2020-21 Players' Transactions: Breaking News , Trades, Free Agents, And Rumors

41 million should only be reserved for Lebron. I mean, 41 million is as debilitating a contract as you can have if you aren't winning titles. AD will earn that soon, he's worth 36 million.

 

If it guaranteed you back to back but you would have a couple years added to replenishing AD's crew? I don't know, i think you do it.

 

Yes, and we also lose Rondo. It's a huge disrespect to Rondo after what he just helped the Lakers win. Why would Rondo want to re-sign if the Lakers just gutted the team for his nemesis?

We're the freaking Lakers. Chris Paul can't have his money and also want the team. He's not worth that money so why should we pay him that after the LAKERS are the ones who just won the title? There are 20 other moves we can make that doesn't involve Chris Paul. UNLESS... the only way I can see this working is if we do trade for CP3 this season and he AGREES to opt out his final season so we can make a play for another superstar in the 2021 free agency market. Other than that, the guy can kick rocks. $41 million and expects to join the Lakers but not sacrifice anything himself?

Plus, we don't even need CP3. We just need another combo-guard who can shoot and create plays for 20-25 minutes so LeBron doesn't have to be on the court every second of the game. Where is the high demand for CP3 when we just saw playoffs Rondo do a lesser version of what CP3 did but get paid pennies on the dollar?

DeMar Derozan (rumors are he is opting out and who knows, may take a huge paycut to win a title with the Lakers for one season), Gallinari, Oladipo, Dragic are all in play before CP3...

Paul Milsap for the vet minimum (he already robbed all the teams he played for... he has enough money).
Tristan Thompson got overpaid in Cleveland thanks to LeBron... He can come to the Lakers and be with his Kardashian family. Vet minimum offer.
Justin Holiday is a good combo-guard who can give the Lakers a good 20-25 minutes per game if we strike out.
DJ Augustin is very underrated and can also be a boost off the bench...
If we trade Kuzma and clear some space, I wouldn't even be opposed to having Melo....
Ibaka is available to replace Dwight if Dwight doesn't re-sign...
Jordan Clarkson is also available...

My point is, CP3 shouldn't be high on our radar. This guy would be our highest paid player if we do trade for him and what exactly is he sacrificing to help the team? Nothing. So either he sacrifices some money for the 2021-2022 season or he can go kick rocks. This isn't the Lakers from 2015. We don't need to beg players to come here... if they want the glam and chance to win a title, they need to give up something. LeBron+AD are the only untouchables... everyone else, get in line.

 

If Pelinka somehow pulls of a CP3 trade, I'll trust the decision.

It is highly unlikely. But it's not impossible, and there are apparently some options. I've read one package could be Green, Kuzma, Bradley, McGee, Cook, and the 28th pick. It requires Bradley and McGee to opt in. You would also have to do it like the AD trade where we'd have to sign our first rounder and then wait 30 days to make the trade official to include the pick in the trade.

But hypothetically if that worked out, I don't know how you can say that we'd be gutting our team. That package essentially only has Green and Kuzma as the outgoing players who were actually in our rotation. And everyone wants to get rid of them anyways.

Another thing I read was that we could somehow include KCP in a sign and trade to facilitate a CP3 deal, where he wouldn't even have to be going to the Thunder. So it could be a win/win for Rich Paul. Help Lebron get CP3, help KCP get a nice contract elsewhere.

But say it's that first package I mention and we end up with:

Chris Paul / Alex Caruso
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope / Dion Waiters
Lebron James / Talen-Horton Tucker
Anthony Davis / Markieff Morris
Dwight Howard / Demarcus Cousins

Again, it's unlikely. But y'all would really adamantly reject the idea of that team? After what we went through this year, I could definitely get behind the narrative of CP3 making amends and winning a title with us. He's proven he still can be elite when it matters, and I think playing the relief playmaker role could be something he'd thrive in and help keep his mileage down.

I don't think it happens and I think there are better ways to retool the team to get us in gear for repeat. But in general, one thing for sure is that I kinda hope we don't force ourselves into keeping room for Giannis. I don't think he's coming. So if we can make a move that significantly improves us, I do it even if it adds some long-term money to the payroll.

 

Hold up, am I missing something with your comments about CP3 needing to sacrifice to come here? Like, is that even an option in terms of how the cap works? He could hypothetically forfeit some of his salary so that we could trade for him without having to give up as much?

Because if that's even a possibility, then yeah ignore everything I just said in my previous comment; you don't even start the trade conversation unless CP3 is willing to give up some of that contract.

 

So CP3 is locked in for two seasons. His second season is a player option. He can't do anything for the 2020-2021. There is no restructuring he can make on his part. But for 2021-2022, he can opt-out of his $45 million final year and help the team with a team friendly deal. Since he's gonna be old by then, it really makes no sense for the Lakers to pay him $45 million for one season and absolutely destroy our chances of getting any of the abundance of free agents in 2021's offseason. So Chris Paul can theoretically opt-out and take much less so we can get the players we need. But I doubt he will give up that kind of money... which is why we shouldn't go after him.

 

KCP won't be a problem. Lakers can go OVER the cap to pay him because of the bird rights. He'll have a cap hold so we can't just pretend we can use that cap space because he opted out but let's say he wants a $15 million per year deal. Lakers can pay him that and about $5 million of that won't count towards our cap space. After what he just did for the Lakers, he shouldn't have much of an issue getting close to what he wants. That and the LeBron tax should net him a Danny Green-type contract, IMO.

 

CP3? No thanks.

 

We should trade exclusively with the Knicks. Statistically everybody always gets the best deal from a trade with the Knicks. (no hyperboles have been hurt in the making of this statement).

Easy money baby.

 

don't see a good path to cp. we'd lose multiple pieces of the roster and be on the hook for the mammoth salary and annual injuries. if okc wants to buy him out, i've got open arms!

 

We're too late to the party if we want to do that. Everyone dumped their garbage to the Knicks and now the only players they have are well... garbage

 

Buddy Hield does have some experience playing with AD, half of his rookie season.

 

Why would Bradley & McGee opt in just so they can be traded to OKC..?
Besides that, KCP, Waiters, Morris, Howard & Cousins are all no longer under contract with the Lakers..
If Rob can make that happen, sure, but "unlikely" is an understatement.

 

Another name that is probably going to opt out of $9.1 mil contract and hit the FA market. Jerami Grant

Only 25 years old, 39% from 3 each of the last 2 seasons in the regular season (45% from 3 in 2019 playoffs, 33% from 3 2020 Bubble playoffs). Intriguing name.

He's not a ball handler or a great passer but the guy is super versatile and can do many things well. Extremely durable and has missed only 5 games in the last 5 years. I wouldn't mind the Lakers giving him a look


EDIT: One more guy that is intriguing

Bogdan Bogdanavoic...currently he's a restricted free agent with the Kings. Kings might let him go since Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hield can basically provide what he can and they have over $40mi/year tied to those guys.

We might have to pay $13-$14+ mil/year to get both of these guys but I think they will do well with us

 

Holy overpaying Batman!

 

With Lebron and AD shouldering 50-60% of our offense, I'm quite content with our guard rotation of AB, AC, and KCP (plus Rondo if he comes back) Our backcourt defense is elite and their shooting is good enough. (hoping Caruso improves a bit) And we know how dependable they are in the playoffs.

I'd be looking at improving our frontcourt --- Green, Kuzma, Morris, Waiters, McGee --- they're too inconsistent. The only one we need to keep is Dwight to put against Jokic in the playoffs. The rest can go for the right pieces.

I'm also OK with running it back with basically the same team. We have cap space preserved for the 2021 free agency, and after winning the chip, it seems like a good idea to stick to the plan. We'd still be the favorites to repeat.