2018-2019 NBA Regular Season Thread

[Mecca]

totally pathetic.

Bro....

Be easy.

We don't want karma to give them a top 3 pick because we are dancing on their graves.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yessir

You don't necessarily need another Superstar.

The right 2 Allstars will work just fine.

Especially if KD heads East.

 

[dtgold88]

will be the 7th straight season the Los Angeles LAkers fail to win a playoff game

Some of the most pertinent parts of that article in my opinion:

1. "The Lakers then spent the next week scouring the league for the best players willing to sign one-year contracts — thereby preserving salary-cap flexibility for the summer of 2019 and their planned pursuit of an All-Star sidekick for James.

The problem: Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ nascent front-office power duo, signed a slew of nonshooters and, shall we say, mercurial personalities who, as a group, prompted instant second-guessing."

2. "Rich Paul, LeBron’s agent and longtime friend, became Davis’s agent in September and was widely perceived to have made the trade request on Davis’s behalf to get him to Los Angeles. A seemingly ceaseless stream of leaked Lakers offers thereafter irreparably fractured the locker room, no matter how hard Paul pushed back against that narrative.

Nor can the team fully move on from the trade drama, because everyone knows the front office will be back on the phones with New Orleans soon, trying to beat out the Boston Celtics’ package for Davis once the Pelicans start fielding offers for him anew."

3. These Lakers were never a lock to reach the playoffs in the loaded West, but the overwhelming majority of league observers and Las Vegas oddsmakers — who largely pegged them as a 48-win team — figured LeBron would find a way. He has instead absorbed criticism for spotty leadership and intermittent engagement with his new teamas he prepares for life as a playoff spectator for the first time since his second N.B.A. season (2004-5).

I think most knew the players brought in around Lebron was destined to be a failure. But Magic sold it with the "we needed to try things differently"

Yeah, because the Cavs struggled so much with Lebron.

 

[Mecca]

You'll be crying when they get the #1 pick and Kawhi decides he wants to play with Zion and Lebron.

Damn...lol

 

[Mecca]

Yeah, Redick and Jordan might only get us to a 4-5 seed. Maybe even only the 6 seed.

Beal and Jordan would be nice but I really like Vucevic, he's a more traditional center nowadays and would help with the outside shooting.

That Gasol guy in the North will be available.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Bro....

Be easy.

We don't want karma to give them a top 3 pick because we are dancing on their graves.

i mean, a team tanking out the season without lebron is pathetic though- no 2 ways around it.

its a lot of peoples faults though- magic and pelinka's mostly, lebron's rich paul's- etc....a lot of blame to go around.

its been really fun to watch.

lets hope that the Lakers give Jimmy Butler a ton of money this summer. That would be great if you ask me.

if they get Kawhi or Kyrie or Klay - ill be seriously bummed
(durant isnt even .01% realistic).

if they give Kemba 37M a year itll hamstring them going forward and max them out as a 2nd round team.

itll be an interesting summer.

 

[trojanfan12]

Damn...lol

If that happened, even I would have to agree with the "the league just wants the Lakers to win" conspiracy theorists. lol

 

[DJ]

That Gasol guy in the North will be available.

No thanks.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I think most knew the players brought in around Lebron was destined to be a failure. But Magic sold it with the "we needed to try things differently"

Yeah, because the Cavs struggled so much with Lebron.

yah the "we need playmakers instead of shooters and not to do this like cleveland" turned out to be one of the STUPIDEST fucking things i have ever seen a GM utter. Magic should be humiliated he uttered those words. His approach was a disaster.

 

[WiggyRuss]

That Gasol guy in the North will be available.

if i was trying to win-now i would absolutely give Gaslol 2 years 26M

 

[dtgold88]

Yep.

Both guys would know, and accept, their roles.

I'd be very weary of Butler and Cousins.

I'd even be a little wary of Kahi (though less than the guys you mentioned). Great player, but injury prone and kind of redundant to Lebron (though far more willing defender it seems).

 

[dtgold88]

yah the "we need playmakers instead of shooters and not to do this like cleveland" turned out to be one of the STUPIDEST fucking things i have ever seen a GM utter. Magic should be humiliated he uttered those words. His approach was a disaster.

He'll just blame Walton and the fanboy media will believe that he was the problem.

 

[dtgold88]

No thanks.

Agree....at this time, sure, can still play but you'd just be getting the name at this point....and for way too much.

 

[dtgold88]

if i was trying to win-now i would absolutely give Gaslol 2 years 26M

Man, I don't know. as just mentioned, I think he's just a name at this point. Maybe they just should have kept Randall.

I kid......I kid. Sort of.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Bro....

Be easy.

We don't want karma to give them a top 3 pick because we are dancing on their graves.

andd dont get me wrong-

there are avenues where the Lakers can come out of this summer smelling like roses.

Is it POSSIBLE that the Lakers sign Kyrie, thus taking Boston out of the Davis sweepstakes and the Pelicans get no great offer and have to trade Davis to LA?

sure , its not impossible that happens- its more in the lines of a dream than a realistic possibility but its not impossible.

is it POSSIBLE that Klay signs there? or KAwhi? sure...is it probable? absolutely not.

if the Lakers want to salvage the viability of a LeBron era it has to happen this offssason. There are some very good scenarios out there----even if they are unlikely to happen that does not mean they are impossible.

Magic will have a chance to reverse the humiliation he has suffered this year and set the Lakers up to be a contender (if Durant leaves GSW anyway)--- but i would bet against it at this point--- but thats not to say its not possible.

 

[Mecca]

I'd even be a little wary of Kahi (though less than the guys you mentioned). Great player, but injury prone and kind of redundant to Lebron (though far more willing defender it seems).

I think the Raps are just being overly cautious with Kawhi and those load management games.

1. They need him to be fresh and healthy in the post season. Because, if they don't at least make the ECF, he could be out.

2. They are using the old " We care about you as a person and want what's best for your long-term future, even if it isn't with us " approach.

Not a bad strategy for a guy that left the Spurs, allegedly, because he became disillusioned with the way they handled his injury.

 

[Mecca]

If that happened, even I would have to agree with the "the league just wants the Lakers to win" conspiracy theorists. lol

I want it to happen just to see the internet BURN...lol

 

[dtgold88]

I think the Raps are just being overly cautious with Kawhi and those load management games.

1. They need him to be fresh and healthy in the post season. Because, if they don't at least make the ECF, he could be out.

2. They are using the old " We care about you as a person and want what's best for your long-term future, even if it isn't with us " approach.

Not a bad strategy for a guy that left the Spurs, allegedly, because he became disillusioned with the way they handled his injury.

Oh I agree with this......my comment had nothing to do with how Toronto is treating him.

 

[dtgold88]

If that happened, even I would have to agree with the "the league just wants the Lakers to win" conspiracy theorists. lol

I get this was tongue in cheek, but this sucks for the league...I'm sure they would like LA to win it so if they do they will get roasted. No won for them.

Old rules I'd agree it is possible, maybe even likely. I think most who play the fix card (I know you weren't) are not aware of what the newer format is and how tough it would be to fix it.

 

[dtgold88]

I want it to happen just to see the internet BURN...lol

I'm down if we get the #2.