Lakers Off-Season Thread

[trojanfan12]

Okay, so the season is over and it sucked. The Kobe game was a nice way to end the season (surreal is what it was). But now comes the off-season, putting Kobe in the rear view mirror and looking at the future.

Let's use this thread to discuss, possible moves, actual moves, ideas, frustrations, etc.

 

[trojanfan12]

Really hoping for a productive off-season. This off-season marks the beginning of Year 3 of Jim Buss' infamous "3 Year Plan."

The goals are obvious: keep the top 3 pick, use it wisely and attempt to upgrade the roster via FA and trades. Also, a new coach would be nice, but as each day passes with no news, it's looking more like it will be Byron for another year.

My biggest fear is that if the Lakers don't land a top level FA, Jim will use the cap space to sign a bunch of 2nd tier FA types who are good enough to get the Lakers into the playoffs or close to it, but with no real ability to improve the team and get them to the next level. In other words, NBA purgatory.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

In an ideal world:

Lakers draft Simmons or Ingram, sign Durant and Whiteside in free agency and then Westbrook a year later.
With the experience Clarkson, Russell and Randle will have gotten, we'd instantly be a championship team.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Plus, as much as I hate the Mavericks, I hope they beat OKC in the first round. Would make Durant seriously consider listening to other teams.

 

[trojanfan12]

In an ideal world:

Lakers draft Simmons or Ingram, sign Durant and Whiteside in free agency and then Westbrook a year later.
With the experience Clarkson, Russell and Randle will have gotten, we'd instantly be a championship team.

 

[trojanfan12]

Plus, as much as I hate the Mavericks, I hope they beat OKC in the first round. Would make Durant seriously consider listening to other teams.

I think anything less than a WCF appearance and he's going to give some serious consideration to leaving and even a WCF appearance may not be enough at this point.

Then, if he's gone. I think Westbrook probably follows asap.

 

[wildturkey]

Really hoping for a productive off-season. This off-season marks the beginning of Year 3 of Jim Buss' infamous "3 Year Plan."

The goals are obvious: keep the top 3 pick, use it wisely and attempt to upgrade the roster via FA and trades. Also, a new coach would be nice, but as each day passes with no news, it's looking more like it will be Byron for another year.

My biggest fear is that if the Lakers don't land a top level FA, Jim will use the cap space to sign a bunch of 2nd tier FA types who are good enough to get the Lakers into the playoffs or close to it, but with no real ability to improve the team and get them to the next level. In other words, NBA purgatory.

Durant is the only tier 1 player this summer anyway. With the cap going up, its not going to hurt. We need to sign some of those guys anyway. You can't keep sucking because a) you can't expect a big name to come to your team (no one wants to play for a loser) and b) the young guys need to play with talent to experience winning and actually grow. With contract lengths being so short as opposed to the way it use to be (4 years for free agents, 5 years to sign your own players), there is a lot more flexibility. Gone are the days of crippling your team because you blew your cap space on a player with a 7 year contract. So signing a guy like Nic Batum or Harrison Barnes isn't the worse thing in the world and in some ways would actually be pretty savvy

 

[Retroram52]

Obviously, the draft and its moves are up next. Next, according to Shaq (the real guy, commentator) Durant will be the newest Laker this summer and many reports are rumoring that DeRozan is leaving Toronto for LA. Then the Lakers should really go after Whiteside.

Scott is probably going to be here one more year unless the Lakers talk to Luke after the playoffs and things become rather evident that he should be the next Lakers coach. Then we will see if Phil heads west as well to oust short Buss and assume some role to add more pieces for the goal of a championship in the near future.

 

[tomodach10]

Really hoping for a productive off-season. This off-season marks the beginning of Year 3 of Jim Buss' infamous "3 Year Plan."

The goals are obvious: keep the top 3 pick, use it wisely and attempt to upgrade the roster via FA and trades. Also, a new coach would be nice, but as each day passes with no news, it's looking more like it will be Byron for another year.

My biggest fear is that if the Lakers don't land a top level FA, Jim will use the cap space to sign a bunch of 2nd tier FA types who are good enough to get the Lakers into the playoffs or close to it, but with no real ability to improve the team and get them to the next level. In other words, NBA purgatory.

That is my fear as well. I just hope with scott being the coach, that it wont hurt the quest for top free agents. I think if we get simmons or ingram and have good press as an"up and comming team" that will help to attract top free agents.

 

[trojanfan12]

Durant is the only tier 1 player this summer anyway. With the cap going up, its not going to hurt. We need to sign some of those guys anyway. You can't keep sucking because a) you can't expect a big name to come to your team (no one wants to play for a loser) and b) the young guys need to play with talent to experience winning and actually grow. With contract lengths being so short as opposed to the way it use to be (4 years for free agents, 5 years to sign your own players), there is a lot more flexibility. Gone are the days of crippling your team because you blew your cap space on a player with a 7 year contract. So signing a guy like Nic Batum or Harrison Barnes isn't the worse thing in the world and in some ways would actually be pretty savvy

True. I didn't think about how much shorter contracts are these days. No more Magic Johnson 25 year contracts.

It would make sense to get some of those guys. I've been saying that if they get Simmons or Ingram that they should maybe go after Whiteside or Horford and use a good chunk of the rest of the cap space to seriously upgrade the bench.

I just don't want to see them overpaying for those 2nd level guys and not having cap space for the next FA period.

 

[trojanfan12]

That is my fear as well. I just hope with scott being the coach, that it wont hurt the quest for top free agents. I think if we get simmons or ingram and have good press as an"up and comming team" that will help to attract top free agents.

Yeah, I do like what wildturkey suggested re: grabbing guys like Batum or Harrison Barnes though. The more I think about it, the more I'm not so sure that Scott being the coach will hinder the FA search or how much. It'll depend on how the Lakers spin it. If they can convince a top FA that the problem has been the rosters and the Kobe farewell tour (not exactly a reach on either) then they may still be able to land a top guy or 2. It's amazing how much better a coach can look when he actually has guys who can play.

 

[mannyz]

Obviously, the draft and its moves are up next. Next, according to Shaq (the real guy, commentator) Durant will be the newest Laker this summer and many reports are rumoring that DeRozan is leaving Toronto for LA. Then the Lakers should really go after Whiteside.

Scott is probably going to be here one more year unless the Lakers talk to Luke after the playoffs and things become rather evident that he should be the next Lakers coach. Then we will see if Phil heads west as well to oust short Buss and assume some role to add more pieces for the goal of a championship in the near future.

Yes, because Phil has done such a great job in NY.

 

[wildturkey]

Yeah, I do like what wildturkey suggested re: grabbing guys like Batum or Harrison Barnes though. The more I think about it, the more I'm not so sure that Scott being the coach will hinder the FA search or how much. It'll depend on how the Lakers spin it. If they can convince a top FA that the problem has been the rosters and the Kobe farewell tour (not exactly a reach on either) then they may still be able to land a top guy or 2. It's amazing how much better a coach can look when he actually has guys who can play.

Scott being the coach will definitely hinder the search depending on the player. The league knows he isn't good so for players that want to win and be a part of building into a winner, they won't consider us at all. The ones that are just looking for cash, it won't matter all that much.

And it'll hurt both ways if the FO keeps him and everyone knows he's just going to be a lame duck (which he will be). Sometimes cash isn't even enough for a guy to waste a year of his career

 

[trojanfan12]

Scott being the coach will definitely hinder the search depending on the player. The league knows he isn't good so for players that want to win and be a part of building into a winner, they won't consider us at all. The ones that are just looking for cash, it won't matter all that much.

And it'll hurt both ways if the FO keeps him and everyone knows he's just going to be a lame duck (which he will be). Sometimes cash isn't even enough for a guy to waste a year of his career

True. Thibs is off the table, so here's hoping they're waiting for a chance to talk to Luke.

 

[tomodach10]

True. Thibs is off the table, so here's hoping they're waiting for a chance to talk to Luke.

Short buss is not going to do anything IMO.

 

[trojanfan12]

Short buss is not going to do anything IMO.

Unfortunately, you are probably right.

 

[Retroram52]

They should be talkin' to DeRozan when he is available, signing Lou Williams to an extension, and checking on what Pau Gasol is thinking about since many speculative writers believe he will not be back with the Bulls.

 

[trojanfan12]

They should be talkin' to DeRozan when he is available, signing Lou Williams to an extension, and checking on what Pau Gasol is thinking about since many speculative writers believe he will not be back with the Bulls.

I don't know about DeRozan (although his name does keep coming up). He's a 2 guard and we already have Clarkson. I like wildturkey's idea of going after Harrison Barnes or Batum to play the 3.

You know I'm a Pau fanboy, but to me, he would be a last option. He's too old and I doubt he wants to babysit the Lakers kids when he could help a contender.

 

[lakersrule]

True. Thibs is off the table, so here's hoping they're waiting for a chance to talk to Luke.

There really was never a chance with Thibs. The Lakers weren't going to give him the front office control that he was looking for. It's a shame because he actually wanted to coach the Lakers.

So we are a week into the offseason and Byron is still the coach. How long does a decision like this need to take? This leads me to believe that Byron will get another season at the helm which doesn't bode well for free agency. Any minute chance that the Lakers had to sign KD goes out the window with Byron still employed.

I can't help but expect the worst this offseason, although I'll be hoping for the best. At least Boston is down 0-2.

 

[Retroram52]

I like that lakersrule. Anytime Boston is down is a good day!