If we are truly looking to contend for a playoff spot next year we will need to make a big acquisition. Jordan is a finishing piece to an already good team. He's not even close to Rodman in intangible impact. Stats may say something different but I'd point to Kobe and Carmelo and their season stat comparison to show what I mean. Rodman had a presence on the floor Jordan will never have. Rodman knew how to play the game and Jordan gets by on pure athleticism. A max deal to him would be an anchor for this team IMO. LMA is the only player out there that could move us in the right direction quickly. He is a true number one option on offense and that is what we need more than anything right now. You can control the pace of the game by having a big who is a high percentage scorer and that is a big part of defense. I'm still seeing chatter about renewed efforts to get Cousins. For the life of me I can't understand that if true. While a true scoring threat he's no leader and definitely not a person you'd want in a locker room. We'd be no closer to anything with him. We'd just have a young star to keep people interested and maybe that is what it's about.
I think Cousins is off the table for now. However, what do I know? This has Dwightmare 2.0 written all over it...
Yes it does. I actually quit watching the Lakers (first time in my life) when we got Howard. I'd probably take a break if we got Cousins too. Can't imaging Kobe going out and leaving the team in that guy's hands.
I understand. You didn't miss much with Howard. What a disappointment. Either way, I hope we land our big max guy using our cap space, show significant progress next season, and keep our core intact. However, as much as I love Russell, Clarkson, and Randle, I can't get emotionally attached just yet. I know how the Lakers rebuild; my guess is though we keep our core intact, get one max level guy, or a couple promising free agents, and contend for the PO's next year giving Durant something to truly consider...
Pretty much agree with you bonk, and that's what I've been intimating as well. If we don't actually land LMA then I am going to be even more upset about our pick than I already am. LMA is the best Big available, because I think there is ZERO chance that Gasol is leaving. All of the other bigs I see are either bad fits (Monroe, Love), too much money for a one way guy (Jordan, Brooks Lopez), or old (Chandler). I think the whole "one reason we went small is that there are so many bigs out there" justification from our FO is complete Hogwash and damage control. I'd rather they didn't even say such a thing at all. Just stick with the first part about preferring Russell. It wouldn't make it necessarily better for me in terms of why they did the pick but it wouldn't make it feel like they think I'm a friggin' moron as a fan. Personally, right now I feel like they don't have a big locked down and are just in CYA mode to justify going small . . . but we won't know until July. We shall see.
Oh I still watched, and I never cursed so much at a Laker player in all the years I've been following them. I too see dwightmare redoux with Cousins. Whenever I watched the Kings I have been totally impressed with Cousins game, but then he shows his dark side blowing games repeatedly with low basketball IQ actions. If they did get him I would be hard pressed to go all in cheering the team on.
Having a big that can score and play some defense is still the way to go IMHO. There are so few nowadays that we see jump shooting teams getting further than ever before. I think it's less of a evolution in the game and more of a lack of quality big men in the game. Okafor has the look of one for sure. I can't see a reason for LMA to choose us over SA if he's truly looking for a shot at a chip. Even with him we will need 2 to 3 years to fill in around him and see if this youth pans out. Settling for Love or Jordan is the least palatable option. Max pay anchors for 3 to 5 years.
Everything I've heard from Mitch and Byron points to them thinking Russell is going to be a better player than Okafor. They think he's going to be a star. Nothing about picking Russell because of the bigs in free agency.
Lakers are about contention and winning. He's about him. Too late in his development to change that. I liken it to Carmelo. He is the same. Watching him play he looks like a top 2 or 3 talent. Watching his teams play is a mess. He's had great coaching, deep and talented teams and still got nowhere. Building a team to win it all doesn't necessarily mean you have to have the most gifted individual players.
I'm thinking it was a little bit of both.. Mitch did say they were torn & really high on both Russell & Okafor.. The fact that all the Top FA Big Men are unrestricted & all the 1s-3s are restricted or player options had to factor in there a little bit. But they'll never come out & say that...
Jordan's max is roughly 20 million dollars. In the next CBA that won't hurt us even remotely. It'll be less than 25% of the cap and we'll still have room for at least one more max contract, maybe even two. I'm not worried about the dollar figure. I'm worried about the long-term fit. The way I see it, he's the perfect LONG-TERM fit for our guards, but maybe not the perfect short-term fit. In the short-term we'll need proven scoring: Aldridge. In the long-term we'll need a cleanup man to go get the misses from Clarkson, Randle, and Russell: Jordan. Considering that Jordan is still 26 years old and hasn't had any major injuries (and from my analysis really isn't THAT susceptible to them) he's high on my list for FA adds this summer.
Kevin Ding was talking about this with Rick Fox on NBA TV before the draft saying that the Lakers FO felt there were so many bigs in FA and so few guards that it was part of their consideration. I thought Mitch said something similar when interviewed him as well in the pros/cons of their pick if they were to go with Okafor or go with a guard. Perhaps I misunderstood Mitch (though I don't think I did), but Ding for sure stated that it was part of their reasoning.
whether we believe Mitch or not the only thing he did admit was that this pick had a little to do with the way the league is going. He did however when I watched both his interviews with the LA media deny that we made this pick because there are so many more bigs available in FA. Now, all of us Lakers fans know that Mitch can deny it but I do think it has something to do with this pick. Not much but surely a little.
They may be Ding's opinion but not something said expressly by Kupchak? Kupchak did however say that we picked the best player available.
Well, if Mitch is saying it wasn't about getting a big in Free Agency and just about Russell only, then I have more respect for their decision. That means they stand by it regardless of what happens instead of being in CYA mode to justify it. I know what I heard out of Ding's mouth though on NBA TV and it was absolutely what I said. I think that might be why Kupchak straightened that out with Ding in the report that RandleROFY put up. I have to give Mitch props for that.
Yeah I think Ding (and most reporters) think it had something to do with it. I think it was a) they think he's the better player and b) they LOVE Randle and don't see a great fit there with Okafor. I think having a lot of size in FA is a positive but that they just really loved Russell when they saw him up close.
With Kobe, Clarkson, Russel, Randle and Young, each want to shoot the ball, Diandre is perfect. Delivers defence and dunks around the basket. plus it's a playground field for him with the great passers we have on the team. So because I have a feeling Aldrige is going to SA, i'm really rooting for Chris Paul to annoy Jordan a little more.
