Lakers - Kings- Trade Very Unlikely; Both Teams Focused On Draft

Yeah yeah yeah, just like you said during the season it was nothing to get worked up about when we were winning those games we should have lost, that we weren't going to drop out of the top 5 and lose our lottery pick. How'd that work out?

 

So many times I've heard the term "the Lakers don't rebuild they reload"....well this is a huge rebuild! They don't have a gun to reload.

 

I'd say San Antonio has had more success with giving up less than the Lakers in Mitch's time.

I was responding to the comment trusting the "lakers" to rebuild like they have done in the past. None of the past is in the present.

As for the current group in charge: Pau was great. Nash and Howard not so great. We're not done paying for them either. If not for a horrific season this debate would be in a Phoenix forum.

My overall point is that the comment about lakers history was not really relevant as it relates to Mitch, Jim and Jeannie. None of them were in charge the last time we rebuilt from this type of hole. So to try and connect past success to Cousins and push it off as just another Laker great acquisition seems unfounded. This group is 1-3 if you look at top 2 or 3 players on a team in acquisitions.

 

And I am going to bed with your confidence in Mitch.... He's not going to bite.

 

Im not sure how I feel about the Lakers going after Cousins. Dude has not proven to be anything short of a talented headcase. Can we make him one of the faces of our franchise? I'm not sure. Talent wise I'd take him but not for the #2 pick and giving up 1 or 2 of our young studs. If that happens we would give up 3 promising players for a disgruntled guy who can't control himself in the lights of Sac Town... I'll repeat that "In the lights of SAC TOWN!" I trust Mitch and the vision of the FO I know many don't but I have seen the good they put together. I just don't want a 2 yr window team put together when we have a nucleus to have a long time window to be a contender.

 

Lakers getting dragged around in the Kings mess. Dealing with Kings wishy washy management seems exhausting.

 

You are mixing up things completely here. Look at the comment I responded to. Mitch and Jim helped the Kobe era sustain and get a couple more championships but I don't see the gap between 2004 and 08 a "rebuild" is in any way the same as what we are facing now. We still had a generational player.... maybe one of the top 4 to every play still in his prime. Fitting in players who want to come here to play with Kobe and a chance at a Chip vs getting people to want to come to a 21 win team is in no way the same is it?

No Laker leadership ever has had this hole. That itself is an indication of our leadership isn't it? What group before this one dug this kind of hole? Not sure why you think the Howard trade wasn't a disaster. Not getting a commitment in advance and gambling with that trade was a huge mistake IMO.

 

Im with you

 

OK I couldn't help but come back to this thread.

As much as I feel the Kings are a fool for even considering this, (swapping Cousins for Lawson?) the reports are out so there must some validity to the rumors. It seems Randle is off limits, but we might be losing Okafor and Clarkson for Boogie.

On face value, this seems like a decent trade. The talent level is close to equal. But talent alone does not win titles. You have to bring in hard-working, professional-minded, self-sacrificing characters to build a championship culture. Randle, Clarkson, and Okafor seem to have this mentality. Cousins does not.

This trade is the equivalent of swapping Willie Cauley-Stein for Robert Upshaw. Would you do it? Why not, equal or better talent right? Most of you would say no, and may believe that Cousins will magically change when he becomes a Laker, but can you see inside his head?

Mental strength is harder to build than physical strength. Okafor can overcome his FT shooting or defensive shortcomings in a very short timeframe with the right mindset. Meanwhile Cousins may be the same (or worse) player he is today. It is much easier to project Okafor a better player than Cousins for a championship team.

Cousins is fools gold and this trade will not be a shortcut for us. It may actually take longer to rebuild. I'd rather trade the #2 pick for Draymond Green. And I'm not kidding.

 

I dont think the owner has a clue (Vivek), Vlade doesn't want to trade Cousins, Karl wants to trade Cousins, Cousins is probably tired of SAC. 4 different people on 4 different pages. SAC has had 6 cooaches in Cousins tenure Good luck to SAC. They're a mess