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

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by BangBoomPow, Jun 3, 2021.

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  1. BangBoomPow

    BangBoomPow - Lakers Starter -

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    Since the Lakers season is officially over, let's talk about how they can improve!

    Use this for a list of free agents:
    https://www.spotrac.com/nba/free-agents/

    To my understanding, Lakers have a guaranteed salary contract with LeBron, AD, KCP, Marc, Kuzma, and McKinnie for the amount of $106 million. With Deng's $5 million cap hold and the 22nd pick not being trade-able + worth around $2 million, Lakers only have around $10 million to play with in the free agency using their Mid-level exception.

    Expiring contracts:
    • Drummond
    • Caruso
    • Schroder
    • Matthews
    • THT
    • McLemore
    • Markieff
    • Dudley
    We can go over the cap to sign these players so unless the Lakers make some trades with KCP/Kuzma or a S&T with a current player, it is unlikely that there will be significant changes which is why Rob is leaning towards keeping much of the roster in-tact. There simply isn't enough cap space to wiggle around with that would get us better players in return.

    Marc Gasol is also not going anywhere since he's on a vet minimum contract and doesn't have much trade value right now. Unless he agrees to a buy-out, I think he's staying with the team next season.

    Trezz has a $10 million dollar player option. I think he's opting out because staying will only hurt the value of his next contract and he won't be getting consistent minutes.

    Barring any miracle that Rob pulls off, it is nearly impossible for the Lakers to get a third star so any talk about that is just an unrealistic hypothetical. Lakers will still have the $10 million MLE to spend so hopefully they can find a good shooter who can also create occasionally. There is also the vet minimum contracts so hopefully some decent vets will take that into consideration.
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2021
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  2. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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  3. BangBoomPow

    BangBoomPow - Lakers Starter -

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    What's the catch? Led the league in blocks but doesn't seem to be a good rebounder or scorer.
     
  4. TIME

    TIME Administrator Staff Member

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    Get me a real shooter or two!
     
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  5. wcsoldier81

    wcsoldier81 - Lakers All Star -

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    Bigs don't matter much with AD on the roster .
     
  6. Wino

    Wino - Lakers Starter -

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    Disagree about bigs not mattering. AD gets too beat up when he plays center all the time, his body cannot take the beating.

    Honestly, I think we should mostly gut the team. Keep Caruso and THT, sign and trade Denis, find a way to sign Turner, trade Gasol, if Drummond wants to be a backup center and will sign for cheap, otherwise let him walk. Trade Pope, Matthews and Kuzma. We had NO depth this year. Need to find a third star. At any cost. Someone who can truly carry the team when either AD or Lebron needs to sit. Not sure anyone on the team matters not named Lebron, Davis or Caruso.
     
  7. Mr. Rambis

    Mr. Rambis - Rookie - LB Verified Insider

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    Hello to all.

    While a disappointing end to the season, I am looking forward to much more exciting news over the next few months. With the entertainment and promotional side ramping back up, I expect the information to slowly start trickling in.

    Currently, have very few, mostly uninteresting tidbits to share that came in tonight.
    • AD was brought back because the defensive game plan for the Suns hinged on him being the anchor to neutralize penetration from Booker and Paul. With AD out, there was not enough time and practices to create another strategy, and Vogel knew the series was likely over. So they took the risk and unfortunately it did not pay off.
    • Next season, they are looking to potentially load manage (Kawhi style) or put AD on minutes restriction (during regular season). Will hire folks onto training staff who understand this methodology. Unclear how AD's camp feels about this. Has also been proposed to LBJ also but he is not interested (possibly chasing scoring record).
    • Key goals for offseason are another play maker and center (especially if Drummond leaves).
    • Pipe dreams for these include Turner and Lowry, but fairly unlikely.
    • Organization is high on Drummond.
    • We (promotional side) have been told to expect "significant" roster turnover.
    • That being said, some contention w/in organization about not trading players when their value is at a low point. For example, moving Kuzma for a good piece will likely necessitate losing KCP as well.
    • Overall, optimism that with a healthy roster and longer offseason, the championship window is still open.
     
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  8. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    You didn’t mention AEG and the Lakers signing for another 20 years in partnership at Staples? Would have thought that should have begun the current news as a positive event for both organizations and making you very happy? Odd. Come to think of it I don’t recall having seen it mentioned on lakersball either. Why do you believe the organization is high on Drummond and if true what kind of monetary deal is being planned to try to keep him here, and with so many on this forum recognizing how currently with the game he possesses that he is a bad fit .... how would they plan to work with him to make it not so?
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2021
  9. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    As well it would be interesting to hear, beyond the simple catch phrases of load managing and minutes restriction, especially if additional people are being hired onto the training staff, whether there will be a serious attempt to make AD’s body actually stronger physically to better withstand the rigors of the season. Which would “seem” more important than simply load managing the same body makeup. We have talked about this here and have some common sense observations of what should happen in that regard with training focus. What do the “pros” plan on doing? It’s something that leaves many fans frustrated in that he does seem to be injury prone.
     
  10. wcsoldier81

    wcsoldier81 - Lakers All Star -

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    Kurt Rambis ? I did missed something here . I thought him and his wife were "only " people Jeanie trusted . Yikes
     
  11. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    What are you saying? That Jeanie doesn’t trust Rob as well, or is the way it’s worded not what you mean?

    :KobeConfused:
     
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  12. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    ugh on the drummond stuff. i've seen enough there. agree that having a firesale is a bad idea right now. everybody just looked their worst. i really think we could essentially return the team next year and be the best team in the west.
     
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  13. karacha

    karacha Moderator Staff Member

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    Good thread. It used to be called "What's next for the Lakers?" but this will do just fine, IMO.

    Obviously, it was a disappointing season for us. It started with a bang, we were blowing teams out by double digits, but injuries to half our team and to both stars resulted in chemistry issues and people literally being unable to get any lift or acceleration when it really mattered. LeBron managed to gut it out, although he was clearly not himself, which can be easily seen in his numbers that show driving to the basket, taking shots in the paint etc. AD, on the other hand... he should not have played at all. It was kinda sad to watch because he was clearly in pain. I'm not even sure how anyone thought he could play. All in all, I am disappointed, like every Laker fan, but I'm not mad or anything. This clearly wasn't our year, the writing was on the wall and I'd say we all knew it a couple of months ago anyway.

    So, what's next for us? Let's list our players and I'll state my opinion. Feel free to agree or disagree, of course - this is just my gut feeling right now.

    Guards: We need to try to keep Caruso and THT. If we could get clearly better by getting a great guard, I'd be OK with trading THT. I'd try to keep Alex if at all possible. He has great chemistry with Bron, plays smart, is an elite perimeter defender with great size. Dennis is gone, that's pretty much clear. I won't disrespect him in any way, but we dodged the bulled with that contract that was discussed earlier. He's a good player, but not a great fit and we need a shooter. If you're not going to use Wes ever, just let him go. Otherwise, sign him cheap and let him be the 3 & D guy.

    Basically, either use Dennis in S&T or let him go. Use young guys in trade only for a serious upgrade. Try to get a playmaker who can shoot, for god's sake.

    Wings: Bron and AD will stay (duh). Everyone else is probably expendable. Normally, I'd be wiling to give KCP a pass, although he frustrated me to no end with his inconsistency, but he is sorta 3&D player that every team wants. If it was up to me, I'd explore trades involving KCP & Kuz, since that's our best bet. Again, get a consistent shooter here. I'd be willing to sacrifice some defense next year for shooting, because this was hard to watch. We can't be dead last in the league in shooting, when modern basketball is ALL about stretching the floor.

    Morris? No. In the end, we didn't need him much at all, and Vogel doesn't want to play him.
    McLemore I'd personally keep and tell him to work on his defense. Why? Because the guy has no conscience from 3, he just lets it fly and he can actually shoot consistently. He did hit 2 per game for us when he actually played.

    Bigs: Marc was good at the beginning of the season when KCP, Alex and Wes shot 50% from 3 (seriously). He's going to be a year older, he's very smart and great teammate, but he is slow, can't jump, can't finish alley-oops, penetration kills him on D. He is either a bench player in limited minutes next season or he needs to be released. Trez will go, because, again, Vogel will not play him and there's something about his game that just does not work great in the playoffs. I liked him though.

    Drummond: I think we'll try to keep him and if he's cheap, I'm OK with that. With a full training camp and some defensive work, Drum is actually useful although he'll never be what he thinks he is. Get him to buy in and you have a solid starting center. Since AD and Bron want him here, so be it. But in that case you need a young, spry, athletic center who does not have much offensive talent, but can jump high, give you a block per game, can dunk the ball, run the floor... maybe someone who is not afraid to shoot it from 3 once or twice per game and hit like 30%, just enough to be a threat when needed.

    Basically: Say, you keep Caruso and use everyone else in potential trades, we only got:

    Caruso/?/LeBron/Ad/Drummond

    Leaving enough space for a young athletic center, an impact player at the 2 - or a dynamic combo guard who can both facilitate and score - and a couple of GOOD, reliable shooters. You know the type - guys who are all the same size to play guard or wing and whose job is to exploit the modern rules on the perimeter. That team will contend, but we need to get healthy in the offseason. This must be our priority.
     
  14. JSM

    JSM - Lakers Legend -

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    Last edited: Jun 4, 2021
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  15. Cookie

    Cookie The Dame of Doom Staff Member

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    Is Steve Ballmer buying him a downtown condo too? :ADeyeshift:
     
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  16. 432J

    432J - Lakers All Star -

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    i really don't get why the organization is so high on drummond
     
  17. JSM

    JSM - Lakers Legend -

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    [​IMG]
     
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  18. JSM

    JSM - Lakers Legend -

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    Marcus Smart available. Give me that Defense and toughness any day of the week. If you have Smart, KCP, and AC chasing around guys on the perimeter... thats scary.

     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2021
  19. Winston562

    Winston562 - Rookie -

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    Kuzma & THT for Lavine. Do it Mitch.
     
  20. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    vultures circling, but i don't see why portland does anything. he's under contract until 2025! i'm sure ny is going to get him for like, rj barrett or the clippers for marcus morris, though.




    would definitely move kuz or kcp for smart, but why would boston do it?
     
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