Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

Thank goodness I don't need to worry about DRoz coming

 

How about we retain a modicum of dignity and ignore them too like they do us. Be happy with those who meet with us and interested in playing here. Not a good business model going forward but just for this one FA period lol.

 

So how many wins if we get Whiteside?

I was thinking with this young core next season we can maybe win around 25-30 games. That's a reasonable expectation.

To me if we get Whiteside and some solid veterans like Noah, Deng, Dudley, etc. I honesty believe we could at least be a borderline playoff team which would be around 40 wins or so. I think that's doable.

I just think Whiteside changes so much for us. He's a terrific player. Instantly upgrades the defense. Offensively he's not all that skilled, but he can do the things we need him to do like finish in the paint, offensive boards, setting solid screens, rim running. Basically to me a slightly better version of DeAndre Jordan.

It's a great fit for Randle although the spacing would be a challenge having someone who can cover up his mistakes. We'd be ridiculously athletic. One of the most athletic teams in the NBA. Hell we probably already are. Think of the lobs and screen and rolls with D'Angelo and Whiteside or D'Angelo and Nance or Randle. Whiteside is such a good screener and so big and hard to get around it would be for our weak side and motion sets.

He's not a great scorer, but he's basically a 15-10 guy already and with a point guard like D'Angelo could be a 17 or 18 ppg scorer. I mean we're talking about two or three points on average. Even if not still that's a huge upgrade. D'Angelo's assists should sky rocket. As should everyone else's.

He's basically to me a lesser version of Bynum without the health issues and probably more athletic and a better fit for a modern NBA. We would just have insane talent across the board. We'd have everything we need for the rebuild. Great young point guard, two guard who could scorer, a sniper and three and D guy, a double double power forward, and a dominant defensive center.

 

I was team Horford all the way but Whiteside is relatively cheaper and younger. And also fills up our biggest weakness: rim protection. So as I have done before in this FA discussions, I change my mind, I vote Brexi...err Hassan. Still leaning on getting Conley though.

 

But that's kind of my point, the free agent you say we should get this year like Whiteside, then a bigger free agent next year, I don't have confidence that they can do it based on the past several years. Lou Williams, who I like as a bench scorer, is the only one of value from free agency.

The reason I say life support is because no impediments currently exist with this team except that they are young. Plenty of money, no Kobe farewell tour, no mind numbing Byron Scott, and arguably the #1 assistant, now head coach, of the new school basketball in Luke. There are no more excuses, so they must score this summer. Whiteside would be great, and I don't see why he wouldn't want to make his stamp in L.A. Instead of Miami, unless you factor in state income taxes. Westbrook would be great for next year though his ball hogging can be disturbing at times.

P.S. If they are actively doing so, I really wish Lakers management would stop announcing who they are making a hard charge for in free agency because it looks really bad to the image when they don't get them only to lose out to a lesser franchise.

 

What we know from experience is that Mitch always has his cards close to his chest. This Whiteside thing might just be wild speculation from Ramona.

 

That is Exec of the year stuff for Mitchell if he can pull that off and produces 50 plus wins.

 

My shortlist of end of the bench, you will never play unless Byron Scott is the head coach and wants to crap on the young guys, veteran FA to surround the young guys with....

PG - Huertas, Hinrich, Andre Miller
Wings - MWP, RJ, Gerald Wallace
Bigs - Brand, Nazr Mohammed

Banned list - Steve Blake (If your contract stated you can never actually play in a game for the Lakers, I'd consider), Jared Dudley (The veteran snitch/crap talker of Kobe no thanks), Kendrick Perkins (You stink like C Bags)

At least try to get a veteran in each position group even if it means carrying a 15 man roster to begin the season.

 

I personally wouldn't mind Huertas back for cheap.

 

He's gone...