Hey Lakers fans.

[tlance]

In years previous when Lakers fans praised Caruso, most scoffed. Dismissing THT just after his 21st birthday is premature to say the least.

Not me.

I have given my reasons why I don’t believe THT will materialize. At least not into a player any better than Caruso.

And I do expect to proven right on that.

Yet still, the Lakers could have had both but they got cheap.

And even if they did opt to keep only 1, the contender should always take the ready contributor over the guy who is a year away from being a year away.

Because the Lakers were playing to win today.

 

[trojanfan12]

And even if they did opt to keep only 1, the contender should always take the ready contributor over the guy who is a year away from being a year away.

Because the Lakers were playing to win today.

The most logical reason that I can think of for it would be that they were trying to keep someone young for the future. Not necessarily to "pair with AD" after Lebron eventually leaves/retires...but as part of a younger core to put around AD.

Caruso is 27, THT is only 21. So, I kind of understand it from that perspective...but to me, if you're going all in to win now...then go all in to win now and keeping Caruso would have help a lot more than THT.

 

[shopson67]

The most logical reason that I can think of for it would be that they were trying to keep someone young for the future. Not necessarily to "pair with AD" after Lebron eventually leaves/retires...but as part of a younger core to put around AD.

Caruso is 27, THT is only 21. So, I kind of understand it from that perspective...but to me, if you're going all in to win now...then go all in to win now and keeping Caruso would have help a lot more than THT.

There may have been some ramifications re: being hard-capped by re-signing both, but I'm not certain. The Lakers were dead set against being hard-capped, as they need that flexibility to adjust the roster midseason.

I hope Nunn can contribute soon to help cover that loss of Caruso. He's the one free agent they were able to lock down for more than one season. I fully expect Monk to get moved before the deadline for exactly that reason; he's only signed for the year and will not re-sign for what they can offer him moving forward.

 

[trojanfan12]

There may have been some ramifications re: being hard-capped by re-signing both, but I'm not certain. The Lakers were dead set against being hard-capped, as they need that flexibility to adjust the roster midseason.

Yeah, I get that. I could be wrong, but I think that they could have let THT go and kept Caruso without getting hard capped. Not wanting to be hard capped would also back what I've been saying that they alwaysd figured they were going to have make some changes to the roster during the season.

 

[shopson67]

Yeah, I get that. I could be wrong, but I think that they could have let THT go and kept Caruso without getting hard capped. Not wanting to be hard capped would also back what I've been saying that they alwaysd figured they were going to have make some changes to the roster during the season.

Sure, but THT was never leaving. Lebron had a hand in getting him drafted and if he can get a trade for Russ pushed through, he's going to get THT re-signed.

 

[tlance]

Sure, but THT was never leaving. Lebron had a hand in getting him drafted and if he can get a trade for Russ pushed through, he's going to get THT re-signed.

And that is why LeBron is like the worst GM ever.

 

[shopson67]

And that is why LeBron is like the worst GM ever.

I'm sure there have been worse, but yeah, it's not a strong suit lol.

 

[tabascojet]

"LeBron James wants Russell Westbrook off the Lakers!": Trouble in La La Land as report claims the King has had enough of the Brodie

A report claims that LeBron James is among the leading voices in the Lakers pulling for Russell Westbrook to be traded.

thesportsrush.com

 

[shopson67]

"LeBron James wants Russell Westbrook off the Lakers!": Trouble in La La Land as report claims the King has had enough of the Brodie

A report claims that LeBron James is among the leading voices in the Lakers pulling for Russell Westbrook to be traded.

thesportsrush.com

....but a little too late to that realization, eh Lebron?

 

[Shanemansj13]

Did Lebron recruit RW to LA? Obviously they made a trade so recruiting does little to nothing but still if he advocated it...I wonder why? The fit wasn't there and RW trade depleted the Lakers depth.

 

[tlance]

Did Lebron recruit RW to LA? Obviously they made a trade so recruiting does little to nothing but still if he advocated it...I wonder why? The fit wasn't there and RW trade depleted the Lakers depth.

Honestly?

I don’t think LeBron understands his own best role on a team.

He has always advocated for playmaking guards to take the pressure off him making all the plays.

But making the plays is what he does best.

And if that playmaking guard can’t shoot, or isn’t effective playing off the ball, it won’t work so well.

 

[trojanfan12]

Honestly?

I don’t think LeBron understands his own best role on a team.

He has always advocated for playmaking guards to take the pressure off him making all the plays.

But making the plays is what he does best.

And if that playmaking guard can’t shoot, or isn’t effective playing off the ball, it won’t work so well.

He also appears to have pretty big blind spots when it comes to his friends. From what I've read and heard, he and Westbrook are friends, so he's likely trying to get Westbrook a ring. He and D-Wade weren't good fits either. But they were able to overcome it. They were also in their primes. If they had fit better, they might have gotten 4 rings.

 

[shopson67]

Did Lebron recruit RW to LA? Obviously they made a trade so recruiting does little to nothing but still if he advocated it...I wonder why? The fit wasn't there and RW trade depleted the Lakers depth.

He definitely did. He and AD went to visit with Russ during the offseason and pushed for the trade afterwards. The Lakers nearly had the trade for Hield completed otherwise; Kuzma thought he was going to the Kings.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Its truly a gift to be able to amuse myself as much as I do.

Shouldn't you close your bedroom door when you do that?

Your mother might walk in on you

 

[True Lakers Fan]

in some ways this should not surprise anyone.

even during the summer people said this was a badly put together team.

people said that the Westbrook trade was a mistake

people said the team was too old

the young guys that they have are mostly guys that have failed at other teams- reclamation projects that hteir original team deemed not valuable enough to keep around.

if the Heat thought Nunn was a guy they needed, or the Hornets thought Monk was a guy they needed they would have kept them

they got cheap when they decided not to re-sign Caruso

the older LeBron gets the more helps he needs- and this is the least amount of talent on a LeBron roster since early Cleveland days.

they might be able to get by on the offensive side most nights- but the defensive side is where the team is totally unequipped to play with even play decent basketball most nights.

The nets without Durant, Kyrie and Harris just beat them. I realize they did not have DAvis but (i) Davis seems to always be hurt, and (ii) the Nets had way more talent unavailable.

I thought that you could not truly grade the Lakers until the playoffs- but they have had one of the easiest schedules in the NBA thus far and are now 2 games under .500 --- 7 games short of the midway point.

There is over half the season left, but if they dont get it together in a hurry this season is going to be a massive failure.

and as so many people have told me so often- every LeBron James team is title or bust. Looks like this is going to be a bust of epic proportions- and the really dark thing is- they have little to no cap room, draft assets, or young players to deal to fix anything- either this year or next year.

I personally thought the Lakers should have went after Buddy Held - Too many old geezers - out there. When you have a bunch of players all at the end of their careers, injuries will come -

 

[True Lakers Fan]

He also appears to have pretty big blind spots when it comes to his friends. From what I've read and heard, he and Westbrook are friends, so he's likely trying to get Westbrook a ring. He and D-Wade weren't good fits either. But they were able to overcome it. They were also in their primes. If they had fit better, they might have gotten 4 rings.

That's normal - Even Kobe Bryan defended Kwame Brown while the two played together - But I would bet that when they got Pau Gasol for Kwame, that Kobe celebrated

 

[Picklerick 2.0]

Shouldn't you close your bedroom door when you do that?

Your mother might walk in on you

Gotta take chances in life.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Gotta take chances in life.

I suppose there are worse things that can happen, but right now I will admit to nothing

 

[shopson67]

I personally thought the Lakers should have went after Buddy Held - Too many old geezers - out there. When you have a bunch of players all at the end of their careers, injuries will come -

He hasn't been very good this year either, but that's still being in Sacramento after thinking he was moving on.