No way, the NBA owes us after the CP3 debacle that started this downward spiral. Plus that rat Stern is gone.
The good thing is that without MDA, Kobe doesn't have to play 40min when the game is already lost after 3 quarters !!
It's still only 2 games against 2 very good western conference teams. We'll need 2 or 3 more games before we can show better team chemistry.
You mean 2 or 3 more games which are against Clippers who always try to prove a point against us, Warriors who are probably going to score a bunch from the 3 and then Suns again who just kicked our butts.... Gonna need more than 2 or 3 games.
After seeing Randle of all people get hit by this 3 seasons now running curse we have on us, is it time to lock this thread? Just wow. I hate being "that" guy.
At least folks will stop saying how the Lakers try to fleece everybody in a trade. New Orleans looks good and so does Houston. I'd say the CP3 deal worked out fine for them. So Gilbert needs to stop b****in'
This is the most optomistic cold blooded and true thing I can say right now. Anthony Davis is or will soon be the top center in the N.B.A. He will outrebound Dwight and is a better (less stubborn) option on offense. His brand is untainted like the way Dwight did Orlando, Stan Van, Lin and Kobe. He is likely to be voted into the all star game (wont you vote with me and hopefully China will help?) Dwights legacy should vanish before it even started. I will be watching the Houston New Orleans match. If New Orleans goes further or eliminates the rockets, its all on. Think that one over. As for us, I think we will beat the suns the next team we play them. Swaggy P will return, and I think that is all the optimism I can muster for now.
I am very optimistic that this guy will be wearing a Laker jersey next year. Sixers will be the only team I can think of that may have a worse record than us but i can't see them taking another big man. Okafor and Randle will be a great combo.
I am also a big fan of Stanley Johnson. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...e-best-two-way-prospect-in-the-2015-nba-draft
Im good with either one of them. Since i don't think any superstar is walking thru that door, let's build a team from scratch, using every draft pick possible.
Yes. We need to assemble some real talent on this team before we can attract any more free agents. Kobe is Kobe. Ed Davis looks pretty good. Lin is more talented than he looks right now. That's about it. We definitely need some top talent on this team. The thought of playing with a young talented big man like Okafor could help us land someone to replace Kobe in 2016.
Honestly to get that pick we need to finish in the bottom four otherwise the NBA will find a way to give that pick to Gilbert.
We need someone. Tanking is not in Kobe's blood, so he'll run himself into the ground trying to get wins every night, shouldering the offensive load. But this isn't 2005. He'll injure himself this year, or fade out from exhaustion. A scoring tweener PF, or a dead-eye perimeter shooter.
yep. i think the lakers need to finish bottom two to be safe, actually. that's the only way they couldn't possibly be screwed out of their pick. i think they can do it. the east bottom feeders have to play each other. the lakers have to play like 40 games against 50-win teams. only the sixers are clearly worse on paper, imo. maybe indy?
Well accounting for how bad we look and the fact that we will almost certainly suffer more injuries... I'm thinking we could definitely finish in the bottom two. I've never wished this for the Lakers, but... I hope they sit Kobe towards the end of the year if he's still healthy. Let him go home and spend time with his kids just like last year. It's not worth the extra wear on his bones. Our future is brighter if we get that top 5 pick than it is without.
Here's some backhanded optimism for you: The Lakers might be the worst team in the West. The Kings have a better roster. The Jazz have a better roster. The Suns, Pelicans, and Nuggets have a better roster. We MIGHT be better on paper than the Timberwolves, but they're certainly young and dynamic. In the East we might be the 3rd or 4th worst team in front of Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Orlando, and maybe Detroit. Even then, it's close to those last three. Now I won't say that we'll be the worst team in the West when it's all said and done. I don't think Kobe could live with that. Part me hopes that Kobe has a minor injury that the Lakers tell him to milk and just go home. Let Byron and the staff work with the young guys and just relax and get ready for next season. Because if Kobe lets the team do poorly and we end up with a top 5 pick here's what could end up happening: 1. Draft one of Mudiaye, Towns, or Okafor. 2. Get Randle back healthy. 3. Have 40 million dollars to spend on free agents. Hello RFAs and UFAs. 4. Success again. Here's a scenario for you guys: - We stink it up all season and get a top pick in the draft. We draft Karl Towns or Jahlil Okafor. - Renounce our rights to Sacre, Lin, Hill, Johnson, Henry, Boozer, and Price, and let Ed Davis opt out. - Immediately offer a max contract to Klay Thompson or Kawhi Leonard. Grab one of 'em, probably Thompson. - Re-sign Lin and Davis to friendly deals. Lin- 4/21.5 million. Davis 4/21.5 million. - That leaves only a couple million left before the cap. Use it to bring in more minimum level guys like Henry, Johnson, and Price. Bring back Rob on a min deal. Roster 2015/2016 Lin/Clarkson/Price Kobe/Henry Thompson/Johnson Randle/Kelly Davis/Okafor/Sacre More balance, more youth, more talent. Then in 2016 Kobe comes off the books, the cap REALLY explodes and you're looking at enough room to add Durant and more. There's blue skies ahead ya'll! Just have to suffer through 81 more games of darkness.
