2021: What's Next For The Lakers?

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by karacha, Sep 30, 2020.

  1. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    He has a young son who is immune system compromised from something. Quite understandable. But you make good points is that something we can work with going forward if he has that issue even if he wants to come back?
     
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  2. lakerjones

    lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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    Yeah, Bradley is going to be a little bit of a conundrum. If he opts back in do you then trade him? That's kind of rough. Not sure if he will come back or not with the league wanting to at least try having some fans at games sometime during next season. His son's issues and susceptibility will be the same. Tough one. Yes, if we had a real starting caliber PG it would probably be better for us, but then again we have a good platoon there with Caruso and I assume Rondo coming back as well. Plus KCP needs minutes and he's got a player's option too I believe?

    I do like most of what JSM proposes. I am all in on keeping Howard, McGee and trying to re-up with Cousins. Go big or go home!
     
  3. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    I expect us to work with Bradley and see what can be done to help him get back on the court and keep his son safe. If no option exists I’d expect us to still work with him to find something that works. Our organization has always been good for looking out for its guys and I expect that to continue.
     
  4. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    I like the names being mentioned. I expect us to be active. Interest should be high especially among vets.
     
  5. OX1947

    OX1947 - Lakers MVP -

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    We have to be careful not to tinker too much with the chemistry of this team. Always look to improve but this team is really tight.
     
  6. Pioneer10

    Pioneer10 - Lakers All Star -

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    Try to do a sign and trade for Bogdonavic with Green's contract and THT
    Otherwise re-sign Dwight/Morris and consider extending Kuzma and Caruso

    McGee still has value in that he eats minutes so you can sit AD and Howard
     
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  7. AussieLaker87

    AussieLaker87 - Rookie -

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    This team has been through a lot and is really close together. I'd be reluctant to ship anybody off.

    However, as LeBron of all people knows, it only takes a KD to Warriors kind of move to mess up the whole league again, and suddenly his CAVS that won in 2016 were never repeating.

    I suppose all eyes are on Giannis if he goes and makes a superteam with the Warriors.
     
  8. AussieLaker87

    AussieLaker87 - Rookie -

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    I would ship him off. I am not saying that bitterly because I am just a fan (I know he made a family decision). But we have a united dressing room, and he's no longer part of that, and there's the chance he could do the same again.
     
  9. OX1947

    OX1947 - Lakers MVP -

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    Giannis isn't gonna go to Golden State. He saw what it did to Durant and Durant has never recovered from the empty title moniker. I can defiantly see him going to Miami. 1/4 of the Greeks in America live in Florida. 3 times as much as the next place. If he does leave Milwaukee, I would bet the farm he goes to Miami.
     
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  10. AussieLaker87

    AussieLaker87 - Rookie -

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    Durant is copping it now, but not so much in hindsight when the history books highlight his stats and success.

    If he wins one title outside of the Warriors superteam, much like LeBron, people will easily forget how a great team won the first two. Plus, in winning those two rings, Durant stopped LeBron and others from winning them. Future generations will also do the Bill Russell to Wilt thing 'wow... Bill beat Wilt so was better,' even though Wilt was a superior player.

    I don't want to make Giannis' argument to move to Golden State, but if he did, assuming they dominate, he prevents LeBron and Durant from winning more rings, and then he can go somewhere else late in his career and win one.

    To play devil's advocate, I hope he doesn't go because, he will come to the same conclusion Durant did: I am beating LeBron, but Curry is getting all this success because of me.
     
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  11. OX1947

    OX1947 - Lakers MVP -

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    Nah. Durant will always be looked at as the guy who took the easy road. And he isn't winning s*** with Kyrie in Brooklyn unless the Lakers bow out next year.
     
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  12. AussieLaker87

    AussieLaker87 - Rookie -

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    I am still interested to see how Durant and Kyrie actually play together. I know they are friends off the court, but if Durant was sensitive playing alongside Westbrook and Green, then Kyrie might destroy him.
     
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  13. JSM

    JSM - Lakers Legend -

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    In my Harris theorized roster I am. After looking through his defensive stats, Harris is a better defense than I expected him to be, but I still want a stronger defender next to him.

    In the other roster ideas, he's far more expendable. Only I don't think he's going anywhere by choice and I don't think he has a lot of value with most teams. Covid can definitely complicate matters as well. I think a Denver or Philly could be interested, but for what? Roster (space) dump and a 2nd round pick? You need a team who need D and have passers from multiple positions and to me those two teams fit the bill the best. We need time for Bald Eagle and KCP, but I'm not sure league interest and market value is there for Bradley. Maybe if he came to the bubble and locked some folks down, but out of sight, out of mind.
     
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  14. karacha

    karacha Moderator Staff Member

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    In case we need a reminder of how our contracts look like next year:

    [​IMG]

    If we want to trade some players, we have approximately $31 million (!) in Green, Bradley, McGee, Cook and Kuzma. Those guys are more or less tradeable. Some thoughts:

    • There's no way in hell we're trading Caruso (his contract is small, Bron is his BFF, and LBJ takes care of his guys).
    • We might want to re-sign Morris cheap, since he allows us to go small or big simply by putting him at the 4 or 5 respectively off the bench...
    • ...and McGee has value for sure. We're either keeping him if we want to roll with more bigs and if not, he alone will allow any team to "go big" when necessary for only $4.2M. Not to mention he has championship experience. His low BBIQ reputation is long gone at this point and he's not old yet.
    • Green is a humongous expiring, and there's always teams who want to buy one. He can help us get the combo guard I was talking about earlier, to take pressure off Bron in both scoring and playmaking.
    • Kuz has proven himself as a talented Ariza-type player with good defense and length, who can play multiple wing positions and defend. Teams will want him, since he is only 25, but if we don't trade him, he's our new 3&D guy instead of Green.
    • Bradley is redundant when you have Caruso. Alex is four years younger, more athletic, three inches taller and cheaper (at least for now); in terms of stats they are almost literally the same player. If we knew what AC we would be getting this season, I don't think we would have signed Bradley.
    • JR and Dion are gone.
    • Finally, Bron and AD need to talk to Dwight and convince him not to retire. He has one or two more good "bench hustle player" years in front of him, it would be a waste to see him retire now. Have to put that godly body to good use next season, he'd be HUGE for us. I mean, he just figured out what good diet actually is.
     
  15. Cookie

    Cookie The Dame of Doom Staff Member

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    Does anyone know why Quinn Cook’s guarantee amount is 4 million and not the 3 million he is slated to make next year? Plus I can’t believe we still own the corpse of Deng almost 10 million more dollars.
     
  16. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    do we really? That's just the worst signing in the history of Western Civilization.

    Mitch deserves to get fired for that twice. Jimmy Buss should be in the penitentiary for grand theft. (spelling lol?) You get the point.
     
  17. Khmrp

    Khmrp - Lakers Legend -

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    im not extending either 1 of those till 21' off season
     

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