So what is the strategy for this team to succeed? I think the important points are: 1) Defence Defence Defence. 2) Players understanding Kobe as he finds alot of open guys (mainly the big guys Randle/Hibbert). 3) Let Clarkson get in the zone, be a part of the game (and it is hard when you've got Kobe and Randle trying to prove themselves). 4) The bench should be one of the strongest in the league. If Young gets it right, it should be fun. 5) Health. 6) Russel showing something special.
Looking at the FA in 2017 instead of 2016... I wouldn't be opposed to Kobe on a big one year deal again honestly as long as the young guys are developing nicely. I still definitely want additions and preferably additions of the max caliber kind, but in 2016 we're looking basically at Durant and then 2nd tier guys. In 2017 we're looking at: Point Guards: Westbrook, Teague, Rose, Holiday, Chris Paul (PO), Stephen Curry, George Hill, Ty Lawson, Darren Collison, and Kyle Lowry (PO). Shooting Guards: Tyreke Evans, JJ Redick, Kyle Korver, Tony Allen, and (my favorite) Gordon Hayward (PO). Small Forwards: Andre Iguodala, Rudy Gay (PO), and KJ McDaniels (PO). Power Forwards: Zach Randolph, Taj Gibson, Blake Griffin (PO), Serge Ibaka, Paul Milsap (PO), Josh McRoberts (PO), Nick Collison, and Patrick Peterson. Centers: Biyombo, Greg Monroe (TO), Bogut, and Splitter. The pot is MUCH better in 2017 than 2016... Obviously I want to add a max player next summer, but if we preserved room for two maxes again in 2017 somehow I think we've got the smell of a dynasty brewin'. Say we locked in our Center this summer on a max deal (whether it's Hibbert or Noah or something). The next summer we could lock down Westbrook AND Ibaka or Griffin, make a run at Iguodala or something. I mean we've got a chance to make an enormous splash in FA in 2017 if Westbrook comes to LA. That's all contingent of course on being competitive this year and having the young guys grow. Just saying that this summer's FA isn't going to that great compared to the year after. Especially if Durant's foot really is messed up!
Great post real, but this part here: Oh no, you didn't. I know what you're thinking, and you're looking forward to 2017 and all, but... no. I am definitely not opposed to Kobe coming back. I am one of his biggest fans here (OK, maybe not as big as trodgers ), but he needs to take less money. Or if he wants to retire, come back as an assistant coach or something. Him and Nash would be amazing, working with our young players and helping them develop. Those guys are basketball legends. But I am against any big contracts, except if we are giving them to younger, legitimate superstars.
Next season's free agent is Durant...Conely..............everyone else. I would not be surprised to see us make an unsuccessful pitch at Durant. Then just hunker down until the next offseason while our kids mature a bit more. That would NOT reflect poorly on our ability to land a top free agent as I think Durant is in a similar situation as Lebron last year. He stays put or he goes to his hometown. Ibaka/Westbrook and Wall/Beal are both better than Russell/Randle/Clarkson at the moment. And both OKC and the District have a personal connection to Durant in a way LA does not. We are in for a long rebuild, guys. Even if Russell AND Randle end up being studs, and Clarkson keeps improving the way he is...heck, even if Upshaw becomes a defensive anchor for us....if all our dreams come true with our young kids, we are still 3-4 years away from realistically contending. We are really, REALLY young.
The point is preserving that cap space for one more season. I don't care if it's Kobe or someone else, I'd be behind the Jordan Hill type of contract that gives us a ton of room in the summer of 2017. It's one season, big cash, then see you later.
@therealdeal I was all on the Westbrook train a year ago but now? What do you do with Russell? Clarkson? Those two dudes play his position(s) not to mention his game is similar to Clarkson's. I know you take Wesbtrook over Clarkson every day....but what happened to getting young talent on cheap contracts? Sure....Russell/Westbrook/Kobe/Randle/Hibbert....is that a championship team though?
I love what I'm seeing from Clarkson, but I'm not taking him over Westbrook any time soon. Westbrook does all the things that Jordan can do but better. Having two of those guys on your team isn't a bad thing. If you keep Clarkson, either he or Russell is off the bench. When it's all said and done Russell won't turn 25 until 2020 or something. Go get Westbrook and worry about the rest later. As for what team is a championship team: firstly- it's a hell of a lot closer than what we're looking at right now. Secondly- maybe not. But if you re-sign Hibbert and Kobe this summer as your two big moves, you go into 2017 with at least two max contract slots and no Kobe. Go get Westbrook and then pick from the rest of that fantastic group. You could add Griffin and Westbrook that summer if you tried hard enough. My favorite though is Gordon Hayward and Westbrook. Russell/Clarkson Westbrook/Williams Hayward/Young? McDaniels? Randle/Black Hibbert/Upshaw Is that a championship team? I think at that point it'd be pretty damn close. Assuming everyone is healthy of course.
Cap space doesn't mean much for the Lakers. A lot of teams will have space to sign a max contract and some with two like us. As we have seen the last few years, marquee free agents don't want to sign with us untill we have some decent players to build on. Houston wasn't jack until they got Harden and Parsons stepped up.
Which is why I was careful to point out that it's contingent on the young guys performing well so we can get something going either this summer or next. :Smile:
I just think signing Westbrook really dampens one of those kid's ability to develop. Sure if we get 2 FA's like Westbrook and Hayward, you go for the kill. But Westbrook will be pushing 28 by the time we get him. Hayward would be 26 or something. Yeah I wouldn't be opposed to that. I'm just going to say what I've been saying the past couple of days - What the hell is the Lakers plan? Is there a plan? Is there a Plan A? Plan B? Is Plan B to develop whoever we have right now? Is Plan A to lowkey develop them while secretly trying to add big name FA's every summer, and if we strike out "well we're focusing on developing our young talent". It'd be nice to know, ya know.
Westbrook? Why? he puts up nice stats and has a few OMG plays a month but he's a mental midget when it comes to pressure situations. He's always thought he's the best player in OKC and has shot them out of more series than he's helped them in. To me he seems like fools gold. Bringing him in as "the man" would seem to be a huge mistake for a rebuilding team. A dominant Center or SF is what we need.... not another ball dominant guard.
Honestly I'm guessing Mitch is going to try to find a trade at the deadline. It's been shown FA doesn't work for us (or most anyone for that matter) and Mitch is better in the trade machine anyway. I'm guessing he tries to swing a trade at the deadline somehow like he did with Pau (and no I have no idea who that would be). Something that'll make us more interesting in FA this summer.
It'd have to be a PG or an SF. If we want Durant, getting an SF isn't smart. But if we get a PG then that sends a crappy message to D'Angelo. I was one of the few Laker fans still on the "win now" wagon...I still am to an extent but depending on how Kobe looks this year it might be more wise to build our young talent and swing for an FA in 2018. I'm win-now if we win with Kobe. If we aren't getting Kobe #6 then let's make sure whatever squad we are putting together is going to dominate for years.
yeah, i'd be looking for good players on bad teams that will have a chance to get out after NEXT year. despite henry abbott's senior thesis, it's obvious players are still interested in playing for la, but the best way to acquire them is in a trade wherein the player has some degree of leverage (like how the lakers got dwight and the knicks got melo). i'll still be eyeing cousins if sac goes down the tubes, but there will be others, perhaps even some surprises.
Of course priority #1 should be KD. But if we strike out, and we probably will, I'd go hard after Giannis Antetocan'tspellhislastname from Milwaukee. He's gonna be a superstar. That rectifies our small forward problem, and we are dangerous for the next decade.
Honestly I just get the talent and then deal with it later. Someone won't be happy during the season, but I don't care. I just want talent right now. It's part of why I was okaaaaay with getting Lawson even if I wasn't excited about it. Get a guy who has talent that's in a position where the team wants to go in a new direction. There's not always a Pau available, but there might be a Cousins or something of that nature.
Yep, the name I keep circling around to is Cousins. If/when the Karl situation blows up we might be able to snag him for pennies. Sure he's a knucklehead, but he's so damn talented. He might be the best Center in the NBA right now.
I agree. If the Cousins situation continues to be a dumpster fire, we may be able to sneak in there. The problem I see is the Kings would likely fire Karl before they trade Cousins. And Cousins would have to force his way here. Even then it would still probably cost us one of our young three. I know we might be able to rape the Kings in a trade, but I doubt we get away with rape and murder by sending them like Nance and Black for Cousins. But if Russell OR Randle starts to come around and we trade the lesser of those two for Cousins, you do it. Cousins plus Clarkson and an emerging Russell/Randle IS enough to get Durant to give us a look. It would probably be better for us is it is Randle that emerges as opposed to Russell because Cousins/Randle/?/Kobe/Clarkson is more inviting than Cousins/?/?/Russell/Clarkson. Durant has a lot of respect for Kobe.
