ESPN First Take Western Conference Edition

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Cari Champion: Just like that, we're back with another episode of your favorite simESPN program: ESPN First Take. As always, the lovely hosts of our show:

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Skip Bayless

... and...

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Steven A. Smith

Cari Champion: Today we, like last time, we'll be talking all these post- and off-season: playoffs, resignings, lottery, and draft... Except this time we shift our focus to the Western Conference, home of the 2004-05 NBA Sim League Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Stephen A. Smith: And what a good show we'll have today. There are plenty of exciting things happening in the Western Conference, but let's start off by giving props to the Los Angeles Lakers. We touched on this slightly in the last show. I may have been a hater in the past, but what they did last season was pure magic. The beginning started out in turmoil, with the GM even considering possible resignation from his post half-way through the season. But to hit rock bottom and not only make some moves and turn it around... I mean, they traded away their previously-declared cornerstone in Dirk Nowitski for Tracy McGrady. They traded away Delonte West and a lotto pick for Gasol. Not only did they make these moves, but they turned a .500 team into a champion. Color me impressed, Skip.

Skip Bayless: Oh, you're finished? Didn't know you were going to take the lead today.

Stephen A. Smith: Skip, are your feelings hurt over that? If anything, I'm saying good things about a team that you like. You should be honored that we are on the same wavelength for once. But please. Go ahead.

Skip Bayless: No hurt feelings over here Stephen A., we all know who the real 'Champion' of the show is here, and her name is Cari.

Cari Champion: Why Thank you Skip.

Stephen A. Smith Hold up, hold up hold up. Did SKIP BAYLESS MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SLURP HIMSELF?



Skip Bayless: Slurp myself? What does that even mean? Besides, who do I look like, the Rocket's GM?

Stephen A. Smith: Skip you better be respectful, that's a baaaaad man we're talking about. Look at that roster he's assembled.

Skip Bayless: You may be right Stephen A., if we're starting to file G.M.'s under Bad men men who have lead their teams to 2 first round exits, a guy that spends his nights dusting the Grizzlies Division Title Banners, and leads the league in self anointments, self awards and self-slurping, then yes you're right, he is a BAAAAAAD MAN.

Stephen A. Smith: Why do you have to be so DISRESPECTFUL Skip? I'm not even going to respond to that.

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Skip Bayless: Now back on subject. Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers for winning the title. Now, i'm not sure where you're getting they're one of the teams I like. I seem to recall you bloviating constantly about this team when they aquired Shaq. Then bloviating when they aquired Dirk, then bloviating again when they aquired A.I.. Then again when they traded for T Mac. Then again when they traded for Gasol.

Stephen A. Smith: What are you getting at Skip?

Skip Bayless: I guess what i'm saying is you give bloviation jobs a lot to the Lakers G.M.

Stephen A. Smith: EXCUSE ME?

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Skip Bayless: Back to the World Champion the Lakers. Congratuations to the Lakers for winning Championship, I'm sure now thier G.M. will settle down with the trades now that he knows the winning forumla.... What's that? Oh he Traded Pau? Exactly. This G.M. is addicted to trading, and frankly they got lucky the 76ers did the heavy lifting against the Hornets in the Eastern Conference. I predict that the Lakers will inevetably trade himself out of being a contender. Now i'll give credit where it's due, and that's Phil Jackson for making countless playoff adjustments that really won them games down 3-1 TWICE in the WCF and the Finals. So some credit goes there. If anything this team seemed like a team of destiny more than a team of dominance. I think the game we all wanted to see was the Hornets versus the Grizzlies, but we were robbed of that and forunately given the best finals in simLeague history.

Cari Champion: Well, everyone Congrats to the Lakers for winning the championship. What do the Lakers have to do to contend again for a back to back championship, considering that's never been done, Skip?

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[B]Skip Bayless:[B] Well, I think they are on track but have some work to do. They upgraded Pau to Tim Duncan, the best player in the league which will be huge come the regular season. They also have to work on getting some depth. As we saw last year that depth really does matter in the league. The fact that the Lakers could plug and play Othella Harrington when they needed offense and Ben Wallace when they needed defense was huge. I thought they had a few value 'gets' in the second round of the playoffs who probably won't see time. Mostly they have to try and keep their team in tact and as we know they can contend with anyone. The big thing I think will be interesting is as those contracts increase for Iverson, T Mac, and Duncan, if they'll have to trade for them. Over a 5 year span, ESPN Analyst predicted they'd have to pay about 250 points with the new Luxury tax rule.

Cari Champion: Stephen A. ?

Stephen A. Smith: To repeat a title run, I think they've done all they can do, outside of signing any players from their team last year. Have you looked at their salary situation? They are in a win-now, pay-later mode. I'd be more interested in seeing how they will handle things in a couple seasons when the budget gets a wee bit tighter.

Cari Champion: Ok, let's move on to our next topic, as this episode is airing late and the state of the NBA is already in flux. That topic is Lotto/Draft winners and losers.

Stephen A. Smith: Let me just come out and state the obvious here in that my pick for #1 draft winner was the Mavericks. They may not have won the lotto, but they did just about as good as they could. Deron Williams and Danny Granger are 2 great pieces that hope to lay the foundation for that team. They also traded their 1st round pick for next season (which may have been a bit eager) for the defensive presence of Kenyon Martin. The Mavericks new GM came in and really turned a disgrace of a franchise around real fast. They still have Larry Hughes as we--

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Skip Bayless: You do work for ESPN right? You know, the Sports News Leader. How do you still have a job, Stephen A.?

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Stephen A. Smith: What are you getting at, Skip? Stop being so disrespectful and spit it out.

Skip Bayless: In the waning hours of the evening last night, the Mavericks have in principle agreed to send Hughes to the Jazz for basically their 06 1st.

Stephen A. Smith: I guess I didn't get the memo. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if this was some kind of attempt to sabotage me live on air. That said, this is a great move for their cap future.

Skip Bayless: Except for the part where they traded next year's pick for Kenyon Martin.

Stephen A. Smith: Will you PLEASE stop interrupting--

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Skip Bayless: --you?

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Stephen A. Smith: Anyway, the Mavericks won big in this draft. It would be hard to overlook the Supersonics too, who jumped to the #1 spot and got Chris Paul as a prize. The Sonics get quite possibly the best point guard prospect to come out in years and play next to Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. If they can line up some depth on that team, they could look to quickly contend for a lower seed in the West.

Cari Champion: Skip, I know you have already interjected some thoughts on what Stephen said, but did you have anything to add about Draft winners?

Skip Bayless:Well, It’s hard to not agree with your picks on the Mavericks and I’m going to gloss over them since you spent so much time trying to get a job with Mark Cuban.

Stephen A. Smith: Excuse me?

Skip Bayless:You heard me Stephen A.; but I’m going to talk about some very questionable moves, because like always you fail to see things that aren’t blinking in your face.

Stephen A. Smith:Please…

Skip Bayless: The REAL story behind the Western conference draft was the REACHES the teams in the Western Conference took, and I’m going to start with the most perplexing one. The Minnesota Timberwolves. Now, let’s go through a little history lesson. Last year, this GM felt he couldn’t build around a winner around Pau and Boozer together, so he traded Gasol, a young 7 footer who is extremely skilled to (assumed) give the spotlight to Carlos Boozer. Ok, questionable thought process there. For Gasol, they got a pick that seemed to be better than it ended up being due to the Suns late surge. So now comes the draft. They take Felton, who I thought was a sneaky good pick. Then comes free agency and the resign Stephon Marbury… and TRADE Boozer.

Stephen A. Smith: I’m confused…

Skip Bayless:Everyone’s Confused and that’s my point Stephen A.; The Timberwolves made it to the second round of the playoffs last year and were really a player or 2 from being one of the best teams in the league. When things don’t go right for them, they trade away their best players and start over. GASOL AND BOOZER was the start over, and now we’re looking at a team with a bunch picks next year. Seems like a rudderless battleship going to war, you really have no idea which way it’s going to go. The enraging thing about it, is their GM seems like an EXCELLENT evaluator of talent, he just doesn’t seem to have patience or trust himself enough.

Stephen A. Smith:The same has been said about the Lakers G.M. who just won the Championship Skip.


Skip Bayless:The Lakers never went into the traditional “rebuild” mode. We all know their owner would never stand for that. Now on to the other huge question mark: The San Antonio Spurs. Now, don’t get me wrong. I thought they got tremendous value with Monta Ellis, who can flat out score the basketball. But this was a team with resigning Jason Kidd, you thought could use someone in the starting line-up, not another piece in an already crowded backcourt. They have Allen Houston, a traditional 2 guard who’s getting outlandishly overpaid, J.R. Smith, their first round pick of last year and now Monta Ellis. I think their G.M. is delusional if they think they’re a contender with this roster. My advice would be to send off Jason Kidd and make someone take on that Allen Houston contract and just start over. You can maybe slide J.R. Smith to the 2 or try and square peg round hole Monta into the 1 spot. I just don’t think this is a well-built team. I will give credit where credit is due, and I thought that Sean May was a good value pick where they were at.

Cari Champion: Well, clearly Skip talked about the losers, Stephen A. anything to add?

Rebuilding>winning championships. I never know what I'm gonna do.