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LA Lakers

Meanwhile- Back in LA…

All the talk surrounding the blockbuster deal between LA and Miami has been Shaq-centric, as well as the orbit of several planets. But what about the other side of the coin? LA may see the rebirth of some of its legendary rivalries, spark all-new ones, and once again become the most interesting story in sports. Not just the Lakers, but the entire town. For those of you who enjoyed LA becoming the drama capital of the world in sports, too, this next bout of speculation is for you.

Those of you who are of a certain age remember the Houston-L.A. rivalry. You know, the one that effectively ended the career of the man who won two titles with the Rockets, then became the Lakers coach? The Shaq-Yao matchup was supposed to be what resuscitated this age-old feud, but another blockbuster Florida deal will be the turning point. Kobe Bryant, the most effective former phenom in the history of the NBA, will now face off against Tracy McGrady, a two-time NBA scoring champ eager to prove himself after not exactly leading the Magic to soaring heights. Plus, if Vlade Divac returns to the Lakers, it will add two prominent centers to the All-Star shooting guard collection. Things might get very interesting out west.

As if that weren’t enough, rumor is that Vinsanity himself will be in LA next year. No, not the Lakers, the Clippers. As impossible as it may seem, this could actually shift the power in the city of Los Angeles for the next ten years. LA at this point is green. Its only superstar-level player has been playing in a quirky and unique offense his entire career. Meanwhile, The Clippers, meanwhile, are like a steak with chocolate syrup; they have All-Star possibilities alone, but combined, they fall apart. The franchise may have found its catalyst, however. Vince Carter is almost indefensible, and after years of toiling in Toronto, he’s probably hungry. Can you be sure it will work? No. Can you be sure it will be awesome to watch Kobe and Carter going end-to-end against each other? Oh, yeah.

But let’s not forget the Lakers themselves. They’ve lost Shaq, the eccentric but effective Phil Jackson, and the NBA’s most underrated player, point guard Derek Fisher. So what did GM Mike Kupchak do? Act like predecessor Jerry West. West was known for his seemingly over-generous but always effective deals, and Kupchak followed suit by dealing Shaq, the NBA’s most dominant player, for three young, talented Heat-Brian grant, Lamar Odom and Caron Butler. Butler can provide the shotmaking-and-taking dual threat that Fisher was, Grant may prove an effective paint option, and Odom found his groove in Miami; his effectiveness might double in the fan support and potential for success of Los Angeles.

In all, the NBA’s Western Conference has changed. Possibly for the better. Quite possibly for the worst. As always, there is a final refrain in Hollywood, in and out of the Staples Center. It is an expression of hope and fear, and it is as true as ever.

To be continued…

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