lakers might get Damon Stoudamire or Gary Payton

I think they should try to get Van Exel back, he will be a good fit..

Gary

hes retired

when did he retire

Before 1 year,maximum 2

they are pursuing a bigtime loser- tyrone lue

that would realy suck if they get him back

Van Exel is still an active baller.....Property of the Portland Trailblazers.

From 5/04/05
?I didn?t have no choice,? Van Exel says. ?I can?t go out like this. I still have a lot of passion for the game.

...however Nick lack the discipline to run the Triangle.

Stoudamire is a much wiser choice

That's what I thought,

i would like to see him come to la

damn,nick said he was going to retire after this year.I wouldnt mind getting jannero pargo or lue back.both know how to run the riangle effectively

i remember sitting behind the bench when the lakers took the championship years back, that was exciting.

i think stoudamire has better chances...

I miss Gary.

God he was such a great player in Seattle.

Are you guys nuts - Stoudamire is a ball hog. Him and KB will not make a good fit. That was Stoudamire promblem when he came into the league and that is still his problem today. Not a good choice.

Shaft

there's not many real point guards left for the lakers to pick up

fuck the lakers

Damn some more badluck for the Lakers... this guy could of helped them.

Ronny Turiaf, the West Coast Conference player of the year at Gonzaga and a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, has an enlarged aortic root in his heart and will need open-heart surgery, possibly ending his pro career before it starts.

"I'm going to try everything I can to beat it," an emotional Turiaf said Friday.

The condition was discovered during extensive medical testing in Los Angeles.

Lakers spokesman John Black said Turiaf would have open-heart surgery in four to six weeks.

Black said examinations of Turiaf a couple of years ago and earlier this year at the predraft camp turned up an abnormality. In both instances doctors didn't think it was serious and cleared him to play. Further examinations by the Lakers' physicians turned up the more serious problem, Black said, and other independent experts confirmed it.

"Obviously he's disappointed," Black told The Associated Press on Thursday night. "I think it's fair to say he's anxious and somewhat scared to have to undergo open heart surgery. But now that he's had time for it to sink in, and looking at the big picture, he's hopeful for his future."

Black said it was too early to determine if the condition would be career-ending.

"We don't want to speculate on that, but obviously we're hopeful that if things go well he will be able to [play again]," Black said.

The good news, Black added, is that catching the condition now likely saved Turiaf's life.

Turiaf thanked teammate Kobe Bryant and fans for their support and vowed to get past the condition so he can help his family.

"Today is just another setback, another hurdle I'll just have to jump over," he said.

It wasn't clear what impact Turiaf's loss will have on the team this season.

"He would have still had to go to training camp and earn a spot on the team," Black said. "But he did fill a role at power forward that we thought we needed help at."

The Lakers selected the 6-foot-9 Turiaf, who was originally from France, with the 37th pick in the June 28 draft. He averaged 15.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 blocked shots as a senior at Gonzaga last season. He was the Lakers' second pick behind 17-year-old center Andrew Bynum of St. Joseph High in Metuchen, N.J.

Los Angeles signed Turiaf to a two-year guaranteed contract on July 14. He played for the Lakers in a Summer Pro League and was averaging 14 points and 4.7 rebounds in 21.9 minutes a game. Turiaf, 22, was held out of the final four games of the summer league.

Ndiaye said Turiaf would remain in Los Angeles to meet with more doctors Friday before determining when and where to have surgery.

"His aorta is too large for his heart," Ndiaye said. "This is open-heart surgery. He could come back if everything goes OK and he works hard."

Ndiaye said the contract would be voided but Lakers owner Jerry Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak would "take care of the medical costs and told us they would keep his rights."

"They are showing us the good human part," Ndiaye said. "Ronny is down. He's a winner and he's determined to get back one day."

Black said the contract Turiaf signed was conditional on passing the physical and once he didn't, the contract becomes void. But Black said the league lawyers might not agree with that interpretation. Black said the Lakers want to pay the medical costs, but once again this is up to the league's interpretation of his contract.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few, who spoke with Turiaf on Thursday night, said Turiaf was in the best condition he had seen him in when he visited Turiaf at the Chicago predraft camp in June.

"We're in a state of shock," Few said. "We're going to be by Ronny's side during this entire ordeal. Our staff, our players and the entire community of Spokane are behind him. He's meant so much to all of us. We're going to see him through this and get him back healthy. There will be a lot of thoughts and prayers coming out of Spokane."

Lue was handpicked by Phil years back. He anticipated playing the Sixers in the Finals. Lue was extremely effective in defending Iverson.

Phil is methodical. I would not call Lue a loser.

i heard it last night about this guy on the news hope he gets better

stoudamire would fit in very nicely with their squad

sprewell would be a nice fit to the lakers

doesnt that guy own a rim shop in duarte or something?

lakers wont even make the playoffs this year

The one next to Duarte Pizza Co? Not sure but I heard it might be his.

All I am saying is they shouldn't of got rid of him the first time if they were going to get him back.

But I guess anybody's better than Atkins.

Why don't they look at Marco from the Clippers.

stoudamire would be a great guard for the Lakers and a better shooter than Payton. But Payton provides better "D"

I'm all for Stoudamire, but please no more gary

mighty mouse damon all the way!