Official Whine, Moan, Complain Thread 19/20-CLOSED "WE CHAMPS!"

We're not copying Philly. Not by a mile. Ever since they hired Hinkie back in May 2013 that team has clearly been tanking for years and stockpiling assets with no regard to actually winning. Heck, their approach has a name: "The Process". They've made no effort to pursue marquee free agents. They didn't make any expensive signings - this past offseason they signed Henderson, Bayless and Rodriguez (for a total of 6 years) and combined they got less than Mozgov. They've been drafting for value, not for building a team (and why they have Noel, Embiid and Okafor). They traded quality young talent like Jrue Holiday and Michael Carter-Williams for draft picks. The Lakers have in no way been replicating that and trading Lou Williams for youth (be it a young talent and/or draft pick) wouldn't be either. The Sixers haven't made much effort to win. The Lakers have actually been trying to win. That they are both terrible is based on disparate reasons.

The question then - if you aren't trading him - is what benefit does keeping Lou Williams give the Lakers in the big picture?

 

The sixer have been playing great ball lately and have a better record than us now if you haven't noticed. They also have an actual star in the making with embiid even though it took 3 yrs to get him on tje floor. We on the other hand stink and living off of per36 to warrant Dlo potential

 

I have noticed they've been playing better lately (although still 17-27) and as an avid fantasy basketball player, I am aware that Embiid is a stud. Your reply though, focusing on one sentence among a much longer post, is really missing the point of my post. I wasn't harping on the Sixers. I was saying the Lakers aren't the Sixers in their approach to team building. You aren't wrong in pointing out that one is currently working better than the other and that's with the Sixers playing without Ben Simmons.

 

I understand your pt...just saying there isnt a blue print for rebuilding. What sixers did the last 3yrs was pathetic but while we have done the opposite of what they did, we have looked just as bad as they have during that same 3yr span, the only thing that saved us from being more pathetic than the sixer was cause of kobe cause as of right now we are worse than the sixers, short term and long term

 

I actually have no issue if a team wants to completely bottom out in order to build up like the Sixers. I've seen so many teams try to avoid full on rebuilding by constantly retooling on the fly and that approach is really difficult. Just ask the Knicks the last 15 or so years or whenever it was they traded for Marbury. I was just disagreeing with @Jaguar who felt that the Lakers trading Lou Williams for a young player or pick would just be copying Philly. What Philly did was extreme and trading Lou would be in no way indicative of replicating it.

 

You have basically said that Philly has not been trying to win while the lakers have. No effort to pursue marque free agents, spending little on free agents, trading talent for picks. The Process. Yet they have a better record than the Lakers. Maybe we should copy them. The Lakers have been trying to win, pursued marque free agents only to strike out everytime for several years in a row, signed top dollar for average free agents that aren't worth their contract, and if they trade Lou for youth and picks they are surely stacking assets. Thanks for pointing it out, but it only shows how pathetic the situation has become and that the current approach is yielding nothing in return except hope.

To answer your question, the benefit in keeping Lou is that there will actually be someone on the Lakers worth watching play NOW. And he is only 30 and a back up, so he could still be of value in the big picture. He puts up nice numbers and generates excitement for $7MM a year. Why deal that away for more bench fodder? You really think a super deal is waiting in the wings from an organization that hasn't signed anyone worth a damn in years, besides Lou of course.

 

Your initial argument was not to trade Lou for youth/picks because we'd essentially be copying Philly. If you are now saying perhaps we should be copying Philly because their "process" is working and ours isn't, why exactly is your 2nd paragraph just reinforcing your initial stance of not trading him?

Watchability and excitement are hardly legitimate reasons for the Lakers to hold on to him - the Lakers have several "exciting" players as is - and being "30" is actually a negative thing for a guard, especially on a losing team. No one says a guard is "only 30" in the NBA unless it's in a weird context like "Did you know Chris Paul is only 30? I feel like he has been in the league forever". He does put up nice numbers for 7 million a year and that's exactly why he has trade value. That combination means more to a contender than it does to the Lakers as currently constructed and Lakers need to take advantage of that.

I said I'd trade him for a 1st round pick and noted in my prior posts why that is valuable. I don't know why you are referencing "bench fodder" or a "super deal" because I never used those terms. Just consider that the last 3 drafts for the Lakers have produced Randle, Clarkson, Russell, Nance, Ingram and Zubac. Obviously this includes 3 high 1st rounders which the Lakers will not get for Lou but it also includes a late 1st rounder and 2 2nd round picks. The Lakers are botching a lot of things but they have at least hit on the draft and another young talent locked up to a cheap 4 year contract - whether that player can be another piece of the puzzle long term or be trade bait down the road - makes a lot more sense for this team than Lou does.

 

Let me toss out a couple hypothetical scenarios:

Charlotte trades Ramon Sessions and 2017 1st round pick
Lakers trade Lou Williams
Why for Charlotte? Their leading scorer is Kemba Walker at 23, then Batum at 14.8 and no one else is 11. When Kemba is off the court, their offense declines significantly. They could use another scorer like Lou to balance the offense. The team is 23-23 and clinging to a playoff spot and getting Lou is a notable boost to their chances.
Why for the Lakers? The Hornets' 1st round pick is currently #17 but could slide into the back end of the lottery since they aren't a lock for the postseason. Sessions, a former Laker, is a capable PG and his contract is tradaeble as next year is a team option.

Detroit trades Ish Smith and 2017 1st round pick
Lakers trade Lou Williams
Why for Detroit? They were already rumored to be looking to make changes. They lack firepower off the bench and are among the worst in the league in 3pt shooting. They are on the outside of the playoffs right now but things are so bunched up they are only 2.5 behind the 6th seed.
Why for the Lakers? This pick is #13 right now but shouldn't drop too much even if the Pistons make the postseason. Ish Smith is signed cheaply through 2020 who could actually be a decent piece for the Lakers as a 28 year old pass-first PG.

Essentially both deals are finding a playoff contending team looking for an offensive boost who could offer the Lakers a mid-1st round pick and also a veteran PG to replace Lou's presence on the roster, on the court and in the locker room (not his production obviously). Not the most exciting of moves but I feel it benefits the Lakers in the big picture.

 

Eddie. Call Mitch ASAP please.

 

I've finally gotten back to discuss the team. I'm frustrated at what I'm seeing right now, but I do believe in the process and see a few bright spots. Obviously we need some pieces on this team before they can even be in the discussion of being a title contender.

I don't know when or how that's going to take place.

 

Priorities?

Where you been?

 

I think late 1st round picks are mostly D League fodders early in their career unless they fall to SA Spurs then they look like f***ing diamonds

 

they just need a finisher

it's not like they're getting blown out every night. these are winnable games

 

Russ/lou/pick for wall? I can dream right?

 

Just take advantage of the Bulls situation and try to get Jimmy Butler. At this point I am willing to part with some of the young guys for a proven stud.