2018 NBA offseason

[flyerhawk]

I just don't think Kemba is 3rd on their list as Wiggy is suggesting.

That's fair. I actually think Kemba is a good fit for a Lebron team. I thought the Cavs should have pulled the trigger on getting him at the trade deadline last year.

But there are several players that the Lakers will likely be targeting.

 

[Black Adam]

Yeah, they have Ball who is young and they could always bring back Rondo if he has a good season.

They won't be signing a PG next summer IMO.

but-but-but Ball sucks, and is more injury prone than Kyrie...

just ask WiggityWack...

 

[DJ]

but-but-but Ball sucks, and is more injury prone than Kyrie...

just ask WiggityWack...

He's grasping at straws at this point.

 

[tlance]

You think the Warriors are a playoff team without KD and Curry?

My initial comment was predicated on the Rockets keeping Capela. If they lose him, then things can get really dicey for them.

Losing Ariza and Mbah will hurt them and I think they won't be as good because of it but they are still probably a 60 win team. Unless Carmelo blows the team up.

Obviously if CP3 gets a major injury that changes things for them.

What, you have Curry and KD both getting hurt preseason?

BEcause they are still the best team in the league without 1 of them. Pre KD in 2016 they won a playoff series and were on pace to wins 2nd with Curry out. And, they will have COUSINS at some point.

So yeah, they are in the mix without both.

 

[Black Adam]

He's grasping at straws at this point.

oh, i know...

after all these years of him trying to clown the Lakers, it's come full circle, so what else has he got...?

#themightyhavefallen

 

[WiggyRuss]

This is a stupid comment considering the loaded free agency class next year.

I highly doubt if the Lakers do miss out on Klay and Kawhi that Kemba Walker is their next option. He is likely pretty far down on that list.

who else is there? you think Kyrie is going there?

Would you rather give 30M a season to Cousins?

I think we both agree Kyrie and Butler are likely to team up. Before Griffin left Cleveland there were rumors that someone (Kyrie) was telling Jimmy Butler NOT to accept a trade to Cleveland because of LeBron. Butler is not going to play with LeBron -if anyone he is going to play with Irving. I have been told from all the GSW fans that Klay is going anywhere.

chicago.suntimes.com/sports/sources-out-of-cleveland-say-jimmy-butler-will-push-for-trade-to-cavs/

Kyrie Irving considered going to Bulls before Butler trade: ESPN

Report: Cavaliers were close to trading for Jimmy Butler on day they ousted David Griffin

Who do you think they will go after if they strike out on those guys? I dont think they have practically any chance at Kyrie, Butler or Klay---- but might have one for Cousins if they want him. After that? Isn't Kemba the best guy on the market?

Gonna have to pony up some major $$$$$ though -- at LEAST 30M a year, prob. more.

 

[WiggyRuss]

That's fair. I actually think Kemba is a good fit for a Lebron team. I thought the Cavs should have pulled the trigger on getting him at the trade deadline last year.

But there are several players that the Lakers will likely be targeting.

who would you say they have a realistic chance of getting.

I think they have a realistic chance at Kawhi and Cousins- but certainly no guarantees with how Kawhi is, and with Cousins behavioral issues and injury issues.

I think they have an unrealistic chance at Butler, Kyrie and Klay.

 

[DJ]

If Cousins comes back and shows he's healhy? James and Cousins would be a very deadly 1-2 punch.

 

[flyerhawk]

What, you have Curry and KD both getting hurt preseason?

BEcause they are still the best team in the league without 1 of them. Pre KD in 2016 they won a playoff series and were on pace to wins 2nd with Curry out. And, they will have COUSINS at some point.

So yeah, they are in the mix without both.

I agree they are still the best team in basketball without one of them. My initial point was that if both of them were suffer significant injuries, which is not outside the realm of possibility.

Cousins is still a wild car, IMO.

 

[DJ]

And Rondo played in NO with Cousins.....if he had a good season.....James and Rondo could recruit Cousins to come to he Lakers easily.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The flaming butt-hurt is strong with Wiggy.

it would be a LOT stonger if the Lakers were sitting there with George and Kawhi instead of looking at a likely first or second round exit and Michael Beasley, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Lance Stephensen. lol.

Its so funny that a team that signs LeBron James in his prime is talking about "next year".

When the Cavs and Heat signed LeBron anything less than a Finals appearance would have been a catastrophic disaster- and thats with LeBron right in the middle of his prime and not looking at being 34 in a couple months.

 

[flyerhawk]

who would you say they have a realistic chance of getting.

I think they have a realistic chance at Kawhi and Cousins- but certainly no guarantees with how Kawhi is, and with Cousins behavioral issues and injury issues.

I think they have an unrealistic chance at Butler, Kyrie and Klay.

Kawhi is certainly the most likely. Cousins is a wild card. I have no idea where Butler's head is at. No chance at Kyrie. Klay seems unlikely.

Ultimately a lot will boil down to who does and does not want to play with Lebron. I think it is more than a possibility that a few of the big names guys will not want to be second fiddle to Lebron.

 

[WiggyRuss]

oh, i know...

after all these years of him trying to clown the Lakers, it's come full circle, so what else has he got...?

#themightyhavefallen

I would think this would be your worst nightmare. You have LeBron and its not even like you are going to win anything like he delivered with the Cavs and Heat.

 

[flyerhawk]

it would be a LOT stonger if the Lakers were sitting there with George and Kawhi instead of looking at a likely first or second round exit and Michael Beasley, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Lance Stephensen. lol.

Its so funny that a team that signs LeBron James in his prime is talking about "next year".

When the Cavs and Heat signed LeBron anything less than a Finals appearance would have been a catastrophic disaster- and thats with LeBron right in the middle of his prime and not looking at being 34 in a couple months.

I will agree with you that I do think the Lakers may regret not making a run for Kawhi, if they in fact didn't. Relying on players acting the way you want a year in the future is a big gamble.

I will not agree with you that the Lakers, or Lebron for that matter, will view a failure to reach the finals as a failure much less a disaster. Lebron certainly understood what he was walking into when he signed with the Lakers. And he knew he was doing it without assurances of any other star joining him.

Which is I why I believe that Lebron's calculus has changed when it came to joining a team. While I'm certain he still wants to win championships, he also wants to set up his NBA career and LA is the play to do that. He was willing to accept that he may never get to the finals again.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Kawhi is certainly the most likely. Cousins is a wild card. I have no idea where Butler's head is at. No chance at Kyrie. Klay seems unlikely.

Ultimately a lot will boil down to who does and does not want to play with Lebron. I think it is more than a possibility that a few of the big names guys will not want to be second fiddle to Lebron.

I think Butler and Kyrie want to team up together and there has been evidence of that since LAST summer. If Kyrie does leave Boston its gonna be either for NYK or BRK along with Butler. I think most of us agree on that.

Klay's contract will present issues for GSW but they can kick that can down the road for a year or two until Draymond is up for his extension when it becomes a real problem- but at least if they sign Klay they have him for an extra year or two and can deal him if they get into an overwhelming cash crunch.

Leonard is by FAR the most unpredictable. There are half a dozen teams I could realistically see him suiting up for on Game 1 of the year after this year including the Lakers, Raptors, Knicks, Nets, Sixers, Clippers.

Cousins has a lot to prove coming off an achillees injury- which is the worst injury a basketball player can sustain. Combine injury issue with his behavioral issues and you have exactly what you said- a "wild card" there.

Kemba is a free agent. Khris Middleton is a free agent. Tobias Harris is a free agent- but all these guys are going to get INSANE deals for their talent level. Kemba will prob get 35. Middleton prob at least 25-30, and Harris prob at LEAST 25 a year. Love just took himself off the market. I dont think any of us think Durant is going anywhere.

Who else is left?

 

[bksballer89]

And Rondo played in NO with Cousins.....if he had a good season.....James and Rondo could recruit Cousins to come to he Lakers easily.

Cousins and an aging Lebron with a bunch of role players are not winning a title

 

[WiggyRuss]

I will agree with you that I do think the Lakers may regret not making a run for Kawhi, if they in fact didn't. Relying on players acting the way you want a year in the future is a big gamble.

I will not agree with you that the Lakers, or Lebron for that matter, will view a failure to reach the finals as a failure much less a disaster. Lebron certainly understood what he was walking into when he signed with the Lakers. And he knew he was doing it without assurances of any other star joining him.

Which is I why I believe that Lebron's calculus has changed when it came to joining a team. While I'm certain he still wants to win championships, he also wants to set up his NBA career and LA is the play to do that. He was willing to accept that he may never get to the finals again.

oh absolutely.

he went to LA to sell movies and set up his retirement. If he wants to live there half the time and not get racist epiphets written on his gate like happened there a couple years ago- he has to endear himself to the Lakers fan base which has large contingents that hate him.

If he stayed in Cleveland his whole career and went out to LA when he was done I think it would have been much harder for him to gain acceptance in the community and business community. Now he is laying that ground work and making connections, meeting with actors like Leo and DeNiro as we saw the other day etc. Those off-the court concerns obviously trump the on the court concerns right now for LeBron.

 

[tlance]

I think Butler and Kyrie want to team up together and there has been evidence of that since LAST summer. If Kyrie does leave Boston its gonna be either for NYK or BRK along with Butler. I think most of us agree on that.

Klay's contract will present issues for GSW but they can kick that can down the road for a year or two until Draymond is up for his extension when it becomes a real problem- but at least if they sign Klay they have him for an extra year or two and can deal him if they get into an overwhelming cash crunch.

Leonard is by FAR the most unpredictable. There are half a dozen teams I could realistically see him suiting up for on Game 1 of the year after this year including the Lakers, Raptors, Knicks, Nets, Sixers, Clippers.

Cousins has a lot to prove coming off an achillees injury- which is the worst injury a basketball player can sustain. Combine injury issue with his behavioral issues and you have exactly what you said- a "wild card" there.

Kemba is a free agent. Khris Middleton is a free agent. Tobias Harris is a free agent- but all these guys are going to get INSANE deals for their talent level. Kemba will prob get 35. Middleton prob at least 25-30, and Harris prob at LEAST 25 a year. Love just took himself off the market. I dont think any of us think Durant is going anywhere.

Who else is left?

If these stupid teams continue to make the same mistakes every time they hey have cap space, I have no sympathy for any of them.

Kemba might get a 30+ Million offer from somebody, but damn he ain't worth it. Next offseason will be really interesting to see if anybody has actually learned their lesson from the summer of 2016.

Just because you have cap space does not mean you need to overpay the best player available. Be patient and sign those guys to short term deals.

 

[flyerhawk]

If these stupid teams continue to make the same mistakes every time they hey have cap space, I have no sympathy for any of them.

Kemba might get a 30+ Million offer from somebody, but damn he ain't worth it. Next offseason will be really interesting to see if anybody has actually learned their lesson from the summer of 2016.

Just because you have cap space does not mean you need to overpay the best player available. Be patient and sign those guys to short term deals.

I would be surprised if Kemba got a max deal. But he is worth 20-25 a year.

 

[WiggyRuss]

If these stupid teams continue to make the same mistakes every time they hey have cap space, I have no sympathy for any of them.

Kemba might get a 30+ Million offer from somebody, but damn he ain't worth it. Next offseason will be really interesting to see if anybody has actually learned their lesson from the summer of 2016.

Just because you have cap space does not mean you need to overpay the best player available. Be patient and sign those guys to short term deals.

I think this post could have been made at practically any time in the history of the league ya know? Teams always make stupid moves in free agency and spend too much on players that are too risky. Its just the nature of free agency. In a way- you HAVE to spend the money somewhere.

And it is what it is- Kemba is prob a top 30 or so player right? A max contract of say, 36M a year is a lot, but in the grand scheme of things its kind of what the league has set him up to get. Someone is going to give it to him. Someone is gong to give Tobias Harris a 4 year 100M dollar deal. Someone is going to lose their mind and overpay Khris Middleton.