A Little FA News

[lakersrule]

Kobe isn't playing much longer. Next year may be it. The front office needs to worry about the future of the Lakers beyond just next season. Sorry Kobe, but the best thing going forward for this franchise is not to try and get you one last ring. It's to build a team that can be competitive for years to come. Rondo doesn't fit that goal in my opinion.

 

[Retroram52]

Excellent post lakersrule. And Lakers fans have to begin to say goodbye to arguably one of the greats of the game just like they did with Kareem, Magic, Worthy, and so many other great Lakers basketball players.

 

[trojanfight]

anyone got breakdown of lakers chances of keeping top 5 pick? i know at one point as season winded down some of the beat reporters said that they were "guaranteed" to keep it had they not won anymore games. but they would go on to win a few more over teams like 76ers, wolves etc. so how likely is it that that pick goes to 76ers via phoenix?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

anyone got breakdown of lakers chances of keeping top 5 pick? i know at one point as season winded down some of the beat reporters said that they were "guaranteed" to keep it had they not won anymore games. but they would go on to win a few more over teams like 76ers, wolves etc. so how likely is it that that pick goes to 76ers via phoenix?

Something along the lines of 83% chance of keeping it. 38% of it being a top 3 pick, just under 12% for the #1

This may be the Lakers' last chance at a really high draft pick - SBNation.com
2015 NBA Draft lottery odds: Timberwolves, Knicks finish with best chance for No. 1 - SBNation.com

 

[trojanfan12]

Kobe isn't playing much longer. Next year may be it. The front office needs to worry about the future of the Lakers beyond just next season. Sorry Kobe, but the best thing going forward for this franchise is not to try and get you one last ring. It's to build a team that can be competitive for years to come. Rondo doesn't fit that goal in my opinion.

Imo, it depends on the Rondo the Lakers get. If they get him for less than a max, which I think they will if they do sign him and he comes in with a better attitude than he has displayed since the big 3 broke up, then he could be a good signing and help the Lakers be contenders now and into the future (I think he's only 29 or 30).

I also think Kobe and Byron can put him in check if he starts some bullshit.

 

[wildturkey]

Imo, it depends on the Rondo the Lakers get. If they get him for less than a max, which I think they will if they do sign him and he comes in with a better attitude than he has displayed since the big 3 broke up, then he could be a good signing and help the Lakers be contenders now and into the future (I think he's only 29 or 30).

I also think Kobe and Byron can put him in check if he starts some bullshit.

How much less than the max though? He's eligible for a true max, which is close to 20 mil. Even if they got him down to 15, that's an overpay. For what he is now and the massive amount of headaches he brings, I wouldn't pay him a dime over 10 mil a year and really, I'd value him down closer to 8. And I wouldn't bet on Kobe and Byron keeping him in check. No one has done that yet. Not even the Celtics. They just had so much talent around him that it overcame his bullshit.

 

[Retroram52]

Well stated, Turkey!

 

[trojanfan12]

How much less than the max though? He's eligible for a true max, which is close to 20 mil. Even if they got him down to 15, that's an overpay. For what he is now and the massive amount of headaches he brings, I wouldn't pay him a dime over 10 mil a year and really, I'd value him down closer to 8. And I wouldn't bet on Kobe and Byron keeping him in check. No one has done that yet. Not even the Celtics. They just had so much talent around him that it overcame his bullshit.

I could see giving him in the $10-12 million range, preferably incentive laced and no more than 3 years. Given a choice, I'd MUCH prefer to see them throw a max or close to max deal at Dragic than $10-12 million at Rondo and I definitely think they'll make a bid on Dragic, but I think Dragic stays in Miami.

It's more than just Kobe and Byron keeping him in check. According to the article, he wants to be a Laker. A lot of the time, putting a guy where he wants to be helps.

Ideally, if the Lakers sign him, it'll be for one year at a rate closer to your $8 million and a promise that he'll get a raise when the salary cap goes up the following season if he performs well and isn't too big of an asshole.

End of the day, I just have a feeling that the Lakers are going to end up with Rondo and I'm trying to be optimistic about it.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Imo, it depends on the Rondo the Lakers get. If they get him for less than a max, which I think they will if they do sign him and he comes in with a better attitude than he has displayed since the big 3 broke up, then he could be a good signing and help the Lakers be contenders now and into the future (I think he's only 29 or 30).

I also think Kobe and Byron can put him in check if he starts some bullshit.

I would rather get Goran Dragic - He can shoot better

 

[trojanfan12]

I would rather get Goran Dragic - He can shoot better

So would I. In fact, I was one of the few of us that wanted the Lakers to go ahead and trade for him during the season even though it very likely would have dropped us out of the top 5 lottery picks. However, I believe he will stay in Miami. I want the Lakers to make a run at him just to be sure, but I don't see him coming to L.A.

While I'm one of the few who thinks Rondo will work out just fine, I'd rather not have to find out.

Someone bookmark this. I'm really hoping to have to eat those words.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

So would I. In fact, I was one of the few of us that wanted the Lakers to go ahead and trade for him during the season even though it very likely would have dropped us out of the top 5 lottery picks. However, I believe he will stay in Miami. I want the Lakers to make a run at him just to be sure, but I don't see him coming to L.A.

While I'm one of the few who thinks Rondo will work out just fine, I'd rather not have to find out.

Someone bookmark this. I'm really hoping to have to eat those words.

I would have done that trade in a New York Minute and with a healthy Kobe the entire season, the Lakers would have made some noise. I am hoping that he sees Wade as an aging player with no future and sees a better maximum contract in Los Angelus - I hate the idea of the Lakers picking up Rondo - unless it's for a two year contract at the best

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

@True Lakers Fan Hahahahahahahahaha!!

Love the Avatar.

 

[trojanfan12]

I would have done that trade in a New York Minute and with a healthy Kobe the entire season, the Lakers would have made some noise. I am hoping that he sees Wade as an aging player with no future and sees a better maximum contract in Los Angelus - I hate the idea of the Lakers picking up Rondo - unless it's for a two year contract at the best

The problem is that if he see's Wade as an aging player with no future, what's he going to think of Kobe who's older than Wade and has suffered season ending injuries for 3 straight seasons? Plus, the Heat still have Bosh, Whiteside and whatever FA's Riley can snap up.

Imo, the Lakers will likely make Dragic a max offer and Dragic will listen, but end up in Miami. I will say though, that the longer it takes Dragic to make his decision, the better it will be for the Lakers, imo. If they can grab another near max type FA to go with a hopefully healthy Kobe, Randle and a top 5 pick in the draft before Dragic re-signs with the Heat, it might be enough to sway him. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.

To be honest, part of the reason that I'm being optimistic about Rondo is that I agree with Shaqdaddy that he is probably going to be a Laker, so I might as well get used to the idea and hope it works out. After what happened with Dwight and Nash, the Lakers deserve to have Rondo (or whomever they get) pan out for them. Don't they?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

The problem is that if he see's Wade as an aging player with no future, what's he going to think of Kobe who's older than Wade and has suffered season ending injuries for 3 straight seasons? Plus, the Heat still have Bosh, Whiteside and whatever FA's Riley can snap up.

Imo, the Lakers will likely make Dragic a max offer and Dragic will listen, but end up in Miami. I will say though, that the longer it takes Dragic to make his decision, the better it will be for the Lakers, imo. If they can grab another near max type FA to go with a hopefully healthy Kobe, Randle and a top 5 pick in the draft before Dragic re-signs with the Heat, it might be enough to sway him. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.

To be honest, part of the reason that I'm being optimistic about Rondo is that I agree with Shaqdaddy that he is probably going to be a Laker, so I might as well get used to the idea and hope it works out. After what happened with Dwight and Nash, the Lakers deserve to have Rondo (or whomever they get) pan out for them. Don't they?

The deal with Rondo is, despite everyone calling him a cancer, for the first time in his career it will be his choice on what team he plays for. If he decides he doesn't like the style B.Scott plays, he simply won't sign the contract in free agency. He never got that choice in Dallas so his heart was never really in it.

And let's be honest, even at $10m a year he'll still be better than Nash was for the team (barring major injury of course)

 

[trojanfan12]

The deal with Rondo is, despite everyone calling him a cancer, for the first time in his career it will be his choice on what team he plays for. If he decides he doesn't like the style B.Scott plays, he simply won't sign the contract in free agency. He never got that choice in Dallas so his heart was never really in it.

And let's be honest, even at $10m a year he'll still be better than Nash was for the team (barring major injury of course)

The bold is part of what helps me to be optimistic if the Lakers end up getting Rondo. As I've said before, often times, when a guy has the opportunity to go where he wants to be, it brings positive results.

The other thing that gives me some optimism is the fact that, unless something has changed that we haven't heard about, Kobe wants him on the team. I'm not saying the Lakers should get him because Kobe wants him, but rather that I don't think Kobe would want him if he felt that Rondo would be a problem or can't play anymore.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

The problem is that if he see's Wade as an aging player with no future, what's he going to think of Kobe who's older than Wade and has suffered season ending injuries for 3 straight seasons? Plus, the Heat still have Bosh, Whiteside and whatever FA's Riley can snap up.

Imo, the Lakers will likely make Dragic a max offer and Dragic will listen, but end up in Miami. I will say though, that the longer it takes Dragic to make his decision, the better it will be for the Lakers, imo. If they can grab another near max type FA to go with a hopefully healthy Kobe, Randle and a top 5 pick in the draft before Dragic re-signs with the Heat, it might be enough to sway him. But I'm not gonna hold my breath.

To be honest, part of the reason that I'm being optimistic about Rondo is that I agree with Shaqdaddy that he is probably going to be a Laker, so I might as well get used to the idea and hope it works out. After what happened with Dwight and Nash, the Lakers deserve to have Rondo (or whomever they get) pan out for them. Don't they?

Well I don't see Kobe as an aging player. I see Kobe as a player who is over the hill and ready for retirement already-lol. His body is done, but he is in denial, so the key here is like Mitch Kupchak said - they have to start building for long term success beyond Kobe who is in for the ride this season and nothing more. Hopefully free agents will see the opportunity to become the future face of the Lakers franchise and possibly have Kobe around in two years as a player coach, mentor or even a back up guard that sits on the bench most of the time -if Kobe were to accept that and unfortunately Rondo already quit on the Dallas team before they got past the second game which speaks volumes of his assholeness mentality.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

@True Lakers Fan Hahahahahahahahaha!!

Love the Avatar.

I did it to support those that last that bet - lol

 

[lakersrule]

Well I don't see Kobe as an aging player. I see Kobe as a player who is over the hill and ready for retirement already-lol. His body is done, but he is in denial, so the key here is like Mitch Kupchak said - they have to start building for long term success beyond Kobe who is in for the ride this season and nothing more. Hopefully free agents will see the opportunity to become the future face of the Lakers franchise and possibly have Kobe around in two years as a player coach, mentor or even a back up guard that sits on the bench most of the time -if Kobe were to accept that and unfortunately Rondo already quit on the Dallas team before they got past the second game which speaks volumes of his assholeness mentality.

Holy Fuck! TLF actually makes some sense to me in a post.

 

[trojanfan12]

Holy Fuck! TLF actually makes some sense to me in a post.

Don't worry, as soon as you sober up he won't make sense anymore.

 

[lakersrule]

Don't worry, as soon as you sober up he won't make sense anymore.

I ain't even high yet. That's the scary part!