I'm working under the assumption we can't unload Deng and we can't fit Lebron, PG and Randle. Granted, I doubt that gives us a choice either because Lebron doesn't come without PG.
Lock George first! Then bargain from position of strength with new L.A. homeowner LBJ. If he doesn't like the terms but we still have PG .... oh well. Actually from some of our views .... woo hooo !! See I believe we can get PG w/o his royal highness. IMO.
Proven all-star>>>>Potential all-star Jules ain't there yet, so he's lower on my priority list. Look at it this way, BI and Hart out. Zo and Kuz are rookies. IT is struggling. If Jules took over to lead us to a win last night, then Jules as the priority would be more of a compelling case. Till then, his stats are just as empty as the Brow'd one....well, actually as of late, that dude is putting up video game numbers and helping chalk up dubs when they were expected to free fall after Boogie went down. We love our young guys, but some folks are way too sky high on them. The priority should be bringing in proven stars to a city/franchise that is absolutely starving for one. Those stars will then help develop our youth exponentially (ie nothing like the playoffs to fast-forward player development).
Yeah I'm trying to figure the scenario. So basically we pick one of the max slots and give the other to Julius? Then give me LeBron and Julius. We still can get LeBron and George if we waive our BR to Julius and stretch Deng.
@Savory Griddles You have a good point. I think it boils down to how they fit into our system. While George is certainly the better player, I think we're a better team with Randle on the roster because he fills a role that we desperately need. Same goes for LLLLLebron because ball-dominant players like Westbrook and LLLLLebron need very specific pieces around them (as we've seen with the Cavs/OKC this season) That's one of the reasons why I don't want LLLLLebron (along with the age/injury concerns). I don't think he's a MVP level player when you take the ball of out his hands and ask him to play defense. He's not Durant. George is the better player in that role. I'd take a 25-year old LLebron over anyone on this team and build from scratch, but unfortunately he turns 34 this year. George + Randle is the right choice.
I'm not sky high on Randle as of yet, but it's really hard to deny that he is playing at a near all-star level, and unlike in years past when one of our kids go on a hot streak, we are winning games, and it's because Randle is leading us. Obviously PG is the better player. No one is really disputing that. But Randle has been so good lately, the gap isn't that wide anymore, and he fills a role for us that no one else can. I mean, I still take PG over Randle if I'm forced to choose, but it's not as clear cut anymore.
If you absolutely forced me into a decision I don't want to make, then yes. But I'm not happy about it...
Sav, sorry I didn't clarify bro. If its 2max guys vs Jules getting in the way of it, I'm siding with the 2max players all day. If all we do is stretch Deng this summer, PG and LaBron would have to sacrifice 6M between themselves off their true maxes to allow Jules 12.5M cap hold to remain. I'm hoping Mintz gets in Jules and PG's ears to allow that scenario to come to fruition. However if they all intend to get their maxes, then I'm siding with LaBron/George over Jules. I think Bron/George makes us far more competitive than Bron/Jules or PG/Jules, particularly in the short term. I'm looking at Lou Will and what he did....I just don't think its going to be a thriving market this summer. The max guys will get theirs but it will be slim pickings for the guys like Jules. Hopefully he and Mintz realize that. The national narrative is that Jules ain't even a top 10 FA this summer, so him getting the max is highly unlikely.
I think his RFA status obviously has a lot to do with that however. If he were an unrestricted free agent he would certainly be way up there. I think you are grossly undervaluing Randle. He'll be making some money for sure this summer.
LJ: I know he's going to get paid but what I said is that him getting his max is highly unlikely. Jules stands to make 25% of the cap as his max as a 0-6 year player. That means his max will be slightly north of 25M. Dallas is rumored to offer him around 18M. That means he's nowhere close to his true max and personally, unless Dallas forces our hand, I think the aim should be to retain him at around 13-15M. Jules is 23 and lost a season to an injury and has been part of a Lakers team that hasn't been close to the playoffs. He hasn't been an all-star, hasn't been All NBA, hasn't been All Defensive team. I'm thinking he has a legit shot at being Most Improved Player of the year this year, but he hasn't earned any accolades to date to put him in max salary category. Meanwhile at age 23, George had become a 2 time all-star already out of the 5 times he's been up for that recognition in his career. He's been a 3x All NBA teamer, 3x All Defensive teamer and has won the Most Improved Player award in the 3rd season of his career when he turned 22. This season he's up for the Defensive Player of the Year recognition. That right there is a max player. Don't need to break down LaBron's accolades to know he's earned a max slot. So in terms of priority, I'm steadfast in that it should be LaBron-George, then Jules when we attack free agency. Heck, if Anthony Davis were to ever become a viable trade target, I would flip a re-upped Jules, Kuz, Hart and picks in a hearbeat cause I think he actually compliments our roster of Zo, PG, BI, Bron at the 5 much better than Jules would. I like Jules and he's definitely a great asset to have on this roster, but I'm tired of the post-Kobe Lakers having no stars to cheer on. I'm tired of consistently missing the playoffs. I need 1, 2 or even 3 to fill that void asap and get us back into title contention. And as of now, Jules ain't that guy yet. That being said, I hope Bullyius helps us get into May and I hope he stays a Laker for a long time, but I refuse to throw the bank at him to do so. More money to him, means less elsewhere and I want to allocate those type of funds to a more deserving party (ie true max players). Whatever money is left over can then be used to round out a title contending roster.
I think you make a great point actually vash about the type of payday that Jules should expect. I agree it probably won't be in that 20+ range. I do think it'll be more than 15 million though. I expect him to make 17-18 million this summer, especially if he signs an offer sheet with Dallas.
I would not put it past Cuban to offer him Max. Remember, he was the genius that signed Chandler Parsons to a Max deal.
It'll be interesting who they go for though. Remember Deandre was once a target as well, but will his spiting them backfire?
I wouldn't put it past him either. Especially when you consider that one of their cornerstones (Dennis Smith) and one of their future cornerstones (wherever they land in the draft) will be dirt cheap and under contract for dirt cheap for the entirety of Julius's deal. It's sort of like what I THINK the thought process was with Mozdeng. They'll be off the books when our young players are ready to jump.
I think any kind of speculation about what Julius Randle is going to be making in his next contract is just that, purely speculation. We literally have no idea right now. The good news for us is that he's a restricted free agent. My hope continues to be that we can keep him while getting both Lebron and PG. But of course what Lebron and PG do this summer is even harder to figure out at this juncture. Thankfully the FO has put us in a great position. Earlier this season many here said straight out that Randle would not fit into our future plans and will not be here. I'm glad that some folks have seen his value and argued that they'd like to see him here and I'm also glad that we didn't move him at the deadline especially since he has played so well for us this year. The summer is going to be a doozy. Looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds.
What's going to benefit us most is the moratorium period. If we don't get those confirmations during that time, we have ample time to react to any sort of situation that arises with Julius' contract once Free Agency begins.
True. Plus he hates us. It honestly comes down to Julius himself. He can give us the time we need by not signing any offer sheets until we're ready to go.
maybe Cuban has gotten smarter since his bad signing of parson/Mathews, they didnt cave into Noel max demands lol
Julius "Improving every year" tracker: 2016- 11.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 42.9 FG% 2017- 13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 48.8 FG% 2018*- 18.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 56.8 FG% *- this is only as a starter. BUT his numbers in general for 2018 are still stronger than previous years: 15.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 56.1 FG% More importantly I think though: 2016- 97 Ortg,108 Drtg, -3.6 BPM, 1.6 WS, 48.2 TS% 2017- 107 Ortg, 112 Drtg, 0 BPM, 3.5 WS, 54.3 TS% 2018- 111 Ortg, 107 Drtg, 1 BPM, 4.7 WS, 60.5 TS%
