Y'all forget about Anthony Davis? He's the best Center in the league imo. Cousins is a stronger offensive player, but I'm not sure he's quite the anchor that Davis is. AD took that Pelicans team to the playoffs with a roster that isn't as talented as most teams are in the West. I also like Davis' versatility. His ability to run the floor, step out and take the jumper, would really be the ideal piece for any team looking to run a small ball lineup.
AD is a pf. Asik plays center for them. Yes, AD gets minutes at center, but he's gets most of his minutes at pf.
Well sure, but he definitely should be a Power Forward the majority of the time. He's bigger now, but his frame still isn't huge. He'd take some punishment as a Center.
Garnett and Duncan are both 7 footers that prefered to be listed at 6-11 just to not be a 7 footer who is supposed to play C.
Heres a scenario: Durant lets Westbrook going for the kill this season, thinking this is a plan they did not try before. Westbrook takes the MVP of the season and they finish first in the league. First Round: Thunder-Lakers, who manage to squeak in to the 8th seed on the last game (on a Kobe game winner ). The Lakers surprisingly able to extend the series to 6 games showing alot of potential. Kobe walks to Durant and whispers in his ears they will talk in summer time. The Thunder meets the Spurs in a western finals dual (SA beat GS in 6 games). The Spurs win on game 7, and for OKC It ends in a bad way. Durant snaps at Westbrook for taking too much silly shots at a crucial game. A feud bursts between them in the summer. Durant shocks the basketball world and joins the Lakers. Kobe throws another surprise and signs another contract. The Lakers comes out of the grave.
Another Scenario: Darth Vader is shown in a flashback getting out of the funeral pyre. He reappears in Star Wars Episode VII where he pulls off his mask only to reveal Ultron. But then Ultron pulls off his mask to reveal Captain Kirk. Captain Kirk then takes on Zulu as his apprentice where they wield pink lightsabers because Zulu insists they be fabulous. This infuriates Kevin Durant and he leaves OKC to sign with Sacramento.
I love Westbrook, but is anybody else concerned about his style of game not aging too well? His game is based on a lot on his superior speed and athleticism, and in 2017 we'd be getting him at an age where he maybe only has 2 years of those explosive gifts left.
@EJones06 I don't see it any different than what Wade had to go through. It'll likely take a couple injuries to force him to adjust his style to address his career longevity. And he'll have to cut down on the minutes when he hits the other side of 30, start taking rests during long trips/4 games in 5 nights. In his early 30s, he may not average more than 65 games a year.
Agreed. I feel that because of the potential slowdown after he hits 30, we should maybe make a run at trading for him next offseason if Durant bolts to somewhere like Washington. Losing KD could make the Thunder more inclined to move him, and we could potentially offer a good package centered around 1 good young player (Randle, Clarkson, or Russell) + cap relief. We'd then still have 1 max slot to offer with Westbrook, 2 good young players, and maybe a discounted Kobe to pitch to a potential free agent.
I don't understand why everyone feels that the Lakers must sign a big name free agent. We have a great foundation and have a few guys that can develop into big names. If the FO just continues to add solid supporting players the team will develop into contenders for years to come. Just remember when contract negotiations come due for our currently young players we want to have the cap space to take of them and keep them. We don't need KD or Westbrook, with patience the Lakers will be just fine.
It's never a problem with "too much talent." The thing with our young players is that you still don't know how they will turn out. Yes, they could turn into stars, they could also be busts, or just good role players. You just never know. When you have the ability to sign an established superstar, especially one that has led the league in scoring, you don't hesitate to at least try and sign him. Big names earn them for a reason, because they've already developed and can contribute instantly. Not to mention, the draw they bring with their name (not like we as the Lakers need that, but it helps). Another thing to keep in mind is that these are OUR young players. If they do develop into players that will command money when the time comes, we will probably have their restrictive rights and will match any offer and go over the tax bracket if we need to. Money is not an issue for us.
