2022-23 Team Developments: News / Trades / Free Agents / Rumors

I was just editing and added I would trade for Rozier, as an example.
Absolutely we have to believe in good health if we have them both for 2 more years after this one. It's just that it should be weighed in that information. It's not "I'm not trading 1 or 2 picks at all'. It's 'I can trade them but for the right deal'.
Bojan is good but he is old and a bad defender. That's 2 of our 3 needs (build pieces for the future, if we're trading picks, defense and shooting). I don't think it's worth it. You do that trade if we are Memphis, Phoenix, Cavs and so on, teams that are one piece away. We are not one piece away.

Let me give you 2 scenarios if we get Bojan:
- he comes, fits perfectly, LeBron and AD are healthy and we win a chip (or even make a run to the WCF)
- he hits a wall (Lakers' curse?) OR one of LeBron/AD is out later in the season. We don't make it past the play-in or get kicked in the first round

At this point, what's the most likely? Is it even close?

 

It's a self fulfilling prophecy if we do nothing though. Bron and AD haven't played like this during the same season since the bubble. Yes, we have to get some version of the best versions of themselves to line up and play together still, but if we do nothing then we wasted two of the best individual runs we've seen since Kobe was playing at an elite level. And not to give help to players who have shown they can do that THIS YEAR is grounds to be fired. The whole time AD was the best two way player in the league during his run this season, I said this is not sustainable. He's going to get hurt. You have to get him help. Guess what. We didn't. He did. It is the same thing happening right now with Bron. At 38, he can't keep doing this. We are being irresponsible as an organization and putting our best player at risk every night. He's going to get hurt UNLESS we lessen the load and get the man some help. He's earned it this year. The fact that they have to sing for their lunch this year to get the front office to get off their a** is pathetic and an embarrassment to the Laker brand (it's going to cost us with future FAs). But that's what they are doing, time to pay the check and get them someone(s) who can help move the needle in their favor.

If we get them something before long, we have a good shot at avoiding the play-in which removes two of those high end competitive playoff games. Longer we wait, the less likely that's realistic.

We don't know what this team is going to be in 4 or 6 years. But anyone with two working eyes can see the flux of the West and what our hall of famers can do. I don't trust Rob's ability to build from scratch (post-Bron). So I would rather take a swing while we have Bron and AD at this level. Anyone else remember the post-Kobe years? And yes, I'll take a 33% at a ring vs. a top 10 pick in 4 years. Our scouts can find lotto picks in the second round. Don't care about it as a trade asset either because I don't trust our front office to do the right thing. They'll use it for their 3 star model (LaVine, Beal) + mins which won't work. I'd rather live in the here and now vs. lala land of what dreams may come (but won't).

GS is a mess with their two timeline structure. Klay is a gamble. Steph isn't an iron man. Dray is cooked. Wiggins is a great #3. If they don't deal the kids to secure a run, even more reason to pounce.

Suns are an injury riddled mess and about time. CP has taken a swan dive off the cliff of being a top end PG in high leverage situations. Booker is hurt, when he's back they'll have a tiring climb ahead. They don't believe in their team which is why they're asking for a starter for Crowder. If...if AD is healthy, Suns get crushed in 5 games.

Clipps are never nor will they ever be healthy. Paper champs. Unfortunately for them, playoff games aren't won that way.

 

yeah I'm not down with the Bojan trade

love his skillset, but at this point given the very few assets we have, we should be focusing on guys we can eventually flip back for picks if we are rebuilding, not rentals.

Bojan is more than likely going to be a rental for 1 year and a half, and then he'll be 35yo and likely have very low trade value even if we resign him.

 

Like I said our two and a first are worth three from another organisation. I’d do that.

 

the thing with a guy like OG, is that he's young enough and has a wide skillset that we can flip him back for picks at any time during his tenure.

that's the kind of guy we should be targeting, even if we don't have enough assets for OG.

 

That’s the way I see it. And we need perimeter defence, which he has in spades.

 

A agree 1000% and was going to write up a “what are we doing then?” post as well before I read yours. If you aren’t totally committed to this core then tear it all down this summer. They have to keep LeBron because of “business reasons,” but everyone except for the young guys should just be traded. I’m willing to bet that this whole army of cooks FO strategy is why we currently are half in and half out. The injury excuse and fake timelines are just thin veils to cover up the fact that our FO is either to scared to go all in, or they just can’t decide amongst themselves.

 

IF Toronto were willing to play ball, it would take Reaves, Max AND both our Firsts- unprotected. I like OG, but that’s way too much to give up for him.

 

We are going to avoid the play in as is IMO. We are right in the mix now, and have two decent young role players returning soon, and a MVP caliber player right after that. We should be patient and wait for a better deal than I've seen posted yet. Somebody is going to be available on the buyout market too, as usual. I'm looking at smaller deals myself. Chris Boucher isn't a bad pickup from Toronto, he's not coming attached to any picks. PJ Washington doesn't have to come with a FRP attached or Reddish can be a 2nd. There are guys that haven't even been discussed that will pop up on the radar by the trade deadline, this happens every season.

We have 3 draft picks in this upcoming draft, and some solid young talent on board already. We can grow their salaries into these mid level pieces everyone is talking about.

We have 2 HOF that can still ball, and a 3rd in his prime. Couple that with a solid group of youngsters, and 3 draft picks to add to that? We are in a good position moving forward IMO. We only owe the Pelicans 1 more FRP. The cupboard is far from bare.

THIS season tho? I'm with Darvin and the FO here...the team is coming together, and we have big-time reinforcements on the way. Play it out, if AD is going to get hurt again, what's the point of giving up future FRP? I need to see him make it to the Playoffs, or he needs to be on the block this summer, 3 seasons is long enough. I say that and I love having AD on this team. As Cookie says though.... " Availability is a big part of the equation ".

 

This is the soundest FO viewpoint that I can imagine right now. At least from a FO that isn't a bunch of p****-footed "let's react now to everything" throng of newbs. Realize we aren't bad off if we assume an injury-free, mostly available future.

I know that's hard but we are about the scariest thing out there if we are. In the West for sure. A trade for a wing (yes, Bogdanović) using a single FRP, Pat Bev and NOT Max C. Works great. At full strength, tell me who can beat us. C-Bags are lone challenge. The Classic Lakers vs C-Bags again

 

I’m not so sure. Maybe it takes one of our young players, maybe it takes 2 and a swap. But if it’s too much we won’t do it.

 

I get your point here.

We are taking a gamble for sure if we trade for Bojan but I could live with the risk.

Also, I’m not fixated on a particular guy. I’m pretty open to players as long as they fit and present a skill set we can use.

 

just going to keep repeating that what's out there in the press is, at best, the half of the story that a given source wants them to have. for example, shams's latest with the "these guys are going to be sought after at the deadline" is most definitely a list of "guys who have been widely available for months whose teams are trying to pump their value because they DESPERATELY want to move them". "josh richardson is a guy everyone wants" said nobody that doesn't work for san antonio.

this idea that the lakers are brad beal or bust is a complete invention largely championed by folks who hate the lakers or laker fans who hate the front office more than they like the team. the idea that if a trade hasn't been made by now it's because a) we're not going to or b) we can't agree internally is also something without any tangible support.

we have been and will be burning up the phone lines up until the deadline. and even then if nothing happens, it won't be because someone was trying to trick somebody. it will be because the thing we wanted/needed didn't happen. again, this is what happened in the summer. and you saw those deals! they sucked!

 

I don't think the Pacers deal sucked and should've taken that swing while it was available.

 

we've been over this, but we don't even know if that offer would have been accepted. word (i think directly from our front office in this case) was that herb simon wanted to see his team on the floor before making a trade. if that were true, then the deal was never going to happen, regardless of the offer. indy had to want to punt their season, and they didn't appear ready to do so. and they look smart right now (we'll see what happens later) for doing so.

btw, even if we did the indy deal i still think we start the season poorly, and then everyone is like "you mortgaged the next decade for this!"

 

Didn't want to spend too long on this because at this point, it's spilled milk and the trade (whether it was at the 1 yard line or the 50 yard line) is long gone.

I'll keep it short...
Before the season, it could have been done and nearly was. Team construction points to it, Rob pushing his presser, media members thinking it be announced by the time they got back to the office on Monday, word that they were at the goal line, and the Pacers going after Ayton all support that. They didn't think Turner was going to re-up and I think they realized early on that Mathurin can/ should eat into Buddy's minutes.

Once the season started, obviously their owner is going to try to leverage more out of us and also explain why to fans nothing was done. Then they realized they were actually good and weren't going to be in the Wemby race and that's where the deal died on the table.


Back to today, I'm not even sure Bojan Bogdanovic is the best deal. Not willing to die on that hill. I just want the team to make the best deal they can find to improve this team and am willing to dump a pick to do so. I'd dump two of a deal presents itself, but I don't think there's a two pick deal out there right now.

 

i get it; though i think the goal line could mean that the owner got involved and said no or something.

 

Bobby Marks has an article out this morning with ESPN Insider breaking down each Western Conference team in preparation of the trade deadline. Here's the blurb about the Lakers and the trades he'd like to see from us.

For that Knicks one, I'd throw in Jones and a couple 2nds and get Cam included too.

Richardson, Quickley, Svi, and Cam for Nunn, Jones, and Beverley is a solid flip.

 

richardson is a very slight upgrade over bev (even that's arguable, imo).

quickley's got potential still and is a nice low-cost schroder replacement. but the knicks play him 27mpg. i guess the pick is helpful, but they'd probably want schroder, too, ironically. does that help us this year?

these seem like things i might do as a last resort. definitely not until i know where the bigger names have gone.