault his body sucks, I'm just saying if you can get someone with a body that is more reliable at a better price, do it). It's not like I think he's the devil, or an evil person. Or a quitter or a crybaby. Or anything like that. I just want someone I can count on coming off the bench. But I want to the Lakers to win... And if there is a player the Lakers can trade someone for that makes us better because they feel a need, I'm fine with it no matter what my politics are towards them. 

*There is no Laker, that if you told me trading them would bring a title, or get us closer to one, I would say no to trading right this very second. Bynum, Kobe, whoever.. If it makes the Lakers better, enjoy your stay somewhere else.*

P.S. (Every time I see Kwame I think.. At the very least we could have maybe had Boozer standing there for Caron. Your not the only one that still thinks about that trade on a regular basis).


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