2022 NBA Offseason thread

[trojanfan12]

I think that is what eventually happens, maybe 1/3 of the way into the season. He's on his last year of his deal, what can he do? Nothing.

I don't see him doing it willingly. Maybe Ham can sell him on it?

 

[ChrisperJ10]

I don't see him doing it willingly. Maybe Ham can sell him on it?

Don’t let him see this lol

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I don't think they need him to play point guard. If Lebron is on the court, he should be directing the offense. Imo, they need to limit the amount of time he and Lebron are on the floor together.

I doubt it happens, but I think Westbrook should come off the bench.

Make him the leader of the bench guys, bring him in when Lebron comes out and turn him loose. It would make for a good change of pace from Lebron. Similar to how the Mavs speed up when Luka rests. If it worked, it could allow for Lebron to play fewer minutes each game. That could be big as far as getting him to the playoffs rested and healthy.

They tried Lebron as point guard already last year - that was a disaster - Westbrook is far more effective as point guard and it takes pressure off of LeBron - I expect, however that the Lakers are bluffing - they already know that if they trade Westbrook now, they have to give up a first round draft pick, but if they wait until January - Westbrook becomes the next Kwame Brown for another Pau Gasol trade

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I go the other way on brow

He needs to play more center with russ

You cannot play Russ and a traditional c at the same time anymore

Either way - you get my point - If Westbrook plays anything but point guard, he is a mediocre player at the best -

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I mean, each team is given like 6m in cash each year.

The lakers could buy 2-3 seconds each year even if they did trade all their picks and still be ok finding a few contributors anyway

They had 8 or 9 expiring contracts filled with role players that were another huge disaster - they Lakers had three quality players last year - and one of them was a disaster while the other two were injured a third of the time - They can spin it however they want, but the construction of the team last year did not work and is not going to work even with 9 new one year players

 

[trojanfan12]

They tried Lebron as point guard already last year

Uh, this is just wrong. Lebron has been the de facto point guard on every team he has been on. The problem last year was that you don't want Lebron off ball because the offense runs better through him and Westbrook can't play off ball. That's why they need to be separated as much as possible.

Westbrook is far more effective as point guard and it takes pressure off of LeBron

Westbrook is not more effective as pg than Lebron. He can take the pressure off of Lebron by excelling coming off of the bench so the Lakers can play him more minutes and maybe, finally cut down Lebrons minutes so he gets more rest.

I expect, however that the Lakers are bluffing - they already know that if they trade Westbrook now, they have to give up a first round draft pick, but if they wait until January - Westbrook becomes the next Kwame Brown for another Pau Gasol trade

Unless something falls in their lap or they get pictures of some owner or GM in a compromising position, they will almost certainly start the season with Westbrook. I would expect that how motivated they are to move him will be determined by how successfully Ham can fit him in. There are bigger mistakes they could make than just going through the season and then having Westbrooks salary come off the books for 2023.

Interestingly, if Westbrook plays well, it could improve the offers the Lakers get, but also make them less motivated to move him. lol

 

[The Q]

They had 8 or 9 expiring contracts filled with role players that were another huge disaster - they Lakers had three quality players last year - and one of them was a disaster while the other two were injured a third of the time - They can spin it however they want, but the construction of the team last year did not work and is not going to work even with 9 new one year players

With that attitude you might as well trade bron and brow and just blow it up now

 

[True Lakers Fan]

With that attitude you might as well trade bron and brow and just blow it up now

I know two things

There were too many one year contracts - that is not going to work

Westbrook was a disaster and will not work unless he comes off the bench -

It appears that they are going to dial it back and try to fix what went wrong last year - I personally don't believe that will work either.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Uh, this is just wrong. Lebron has been the de facto point guard on every team he has been on. The problem last year was that you don't want Lebron off ball because the offense runs better through him and Westbrook can't play off ball. That's why they need to be separated as much as possible.



Westbrook is not more effective as pg than Lebron. He can take the pressure off of Lebron by excelling coming off of the bench so the Lakers can play him more minutes and maybe, finally cut down Lebrons minutes so he gets more rest.



Unless something falls in their lap or they get pictures of some owner or GM in a compromising decision, they will almost certainly start the season with Westbrook. I would expect that how motivated they are to move him will be determined by how successfully Ham can fit him in. There are bigger mistakes they could make than just going through the season and then having Westbrooks salary come off the books for 2023.

Interestingly, if Westbrook plays well, it could improve the offers the Lakers get, but also make them less motivated to move him. lol

Like I said - not much option, but to dial it back and repeat until February and hope that Westbrook becomes the next Kwame Brown for a Pau Gasol.

 

[The Q]

I know two things

There were too many one year contracts - that is not going to work

Westbrook was a disaster and will not work unless he comes off the bench -

It appears that they are going to dial it back and try to fix what went wrong last year - I personally don't believe that will work either.

Yeah they aren’t deep.

Picking tht and Russ over lowry and Caruso really backfired

The problem is you don’t have many other options besides one year deals

Also buying second round picks would typically mean more guys with team control and more chances to find more reaves or tht’s

 

[fightinfunbags]

With that attitude you might as well trade bron and brow and just blow it up now

Actually, they should. They got the only championship they’ll get out of the deal. Might as well start the rebuild now. AD and LeBron are declining not ascending assets

 

[Shanemansj13]

 

[fightinfunbags]

They should. You only need one volume shooter and Edwards> DLo

 

[trojanfan12]

lol

Cowherd talking about the Lakers trading Westbrook for Kyrie.

I'm sure KD would be on board with that

 

[shopson67]

Not much of a choice here because the Lakers have to stop bleeding first round picks beyond the tenure of LeBron with the Lakers and who knows. With a new coach - maybe they can figure it out. I will say this much about that though

For these three to work - Westbrook has to be the point guard and move Lebron to the small forward with Davis at the power forward -it's the only system that will work - at least the Lakers didn't listen to Phil Jackson who wanted the Lakers to keep Westbrook and trade LeBron

I would play Westbrook most of his minutes with Lebron off the court as much as possible. Both need a minutes reduction (for different reasons lol), so that is where I would start (with some overlap of course, as neither is going to be 20 min player or less).

 

[shopson67]

I mean, each team is given like 6m in cash each year.

The lakers could buy 2-3 seconds each year even if they did trade all their picks and still be ok finding a few contributors anyway

...and the Lakers could stop trading away their alternating year 1st rounders. They seem more willing to develop d league and undrafted players than non-lottery firsts.

 

[Shanemansj13]

lol

Cowherd talking about the Lakers trading for Kyrie.

I'm sure KD would be on board with that

The thing is this that could be like a Simmons for Harden dilemma. Nobody wants Russ and nobody wants Kyrie, for different reasons. I still don't believe Lebron and Kyrie will ever be reunited...even with cuckoo Kyrie, the Lakers would win this by a mile and the only way this would happen is:

1. Kyrie says he wants out and they don't get any other offers or better offers for Kyrie.
2. KD also wants out so they are forced to blow it up. Even if they don't get good value for Kyrie they can make up for it trading KD.

I think Kyrie and KD could possibly be out if a series of events happen but Russ for Kyrie seems extremely unlikely. It would be funny if BKN after having KD, Kyrie and Harden are left with Russ, pieces and picks

 

[trojanfan12]

I would play Westbrook most of his minutes with Lebron off the court as much as possible. Both need a minutes reduction (for different reasons lol), so that is where I would start (with some overlap of course, as neither is going to be 20 min player or less).

If they could get Lebron's minutes down to around 35ish minutes per game, that would be ideal.

 

[shopson67]

I know two things

There were too many one year contracts - that is not going to work

Westbrook was a disaster and will not work unless he comes off the bench -

It appears that they are going to dial it back and try to fix what went wrong last year - I personally don't believe that will work either.

Well, there aren't going to be 9 new players, as they do have some hold-overs from last year beyond Lebron/AD/Russ (THT, Nunn, Reaves, Johnson, Gabriel). Nunn has a player option and has likely to pick that up per reports. Reaves, Johnson and Gabriel are all team options, with Reaves and Gabriel not guaranteed. I would expect all of them back unless something more enticing drops into their laps. After all of that, you have the Monk situation (does he take the TPMLE to stay?).

Lakers aren't really in a position to offer more than a 1 year contract with an option year; being way over the cap they are limited to league min contracts (and the TPMLE, if not used by Monk). Who is signing a longer term league min contract? All their multi-year contract options were traded away for Russ (other than Caruso, who they didn't re-sign).

 

[trojanfan12]

The thing is this that could be like a Simmons for Harden dilemma. Nobody wants Russ and nobody wants Kyrie, for different reasons. I still don't believe Lebron and Kyrie will ever be reunited...even with cuckoo Kyrie, the Lakers would win this by a mile and the only way this would happen is:

1. Kyrie says he wants out and they don't get any other offers or better offers for Kyrie.
2. KD also wants out so they are forced to blow it up. Even if they don't get good value for Kyrie they can make up for it trading KD.

I think Kyrie and KD could possibly be out if a series of events happen but Russ for Kyrie seems extremely unlikely. It would be funny if BKN after having KD, Kyrie and Harden are left with Russ, pieces and picks

Yeah, he didn't go into a lot of detail, so he didn't say if it would be Kyrie for Westbrook or if they would have to involve a 3rd team. But it was some of the same reasonming you posted above.

I could see Lebron being willing to play with Kyrie again and according to Cowherd, Kyrie has said that he didn't really understand Lebron back then. Which Cowherd thinks means Kyrie might be open to it.

I just can't imagine KD wanting Westbrook there. I'd think they'd have to get a 3rd team.

I will say though, if they were somehow able to pull it off, AD stayed relatively healthy and Kyrie treated it like a full time job...that big 3 would be damn tough to beat.

But that's a lot of ifs.