Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

^ No one cares about our money.

But I prefer the glass half full approach - "we're not the right fit for them at this time"

 

60 million to spend and 16 goes to Mosgov and then.......................

 

If, IF Wade leaves, he's title chasing. We have zero shot, and I'm fine with that.

 

That's the truth nobody wants to hear including me. I wanna hear that we can be attractive to free agents. I thought with Luke and him being such a brilliant basketball mind and having somewhat of a solid albeit brief body of work as a coach, with the young core I thought one free agency would at least welcome the opportunity of leading them, with a new vision into a new era and not dwelling on the past I thought we could at least get one impactful guy. I was wrong.

We simply haven't proven enough at the end of the day. As great as I think D'Angelo and Ingram can be they really haven't gotten a chance to show it. Ingram is a rookie and D'Angelo basically had his entire rookie season wasted because of that idiot Byron.

I don't expect them to make some huge leap to the playoffs or anywhere near it, but if they can at least show the league what they are capable of, if D'Angelo can go from a 13, 3, and 3 player to 16, 5, and 5. If Ingram can have a rookie season where he's at least somewhat in the running for Rookie of the Year. That's all it may take imo because if they produce like that we'll be more competive. That's the thing. Just being competive again in games. Like the Wolves last season. They stunk, but were competitive to a degree.

The Lakers will be just fine. By drafting Ingram and re-signing JC to a great bargain contract the young core is solidified. This is what we really have wanted all along. It's what we didn't see last year. This is their time to shine. They have the coach to help them grow and succeed, we'll surround them with at least 2-3 solid veterans, and now it's time to fly for these kids.

I believe in these kids. I truly believe that this group is gonna be a championship core one day. I believe they're that good. We can already see the great chemistry they have, they're gonna enjoy being around one another, and Luke just the way he talked, how much different and smarter he is than Byron, the things you hear about him from guys like Steve Kerr and Draymond, we saw him play and know how smart he is as a player, Kobe knows as much about the game as anyone and he thinks he's gonna be great. I have no reason to not believe the same.

When we got D'Angelo I was ecstatic because I had watched tape of him and I believed in the kid. When I saw how he saw the court, how he made excellent decisions, how he could pass the ball, shoot off the dribble, off the ball, how dynamic he was in pick and roll situations, how long he was and knew he'd be a solid defender someday, just the overall smarts and skill he had I knew he was that guy for us.

What I never imagined was that the Lakers could get another one of those types of kids in Brandon Ingram. I watch this kid and I just see greatness. Not next year, not the year after, but one day the kid is gonna be an absolute nightmare for opposing teams. Everything I just said about D'Angelo other than the pick and roll game and passing he has. He's an even better shooter, he's so ridiculously long, so sound on the defensive end technique wise, once his body fills out with his body traits he's gonna be impossible to defend.

The other three guys are no slouches. Clarkson and Nance Jr have already shown they are solid NBA players who will be around a long time. They still will get better too. Randle man he excites me as well. I don't know that he'll be Draymond Green I just know he's got so much potential. He's not nearly as polished as Ingram or Russell and yet he already did what some big men never do in their careers and that's average a double double. He's a workhorse. He knows he can do better and he will and he needs too. I can't jmagjne him not developing his jumper further with how his work ethic is.

No matter what happened in free agency I was gonna be ecstatic and looking forward to next season so much. Even without Ingram we had a nice core, but I felt like we needed one more guy. Even if it was someone like Dunn or Hield I would've been happy, but getting another potential franchise player? We're so lucky. We have TWO possible young kids like that. That's why I can live with not getting stars in free agency. We have already two future ones on the team.

 

I admire all the optimistic posts. I really do. But I'm just too much a realist for my own good.

 

I am a realist too which is why I said we probably won't win more than 30 games, but damn it that's progress. I'll take it.

 

I kind of wanted him. Preferred Deng.

 

Who's Etwaum Moore? Never heard of him in my life.

 

The mozgov deal is still bad....but it's looking less and less idiotic with some of these other deals.

 

1/2 guard for Bulls. Decent and stepped up when Rose or Butler was injured. Not bad a deal.

 

:O

Three free agents this offseason will be earning more than a PRIME Black Mamba.

 

I would have liked that.
Also apparently KD liked Clippers' presentation. Meeting lasted 4 hours.