Where do the Lakers go from here...?

[DJ]

If James does come to LA....part of it's gonna be because of Magic. He wants to be an owner one day and he can pick Magic's brain on the daily. And they'll contend if they bring in another star.

He could go to Philly and win titles but Magic will be the difference IMO.

 

[Black Adam]

Wow.

i mean, he's right...

 

[tlance]

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

That is good, because I don't want that kind of action.

No offense.

 

[Black Adam]

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

now i ain't so sure...

 

[Black Adam]

That is good, because I don't want that kind of action.

No offense.

nttawwt...

 

[DJ]

That is good, because I don't want that kind of action.

No offense.

I'm easily excitable....LOL.

 

[tlance]

If James does come to LA....part of it's gonna be because of Magic. He wants to be an owner one day and he can pick Magic's brain on the daily. And they'll contend if they bring in another star.

He could go to Philly and win titles but Magic will be the difference IMO.

Yep.

His decision will come down to 4 places, IMO:

1) Philly, for obvious reasons
2) force a trade to Houston a la Chris Paul
3) Magic and the Lakers
4) ride it out in Cleveland and go out like Kobe even though the championship window will close for good there soon.

 

[Black Adam]

I'm easily excitable....LOL.

see, now you coulda kept THAT to yourself...

 

[Black Adam]

Yep.

His decision will come down to 4 places, IMO:

1) Philly, for obvious reasons
2) force a trade to Houston a la Chris Paul
3) Magic and the Lakers
4) ride it out in Cleveland and go out like Kobe even though the championship window will close for good there soon.

large piece of that is gonna be how much he's into his "legacy". which is a huge reason i see his next stop being Philly...

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

large piece of that is gonna be how much he's into his "legacy". which is a huge reason i see his next stop being Philly...

Philly losing to Boston might be a blessing in disguise for them.

 

[Black Adam]

anyways i tend to think they DO get PG13 and resign Julius Randle...

just my opinion...or maybe hope...though...

 

[DJ]

Yep.

His decision will come down to 4 places, IMO:

1) Philly, for obvious reasons
2) force a trade to Houston a la Chris Paul
3) Magic and the Lakers
4) ride it out in Cleveland and go out like Kobe even though the championship window will close for good there soon.

I think the Rockets are a longshot....it's LA or Philly, unless a mystery team emerges.

I think he's out out of Cleveland and only give them a 5-10% chance of him staying. I believe the story of the racist email Gilbert accidentally sent to James' agent.

 

[tlance]

large piece of that is gonna be how much he's into his "legacy". which is a huge reason i see his next stop being Philly...

I agree.

Then again, this time last last year the consensus was that he needed to win at least 1 and maybe more than 1 title to approach GOAT status.

After what he has done this season, I am not sure that is true. He has a pathway to further improve his legacy no matter where he plays next year. In some ways, if he can Continue to play at an MVp level and drag Cleveland back to the Finals again, that would impress me more than a title with Houston or Philly.

 

[Black Adam]

I agree.

Then again, this time last last year the consensus was that he needed to win at least 1 and maybe more than 1 title to approach GOAT status.

After what he has done this season, I am not sure that is true. He has a pathway to further improve his legacy no matter where he plays next year. In some ways, if he can Continue to play at an MVp level and drag Cleveland back to the Finals again, that would impress me more than a title with Houston or Philly.

the GOAT thing is debatable, as always, but i can respect that...

there's also the factor of his and Dan Gilbert's relationship. I won't go as far as Deej say that there's only a 5-10 percent chance he stays in Cleveland, but it is a factor in his thought process i'd imagine...

 

[tlance]

the GOAT thing is debatable, as always, but i can respect that...

there's also the factor of his and Dan Gilbert's relationship. I won't go as far as Deej say that there's only a 5-10 percent chance he stays in Cleveland, but it is a factor in his thought process i'd imagine...

Agreed again.

One thing that is for sure, if he leaves again he will have a much better PR plan for how to handle it. The racist email rumor just might be his ace in the hole.

 

[The Derski]

Hopefully down the long winding road of mediocrity.

 

[WiggyRuss]

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.

I think you are cuckoo for cocoa puffs as i see teams like the Suns, Twolves, PElicans having much better younger talent- esp. considering the Suns are going to add a major piece in the lotto.


The Lakers need to sign FA's since all three of those teams i think have brighter futures if they just stand pat. I couldnt imagine

and of course that doesnt count teams like Warriors, Rockets, Spurs, Thunder, Blazers which you are obviously counting on some regression from.


I guess what i am saying is that i agree with you that a lot of teams are going to regress----- where i dont agree with you is that i think there are plenty of teams that are down on their luck right now or back end playoff teams like Denver, Minnesota, Dallas, Phoenix, Utah that have a better core of talented young guys and are more prepped for a jump than the Lakers are barring FA signings.

As I said- let me know whod you rather have:

Wiggins, Butler, Towns or Ingram, Ball Kuzma

Jokic, Murray, Gary Harris, lotto pick, vs. Ingram, Ball, Kuzma

Booker, Jackson, high lotto pick (Ayton, Doncic or Bagley) or Ingram, Ball, Kuzma

Dennis Smith Jr., Barnes, high lotto pick (Bamba, Bagley, Jackson) or Ingram, Ball, Kuzma

Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, or Ingram and Ball?

just what teams are the Lakers jumping to get to 50 wins? @tlance ?

 

[Mecca]

I don't think LeBron is going to the Lakers

I'm not even certain Paul George will.

 

[Wamu]

I don't think LeBron is going to the Lakers

I'm not even certain Paul George will.

I still say Kobe's legacy will loom too large for LeBron to go to the Purple & Gold. But who the hell really knows? So right now it could be Philly, the Lakers or stays in Cleveland right? Well just to make things fun around here let's throw another possible destination in the mix. Why not return to Miami?

 

[Mecca]

I still say Kobe's legacy will loom too large for LeBron to go to the Purple & Gold. But who the hell really knows? So right now it could be Philly, the Lakers or stays in Cleveland right? Well just to make things fun around here let's throw another possible destination in the mix. Why not return to Miami?

Shit, maybe the Spurs?