Where do the Lakers go from here...?

[trojanfan12]

Are you?

They won 35 games this year with a core of first and second year players leading the way. Ingram missed 23 games, Ball missed 30.

We are talking 3 years from now. These guys will improve and at least a couple other West teams ahead of them will fall apart. And yet you are implying it is crazy to say they project to be a low end playoff team worth their current core in 2021 after 2 years of learning from LeBron? is that really far fetched? Cmon now.

Exactly. The Lakers were extremely cautious with the young guys, especially Ingram and Ball. This season was about development, not wins. The Lakers said this before the season even started.

Had the season been about wins, Lonzo and Ingram wouldn't have missed nearly as many games and the Lakers likely finish around 40+ or so wins which would have put them at least on the edge of the playoff hunt.

People also seem to want to forget, that if Lebron comes to the Lakers, he's not coming by himself. So, even if he left or retired after 2-3 years, they still have whoever comes with him (presumably PG).

 

[DJ]

What about me?

Forgot. Apologies....


*Hit up tHoop bar guy, tell him to put it on my tab*

 

[tlance]

a 46 win team missed the playoffs.

As Apu in the Simpsons used to say...

thank you come again.

A couple tragic errors in your assumptions:

1) how many times has a 46 win team missed?
2) the reason for the inflated records is that there are so many teams in the bottom of the league actively tanking. Most of those teams will be on the upswing in 3 years.
3) the Lakers could be a 50 win team in 3 years if they do nothing but resign their own players.

I am continually telling Laker homers to pump the brakes on their talk of future title contention with a team led by Ball and Ingram, but playoffs are very realistic for that core with little added. Doesn't mean they will advance when they get there, but I will be shocked if the Lakers aren't a playoff team in 2021 regardless of what path they take.

 

[trojanfan12]

Its not the fualt of the Warriors or them being cheap etc....the only reason they were able to do what they did is that Curry was on a very very cheap extension and they locked Klay and Draymond into extensions before the cap blew up.

Yeah, that was a perfect storm of circumstances that we are unlikely to ever see again.

 

[DJ]

What about me?

I love you, man.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I love you, man.

Who wouldn’t?

 

[tlance]

I think it depends.

If they can get PG and keep Randle, they would be project as a 45-50 win team next year.

If they can get LeBron and PG, they are battling with Houston for 2nd best team in the West, and probably the NBA.

If they somehow can trade for Kawhi, and sign LeBron while keeping 1 of their youngsters and getting a couple other quality pieces for depth, they would be instant contenders.

The final path is unlikely because Pop would rather deal Kawhi to the East, but if the 6ers and Celtics get stingy, you never know.

All that said, if they can't sign anybody big this year, they should offer more 1 year deals like they did with KCP. You never want to be the team to overspend on a second or third tier player just because you have the cap space.

 

[DJ]

I think it depends.

If they can get PG and keep Randle, they would be project as a 45-50 win team next year.

If they can get LeBron and PG, they are battling with Houston for 2nd best team in the West, and probably the NBA.

If they somehow can trade for Kawhi, and sign LeBron while keeping 1 of their youngsters and getting a couple other quality pieces for depth, they would be instant contenders.

The final path is unlikely because Pop would rather deal Kawhi to the East, but if the 6ers and Celtics get stingy, you never know.

All that said, if they can't sign anybody big this year, they should offer more 1 year deals like they did with KCP. You never want to be the team to overspend on a second or third tier player just because you have the cap space.

Wow.

 

[trojanfan12]

All that said, if they can't sign anybody big this year, they should offer more 1 year deals like they did with KCP. You never want to be the team to overspend on a second or third tier player just because you have the cap space.

My understanding is that, if they strike out in FA this year, that's exactly what they'll do. Magic said they aren't going to spend money just to spend money.

 

[trojanfan12]

Btw, moved a bunch of the posts on this from the Raps/Cavs thread to here.

 

[bksballer89]

Btw, moved a bunch of the posts on this from the Raps/Cavs thread to here.

I was wondering how it went from 5 post to 69 in like 2 minutes lol

 

[DJ]

I left , came back and business picked up in here....

 

[Black Adam]

a 46 win team missed the playoffs.

As Apu in the Simpsons used to say...

thank you come again.



oh 3 years from now? sure--- but like i said-- I dont see Ball or Ingram - either one being stars.....

you see guys that are gonna be stars early on usually- Porzingis, RW, LeBron, Kyrie, Simmons, Embiid, Wall,--prob donovan mitchel, giannis ------- i mean- do Ball and Ingram even look like Booker or Wiggins or Jokic or Beale or Hayward or Oladipo?

Ingram's improving and Lonzo's played all of a season...

try again...

 

[DJ]

teaching, bro. leadership from a talent standpoint isn't the same as nurturing...

he's all about his "legacy", not training up a bunch of "younguns"...

And this where I think your dislike for him comes into play. Most vets grow into that role....and I think he has.

 

[Black Adam]

What about me?

WAS TurnUp's idea, fellas...

 

[DJ]

Out of the young core, the only one they would have to give up would be Randle. He's the only one looking at a big raise.

There's even a way that they could keep him, but it's pretty much a long shot. They'd have to be able to get completely out from under Deng's contract (which ain't happening) and even then, I think Randle would have to be willing to give them a discount.

Nope....they can sign him to whatever his max deal would be once the Lakers sign 2 other max guys. If he waits that long. They can go over the cap to sign their own guys. But, yeah Deng would have to be stretched I believe.

The salary cap isn't my strength when it comes to basketball.

 

[Black Adam]

And this where I think your dislike for him comes into play. Most vets grow into that role....and I think he has.

lol, yeah ok...

it ain't like he's truly shown that in the past...

 

[DJ]

A couple tragic errors in your assumptions:

1) how many times has a 46 win team missed?
2) the reason for the inflated records is that there are so many teams in the bottom of the league actively tanking. Most of those teams will be on the upswing in 3 years.
3) the Lakers could be a 50 win team in 3 years if they do nothing but resign their own players.

I am continually telling Laker homers to pump the brakes on their talk of future title contention with a team led by Ball and Ingram, but playoffs are very realistic for that core with little added. Doesn't mean they will advance when they get there, but I will be shocked if the Lakers aren't a playoff team in 2021 regardless of what path they take.

Damn it.....I have a hardon for you.

 

[DJ]

I was wondering how it went from 5 post to 69 in like 2 minutes lol

This.

 

[DJ]

Damn it.....I have a hardon for you.

Kidding. I'm the most heterosexual man on the planet.