I'm ok paying market rate for players. I'm not ok for setting market rate for marginal players like Mozdeng
Not to me, no. I’m not overpaying a guy because no one else is available. I’ll look elsewhere to not have to overpay, or move onto to 2019 when we do have a draft pick. OR, if you strike out in free agency, and don’t want to continue a slow rebuild, you start giving up assets to land a star in trade, like a likely very high lottery pick in 2019 if we strike out in 2018 free agency. The idea of giving Randle 20-22 mil is crazy to me, we’d be screwed going forward if Lonzo and Ingram turn into the players we hope and we have to pay them a lot too, terrible idea. Randle could very well be worth $20 mil in his prime, but at this current time, imo he is just not.
Your last sentence is pretty much where I'm at but I just don't think it's that crazy. But like I said, I really hope this isn't what we're debating come July 1.
I prefer the conversation to go something like: "Julius, we really want you to stay, but after signing our big target FA's, all we have left is "x" million." x million is less than he wants, and less than the max, but he still feels loved and wanted
The way he's been jerked around this year brain farts, slow mentally to catch on and all that considered ..... if Dallas gives him a good offer to come home and be able to see Mom and family and friends all the time .... my money is on he is out the effing door.
I don't think it's a terrible idea to pay $20M for a productive player like Randle. In 2020, when we have to offer Ingram his contract, Deng and Clarkson will be off the books and we would only have $18M on our payroll. Say we sign George this summer, that's approximately $70M wrapped up including Randle, Ball, Kuzma and Hart. We could make Randle's 4th year a team option and we'd have more than enough cap space to resign our 2017 draftees in 2021. (BTW the cap would probably be around $120M in 2021, so $20M then would be worth $16M now)
It's really up to us if he leaves though. He'll be a restricted FA, and if Dallas ponies up a big offer, we can either match, or work out a sign and trade or 3 team+ trade to get something back. It's good to have options, but I do think they will be expensive ones. It will be a tragedy if we end up losing an asset like him for nothing though. A true shame. If there isn't a 2nd max player joining us that we want, Julius should probably be a priority to have returning.
A name being floated around is Derrick Favors/pick for Randle/Clarkson. I would be... okay with that. It would be an underwhelming move. I like Favors, but he's a Center really at this point in his career. He's a decent rim protector/interior defender and an effective inside scorer with a little jumper ability, but he's certainly not nearly as mobile as Julius and does not provide the multi-faceted abilities that Julius provides. I'd want that pick to a be a 1st and with very, very little restrictions on it if any at all. I think ultimately this is being floated a bit as some bait for Dallas to swallow Deng's deal. If the Lakers get out from both Randle/Clarkson they can waive Deng and have a TON of money to spend. They'd clear two max deals with some cash to spare. And if Dallas wants Julius, the Lakers should threaten to send him somewhere else, especially a smaller market like Utah where Utah would probably be less inclined to let Randle go.
Is he worth $20-22 million on his 23 / 15 nights? Absolutely. Is he worth that on his 6 / 4 nights? Absolutely not.
Well yeah, but I don't think that's happening unfortunately....so we need to make sure we either get somethin for Julius now or retain him in the summer when we inevitably strike out AGAIN on 2 superstars OR we get ONE and have space to fit Julius still
Im with you on this. I'm not super enthused by the Utah deal but it is OK. The way I see it is it's either Deng/Randle for Favors or Randle/Clarkson for Favors/1st. But at that point...if we strike out on FA's...we're totally screwed with Randle no longer here. I also think we should find a way to retain Randle...I believe he's actually turned the corner this year especially defensively and we'll regret letting him go (similar to letting D-Lo go...)
I can see Utah trading Favors for Randle. Randle is probably better than what Cleveland can give besides that Nets pick. Mitchell/Hood/Randle/Gobert is a decent core.
It seems the FO has it's priorities reversed. Instead of trying to sell Julius our focus should be on landing those two max FA's. How about trying to win more f***** games?
i worry about an offense with randle/gobert as starters. everyone else better shoot the lights out. i think it's part of why they're ok with dumping favors (who's a better shooter than randle, and a more capable defender in the paint). if we weren't so damn worried about cap space, i'd be trying to buy low on hood--lopez for hood and favors. start favors at c (he's a c), keep hood as long-term starting sg.