2019 Offseason Thread

[shopson67]

then what does your starting lineup look like?

its extremely hard to nail down for the Lakers.

I gotta say- i think its likely McGee starts at center just because Davis has whined in the past about playing center. While i think Davis playing center is what would be best for the Lakers, i dont see it happening- at least not early on.

PG: ?
SG: Green
SF: LeBron
PF: Davis
C: McGee

i mean, i think you want Bradley off the bench....


I think that there are a ton of good point guards in the league and that Pelinka not finding at least a moderate one is his biggest failing of the offseason.

I want Bradley starting. Lebron's going to run the offense when he's on the court (as he always has), so you want Rondo on the court when Lebron is not.

Ideally, Davis would play the majority of the minutes at C, but I don't see it happening either. Unless they can find a suitable replacement for Boogie, he may have to play more minutes there than expected though.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

you get we aren't talking major injuries here and he probably misses a lot less time if they were in a playoff push?

You aren't trying to say TT is even close to the same as Cousins when it comes to their current health are you?

I think Cousins is pretty much done.
I dont know what TTs injuries were, I just know he missed a bunch of games.

As far as probably could have played, I doubt it, but possibly.
Hes not a game changer so him playing or not much more likely then not doesn’t change result.

 

[dtgold88]

meh, i think i'm pretty chill, but hey, that's MY opinion...

have been known to go a few rounds with some clowns here, though...

and WiggityWack qualifies ...

Have to say I was surprised he had you on ignore as he didn't strike me as that type and even when going at it never thought you were any worse than most.

 

[trojanfan12]

Honestly, I'm not sure what to think of Faried.

Looking at last year. He played a total of 74 games, but for 3 different teams.

His numbers in Toronto and Houston (played 62 of his games for those 2 teams) looked pretty solid. He averaged about 12 points and 8 rebounds in around 22-23 minutes per game. That's not bad production.

But, in his 12 games in Brooklyn, he only played about 9.8 minutes per game.

He's also only 29, so it's not like he's old.

But, as you point out, no one has even made him an offer, including the Lakers, who have been holding an open roster spot for the entire off-season.

Oops. Brain fart. lol

Saw TOT on basketball reference and read it as Toronto instead of Total.

He played 37 games last year, 25 with the Rockets and 12 with Brooklyn.

 

[shopson67]

Not sure I’d go that far, but no NBA team has signed him, so there must be a reason.
My guess is he could give an NBA team 12-15 decent bench minutes though.

They've got Caruso for that. Start Bradley (Lebron runs the offense), bring in Rondo with the second team (runs the offense in Lebron's absence), use Caruso as a fill in for whomever is having a bad game, foul trouble, injuries etc.

 

[dtgold88]

I wouldn't start Rondo.

Lebron at PG? Caruso? Bradley?

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

As would anyone who understands the NBA. It's your contention with only TT and cousins available and $20 mil available to spend they'd prefer Cousins at 3.5 mil to TT at 18 mil?

If were going to say they have 20M, which they didn’t and can pick any player , then Im not taking either.

Between the 2, and what they cost Id gamble with Cousins knowing I could always make a move later in season if necessary.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

They've got Caruso for that. Start Bradley (Lebron runs the offense), bring in Rondo with the second team (runs the offense in Lebron's absence), use Caruso as a fill in for whomever is having a bad game, foul trouble, injuries etc.

Chalmers has that championship pedigree.
Hes not shy of any moment.

 

[dtgold88]

I think Cousins is pretty much done.
I dont know what TTs injuries were, I just know he missed a bunch of games.

As far as probably could have played, I doubt it, but possibly.
Hes not a game changer so him playing or not much more likely then not doesn’t change result.

If you believe that it's another reason not to play him any sooner....that and the whole playing for the lottery thing this past season.

Prior season our seed was pretty much locked up so no reason to rush him.

 

[bksballer89]

Positionless basketball....

Position less basketball but yet it is no secret that Davis has complained about playing C.

 

[shopson67]

You seem to be a reasonable Laker fans so curious what you'd say to this.

If LA had $20 mil+ in cap room and could have spent it only on TT for $18 mil or cousins for 3.5 mil who do they sign (obviously without knowing Cousins would get hurt)?

They would've signed Cousins for $3.5m and someone else with some portion of the balance, possibly Marcus Morris. There is no "only this guy or that guy". TT is not worth $18M on the open market.

 

[dtgold88]

If were going to say they have 20M, which they didn’t and can pick any player , then Im not taking either.

Between the 2, and what they cost Id gamble with Cousins knowing I could always make a move later in season if necessary.

for most teams I don't disagree but already having Lebron and AD, TT is a better fit for them IMO.

 

[shopson67]

Position less basketball but yet it is no secret that Davis has complained about playing C.

It only matters on D, and how many true centers are there to deal with in the league these days? It may be his preference, but I don't know if he realizes even if he played 100% at center, he's still probably only defending 50% true centers.

 

[dtgold88]

They would've signed Cousins for $3.5m and someone else with some portion of the balance, possibly Marcus Morris. There is no "only this guy or that guy". TT is not worth $18M on the open market.

Thinking they want someone they feel confident they can depend on and the better fit for them. They have Lebron and AD so could live without Cousins' scoring. They could use someone who would willingly do the dirty work. Maybe lead the league again in offensive rebounds to get them extra shots?

 

[tlance]

dont be a fucking dumbass. I said the gamble for 3.5M did not work out- because guess what? it did not work out. I never said it was not worth the gamble- i said the gamble was failure. Learn how to read.

It wasn’t a gamble because there was literally no risk.

So you are being a dumbass

 

[shopson67]

Honestly, I'm not sure what to think of Faried.

Looking at last year. He played a total of 74 games, but for 3 different teams.

His numbers in Toronto and Houston (played 62 of his games for those 2 teams) looked pretty solid. He averaged about 12 points and 8 rebounds in around 22-23 minutes per game. That's not bad production.

But, in his 12 games in Brooklyn, he only played about 9.8 minutes per game.

He's also only 29, so it's not like he's old.

But, as you point out, no one has even made him an offer, including the Lakers, who have been holding an open roster spot for the entire off-season.

He may have been waiting for the Rockets to sort through things to see if he would be retained?

 

[dtgold88]

positionless basketball is good when you have guys that can play positionless basketball

I mean, you just cant say-- Aaron Baynes- you are now positionless by decree of Danny Ainge

or gman

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

 

[dtgold88]

Why the hell is TT even in the discussion? If he were an FA, he wouldn't be getting $18.5 million from anyone, so that doesn't belong in the convo.

Even if someone would give him that much, he's not an FA, so it still wouldn't matter.

Was just a hypothetical...many of them going on here.

OK do it this way. Both are FAs. Lakers have $20 mil to spend and can use it on those 2. How are they spending it?

 

[shopson67]

Thinking they want someone they feel confident they can depend on and the better fit for them. They have Lebron and AD so could live without Cousins' scoring. They could use someone who would willingly do the dirty work. Maybe lead the league again in offensive rebounds to get them extra shots?

That's all true except the the concept that he's worth $18M. They can get that kind of effort (at a lower level of effectivity of course) from Johnathan Williams for the league minimum.

 

[trojanfan12]

You seem to be a reasonable Laker fans so curious what you'd say to this.

If LA had $20 mil+ in cap room and could have spent it only on TT for $18 mil or cousins for 3.5 mil who do they sign (obviously without knowing Cousins would get hurt)?

Depends, imo. I don't think it's as simple as one being better than the other.

Boogie has been the better player for pretty much the entirety of both of their careers. If he could have stayed healthy and could be 75-80% of who he was before the Achilles, he could have been the "3rd star" that put the Lakers over the top and you'd have him for only $3.5 million. Then, you'd still have what? $16.5 million to sign other FA's or hold onto for next off-season.

On the other hand, if "availability is the best ability", then you have to look at TT who is rarely hurt, can get you a double double pretty much every night with no plays being run for him and he knows how to play with Lebron. You also don't have to worry about him crying about "touches", or playing time.

Considering that the Lakers are on Lebron's 35 year old timeline, I probably go with TT, but it would be a really tough choice, imo.