The BIG TWO!
(what if?)
"QUOTE":Kevin Garnett was linked to the Lakers in the summer of 2007, but ultimately ended up being traded to the Celtics.
"I was pretty close to be honest," said Garnett. "What disturbed me about the whole Lakers situation was Kobe (Bryant) and Phil (Jackson) at the time. They were at each other pretty bad, and it was a new situation I didn't want to get into ... It was my choice, yeah. There was a lot going on and I didn't want to be a part of it."
Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/215418/Garnett_Turmoil_Between_Kobe_Phil_Led_To_Boston_Trade#ixzz1WpGBKIsw
I love the "what if" situations that come out of interviews with players discussing the past, and I thank KG for saying there was a possibility he would of gone to the Lakers but chose not to. (Ultimately I like my Lakers how they are, but this "what if" still needs to be answered. Click the link under "Read More" for the actual article with Kevin Garnett.
Let's say the Lakers traded for KG at his discretion in 2007, losing Bynum and Odom, respective 6th man of the year and solid center (with injury problems) though he's shown 20/10 w/2+bpg potential (though in 2008 Bynum was hurt and Odom up and down.
Lakers 2007/2008 Projected Roster:
PG: Derrick Fisher / Jordan Farmar / Smush Garker (would be cast out by all)
SG: Kobe Bryant / Sasha Vujacic
SF: Luke Walton / Trevor Ariza / Vlad Radmanovic
PF: Kevin Garnett / Chris Mihm
C: Kwame Brown / Ronnie Turiaf
That would of been the team for the season, as Farmar would become the starting PG in real life and Smush outcast for life, for Fisher to join and duel for PG duties, as DFish would hold it as he did in reality. With Ariza improving to an all around player and defender with a decent 3, Garnett manning the paint at PF and the defense with Kwame and Turiaf at the center position (one a solid defensive player w/small hands like a midget, the other a shot blocker and aggressive athlete w/midrange shot). KG could also man the Center position allowing the Dfish/Vujacic backcourt with Kobe/Garnett/Turiaf in the front-court, (Odom/Bynum) being Garnett as if it were the 2008 finals, in which the Lakers played that lineup a ton, and lost to the Celtics, WHOM had Garnett and the "Big 3". Who knows, Kevin Garnett could have impacted Kwame Brown's career like he did Perkins and Glen Davis, making Kwame a true defensive center. I know, it's unlikely, but stars like Garnett who practice till it hurts could of made the entire team's defense the best in the NBA. With Garnett, a DPOY nominee yearly, and Kobe, a All Defense 1st or 2nd team yearly defender, along with Fisher's veteran defense, getting Ariza, Walton, Kwame, and Turiaf to understand and play defense better seems like a plausible "mesh" the team would go through in the season. Ariza was unpolished in 2007/08, but KG could of helped extremely with defensive leadership to go along with the offensive leadership of Kobe.
TWO PERFECT CAPTIANS.
One of the best offensive players ever, and one of the best defensive players ever.
I'd imagine that, though not a dominate team because of sporadic bench play, defensively I imagine them being solid and probably winning the 2008 championship, assuming the Celtics had Ray Allen and Pierce they would likely not have made the Finals.... and the Pistons may have been the competition with their core intact and Stuckey & Afflalo the youngins backing up Chauncey and Rip Hamilton.
Detroit Pistons 2007/2008 Projected Roster:
PG: Chauncey Billups / Rodney Stuckey
SG: Rip Hamilton / Juan Dixon
SF: Tayshaun Prince / Aaron Afflalo
PF: Rasheed Wallace / Amir Johnson
C: Antonio McDyess / Nazr Mohammed
That's a great matchup! Assuming they get by the Cavs of 2007/08 like they couldn't it 2007, a Lakers vs. Pistons Championship would have probably occurred. It would have been legit, and honestly I'd say the Lakers in 6 games is likely. Of course, a purely subjective analysis will not suffice for everyone, but these "what if" situations are impossible to be completely objective. But we know the Pistons made the ECF in 2007/08, and lost to the Big 3 Celtics which would not have been.
I'd say the Big 2 of Kobe and Garnett, along with the great and solid role players would be too much for the aging Pistons of 2008.
Agree or Disagree?
The great "could of been" situations......
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