Off The Cuff: July 1, 2009

Still devastated after the come from ahead loss by the US National over Brazil.  So bear with me.
It is free-agency time in both the NBA and NHL.

Los Angeles Laker fans are on pins and needles to see if over-rated and now soon to be over-paid Lamar Odom and Trevor Araiza end up staying in purple and gold.

If you have to sign one of them, go with the younger Araiza who has shown he might be the real deal.

Odom shows up when he feels like it.  So you never know when he will show up.  At times he appears to be at his best.  Other times he looks awful.

If the Lakers were smart, let Odom go and go after Ron Artest.  He is a much better defender.  The only downside is attitude, which may change with Kobe on the same team.

The Los Angeles Clippers have to much dead money with Zach Randolph and Baron Davis.  Both seem to play when they feel like it and have been known to be a cancer for the team.

The Clippers are stuck with both contracts and can only move Marcus Camby so they don’t have so many bodies at the forward position.

I don’t think the Clippers will make any free agent moves.

In the NHL, the Los Angeles Kings need a front-line scorer and it seems that Marion Hossa has left the building signing a 12-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks need to have their head examined by signing a 30-year old player to that large of a contract.

The Kings should look at Minnesota’s Marion Gaborik who had 13 goals in 17 games.  But prior to last season scored 72 goals in two seasons.

If they get his previous two seasons, the Kings would have a huge force on offense to play along youngsters Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Alex Frolov, and Wayne Simmonds.

Kings biggest problem was the fact the team couldn’t score much.

Still having problems dealing with the US loss.

Off The Cuff can be read Wednesday to Sunday at www.midvalleysports.com.

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