The Lakers still won't make the playoffs next year

[shopson67]

I just do not understand. The lakers traded everyone but 3 players, need to get a roster with 32 million, but they can get a top free agent that is going to make 40? What is left G league two way contracts?

Who is going to make 40? The max for Kawhi, Kyrie, Kemba, Klay, and Butler is $32.7M if they leave their current team (30% of the cap due to time in the league). Only Durant can make more on a new team (35%). DLo is in the 25% bracket.

Lakers will have their room exception ($4.76M) and veteran minimum contracts to utilize to fill out their roster once that $32M is used up (whether on one virtual max player or spread around for multiple guys).

 

[shopson67]

It will be interesting to see what they can do with the 32M......if i could get Kyrie or Kawhi I would do it, absent that I would try and get 2-3 guys and spread the cash around a little bit to get some depth.

That's likely their thinking too (Butler might sneak in there too). I think they feel pretty confident that they are getting one of those 2 (or 3), or they wouldn't have announced the trade to clear the space yet. If they weren't getting any of them, why give away Moe Wagner?

 

[buckalis]

Things are simple IMO... For the Lakers to make the playoffs, two out of these:

Golden State, Denver, Portland, Houston, San Antonio, OKC, New Orleans, Utah, LA Clips...

have to stay out... which two will end up being worst than the Lakers?

 

[Black Adam]

Things are simple IMO... For the Lakers to make the playoffs, two out of these:

Golden State, Denver, Portland, Houston, San Antonio, OKC, New Orleans, Utah, LA Clips...

have to stay out... which two will end up being worst than the Lakers?

LMFAO so YOU think the Pelicans are gonna be better...?

 

[anotheridiot]

They did well to convince Davis to drop his kicker and to get rid of those other 3 guys...

but you are right

considering they have no draft capital they will have to fill out the roster with league minimum guys. It will start to get very expensive for them when Davis is up for his next contract after this year and they have to give him a supermax.

It will be interesting to see what they can do with the 32M......if i could get Kyrie or Kawhi I would do it, absent that I would try and get 2-3 guys and spread the cash around a little bit to get some depth. You are going to need depth on a team that has an old LeBron with the most miles in NBA history at age 35, and a injury prone Davis. You do not want those guys playing 35+ minutes per game during the regular season because if either one of them gets a significant injury the season is over.

I can understand being able to keep signing you own players and going over the cap and just pay tax on them. But to be able to even sign one more 40 million guy now is what is not fair. Build a core like they were doing, pay them, like RAndle from last year and all the guys they dealt this year. Those eventually end up being max players.

 

[buckalis]

LMFAO so YOU think the Pelicans are gonna be better...?

Two teams have to prove worst... that's all I said and mean.

 

[Black Adam]

Two teams have to prove worst... that's all I said and mean.

oh I think we'll be ok. course we'll know more after things get started on Sunday for FA....

 

[trojanfan12]

I can understand being able to keep signing you own players and going over the cap and just pay tax on them. But to be able to even sign one more 40 million guy now is what is not fair. Build a core like they were doing, pay them, like RAndle from last year and all the guys they dealt this year. Those eventually end up being max players.

Who's getting $40 million?

 

[trojanfan12]

It will be interesting to see what they can do with the 32M......if i could get Kyrie or Kawhi I would do it, absent that I would try and get 2-3 guys and spread the cash around a little bit to get some depth. You are going to need depth on a team that has an old LeBron with the most miles in NBA history at age 35, and a injury prone Davis. You do not want those guys playing 35+ minutes per game during the regular season because if either one of them gets a significant injury the season is over.

I would for Kawhi, not Kyrie.

I would replace Kyrie with D-Lo. Not because he's a good as Kyrie, he's not. But because he's still really good, only 23 and will cost less.

Plus, he and AD would be a good combo to build around when Lebron moves on into retirement or with another team.

 

[trojanfan12]

Things are simple IMO... For the Lakers to make the playoffs, two out of these:

Golden State, Denver, Portland, Houston, San Antonio, OKC, New Orleans, Utah, LA Clips...

have to stay out... which two will end up being worst than the Lakers?

We don't know who else will be on the roster yet. Considering that the Warriors will be without KD whether he stays or not and that they likely won't have Klay until February at the earliest...

the Lakers could potentially be better than all of those teams.

 

[Gman]

I would for Kawhi, not Kyrie.

I would replace Kyrie with D-Lo. Not because he's a good as Kyrie, he's not. But because he's still really good, only 23 and will cost less.

Plus, he and AD would be a good combo to build around when Lebron moves on into retirement or with another team.

Plus plus, Kyrie is crazy-cakes.

 

[dtgold88]

Agreed.

But, the point is that teams can and will overpay

Russell is probably a little better right now than McCollum was when he signed his.

I'd even say other than the elite who are worthy of max deals the vast majority of FAs are overpaid.

 

[trojanfan12]

Plus plus, Kyrie is crazy-cakes.

lol

That too!!

Lebron might be able to make sure he stays on his meds, but what happens after Lebron leaves?

 

[Gman]

lol

That too!!

Lebron might be able to make sure he stays on his meds, but what happens after Lebron leaves?

It's probably a moot point, because I don't think Kyrie would ever put himself in the situation of being LeBron's little brother again.

But I have to admit...

If Kyrie does go to L.A.... just the chance of bust potential in that scenario... of personalities derailing what should be one of the most talented teams of all team... that ALMOST makes me wish for such a thing to happen.

They'd probably dominate. They should dominate in that scenario. All they would need is bodies that play any kind of defense and can make about 33% of their 3 pters to round out the roster.

But if they hit adversity and Kyrie went bipolar on them... and the whole thing unraveled... oh, that would be delicious.

 

[trojanfan12]

It's probably a moot point, because I don't think Kyrie would ever put himself in the situation of being LeBron's little brother again.

But I have to admit...

If Kyrie does go to L.A.... just the chance of bust potential in that scenario... of personalities derailing what should be one of the most talented teams of all team... that ALMOST makes me wish for such a thing to happen.

They'd probably dominate. They should dominate in that scenario. All they would need is bodies that play any kind of defense and can make about 33% of their 3 pters to round out the roster.

But if they hit adversity and Kyrie went bipolar on them... and the whole thing unraveled... oh, that would be delicious.

lol

I understand. While I respect the hell out of the Celtics...

Watching that whole circus with Kyrie and what happened to the Celtics because of it has been somewhat enjoyable.

 

[WiggyRuss]

We don't know who else will be on the roster yet. Considering that the Warriors will be without KD whether he stays or not and that they likely won't have Klay until February at the earliest...

the Lakers could potentially be better than all of those teams.

I think Utah is gonna be a monster next year with Mitchell another year of experience and having Conley at PG....Mitchell/Conley/Gobert is a helluva core, and they have solid role players and good coaching. They are my 2nd best team in the West.

 

[WiggyRuss]

It's probably a moot point, because I don't think Kyrie would ever put himself in the situation of being LeBron's little brother again.

But I have to admit...

If Kyrie does go to L.A.... just the chance of bust potential in that scenario... of personalities derailing what should be one of the most talented teams of all team... that ALMOST makes me wish for such a thing to happen.

They'd probably dominate. They should dominate in that scenario. All they would need is bodies that play any kind of defense and can make about 33% of their 3 pters to round out the roster.

But if they hit adversity and Kyrie went bipolar on them... and the whole thing unraveled... oh, that would be delicious.

i think Kobe convinced Kyrie that he needed to get out of LeBron's shadow. Kobe has always been Kyrie's mentor. It would go against everyting that Kyrie has done to go back to LeBron and be the little brother again.

I mean, Kyrie is a nut job so i wouldnt put him passed him, but i highly doubt it happens.

 

[trojanfan12]

I think Utah is gonna be a monster next year with Mitchell another year of experience and having Conley at PG....Mitchell/Conley/Gobert is a helluva core, and they have solid role players and good coaching. They are my 2nd best team in the West.

Agree. If the Lakers do a good job filling out the roster, I think they'll be better and the favorite.

But yeah, Utah should be darn close and would be a real threat. Getting Conley was huge for them.

 

[Gman]

lol

I understand. While I respect the hell out of the Celtics...

Watching that whole circus with Kyrie and what happened to the Celtics because of it has been somewhat enjoyable.

Yeah, I bet.



Speaking of the Celtics... you know who would be a good pick-up for the Lakers?:

Al Horford.

Floor spacer. Doesn't need the ball in his hands. Defense. Fits in with the title window that LeBron James is a part of.

I think Al already has something set up, so I don't think this is likely... but it would be sweet (for the Lakers) if they could actually pull it off.

 

[msgkings322]

Things are simple IMO... For the Lakers to make the playoffs, two out of these:

Golden State, Denver, Portland, Houston, San Antonio, OKC, New Orleans, Utah, LA Clips...

have to stay out... which two will end up being worst than the Lakers?

If no major FAs sign there, Clippers for sure, probably New Orleans, possibly Utah or Golden State,