Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

That is all true, but to your point earlier...health is always the wildcard. GS (outside of Curry in the playoffs) has been above average in terms of keeping players on the court. Maybe that's luck, maybe it's being "lightyears ahead". I don't know. But I know that the two guys that need $ next year consist of a PG who 3 years ago had linguini for ankles and a SF/PF who is 1 year removed from a Jones fracture.

To quote Omar, "You come at the king, you best not miss". Right now I'd stay the course and see how things shake out. Just me, I'm a super patient sports fan though...and I know that's rare ANYWHERE let alone LA.

 

I don't want the front office making any more monster moves until after Jimmie has resigned or been fired.

 

Yeah I guess they could. But more likely not.....see Miami. I agree with YoungThundercat above:

"(I don't necessarily agree with the league wide hand wringing over this new GS team, I would be willing to bet they don't break 73-9 this season)"

Steph Curry still has less than bionic ankles and when he goes down is Klay a better force than RW? Maybe. If KD goes down you're back to what you had minus some quality depth at small forward and the center positions. L.A. is going to have a better center rotation. Maybe.

 

even if Ingram, Russell, or randle dont turn out as good as Westbrook, the fact he can leave us makes it a no go regardless of which 2 of those 3 would be traded for him. The most recent star being traded on expiring deal was Love, he stayed cause Lebron is there, who's our Lebron?

 

Westbrook, Russell, George, and Ingram. The big 4 in LA in the next 2 years. I do not see it any other way given how the system is currently set up. Maybe it could have been different if you didn't have to match contracts in a trade but we will have to wait and see how that works out in the next CBA in a year.

First steps have still not been taken. I am thinking WAY ahead. First step unfortunately is going to be the hardest. I think the Lakers HAVE to win 40 next year to have a shot at Westbrook. Because the Clippers could be a Westbrook away next year from getting to the finals. If they over achieve, and win 40, than the development and coaching have right away worked. Then Westbrook looks at the Lakers as, if he comes, they are now a 50 win team. Then you know Paul George in Indiana is sitting back and saying, s***, I love Kobe, love the Lakers, played at Friznak St, man, if the Lakers got a max spot for me, hell, Im OUT.

 

Yeah, on paper, the biggest need right now is definitely a back-up PG. But I don't know much about the names you've listed. My thought is that you sign Crabbe and he can take up enough time at SG to allow Clarkson to slide back and play PG. I don't think Clarkson is a prototypical PG. But I don't think we really need one. He is a playmaker. So Huertas would be there mainly as a veteran presence who can play spot minutes and step up in case of injury.

Another thing about Huertas. He did kind of struggle until later in the season. But I think he eventually developed great chemistry with Nance and Tarik, who he didn't get to play with much earlier in the season. Huertas will always be a defensive liability, but many back-up PG's are. At least now that he's had time adjusting to the NBA game and developing chemistry with the kids, he can give you 10-15 minutes a game of solid offense. Put him in for 10 minutes and you're almost guaranteed to get a few highlight alley oops to Nance or Tarik to energize the crowd off the bench and get momentum going.

 

Re realdeal's post of Beck's article about Durant finally having enough of playing with RW.



Makes complete sense though like Pau back in the day getting frustrated with Kobe hero ball and giving quotes about there being a "right way to play".

Whatever.... eff KD for not even having time to talk with the Lakers. Though I get it.

 

Their clash in play has been obvious for a few years, but definitely came out in the playoffs this year. Westbrook often made up for his reckless play, but I would say he wastes a lot of energy in putting up those numbers. If he were a little more in control I think he and KD would work out even better than they did. But oh well, that ship has sailed for this upcoming season.

 

I think its more simple than that. I think Durant didnt get assurance that Westbrook would stay next year. It makes a lot of sense. He was leaving, regardless if KD was there or not.

 

Makes sense. As much as we all love watching Russ...

And I don't want to be misquoted, I would love him in L.A.....AS A FREE AGENT....

He would be hell to play with. While KD didn't play great in the last 3 games of the WCF, there were possessions and shots that I was staring at Russ through the TV going, "What the F are you doing? What does that airball 3 while flailing your leg for the foul that won't be called in this situation get you right now?"

 

Unrelated, but I'm currently reading through that article and at one point, the author talks about how the Thunder collapsing after being up 3-1 emphasized all their problems to Durant. And then it talks about now Durant won't have to take so many contested shots playing alongside 2 of the greatest shooters of all time and a multitasking PF who is one of the most unique players ever in Draymond Green. That reminded me how great of a game 7 Draymond had and suddenly I couldn't remember who won Finals MVP. Even though he played great in Game 7, Draymond as Finals MVP didn't stick out in my memory. So they must've given it to Steph by default. Wait a second, that doesn't sound right either...

I looked it up and was taken aback for a second when I saw "2016 Finals MVP: Lebron James"

With all this hooplah about Golden State being unbeatable for the next decade, I totally spaced out and forgot for a second that they lost last year

 

In the words of that middle-class rap genius Will Smith - Boom Shake Shake Shake the Room...Tick..Tick...Tick.... BOOM!!

 

Guys, you can roast me all you want but I don't believe Russell and Randle will be great. Ingram has the TOOLS to be great and I believe he can get there....but not Russell or Randle. I hope I'm wrong and if I am, you guys can all roast me. But we're better off dealing those guys for Westbrook but I doubt the Thunder take russell and randle.

 

Russell will be great. Randle, at the very least will be a 10-10 guy. However, a 6'9 player with a caboose like his who can control the ball from end to end is not a talent that's out there very much. He can move players and gets past pretty good defensive players. With the right coaching and focus, he could be a major problem for opponents. D-Lo can shoot and can pass threw seems very well. When you can shoot and are a willing passer, you are a dangerous person. And he is 6'5 to boot which means be can go to the block on occasion. I'm telling you right now, D'Lo will be a star, barring injury. Looks like he is ready to put the work in too. If he continues to work on his game, he will be a star. He has the tools. Its all in his work ethic and desire now.