2024-25 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

It's a risk you take; fit may not be perfect but you're not going to be able to get a talent like Randle on the cheap either. If he's has a great season from 3 that would be terrifying frontcourt for most teams to handle. Most physically punishing frontcourt since the 90's Knicks. (unlike Brick Randle has shown the ability to really be a good 3 point shooter for seasons)

 

Based on the criteria that he will be the 4th possibly 5th option depending on if they upgrade DLO on this team

 

Shiid.. Grant immediately becomes the 3rd best player on this team. Chokeolo here are having been replaced.

 

That a matter of opinion.The guy is trending down not up.With JJ coach AR is going to become the 3rd option unless they bring in DMurry which would kick Grant into the same role that Rui plays now.I guess you could hope he’s a better defender.He doesn’t rebound at all

 

In no world is Austin Reaves, a better player or should be a priority over Jerami Grant IMO. Redick is talking in perspective of who he has now. That's cool, but once you actually aquire talent, things shift, as they should. I love me some Austin, but 3rd option on chip contender? Negative

Grant can give you Rui’s scoring and Vanderbilt's ability, to guard 2-4, in one package.

If getting Grant only cost me Rui, Vincent and some drafts picks, I'd be willing to hold my nose, and keep Chokeolo. We could still move him at the trade deadline.

I think Tinkerbell is opting in but we'll see.

 

He does fit the two way player that JJ covets.It all really depends on the offense they run on who will be the 3rd option

 

You are so set in your ceiling on him and I don’t understand that. In no way has he peaked which you will see with the step up this year. Steve Kerr called him the 3rd best player on the team when we eliminated Memphis and his Warriors on the way to the WCF last year which you keep maintaining we should have won and went on to #18. His word means more to me than you never moving off a talking point. There’s all kinds of other compliments he could have given and certainly did but that was Kerr’s statement after having been beaten by the Lakers and how well Reaves played. I know I know it’s DLO who’s the better player who you non stop rip for his mental weakness when the chips are down. Well that right there plus defense are big advantages AR has in value over him.

 

Unreal the Bulls only got Giddy for Caruso.

 

OG and Mikal seem redundant but that defense is going to be hellish if put those 2 with Hart and Robinson behind him

 

Steve Kerr, said that beating Lebron in a 7 game series, is the hardest thing to do in Basketball too. I imagine that Mark Malone might have a different opinion on that.

I've seen a lot of players come and go over the years bro. I don't see the Austin Reaves future star thing. No I do not.

That being said, I value his heart, more than Tinkerbell's talent, but that doesn't make me value him, over a Jerami Grant either. Those are two different conversations.

Like I said, I'd keep C'lo, if that's all it took to get Grant. And Grant would be the 3rd best player on the team.

 

All I was talking about was you maintaining he can’t be the 3rd best player on a championship seeking team. Well he was on the Lakers 2 seasons ago in the playoffs IMO and certainly after hearing Kerr say it. Now the subject change of course with not going to be “future star” and all that plus the Grant comparison.

 

Has anyone watched Jeremi Grant the last few years: he's an upgrade over Rui but he isn't a 3rd star. He got the role in Detroit and he just wasn't good at it. Even Portland with a green light I wouldn't say he played like a star and the Blazers record reflected it.

Reaves was the 3rd best player on a WCF finals team and played as good as Bane and anybody not named Curry on the title defending Warriors.
He was also taking it to the Nuggest the last 2 games this year: if AD didn't get hurt or anybody other then AR/Lebron/AD show up Laker win that.
Reaves as a 3rd star is not a problem for the Lakers - he fits the role well even when you don't bring up his ridiculous contract.

What the Lakers needs is players who give them production in the playoffs like Rui and DLo do in the regular season. Grant fits that bill and I've been advocating for him for years - he fills a need a a big two way wing but he isn't a star in my book- he'd be more like Derrick White or Aaron Gordon for the Lakers which is just fine. Modern CBA and ever since Lebron started doing the apex predator matchup hunting routine, the big key is having every single guy one the court who can make a bucket and not be targeted on either offense or defense. Grant fits that bill but no one in their right mind whose seen Grant play is thinking that you're going to run your offense thru that dude in a elimination game (which the Lakers do all the time for Reaves in the 4th quarter)

 

Grant will
Make $36,000,000 four years from now when he’s 34. His contract sucks and he’s way overpaid.
No thanks.

 

Rui wasn’t put in a position to succeed in the playoffs.He was put out of position being asked to guard Joker half the time.

 

It's the matter of context, a guy playing as a 1st option, isn't really comparable to one as a 3rd of 4th. It's a different level responsibilities involved. All we see is how Austin plays with James and Davis, there are plenty of other guys, that would thrive here with them too. It doesn't happen to be in the same fashion at all.

The intial conversation, was about Rui, Vincent and picks for Grant. That’s a steal on our end.

The second question was, is Grant a more valuable player than Austin, yeah he is, on this team, and on any other one.

Outplaying your contract, doesn't elevate your talent level. It's makes you very valuable, because you can use the cap space to pursue other talent. It's not the same thing.

If Chokeolo was living up to expectations, we wouldn't be drawing up plays for Austin Reaves.

 

There wasn't anywhere else to play him. That's on Pelinka, but Rui still had plenty of wide open looks, if he knocks down those shots, it compensates for his shortcomings on defense. He is who he is.