right, but if we got rid of everyone who was bad in the playoffs, we'd basically have no one left. so is that the reason? is "we need more reliable bench options" or "we need a third star" the reason kuz, in particular, must go? what if kcp and THT are traded for a 3rd star? does kuz still need to go? for what? why?
KCP and THT aren't enough for a 3rd star. IMO, we don't have enough assets for a 3rd star, but eventually we do need one, but our best bet is to recruit that star via free agency. I'd say LBJ has 2 more years left; so, ideally, I'd we're building around AD and LBJ, I would include Kuz in a package for a 3rd piece: McCollum, Brogdon, etc. As you pointed out, I don't want to make a lateral move that doesn't move the needle. Wouldn't make sense. I could be patient. Doesn't have to be this summer. For Kuz, it would probably be better, he could to elsewhere and expand his game.
I think most people just don’t see a trade getting done without including him but wouldn’t be upset if we were able to make moves and keep him.
McCollum is unrealistic. Indiana just fired their head coach. I'm just mentioning names as an example and obviously it would include a much bigger package than Kuz.
Rob’s been working miracles 7 mil down the past few seasons. I can only imagine what he can do once we get Deng off the books
Agree. And if you want to run it back next season with Kuz, I'm good. We do be all in on something next summer with him. I'm actually more interested with what happens with Schroder.
I'd rather keep Tucker over KCP and Kuz. Those two are about as good as they are going to be now. If you put either on another team, they may increase their numbers some, but will that make them difference makers on a championship contender? I doubt it. Tucker has more upside than either of those guys, so he is the one I'd rather hold on to. Laker fans in general have a weird view of our players, we both over and under value them at the same time. IE Kcp and Kuz are important rotation players for us, we can win a chip with them in the rotation. We can't just give either away. On the flipside..most believe that nobody is going to give up anything of value for them. It's a contradiction to say the least. I look at it from a more pragmatic standpoint...those two represent 26 million dollars in cap space. that's a significant trade chip, there are a lot of players that could be had at that number. The magic question is who? I have no idea, it's the NBA ,guys decide they want to be moved for different reasons all the time. Take this season for example, guys like Paul, Harden, Westbrook and John Wall...the conventional wisdom was that with those huge contracts, those guys were practically unmovable, that definitely was NOT the case, Westbrook got moved twice! Look at the trades themselves...these teams didn't get like value back from trading any of those guys. If the pundits were always right, they would have panned all those trades, if the actual deals had been floated first. You just never know what teams are really willing to accept until it happens. Conventional wisdom held that Drummond and Griffin were unlikely to be bought out too. It's AD and Lebron, everybody else are interchangeable IMO. There are plenty of players in the league that would fit around those two, some of our players would fit and thrive on other teams as well. If we are going to make a move, I expect that it will be done in this offseason, because we also have a 1st round pick. Every one is lusting after Bradley Beal at the moment, and he is a great player, he is also owed a lot of money moving forward. Personally the only guy I can say that I'd really be lusting after for the Lakers is John Collins. I think he would be a perfect fit with AD, and the Hawks are cheap, with Young up for an extension soon, I doubt they plan on forking out 20 mil plus for Collins. That's my trade target, but again I am 100 percent sure, that some other player is going to want a change of scenery in the offseason, that nobody expected. I think it's going to be an interesting offseason for us.
goes back to definition of "third star". if you mean like bkn, then no. if you mean like a jrue holiday type, then it's close, imo. i don't think we need a third star, nor does anyone, really. when lebron is done, we'll need a second one, for sure, though. and that might have to come via FA. well, of course. but i don't see how this and "kuz has to go" are in some way connected. he might have to go if we could get those guys, but if not (and we can't), he doesn't have to go. see, i think the thing is that his game has expanded. unless you mean "score 20ppg again", in which case, i think he could. for a bad team like we were. i don't think he's interested, though. but i do think a good trade partner is a bad team with an overpaid guy who was supposed to be a star and isn't. siakam was the example earlier, but i'm guessing toronto's not ready for a big sale there. the only guys that i keep thinking about are derozan and harrison barnes. other teams (NO, orlando, cleveland) have already divested from their overpaid non-stars, so we just need to be on the lookout for the next one. the list is just pretty short right now.
Well, last summer we didn't think we'd get Schroder or Trezz, but we did. Everything is fluid, including moving Kuz, and it should be. There are options and scenarios that will come up, and he may or may not be back next season. I just don't think he's a very good fit. We will see. If he's in the roster next season, I'll be surprised, but I won't be upset.
Here's why I'm for moving Kuz (for the right deal, not just for NBA 2k reasons)... 1) He's our best asset that we're willing to move. Unless a deal that's too good to pass up, it looks like we'd like to keep THT and AC around. That's the extent of our young talent. Rob is a Home Run Derby kind of GM and I don't think he runs it back with our same roster. Our championship window with Bron is only getting smaller. 2) His salary is very attractive to teams when you're looking to cobble up pieces to match salaries. 3) I still don't really like his fit next to AD. If I'm paying you north of $12m, I think you should fit with any lineup combo I want to throw out on the court.
Rumor has it that we were shopping Kuz for Dinwiddie before he got hurt. I like Spenser, now that Kuz has a larger salary that might come up again this summer. I saw Spenser in an interview saying that he was looking for 20 mil min though, I don't know if I would gamble a long term deal for a guy with two knee injuries already in his medical history. I still like him but not at 20 mil plus.
If Rob gets Dinwiddie for Kuz, he will have his 3rd guy. Dinwiddie would be THE perfect 3rd guy for this team. I have to see that one to believe it.
I know we took a stab at Dinwiddie last season too, I think the Nets wanted Green, and Bradley too or something like that. Kuz salary was a problem in both situations. Where there is smoke there is usually fire, I have no doubt that we have interest in Spencer. It would be beautiful if Rob could flip Dennis for Dinwiddie straight up, and then flipped Kuz and an asset for Myles Turner. That would be a homerun. I don't know if the Nets would want to take on Schroder on a long term deal though.
I like Dinwiddie. However, last time I looked at his 3 point percentages, they weren't very good, IIRC
Overrated? I wouldn't say it's overrated. I do like Dinwiddie just not in a vacuum. If there's others moves that shore up weaknesses in conjunction with that move, I'm all for it.
