No doubt. We can't afford to wait 72 hours for another team to match while other players (productive) get signed to other teams; that just can't happen this year.
As it's been said many times before, it'll be draft driven. If we get Okafor/Towns, the need for a Love/Aldridge won't be as much. Dragic isn't on my radar right now with Clarkson, and I believe Rondo will be a cheaper get, despite everyone disliking the move. Dallas stole Parsons away from Houston after a good run with them. It's not out of the question, we'll see how it plays out.
I am with you on that. I would honestly be upset if we tied up money going after a RFA and had to watch other guys get signed.
if an RFA is truly your top choice, I think it's ok to wait it out. I'd also tell my second choices the specifics of the offers I'm preparing should my RFA offer get matched so that they can make an informed decision.
Dallas stole Parsons because of the amount of money they were willing to give him and the way they structured the contract essentially preventing Morey from resigning him. Those were very unique factors. Dallas took a risk, and now Parsons is out with knee surgery while Houston upgraded defensively from Parsons to Ariza. I'm ruling it out as far as I go and the way the Lakers have operated during the course of the last 3-4 years in regards to RFA's...
morey wasn't prevented at all. in fact, he just ended up spending the same amount on ariza and that greek guy that never shaves or plays basketball. had parsons not gotten injured, that narrative might be flipped right now, complete with Houston sitting at home. but relevant to the current conversation: if you're willing to overpay an RFA, there's a chance. particularly if a team already has big money guys in place, and especially if it could cause some roster/locker-room conflict.
Yeah, prevented was a bad word choice. You're exactly right. However, these are the two contracts (Ariza and Parsons) and they way their structured: Ariza: $8,579,089 $8,193,030$7,806,971 $7,420,912 Parsons: $14,700,000$15,361,500$16,023,000 Ariza is stretched over the course of 4 year while Parsons is frontloaded and makes over the course of a 3-year period. Of course there's a chance that you could get an RFA if you're willing overpay, and I'm more than willing to do that; I'm just not willing to wait a 72 hour period to do it. Historically, the Lakers haven't as well.
It's all very fluid. If we don't get a SF in the draft, we need one in FA. We can't afford to mess around with RFAs and lose out on maybe the only really good UFA forward available in Carroll. Of course, I'd do it your way: call Carroll first and say "look we're very interested, but we're exploring all directions. We're willing to offer a lucrative deal worth north of 50 million. We'll be in touch and of course encourage you to field offers, just please let us know when you're nearing a decision so we can meet face to face and see if there's anything we can do for each other." If Carroll is agreeable right away, then let's do it. Let's not waste any time. If he's not, then we've got time to explore but at least they know we're interested. Lord knows Carroll's agent will want to use us as leverage so knowing we're interested will only help Carroll's value.
Historically, the Lakers were never in positions like this. The Bulls have a decision to make if they don't get past the Cavs. 1. Will Thibs still be there? 2. Is it worth it to spend the majority of the cap on Rose/Butler? 3. Signing Butler to the max in 2015 means going over the tax bracket. Are they willing to go there? Going after RFA aren't teams usual first move, but for a guy like Jimmy Butler, he would fill multiple needs for us if we did get Okafor/Towns. Imagine Clarkson Kobe Butler Randle Towns That is legitimate scary good young core. Guys like Carroll are good fits too, but Butler has been doing this for awhile and has more of edge to his game. And I've put that out there for Carroll to be picked up as well. Wes Mathews would have been that guy had he not been injured. With Ginobili on last legs, I think the Spurs will keep Leonard, they'd be stupid not to. I'm not on the Harris/Middleton train yet. both contract year, young guys who are RFA's. They don't deserve a big contract yet.
They can match on Butler, pay the luxury tax for one year until the cap explodes, and then be under the tax again which would protect them from the repeater tax.
Honestly I think this series will have implications as to Butler's future. If this team can beat the Cavs, injured or not -- cause there is no guarantee Love is staying regardless -- then there should be no hesitation regardless of his price tag. You'll have multiple championship chances. If they don't, then they're sort of at a stalemate as to how they can improve this team while being cash strapped. Paying for being stagnant is never a good play. They could hope Noah could be 100% next year and that would change things, but expecting everyone on the Bulls to be healthy is historically a bad bet.
Well when the cap goes up they theoretically won't be strapped anymore... Maybe they're fine scooting by for one season until the cap explodes and they can go get more players.
I'd say if you don't Draft a big then Draft a sf and throw money at gasol/aldridge/monroe. Then with whatever is left money wise try to dump nick young for money saving and go after a defensive sg/sf to contest against the all stars of the nba
@therealdeal I suppose. Just not a fan of throw away seasons when Noah and Gibby are already 30 and Pau is 35.
I don't disagree. There was that report back in January or December that talked about how the Lakers might try to steal Butler from Chicago. I'm with it as long as we address the Center position in the draft. We need to make sure we're a complete team when the season rolls around. Jimmy is a great fit, he's versatile, and I think he could thrive in LA. Kawhi was my first pick for SF way back when, but Butler is a close second to me and seems slightly more attainable. If we draft Okafor or Towns, I'm absolutely willing to throw the max at Butler as long as we contact Carroll's people and say "give us 73 hours before you make a decision". If Chicago ponies up, which is likely, then the second they match the contract we'll go after Carroll who can be had for probably 2-3 million dollars less annually.
Yeah, I don't like the idea of going after RFAs because of the risk involved and I think we have close to no room for error this summer. BUT the Lakers are name chasers, so I am fully expecting offers to be made to the big fish. For awhile I had Carroll off my list because I didn't think atlanta would let him leave. But I think with his play, especially in the post season, he's making the decision for them. I think he's pricing himself out of their available cash. He has to be a priority for us. If we don't even make a play, I'm going to be very disappointed with management. As for the Hawks, if they lose both Carroll and Millsap, something like Love and Dekkar would make a lot of sense for them.
I mean hell if Carroll can keep shooting the way he has for another round or two in the playoffs, he could get close to what these RFAs are going to get offered anyway. I think Atlanta will draw the line somewhere around 10-12 million. My number to get him without question is 12.5 million right now. For 4/50 million you're getting a role player, but if we hit a home run in the draft, it doesn't matter. The Lakers can't afford to go into the season with any glaring holes in their team. If we go into next season with Wes Johnson starting at SF and no massive additions to the team, it's time for Jim and Mitch to hang it up.
Agreed. Our easiest path to success this off season is big in the draft, SF in FA, then use the rest to keep who you want to keep from last year's club and grab a backup PG not named Lin. Anything else gets...tricky. Carroll has been putting up 20 points in a half with his eyes closed. Never expected him to reach those heights. A starting 3&D wing has become virtually essential in today's league. He would certainly help with a defensive identity and his game fits the type of player Scott wants. For this team I'd actually prefer him to Middleton because he's a proven veteran who knows his role and is a locker room leader. With such a young team, that'll be huge. Butler is another story because his two way ability makes him one of the best in the game. I just see him as a long shot right now.
I wouldn't be so against RFA if I thought there was a legitimate chance their teams would let them walk. I just see no reason for the Bucks or Bulls to let Middleton or Butler leave. If Mitch can pull that off then more power to him. I just don't see it.
Definitely. That's why I want Butler first BUT you have to call Carroll's agent and say "hold on for just 3 days and if things fall through on our end we'll be looking your way". It's a gamble he waits, but his agent has GOT to think that Carroll will make a lot more money in LA than elsewhere. A max offer for Butler is somewhere near 16-17 million. We could offer something similar to Carroll and that might be more than anyone else. We'd be overpaying for sure, but as long as we've answered our other needs-----Center-----then I don't care. Use the left over cash to bring in a veteran PG and hopefully bring back Davis. The more I think of it the more my perfect off-season is: Jordan Clarkson/Mo Williams Kobe Bryant/Wayne Ellington/Jabari Brown Jimmy Butler or Demarre Carroll/Nick Young/Justin Anderson Julius Randle/Tarik Black/Ryan Kelly Jahlil Okafor or Karl Anthony-Towns/Ed Davis/Dakari Johnson
