The Los Angeles Lakers 2022 Off-Season Thread

[DJ]

Joe Ingles for the vet minimum would be a good get for 15-18mpg off then bench.

 

[DJ]

With GM LeBron, they'll figure something out something and the Lakers will be officially "Headcase Central".

Irving and James won a title together. Add in AD and some vets to go with the kids we have we could be a contender.

 

[Retroram52]

Maybe. Depends how everyone responds to Green Eggs and Ham who, along with Pelinka, are trying to convince the entire team to play defense, something they all refused to do under Vogel who is considered a defensive wizard of sorts. They were so bad on defense, that was one of the factors that got him fired.

A lot of ifs going on here and adding Kyrie while keeping older players who refuse to do a lot of things from last year isn't going to make anybody a contender. If anything, it will make things worse with Irving who does little else but either create or buy into chaos and team disharmony just for the drama of it apparently.

 

[DJ]

The day after Irving teasing myself and all Lakers fans.

RW and both 1st rounders for

1-Rozier and GH with a future 2nd rounder.

2-Brogdon and Hield and a future 2nd rounder.

Preference is option 1.

 

[Retroram52]

IDK DJ. I like them both with a preference lean toward Option 2.

 

[DJ]

@fightinfunbags proposed this in the offseason NBA thread. Didn't like it at first but it isn't too bad. Gives us a # in Harris and a couple bench players (which we need since we only have 6 guys under contract).

"Just did something on the trade machine that allows Charlotte to dump major salary:
Hornets get RW
Sixers get Hayward and Plumlee
Lakers get Tobias Harris Furkan Korkmaz and James Bouknight

Trade worked with the trade machine.
3 bad contracts getting moved. Sixers and Lakers get a better fit with a bad contract coming in that fits better. Hornets only take on the expiring of RW for one year that sets up their extensions."

Not sexy but Harris and Bouknight help our outside shooting and Kormaz should be able to rebound from an off shooting year.

 

[DJ]

Harris can play PF and let James slide back to SF. Sorry, AD.....eat your wheaties, take your vitamins and take care of your body.....you playing C.

 

[fightinfunbags]

Harris can play PF and let James slide back to SF. Sorry, AD.....eat your wheaties, take your vitamins and take care of your body.....you playing C.

I think any viable Lakers plan for 22-23 would have to involve AD being the 5. Who else is out there that’s attainable?

 

[Retroram52]

@fightinfunbags proposed this in the offseason NBA thread. Didn't like it at first but it isn't too bad. Gives us a # in Harris and a couple bench players (which we need since we only have 6 guys under contract).

"Just did something on the trade machine that allows Charlotte to dump major salary:
Hornets get RW
Sixers get Hayward and Plumlee
Lakers get Tobias Harris Furkan Korkmaz and James Bouknight

Trade worked with the trade machine.
3 bad contracts getting moved. Sixers and Lakers get a better fit with a bad contract coming in that fits better. Hornets only take on the expiring of RW for one year that sets up their extensions."

Not sexy but Harris and Bouknight help our outside shooting and Kormaz should be able to rebound from an off shooting year.

Yea DJ, I'm likin' that trade too. At this point nearly anything is better to move Westbrook than to keep this douche. I know Green Eggs and Ham and Pelinka think that both of them presenting a unified badgering front can get Westbrook to improve and at least play defense but by mid-season, he'll be back to playing like he did last season because is MO is now based in an over-exaggerated attitude that he has earned that 47 mil and it should be just given to him without anymore bustin his hump just because he is R. Westbrook. Sonofabitch thinks he is the Second Coming or something and everyone knows it except Westbrook.

 

[Retroram52]

And we really have not had a true starting power forward since Karl Malone a few years ago. If Harris is a true PF and he is decent, he would really help our D and our inside game. I hope that trade goes through just to move the cancer Westbrook.

 

[shopson67]

And we really have not had a true starting power forward since Karl Malone a few years ago. If Harris is a true PF and he is decent, he would really help our D and our inside game. I hope that trade goes through just to move the cancer Westbrook.

Harris is a combo forward. He's not a true PF in the classic sense, but can play PF in the modern game. He's 6'8 vs Lebron at 6'9.

 

[DJ]

I'm almost to the point.....where if we can't deal RW I am hoping we can sign some vets, James and AD stay healthy most of next season and RW gets hurt and plays just 25-30 games.....hate to say that but fuck. Some are saying the trio only played like 21 games together, maybe they could have a better 2nd season.....IDK, I just don't see it.

 

[Retroram52]

We ain't dealing Westbrook until at least the February Trade deadline. The league has proven that noone wants this guy or his albatross contract. Not when so many are trying to dump salaries to make financial room for the next younger potential all-star. Nope. We are stuck with him and Ham and Pelinka are already attempting to get him and the rest of the team that are under contract to buy-in to playing defense. Westbrook may go along with Ham in a honeymoon fashion but sooner or later, he'll revert back to his old ways. BTW, the cap is going up which is good for cap-hell teams like the Lakers.

Sources: NBA salary cap likely to hit $123.6M

The NBA salary-cap number for next season, which will be finalized by the start of the league year Thursday, is projected to increase to $123.6 million.

www.espn.com

 

[DJ]

NBA free agency: Lakers to sign ex-Spurs wing Lonnie Walker IV for taxpayer mid-level exception, per report

Walker spent the past four seasons in San Antonio

www.cbssports.com

Getting younger.....

 

[DJ]

Los Angeles Lakers 2023-24 Salary Cap

Los Angeles Lakers 2023-24 salary cap table, including breakdowns of salaries, bonuses, incentives, cap figures, dead money and more.

www.spotrac.com

12 players under contract.

Now, let's get Irving and Curry/Harris for say RW, Reaves, and a 1st or maybe both.

Big 3 of James, Irving and AD and bring back Melo and sign a few more players.

 

[DJ]

WTF are the Nets doing? Talking about stretching Kyrie....trade him for RW and picks.

Stretch RW. Use the picks in the future for players.....

 

[DJ]

NBA free agency: Lakers to sign ex-Spurs wing Lonnie Walker IV for taxpayer mid-level exception, per report

Walker spent the past four seasons in San Antonio

www.cbssports.com

Getting younger.....

"After being used primarily off the bench in his first two seasons, Walker started 44 games over the past two years and averaged 11.7 points per game. Perhaps more importantly, his 3-point volume has steadily increased to an average of 4.9 attempts per game over the past two seasons. His career 34.3 3-point percentage isn't great, but he's played on a Spurs team that hasn't been able to surround him with elite playmakers. LeBron James should make his life much easier."

Shooting coach can help Walker's shot. He's athletic and it's clear FO and Ham are going to focus on defense (Toscano, Brown, Jones). That was Ham's calling card as a player.

 

[Retroram52]

Well Brown was a wasted signing. He maybe he plays defense but he can't shoot to save his life.

 

[shopson67]

Well Brown was a wasted signing. He maybe he plays defense but he can't shoot to save his life.

If he ends up the 15th guy on the roster, at least he has a skill that can bye useful in a pinch. Vet min contract, so no worries there. He's only 22 and a former McDonalds All-American, so hopefully he has upside left.

 

[Retroram52]

There certainly is a lot of "hopefulness" seasoning the Lakers moves these days. We all hope it is not the same hopefulness that was in play a year ago when a couple of GMs/player brought in a host of geriatric "all-stars" to win a championship.