All answers point to a resounding yes. This is the hush-hush story of the league. And, Laker management wants it that way.
Or, could this all simply be fairy tale rumors? Sure, we can’t deny that. But, there is actually meat to this story.
Picking up Joe Smith meant the Lakers accomplished three things that could lead to this bold trade:
-Freed up the $5.4 million salary paid to Sasha.
-Qualified for a $5 million free exception on any trade difference. This means that the Lakers can play this “get out of jail card” on a trade to make the numbers work.
-Smith is another big off the bench.
Joe Smith adds another big to the Lakers’ bench and makes the case that Andrew Bynum is now tradeable. The real reason is that the Lakers will ride out the Kobe Bryant era with the foot fully pressed to the metal, with no regard to the future.
I used to make the case that Andrew Bynum was the Lakers’ future.
The idea went like this. After Kobe and Pau Gasol are done racking up rings, Andrew Bynum would then take over as the franchise player. And, with Kobe, Pau, Lamar Odom and Co.’s salaries off the books at that time, the Lakers would have a money war chest to sign new free agents.
This plan was all predicated on Drew being the center for the next 10 years. But now, there are serious doubts to that scenario, including will he ever be 100 percent healthy or play a full season, and it opens the door to this move. The trade last week of Sasha Vujacic for Joe Smith makes it more plausible.
Now, could the Lakers flush the Andrew Bynum plan on the...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
