The Official Los Angeles Lakers Thread

[Angel Oracle]

We want Okafor or Russell!

[Richard]

Lakers Expected to Offer Goran Dragic Max 4-Year Contract Worth Close to $80M in Free Agency, According to ESPN

[Angel Oracle]

Now I know that Jimmy Bob knows nothing about basketball. 

Dragic, $20 million/season?   Dragic?    A 6-3 NBA SG????    One with his WORST stats in 2-3 years?

Aren't there some race horses you need to observe, Jimmy Bob?     That's the only thing you know anything about!
 

Edited February 13, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[nando714]

We want Okafor or Russell!

Okafor would be awesome

Dragic to a max deal? Someone please take this team away from Jimmy boy

[HaloMilliVanilli]

While I like Dragic and would like the Lakers to potentially pursue him at the right cost, I think this is somewhat of a bluff/scare tactic move by them.  Phoenix is willing to trade him but they want a first round pick plus other considerations (current young upside players).  He will be a free agent after this season, and thus basically a rental for anyone ponying up what Phoenix is asking.  The Lakers are putting some fear into prospective trade teams that they could lose Dragic over the summer and lose what they give up in trade.  Could drop the value of what Phoenix ultimately gets for him.  I think it's pretty sweet gamesmanship by Mitch.

 

Also, keep in mind that the cap will increase significantly over the next two seasons.  Peoples gonna get paid....and I mean everybody.

[Richard]

Dragic stirring it up. Listing the Lakers as one of his preferred destinations.

 

edit: Nice try Phoenix:

 

Phoenix also asked if Lakers would remove protection on the pick they owe them (currently top 5) protected. No traction on either discussion

Edited February 18, 2015 by Richard

[Richard]

ESPN on the Lakers: “Team officials regard [their top-five pick] an essential piece to L.A.‘s rebuilding efforts around Kobe Bryant.”

 

 

Did we miss something?

Edited February 18, 2015 by Richard

[Angel Oracle]

Jimmy Bob better NOT remove the top 5 designation!

Dragic is a solid player, but his decline has seemingly already started this season after his best season a year ago.

Like I said before, at most I would sign him for 3 years/$45-50 million.    Which means he will sign elsewhere. 

 

Draft a great college player, sign a premium FA, sign a couple of chemistry type FAs, and hope to find a diamond with Houston's 1st round pick.    That is phase one.  

Phase two is signing either Russell Westbrook or one of the really good FA post players in Summer 2016, depending on who the draft pick is in June (post player or PG).

Edited February 18, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[nando714]

Buss would be murdered if he traded a top 5 pick for Dragic.

Heat just offered 2 first rounders for him

[nando714]

Dragic to Miami

For Danny granger and 2 first rounders

Edited February 19, 2015 by nando714

[Angel Oracle]

Jimmy Bob got something right!

Alert Ripley's!

 

Surprised that Jordan Hill wasn't dealt though.  

 

Lakers do still have their own 2nd round pick, which would be very early on.

Potential guys there include Rakeem Christmas, Sam Dekker, and Brandon Ashley.

Edited February 19, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Philly now owns the first round pick we sent to Phoenix in the Nash deal. Interesting. They sure love picks...but then sent K.J. McDaniel out for a second rounder. I like him and am not sure why they let him go. Also getting rid of MCW. May be difficult to pass Philly now as it appears they are intending to get worse.

Glad we didn't do anything to screw up the tank.

[Angel Oracle]

Never fear, Philly is actually playing alright without MCW.   He only played twice in February, and scored just 2 pts in one of those games.

Yet, they are 2-3 so far this month, and one of the losses was by just 5 to GS.

 

NY is the only team that worries me.   Anthony is out for the season. 

 

Lakers are reallyyyyy badddddd.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Great night for the tank last night.  We lose to Brooklyn while the Timberwolves win, beating Phoenix.  We are now 1 game ahead of the #2 and #3 teams (TWolves and 6'ers).  We extended our lead over Orlando with them winning as well.  Icing on the cake is Houston losing.

Edited February 21, 2015 by HaloWHAM!

[Angel Oracle]

Another thought process for part one of rebuild is to draft either Okafor or Towns, sign Marc Gasol who fits Scott's need for interior defense and rebounding, and then hope for two wing player diamonds for the late first round and early second round picks (any Kawhi Leonards out there?)

Phase two then is to sign Westbrook in July 2016.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Westbrook doesn't become a free agent until after the 2016-2017 season.  Kevin Durant will be a free agent after the 2015-2016 season, though.

[Angel Oracle]

Scratch idea #2 then.    Westbrook may be too old by then to give a long contract to, given his health history.

Durant may be likely to go to his hometown Wizards.

 

Back to the idea of drafting Russell or Mudiay if available, signing Marc Gasol, and hoping for a diamond post player and diamond wing with the late first and early second round picks; then hoping a good post player or wing is a FA in July 2016.

 

Meantime, the Celtics are the ONLY team I truly need to Lakers to beat right now.   Can never, EEEEVER root for the Celtics.

Mission accomplished!  

[tennischmp]

Hey, they got their 14th win last night....

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12374007&ex_cid=espnFB

 

 

bums

[Angel Oracle]

And now the other 3 teams are not cooperating at all, losing all of their games lately.

I guess we are back to needing for at least two of those 3 teams to get a top 3 pick in the lottery, so that the Lakers would be assured of a top 5 pick.

[Richard]

2 wins in a row.

 

[HaloMilliVanilli]

That was a completely loseable game last night.  Tank fail.

 

We will probably lose 8 or 9 of our next 10 games, though.  

[Angel Oracle]

On the bright side, Clarkson continues to progress.   He will be a part of the future for sure, crazy athleticism and scoring potential.

 

Also, Minnesota hammered Washington by 20 in Garnett's first game back as a T-Wolve.

They are the one remaining hope for the Lakers moving up to the 3rd worst record in the league, now that they have Rubio and Martin back and Garnett as well.

Philly and NY are lost causes. 

 

Third worst record means the Lakers only need for one of the other two worst teams to get a top 3 lottery spot if they don't, for them to get a top 5 pick ensured.  

But top 4 would mean Okafor, Russell, Towns, or Mudiay.   It's a bit of a question after the top 4.

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Willie Cauley-Stein needs to be in the discussion if his medicals work out.  Time will tell.  I know he has sickle cell traits and that could hamper his minutes, but that guy would be a beast of a rim protector (think DeAndre Jordan) with offensive upside.  Potentially draft a point guard with the Houston pick.

[Angel Oracle]

Having a rim protector would not suck.     The minutes are the big question for Cauley-Stein. 

[Richard]

Rondo now saying Lakers are his top FA destination.

 

 

I'm starting to think many players are going to label LA their top destination as LA is reportedly going to be throwing out big offers to FA.

 

 

Personally, I don't want Rondo.