NBA News 2011: Lakers have recent history of making trades during extended trips

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By this point, Lakers guard Derek Fisher has grown accustomed to the routine. Any time the Lakers take an extended trip, the concerns go beyond solidifying travel arrangements and how many wins the team compiled. It has also lately involved the Lakers trading someone on their roster.

That's why when the Lakers returned in late December, Fisher focused more on the Lakers shipping off Sasha Vujacic for Joe Smith than the team's 6-1 mark during the trip. Fisher, too, noticed that this isn't anything new for the Lakers, what with the Lakers trading Vladimir Radmanovic for Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown a day before a six-day trip ended in the 2008-09 season, and the Lakers' blockbuster trade involving Pau Gasol on Feb. 1, 2008, came in the middle of a six-game trip.

Can the Lakers ever go on an extended trip without making a deal?

"I don't know," Fisher said with a laugh in late-December, though the Lakers made no moves during the Lakers' seven-game trip last season. "It seems to have been a little bit of a curse in the last couple of years. The trip we have right before All-Star break I'm sure will be a little bit nerve-racking for everyone."

http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/02/lakers-have-recent-history-of-making-trades-during-extended-trips.html

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NBA News 2010: No. 1 Yet Again

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I was surprised by the initial surprise that greeted the Lakers' willingness to participate in the three-way trade that landed Terrence Williams in Houston and armed New Jersey with two more future first-round picks for its trade pursuit of Carmelo Anthony. The champs, frankly, had lots of good reasons for joining in.

The top three?

1. Joe Smith is a veteran big man who -- unlike the outgoing Sasha Vujacic -- has generally been revered by teammates, even though he's never produced at the level expected when Golden State made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 draft. Lakers coach Phil Jackson has been openly fretful about the early-season load Pau Gasol has been shouldering with Andrew Bynum (knee) sidelined until this week and with Theo Ratliff (knee) out. Add it up and L.A. has a clear need for someone like Smith, who as a bonus can probably tell them more about the Celtics' Kevin Garnett (his close friend from their 'Sota days) than just about anyone.

2. With a salary-cap number of $854,389, Smith costs $4.6 million less than Vujacic in payroll terms this season. That means his arrival reduces the Lakers' luxury-tax bill by that same $4.6 million.

3. The parameters of the three-team swap also created a $5.5 million trade exception for the Lakers, which they aren't likely to use between now and the Feb. 24 trade deadline but is sure nice to have if circumstances change and a roster need arises. (We'll have to see how valuable such trade exceptions are -- or if they even exist -- in the next labor agreement.)

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-101217-19/latest-melo-drama

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NBA News 2010: For Smith, trade is a dream come true

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The text message was short and to the point.

"Call me ASAP," Joe Smith's agent wrote.

The news was better than expected.

"You've been traded to the Lakers," Smith's agent told him.

Smith has been smiling since he got the news the Lakers agreed to acquire him from the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday. The trade became official Wednesday and Smith took his physical and joined his new teammates Thursday.

"At this point in my career, this is probably a great move because this team has won two in a row and has a chance to win a third one," he said. "Hopefully, I can be a part of it and try to bring whatever I can to the table to help us succeed."

The Lakers will be Smith's 12th team in an NBA career that's in its 16th season. He didn't even try to name his former clubs and said, "I've lost count." The 35-year-old forward is a former No. 1 overall pick by Golden State in 1995.

Despite his vast NBA experience, Smith has not played deep into the playoffs. He was with Cleveland when it lost to Boston in the second round in 2008, but that's as far as he has gone.

He has never been with a team like the Lakers, who are trying for a three-peat. He admitted he had all but given up the idea of playing for a championship contender, "but I was still hopeful that something could happen where I could end up in a place like this."

Mission accomplished.

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_16880820

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