The Official Los Angeles Lakers Thread

[eaterfan]

16 minutes ago, Lou said:

so in your scenario, the Lakers have to trade for Leonard first. what happens if you do that and PG and LeBron sign elsewhere? how does your team stack up in 2019?

i contend that signing PG first ensures LeBron's signing. even if I'm wrong, you still have PG, a good group of youngsters and your draft picks. your way, you have Leonard and traded away players and picks.

anyway, as I initially stated, I'm sure this will all be worked out behind the scenes before anything is done. 

In my scenario, yes. But I think it ensure signing LeBron and PG. Of course you could be stuck holding the bag, but the bag includes Leonard.

In your scenario you could end up not signing anyone or getting Leonard in a trade. Basically the same team as last year without Clarkson or Nantz.

I also think it wasn't worth trading away much for Paul George. He's a really nice player, but isn't one of the best in the NBA. You aren't winning the championship if he's your best player. I think you can win if Leonard is your best. Leonard is a Verlander type and George is a Rich Hill type.

[Angel Oracle]

34 minutes ago, The Boogie Man said:

Who is LRMaM?

Luc Richard Mbah A Moute

[Angel Oracle]

21 minutes ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

What Lou said.  If you gut the young core for Leonard then miss out on George/Lebron you've got Kawhi, a weak core/bench and you have to sign some guys for this year or pay the penalty when the team salary doesn't meet the league minimum.  I'd much rather go the FA route unless Leonard is cheap because I like the chances of getting George/Lebron to pair with Ingram/Kuzma/Ball/Randal.  

And you are left with a KL who didn't exactly make a lot of friends in S.A. this past season with InjuryGate.

Did KL's psyche take a turn for the worse this past season?   That is a real consideration.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

I'm less worried about his psyche than I am the fact that his relationship with SA started to deteriorate when his uncle became his agent.  When he gets his payday maybe it's less of an issue but if his uncle goes full Lavar you've got a guy likely on a max contract who may become a distraction. 

[Lou]

16 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

In my scenario, yes. But I think it ensure signing LeBron and PG. Of course you could be stuck holding the bag, but the bag includes Leonard.

In your scenario you could end up not signing anyone or getting Leonard in a trade. Basically the same team as last year without Clarkson or Nantz.

I also think it wasn't worth trading away much for Paul George. He's a really nice player, but isn't one of the best in the NBA. You aren't winning the championship if he's your best player. I think you can win if Leonard is your best. Leonard is a Verlander type and George is a Rich Hill type.

no, in my scenario you don't get Leonard. 

in your scenario, if you get stuck holding the bag, you are left with Leonard and not "basically the same team". it's going to cost you a lot to acquire him. the Spurs aren't giving him away.

George is a Rich Hill type? with all due respect, that's nonsense. 

[Lou]

13 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Luc Richard Mbah A Moute

aka the Cameroon Crazy 

[Brandon]

Yeah, I'm not following that one.

Don't think Durant leaves, but when the best player in the league is the salesman......you have to at least listen.

I'm also in the don't deplete the squad for Leonard with no guarantees. Being stuck with a shit team and just Leonard is foolish.

 

 

[eaterfan]

2 minutes ago, Lou said:

no, in my scenario you don't get Leonard. 

in your scenario, if you get stuck holding the bag, you are left with Leonard and not "basically the same team". it's going to cost you a lot to acquire him. the Spurs aren't giving him away.

George is a Rich Hill type? with all due respect, that's nonsense. 

You are right. A Dan Haren type is a better example. I was just trying to keep it more contemporary. Sometime all-star. At one point thought of as elite.

I'm not sure this is a playoff team ever if we don't get at least one star this year. And even if we get just PG, then is this team any better than recent Portland teams? The NBA is a star driven league and getting 2 of the top 5 guys would be huge. If you can increase the chances of that by 45-50% then it's a risk worth looking at. 

I'm not sure it's a good move but I don't think it's ridiculous.

[Brandon]

Uhhh, Portland was the #3 seed in the playoffs, that is not a bad position to be in after missing the playoffs continually.

[eaterfan]

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

Uhhh, Portland was the #3 seed in the playoffs, that is not a bad position to be in after missing the playoffs continually.

It's better than the Lakers. But they've reached their ceiling and weren't really title contenders.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Portland had the 9th youngest team in the NBA last year while their top 4 scorers are currently 26, 27, 27 and 23 years old.  From an age standpoint their top 3 scorers are entering their prime of their careers.  They may lack a well known superstar but they've made the playoffs 5 straight years and could still continue to develop as a team.  When Golden State won 47 games in the 2012/2013 season I'm guessing not too many thought they had a legitimate shot at winning 67 games 2 years later with the same core that continued to develop.  

[Lou]

has anyone heard any rumors regarding Nerlens Noel? iirc, he's a FA.

was wondering what it would cost to sign him.

[Angel Oracle]

13 minutes ago, Lou said:

has anyone heard any rumors regarding Nerlens Noel? iirc, he's a FA.

was wondering what it would cost to sign him.

Dude has been hurt for almost half of his 5 year career so far.   Missed his entire rookie season, and has only played half of the games in the past two seasons. 

When healthy, he's decent/solid on the glass and has a little bit of an inside game offensively.   But defensively, definitely not a great deterrent, averages basically 1.5 blocks per 30 min of play.   He's pretty much meh.

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-trade-rumors-spurs-not-interested-in-lonzo-ball-lakers-trying-to-get-pick-from-nuggets/

I don't blame SA for not wanting Ball because between his poor shooting and defense he doesn't fit the mold of the guys they have targeted during Popovich's tenure.  I really don't like hearing the Lakers talking about taking on a bad contract to get an additional pick to add to a deal for Leonard.  They're supposedly willing to trade Ingram plus more for Leonard while Boston won't part with Tatum or Brown and the Philly deal has some young guys with upside but I don't think it matches up.  Maybe not all of what's reported is accurate but it just feels like the Lakers are moving towards overpaying for Leonard after the news that Lebron doesn't want to be the first big name to go to the Lakers. 

 

[Stradling]

4 minutes ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kawhi-leonard-trade-rumors-spurs-not-interested-in-lonzo-ball-lakers-trying-to-get-pick-from-nuggets/

I don't blame SA for not wanting Ball because between his poor shooting and defense he doesn't fit the mold of the guys they have targeted during Popovich's tenure.  I really don't like hearing the Lakers talking about taking on a bad contract to get an additional pick to add to a deal for Leonard.  They're supposedly willing to trade Ingram plus more for Leonard while Boston won't part with Tatum or Brown and the Philly deal has some young guys with upside but I don't think it matches up.  Maybe not all of what's reported is accurate but it just feels like the Lakers are moving towards overpaying for Leonard after the news that Lebron doesn't want to be the first big name to go to the Lakers. 

 

I thought Ball was great on defense?  

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

Coming out of college his defense was questioned but he was a good on the ball defender this season.  I think he definitely played better than most thought he would so I take the defense comment back but I think between his shot and his dad it's not surprising SA doesn't want him.

[Lou]

4 minutes ago, The Boogie Man said:

I thought Ball was great on defense?  

Huh? Never.

[beatlesrule]

Tyler Ennis released.

Regarding Kwahi, Ingram alone is obviously not worth Kawhi but when you start including him with Kuzma and Ball and picks, you can see why the Lakers wouldn't do that. I want to keep Ingram. I'd rather get Lebron, George and resign Randle. Revisit the whole Kawhi next offseason after you see how far the Lakers went(will definitely get to the playoffs) and what you think of the young guys. I don't think they would have cap space to sign Kawhi as a FA but you could work out a sign and trade though. If not, oh well. A lot of good FA will be available in the next 2 years.

If they do in fact trade away everyone and are left with Lebron, George and Kawhi, the Lakers would have to have some kind of other plan in place. Maybe Lebron has guys that sign with the Lakers or a good amount of vets come in at the minimum to play with those big 3. The Lakers will have completely overhauled their team in 1 offseason. I don't know what players, if any, would remain from the 2017-18 team. I say Lakers offer the Spurs Kuzma, Ball, Hart and some picks or whatever makes the salaries match up. If they say no, we want Ingram too, you tell them to go deal with some other team. Kawhi would also have to sign an extension right away with the Lakers. No way you give up all those young players and picks for 1 year of Kawhi.

If I'm the Spurs, I tell Kawhi that no team will give us what you are worth and so you'll have to play here at least another year. He's under contract so he has no say in the matter. Call his bluff. He has to play for you as long as he is under contract. If Kawhi is serious about not playing with them again, he can retire for a year and screw the Spurs over. If not, the Spurs keep one of the best players in the game.

[Lou]

2 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Dude has been hurt for almost half of his 5 year career so far.   Missed his entire rookie season, and has only played half of the games in the past two seasons. 

When healthy, he's decent/solid on the glass and has a little bit of an inside game offensively.   But defensively, definitely not a great deterrent, averages basically 1.5 blocks per 30 min of play.   He's pretty much meh.

He's a good, mobile big nan that would at least give some semblance of a big man. He also averages double digit rebounds per 30 minutes.

Health is another question, but if you can get him cheap, why not? Not too many other cenrer options that would fit the financial restraints. 

[Stradling]

14 minutes ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

Coming out of college his defense was questioned but he was a good on the ball defender this season.  I think he definitely played better than most thought he would so I take the defense comment back but I think between his shot and his dad it's not surprising SA doesn't want him.

This is what I remember.  I think he was a pleasant surprise.  

[Lou]

I watched him closely and I don't think he was good at all. He gets steals because he takes a lot of chances. 

Nice kid though

[Lou]

https://hoopshype.com/2018/06/29/los-angeles-lakers-free-agency-rumors/

Notable Veterans Would Take NBA Minimum If LeBron James Goes To Lakers

 

[nando714]

Lebron day

[nando714]

LAbron opts out

offically a UFA 

[nando714]

http://thesource.com/2018/06/27/lebron-james-space-jam-2/