Melo wants to test FA

[trojanfan12]

Isn't Melo good friends with Kobe? It might work if that's the case.

Only if Kobe kicks his ass every day!!

 

[wildturkey]

This is a non-issue till January*. He's going to opt out (just like Lebron) because its the best deal financially. But even then, so what? Entering FA isn't the same as leaving your team. You can always resign. If I were advising players, I'd encourage players to enter FA just about any time they could. It's the only time a player has true freedom. The way the labor negotiations have been going, players are losing more and more rights. They need to take advantage of unrestricted free agency whenever they can. (Restricted FA is total bullshit. Don't get me started)


*I say January because that'll be around the time NY may look to trade him. I doubt this would happen but that's about the time they should take stock of the situation and access their and Melo's future.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Don't forget about Nick Young too if he opted in next season. They would be fighting over getting that in-bounds pass. Otherwise they might not see the ball

Withe those 3, it wont even be enough balls in warmups.

 

[trojanfan12]

How about to Houston to be paired with Howard who plays D to back him up, but has no offensive game. They can send Linsanity back to NY with a bunch of other pieces in a sign and trade. The beard, Melo, and Howard could be built around.

Howard was crying about "touches" last year with the Lakers. 'Melo makes Kobe look like Steve Nash when it comes to sharing the ball. Then add in Harden wanting the ball........

On 2nd thought, him going to Houston is a great idea!!

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Brooklyn is well over the cap next season. They couldn't sign him directly as a free agent.

Keep forgetting they are so far over the cap they lose a max contract and are still a max contract over.

 

[trojanfight]

a good question is if not Carmelo where do the lakers go from there. paul george just signed max deal. isn't he from LA? how do you choose Indiana over Hollywood? anyway not likely for LeBron. kobe seems to be leaning to not taking a pay cut. pickings looking slim for 2014. wouldn't want a player in same age range as kobe...dirk, pierce..etc... best alternative might be rudy gay and that's a big talent dip in my opinion.

not even so sure how much Carmelo improves team. I see him as someone who has to have ball to be effective. maybe it ends up being a 1 year deal kind of year 2015 looks a little more promising with rondo, kevin love, lamarcus Aldridge, marc gasol etc

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

a good question is if not Carmelo where do the lakers go from there. paul george just signed max deal. isn't he from LA? how do you choose Indiana over Hollywood? anyway not likely for LeBron. kobe seems to be leaning to not taking a pay cut. pickings looking slim for 2014. wouldn't want a player in same age range as kobe...dirk, pierce..etc... best alternative might be rudy gay and that's a big talent dip in my opinion.

not even so sure how much Carmelo improves team. I see him as someone who has to have ball to be effective. maybe it ends up being a 1 year deal kind of year 2015 looks a little more promising with rondo, kevin love, lamarcus Aldridge, marc gasol etc

Pretty Much 2014 could be just another get by season & wait for 2015, but they will land somebody in 2014 or 2015.

 

[LogicMan]

Trojan fight has it right, slim pickings in free agency. Signing a bunch of old journeymen aint going to change things for any team except the top 5 or 6.

Signing Kobe is going to be a big debate in LA.

LBJ is their only hope.

 

[trojanfan12]

Trojan fight has it right, slim pickings in free agency. Signing a bunch of old journeymen aint going to change things for any team except the top 5 or 6.

Signing Kobe is going to be a big debate in LA.

LBJ is their only hope.

Are you pretending to not be very bright?

Lebron isn't the only hope. You say Trojanfight has it right and then completely ignore the part where he said it looks like 2015 is when the Lakers will make their free agent move.

This might be a good week for you to stop sniffing glue.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Free agency is slim pickings, good thing the Lakers never make good trades right? Wrong.

 

[LogicMan]

So Trojan 12, please enlighten me on the free agents you would surround Kobe with come 2014 and 2015.

 

[trojanfan12]

So Trojan 12, please enlighten me on the free agents you would surround Kobe with come 2014 and 2015.

You know as well as I do that with the way things are set up with this years Laker team, it's virtually impossible to know who they will add.

This current team has a bunch of 1 and 2 year contracts (mostly 1's). The free agents that the Lakers go after will be determined by need which will be based on which players from the current team earn spots beyond this season or next.

There are 2 "no-brainer" free agents in the next 2 classes that the Lakers will make very attractive offers to. I think they will get one, but not both.

In 2014, obviously they will make a very attractive offer to Lebron. However, I think Lebron stays in Miami.

In 2015, they will make a very attractive offer to Kevin Love who I think will sign with the Lakers (that seems to be the popular opinion anyway).

Beyond those two, it depends on how the rest of the team shakes out. For example, Rondo will be a free agent in 2015. If Rondo is healthy and the Farmar isn't cutting it at point guard, he is likely one of a couple of point guards that the Lakers will try to get. However, if Farmar continues to play well (as he has so far in the pre-season) then I don't see the Lakers going after a point guard unless it's a backup point guard.

The Lakers have known that this situation was coming for 3 years, are prepared and have a plan in place. As with any plan, how well it works remains to be seen. But rest assured, the Lakers have not been "caught with their pants down" like you and other C's fans want to believe.

 

[LogicMan]

Trojan, your response is appreciated and in it you proved my point. Assuming you dont get LBJ, which is my point, you will build with Love and Farmar.

Rondo wont be playing in LA. If the Celts feel they cant sign him they are going to trade him. They wont get nothing, and I dont think the Lakers have any picks..........so if anything expect him to go to a Houston or similar.

Love and Farmar. Thats the plan?

 

[LogicMan]

Relative to Love, a decision still 2 years away, Minnesota has tremendous cap space freeing up. In fact, by 2015 many teams do. The Lakers are not the only team that has alot of cap space. But, that said, Farmar and Love is the plan I guess.

 

[trojanfight]

Relative to Love, a decision still 2 years away, Minnesota has tremendous cap space freeing up. In fact, by 2015 many teams do. The Lakers are not the only team that has alot of cap space. But, that said, Farmar and Love is the plan I guess.

farmar is a energy bench type of player...don't see him as long term starter

 

[David_son]

I hope he does leave or we do a sign and trade for the Max and send him for a bunch of draft picks. Im sick of the current Knicks. we are always the oldest team with the worst contracts. Its time to just bottom out sell off the few pieces we can and get good. Its been proven that they cant win like this that is why they havent won an NBA Championship in over 40 years.

 

[trojanfan12]

Trojan, your response is appreciated and in it you proved my point. Assuming you dont get LBJ, which is my point, you will build with Love and Farmar.

Rondo wont be playing in LA. If the Celts feel they cant sign him they are going to trade him. They wont get nothing, and I dont think the Lakers have any picks..........so if anything expect him to go to a Houston or similar.

Love and Farmar. Thats the plan?

With that entire post you got Love and Farmar?!?

I'm starting to think I've given you too much credit. I used Farmar as an example of how the Lakers plans can change based on how the current team performs and you pull out of it that Love and Farmar is "the plan"!!

Are you really that clueless or are you just pretending?

As for Rondo, just because the Celtics trade him, doesn't mean the Lakers can't sign him as a FA in 2015. The only way that he would be "off the market" would be if there is a sign and trade. Otherwise, he could very well do exactly what Dwight did and go to a team via trade and then sign with someone else after the season is over.

Geez, what happened to the smart Celtics fans? I know there used to be at least a few and I thought you were one of them!!

Love and Farmar as "the plan"!!

 

[David_son]

With that entire post you got Love and Farmar?!?

I'm starting to think I've given you too much credit. I used Farmar as an example of how the Lakers plans can change based on how the current team performs and you pull out of it that Love and Farmar is "the plan"!!

Are you really that clueless or are you just pretending?

As for Rondo, just because the Celtics trade him, doesn't mean the Lakers can't sign him as a FA in 2015. The only way that he would be "off the market" would be if there is a sign and trade. Otherwise, he could very well do exactly what Dwight did and go to a team via trade and then sign with someone else after the season is over.

Geez, what happened to the smart Celtics fans? I know there used to be at least a few and I thought you were one of them!!

Love and Farmar as "the plan"!!

Dwight is the exception to the rule. Its possible Rondo would go to the Lakers more in a sign and trade then anything else if he wants to. But very few times unless your teaming with your friends you agree to something lower then the Max.

 

[trojanfan12]

Dwight is the exception to the rule. Its possible Rondo would go to the Lakers more in a sign and trade then anything else if he wants to. But very few times unless your teaming with your friends you agree to something lower then the Max.

I agree and if Rondo is healthy, any team he goes to will require a max deal. If the Celtics trade him, they will either have to do a sign and trade so that the team he goes to can lock him up on a max deal or they can just do a trade like the Lakers did with Dwight and let the team that gets him hope that he will sign with them.

Point is, it's not nearly as simple as "Rondo isn't going to L.A." like LogicMan wants to believe. Additionally, considering what's gone on with the CBA, we don't know if Dwight is the exception to the rule or not.

 

[LogicMan]

Trojan. As David_Son wisely states, sign and trade is the most likely set of actions ahead. Rarely will assets get to FA, especially under new CBA rules. Trade exceptions become a huge asset as well.

LA took a chance most teams wont, trading away assets without securing the long contract. LA believed their distinct advantage was ability to offer a max contract to Dwight.

You stated your analogy of Farmar and Love, not I. Your premise is that Love will get to FA, and, once in FA he will go to LA. THats a probability, but know that other teams will have the money, they will have assets to pull off a sign and trade, and they probably will then have the advantage of a max contract.

I believe you want LA to use the 14/15 period to spend. But I am not aware of any rebuilds that are built on relying on the FA process as the primary means. Never seen it. Even Miami deal required many many picks to be given up.