Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

Jim/mitch couldn't pull of half the things gsw done currently

 

Hey, we got Mosgov. Dont worry.

 

These fools gonna make me root for LeBron SMDH

 

holy s*** one of the greatest things i've seen in a long time lol

 

Mozgov is a good serviceable center thats worth 8 - 10 million in this league we just overpaid cause were bad right now.

 

The Lakers, Westbrook's hometown team, have a gleaming city, several interesting young players and a timeline for recovery hanging over the neck of team executive Jim Buss like a guillotine. In theory, the Lakers should simply wait for Westbrook to hit free agency, stink badly enough to keep their pick yet again and sign him without dealing away any assets -- the road not taken with the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony.

In practice, that is a risk, especially given the Lakers can no longer get star free agents to pick up their calls. Everyone will have cap space again next summer, including the crosstown Clippers. Unless you know for sure -- wink, wink -- Westbrook is in, there is value in picking him up ahead of time and securing the right to offer him more years and more cash.

The Lakers still have enough cap room to extend Westbrook's contract on the spot if they nab him. Any team (including the Thunder) with the requisite space can bump his 2016-17 salary up from $17.8 million to his new max, about $26.5 million, and tack on three more years from there with 4.5 percent annual raises. Westbrook by signing an extension would forfeit free agency under next year's mega-cap, but the huge raise this season makes it closer to a wash than expected over the next four years.


Presti doesn't want to trade Westbrook, but if he feels backed into a corner, he will chase young players and draft picks. The Phoenix Sunsreportedly talked with the Atlanta Hawks about Paul Millsap, and they come armed with prospects galore, extra point guards and two future Miami picks. The Denver Nuggets had the Hawks biting on a package of picks and players, including Kenneth Faried, for Millsap, per several league sources, but it's unclear if Denver would chase Westbrook. Both teams have enough cap space left to renegotiate and extend Westbrook, though he may not have any interest in sticking around either place.

The Magic, a trade partner just 10 days ago, have a bunch of interesting young guys and a win-now mandate. Boston can throw all their unused trade assets at Oklahoma City.

Presti would call everyone with a young stud, just as he did in dealing Harden: the Milwaukee Bucks with Jabari Parker, the Minnesota Timberwolves with Andrew Wiggins and a few other possibilities. The Lakers threat will depress the trade market, barring some hush-hush advance agreement from Westbrook's camp.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/16766273/the-warriors-makings-all-super-team-addition-kevin-durant

 

Have Mitch and Luuke picked up Wade yet? When's the phone call scheduled?

 

Lakers can not tank if they want Westbrook next year. They actually have to win a lot next year. Competition next year will be Lakers vs Clippers for the services of Westbrook. I truly believe he wants to come back to LA. Lakers will need to show huge improvement and keep that idiot with the ball cap away.

I will say this, if the Lakers can not even get a meeting with Westbrook next year, Jim Buss and Mitch need to not only be fired but barred from the Lakers for life.

Lakers have had some good luck in the draft, they now have to get a superstar here. The agony has gone long enough.

 

I thought we could go about 25M per year and Riles is offering 2 at 20M his option. That team is finished. Wade would be a guy who wouldn't shrink out here, maybe comes for pride and the challenge and more money and to ball with "one of his favorite teammates EVER". I doubt he's worried about his place in history with 3 rings. It's all pipe I know. But damn I've ..... always liked D. Wade.

 

Tanking isn't an option. We need to show improvement irrespective of Westbrook.

 

Going after wade is a must if we want to seem competitive to attract FA's next season. With wade I know we can crack a playoff spot. Offer wade 15 million a year for 4 years, trade Lou for peanuts and stretch or trade young. So we can offer Westbrook max next year, but we need to be competitive.

 

Tim Frazier for the back-up spot. Good risk/reward. 1+1 deal.