We can extend the QO and if he signs it and agrees to play for just the QO, we're in GREAT shape, but his cap hold will still be 12.5 million unless he agrees to just the QO. There's a window of opportunity from when the moratorium starts to when Julius signs that deal (if he does). I believe his QO is 5.6 million and if he accepted it, then he'd be a full FA in 2019. There hasn't been great success with that strategy, but if he made that deal, we'd be in amazing shape. We'd still retain his BR I believe in 2019 summer, but he'd give us even greater flexibility in signing big names. I think the most likely thing is we tell him, "hold tight on signing that offer, give us 5 days". They go to the max guys and say "you want Julius still around?" If they say no, the Lakers let Julius go. If they say yes, the Lakers find a way out from Deng's deal and then tell Julius to just wait until after we sign the big names. Once we sign the big names (and another smaller piece around 3-4 million), we can give him whatever he needs, even a max deal. At that point it won't matter.
I think there's a decent chance that Deng gets jettisoned before free agency starts. If we are going to use that Cleveland pick as a carrot, Deng will be gone in June. I'm thinking we will probably try like crazy to ship out Deng with the Cleveland pick and maybe a couple seconds for a contract that has only one year left at like 13-14 million so the stretch is only 3 million or so. That allows us to let Zubac and Ennis walk, we keep Thomas Bryant and we then have Randle's cap hold number. We tell Randle whatever anyone offers you, bring the sheet back to us and we promise to match it after LBJ and PG13 sign, regardless of who it's with.
If our offseason is LeBron, George and Randle, I don’t really think you can do better, or ask for more than that. Nothing is guaranteed, we cannot expect such an offseason because that is an instant turnaround, but chances like at least a little better today. I would still be thrilled to only get George and retain Randle this offseason though. Any star signing in LA is a win for us, because again, we have not gotten one to since Shaq.
Not clear on this. Let's say it's agreed upon by James, George and Randle's agents and the FO to allow for small superstar concessions and a good hometown deal if Randle wants to be part of this next dynasty if it all happens .... and say Randle agrees for some kind of a contract where he will be happy for a couple of years or whatever starting at 12 -15 and then Cuban offers 20M .... can Julius and his agent still say no thank you to Dallas that they are choosing to stay with the Lakers for the lesser amount?
Yes. Teams can give Randle an offer sheet, but he doesn’t have to sign it. It’s only when a player signs the offer sheet from a team that you have a few days to match. If he wants to stay here for less he doesn’t have to sign anything elsewhere.
James...George...Maginka...Walton...24...all convene to lock Randle at his place and not allow him to talk to Cuban. Broussard driving around Los Angeles trying to find Randle's relatives. 24 tweets this is what he was called for.
I have a feeling we'll know before free agency begins what we will be doing with Julius. I think Deng's fate will be decided before the draft because that Cleveland pick will be a major part of us getting rid of him (if possible).
The thing I don't like about letting Randle walk especially after losing Nance is, there goes our playoff toughness. Those 2 were tough guys on this team (though I like Hart in that respect too for a rook) and you need that in the playoffs. I know I can't have my cake and eat it too and this is not taking into consideration what veteran minimums LBJ and PG would attract but I really love the physical aspect those 2 have brought with them. Oh well, onwards and forwards in our case means having to spend some talent. It just bums me out. I do think we can hit the homerun with both LBJ and PG especially after PGs recent comments, so coincidentally timed right before the trade deadline when Magic and Rob need to make big decisions.
I'm not sure we'll have enough money to keep Julius even if we traded Deng for a contract like that. Let's say we traded Deng/1st for Kosta Koufos (8.7 million, 2.9 million stretched). Randle- 12.5 Lonzo- 7.5 Ingram- 5.8 Koufos- 2.9 Kuzma- 1.7 Hart- 1.7 Bryant- 1.4 Cap holds- 3.5 Total- 37 million Cap room- 64 million We still would have to get rid of someone else. I think we really need to just throw enough picks at Deng to get him moved. Next summer he'll have only two years left. Two 1sts should cover it, especially one in an upcoming draft. A couple 2nds to grease the wheel.
The 2 day matching window for free agents doesn't start till the end of the July moratorium period (ie July 6th). So LA would essentially have one week (till July 8th) to decide on matching if Jules/Mintz signed an offer sheet on the 1st day of free agency (July 1st). Also we have the inside route on Jules and George with Mintz, so Randle might be down to sign a QO of 5.5M and then become unrestricted the following summer (ie like Noel did with the Mavs). However if we allow Jules to venture the market place for offers, then we can match it after James/George sign. However that would mean that Jules would count as a 12.4M cap hold and that would cut into just how much we can offer Bron and George in terms of their max. With an unstretched Deng and Jules 12.4M caphold, we'll have 50M in cap space. If we stretch Deng, we have 61M in capspace. If PG takes 30M (his max) and Bron takes 31 (4M shy of his max), then that means Jules can come back to us with another team's offer and even if it is more than his 12.4M cap hold, we can still match and break through the 101M cap ceiling as a result. We would only be tax payers if we bust through the 123M tax apron. Edit: just saw Real's post which explains its. My bad that I was late to the party.
LFR said the pick is currently 24th. So I think its safe to say anywhere between 20-30. Which is right in our scouting department's wheelhouse.
That's great news to me. With the decision to keep him here now for the rest of the season and if he gives a reasonable home town discount that allows them the also agreed upon or slightly adjusted 2 max slots, Julius can decide if he wants more money and to go home where family is in Dallas or if he wants to be part of a very possible dynasty going forward in L.A. starting in the hunt this very next year and with long legs.
So players are opting into their contracts, teams believe that they can retain 2nd tier players for the MLE and then if you consider what LouWill did, he didn't want to risk the market and instead chose to sign an extension at below market value. I'm really liking our chances in keeping Randle on a "discounted" deal. That obviously opens up more for us to spend on max players, so here's to it coming to fruition. But you can clearly see that players/agents are afraid of the upcoming free agent market.
SO happy we kept this guy and now, it looks like we have a good chance at bringing him back too and possibly getting Randle, PG AND LeBron.
He’s much more in control of his strength now. Guys still bounce off him, but enough for space and not an offensive foul. Keep it going Ju. Let’s add a jumper to your arsenal!
