Post by Los Angeles Lakers on Oct 20, 2006 1:05:23 GMT -5
After nine long years, the Lakers finally parted with Jason Kidd this offseason. Six of those seasons have been under the watchful eye of the current Laker management ran by general manager Back4The1stTim3. Out of those six long seasons, the Lakers only made the playoffs three times.
"With all due respect, I think we wasted our time with Jason these past six years," said owner Jerry Buss. "We thought that he was going to be a franchise player and a team leader but despite putting tons of talent around him, especially last year."
The Lakers probably had their most talented team since their last finals appearance in 1995 last year. Jerry Stackhouse, Rashard Lewis, Kenyon Martin, and Bryant Reeves surrounded Kidd last year but they failed to advance yet again out of the first round. The GM wanted to move Kidd the moment he took control of the time back in 1998 despite opposition from ownership.
"I wanted to move him the moment I stepped into office here in Los Angeles. We had a deal on the table with the Pacers that was going to trade Chris Webber and Kidd for some expiring players and some young talent in Stephen Jackson and I think Danny Fortson as well. It got denied and the ownership discouraged me trading both Jason and Chris," said GM Back4The1stTim3. "Ownership told me that if I had to deal one of them, Webber would be the guy and Kidd was going to be our franchise player."
Webber did eventually get moved and the Lakers went on a carousel of surrounding talent around Kidd that never worked out. Now that the relationship between Kidd and the Lakers is over, the Lakers have no problem airing out their displeasure over the last six years.
"It's over now and I'm glad it's over. I will admit now that we should've probably traded Kidd who was probably at his peak, six years ago. However, I like the direction we're going in now with Ronnie and the cap room we'll have this offseason," said Buss.
You can't help feel for this great organization that has suffered a great deal in the Jason Kidd era, despite their early success. But it's a new beginning now and Ron Artest appears to be the future of this team.
"With all due respect, I think we wasted our time with Jason these past six years," said owner Jerry Buss. "We thought that he was going to be a franchise player and a team leader but despite putting tons of talent around him, especially last year."
The Lakers probably had their most talented team since their last finals appearance in 1995 last year. Jerry Stackhouse, Rashard Lewis, Kenyon Martin, and Bryant Reeves surrounded Kidd last year but they failed to advance yet again out of the first round. The GM wanted to move Kidd the moment he took control of the time back in 1998 despite opposition from ownership.
"I wanted to move him the moment I stepped into office here in Los Angeles. We had a deal on the table with the Pacers that was going to trade Chris Webber and Kidd for some expiring players and some young talent in Stephen Jackson and I think Danny Fortson as well. It got denied and the ownership discouraged me trading both Jason and Chris," said GM Back4The1stTim3. "Ownership told me that if I had to deal one of them, Webber would be the guy and Kidd was going to be our franchise player."
Webber did eventually get moved and the Lakers went on a carousel of surrounding talent around Kidd that never worked out. Now that the relationship between Kidd and the Lakers is over, the Lakers have no problem airing out their displeasure over the last six years.
"It's over now and I'm glad it's over. I will admit now that we should've probably traded Kidd who was probably at his peak, six years ago. However, I like the direction we're going in now with Ronnie and the cap room we'll have this offseason," said Buss.
You can't help feel for this great organization that has suffered a great deal in the Jason Kidd era, despite their early success. But it's a new beginning now and Ron Artest appears to be the future of this team.
