2016 Rumor Mill: Trades and Players to Watch

this season? fence-swinging only. they're too far out of it to matter right now.

 

Fence swinging hasn't worked the last three seasons. Why continue a strategy that isn't working? At some point we have to improve upon this garbage roster.

 

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

 

We can't just sit on this roster. With Kobe retiring we badly need a starting SF. If we just swung and missed again our roster would look like this.

Russell/Huertas
Clarkson/Williams
Brown/Young
Randle/Nance Jr./Kelly
Black/Sacre

That's assuming Hibbert walks and Bass opts out. Even with an good coach that team probably doesn't win more than 25 games. We have got to do something.

 

If we miraculously win the lottery our chances of being competitive drastically go up by a lot. Because A we can move the pick or B we have Ben Simmons.

We need to have meetings with Durant and Derozan at the same time and ask them if they would like to rep the purple N gold together as teammates. And then try to trade for a solid center

 

Russell
Derozan
Kd
Randle
(Acquire center via trade, trade pick or sign and trade)

 

If we do draft Simmons we definitely need to sign at least a couple of shooters because he can't shoot at all. Probably have to trade Randle too because they can't play together.

 

I like Whiteside, but I believe he's the kind of guy we sign after we find a franchise player.

 

^I agree completely.

 

not sure we do. I said that last year, but they fence-swung and missed. ironically, the strategy makes more sense now--especially if they lose their pick. with the season the lakers are having, they're going to be on NOBODY's FA wish list. and without the pick, they'll have no means to make the situation more attractive. might as well be the worst team in the league and actually have a top 4 pick the following year, at which point you can start making minor moves.

I've said it before: my entire strategy would hinge on the pick. I think mitch has already hinted at such as well. if they keep it, expect things to happen. if they don't, don't. the latter case means more Jeremy lins and roy hibberts, I'm afraid--but I think it's the smart strategy in this case.

 

I don't see why we wouldn't pursue multiple targets at the same time. We've got the resources to do it.

 

Come on man. We can have only one "time warner, sun bathing, chicks digging p&g" pitch at a time. We freakin SUCK donkey balls at "talking" to free agents.

 

Agree. Additionally, we aren't punting this summer. I think we will see moves made to attempt to field a playoff team next year. Fans are losing interest halfway through the season, and I can't blame them . You have the resources. Make something happen. I can't take another year of being a lottery team and hoping for a pick. This is getting old.

 

The most basic hope I have for this offseason is that in the very least we change our approach in free agency pursuits. The fact that we basically regurgitated the same pitch to Aldridge that we gave to Carmelo and Dwight was pathetic, considering the fact that they are all completely different personalities. We need to research and feel out the interests of these free agents early and follow through with a strong plan of attack.

For instance, just off the top of my head, I would approach certain FAs with the following strategies:

Durant: Use Kobe as our main pitch man. KD seems to have a real reverence for Kobe, much like Kobe had for MJ. Have Kobe keep in touch with him throughout Free Agency, and reiterate how the franchise has consistently put championship pieces around him throughout his career (minus 2005-2007, 2013-present), and how being the face of the Lakers has positively affected his legacy.

Derozan: Use Jeannie Buss as a pitchwoman to drive home the fact that the Lakers are a family and take care of their own. Have her talk to Demar's Mom (who he's very close with), and try to get everyone in the Derozan household whispering the Lakers in his ears. Associating the Lakers with Family is key in this case because the biggest advantage the Lakers have with Derozan is the fact that LA is home, and he would be embraced as a part of the Lakers family immediately if he came home.

Whiteside: Send him on a Party Bus through LA with Nick Young for a week, then have a sack of cash and some aspirin waiting for him as soon as he gets off the bus. Boom.

Anyways, you get my point. We all have high expectations this offseason (deservedly so), but change in our approach from the past 3 years is where we need to start.

 

Exactly. The product on the floor is just tough to watch. We must make some real strides toward turning this around in the offseason. New coach and better players are both a must.

 

Guys....I just had this thought....

What if Lakers went for Dwight and KD this summer and then we draft Ben Simmons?

Russell
Clarkson
KD
Simmons
Dwight

or if our pick is the 2nd or 3rd pick, we can trade it to another squad....along with Randle...get a superstar player in return....say Demarcus Cousins?!

Russell
Clarkson
KD
Cousins
Dwight

Whoa....

 

Dwight and Cousins can't play together. Wouldn't work. Rather just keep Simmons and sign Whiteside.

 

Stop having those kinds of thought about Clown. Trust Kobe's opinion.