Series Thread: 5) Indiana Pacers vs. 4) Cleveland Cavaliers

[SlinkyRedfoot]

It's Montalban. He's in a perpetual battle with Dorian over who can be the most ridiculous Lebron hater.

So they're having a bad day, huh?

 

[trojanfan12]

The problem is the salary cap, as Wiggy points out.

Unless you can move,or stretc, Deng, you won't be able to sign solid vet role players because you will only be able to sign league minimum guys.

I'm not slagging on the Lakers here. But the cap is the cap.

That's just it though. You can find solid guys looking for rings to sign for league minimum type deals. Also, Brooke Lopez has said that if the Lakers look like they will be contenders, he'd be open to re-signing for less. I don't know for how much less.

Again, I'm not saying they will have a great bench, just that I don't think it will be as bleak as some are painting it to be.

If they can just put together an average or even slightly below average bench, that should be good enough. Plus, when they reach the playoffs, rotations shrink anyway. You need to be 8-9 deep to be a true contender. Kuzma and Hart make them 7 deep.

Zubac has shown signs of at least becoming a serviceable big off the bench, but even if he doesn't, they still really only need to find 1 or 2 more guys who can contribute.

Then they just have to pray that they are healthy at playoff time. That's where only being truly 8 or 9 deep could hurt them because the drop off from the #8 or #9 guy through the rest of the bench could be pretty steep.

I looked at the roster you put out there too. Brooke Lopez has said that if the Lakers look like they could contend, he would be willing to come back for less money. I don't know how much less (or how much other teams are going to offer him).

Obviously, some of what they do will be determined by what they are able to do with the Deng contract. If I understand what I've read correctly, it comes down to 3 options. They can trade him, buy him out or stretch him.

Trading him is highly unlikely, at least this off-season. They may be able to unload him as an expiring contract next off-season, but unless they have pictures of some other teams owner or GM in a compromising situation, no one is taking that contract this off-season.

Buying him out is possible, but not probable. It would cost him a lot of money, so he'd have to be willing to help the Lakers out. I don't see him doing that.

So, he will most likely be stretched. That frees up cap space, but I don't know if it's enough to keep Lopez.

Dream scenario, stretching Deng and Lopez signing for less allows them a roster of

Lebron
PG
Ingram
Lonzo
Lopez
Kuzma
Hart
Zubac

4-5 league minimum guys.

I'd take my chances with that.

Either way, they'll have to rely heavily on their top 7-8 guys and hope another bench guy or 2 can step up.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Are you talking about his celebration immediately after hitting the shot?

Are you going to pretend that isn't the typical behavior of almost any player after hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater?

Basketball is a gentleman’s game. No cellys after hitting a game winner.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Some of these Lakers fans are fucking vultures man

 

[WiggyRuss]

That's just it though. You can find solid guys looking for rings to sign for league minimum type deals. Also, Brooke Lopez has said that if the Lakers look like they will be contenders, he'd be open to re-signing for less. I don't know for how much less.

Again, I'm not saying they will have a great bench, just that I don't think it will be as bleak as some are painting it to be.

If they can just put together an average or even slightly below average bench, that should be good enough. Plus, when they reach the playoffs, rotations shrink anyway. You need to be 8-9 deep to be a true contender. Kuzma and Hart make them 7 deep.

Zubac has shown signs of at least becoming a serviceable big off the bench, but even if he doesn't, they still really only need to find 1 or 2 more guys who can contribute.

Then they just have to pray that they are healthy at playoff time. That's where only being truly 8 or 9 deep could hurt them because the drop off from the #8 or #9 guy through the rest of the bench could be pretty steep.

I looked at the roster you put out there too. Brooke Lopez has said that if the Lakers look like they could contend, he would be willing to come back for less money. I don't know how much less (or how much other teams are going to offer him).

Obviously, some of what they do will be determined by what they are able to do with the Deng contract. If I understand what I've read correctly, it comes down to 3 options. They can trade him, buy him out or stretch him.

Trading him is highly unlikely, at least this off-season. They may be able to unload him as an expiring contract next off-season, but unless they have pictures of some other teams owner or GM in a compromising situation, no one is taking that contract this off-season.

Buying him out is possible, but not probable. It would cost him a lot of money, so he'd have to be willing to help the Lakers out. I don't see him doing that.

So, he will most likely be stretched. That frees up cap space, but I don't know if it's enough to keep Lopez.

Dream scenario, stretching Deng and Lopez signing for less allows them a roster of

Lebron
PG
Ingram
Lonzo
Lopez
Kuzma
Hart
Zubac

4-5 league minimum guys.

I'd take my chances with that.

Either way, they'll have to rely heavily on their top 7-8 guys and hope another bench guy or 2 can step up.

its hard for me to find a scenario where Lopez is back unless he takes the vet. min.

You HAVE to renounce his Bird Rights as his cap hold is monstrously big.

 

[WiggyRuss]

That's just it though. You can find solid guys looking for rings to sign for league minimum type deals. Also, Brooke Lopez has said that if the Lakers look like they will be contenders, he'd be open to re-signing for less. I don't know for how much less.

Again, I'm not saying they will have a great bench, just that I don't think it will be as bleak as some are painting it to be.

If they can just put together an average or even slightly below average bench, that should be good enough. Plus, when they reach the playoffs, rotations shrink anyway. You need to be 8-9 deep to be a true contender. Kuzma and Hart make them 7 deep.

Zubac has shown signs of at least becoming a serviceable big off the bench, but even if he doesn't, they still really only need to find 1 or 2 more guys who can contribute.

Then they just have to pray that they are healthy at playoff time. That's where only being truly 8 or 9 deep could hurt them because the drop off from the #8 or #9 guy through the rest of the bench could be pretty steep.

I looked at the roster you put out there too. Brooke Lopez has said that if the Lakers look like they could contend, he would be willing to come back for less money. I don't know how much less (or how much other teams are going to offer him).

Obviously, some of what they do will be determined by what they are able to do with the Deng contract. If I understand what I've read correctly, it comes down to 3 options. They can trade him, buy him out or stretch him.

Trading him is highly unlikely, at least this off-season. They may be able to unload him as an expiring contract next off-season, but unless they have pictures of some other teams owner or GM in a compromising situation, no one is taking that contract this off-season.

Buying him out is possible, but not probable. It would cost him a lot of money, so he'd have to be willing to help the Lakers out. I don't see him doing that.

So, he will most likely be stretched. That frees up cap space, but I don't know if it's enough to keep Lopez.

Dream scenario, stretching Deng and Lopez signing for less allows them a roster of

Lebron
PG
Ingram
Lonzo
Lopez
Kuzma
Hart
Zubac

4-5 league minimum guys.

I'd take my chances with that.

Either way, they'll have to rely heavily on their top 7-8 guys and hope another bench guy or 2 can step up.

As for the "buyout" option on Deng--- the Lakers can save actual cash if he agrees to a buyout, but you cant lower his cap hit through a buyout.

Hes owed 18M next year and 18M the following year. Deng could say- just give me 25M and ill be on my way- but that doesnt mean his cap hit is lowered for either year. His cap hit is the same no matter what he would take in a buy-out. The cap hit does not change.

 

[trojanfan12]

Are you talking about his celebration immediately after hitting the shot?

Are you going to pretend that isn't the typical behavior of almost any player after hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater?

Nothing wrong with being happy, celebrating with teammates. But the running around and jumping up on the scorers table like they just won the title instead of a first round playoff game was a bit much, imo.

May have been fed by some of his teammates though. Some of those guys are pretty young and hadn't personally experienced anything like that. I know Nance was celebrating, congratulating him and seemed a little over excited about it.

Reminded me of when Kareem hit a game winning skyhook in the Lakers 1st game with Magic and Magic ran over and hugged him like they just won it all. lol

 

[trojanfan12]

its hard for me to find a scenario where Lopez is back unless he takes the vet. min.

You HAVE to renounce his Bird Rights as his cap hold is monstrously big.

Yeah, like I said, it would be a dream scenario. I think the only way it happens would be if there isn't a huge difference between the vet min and what other teams are offering. I'm not sure what the market will be for him.

On the one hand, he's solid from 3 and a smart player.

On the other hand, he's called Slowpez for a reason. lol

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Some of these Lakers fans are fucking vultures man

Yep. LA has a disproportionate amount of Lee Brown haters. I think it's because they're mad that he used to get compared to Kobe. You'd think that now that he's clearly surpassed Kobe on the GOAT list, they'd give it up by now.

 

[DJ Fieri]

James keeps doing shit this and he'll be the GOAT.

He made 14 of 24 FGA's (58.3%), scored 44 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists.

The rest of the team made 17 of 51 shots, 33.3%.

He put the team on his back and won the game. With some help from Korver who scored 19 points, most in the 2nd half.....but James was the main reason they won.

 

[trojanfan12]

As for the "buyout" option on Deng--- the Lakers can save actual cash if he agrees to a buyout, but you cant lower his cap hit through a buyout.

Hes owed 18M next year and 18M the following year. Deng could say- just give me 25M and ill be on my way- but that doesnt mean his cap hit is lowered for either year. His cap hit is the same no matter what he would take in a buy-out. The cap hit does not change.

Didn't realize that. That pretty much eliminates that option then. It's down to trading him (ain't happening) or stretching him.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

James keeps doing shit this and he'll be the GOAT.

He made 14 of 24 FGA's (58.3%), scored 44 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out 8 assists.

The rest of the team made 17 of 51 shots, 33.3%.

He put the team on his back and won the game. With some help from Korver who scored 19 points, most in the 2nd half.....but James was the main reason they won.

Michael Jordan called Lee Brown this morning and asked for an autographed basketball.

 

[DJ Fieri]

So you think that a roster of.

Lebron
PG
Ball
Ingram
Kuzma
Zubac
Hart
Deng
Eniis
A. Ingram

would not be a thin roster?

The Lakers don't have depth as it is. Bringing in James and PG would tap out their available salary cap. The Lakers almost certainly would not be bringing back Lopez, Randle or Thomas.

The Warriors team had 2 of the best 7 players in basketball and 4 of the top 20. They also had guys on the bench like Livingston and Iggy.

Of course the Lakers could just blow throw the cap and just take a huge tax for the year. Or they could move Deng along with whatever assets it would require to move him and free up cash to sign some quality role players. So those are possible options. But they both come with costs.

You'd get some vets that would play for the minimum.

Wade most notably (if he doesn't retire)......he's still good for 15-20mpg off the bench.....just look at him this summer. In limited mpg he can still ball.

 

[Montalban]

Are you talking about his celebration immediately after hitting the shot?

Are you going to pretend that isn't the typical behavior of almost any player after hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater?

Yes. The jumping up on the scorer's table and thumping his chest at the crowd. It's too much "Look at Me" and "I love me, Don't you?" for my taste. He simply did what he gets paid 25 mil a year to do. What ever happened to humbleness and grace in victory?

 

[DJ Fieri]

stretching deng only gets them in position to sign lebron and george--- nothing on top.

they should sign Cousins this offseason--- and sign Klay next offseason---- get one more high pick next offseason.

PG- Lonzo-
SG- Klay
SF- Ingram
PF- Kuzma
C- Cousins

I'd be down for this. I actually mentioned this as a backup plan.

 

[Montalban]

His confidence is sky high, too high? Probably. Wouldn’t that say is a bad thing for a guy making an organization millions and even billions of dollars. It’s a business and he is the best businessman we have ever witnessed. Incredible game last night too

He certainly is playing well now but I simply cannot stand him. I despise everything about him; ever since the "Look at me I'm taking my talents to South Breach" bullshit from several years ago.

 

[Wamu]

He certainly is playing well now but I simply cannot stand him. I despise everything about him; ever since the "Look at me I'm taking my talents to South Breach" bullshit from several years ago.

I'm no LeBron fan but his dumbass televised Decision antics still weren't as bad as that punk-bitch KD creating fake social media accounts to defend himself.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

Yep. LA has a disproportionate amount of Lee Brown haters. I think it's because they're mad that he used to get compared to Kobe. You'd think that now that he's clearly surpassed Kobe on the GOAT list, they'd give it up by now.

You’d be easily mistaken if you thought this was a Lakers offseason thread

Putting together team comps and offseason moves while Lebron and the Cavs are in R1. Sad but hilarious.

 

[Montalban]

I'm no LeBron fan but his dumbass televised Decision antics still weren't as bad as that punk-bitch KD creating fake social media accounts to defend himself.

Haven't been a big fan of Durant's recent behavior either. All the fake tough guy nonsense this season with all the technicals make him look foolish. Having said that, goddam, he is good and I'm thankful the Warriors have him.

 

[trojanfan12]

stretching deng only gets them in position to sign lebron and george--- nothing on top.

they should sign Cousins this offseason--- and sign Klay next offseason---- get one more high pick next offseason.

PG- Lonzo-
SG- Klay
SF- Ingram
PF- Kuzma
C- Cousins

That blown Achilles scares the hell out of me. Previously, his maturity issues scared the hell out of me. But from everything I've seen and heard since he's been in New Orleans, I was starting to warm to the idea of him being a Laker.

Then his Achilles blew out on him. I'm not sure how close he'll be able to get to how he played before that injury.

If they strike out on Lebron and PG, then it might be worth going after Boogie this year and Klay next year (or even another shot at Lebron if he does his standard deal), but I wouldn't want to max him unless it's on a short deal so they can get out from under that contract quickly (or re-sign him for a good bit less) if he can't get all the way back.