http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_13993.shtml

The Los Angeles Lakers made official the signing of Aaron McKie on Friday, August 26th. Present at the press conference was McKie's agent, Leon Rose. The Lakers seemed optimistic they'd found their next Ron Harper or Brian Shaw.

One has to wonder if Laker GM Mitch Kupchak took the opportunity to speak to Rose about another one of his clients . . . Eddy Curry?

I spoke with Kupchak on Friday about the center rotation. He reaffirmed that he doesn't expect rookie Andrew Bynum to play much at all.

"But you're not expecting Chris Mihm to play 48 minutes either?" I asked.

Obviously Kwame Brown will have to fill the gaps.

"Between the two of them, they're going to play the bulk of the minutes," Kupchak answered.

While earlier acknowledging that Lamar Odom may play minutes in the backcourt, the team would seem to need one additional player capable of manning the center position.

Lo Wright would fit that bill, capable of backing up either position. Multiple sources suggest the Lakers have the advantage in trade talks. Though the Grizzlies would like to bring back a center like Eddy Curry or Kelvin Cato, the teams offering packages for Lo Wright are said to be the Portland Trail Blazers and New York Knicks.

Despite using the amnesty provision on the contract of Troy Bell, the Grizzlies are over the luxury tax threshold. Last month Wright held a press conference to announce his desire for a trade. A trade of Vlade Divac with his $2 million buy-out and a kid (Brian Cook, Sasha Vujacic, Tony Bobbitt or even Jumaine Jones), the Grizzlies could stand to save upwards of $9.5 million in cash including taxes.

With a disgruntled player demanding out and big chunk of change to be saved, I've heard a deal between the two clubs is tenable despite the lack of depth the Grizzlies would be left with at the five. They'd probably need to rely on Pau Gasol at center while hoping for good minutes from undersized rookie Lawrence Roberts and now veteran Jake Tsakalidis. With a long term commitment to Brian Cardinal and a promising young draft pick in Hakim Warrick, Gasol at center may be inevitable anyway.

Lo Wright would certainly fill in the missing minutes up front, though he's certainly not a true five. The Lakers might offer him a one-year extension in executing the deal to ensure he's under contract until 2007.

Kupchak noted the team was lacking in that area, " The only typical center is Andrew [Bynum]. He’s really a true back to the basket center. The other two guys [Brown and Mihm] can play four and five."

Add Wright and the Lakers have three players who are power forwards masquerading as centers . . . that might explain Kupchak's alleged interest in Curry.

Still he did comment that the heavy lifting of the summer may be done.

"I think as far as the nucleus of the team, I think we’re done. I don’t anticipate that we look to sign another free agent. We do have some flexibility under the existing rules in case something odd happens in the next two or three weeks and a guy who is a free agent that nobody thought would be available at that amount is available. So I think we’ll hold on to that flexibility. But as far as going out and getting a free agent right away, probably not. We’ll continue to try to look and improve the balance of the team. In other words if you can trade a player here for a player at a different position that might be better to help us . . . versus just adding players because our roster is starting to grow."

Wright could be that move to attain balance. Could Earl Watson be that mystery free agent willing to accept less than originally thought? Watson may have overpriced himself thus far this summer. A short stint in LA could lead to a bigger contract in a couple of years. Perhaps he can be added to a Lo Wright package?

That'd be quite a summer for Mitch Kupchak with the additions of Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry, Lo Wright, Aaron McKie, Earl Watson and Andrew Bynum . . . all while maintaining cap flexibility for 2007.

Of course it's all a fantasy at this point. Perhaps in a week or two, we can look back and acknowledge that Kupchak has been vastly underrated as a General Manager.

If he truly thinks that his job is done for the summer, perhaps he's overrated.

Lo Wright is a rebounding beast. He is getting up there in age though...

I have no problem getting Wright as long as we don't trade an expiring contract or one of our important players for him.

[Edited by - Bonn1997 on 08-30-2005 08:51 AM]

doesn't that mean he's still Camby?

Posted by Caseloads:

he used to be camby without the injuries

[Edited by - rvhoss on 08-30-2005 12:25 PM]

don't know if zeke would even want him now, after that whole gun incident. (on his wife of all people)