Lakers 2014 Off-Season Thread

[lasportzphan]

Carmelo appears to be staying in New York (they can offer more dough) and he us courting Gasol, then his brother next year.

Carmelo Anthony free agent rumors: Knicks star believed close to re-signing - NBA - Sporting News

 

[Louie26]

I think it would be better for the Lakers in the long-term to quit chasing after these FAs like Anthony and stick with a full-on rebuild program if that is their strategy. I think Anthony will re-sign with Phil, Pau, and Lakers East. Let Pau go and get after the business of building a young viable roster. Kobe is going to be gone in two-to-three years and if we sign Anthony to the four-year deal, then essentially we will have a Knicks West team with one supposed superstar on a not-so-good team.

Follow what the logo is doing in GS. He is bringing in highly talented young players and he is adding pieces and that team continues to get better. They may even get past the first round in a year or two. This chasing after FAs and just win now is a bad strategy and if Kobe doesn't like that and he has already stated he doesn't want to be part of the rebuild, than in two years he can go sign with a contender and get his ring. The lakers need a better long-term strategy than just win now.

Short Buss doesn't have a strategy for long-term success. He continues to appear to wing it. This is why Jeannie has showed up in player negotiations. Kobe is right, the ownership needs a strategy that is palpable and work the strategy for long-term success.

Right now, that doesn't appear to be the case and it is only going to prolong the development this team really needs to do to guarantee us to get back to the championship levels. Let these old guys go and get back to what made this team great over such a long period of time.

Good call retro! I'm 50-50 on the Melo thing. I'm fairly certain, LeBron's not bringing his talents to LaLa Land!

However, if we miss out on other quality FA while we're courting these 2, I'll be pissed!

 

[trojanfan12]

Carmelo appears to be staying in New York (they can offer more dough) and he us courting Gasol, then his brother next year.

Carmelo Anthony free agent rumors: Knicks star believed close to re-signing - NBA - Sporting News

Did you look at the date and time? It looks like it was written prior to the ESPN and Woj reports. This one seems a bit more recent (although literally by only a couple of hours).

Y! SPORTS

 

[Retroram52]

I didn't take your post as being a smartass TJF12. I wouldn't expect you to be that at all being in the mod mold. Your second paragraph has the key

While one could say that it's been that way since Minneapolis with George Mikan, it really started with drafting Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, then acquiring Wilt, followed by Kareem, then drafting Magic and James Worthy, then in the 90's they got Shaq and Kobe, in the 00's they got Pau after Shaq left, then there was the failed Dwightmare experiment. Now they are trying to land 'Melo and/or Lebron to continue this.


We have fulfilled the first part about acquiring the superstar(s), but because short buss effed up the Nash and Dwight deals by destroying the second part of the equation and that is protecting your draft picks to get them, we have little assets coming in by the draft all the way up to 2019. His father never would have made those deals because of the destruction of draft potential assets and that is THE key that many people miss to this equation.

In essence, we painted ourselves into a corner becoming the Washington Redskins (screw the PC police here or maybe there are the foreskins by now) of the NBA, and forcing ourselves to be soley dependent on FAs and role players. And that is what Dr. Buss avoided at all costs.

Now I suspect the league may be different and teams are a wary of the Dr. Buss model and are not buying in anymore. But that doesn't mean you sell out your draft for years to come just because somebody gets a stiffy for a superstar(s). The closest thing to a viable model in today's NBA is up in GS.

So again, we may be stuck where we now have to go after these guys. I have stated that all along that the win-now strategy is very shortsighted and Kobe should not be influencing the team's strategy like short buss has allowed him to do. It is what it is and we shall see how it plays out but right now I am not liking the overall picture here.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

 

[trojanfan12]

I didn't take your post as being a smartass TJF12. I wouldn't expect you to be that at all being in the mod mold. Your second paragraph has the key

While one could say that it's been that way since Minneapolis with George Mikan, it really started with drafting Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, then acquiring Wilt, followed by Kareem, then drafting Magic and James Worthy, then in the 90's they got Shaq and Kobe, in the 00's they got Pau after Shaq left, then there was the failed Dwightmare experiment. Now they are trying to land 'Melo and/or Lebron to continue this.


We have fulfilled the first part about acquiring the superstar(s), but because short buss effed up the Nash and Dwight deals by destroying the second part of the equation and that is protecting your draft picks to get them, we have little assets coming in by the draft all the way up to 2019. His father never would have made those deals because of the destruction of draft potential assets and that is THE key that many people miss to this equation.

In essence, we painted ourselves into a corner becoming the Washington Redskins (screw the PC police here or maybe there are the foreskins by now) of the NBA, and forcing ourselves to be soley dependent on FAs and role players. And that is what Dr. Buss avoided at all costs.

Now I suspect the league may be different and teams are a wary of the Dr. Buss model and are not buying in anymore. But that doesn't mean you sell out your draft for years to come just because somebody gets a stiffy for a superstar(s). The closest thing to a viable model in today's NBA is up in GS.

So again, we may be stuck where we now have to go after these guys. I have stated that all along that the win-now strategy is very shortsighted and Kobe should not be influencing the team's strategy like short buss has allowed him to do. It is what it is and we shall see how it plays out but right now I am not liking the overall picture here.

I agree that they shouldn't have given up the draft picks and that was something that Dr. Buss tried to avoid. But what's done is done and can't be undone.

My issue is that if they have very few picks until 2019, then they really have no choice but to re-build through free agency and trades of players. That is why I see this as a positive.

After Dr. Buss passed, there is no question that the FO became something of a rudderless ship and mistakes were made. That is one of the unfortunate aspects of having a truly family run organization. The patriarch passes and the family has to try and run the organization while also mourning the loss of their father. I remember Jeanie alluding to that very fact in an interview a few months ago.

We can't get the draft picks that were lost back, so now, as you so often said during the season "Onward we go".

From the information that has come out of the meeting with 'Melo, it was Dr. Buss like. Jeanie was there (a good thing as she is the one that is most like her father) and they didn't make the mistakes in courting 'Melo that they did with Dwight (those ridiculous posters, stubbornly sticking with D'Antoni when Dwight didn't want him, etc.), presenting a clear plan for now and for the future.

If they can continue with a "modified Dr. Buss model" and build through free agency until 2019, then they can still be competitive until then. Then, when 2019 comes around and they have picks again, they can return to the original Dr. Buss model.

The other option is to suck out loud until 2019 and then start trying to use the original Dr. Buss model again.

 

[Retroram52]

We shall see how the modified model goes but if they haven't learned anything about the draft, 2019 is going to matter because we will then be in a FA mode as a matter of franchise direction. Hopefully short buss is kept on a short leash but we shall see.

 

[Kold]

Reports have Isiah Thomas to the Lakers as a strong possibility as well. As I was trying to tell those on the mains, its not the end of the world if we don't get Melo or Lebron

 

[Retroram52]

Good for you Kold!

 

[trojanfan12]

Reports have Isiah Thomas to the Lakers as a strong possibility as well. As I was trying to tell those on the mains, its not the end of the world if we don't get Melo or Lebron

I agree. I'd like to see us get 'Melo or Lebron, but if we don't, there's nothing wrong with a lineup of good, solid young players who are fun to watch until we can get or develop the next star player or 2. We had very similar type lineups from 1991 when Magic had to retire suddenly to 1996 when we got Shaq and Kobe.

That would fit better with what retro would like to see as well.

 

[trojanfan12]

We shall see how the modified model goes but if they haven't learned anything about the draft, 2019 is going to matter because we will then be in a FA mode as a matter of franchise direction. Hopefully short buss is kept on a short leash but we shall see.

I agree. But this is the path the Lakers are on. At least for now. I'm hopeful that Jeanie being in the meeting with 'Melo means that she will be taking a more active role on the basketball side. More of Mitch and Jeanie is a good thing, imo, even if it doesn't necessarily mean less of Jim.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea, I'll agree on Jeannie's involvement becoming more extensive as I clamored for that dating back to my SeeBeeSS days.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

I agree. But this is the path the Lakers are on. At least for now. I'm hopeful that Jeanie being in the meeting with 'Melo means that she will be taking a more active role on the basketball side. More of Mitch and Jeanie is a good thing, imo, even if it doesn't necessarily mean less of Jim.

I was thinking the same. This is good news for the Lakers future going foward.

 

[Silas]

At the end of the day these guys will follow the money. Melo and James will insist on an opt out clause. When Kobe retires, Melo and James will say adios and the Lakers will look and perform like a team that has been gutted to the core.

The Lakers can obtain draft picks through trades, as well as productive players. They can also sign reasonable FA's.

No reason for the Lakers to compromise the future for a "one night stand" now.

 

[Kold]

Acorrding to some reports(Woj. hasn't weighed in yet)...it's down to the Lakers vs the Knicks for Melo. Jeanie vs Phil. Kobe vs Fisher.

 

[Kold]

At the end of the day these guys will follow the money. Melo and James will insist on an opt out clause. When Kobe retires, Melo and James will say adios and the Lakers will look and perform like a team that has been gutted to the core.

The Lakers can obtain draft picks through trades, as well as productive players. They can also sign reasonable FA's.

No reason for the Lakers to compromise the future for a "one night stand" now.

They may or may not, but we will have a bunch of money to spend when Kobe retires. Plus Lebron and Melo have skillsets that will age really well so barring a freak injury, they should still be pretty good a few years from now. I say let's put forth our best effort to make this happen and if by some miracle it does, let's enjoy the ride and see if we can get another chip out of it. If it doesn't, then we move on

 

[Kold]

I have no earthly idea what to make of this but...

 

[Kold]

This is getting insane https://twitter.com/TheBasslineNBA/statuses/485899539887685632

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Excellent.

 

[trojanfan12]

This is getting insane https://twitter.com/TheBasslineNBA/statuses/485899539887685632

I wonder if part of the idea is for Kobe to show 'Melo that he has a little something left?