F that. If u can get Ball with the 3rd pick, which is likely and Indy knowing PG would walk along with any team that deals for him. You offer them JC, JR, and Houston pick and if possible Deng!
Lamar was certainly a better player than Julius is today, but Clarkson > 03-04 Butler. And Mozgov is better than 03-04 Grant also. Swap Julius for the Top 3 pick and it's the same package, value-wise, we got for Shaq.
Not getting my hopes up just yet. We were "connected" to Love, KD, Westbrook and god knows who else. As for Indy fans wanting us to trade Russ, Ingram and the top 3pick... don't put it past Magic and Jeanie. They will do anything in their power to bring an all star for the "home" All Star Game...
Well, they can trade George to any other team. While we think he wants to be a Laker, i'm not sure, he would refuse a C Bags trade for example. He would resign with the green scum, no doubt in my mind...
But what if he has his people tell the Celts that he'll be a nice rental and be going back to LA after that? Celts can't really offer him more than the Lakers can.
My solace is that Luke, Magic, Rob, Kobe and Jeanie are all very smart people. That Indy Fan pipe dream or a trade that desperate or bad will never happen. Right?
We all know we have the leverage on Indiana in any PG scenario. So it really should be all low ball offers at this point, and wait for 2018. However, instead of gutting the team for George, we move our assets for to make us more appealing for 2018. I'd make a strong play for Butler. Russell+Deng+Top 3 for Butler? Would that do it for the Bulls? I'd love to roll into 2018 with a lineup of: Ingram Butler George Randle Zu
I would too. But their stats aren't that dissimilar. Odom's 04-05 stats: 15ppg/10rpg/3.7apg on 47%fg (Odom was a MUUUUCH better defender than Julius) Randle's 16-17 stats: 13ppg/8rpg/3.6apg on 48%fg Caron's 04-05 stats: 15ppg/6rpg/2apg on 45% fg and 30%3pt Clarkson's 16-17 stats:15ppg/2.4rpg/2.6apg on 45%fg and 33%3pt (both equally bad defenders IMO)
Does anyone else find some of the PG stories very contradicting? He wants to leave the pacers because he wants to win and he will stay if they become competitive over the summer. (although unlikely) But he wants to come to the lottery lakers? I'd love to have PG and I hope we get him without gutting the team, but why not go to the C Bags? As much as I hate thinking about that, it makes more sense. The "i love my hometown of LA" narrative has never worked out for us.
I'm all for Paul George but how does he fit in with our future? Assuming we draft Ball or Fultz: Ball/Fultz - Russell - Clarkson - Ingram - Randle - Zubac - Paul George That's 7 players who can possibly start for us. Ingram and Zubac are keepers. Russell/ Randle probably are too. Clarkson? Our draft pick - do we trade it for PG or keep it? Having trouble seeing where everyone fits in.
He must know something we don't, involving a second all-star trade or FA (or both) lined up to form an immediate contender.
Precisely. Butler isn't my main goal, but that is the idea. Use these assets to go make the team desirable so that when 2018 rolls around, George has a reason to be here. Unless of course George forces his way here in which case we give them a low ball offer and call it a day. Like it or not, the Buddy Hield trade set the tone for this type of movement. Cousins and Casspi for Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway, 2017 1st (10th), and 2017 2nd (34th?). I believe our offer of Randle/Clarkson/Hou 1st/Protected Future 1st is in line with that offer and is enough to satisfy market value assuming George's wish to be a Laker is as true and public as we all have been made to believe. Even so, let's say they don't go for that low ball offer and instead choose to try to convince him to stay. Fine. I'd try to sign Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Jeff Teague, etc. this summer. Then we can use some of our trade capital to go get another good player. Now we've got an infrastructure worth Paul George's attention in 2018.
It's a valid point. But I think he feels that with a couple of our kids and him in tow, the Lakers can get another star to join him. Lebron is good enough to inspire people to come to a small market, midwest city. PG-13 isn't. But PG-13 in LA? Easier sell.
It's not that he wouldn't go, it's what Boston is willing to give up. They're also most likely lowballing on the very "rumor" that he wants to go to LA. That's why the deal never went through at the trade deadline. Boston is at a good place right now and could be better with a high pick. But they could ruin the chemistry they have currently by removing a key piece like a Crowder or Bradley who would most likely need to be included with the pick. Additionally, the Lakers have assets to move to make us competitive in the near future, with a lot of young talent around to grow or move for another established player.
I mean, if Clarkson+Top3 (and Deng) does it for George, you pull the trigger so fast and don't look back. Either way, just think as everyone (minus Ingram and maybe Zu) as expendable to be possible moved for a more established player.
I think it's almost mandatory that we move one of Moz/Deng to allow that to happen and provide flexibility outside of signing George as well. We may have to sacrifice a player like Nance in the process, but that would open a lot avenues.
Not to mention as well that Boston has the ability to just add Gordon Hayward in FA this summer (with some shuffling on their roster). Why give up a bunch of assets for George who seems like he wants to go home when they can get a guy arguably in the same conversation for "free"?
Yeah how come Nance never comes up. Not much pizazz in a trade? Hell yeah I would trade him to dump Deng or Moz too. All Deng's feelers are hurt now and he's going on about shutting everyone up next year, so say he does resurrect some semblance on Miami Luol and could give a team a decent amount of depth at PF along with Nance?
