Would You Trade Ingram & Kuzma For Leonard?

[trojanfan12]

My line of thought is to first see who you could sign in free agency. Don't pull the trigger to quick. Then if you want a trade - then pull the trigger.

There is one thing about this - Paul George, Leonard, Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, Lebron James, are all forwards - Somewhere in there, we a really good shooting guard - unless some one is planning to convert a forward to a guard

I agree to a point about seeing who you can get in FA first, but as the saying goes..."He who hesitates is lost." Lebron is known for dragging out his FA decisions. If he does this again and the Lakers wait too long, they could find themselves in a position similar to the Heat when Lebron returned to Cleveland. He waited so long, that by the time he announced his decision, there were only 2nd tire guys left.

The Lakers are in a unique position because they don't HAVE to sign any top FA's this off-season. But it would still suck if they wait too long for Lebron and then end up not getting PG or Kawhi because of it.

As for them being forwards, Ingram and/or PG could play the 2 if PG comes or Ingram can play the 2 if it's Kawhi. The way the game is played today, it's somewhat positionless anyway.

 

[trojanfan12]

Kawhi is 26.

The players you listed aren't as good as you think. Kawhi is a lot better than Paul George. Plus, if you get Kawhi, my bet is you get LeBron and keep Randle too.

This trade makes the Lakers instant contenders and puts them at the top of the list as greatest threats to the Warriors.

If you keep building slowly with the pieces you have and sign a Paul George, the most likely case is incremental improvement that tops out at about 50 wins.

You trade for Kawhi and you give yourself a legit shot at landing 2 superstars this summer. Don't think you get LeBron unless you get Kawhi too.

100% spot on.

Kawhi being only 26, makes him "the future." Adding Lebron, brings the whole thing into the present and still leaves the Lakers young enough for the future too.

If the Lakers can get Kawhi for Ingram, Kuzma and the #27 this year....you jump all over that and hope to get it finalized before the Spurs change their mind or get a better offer.

The only thing I would add is that, if the Lakers get PG, I think Lebron probably comes to the Lakers as well. But if they get Kawhi...I think he definitely comes to the Lakers. Especially if it means they kept Lonzo and Randle.

 

[trojanfan12]

I think there is a greater chance that the Spurs has a long discussion with Leonard and works it out.

I do too. But the Lakers need to be ready with an offer in case they don't work it out.

Better to be prepared with an offer that you never get to make, than to have to scramble to make an offer because you weren't prepared (we saw enough of at when Short Buss was running things).

 

[flyerhawk]

If the Lakers can get Kawhi for Ingram, Kuzma and the #27 this year....you jump all over that and hope to get it finalized before the Spurs change their mind or get a better offer.

I think that if the Spurs deal Kawhi, the fans of the team he goes to are going to be shocked by how much they needed to give up to get him.

I don't think that Igram, Kuzma and the #27 gets it done.
I don't think Fultz, Covington, and the #10 gets it done either.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I do too. But the Lakers need to be ready with an offer in case they don't work it out.

Better to be prepared with an offer that you never get to make, than to have to scramble to make an offer because you weren't prepared (we saw enough of at when Short Buss was running things).

I'm pretty sure Magic Johnson will be - I think he realized that he had been talking to much and changed his strategy some. Don't kid yourself - No one is untouchable this season

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I agree to a point about seeing who you can get in FA first, but as the saying goes..."He who hesitates is lost." Lebron is known for dragging out his FA decisions. If he does this again and the Lakers wait too long, they could find themselves in a position similar to the Heat when Lebron returned to Cleveland. He waited so long, that by the time he announced his decision, there were only 2nd tire guys left.

The Lakers are in a unique position because they don't HAVE to sign any top FA's this off-season. But it would still suck if they wait too long for Lebron and then end up not getting PG or Kawhi because of it.

As for them being forwards, Ingram and/or PG could play the 2 if PG comes or Ingram can play the 2 if it's Kawhi. The way the game is played today, it's somewhat positionless anyway.

I think the Lakers are going to strike fast and hard - but in the event that they can't get the top choices, they are not going to go out and sign another Deng and Mozgov

 

[trojanfan12]

I think that if the Spurs deal Kawhi, the fans of the team he goes to are going to be shocked by how much they needed to give up to get him.

I don't think that Igram, Kuzma and the #27 gets it done.
I don't think Fultz, Covington, and the #10 gets it done either.

I agree to a point.

I don't know much about Kawhi's contract (if there's a no trade or anything), but Kawhi is likely to have some power to be able to force his way to wherever he wants to go. That could limit the Spurs if teams are wanting Kawhi to sign his extension, or get a guarantee that he will.

In the last few years, we've seen teams take a gamble on trading for a guy who didn't sign an extension. It didn't work out for the Lakers with Dwight (thankfully lol), we'll see how it works out for the Thunder this off-season with PG. That could go a long way in determining what the Spurs can get.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I think there is a greater chance that the Spurs has a long discussion with Leonard and works it out.

Not right now, but it's limited thinking at the best to think they can't or will never be as good - One of them was a rookie and played better then many of the two or three year players. It's a risk either way and I don't have a problem with the trade if I know that Leonard is going to stay more than a year - but I have a problem giving up two valuable assets that would be gone in 2019 along with Leonard and ending up with nothing out of those three. I think that any one taking that chance is flat out stupid

 

[flyerhawk]

Not right now, but it's limited thinking at the best to think they can't or will never be as good - One of them was a rookie and played better then many of the two or three year players. It's a risk either way and I don't have a problem with the trade if I know that Leonard is going to stay more than a year - but I have a problem giving up two valuable assets that would be gone in 2019 along with Leonard and ending up with nothing out of those three. I think that any one taking that chance is flat out stupid

If someone does trade for Leonard it will be on the condition that he resigns with them.

Again, I don't think he is going anywhere as I think he has dreams of getting a supermax contract.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm pretty sure Magic Johnson will be - I think he realized that he had been talking to much and changed his strategy some. Don't kid yourself - No one is untouchable this season

Nor should they be. The Lakers are in a bit of a position of strength because they really don't HAVE to do anything, but are in a great position to be able to do just about anything from signing top guys, to trading for them to just standing pat and seeing what develops after next year.

As far as off-season moves, this is probably the strongest position they've been in, in a decade or longer.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Kawhi is 26.

The players you listed aren't as good as you think. Kawhi is a lot better than Paul George. Plus, if you get Kawhi, my bet is you get LeBron and keep Randle too.

This trade makes the Lakers instant contenders and puts them at the top of the list as greatest threats to the Warriors.

If you keep building slowly with the pieces you have and sign a Paul George, the most likely case is incremental improvement that tops out at about 50 wins.

You trade for Kawhi and you give yourself a legit shot at landing 2 superstars this summer. Don't think you get LeBron unless you get Kawhi too.

I'm not really a big LeBron fan either btw - I would rather see perhaps a really good shooting guard and a better center like Cousins. My preferred line up

would start out with

Lonzo Ball and Isaiah Thomas as the PG and reserve

???? Shooting Guard Needed

Cousins as Center

Now you can fill in the forwards with the best options available - but a lot of time is being spend on LeBron, George, Leonard and where does Julius Randle fit in? Does he get resigned or do they let him walk, Now with Kuzma and Ingram - that is sis guards. Granted that you need one or two reserves - but you don't need six and four of them are starting material that will be upset to get bumped to the bench

 

[True Lakers Fan]

If someone does trade for Leonard it will be on the condition that he resigns with them.

Again, I don't think he is going anywhere as I think he has dreams of getting a supermax contract.

He only played 9 games - I would have a hard time believing anyone is going to offer him a max contract coming off an injury and the possibility of being a player that refused to play for his team and could have. Next year after he has played an entire year and proven that he is going to be around for a few years and will want to stay - then yes. This year, however there has to be a discussion with the guy and find out what the entire soap opera is about first

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Nor should they be. The Lakers are in a bit of a position of strength because they really don't HAVE to do anything, but are in a great position to be able to do just about anything from signing top guys, to trading for them to just standing pat and seeing what develops after next year.

As far as off-season moves, this is probably the strongest position they've been in, in a decade or longer.

YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT IT'S NICE TO SEE THE LAKERS IN THIS KIND OF A DISCUSS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS THOUGH - RIGHT?

 

[flyerhawk]

I'm not really a big LeBron fan either btw - I would rather see perhaps a really good shooting guard and a better center like Cousins. My preferred line up

would start out with

Lonzo Ball and Isaiah Thomas as the PG and reserve

???? Shooting Guard Needed

Cousins as Center

Now you can fill in the forwards with the best options available - but a lot of time is being spend on LeBron, George, Leonard and where does Julius Randle fit in? Does he get resigned or do they let him walk, Now with Kuzma and Ingram - that is sis guards. Granted that you need one or two reserves - but you don't need six and four of them are starting material that will be upset to get bumped to the bench

I support the Lakers doing exactly what you are suggesting. It would ensure they would never be a threat to win a title.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Nor should they be. The Lakers are in a bit of a position of strength because they really don't HAVE to do anything, but are in a great position to be able to do just about anything from signing top guys, to trading for them to just standing pat and seeing what develops after next year.

As far as off-season moves, this is probably the strongest position they've been in, in a decade or longer.

This is what I was thinking - but I was afraid to go back that far - lol

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I support the Lakers doing exactly what you are suggesting. It would ensure they would never be a threat to win a title.

Oh, I don't think you can depend on the Lakers remaining harmless - I just think that they need to be smart -

 

[trojanfan12]

I think the Lakers are going to strike fast and hard - but in the event that they can't get the top choices, they are not going to go out and sign another Deng and Mozgov

How "hard and fast" they can strike will be determined by a few things.

The first thing will be how Lebron handles his FA. If he drags it out...teams looking to sign him will have to wait.

There will also be teams looking for PG and possibly looking to trade for Kawhi.

Kawhi is the one thing that I can see speeding up Lebron's decision. If Kawhi does in fact get traded, and he's traded to one of the teams on Lebron's list...then we might see Lebron speed up his process to go there.

 

[trojanfan12]

I support the Lakers doing exactly what you are suggesting. It would ensure they would never be a threat to win a title.

I think I can speak on behalf of all Lakers fans when I say that we are thankful that TLF isn't the Lakers GM. lol

 

[True Lakers Fan]

How "hard and fast" they can strike will be determined by a few things.

The first thing will be how Lebron handles his FA. If he drags it out...teams looking to sign him will have to wait.

There will also be teams looking for PG and possibly looking to trade for Kawhi.

Kawhi is the one thing that I can see speeding up Lebron's decision. If Kawhi does in fact get traded, and he's traded to one of the teams on Lebron's list...then we might see Lebron speed up his process to go there.

Offensively speaking - I would be tempted to sign Paul George at midnight - I think that would double or triple the Lakers chances of the second player signing - I think Paul George - then Cousins would put us right in the playoffs and the third option coming quickly

 

[flyerhawk]

He only played 9 games - I would have a hard time believing anyone is going to offer him a max contract coming off an injury and the possibility of being a player that refused to play for his team and could have. Next year after he has played an entire year and proven that he is going to be around for a few years and will want to stay - then yes. This year, however there has to be a discussion with the guy and find out what the entire soap opera is about first

This is a non-starter. The Spurs are absolutely not going to trade him on a discount. They will sooner wait until the season starts and trade him mid-season. If his injury is chronic then his career ie in jeopardy and no one is going to trade for him.