A trade I think makes a lot of sense...
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=nwr2knj
Who gets what?
Knicks get: Kobe, Pau, Nash's expiring contract
Lakers get: Bargnani's expiring deal, Amare's expiring deal,
Cleanthony Early
Of course, the Lakers would have to work out a sign-and-trade with Gasol to do this and it would impact the cap, but I'd imagine it could get done.
Why the Lakers would do it:
This deal would create a ton of cap space next season, removing Kobe's albatross over the next two seasons, enabling the team to get younger and more athletic, while potentially signing a max big man with enough to sign another franchise cornerstone in 2016.In the meantime, Clarkson and Randle can potentially develop into talent that other stars want to play with (Clarkson strongly reminds me of
Russell Westbrook). Kobe waives his NTC to play in NY with Carmelo and Gasol, under Phil and Fish, with a real shot at a 6th title before he retires.
Why the Knicks would do it:
They get to pair Kobe and Pau with 'Melo, which, even if it doesn't yield a title, makes them more intriguing than Brooklyn. Also, they're in the East..they probably face Cleveland in the ECF. They get rid of Amare and Bargnani with some extra room to make a few complimentary roster moves (veteran shooters). Phil gets to make a big impression right off the bat, earning the trust of Knicks fans.
Thoughts? Complaints?