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2015 Free Agent Discussion

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by ShowTime_IR, Nov 3, 2014.

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jerryr88 - Rookie -

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If lebron ever becomes a laker id puke

I hate him

Stay away

jerryr88, Jun 28, 2015

#2901

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abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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I like that love wears basketball shoes to a pool party. stay in character.

abeer3, Jun 28, 2015

#2902

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LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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Tim MacMahon✔@espn_macmahon
Spotted hanging out with Chandler Parsons and DeAndre Jordan in LA this week: free agent SG Wesley Matthews.

LaVarBallsDad, Jun 28, 2015

#2903

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Kenzo - Lakers All Star -

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abeer3 said: ↑

I like that love wears basketball shoes to a pool party. stay in character.
Click to expand...

Hope Bron does that too. His toes are FUGLY.

Kenzo, Jun 29, 2015

#2904
CarolinaLakerFan - Lakers 6th Man -

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Would a guy like Brook Lopez be an option if we lose out on Aldridge? Unrestricted California guy who puts up very nice numbers, albeit in the Leastern Conference.

CarolinaLakerFan, Jun 29, 2015

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lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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CarolinaLakerFan said: ↑

Would a guy like Brook Lopez be an option if we lose out on Aldridge? Unrestricted California guy who puts up very nice numbers, albeit in the Leastern Conference.
Click to expand...

He is but smart money is on him resigning in Brooklyn where he'll get the biggest payday. I don't hate Brooks, and in fact I'd put him right behind Gasol, LMA, and Jordan as far as big men available (I don't like Love at all, and I'm not high on Monroe either).

But with all of our needs I'd rather get a SF and a cheaper, lesser name Center for that kind of money.

lakerjones, Jun 29, 2015

#2906

CarolinaLakerFan and therealdeal like this.
therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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Brook is really likely to go back to Brooklyn. He likes it there and they're prepared to throw enough money at him to make it happen.

My favorites so far:

Aldridge + Davis (trade Nick Young)
Jordan + fillers
Chandler + Davis (trade Nick Young)
Harris + Davis
R. Lopez + vet PG + vet SF
Monroe + Davis

therealdeal, Jun 29, 2015

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pound4pound - Lakers Starter -

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DeAndre Jordan and a SF with whatever money we have left over

pound4pound, Jun 29, 2015

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JSM, Jun 29, 2015

#2909

Daloyalfan18-Brandon and therealdeal like this.
Kenzo - Lakers All Star -

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Is there a big name free agent, that wasn't mentioned in a Lakers related trade/signing?
It's good to be a Lakers fan but at the same time... you know what i mean .

Kenzo, Jun 29, 2015

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therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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We're interested in Caron?? Is he any good anymore?...

therealdeal, Jun 29, 2015

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Kenzo - Lakers All Star -

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JSM said: ↑

Click to expand...

Pass...

Kenzo, Jun 29, 2015

#2912

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therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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Medina goes in depth with what the Lakers and, more importantly, what free agents will do or can do this summer:

How will NBA’s new television deal affect Lakers’ free agency?

DíAngelo Russell, right, poses for a photo with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after the Los Angeles Lakers selected Russell with the second pick during the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 25, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
By Mark Medina, LA Daily News

POSTED: 06/28/15, 7:50 PM PDT | UPDATED: 14 MINS AGO

1 COMMENT

The phone calls between NBA executives and agents will soon become endless both late at night and early in the morning.

Shortly after free agency begins on Tuesday at 9:01 p.m. PST, NBA teams will host elaborate sales pitches to marquee free agents. They could dine them at a five-star restaurant. They could present a well-produced video tribute praising their greatness. The owners, executives, coaches and players alike could argue on how that prized free agent will elevate the franchise into a championship contender.

Those players will enjoy all those parties massaging their egos. They will talk among their agents and family on how to process the information overload. They will then decide on something that will drastically affect their NBA careers.

Through it all, one variable may emerge that has nothing to do with a potential owner’s vision, a potential coach’s playbook or a potential teammate’s personality. It will partly involve a medium that once only influenced the game through tipoff times and commercial breaks.

The NBA’s projected salary cap will balloon to record numbers in the 2016-17 season because of the league’s new television deal with ABC/ESPN and Turner through 2025 worth $2.67 billion per year.

That money will trickle down to the players with an increased salary cap ($67.1 million this season to $89 million next year). That will give free agents the chance to add amenities to their luxurious mansions, cars and yachts. But instead of valuing a maximum contract worth either four or five years, top free agents could pursue a one-year deal so their next contract coincides with the television deal’s start date.

“It used to be, ‘Let’s try to get as much as we can for as many years as we can,’” Lakers general managerMitch Kupchak said. “I’m not sure players will look at it that way during the offseason.”

That money will also trickle down to team owners with a larger luxury tax threshold ($76.8 million this season to $108 million next year). That will give front offices more room to spend without writing more checks to the NBA for exceeding spending limits. But instead of going on a shopping spree, teams also seem mindful they might have to save those resources for when players anticipate a bigger payday next season.

“We do have to balance how you use that money,” Kupchak said. “You have to change the way you think about evaluating players.”

Amid these two dynamics, Kupchak acknowledged, “I’m not sure how it’s going to play out.” Various executives and agents share that same sentiment.

WEIGHING THE RISK

Once LeBron James announced last summer he would return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the repercussions went beyond pushing Miami into a lottery team and Cavaliers into a championship contender. The narrative also went deeper than James returning to his hometown and receiving a warm ovation from the same fans who once burned his jerseys in disgust.

James also declined to sign a max contract with Cleveland, opting for a two-year, $42.1 million with full awareness that his contract would expire once the new television deal would raise the salary cap. He also opted out of his contract Sunday to presumably take another one-year deal.

Will other superstars follow suit?

“For any of the top guys that don’t have durability issues, they would have a tremendous amount of flexibility to do a one-year deal,” an NBA agent said. “Some of those guys will be well suited not to go for four or five years. Instead, they would be better off to do a deal that gives them some options.”

The Lakers will have enough money for one marquee free agent amid their $23 million in cap space assuming they decline a $9 million team option on Jordan Hill. But would Kupchak show a willingness to offer a one-year deal to that big-name player?

“Sure,” Kupchak said.

Yet, various league sources believe that logic will not apply to every marquee free agent.

Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Memphis’ Marc Gasol are both expected to pursue either a five-year deal worth $109 million with their respective teams, or a four-year deal worth $80 million with any of their many suitors. After all, Aldridge, 29, and Gasol, 30, are nearing Father Time, and any injury that happens next season could derail their chances at maximizing their fortunes. That concern appears less likely to apply to Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, his age (26) and lack of injury history giving him more reason to sign a one-year deal with any team.

With Kevin Love opting out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, thoughts seemed mixed on whether he will seek a one-year deal or a max contract with either Cleveland or the Lakers. Those concerns have less to do with his season-ending left shoulder injury. Instead, they have more to do with Love’s uncertainty with his role with Cleveland and how quickly the Lakers will rebuild.

Lastly, Chicago forward Jimmy Butler hopes to take his talents elsewhere and take advantage of the new television deal after his career year coincided with Tom Thibodeau’s firing and Derrick Rose’s chemistry issues. Although Butler wants to sign a one-year deal with the Lakers, according to a league source familiar with his thinking, the Bulls are expected to match any offer for the restricted free agent.

“There is no definitive answer on what each marquee free agent should do,” another NBA agent said. “It depends on each player and their set of circumstances.”

DOMINOES FALL

Those circumstances should ripple throughout the rest of the league.

Few believe any middle and lower-tier free agent will pass on any long-term deal. Those players have often considered long-term security their biggest priority in a league driven by superstars.

But many predicted NBA teams will try to secure various players next season to extensions, mindful that a hefty pay raise will pale to what will come when the new television deal becomes official. In the 2017-18 season, the NBA will enjoy increases again to its salary cap ($108 million) and luxury tax threshold ($127 million).

Kupchak called the Lakers’ current financial flexibility “a strategic advantage,” something that could become more pronounced amid these evolving circumstances. But despite having only $15 million allocated in guaranteed salary against the 2016-17 cap, a league source familiar with the Lakers’ thinking argued the new television could hurt the franchise long term. After all, every one of the 30 NBA teams can increase spending without depending on a lucrative cable deal to finance it.

“Just give us the rules and give us the numbers and that’s all the general managers need,” Kupchak said. “We’ll do the best we can under the existing rules and numbers.”

Other thoughts emerged from outside the Lakers.

Some also believe the new television contract will benefit the Lakers considering it correlates with a promising rebuilding process. The Lakers have a flush of young talent (D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson). Kobe Bryant’s $25 million contract also will expire after this season just when the new television deal will bring in more money. That led some to argue this dynamic will only hurt small-market teams despite their stronger ability to spend.

“The small-market teams are always going to lose recruiting battles to big-market teams when it comes to free agents,” said a league source on an opposing team. “On top of that, you also have lost the ability to harbor money for assets.”

ANTICIPATION

This whole issue has prompted Kupchak and the rest of the Lakers’ front office to spend a significant chunk of time studying spreadsheets. That way, the Lakers can anticipate free-agent behavior well before it begins late Tuesday night.

Yet, no amount of preparation made Kupchak sure what lies ahead, sparking him to echo a sentiment that many in the NBA share.

Said Kupchak: “I’m curious to see how that plays out this summer.”

Fact box

NBA’s new television deal: starts 2016-17 through 2025 worth $2.67 billion a year

Salary cap in 2015-16 ($67.1 million), in 2016-17 ($89 million), in 2017-18 ($108 million)

Luxury tax threshold in 2015-16 ($76.8 million), in 2016-17 ($108 million), in 2017-18 ($127 million)
Click to expand...

therealdeal, Jun 29, 2015

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tada - Lakers All Star -

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Man, these couple of weeks are intense!

June 25th - NBA draft
July 1st - free agency starts
July 10th - summer league starts

tada, Jun 29, 2015

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pound4pound said: ↑

DeAndre Jordan and a SF with whatever money we have left over
Click to expand...

x 1,000,000

tada, Jun 29, 2015

#2915

jerryr88 likes this.
therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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therealdeal, Jun 29, 2015

#2916

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therealdeal, Jun 29, 2015

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tada - Lakers All Star -

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Hmm... I'd be OK with LMA, but only if he agrees in principle to play major minutes as a C.

tada, Jun 29, 2015

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JLaker17 - Lakers Starter -

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So Aldridge likely to go to SA/Mavs
Jordan - Clips/Mavs
Monroe - NY

JLaker17, Jun 29, 2015

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JLaker17 said: ↑

So Aldridge likely to go to SA/Mavs
Jordan - Clips/Mavs
Monroe - NY
Click to expand...

I can totally see it happen. Lakers are mentioned EVERY time there's a trade on a horizon
I'm still ok with the Russell pick though.

Kenzo, Jun 29, 2015

#2920

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