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

Russ is awful. No team will have any playoff aspirations with him playing meaningful minutes. I love that Ham found a way to make him playable and agree he's been playing better but it's still Russ. Bonehead plays, stupid TOs, bad shots. He reduced all of that but I find it hard to switch the narrative to "we should keep him". He literally cost us at least 3 games, just him alone! He's a tank commander, you can't trust him to make the right play at the right time, he has proved it time and time again. People always have short memory and just remember his recent good run but forget how much he literally destroyed our team and he's the main reason to go from a contender to a borderline play-in team. He doesn't play winning basketball and everyone knows that.

Ah and he's unplayable in our closing lineup which is what matters in the playoffs. Rozier fits like a glove

Even more important than that, we need to shed his salary. We lose a lot of salary margin in our payroll if we let his contract expire. No team competes with 2 max and under the cap. Moving forward, those contracts we get for him now will be needed to make further moves.

Oubre in an expiring. He's a plug-in for this year, but we don't even have to include him. So let's forget him.
Hayward is to let us keep a pick. Plus he's another good expiring for next year that could give us more assets.
Rozier is way better than Russ. Younger. And has less than half his salary. I honestly don't see a better fit in the market to play with LeBron and AD as Rozier. He's averaging three 3s a game for 4 consecutive years. He averages over 1 stl a game. One of the best A/T ratio in the league. One of the best free throw shooters. He's always available which is very relevant in our roster. And his salary is pretty good. He can give us 2 years with LeBron and then be used to trade for a superstar along with picks. He fits our timeline in the short and long term. He plays in a horrible team so his numbers are down this year, but he has been playing without Bridges and LaMelo. When they were playing altogether, Rozier was balling. Imagine what he would do with LeBron and AD. He would be by far our 3rd best player and we would still have Reaves, Lonnie, Bryant, Schroder, Troy... He would allows us to build some continuity with our roster which we have been lacking. I'm 100% behind a move Russ for Rozier. If it takes Hayward to keep our picks, so be it

 

Why is Crowder not playing, I missed the reason why he’s not being played

 

Contract extension + he won't come off the bench.

 

I think Rozier will commend a pick to get him. Yes, he has a long contract, but it's a GREAT contract. I mean, teams still have to pay players, so getting a guy in his prime that gives you 20/4/5/1 with low turnover and three 3s at 20mil, it's a bargain.

I don't see any other deal where we trade Russ and get a better player. Letting him expire or extending him leaves us in a worse place.

Hayward doesn't hurt us if we are getting Rozier. He's like an X-Factor. If he can give a couple games in the PO or a run of games for a few weeks it's a win. I mean the guy still puts respectable numbers when he plays (eg. he has more pts, rebs, asts and steals than Reaves this year). But the main thing with him is that we not only get Rozier for this year but we also have another guy for a second move next year. Next year FA has Siakam, OG, Trent, VanVleet, Jaylen Brown, Sabonis, Dejounte. There may be teams looking to clear their books and we can take the opportunity. Unlike with Russ this year, there's less drama with him, his salary is lower (easier to match) and a better FA market that may trigger some teams to prepare for it.

In the end, our team this and next year is better, we have a better payroll setup, we are still in position to be in the market next year and we keep our picks for the next big move. I can't see anything wrong with it

 

No thanks I'm on the keep Russ side don't want Hayward or rozier we don't have the time for them to gel

 

I've heard it's more to it then contract extension and not starting might be some personal stuff within the team maybe he messed w someone's girl

 

..... these teammates!!!!

 

Not sure why anyone would want Crowder. Let's start with he's pouting over losing his starting role. Do we want to go through that headache of guaranteeing a starting role again? And guess what he's 32 and not in shape. Who says he'll be ready to be a starter once he's acquired? How many games is he willing to come off the bench while finding his legs before he expects to start? Then there's his extension. What kind of money is he expecting? If he's a starter still, I think that changes in 1 or 2 years. Will he go back to whining when losing the spot again?

Now let's get into the bigger reason why f*** him... he's a dirty POS.

Not the highest level of NBA commentary, but it has both clips with Bron







AD and Bron both have history with him.



He and Bron did not enjoy their time together in Cleveland
https://www.complex.com/sports/2018...aliers-after-playing-his-first-game-with-jazz


Give me Reddish or Josh Jackson any day of the week over this f***er.

 

I think your first point about no team having playoff aspirations with Russ is subjective. Up until last year he had 12 straight years of making the playoffs and each year he elevated his game in the playoffs. Just because he has been booted out the first round since him and KD split up isn't really an indication of anything. KD got booted out of the first round last year with Kyrie.

As for costing us 3 games. AD has cost us 2 on missing FTs alone, and Lebron is up to 3 with missing buzzer beaters with his stupid 3pt shots at the end of games.

You can blame him all you want for the team going from a contender to not. But that's disingenuous in my opinion. It doesn't take into consideration that two top 10 players in this league can't stay healthy. It's the equivalent of blaming the Warriors for not making the playoffs with Curry and Klay out 2 years ago, or like blaming the Nets for not making the playoffs with KD and Kyrie injured 2 years ago, or like blaming the Clippers for not doing anything when Kawhi and PG aren't playing. It's not a true and accurate argument.

As for being unplayable in closing lineups. What do you say about the following over the last 15 games since his Charlotte injury:

In the 4th Quarter, Russell Westbrook has the highest +/- over that time period, the second most minutes at 9.2, he is shooting 48%/36%. He is tied in assists with Lebron while having less turnovers than him. He is leading the team in rebounds and second in steals.

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=lakers+player+stats+in+the+4th-quarter+over+last+15+games

If you look at the last 10 games, no-one else is close to his impact in the closing lineup. +/- of 41 (second closest is Lebron +23). Russ is shooting 52%/42% over the last 10 with 2 rebounds and 2 assists in the fourth.

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=lakers+player+stats+in+the+4th-quarter+over+last+10+games

Whichever way you slice it, since AD went down, Russ has been carrying us in the clutch.

Also he is better defensively this year with the tied second best defensive rating out of the rotation players and it plays out in the eye test as he is performing better as an on ball defender. The only negative has been his FT shooting.

I like Rozier and if we can trade Bev, Nunn and DJ for him I'd do it. But a better player than Russ he is not. Especially not this year. Guy is shooting 41%/32%/83%. What's telling is his 3pts off his dribble are the same as last year, but his catch and shoot numbers are the ones that have cratered. On top of that he isn't anywhere near the playmaker Russ is, your bench would take a massive hit.

 

If they were including a pick, I would listen for Hayward. I think three first round picks would put us in a position for future for some guys that are just out of reach now.

 

No on Crowder for all the reasons already provided.

 

Westbrook/Jones/2029 1st (top 4 protected) for Rozier/Hayward works. A three team trade also works:

Lakers get: Rozier / Bogdanovic / Noel

Pistons get: Hayward / Christie/ 2027 Lakers 1st (unprotected)

Hornets get: Westbrook/ Jones / 2029 Lakers 1st (top 4 protected)

 

Good post, I don't agree but cherish the discussion.

He's unplayable in the playoffs. Playoff aspirations is not getting there, is advancing on them. He did it early with the OKC big team, but never again for like 10 years. We literally beat the Rockets by exploiting him. A run of games in January don't change history. Just a few months ago everyone wanted to trade him for Wall or buy him out. Every team in the league wanted a FRP just for the bother of taking him in.

Let's also not forget his off the court behavior. Last year was what we all know, but even this year he still has bad takes in press conferences or viral videos like the one where LeBron is hyping the team to push for wins and a playoff presence and he goes like "yeah win or lose, doesn't matter".

Yes, he's been better. He's at the peak of his Lakers' tenure but that's why you sell high. Also, we are without AD, Reaves and Lonnie. Naturally he will get more stats. We were 2-10 to start the year when they were all together. Yes, he's playing to his strengths and there's a ton of credit to give to Ham for that.
But we must keep our eyes on the big picture. We salvaged Russ so that he could be traded, not because there's a future for him with us.

What's your plan with Russ then?

It's not a run of games that will make me want Russ. Our ceiling with him is very low and limit us A LOT to make the team better and build for the future. If we keep him, this year we only have Bev/Nunn to get one additional player. Then next year we either have some cap space to hire 12 new players or we extend him for a lower salary, have less money to get 11 players and are basically betting Lebron's window on LeBron/AD/Russ trio. Is that what you want?

No no. No picks for me in any of those deals. I want Rozier, but I don't want to send a pick. Although if we think from Hornets perspective, both Rozier and Hayward serve them if they want to tank. Rozier is in a healthy contract that keeps them around the minimum cap. While Hayward rarely plays which is great for them. But they would like to get off his contract for sure. So they probably would want either picks or young players to bet on.
Anyway, as a Lakers GM I would push for that trade without the pick and see if they bite.

 

Sure, that would be ideal. I am just saying that is up to what I would be willing to pay.

 

Oubre is just salary fodder in some scenarios. I don't want him either. But if needed to make salaries work, then sure.

 

There was some hype about cam+svi to LA for whatever works contract wise ID WELCOME SVI BACK