2022-23 Team Developments: News / Trades / Free Agents / Rumors

You may as well go with the flow with Drummond and even Schroder. Drummond looks like he is going to be here. We can only hope he gets back into peak shape and puts in a lot of skills work (better at handling and hanging onto the ball and blocking and finishing shots around the rim) and mental work .... this off season. If he does that he will be a much more valuable player than he was this season. With Schroder it is up to Rob to do whatever he has to do to position us to come away with at least by the deadline another useful asset for dip s***’s time here. And hopefully not overpay too much or hamstring Vogel with starting lineup edicts.

 

Call up those who miss out and see what they're willing to give up for a much more cost effective Kuz.

 

Meh..much ado about nothing really. Schroeder should have started, Caruso is not a starting caliber point guard. Drummond should have started too, Gasol had already been playing a lot less minutes than Trez at 5. I can't blame either of those two for not beating Phoenix. As far as Dennis and his contract demands, business is business, the going rate for a starter at the point is around 20 million, I can't blame the man for asking for the going rate. A healthy AD and Lebron and we are in the Finals. I wouldn't throw a bunch of unnecessary shade at the new guys, that were not the blame for our exit.

 

I don't know if we can pull off some big move this summer or not. I wouldn't be mad if we brought Dennis and Andre back, and flipped Kcp/ Kuz for another impact player on the wing and stayed away from the hard cap.

 

Unless you forgot that Schroder turned that down and is on crack thinking he should be paid 25-30M per considering he’s not elite with shooting or passing or PG court awareness. Shirley …. you haven’t?

 

He should have turned the extension down In order to keep his options open. Any decent agent would have advised the same, including Rich Paul. I seriously doubt that he truly thinks he getting 25-30 million, but I'm not mad at him for posturing. Dinwiddie says that he expects 20-25 and he only played a handful of games this season. I just see it all as business negotiations.

 

Who was supposed to start Caruso? I don't blame him at all for claiming he wanted to start. Lebron doesn't need anyone to relieve his work load IMO. I thought Schroder biggest issue, was not developing enough chemistry with AD. But Anthony was hurt, that affected all of our new additions in different ways. AD is the priority, James is so good that he can adapt to playing with anyone with talent. AD is the one the guys have to adjust to playing with.
The bench wasn't that big of an issue to me, barring injuries, this team would be in the Finals.

 

Well we started Green and KCP all year and won a championship. Wes has always been a starter so most of us at the beginning of the season wanted that. Eh? Solid defense and more shooting, just like Green was supposed to give us. Impacted Wes’s game too having to play a role he never had in his career. Don’t come up with nah he’s washed too. Load could have been taken off LeBron’s ball handling duties by having Schroder early off the bench too, since Gasol often plays quarterback when he has guys around him who know how to pass and move. Lebron sure did. Until the injuries started and AD was no longer available.

 

And we'd be in the Finals right now if AD was 100 percent period. That said next year may be different, but some of the top guys in the West, will still be on the shelf for awhile next season too. If nothing big shakes out, I'd keep Dennis and start him. Trez might walk, or we could get lucky, and he'll opt in to be traded somewhere he likes with Kuz or KCP for another piece. I wouldn't mind bringing in another decent contract for value. We could always make a move before the deadline if we had to, I just rather we stay away from the hard cap. The Lakers are in a better position than most IMO. We have James and Davis, and enough options to go in different directions to surround them with talent.

 

I don't agree with you.
I don't understand the "Caruso is not a starting caliber point guard". He was our best guard the past two years. To play alongside LeBron he is perfect.
Yes, business is business and Schroder has all the right to ask whatever he wants. The thing is that teams will not pay it. Please tell me the market for Schroder, what teams do you see paying him +25M? I can only see the Knicks doing that. He doesn't move the needle of any team, he is good but not that good. When you're a 6th man of the year doesn't mean you are a near superstar. You are coming off the bench and facing weaker opponents for most of the time. Apart from Ginobli, which other 6th man were borderline superstars? I don't think he gives more to a team than KCP so they should get around the same money.
Then, again, it's mostly the offcourt behaviour. His mentality of demanding before giving, shows he has too much of a big ego to work with other real stars

I think it's a big mistake to trade KCP, can't say this enough. Unless it's for a near superstar which won't happen. There are teams willing to trade Simmons, Brogdon, Turner, Herro, Robinson, Porzingis, Sexton, Grant, Wiggins, Siakam...and our biggest trade asset is Kuz and THT lol

 

Caruso wasn't our best guard for the last two years, that is ridiculous. There isn't a team in the NBA that would start Caruso at point guard. He isn't a good enough shooter or passer to be a starter. He is a great guy to bring off the bench though. You will find out just how much he is valued in the league by his offers this summer. On Dennis.. I don't know who is willing to pay anyone anything. That doesn't mean that I have any problem with a player asking for market value. Schroder was right to say that he expected to start, he was the best guard on the team. I like KCP but he is just a decent NBA player, nothing special, definitely not irreplaceable.

 

You seem to be more old school, and still believes that the 5 best individuals start for a team. NBA nowadays is not like that, you play with dynamics and adjustments.

Caruso is a glue guy, that guy that is playing and will never make the cover of an article about the game but it impacts a lot. He's always in the best +/- ratios of the team, individually or with others. He makes a ton of sense to play alongside with LeBron.
The only case for him not starting is LeBron usually starts games at read-mode and makes sense to have a better handler with him. Because whenever LeBron wants to take over the game, Caruso is a great fit

Same for Schroder. He may think he is the better player (I would argue. He may have a better 2k rating, but in a collective sport like basketball I would always have Caruso above him. Then again, if you are talking of a lottery team that lacks talent, I agree with you and prefer Schroder. But Lakers are not that). Schroder ability to attack the basket and get buckets copes well in a "bench unit" (this doesn't exist anymore as structured as before, but you get the point) as he can impact the game against weaker players. His impact against strong units is diminished as he ain't that skilled. For sure he is in the bottom half of top PGs per team (so out of top 15) so his playing time needs to be managed accordingly to boost his impact in the game. It's like Harrell. He bullies several backup centers but against stronger units he struggles because he ain't that good.

We have AD and LeBron, 80% of the plays and shot selection are around them. Guys like Schroder and Harrell are good to have the remaining time, but with both stars on the floor they don't help that much like Caruso, KCP or Markieff

 

Don't always agree with you but I believe this is spot on.

 

I do not get what some see in Caurso. I love having him on our team, but no way is he potential starting guard in the NBA. He does not shoot or pass well enough. He can be an emergency starter, but never long term IMO. Too many flaws in his game. He turns the ball over too much as well.

 

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Playing well with Lebron is not some indication that he is a starting caliber PG. There are plenty of guys that can play well with Lebron. James is a superstar and a great facilitator. The things Alex does well playing next to Lebron, don't necessarily translate without out him. He is a great bench guy, there is nothing wrong with being a star in his role. Schroder can play with Lebron too, Dennis Schroder is not the reason we didn't beat Phoenix. I'm looking at the big picture, I want to win now and after James leaves. We can win right now with Schroder, and at a decent contract, we could move him for another quality piece in the future. Alex gives you a good bench player today, but not much as an asset to use to level up. Outside of James and Davis, all these guys are pieces, some hold more value than others. Yet there wasn't one player on last year's team, or this one, that were so critical that they couldn't be replaced. This is the NBA, these are the best players in the World. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

His assist to turnover ratio is reasonable, career mark ratio of 2.0, last year he was 2.15 putting him on par with Marc Gasol, Andrew Murray and Harrison Barnes. Very close to top 100 in the league in this aspect. Certainly not elite, but he is not a ball handler, nor does he get those kinds of minutes. His value is in his defensive metrics, where he has much better ratings.

 

Where was those threes when Lebron was out? Where were they against Phoenix? Three point percentage doesn't mean much if you aren't hitting a bunch of them. And finally...exactly WHO was Caruso locking down at guard this season? I keep seeing this, but I don't remember it happening in the games. Especially not in crunch time against the Stephs,Dames,Bookers, Murrays,Mitchell's, Paul George, CP3, ..I mean who were these people that he defended so well?

 

Me either, he is a scrappy, spunky kid off the bench. I like that, play him too much at the point and his flaws get exposed. His jumper is spotty, his handle is iffy, and his passing is suspect. That is fine for a change of pace bench combo guard. Not what you need as a starter.