Kevin love will consider opting out for LA

[mrwallace2ku]

Doesn't surprise me to see successful teams located in low to no tax States TF.

Florida
Texas
Oklahoma
Indiana...may be wrong here

for example...

 

[trojanfan12]

Or when the league blocked Chris Paul from going there because....wait why did they block that trade again?

While I think what the league did with that was wrong, I understand the reason for it. They league owned the franchise and CP3 was their one marketable player. It was a fair trade as far as talent, but not as far as "marquee players". No one else in that trade "moved the needle" like CP3. The league was trying to get as much money for the franchise as possible and losing CP3 would have driven the price down.

It's bullshit and the league shouldn't be in that position, but it is what it is (or was what it was). Nothing's gonna change that now.

 

[DJ]

Maybe he signs with the Clippers.

HoopsHype - NBA Salaries - Los Angeles Clippers

Nope, they won't be able to pay him fair market value.

 

[trojanfan12]

Doesn't surprise me to see successful teams located in low to no tax States TF.

Florida
Texas
Oklahoma
Indiana...may be wrong here

for example...

There has been plenty of success by teams in California and Massachusetts as well. 2 of the top current teams in the league (GSW and the Clips) are in California and the 3rd (Lakers) have 16 championships and will likely be back in contention in the next 3 or so years. Massachusetts has the Celtics with 17 championships and while they are down right now, they will likely be back in the mix within about 3 years themselves.

Most players are more interested in where they can "build their brand" and that's easier to do in some places than others.

 

[DJ]

NBA rumors are idiotic. Love isn't leaving Cleveland to go to lose 50+ games a year in LA.

This rumor has about as much legs as all those Pau Gasol trade rumors from the last couple of years where LA gets back this great packages back for him. That wasn't realistic and neither is this.

There will be 20 more "LA is getting <insert NBA superstar>" over the next 8 months but 1 year from now LA is still going to suck as they are only going to be able to attract mid-level talent that they grossly overpay until they able form a real roster.

LA was screwed the moment the new CBA came into being that didn't allow them to spend twice what every other team was spending with minimal penalties.

With Kobe, a healthy Randle, top 5 protected pick next season, Love and pieces around them.....they wouldn't be losing 50-plus games....

 

[MrHoople]

LOL.

Seriously, I think that the Lakers don't have anyone signed long-term. They are THE marquee franchise of the league and will continue to be the hottest destination for every free agent out there. Even the albatross Kobe will retire sooner rather than later, allowing them to pursue better players who won’t take 40% of the cap.

"They are THE marquee franchise of the league and will continue to be the hottest destination for every free agent out there."

^^

I don't think that's true any more. One of the attractions in LA was playing for Dr. Buss who knew how to build a team. Dwight Howard left and the other free agents avoided going to LA this summer. I'm not sure players are ready to commit themselves to the Buss kids until they can prove that they know what they are doing.

 

[MrHoople]

Or when the league blocked Chris Paul from going there because....wait why did they block that trade again?

The league owned the New Orleans team at the time and many of the owners protested sending CP3 to the Lakers. Stern had to reverse his plan.

 

[DJ]

"They are THE marquee franchise of the league and will continue to be the hottest destination for every free agent out there."

^^

I don't think that's true any more. One of the attractions in LA was playing for Dr. Buss who knew how to build a team. Dwight Howard left and the other free agents avoided going to LA this summer. I'm not sure players are ready to commit themselves to the Buss kids until they can prove that they know what they are doing.

It's still LA and there are players who will want to play with Kobe and the Lakers. The misconception is that nobody wants to play for the Lakers, but after he signed with Phoenix....Isaiah Thomas came out and said he wanted to be in LA.

 

[MrHoople]

Doesn't surprise me to see successful teams located in low to no tax States TF.

Florida
Texas
Oklahoma
Indiana...may be wrong here

for example...

I agree with you. Players know they can keep more of their money in Texas and Florida where there is no state income tax. While LA is attractive it's also one of the highest taxed cities in the USA.

 

[MrHoople]

It's still LA and there are players who will want to play with Kobe and the Lakers. The misconception is that nobody wants to play for the Lakers, but after he signed with Phoenix....Isaiah Thomas came out and said he wanted to be in LA.

The last year disproves your post. Let's see what next summer brings and then we will get a better idea. This summer nobody wanted to join Kobe and one guy actually left and went to Houston.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

I agree with you. Players know they can keep more of their money in Texas and Florida where there is no state income tax. While LA is attractive it's also one of the highest taxed cities in the USA.

And considering a NBA player as a "business" with several income streams it makes sense from the players perspective.

It not just the NBA either...just look at where the highest % of PGA players reside...excluding fair weather of course which makes sense as well.

 

[DJ]

The last year disproves your post. Let's see what next summer brings and then we will get a better idea. This summer nobody wanted to join Kobe and one guy actually left and went to Houston.

Try reading better since you clearly missed the most important part of the post:

Isaiah Thomas said he had interest in signing with Lakers | ProBasketballTalk

 

[DJ]

The last year disproves your post. Let's see what next summer brings and then we will get a better idea. This summer nobody wanted to join Kobe and one guy actually left and went to Houston.

This past summer DH didn't leave, he left 2 summers ago.

 

[DJ]

I agree with you. Players know they can keep more of their money in Texas and Florida where there is no state income tax. While LA is attractive it's also one of the highest taxed cities in the USA.

How do you explain the Clippers, Warriors and even the Kings so far this season being competitive?

 

[trojanfan12]

The last year disproves your post. Let's see what next summer brings and then we will get a better idea. This summer nobody wanted to join Kobe and one guy actually left and went to Houston.

Un, no it doesn't. There were only 2 FA's that the Lakers truly went after, Lebron and 'Melo. Lebron was never going to do anything other than re-sign in Miami or go to the Cavs. 'Melo wavered between the Knicks and Lakers for a long time and gave the Lakers a lot more consideration than anyone (including the Lakers) expected. In fact, they moved from being completely out of the running when FA started, to being the top threat to the Knicks. In the end, he chose the money and keeping his wife happy by staying in New York (can't blame him, especially on the happy wife part).

Pretty much every expert out there who has any contact with NBA players says that the Lakers are a destination franchise for most FA's.

Also, Dwight didn't leave this past summer, he left the summer before and said himself that Kobe had nothing to do with his decision to leave. He said if the Lakers had brought Phil back, he'd still be in L.A. So, his own words, disprove your post.

 

[DJ]

Un, no it doesn't. There were only 2 FA's that the Lakers truly went after, Lebron and 'Melo. Lebron was never going to do anything other than re-sign in Miami or go to the Cavs. 'Melo wavered between the Knicks and Lakers for a long time and gave the Lakers a lot more consideration than anyone (including the Lakers) expected. In fact, they moved from being completely out of the running when FA started, to being the top threat to the Knicks. In the end, he chose the money and keeping his wife happy by staying in New York (can't blame him, especially on the happy wife part).

Pretty much every expert out there who has any contact with NBA players says that the Lakers are a destination franchise for most FA's.

Also, Dwight didn't leave this past summer, he left the summer before and said himself that Kobe had nothing to do with his decision to leave. He said if the Lakers had brought Phil back, he'd still be in L.A. So, his own words, disprove your post.

+1

Melo had it narrowed down to the Lakers and Knicks and pretty much only stayed there because of the $.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Well to be fair the city of Cleveland does smell like hell.

"We're Cleveland -- the other Philadelphia"

 

[DJ]

DH left because of Mike D'Antoni, not Kobe. He didn't like the Suns-type offense they ran.


Now, he's in Houston where they run a Phoenix Suns type offense, LOL. Irony.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

DH left because of Mike D'Antoni, not Kobe. He didn't like the Suns-type offense they ran.


Now, he's in Houston where they run a Phoenix Suns type offense, LOL. Irony.

only now it's with a far better roster.

 

[trojanfan12]

only now it's with a far better roster.

The roster he had with the Lakers was a better roster than the current Rockets roster. They just had too many injuries and never got on the same page. Changing coaches (and therefore offensive systems) after 5 games, didn't exactly speed up the process either.