What if the Lakers had kept Caron Butler?

Question

How much better do you think they'd be? Look at this rotation versus the current Laker rotation;

With Butler
C Bynum
F Odom
F Butler
G Bryant
G Fisher
6 Mihm
7 Crittenton
8 Radmanovic/Walton

Projected 2007-08 Roster
C Brown
F Odom
F Walton
G Bryant
G Fisher
6 Bynum/Mihm
7 Radmanovic
8 Crittenton/Evans

Just a couple side notes here;

Caron Butler averaged 20 points per game last season WITH ARENAS AND JAMISON! Two high volume shooters, which says a lot.

He also averaged over 2 steals per game, and if i'm not mistaken ranked 2nd or 3rd in the league.

With Lamar they already have an excellent rebounder for the 4 spot and your primary play maker.

With Caron you have a second option scorer and another solid wing defender besides Kobe, who can get steals.

Answer 1

I really don't think there would be much room for Caron Butler with Kobe's ambition of chasing MJ's 10 scoring titles. Odoms is barely getting 14 - 15 points a game so how much can you really expect to get out of Caron Butler? Washington's system is a little more balance and they do share the ball on offense. The Lakers are literally a one man Kobe showtime.

Answer 2

The Lakers would definitely be a better squad because Odom is such an inconsitent 2nd scorer, and Bynum still needs some time to develop.

Kwame is a horrible, horrible offensive player and it's almost going to be addition by subtraction when they get rid of him. He's OK for defense and rebounding, but his game is ugly and i wish they'd stop trying to feed him in the post- he has the worst pair of hands and he's just a terrible ball player.

It's arguable the Lakers are a better team without Kwame (i'm sure they can pick up someone better with the fat salary he's making).

Nickster

Answer 3

If they had kept Caroon Butler ........... then they would be alot better off then they were.

Caron was the complimentary player that Kobe needed, even Chucky atkins put in major work on the points side of things. Both of them were capable of putting in over 20 a game along with Kobe.


That team went to the second round of the playoffs and barely lost to the phoenix suns. Even though their regular season record was not the best they were up on phoenix in that series before self destructing. That was with Caron and Chucky. Since that deal was made to trade them away to Washington, it has been downhill for the lakers ever since.

Do I think they would be better with Caron, ....................... yes!

Answer 4

They would be better, but imagine if they still had Butler and traded for someone like...hmmmmm....Kevin Garnett! The Lakers could've landed KG with a trade proposal of Bynum, Radmonovic, and Butler, ha, BBB trade. Maybe throw in Jordan Farmar and some draft picks. But no sense pondering on the past, we just really need to think of what the hell the Lakers can do next. No Mitch Kupchak, you shouldn't be satisfied, look to improve, that's what's wrong with him, he's alright with mediocrity. And I know Lakers fans won't accept mediocrity. Put me in as GM, I'll make something happen, better than Kupchak.

Answer 5

With Butler, just one more lousy ballplayer. From your list, just 3 can play: Kobe, Odom and Fisher (and he's primariy a backup). The other 6, if they went back to the same college, they wouldn't win consistently.

Answer 6

It is what we call gamle, what if kwame improve and average 20-10 that's what they are hoping for.

Answer 7

that caron trade for kwame was worse then the shaq trade

Answer 8

yea kwame brown fckin sucks

look at this
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IodL41MjUXE

he cant caatch a pass but he can throw a cake lol

Answer 9

They would still lose - because they have Ko-me-me-me and he won't let anyone else play

Answer 10

They would never have been lottery or low draft picks would they?