Kawhi to the Clips

[msgkings322]

Gonna average 40+ shots a game and shoot under 40%.

It's Kobe time!

 

[black francis]

Boogie hits the Lake show...

Lakers agree with Cousins, bring back Rondo

awful

but that's what happens when you put all your cards in the Emily Ratajkowski basket

When she says no, the options go away and you are stuck with the fat girl from Mike and Molly

 

[WiggyRuss]

Oram: Losing Kawhi Leonard’s waiting game puts Lakers in...

Great article at The Athletic by Bill Oram.

It was a dangerous game. The Lakers knew that. But what, exactly, were they supposed to do once they got wind that they had a chance at Kawhi Leonard? They cleared the salary-cap space to accommodate him, then waited.

They waited as All-Stars Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving and D’Angelo Russell found new homes elsewhere. They waited as many of the role players they eyed, in the event they needed to break up their cap space, signed early.

The Lakers waiting on Kawhi didn’t mean J.J. Redick, Terrence Ross and Reggie Bullock had any obligation to do so. The potential payoff was worth the risk, they figured. The Lakers believed Leonard would complete the most imposing three-man lineup in NBA history.

General manager Rob Pelinka was left to sort through the scraps of a well-picked-over class of free agents to fill out a roster that for now consists only of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, second-round pick Talen Horton-Tucker and two veterans — guard Troy Daniels and forward Jared Dudley — who agreed to minimum deals with the Lakers this week.

Of all the scenarios that seemed possible when free agency officially began on Sunday afternoon, this was undoubtedly the worst for the Lakers. An unprecedented flurry of action on Day 1 coupled with Leonard’s methodical approach to free agency left the Lakers with $32 million in cap space and few obvious candidates to spend it on.

...The Lakers will try to piece together a championship-caliber roster on the back end of free agency while suffering the added indignity of watching their Staples Center co-tenant land their primary target from this offseason and their second priority from a year ago

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Oram: Losing Kawhi Leonard’s waiting game puts Lakers in...

Great article at The Athletic by Bill Oram.

It was a dangerous game. The Lakers knew that. But what, exactly, were they supposed to do once they got wind that they had a chance at Kawhi Leonard? They cleared the salary-cap space to accommodate him, then waited.

They waited as All-Stars Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving and D’Angelo Russell found new homes elsewhere. They waited as many of the role players they eyed, in the event they needed to break up their cap space, signed early.

The Lakers waiting on Kawhi didn’t mean J.J. Redick, Terrence Ross and Reggie Bullock had any obligation to do so. The potential payoff was worth the risk, they figured. The Lakers believed Leonard would complete the most imposing three-man lineup in NBA history.

General manager Rob Pelinka was left to sort through the scraps of a well-picked-over class of free agents to fill out a roster that for now consists only of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, second-round pick Talen Horton-Tucker and two veterans — guard Troy Daniels and forward Jared Dudley — who agreed to minimum deals with the Lakers this week.

Of all the scenarios that seemed possible when free agency officially began on Sunday afternoon, this was undoubtedly the worst for the Lakers. An unprecedented flurry of action on Day 1 coupled with Leonard’s methodical approach to free agency left the Lakers with $32 million in cap space and few obvious candidates to spend it on.

...The Lakers will try to piece together a championship-caliber roster on the back end of free agency while suffering the added indignity of watching their Staples Center co-tenant land their primary target from this offseason and their second priority from a year ago

So the Lakers have a great team with plenty of depth, shooters, scorers and defenders.

But keep being butthurt because Lebron chose LA over Cleveland a year ago one-nut.

 

[Gman]

So the Lakers have a great team with plenty of depth, shooters, scorers and defenders.

Defenders, eh?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Defenders, eh?

AD, Danny Green

 

[The Oldtimer]

It's Kobe time!

Yeah both Kobe and Jordan time!!!

 

[Gman]

AD, Danny Green

Individual defenders in a couple spots... sure.

We could certainly also point to more than a couple below average defenders... and the weak links are the worry when it comes to team defense.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Individual defenders in a couple spots... sure.

We could certainly also point to more than a couple below average defenders... and the weak links are the worry when it comes to team defense.

So do you think the Lakers are a below average defensive team?

 

[bksballer89]

So do you think the Lakers are a below average defensive team?

for the most part yes. They were talking about it on espn as well.

Middle of the pack at best but Vogel is a solid defensive coach so maybe he can work his magic

 

[Battlelyon]

 

[Kold]

Lakers-Clippers WCF, with Lakers having 7 games of home court advantage...

 

[bksballer89]

Lakers-Clippers WCF, with Lakers having 7 games of home court advantage...

no

 

[knowyourenemy]

Lakers-Clippers WCF, with Lakers having 7 games of home court advantage...

Lakers are going to need 7 games despite having home court advantage in every game?

 

[bksballer89]

Russ handled it better than I thought. Commented on PG-13 IG page saying it is all love. That makes me think the following.

1) PG-13 was straight up with him about the trade request unlike KD was the night before going to GSW.

or

2) He was just really pissed at KD for going to the team who just defeated them in the playoffs.

I think choice 1 is the likely reason why he handled this better than KD leaving

 

[knowyourenemy]

Russ handled it better than I thought. Commented on PG-13 IG page saying it is all love. That makes me think the following.

1) PG-13 was straight up with him about the trade request unlike KD was the night before going to GSW.

or

2) He was just really pissed at KD for going to the team who just defeated them in the playoffs.

I think choice 1 is the likely reason why he handled this better than KD leaving

Westbrook may be gone as well. That changes the dynamic.

 

[trojanfight]

Lakers Free Agency Rumors: Kawhi Leonard's Camp Asked To Delay Anthony Davis Trade Two Hours Before He Signed With Clippers

 

[wildturkey]

So do you think the Lakers are a below average defensive team?

Most likely. Green is good, but not lock down. Davis is an elite rim defender, but he's not guarding wings. The Lakers don't really have many guys that can lock down wings and guards past Lebron. Rondo is a joke. Caruso is legit our best PG defender and I'd rate him as "average, but he hustles". Dudley is old as dirt who is most famous of late for jaw jacking with Ben Simmons and proceeding to get lit up by him the following game. Kuzma and Boogie are defensive liabilities. KCP is nothing special. McGee can block shots, but doesn't move well side to side and gets played off the floor against small line ups. We probably need to add another front court player that can switch on defense to defend the 4 and 5 (Faried or Jamychel Green).

We've done well in a tough situation with what's available, but there's flaws here. I wouldn't be putting money on the Lakers as title favorites. Vogel has been a defensive whiz in the past, but this team's best bet to success imo is gonna be to score a bunch, hover near average on defense, and hope that's enough

 

[Battlelyon]

 

[trojanfan12]

Still processing it all. I'm still not convinced OKC had to do this. Also, everyone going nuts over the pick haul, and it is A LOT, but they still should have gotten more players. They had the Clips by the balls. Should have grabbed Shamet and Harrell as well. I'd give up a couple of those picks in exchange for those two

I'm inclined to agree.

I've heard folks talk about how much the Clips gave up, but you're right, OKC had the Clips by the balls and probably could have gotten more.

This move was exactly what the Clips had been setting themselves up for since they started piecing out DeAndre, CP3, Blake and then Tobias Harris.

This was their moment. If they didn't get this trade done, it may not necessarily have been a disaster...but it would have been pretty bad.