The #2 pick

[TheSnowdog]

Here is a hypothetical question...

By all accounts it looks like Minnesota is going to pick Towns at #1

Let's say the Lakers have an agreement in principle with Sacramento to trade Randle and the #2 to the Kings for Cousins and #6
Because of the rules though the Lakers can't do any trade of that #2 until after it is picked so they would essentially be picking for the Kings

What happens if Minnesota throws everyone a curve and doesn't pick Towns and he is sitting there at #2?
Could the Lakers break their agreement and pick Towns for themselves?
Or if Sacramento wants Towns then would the Lakers be forced to pick him and trade him then to Sacramento?

That would be gut wrenching

 

[Louie26]

The big deal with Randle Louie is based on the consensus notion that Randle is a superstar in the making. TJF12 is correct that we don't know for sure that this universal prognostication has any guarantee going forward but neither does the notion that Cousin will work out. We have been talent-starved for quite awhile and when we already have a talent like Randle, many folks are not too eager to give him up for the same precarious perception of guy like Cousins.

Don't get me wrong, retro, I'm not saying you guys are wrong.

In fact, you could be more correct than anyone. I just think the Lakers need to at least explore the fact that they could get Boogie. If not, let's move on and pursue other avenues.

I'm of the notion that the Lakers are a team that DMC would want to play for and thrive.

Just my

 

[Louie26]

If this deal finally does go down and we get Cousins and the 6 and lose Randle, then we should take Winslow at 6 and then focus on FAs like Dragic, Love, and Butler as things go forward.

YES!!! And YES!!!

Agree on both!! I LOVE Winslow's game, personally, I think a better fit than Randal.

 

[Louie26]

It's not just about his stats, it's about his laundry list of douchebaggery as well. If he had those stats and a clean slate, it's a different story. He'd be Kevin Love essentially (albeit with a different skill set of course). However, he's worse than Rondo in terms of behavior, and when you pair that up with no history of winning, what is the draw?

If you bring in Cousins and we do get the 6th pick, which I'm an advocate for (Justice Winslow), bring in a couple of guards, ie. any combo of Butler, Wade, or Dragic, that would be a far greater team than the Kings could ever dream of!

 

[Louie26]

The guy shoots 45% from the field as a center.

Hill shoots better than that.

just cause he's getting 20/10 on a bad Kings team doesn't make him a top 3 center.

not when you are middle of the pack at your position in fg%

Plus, if he is such a great player and a good cap figure as you claim, then why are the Kings so desperate to ship him out? Makes you wonder why they want to rid themselves of a top 3 center as you say.

Karl doesn't like him. The FO, according to sources is very reluctant to part with him. I don't think it's the organization as a whole.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

While I would LOVE to have Cousins on the team (despite him being a head-case), it's just too much to trade the #2 pick, Randle and Clarkson for him.

Stick with what we have and we're bound to acquire a name or two in free agency!

 

[Retroram52]

That's the ticket TJF12 and Louie. Unless somebody can convince the majority owner, and it appears the minority owner Shaq otherwise, Karl is whistling dixie and this deal is dead in the water and Randle isn't going north.

I also agree that the Lakers are exploring an array of options as Mitch mentioned and this was probably one of them. AS you stated Louie, if it goes down great, if not back to plan b through f and check those boxes!

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

So DeAndre Jordan is the best Center in the league? Good luck trying to make a 24/12/3/1/1 guy sound bad.

and how many times have we seen a player like Cousins put up good stats on a bad team get traded to another team and he never produces like that on his new team because it isn't the right fit?

just because he puts up those stats with the Kings doesn't mean that is the production the Lakers are going to get out of him.

did we not just go through this with Howard and Nash? thought we were getting 2 all stars and ended up going broke. Howard was a beast in Orlando, Lakers thought that's who they were getting, and that's not what happened, now is it? and Howard wasn't even considered a head-case at that time.

you can say " you know what you are getting with Cousins ", but in reality, you really don't know who you are getting.

essentially, it's the same as drafting Okafor because you don't know what you are really going to get out of him either.

and because of that, I'd rather keep the pick and the cap savings.

you can preach all day long about the Lakers getting the 3rd best center in the league, but when the Lakers already traded for the BEST center in the league and got burned, you aren't going to convince me that somehow this time it will end up differently.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

and how many times have we seen a player like Cousins put up good stats on a bad team get traded to another team and he never produces like that on his new team because it isn't the right fit?

just because he puts up those stats with the Kings doesn't mean that is the production the Lakers are going to get out of him.

did we not just go through this with Howard and Nash? thought we were getting 2 all stars and ended up going broke. Howard was a beast in Orlando, Lakers thought that's who they were getting, and that's not what happened, now is it? and Howard wasn't even considered a head-case at that time.

you can say " you know what you are getting with Cousins ", but in reality, you really don't know who you are getting.

essentially, it's the same as drafting Okafor because you don't know what you are really going to get out of him either.

and because of that, I'd rather keep the pick and the cap savings.

you can preach all day long about the Lakers getting the 3rd best center in the league, but when the Lakers already traded for the BEST center in the league and got burned, you aren't going to convince me that somehow this time it will end up differently.

IDK why don't you give me some examples.

Nonsense, Howard isn't the best Center in the league.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

IDK why don't you give me some examples.

Nonsense, Howard isn't the best Center in the league.

He was when the Lakers traded for him.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

IDK why don't you give me some examples.

Nonsense, Howard isn't the best Center in the league.

Gerald Wallace, Jamal Mashburn, Allen Iverson (both Denver trades), Mitch Richmond just to name a few. There are hundreds more for sure.

Sometimes players just don't fit in certain systems, get traded to another team where they fit and they thrive again ( as it was with Iverson when he went back to Philly that one season before going back to Denver again and Mashburn when he was traded the 2nd time and became a 20 pt scorer again ).

Just because Cousins is a 20/10 guy with the Kings doesn't mean you can pencil him in for 20/10 with the Lakers. If it worked that way, then there would be no bad trades cause both teams would always win because they would be getting exactly what they think they are trading for.

 

[Retroram52]

Well, after all of the discussions with Sacramento for Cousins and with that deal dying, Philadelphia is now in play to want to trade up one slot to select Russell out of Ohio State. The Lakers may still be able to draft Okafor by moving down one and get some more from Philadelphia. Stay tuned on this one. Here is a link.

Lakers Trade Rumors: 76ers interested in trading up for No. 2 pick to draft D'Angelo Russell, according to report - Silver Screen and Roll

 

[Retroram52]

The next 48 hours ought to be a very interesting time for the Lakers. I think they are moving down the list of options. Plan b or c is officially in play apparently.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

Well, after all of the discussions with Sacramento for Cousins and with that deal dying, Philadelphia is now in play to want to trade up one slot to select Russell out of Ohio State. The Lakers may still be able to draft Okafor by moving down one and get some more from Philadelphia. Stay tuned on this one. Here is a link.

Lakers Trade Rumors: 76ers interested in trading up for No. 2 pick to draft D'Angelo Russell, according to report - Silver Screen and Roll

How crazy would it be if the Lakers managed to get their 2016 1st rounder back out of the deal?

I still don't buy it though. The Sixers would have to be convinced the Lakers were going to take Russell in order for them to make such a bold move and the Lakers haven't even hinted leaning that way.

I think they are between Okafor and Russell at #2, but said to be leaning 80/20 toward Okafor.

The next day and a half are going to be crazy with rumors.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Gerald Wallace, Jamal Mashburn, Allen Iverson (both Denver trades), Mitch Richmond just to name a few. There are hundreds more for sure.

Sometimes players just don't fit in certain systems, get traded to another team where they fit and they thrive again ( as it was with Iverson when he went back to Philly that one season before going back to Denver again and Mashburn when he was traded the 2nd time and became a 20 pt scorer again ).

Just because Cousins is a 20/10 guy with the Kings doesn't mean you can pencil him in for 20/10 with the Lakers. If it worked that way, then there would be no bad trades cause both teams would always win because they would be getting exactly what they think they are trading for.

None of those guys were 24 freakin years old when they changed teams.

 

[Retroram52]

Well OutlawImmortal, unless the Kings' ownership changes their stance in the next 48 hours, Cousins isn't going anywhere and much of this discussion is moot. If that changes, the deal will probably go down. But if you want to prove a point, I surely won't stand in your way.

 

[trojanfan12]

Well, after all of the discussions with Sacramento for Cousins and with that deal dying, Philadelphia is now in play to want to trade up one slot to select Russell out of Ohio State. The Lakers may still be able to draft Okafor by moving down one and get some more from Philadelphia. Stay tuned on this one. Here is a link.

Lakers Trade Rumors: 76ers interested in trading up for No. 2 pick to draft D'Angelo Russell, according to report - Silver Screen and Roll

This would definitely be worth looking into, especially if they get next years first rounder back. Even if they are dead set on Okafor, a little misinformation could prove useful. They should definitely leverage this as much as possible, unless they have secretly settled on Russell.

 

[Retroram52]

I agree TJF12. The interactions with Philadelphia have some nice possibilities and perhaps it has more of a possibility than the Cousins deal.

 

[ANGELAKERAMS]

None of those guys were 24 freakin years old when they changed teams.

So, because he is 24, he is immune to regression as a player? Yeah, that makes sense.

If vets who know how to play the game more so than younger players can regress after being traded, then so can young players.

 

[shopson67]

Look at it this way; how many all-stars can you name that haven't won more than 30 games with their current club? Have any of those changed teams and led their next team to the playoffs?

I can't think of any. Kevin Love I guess, but even Love was able to get his team to 40 wins (and wasn't a good fit with the Cavs for at least this first season).

Cousins would have to be the lead guy on the Lakers, unless they can bring in a star via free agency. I just can't see that ever working; he has to be no better than a 2nd option IMO.