Summer of 2016

[Shaqdaddy11]

They gave them away into the foreseeable future TJF12.

And gained some in the Lin deal

 

[lakersrule]

Here's a question for you. Where are all of these draft picks that you want the Lakers to use so that they can "build through the draft"?

That's a big problem for the build through the draft crowd. The Lakers traded many picks to reload with D12 and Nash. Unfortunately, that plan didn't work out. So what are they left with? Cap space.

Mitch said back in February that if they didn't land a big fish this summer, they would be patient with their cap flexibility. Don't know why what they are doing is such a shock to some.

 

[trojanfan12]

They gave them away into the foreseeable future TJF12.

Exactly my point. People are clamoring that the Lakers should "be like the Spurs" and build through the draft.

First off, the Spurs are built that way because they have no other choice. Max level FA's aren't going to San Antonio. Once Pop, Duncan, Parker and Ginobili are gone, they'll have a couple of solid seasons off of what Pop did. But then they'll hit the skids and won't be able to land any top FA's.

Second, you can't build through the draft without picks. What you can do, is build by spending money, which the Lakers have plenty of.

Eventually, the Lakers will have picks again and can add more pieces through the draft. Although, by then, they will probably be drafting in the later part of the draft again.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea and Popovich just signed an extension on his contract so he'll be ready for those lean years to come.

 

[trojanfan12]

That's a big problem for the build through the draft crowd. The Lakers traded many picks to reload with D12 and Nash. Unfortunately, that plan didn't work out. So what are they left with? Cap space.

Mitch said back in February that if they didn't land a big fish this summer, they would be patient with their cap flexibility. Don't know why what they are doing is such a shock to some.

Exactly. If the trade for Dwight and Nash had worked out, there would be no "build through the draft" crowd. They'd all be calling Jim Buss a genius or saying it was Dr. Buss' last great move before he passed.

I think that Mitch and the FO are doing a good job of maintaining cap space, while still adding some pieces that should be fun to watch (and probably frustrating at times as well) and could be kept as pieces to add a max FA to. Over the next couple of FA classes, there are some very nice to great players that would put the Lakers back in the running very quickly.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yea and Popovich just signed an extension on his contract so he'll be ready for those lean years to come.

How long was the extension? I had also heard that he was retiring when Duncan did. Maybe he's gonna stick around to see what they can put around Leonard?

 

[wildturkey]

A one year/two year max window for what? The Lakers are saving cap space to go after top FA's over the next 2 seasons. Using up cap space to get 2-3 second tier guys, prevents getting the type of player that you build a contender around.

If the Lakers had used cap space to get 2nd tier guys and didn't have the cap space to sign any top FA's over the next couple of seasons, everyone would be bitching about how they wasted cap space to be an average team.

You said it's not worth being a 6 to 10 seed team and I said that's true but its not like we're the 00s Hawks. Its 2 years max window of waiting till 2016, that's what I'm referring to. You'd be a lower seeded team for 2 years max and considering you likely have no pick in 2015, why not make the playoffs. It's better financially for the team and the fans can actually watch competitive regular season games.

If you go back and read what I've posted which maybe I'm not making clear enough, I said there's no point in hoarding cap space for 2015 because I seriously doubt the max guys (like Love or LA) will ever hit the open market. We could have used some of that space this year to get better players to field a watchable and competitive team because as I've said, there's no point in sucking when we don't really have our pick. With the way Nash's contract is and with a little wiggle room, it would also be possible in 2015 to sign 2nd tier guys then (Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap types, etc) who will be the only guys that really reach the market. And come 2016, Kobe's massive deal comes off the books. That's a max contract room right there with no other moves taking place so you have plenty of room to pursue a KD type player.

That's what I'm saying. There are ways to still to get cap room for better players in the future without being awful now. The way the Lakers are doing it now is to preserve near maximum amount of room for 2015 with the promise of getting at least one, possibly two franchise type guys. IMO, they'll whiff on that because those guys will never hit the market. So they'll load up on 1 year deals again and use the same strategy in 2016. It doesn't have to be that way. We could still get guys and be watchable.

 

[trojanfan12]

You said it's not worth being a 6 to 10 seed team and I said that's true but its not like we're the 00s Hawks. Its 2 years max window of waiting till 2016, that's what I'm referring to. You'd be a lower seeded team for 2 years max and considering you likely have no pick in 2015, why not make the playoffs. It's better financially for the team and the fans can actually watch competitive regular season games.

If you go back and read what I've posted, I said there's no point in hoarding cap space for 2015 because I seriously doubt the max guys (like Love or LA) will ever hit the open market. We could have used some of that space this year to get better players to field a watchable and competitive team because as I've said, there's no point in sucking when we don't really have our pick. With the way Nash's contract is and with a little wiggle room, it would also be possible in 2015 to sign 2nd tier guys then (Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap types, etc) who will be the only guys that really reach the market. And come 2016, Kobe's massive deal comes off the books. That's a max contract room right there with no other moves taking place so you have plenty of room to pursue a KD type player.

That's what I'm saying. There are ways to still have room to get cap room for better players in the future without being awful now. The way the Lakers are doing it now is to preserve near maximum amount of room for 2015 with the promise of getting at least one, possibly two franchise type guys. IMO, they'll whiff on that because those guys will never hit the market. So they'll load up on 1 year deals again and use the same strategy in 2016. It doesn't have to be that way. We could still get guys and be watchable.

Oh, okay. Yeah, I agree re: the 6-10 seed thing and that we're looking at 2016 to an extent. I tend to disagree re: 2015. The Lakers can't operate under the assumption that those guys won't be available. They need to go in ready to deal, not desperately trying to shed contracts.

Also, even if Love and Aldridge aren't available, there are others that will be. I wouldn't mind seeing Marc Gasol, Rondo or even Al Jefferson in a Lakers uni.

I think Love may be more likely to hit the market than some are saying. There's all kinds of hysteria around him, but so far it equates to nothing. Flip seems willing to keep him and try his luck at re-signing him. Of course, now that I said that, he'll probably get traded to GSW or the Suns.

 

[wildturkey]

Oh, okay. Yeah, I agree re: the 6-10 seed thing and that we're looking at 2016 to an extent. I tend to disagree re: 2015. The Lakers can't operate under the assumption that those guys won't be available. They need to go in ready to deal, not desperately trying to shed contracts.

Also, even if Love and Aldridge aren't available, there are others that will be. I wouldn't mind seeing Marc Gasol, Rondo or even Al Jefferson in a Lakers uni.

I think Love may be more likely to hit the market than some are saying. There's all kinds of hysteria around him, but so far it equates to nothing. Flip seems willing to keep him and try his luck at re-signing him. Of course, now that I said that, he'll probably get traded to GSW or the Suns.

Yeah, I think Flip is just playing hardball and just seeing if he can drive trade offers up. He's got the power to do that for a few months. But come January with the deadline getting closer, he'll lose all leverage and have to deal him for nickels. He's getting traded. I just don't know when or where. Barring some miracle, it won't be LA

 

[tomodach10]

Gee, I don't know. How do other teams that have gone through losing seasons and don't have the resources that that Lakers do land them?

It's called money. The Lakers will have plenty of it and can get FA's to come to L.A. together.

Here's a question for you. Where are all of these draft picks that you want the Lakers to use so that they can "build through the draft"?


Also, if the rumors that Byron Scott is going to be the next coach are true. There are plenty of FA's that wouldn't mind playing for him.

You can have all the money and cap space you want, but that is not a gaurentee to get top free agents. Put a decent playoff team together and that will help more to attract free agents. You can't get by with " We are the Lakers everyone wants to play for us no matter what 80's mentality". How has that worked out for us in the last two years? You are really a sunshine pumper LOL.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yeah, I think Flip is just playing hardball and just seeing if he can drive trade offers up. He's got the power to do that for a few months. But come January with the deadline getting closer, he'll lose all leverage and have to deal him for nickels. He's getting traded. I just don't know when or where. Barring some miracle, it won't be LA

Flip is in "win now" mode. He wants players that can help with that. That's largely why he is making demands like requiring Klay Thompson in any deal for Love with GSW. He has also said that he's willing to keep Love and take his chances after the season.

I agree that it's likely posturing to drive the cost up, but I'm starting to wonder if the dude is serious.

 

[Vitamike]

You can have all the money and cap space you want, but that is not a gaurentee to get top free agents. Put a decent playoff team together and that will help more to attract free agents. You can't get by with " We are the Lakers everyone wants to play for us no matter what 80's mentality". How has that worked out for us in the last two years? You are really a sunshine pumper LOL.

TF, say it ain't so!

 

[trojanfan12]

You can have all the money and cap space you want, but that is not a gaurentee to get top free agents. Put a decent playoff team together and that will help more to attract free agents. You can't get by with " We are the Lakers everyone wants to play for us no matter what 80's mentality". How has that worked out for us in the last two years? You are really a sunshine pumper LOL.

Of course, having the money doesn't guarantee anything. But guess what the first thing that you have to have to get top FA's is? Yep, you guessed it, money. Guess what the Lakers have? Yep, money.

Guess what getting FA's that were likely to get the Lakers a low playoff seed was going to cost? Right again, money.

The Lakers are saving as much cap space as possible so that max FA's can at least consider them as a possible destination. They wouldn't be able to do that if they spent their money on Luol Deng, Lance Stephenson and/or Trevor Ariza just so they can be 7th seed.

Also, the draft is even less of a guarantee than free agency. Plus, it takes 3-4 years to find out if you screwed up and picked the wrong guy or not.

And you never did answer my question about where the Lakers are supposed to get these draft picks that you're so high on.


You really are a Chicken Little.

 

[trojanfan12]

TF, say it ain't so!

You know me dude. I'm just one big ray of sunshine covered in fucking sweetness!!

 

[Kold]

Alright, I haven't gone through all the responses of the whole thread but I get the just of the debate we are having. My plan B for the Lakers was to go after Tier B free agents with BIG money 2 year deals so that we could maintain our cap for 2016. For example, we could of gotten Lance Stephenson for 2 years at 9 mil per and he could of played PG. I'm not sayin that we would of won the West, but unless we pull off a trade, we'd pretty much be in the same position heading into 2016 anyways. The 2015 class looked SOO much better like 2 years ago. The majority of these top guys are gonna re-sign because the teams haven gotten much better. I mean Rondo may be out there, but I get the feeling that Love is gonna get traded to a contender......BUT since we have gone this route, I'm gonna support it. We got 2 assests in Lin's expiring contract and a pick, Ed Davis is not well known but he can protect the rim somewhat well, and now we have to address the SF position. I'll have to check but I'm sure that there's not alot out there at SF. I like what I've seen out of Randle so far in summer league. It's only summer league, but so far his offensive game is slowly translating really well. He can really handle the ball, and he is attacking the basket like a BULL. He has a no non-sense attitude on the court that I like as well. Also, we can forget about a top 5 pick this year, Kobe is NOT going to let that happen. The best thing that happened to this team last year was that Kobe went down with an injury that only took him out for the year.