2015 Nba Draft Discussion: Russell, Nance Jr., Brown

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by LaVarBallsDad, Oct 14, 2014.

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  1. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    Hmm. We were in agreement on some things for a while. It is time to reestablish disagreement. WCS and Russell over Mudiay.
     
    Savory Griddles, Apr 2, 2015
    #1641
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  2. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers MVP -

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    I think anyone that the Lakers draft will likely be more successful than if he were drafted by another team... The culture and winning tradition ingrained into each draftee is like a power pellet that strengthens them while wearing the purple and gold armor.

    So whether it's Okafor, Mudiay or Hezonja, or anyone else in this class, I have no doubt that they will become the best that they can be.
     
    KareemtheGreat33, Apr 3, 2015
    #1642
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  3. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Honestly man it doesn't matter. It looks good typing whichever name.

    Russell, Randle, Clarkson.
    Mudiay, Randle, Clarkson.
    Cauley-Stein, Randle, Clarkson.
    Towns, Randle, Clarkson.
    Okafor, Randle, Clarkson.
    Johnson, Randle, Clarkson.
    Winslow, Randle, Clarkson.

    All of 'em look good to me. Also keep in mind, we'll have a TON of cash to spend. Regardless of whether we get the Top 5 pick or not the rebuild is already under way, but with the pick our rebuild just hit overdrive. This summer is going to be fun.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 3, 2015
    #1643
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  4. TIME

    TIME Administrator Staff Member

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    The only constant in that list is that we MUST keep the high pick.
     
    TIME, Apr 3, 2015
    #1644
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  5. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Honestly I don't think so. Without the pick we've got probably about another 4 million to spend. Another list that might please:

    Dragic, Clarkson, Randle.
    Monroe, Clarkson, Randle.
    Jordan, Clarkson, Randle.
    Love, Clarkson, Randle.
    Middelton, Monroe, Clarkson, Randle. (this one is my favorite)


    We've got a ton of flexibility here. I WANT the pick, but honestly I think I want the pick more as a justification for the last two years than as a player. I want to feel vindicated more than anything else. Rationally, we can rebuild without it, but it'd feel like a wasted year of Laker fandom and that hurts almost more than the last two years already hurt.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 3, 2015
    #1645
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  6. TIME

    TIME Administrator Staff Member

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    I think the pick is a MUST have. Can we rebuild to a competitive level without it? Yes. Championship level? Probably not. For a ring you need at least three studs (Shaq & Kobe were a historic exception). I'm counting Randle as a probably future stud. Clarkson seems to be showing stud potential. If we could for sure sign a stud FA then Ok, but it's looking more like we have to go your route of Middelton-Monroe. That's nice, but is it championship level dominant? That pick is looming large.
     
    TIME, Apr 3, 2015
    #1646
  7. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I just don't know if I agree with that, man. I think our pick will be great in the Top 5 because we have that kind of pedigree and history and infrastructure, but it's still an unknown. Okafor might never be better than Greg Monroe. If we can get Monroe, maybe we have a guy the equal of Okafor, but already developed. We know Monroe, Dragic, and Middleton can play in the NBA we're not so sure about those picks coming in.

    I think rebuilding will happen regardless. I think having the pick just speeds up the process that's all.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 3, 2015
    #1647
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  8. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    It accelerates the process; it also gives us 3 potential starting players at $10 million dollars which gives us enormous flexibility regarding free agency and trades.

    I think Mitch is capable of putting together a championship roster with or without this pic, though.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Apr 3, 2015
    #1648
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  9. tada

    tada - Lakers All Star -

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    With or without the pick, I feel we are at least 3-4 years from contending. So from the stand point of rebuilding, I don't think this pick is an absolutely must. It won't accelerate our rebuild exponentially because all three of our young studs need time to develop anyway.

    Quite frankly, I'm just thinking short-term as a Lakers fan. A top 5 pick along with Randle/Clarkson would be so fun to watch for the next few years. That's like 90% of the reason why I want to keep this pick.
     
    tada, Apr 3, 2015
    #1649
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  10. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Oh I definitely agree with that. I think it was @lakerfan2 that posted this potential Summer League lineup:

    Clarkson
    Brown
    Hollis-Jefferson
    Randle
    Towns or Okafor

    I mean... we honestly might not need to add a FA if we got that lucky. It'd take the 3-4 years you said to truly contend, but I don't think I'd care. I'd have a blast watching that team develop. I think if we got the pick, our rebuild speeds up a year because then we add a FA and we have more relevant, starting NBA players. Otherwise we're going "build through the draft" mode which takes some time.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 3, 2015
    #1650
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  11. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    I actually kind of side with RealDeal on this. If Randle ends up being a stud, all we need is one legit star free agent. In his example, Clarkson, Middleton, Monroe is plenty for a supporting cast if Randle ends up fulfilling his promise and we get one more dude like Westbrook, Durant, or someone of that ilk.
     
    Savory Griddles, Apr 3, 2015
    #1651
  12. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    I posted it...:worried: Thanks for misremembering. :cry:

    But the Summer league team is not a contender at any point ever. Both of those wing positions need to be upgraded significantly, hence my Middleton boner. He can fill in either of them, he's only a couple years older and it leaves us only one spot to fill. Brown and RHJ are backups.
     
    Savory Griddles, Apr 3, 2015
    #1652
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  13. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I am so so sorry.

    [​IMG]
     
    therealdeal, Apr 3, 2015
    #1653
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  14. Punk-101

    Punk-101 - Lakers Starter -

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    To deny our scouting dept (excellent) , the shot at a top 5 pick would be disastrous, imo. I have no doubt we'd be getting a stud on a dirt cheap contract. Flushing that down the drain is disastrous, even if the back up plan might be tolerable.

    Let me try an analogy about how I feel. Suppose I'm $10,000 in debt. I have a good job and I'm on my way to paying it off in a few years. My boss is sympathetic to my situation and gifts me $5,000 cash. On the way to the bank I lose the cash. With my job I'll still be ok, but jeez man, don't try to sugar-coat losing that cash!
     
    Punk-101, Apr 3, 2015
    #1654
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  15. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Nothing sugar coated, just realizing that you'd make up that 5,000 dollars in another couple months. Worse things could have happened to you than losing the cash. It'd be great to have that cash, but it was a gift. You spent nothing to get it and you lost very little by losing it. Instead of counting on that cash (the pick) some of us are just going to be prepared for a future without such a gift. :)

    [​IMG]
     
    therealdeal, Apr 3, 2015
    #1655
  16. Punk-101

    Punk-101 - Lakers Starter -

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    I don't think my job is lucrative enough to make up that cash in a few months; I'm thinking a few years. the cash is a necessity, imo.
     
    Punk-101, Apr 3, 2015
    #1656
  17. TIME

    TIME Administrator Staff Member

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    Real, I think you are underestimating the importance of one great player in the NBA. Would the Lakers have been fine if they missed out on drafting Magic Johnson, James Worthy or Kobe Bryant?

    Of course there is no way to predict that any of the top 5 players in this draft will develop into anything like those three, but if they do, and we miss out on them then we miss out on championships. I like your postitivity, but dismissing a top 5 pick's significance for us seems more like whistling in the dark.
     
    TIME, Apr 3, 2015
    #1657
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  18. Battle Tested20

    Battle Tested20 Moderator Staff Member

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    Haha great analogy @Punk-101
     
    Battle Tested20, Apr 3, 2015
    #1658
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  19. tada

    tada - Lakers All Star -

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    The ceiling for this year's top 5 pick is no where near Magic/Kobe. Maybe Bynum. And we still would have won a championship with a core of Kobe/Lamar/Pau.
     
    tada, Apr 3, 2015
    #1659
  20. Punk-101

    Punk-101 - Lakers Starter -

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    the importance of keeping the pick isn't about getting a superstar (which is a possibility). It's about getting talent at 1/3 FA market price. Let's say Okafor only ever reaches Monroe status. You still have "Monroe" @ $5mil vs the real Monroe at $16-18 mil. Keeping the pick means we have $10mil extra to spend on FAs.
     
    Punk-101, Apr 3, 2015
    #1660
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