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

I’m not sure it will work like that. He has too much of a track record of being injury prone at this point. Teams aren’t going to suddenly forget that if we wait a few months.

If anything, WE might forget that again. Isn’t that what just happened? Seemed like there was a growing sentiment that we should rebuild and consider trading AD and Lebron for assets, but maybe try to boost up AD’s value again first.

AD plays out of his mind and likely DOES boost his value, but then the general fan sentiment changes to “See, this is why he’s a true superstar we are lucky to have, he’s untradeable”… until he gets hurt again, then we’re back to square one and the cycle repeats.

Don’t get me wrong, you’re right that we probably shouldn’t trade him while he’s actively hurt and unable to play. His value is at an all time low if you’re looking at a mid season trade while he’s still injured.

But this summer I think his value might be as high as it realistically gets for a while. If teams know he’d be ready to go for the upcoming season and have a whole summer to start building around him, I can see some interest around the league.

Probably wouldn’t get the superstar-esque haul where other teams unload all their picks to get him, but this summer it may still realistically be as good of a package as we can expect. We shouldn’t desperately accept a terrible offer, but we should consider taking the best we can get and just shifting the direction of the organization to a more long-term methodical rebuild

 

Logical perspective...I'm iffy on the long-term rebuild idea tho. The reason that we signed Lebron and traded for AD. Is that we flat out sucked with the youth movement, and they were mostly healthy too.

 

Yes I thought Beal was going to be the next Steph, Dame or Kyrie. It hasn't quite turned out like that.

 

The team that had Schroder, Marc Gasol, etc. after the championship year managed to stay somewhat afloat with AD out for an extended time. Stars run the league for sure but the 3 star model, in my opinion, is not the way to compete for years.

 

They played sub 500 ball with Lebron. They all choked in the playoffs too. Not this great example They are made out to be IMO.

 

They were 11-7 with Lebron minus AD in 2020-21. So that's hardly "sub 500". They dropped off after Lebron hurt his ankle. No one is saying the team can compete with one of the big two injured but they could at least tread water. This team has looked hopeless for the most part even when both of them were playing. Depth matters in the regular season.

EDIT: The team went 8-10 without BOTH Lebron and Anthony Davis in 2020-21. So the supporting cast was WAY better before the Russ trade. Again, in the playoffs the role players stunk once AD got hurt but man. Trading for Russ was the worst move in Lakers history.

 

Dude was a skinny 19 year old when he came into the League, only a couple years removed from a crazy growth spurt in his Jr year of HS. I have no issues with his early time in NO. The last 3 seasons there, he played 75,75 and 56 games. The last year he sat out due to the trade demand. The bubble season was shorter and he played in most of our games. Even in NO he was available at the end of the season just about every year. He came here, won a chip, then this brilliant idea of " AD at 5!" Took hold, and he's been continually getting hurt ever since.

 

They stunk all season IMO. I'll take your word on 11-7, but I still think that this particular team, is better than that one was, with a healthy Lebron and AD. 2 -12 start and all. We were just starting to click but then Anthony goes down. Similar situation..we will be average at best until AD gets back.

 

I mean just look at Zion, they said he would be out of the league at this point last year while he was injured. Now I'm sure his value is considerably higher due to his recent performances. Recency bias is a real thing.

 

Check my recent edit. 11-7 with Lebron no AD, 4-5 with AD no Lebron, and 8-10 without either. If you consider that team stinking, what would you call the team the last 2 years with Russ?

 

Missing Lebron and AD. They only played 21 games together last season. Still to be determined this year, it depends on how many games they end up playing. Westbrook has been more durable than both so far. Again we are going to suck period without those 2 guys being healthy. Depth, shooting, balanced roster and all, still suck.

 

Lebron and AD had an 11-11 record last year and a 8-11 record so far this year. I think it's safe to say gutting the team for Russ was a monumental failure. The 2021 team would be able to withstand AD's regular absences MUCH better.

 

Doesn't necessarily mean anything of the sort, they only played in 21 games total last season. AD got hurt 1 minute into game 22. This season is still ongoing, it's not safe to assume anything , until we see how many games they play together this season. The only thing established is actually proving my point. Our best two players haven't played a lot of games together in the previous two seasons. Unfortunately it's possible that could be the case this season, yet it's not written in stone...yet. However we do know that we aren't very good if that occurs, with different players, or a different HC. We had to win 5 straight games, just to get into the playin game, with that supposedly superior team that some of you guys claim we had.

 

i don't want to trade AD, but i actually disagree here. i think a tanking team would be willing to surrender some assets for AD given that he's under contract and they won't need to rush him back this year (or even early next year). AD having two more years is a bonus to a bad team who can't attract FAs. if he's healthy, they just bought low on a superstar. if he's not, they just...keep sucking like they have. no big deal.

anyway, still don't think it's happening. lebron tried to get ANOTHER superstar, not lose one.

 

On this subject of money, what moves did you want Jeannie to make that would have made this huge difference, considering Lebron and AD's injury situations these last couple of seasons? I mean looking at these big spender teams above us, their salaries are due to paying the guys already on their teams. It's not like they simply spent more cash to aquire new players.

 

I’m going to play devils advocate and am wondering… what could the Lakers fetch back if we wanted to package the 2 FRP and AD to get a star back?


I realistically think we would be able to get Durant, Lillard, Karl Anthony Towns, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi or Paul George, Jalen Brown, Bradley Beal, or a Klay/Draymond package.

We *might* be able to get Jayson Tatum, SGA, Devin Booker but that would require these guys demanding out to help our cause.

Players like Giannis, Luka, Embiid, etc are basically untouchable to their respective franchises.

The list of players outside of Tatum make me prefer keeping AD if that’s the only options.

Having said that, what do you all think AD + picks can fetch?

 

you don't see star for star trades, for the most part, so i think it's a moot point. if we moved AD it would be for lesser players and picks to a team that is star hunting and willing to gamble.