2024-25 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by TIME, May 22, 2024.

  1. pika1708

    pika1708 - Lakers Starter -

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    Well...the current champions and still the best team in the league are wing/guard heavy. The previous ones had only 1 center, the backup was a wing or DeAndre Jordan. The ones before that had Draymond as backup 5. So there's actually pretty glaring evidence of the opposite you're arguing


    Btw, I'm not anti AD at the 4. I have defended that for years and we should have that option. But people constantly forget that our title closeup team had AD at the 5 and Markieff or Kuzma at the 4. The 2 bigs get overblown. It only works against a few teams, one of them being the team that knocked us out of the PO twice in a row, as we've seen how they struggled against Cleveland and Minny.

    But it's not salvaging this team. It is only useful as another option to have in our team and throw different challenges to opponents.
     
  2. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Because it's the players that you have, that makes your team special. It's not some kind of blueprint to winning a chip out there. Milwaukee won a chip with 3 guys 6-10, 6'11 in their core, Middleton is 6'8.

    You are supposed to build around, your best guys period. We won a chip by going big. Haven't done anything of note, since going away from that

    No. AD was our starting 4, Javale was the starting 5,and Dwight avg around 20 min a game. Sometimes you just be spouting off nonsense man.

    We happened to play against some small ball teams in the bubble, so AD at 5 made sense. However we were also the best team in the NBA period, before Covid hit. Playing big.

    Look at the rosters of our Championship teams. Bigs win
     
  3. pika1708

    pika1708 - Lakers Starter -

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    You're the one that makes stuff up. I said closeup team. We started big but finished with AD at the 5. We don't win that title without Markieff.

    Howard didn't play against the Rockets and played 1 and 8 minutes against Miami. Played a grand total of 3 games over 20 minutes in the whole playoffs run.
    McGee didn't play against Miami, played 2, 5 and 8min against Denver, and 0, 3, 7, 8 against Houston. Played a max 14 minutes in any playoff game that year.

    Yes, we do need another center. Everyone on this board agrees and says the same. But it is for optionality and depth, to give us more options to mix and match, will never be our plan A and it never was.

    This whole "bubble team repeat" is overblown every now and then. What we are missing the most is a KCP/Caruso to defend guards. And Rui to give us what Kieff/Kuz gave us, which he can't consistently. And a Bron with 7 months rest before the playoffs and 4 years younger.
     
  4. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    What part of, we played small ball teams don't you get? Houston started a 6'7 Robert Covington at center dude. Miami was a small ball team, Denver had size so we played Dwight more. It's the matchups.

    Kieff is 6'8, Kuz 6-10, Lebron is 6'9, Green 6'6, KCP and Caruso 6'5, then we had AD and two other bigs. We had a big team.
     
  5. pika1708

    pika1708 - Lakers Starter -

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    And what teams are you expecting to face in the road to the Finals? we need another center with AD against Denver and Minny, that's it.

    Yes, we had a big team and we should have it. But you just listed 6 guys who are wings and guards, not centers. That's what made that team special. We need those big and good defender wings/guards more than anything else.
     
  6. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    I have no idea dude, it's not garunteed that Minnesota or Denver do s*** in the playoffs. We might not play either one of them. Dallas made it to the Finals. Recent history suggests that they won't repeat that feat.

    We won a chip, because AD and Lebron were dominant period. What helped them be dominant, was the mixture of size we had, on the wings and in the paint.

    Your idea if how we are supposed to play is yours, I don't have to agree with it.

    Two quality bigs elevates this team IMO. We already have size on the wings as is. I'm expecting Vando to be back in the playoffs, if not we could use a replacement, with size. I only care about maximizing my team. Make the other teams adjust to you.
     
  7. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

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    Where did I say anything about 2 bigs? I said we were big at every position and beat teams with defense. We had lineups of AC, KCP, LeBron, Kuz, and AD, with guys like Green, Morris, MCGee/Howard on the benc, that’s BIG. So no, there isn’t glaring evidence an argument I didn’t make, but nice try. Also, water is wet, have fun playing contrarian on that one. Well, akschully, water is only moist in its liquid form, if you change the molecules around it can be frozen solid herr herr.
     
  8. pika1708

    pika1708 - Lakers Starter -

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    Just in the previous post you said "it's the matchups". Now you're saying "I have no idea" and "make other teams adjust to you". Pick a line man...

    It's a discussion, you're laying out your arguments and I'm laying out mine. You don't have to agree with me. Neither do I need to agree with you, it's a discussion, it's all good, we all want the same
     
  9. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Meh.. two different topics..
    I said it was the matchups in the bubble specifically. You bring up only needing a big for Minnesota or Denver. I have no idea if we'd play either one of them. That doesn't deter my opinion, on picking up Vucevic and Valancunas at all. Again I think that would elevate my team period. Depending on the matchups, both might play a lot in whatever series.

    I would go with Vucevic and AD, against everyone. Vucevic is more valuable to me than Valanciunas, and if he's the only big we picked up, I'm good with that.

    Drilling down on that statement, Vucevic is my prime acquisition target period. Over any wing or guard. Is that clear enough for you now?
     
  10. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    The LeBron/AD era is over.
    Our brilliant FO will try to convince AD that they will get someone to pair him with this summer.
    I would prefer that he doesn’t ask out this summer, but have zero confidence in our FO being able to convince him to stay.
     
  11. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    It's not over yet, but the sands are dwindling in the hour glass.
     
  12. OX1947

    OX1947 - Lakers MVP -

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    Dude, it’s been over. Since the draft.
     
  13. OX1947

    OX1947 - Lakers MVP -

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    Jeanie needs to sell to the Guggenheim’s. Only way to fix this.
     
  14. 432J

    432J - Lakers All Star -

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    i thought this team was good as long as AD and lebron were playing at a high level?
     
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  15. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

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    Bingo. We need an owner or ownership group who does this for fun/to win, not one who’s dependent on ticket sales to pay the rent. We’re likely not going to win again with Jeanie at the helm, your friends and family aren’t the most qualified for the job, hell we don’t even HAVE a GM, Bob Todd is the president of basketball operations. The Los Angeles freaking Lakers should have a GM. Love or hate LeBron, he saved this franchise as it was circling the drain, and I’m not sure I see a star out there willing to try the same thing currently, not sure any are built for it or would want to be surrounded by G-Leaguers.
     
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  16. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    You watched the game didn't you?
     
  17. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    NO
     
  18. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Yeah well the Denver Nuggets" potential dynasty" are 11-9, should they just tear it all down, and go full rebuild mode too?
     
  19. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

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    Well, no, they have the best player in the world, and he’s only about to be 30. They did f*** up though, they’re cheap and let KCP walk. As far as titles though, with their current roster they are done, they need to make some moves for sure, even their fans will admit that. They should be going all in even more than us, you can’t finish Jokic’s career with him getting only 1 ring, he’s a possibly once ever player of that caliber for that franchise.

    We’re absolutely close to being a blow it all up team though, of our youth only really Reaves and Dalton look like they are worth hanging on to, LeBron will be retired within 2 years, and AD isn’t the main dude on a title team.
     
  20. KuzmoBall17

    KuzmoBall17 - Lakers Starter -

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    Portland is tanking hard lost to NBA worst team Utah by 42points.NBA should have some kind of fines
     

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