2016 Rumor Mill: Trades and Players to Watch

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by Doc Brown, Dec 23, 2015.

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  1. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    i should probably read the piece, but i don't buy kd to gs for the reasons jones states. he seems like less of a pansy than lebron in terms of competitiveness.

    i do think he and westbrook both need to think long and hard about whether okc will ever ascend the mountain top, though.

    i'll go with the chalk and say kd signs a two year with a player option, then considers gs-ish options if things don't improve next year.
     
    abeer3, Feb 2, 2016
    #401
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  2. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Actually I think if he signs the 1+1 we have a better shot the next summer. We'll have gotten rid of Scott and presumably spent our cash on a couple of decent players. If the young kids make a leap we at least look like a team that can do something. Either way, the door on Durant is going to close quickly. Hopefully we are smart enough to focus on other areas of need in the meantime.
     
    therealdeal, Feb 2, 2016
    #402
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  3. EJones06

    EJones06 - Rookie -

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    I agree. Which is why I think we need to offer a deal to Harrison Barnes right at the drop of free agency. Force the Warriors hand early. Ideally, they won't match as they sit and wait on KD.
     
    EJones06, Feb 2, 2016
    #403
  4. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I'd be fine with this move because that'd still leave us over 30 million dollars to spend too. It's not like we couldn't continue to talk to other FAs while we wait or something. We have a butt load of money to spend. I'd be fine using it to force GS to make a move while we also continue to look around.
     
    therealdeal, Feb 2, 2016
    #404
  5. GoldenKnight

    GoldenKnight - Rookie -

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    Russell, Clarkson, Durant, Simmons, Whiteside /// Randle

    With the right coach, KD can turn into a legend if he leads this team to the promised land.
     
    GoldenKnight, Feb 2, 2016
    #405
  6. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Why would he do that though? That team isn't any better than the Clippers or the Rockets. He wouldn't win a ring here for at least a year or two, maybe more.
     
    therealdeal, Feb 2, 2016
    #406
  7. Alcindor

    Alcindor - Lakers Starter -

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    If KD does this it's a straight up wuss move worse than The Decision. At least Miami wasn't winning championships when LBJ planned his chicken s*** coup.

    That said it also seems totally out of character for KD and I'm taking this one with a grain of salt. Also GSW aren't going to increase scoring and it's not an area they need help in. Is KD gonna be ok with 13ppg like Barnes? Dude averages 28. You know Curry and Thompson are gonna get theirs. I'm sure he'd do somewhere in between and take some other's points but I don't see why the Dubs mess with anything right now. Certainly if Curry or Thompson went down, still having KD would be a huge luxury but what a shake up.
     
    Alcindor, Feb 2, 2016
    #407
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  8. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    I just can't imagine KD going there. I'm honestly not even sure he helps the Warriors. Are they simply grabbing him so he doesn't help someone else? They are such a well-oiled machine right now, why mess with it? KD will likely do a 1 and 1. Makes too much sense not to. Right now, OKC gives him the best chance to win (other than with GS) so wait until Westbrook is a FA so they can leave together or stay together. He isn't going to sign a 4 year deal and then have Westbrook leave the next season leaving him by himself for 3 years.
     
    Savory Griddles, Feb 2, 2016
    #408
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  9. wcsoldier81

    wcsoldier81 - Lakers All Star -

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    Good point.

     
    wcsoldier81, Feb 3, 2016
    #409
  10. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    There are very few sports reporters I trust more than Woj. There is no way he runs with this if he isn't getting this from some big time sources. It may not happen, but I don't doubt that this is being discussed at all.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Feb 3, 2016
    #410
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  11. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Yep. Woj is in fact the exact opposite of Stephen A. Smith. Woj wouldn't run with a story unless it had legs. He was careful to point out that no decisions have been made, but the point of the article I think was to emphasize that Durant will not be going ANYWHERE if that team isn't competitive. Right now there's no greater competition than Golden State. If Durant wants to win multiple rings, that's the place he'd go.

    Let's look at this from another perspective though: there was a line in there about the Lakers. Did any of you notice how that line was broken out into it's own paragraph? The line read something like: "Durant wants to go somewhere competitive which leaves the Lakers little if any chance."

    Why include that line? To take a shot at Smith? I don't think so. Is it also strange how last night the Lakers looked a lot better and Scott's rotation made 1000% more sense? Why is Tarik Black magically freed for this game? Why is Kobe magically better in this game?

    Conspiracy theory: That article was written to scare the Lakers into action. Durant has other options, why pick the Lakers if the Lakers are going to suck? If they want a shot, they better start improving in a real hurry!

    *takes off tinfoil hat*
     
    therealdeal, Feb 3, 2016
    #411
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  12. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    I definitely picked up on the note about the Lakers. It's clear he wanted to make sure everyone saw that part and didn't gloss over it.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Feb 3, 2016
    #412
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  13. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    Woj is always seemingly mentioning the Lakers in a negative light in his editorials. It's probably because we don't leak anything to him.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Feb 3, 2016
    #413
  14. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I think he's just being honest... We're a mess. He's not going to mince words to make us feel better unlike some of our beat guys who need locker room access.
     
    therealdeal, Feb 3, 2016
    #414
  15. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    Of course. We all know that, though. He didn't report anything groundbreaking. He's just upset because Mitch operates in silence.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Feb 3, 2016
    #415
  16. fabfourlakers

    fabfourlakers - Lakers Starter -

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    I wish the KD/Westbrook to LA rumors would just stop. At this point, we don't even DESERVE to have either of those guys, and it wouldn't be a good career move at all for either of them to come here.

    Lets just focus on getting guys like Barnes and Derozan. Both are younger and cheaper and fill a need.
     
    fabfourlakers, Feb 3, 2016
    #416
  17. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I don't know him personally so I don't know if Woj holds a grudge like that.

    I think this was in response directly to what Stephen A. Smith said earlier in the week.
     
    therealdeal, Feb 3, 2016
    #417
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  18. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    I don't know him personally; I'm just piecing together circumstantial evidence that I've found in his editorials over the past year or so...
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Feb 3, 2016
    #418
  19. alam1108

    alam1108 - Lakers Legend -

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    Michael WallaceESPN Staff Writer
    [​IMG]
    Here's the thing about Hassan Whiteside: Despite the major boost he provided off the bench in the second quarter, he still got an earful from Goran Dragic about poor positioning on his screen setting at one point. Whiteside excels at the flashy and eye-catching things but still struggles with the minor details and small things.
     
    alam1108, Feb 3, 2016
    #419
  20. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers MVP -

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    I love the Durant to the Warriors bit. I hope it happens. We can happily snatch HB from them effortlessly.

    We can also offer the max to Horford. Young and exciting who can grow together.

    Horford
    Randle
    Barnes
    Clarkson
    Russell
     
    KareemtheGreat33, Feb 3, 2016
    #420
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