The Los Angeles Lakers 2024-2025 NBA Season

[DJ Fieri]

Sources: Mavs new star Davis out multiple weeks

Mavericks star Anthony Davis was expected to sit out multiple weeks because of a left adductor strain, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

That didn’t last long.

Minor injury, not serious. Like most of his injuries throughout his career.

If they are healthy in the playoffs they will be dangerous.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Not like Luka is without his injuries....

 

[DJ Fieri]

I am not sure about this DJ. Let's just see how far they go this season and who steps-up. Ex-Lakers Mo Bamba is a FA. Sign him and he can pay Center with the rest of them.

The Lakers painted themselves into a corner when they did nothing with Nick Richards, the First Hornets' Center to be traded/signed. That was before the DRuss for DFS/Milton Trade. Then they didn't know Nico was coming. But still, they wanted a Center to back-up AD and did nothing.

Russ got traded Dec 29th. DFS was a good trade so not sure why you brought that up anyway.....Richards got traded to the Suns on Jan 15th.

Mo Bamba wouldn't be a bad addition. He's really a backup but not many starting C's likely to get bought out and be on the buyout market. Nab Bamba and start him for 15-20mpg since he can hit the occasional Trey, rebound, and play defense. Give Hayes 15-18mpg off the bench. Maybe play a little small ball C with the leftover mpg at C.

 

[UK Cowboy]

Not like Luka is without his injuries....

True, but historically, big guys like AD tend to lose more years off their career when they are injury prone. That's what makes the 6 year age difference in the players mind boggling for this trade

 

[DJ Fieri]

True, but historically, big guys like AD tend to lose more years off their career when they are injury prone. That's what makes the 6 year age difference in the players mind boggling for this trade

Meh.

AD has played more games last season and this season. May just mean he needs to improve his conditioning as he gets older.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Y'all will be fine, @UK Cowboy as evident by AD's first game.

If you guys can finish 7-8 in the play-in no team going to want to face you in the first round. And next season (after a full training camp together) y'all could be really dangerous.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Welcome by the way, @UK Cowboy.....always knew you were a closet Laker fan!!!!

LOL.

 

[UK Cowboy]

Welcome by the way, @UK Cowboy.....always knew you were a closet Laker fan!!!!

LOL.

I am now...

 

[UK Cowboy]

Y'all will be fine, @UK Cowboy as evident by AD's first game.

If you guys can finish 7-8 in the play-in no team going to want to face you in the first round. And next season (after a full training camp together) y'all could be really dangerous.

They better. Nico said he gave up the best offensive player in the game because it "gets us closer to winning a Championship". Cool Beans. We were in the Finals last season. Win it all or tender your resignation

 

[DJ Fieri]

I am now...

Nico was under pressure by the new owners to trade him quickly AND quietly.....he did the best he could IMO. He got a great big man in return, even if it only gives them a 3-4 year window. The Mavs just gotta be healthy come the playoffs.....and I am pretty confident they will be in the WCF.

Adding Caleb Martin was a stroke of genius and only because AD waived his 6 million trade kicker.....indicator AD truly wants to win. A lot of players would not have done that.

 

[shopson67]

Russ got traded Dec 29th. DFS was a good trade so not sure why you brought that up anyway.....Richards got traded to the Suns on Jan 15th.

Mo Bamba wouldn't be a bad addition. He's really a backup but not many starting C's likely to get bought out and be on the buyout market. Nab Bamba and start him for 15-20mpg since he can hit the occasional Trey, rebound, and play defense. Give Hayes 15-18mpg off the bench. Maybe play a little small ball C with the leftover mpg at C.

Whatever the Lakers do, they're going to take their time. The longer they wait, the lower the pro-rated percentage of the league min contract they have to cover (and can potentially add two players instead of one).

I did see an interesting suggestion: Willie Cauley-Stein, who has played with Luka previously and finished his season overseas already. Defender and lob threat who has added some (low volume) 3 pt ability, has moved past the drug addiction that chased him from the league. He's still only 31 (seems like he should be older lol).

 

[DJ Fieri]

Whatever the Lakers do, they're going to take their time. The longer they wait, the lower the pro-rated percentage of the league min contract they have to cover (and can potentially add two players instead of one).

I did see an interesting suggestion: Willie Cauley-Stein, who has played with Luka previously and finished his season overseas already. Defender and lob threat who has added some (low volume) 3 pt ability, has moved past the drug addiction that chased him from the league. He's still only 31 (seems like he should be older lol).

Just google'd him. He last played in China.

He'd be cheap.

 

[Retroram52]

I brought that seqence of trades with DRuss/DFS and the signing of Richards up DJ, because the Lakers just didn't do anything when the Center they wanted was there for the taking. Phoenix did. The Lakers didn't. Then they scrambled around to get Williams who was defective. Just wasn't very efficient!

 

[DJ Fieri]

Daniel Theis is also a FA. Just 6-8 and 245 pounds but played most of his career at C in the NBA. And he can play, specifically on offense....54% and 33%.

Decent defender, rebounder, and can play 18mpg or so.

 

[DJ Fieri]

I brought that seqence of trades with DRuss/DFS and the signing of Richards up DJ, because the Lakers just didn't do anything when the Center they wanted was there for the taking. Phoenix did. The Lakers didn't. Then they scrambled around to get Williams who was defective. Just wasn't very efficient!

Sure, but they landed the face of the franchise moving forward first.....and that was more important.

Now, they need to get somebody but like Shopppy (shopson) and I are pointing out there are guys available. Not true starters but guys that can be brought in and be ghost starters.....guys that can play limited mpg in a center rotation.

That's all we can do right now until the summer when Pelinka makes a bigger move.

 

[shopson67]

Just google'd him. He last played in China.

He'd be cheap.

Everyone they can target has to be cheap. The min is based on years of experience, so he'll be more expensive that someone like Koloko or Jemison. Because he has 9 years experience, he would get a pro-rated percentage of $3,003,427, whereas someone like Koloko or Jemison is based off of 2 years experience (pro-rated percentage of $2,087,519). The longer they wait to sign these guys, the more likely they can fit two into the $1,637,676 the Lakers have available under the 2nd apron. Since 10 day contracts also come from that $1.6m remaining, I wouldn't expect any of those (250K a pop).

If the Lakers signed anyone after today's game, that pro-rated percentage would be 37.8% (31 of 82 games remaining). in that case, Cauley-Stein would cost 1.14K roughly, and Koloko or Jemeson would cost 790K-ish. The longer they wait, the salaries drop incrementally.

 

[shopson67]

Daniel Theis is also a FA. Just 6-8 and 245 pounds but played most of his career at C in the NBA. And he can play, specifically on offense....54% and 33%.

Decent defender, rebounder, and can play 18mpg or so.

He's likely going back to Europe (Monaco looking to sign him).

 

[Retroram52]

Well if ya think about it, we already have several Centers who can do what you are suggesting. Soo...

 

[DJ Fieri]

Everyone they can target has to be cheap. The min is based on years of experience, so he'll be more expensive that someone like Koloko or Jemison. Because he has 9 years experience, he would get a pro-rated percentage of $3,003,427, whereas someone like Koloko or Jemison is based off of 2 years experience (pro-rated percentage of $2,087,519). The longer they wait to sign these guys, the more likely they can fit two into the $1,637,676 the Lakers have available under the 2nd apron. Since 10 day contracts also come from that $1.6m remaining, I wouldn't expect any of those (250K a pop).

If the Lakers signed anyone after today's game, that pro-rated percentage would be 37.8% (31 of 82 games remaining). in that case, Cauley-Stein would cost 1.14K roughly, and Koloko or Jemeson would cost 790K-ish. The longer they wait, the salaries drop incrementally.

Yeah, I know.

 

[shopson67]

I brought that seqence of trades with DRuss/DFS and the signing of Richards up DJ, because the Lakers just didn't do anything when the Center they wanted was there for the taking. Phoenix did. The Lakers didn't. Then they scrambled around to get Williams who was defective. Just wasn't very efficient!

Williams was the starter over Richards. Until they found issues with his physical, they were getting the more valuable player. Lakers didn't have 3 2nds to match that offer anyway.