Last Thursday, on the two week annivesary of the boston beatdown-repeat-back to back world championship win, Phil Jackson announced that he would be back for one-presumably-final season. The speculation had been that Phil was gonna harsh our world championship buzz if his post season physical indicated that his 64 year old body could not take the stress of another 100 NBA games. Far from harshing our buzz, Phil has solidified it. And-I think- in yet another brilliant motivational/psychological ploy-gave the 2010-2011 Lakers a tangible rallying point: LET`S SEND THE GREATEST NBA COACH OF ALL TIME OUT ON A THREEPEAT!

At last check, they'd signed point guard Steve Blake from Portland and were talking to Fisher. Shannon Brown has opted out but says he wants to stay. Farmar is probably going to sign elsewhere if he gets an offer.
Meanwhile, some idiot blogger says the Lakers should trade Kobe Bryant for LeBron James. His rationale is that Kobe is getting older, LeBron is in his prime, and the Lakers need to plan for the future.
After a few others read him the riot act on how such a deal is unthinkable, I told him that losing teams rebuild. Winning teams reload. You don't throw away your franchise player in hopes of winning a title with somebody else, when it's very possible that you can win with what you have. Are the Patriots going to dump Brady? How about the Colts and Manning? The Yankees and Jeter? Or, since we're talking NBA, the Spurs and Duncan?
Lakers fans are so spoiled. The team has won 11 titles since I've been paying attention to pro sports. The next closest is the NHL's Montreal Canadiens with 8. It's not gonna kill us if, after the next season or so, the Lakers go a decade without a title.

If LeBron joins Wade and Bosh in Miami, the Heat would have an unstoppable triumvirate.

With Bosh going to Miami, does Haslim become expendable?

'The Decision'
Wow. He said a proverbial mouthful.

They ran the Kimmel show with Kobe,Fish, RonRon, etc. It was just as hilarious as the first time-the bit on Adam Morrison "highlights" Fish saying he went to the locker room `to check to see if his {juevos} were still there and as big as he thought`,after he looked like he pulled something doing the splits early in the 4th. Re:James--isn`t everyone getting tired of him by now? I am. He is a monster talent.But his act is wearin thin. Remember his running off the court and to his car without congratulating Orlando in the 2009 playoffs? His attempt to quash and steal the tape of a college player posterizing him and giving James a leather facial? Dude`s the only player in Kobe`s class but Kobe has 5 rings-James zero. James,Wade, and Bosh-potential is there-but what say we see how much chemistry they have before we call em Kareem/Magic/Worthy part two, eh?

I'm wondering if LeBron will be able to accept being one of the guys on the Heat. Will D. Wade bow down to a king or tell the king to kiss his ring?

Good questions, TR. It will be interesting. If nothing else, Heat attendance will be excellent. I'm sure they'll be good as friends, but will the on-court chemistry work? I'm getting anxious to find out.
Hurry up, football season, so I can stop thinking about this for a while.

The owner of the Cavaliers was pretty upset about his main money maker leaving town. I feel sorry for Cleveland's loss but it's pretty difficult to make up reasons to to stay in a place like Cleveland, OH. The Browns looked good near the end of last year.

Another interesting read:
the sham