Lakers are DONE for a while

[lakersrule]

My issue with the others was because they were acting like this WAS the plan.

I'm sure the front office had discussed alternate plans assuming Dwight wouldn't resign. I haven't seen any posters here say that resigning Howard wasn't part of the plan.

 

[lakersrule]

Nash may not be on the roster next year. Lakers could waive him with the stretch provision and spread that remaining $9M over 3 years I believe?

I really doubt the Lakers get LeBron anyway. Melo might be an option, and I would like to see the Lakers get Lowry. Deng (at a reasonable price) might be a fall-back option if Melo stays a Knick. There's more solid FA in 2015, no need to force the process in 2014.

I agree that 2015 is looking more like the summer when the Lakers will strike. I don't think Lebron or Melo go anywhere. I'm not that excited about the rest of the 2014 FAs. K-Love will be there for the Lakers in 2015.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I'm sure the front office had discussed alternate plans assuming Dwight wouldn't resign. I haven't seen any posters here say that resigning Howard wasn't part of the plan.

When I say, "them", I was talking about some of the less educated Laker fans here.
I'm pretty sure the FO thought he was leaving.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I agree that 2015 is looking more like the summer when the Lakers will strike. I don't think Lebron or Melo go anywhere. I'm not that excited about the rest of the 2014 FAs

. K-Love will be there for the Lakers in 2015.

That also makes the most sense, and what I have been saying.


Without James, they are staring at a 3-5 year process IMO.

 

[Black Adam]

I'm sure the front office had discussed alternate plans assuming Dwight wouldn't resign. I haven't seen any posters here say that resigning Howard wasn't part of the plan.

always have to have a fallback plan. at least any FO worth it's salts would...

that'd just be logical for anyone with a brain in his head...

 

[Black Adam]

I agree that 2015 is looking more like the summer when the Lakers will strike. I don't think Lebron or Melo go anywhere. I'm not that excited about the rest of the 2014 FAs. K-Love will be there for the Lakers in 2015.

didn't want James anyways. as i told TF12 it's STILL a team game and you don't need one guy to win a 'ship. just because some folks think he's some kind of god i still say he's not needed here. plenty of good players will become available imo and i think that the Lakers will put together a competitive roster soon enough...

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

didn't want James anyways

.


So this is real CL, not the alien

as i told TF12 it's STILL a team game and you don't need one guy to win a 'ship

.


True, but when the best player in the league (by far) is on your team, it sure helps your chances.

just because some folks think he's some kind of god i still say he's not needed here.

plenty of good players will become available i

Who are?
And how come the teams they are on now are not contenders?

mo and

i think that the Lakers will put together a competitive roster soon enough

...

Very vague. Much different then your hope and preseason power rankings self from a year ago.

 

[Black Adam]

Very vague. Much different then your hope and preseason power rankings self from a year ago.

hardy har har. the first time i ever see you print something funny(or TRUTHFUL) will be the first time, knucklehead...

btw, since i PROVED those rankings weren't real why do you still keep on yammering on about it? s'matter? your material still no better...?

or you can't seem to find any better lies? that's probably the one. and nope, STILL don't need OR like James. maybe these aliens you keep on chattering about will come along and abduct him...


sheesh, whatta short, dopey dipshit you are...

 

[shopson67]

I don't see Melo opting out of 24M or whatever it is.

The rest though is pretty much right along with my line of thinking, but if it is the case, the one piece that doesn't fit is Kobe.

If the Knicks don't take the next step, their hands are tied. Capped out with no big ticket trade chips. If Melo feels stuck, he could very well opt out.

 

[shopson67]

I agree that 2015 is looking more like the summer when the Lakers will strike. I don't think Lebron or Melo go anywhere. I'm not that excited about the rest of the 2014 FAs. K-Love will be there for the Lakers in 2015.

...as will Rajon Rondo, Lamarcus Aldridge, Mark Gasol, etc.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm sure the front office had discussed alternate plans assuming Dwight wouldn't resign. I haven't seen any posters here say that resigning Howard wasn't part of the plan.

The "original" plan, if you will, was to target 2014 as the "re-build/re-load" year which is why all of these contracts were set to expire at the same time!!

The opportunity to get Dwight was something that came up with the developments in Orlando and was a risk the Lakers basically had to take!! When they were able to pull off that trade, the plan then became to re-build around Dwight!!

The Lakers knew from the moment that they began negotiating the trade, that there was a chance that Dwight would leave, but hoped they could convince him to stay!!

Dwight chose to leave, so now the Lakers revert back to the original plan that was set in place prior to getting Dwight!!

As you said in a previous post, these situations are fluid. The Lakers seem to be doing a pretty good job with that!!

Depending on how things go in 2014, 2015 could end up being the target year!! I'm sure the Lakers have plans for either scenario!!

 

[Retroram52]

Yea TJ12. That is what I'm hearing.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yea TJ12. That is what I'm hearing.

Can't say exactly what will happen, but I could see the Lakers putting together attractive offers for both Lebron and Melo and see if they can get either one or both. Then signing Kobe and possibly Pau to smaller 2 year deals and filling out the rest of the roster with role players (some returning from this coming year).

If they don't get Lebron and/or Melo. Then I still see them re-signing Kobe and Pau to 2 year deals, seeing if they can get a quality role player or 2 from the remaining free agents and then landing a couple of max players in 2015!!

What do you guys think?

 

[Black Adam]

Can't say exactly what will happen, but I could see the Lakers putting together attractive offers for both Lebron and Melo and see if they can get either one or both. Then signing Kobe and possibly Pau to smaller 2 year deals and filling out the rest of the roster with role players (some returning from this coming year).

If they don't get Lebron and/or Melo. Then I still see them re-signing Kobe and Pau to 2 year deals, seeing if they can get a quality role player or 2 from the remaining free agents and then landing a couple of max players in 2015!!

What do you guys think?

i can see that. signing Kobe and Pau to 2 year contracts would be the smartest way to for both of them imo considering their age. also i wouldn't mind seeing 'Melo in a Lakers uni(under a different coach. it isn't so much that i have a problem with D'Antoni, but 'Melo's already tried to play for him. not a good result). also there's the possibility of Kevin Love which imo would be a very nice move. the players are out there. just a matter of getting them here...

 

[Retroram52]

After the Dwight debacle, I have soured at this practice of running after perceived superstars. We got Magic and Kobe through the draft and Shaq, Pau, and Kareem through trades. I suppose it is O.K. since we have had a history of mixing both types of players to put together great teams but I'd rather rebuild the scouting department and begin scouring for the next Kobe, Metta, and Pau. Get younger talented players and then mix them with good solid vets because max contracts these days have a tendency to hamstring a club in the future.

I like what Jerry West is doing in GS. It is a tried and true template and he is quietly assembling another great team like he did for the Lakers and Memphis. I think his template is a winner and he has the rings to prove it. So, I am not sold on this idea of running after LeBron and Melo as our first options for next summer.

 

[trojanfan12]

After the Dwight debacle, I have soured at this practice of running after perceived superstars. We got Magic and Kobe through the draft and Shaq, Pau, and Kareem through trades. I suppose it is O.K. since we have had a history of mixing both types of players to put together great teams but I'd rather rebuild the scouting department and begin scouring for the next Kobe, Metta, and Pau. Get younger talented players and then mix them with good solid vets because max contracts these days have a tendency to hamstring a club in the future.

I like what Jerry West is doing in GS. It is a tried and true template and he is quietly assembling another great team like he did for the Lakers and Memphis. I think his template is a winner and he has the rings to prove it. So, I am not sold on this idea of running after LeBron and Melo as our first options for next summer.

Good points. The only problem that I see is that it seems more and more of these high draft picks aren't working out. Heck, didn't the Lakers just pick up the #4 pick from the 2010 draft on a 1 year deal at a bargain basement price?

Hopefully, the kid pans out, but it seems building through the draft is getting more and more dicey. Add to that, the fact that it's a draft "lottery", so even if a team has the worst record in the league, there is no guarantee that they will get the number 1 pick!!

I think we are going to see more and more teams look at free agency rather than the draft because of this.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea TJFan12 I agree but is it not all the more reason to have a strong scouting department because ALL players start out as rookies and somebody noticed them in high school or college. The Lakers are going to have to rebuild the scouting department that Short Buss dismantled in some egomanical rage when Phil left.

That is correct that Wesley Johnson and Nick Young did not fulfill their envisioned potential but I believe that their desire to play for the Lakers may align the realization of that "potential" with better play that somebody thought was worth that high of selection. The same goes for Farmar who recently stated he is excited about returning to the Lakers, the only team he said he ever wanted to play for!

Of course the way the league has changed with the new CBA may make the practice of pirating FAs as the modus operandi and not so much depending on a scouting department. However, I'd much rather in-house scour the landscape for those special players that eventually lead to championships than make signing FAs the primary way to do business in the NBA.

 

[shopson67]

Mitch was quoted today saying that he believes Johnson could evolve into a Michael Cooper / Trevor Ariza type. Sounds good to me! I saw a full season of Wes when he played with Syracuse and have a much higher opinion of his abilities than most Laker fans I have noticed, lol. 16.5 pts and 8.5 reb for the Orange, none too shabby.

 

[Retroram52]

I agree shopson67. We may just see an attitude change in Johnson and Young whereby they play to the expected level they were drafted. Then we have something and we don't necessarily have to run after max player contracts but continue to search for that elite talent and re-sign the new signees to bigger contracts while ridding the team of aging players who have become overpaid.

 

[Black Adam]

I agree shopson67. We may just see an attitude change in Johnson and Young whereby they play to the expected level they were drafted. Then we have something and we don't necessarily have to run after max player contracts but continue to search for that elite talent and re-sign the new signees to bigger contracts while ridding the team of aging players who have become overpaid.

IF it works out that way it'd be a welcome sight. 2 good players on the cheap would surely be a positive...especially in the wake of this D12 disaster...