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

I’d love to see Lonnie back on the team next year. The guy was one of the lone bright spots for the first month or two of the season and has stayed ready every time he’s been cut out of the rotation. If we decline Beasley’s option or trade him, I think Lonnie a 5-guard rotation of DLo/Reaves/Dennis/Lonnie/Christie could be just fine.

 

We also have some rights to Lonnie that allow us to keep him and use exceptions, which is nice.

 

At this point, I think Beasley is pretty much gone. It is strange to say that give that he is an elite three-point shooter, and we were so desperate for one. His 16 million dollar team option would significantly cut into the the teams payroll, likely pushing the team over the tax apron, if they also resign Reaves and Hachimura, which they likely will do. Although Lonnie would likely end up being roster filler, rather than a bonified rotation player, he would still be better than some random free-agent out there, given his familiarity with the team, the system, and given his status as a Klutch client. There is also something to be said for his character, and ability to come in and play well when called upon. Not mentioning he is a pretty skilled offensive two-guard, as he is at least a double-threat type sorer at this point.

 

I'll admit I'll be pretty pissed off if they don't resign Beasley to trade him for a solid rotation piece.

the FO needs to understand they'll have time to save money when Bron is gone.

until then, we need to throw the kitchen sink at it.

 

i get it and generally feel this way, but i think he's low on the priority list, and if rui and russell cost a lot, we have to avoid the apron (at least the second one).

i will concede that the clippers don't even have this conversation.

we can sign lonnie for less than the tpmle and then have have his early bird rights. sort of a mini-kcp situation, complete with klutch ties.

can lonnie get more than, say, 5 million elsewhere? if you choose between lonnie at 5 and beasley at 15, where do you come out?

and yes, you can do both, but that's getting unreasonable even for me.

 

Something about shorter arms gives players a more simple, compact stroke. A lot less going on compared to long arms. Also helps keep their shot consistant.

I think Lakers will do the following:

1. Draft a sharp-shooter or two in the NBA draft.

2. Sign or match Reaves starting at approx. 12M.

3. Sign or match Rui starting at approx. 15M.

4. Sign Russell at around 30M.

5. Sign Shroeder for around 5M, or sign a free agent back-up PG, such as Harrison for vet min.

6. That's already 5 guards or so. I mean Walker could take the vet min, but I wouldn't go out of my way for him.

 

i think assuming you can just draft an nba-ready shooter is a stretch. i agree with the rest.

in your plan, the guards are

russell/schroder/vet min
reaves/christie/draft pick

i think we need at least one more quality guard for inevitable injury insurance, and walker is good for it because he can handle pg duties in a pinch.

it would also be good to have one more sf, as technically, imo, we currently employ zero sfs. rui, vando, and lebron are all best at the 4 spot but because rui and lebron have perimeter skills, you can slot them some at the 3.

i think we draft a sf. there are some projected in our range. either that or we trade the pick and beasley or bamba for a less expensive vet that fits the ball. i'd have to think about who that might be...

anyway, my point is that for the likely price, we could do a lot worse than keeping lonnie (and/or troy, for that matter).

 

Man, Max really needs to grow a few inches so he can be our SF of the future.
I’m fine with bringing Lonnie back, but unless we win a Chip, I think he signs elsewhere for more playing time.

 

beasley has been yet another casualty of the lakers 3 pt shooting curse. would much prefer lonnie over him

 

You just never know...Malik could get a shot, and go ballistic for a couple of games. Gotta stay ready

 

I wish he was 6’7” with w 6’11” wingspan and he would be perfect.

If we could get a project SF in the first round that would be nice. As abeer said we employ 3 PF’s in Lebron, Rui and Vando. Each can play SF in a pinch. But having a solid SF would be nice, I’ve been pining for someone like OG Anonouby for a while.

 

I consider Vando a SF, since he excels at playing perimeter defense and defending 1-3. I agree LBJ and Rui are PFs, as they are better at defending opposing 4s. Vando is fine at SF, and the Lakers have been successful since acquiring him, especially with him at the 3. You just need to make sure that there are sufficient enough shooters playing alongside Vando. So there isn't as wide a disparity between the 3 and 4 imo.

 

Vando at SF with Christie as back up SF next year would be fine imo. Too bad you can't combine the two lol.

 

we finally got some big wings, and now i'm greedy. i'd like another.

and with how beasley's turned out, i'm getting really convinced that the lakers shooting curse is real, and we should just try to win without shooters.

but anyway, if we can bring back schroder, reaves, rui, and russell, our perimeter rotations is pretty set and any signings or trades will be for third stringers.

 

A SF acquisition should be a priority this summer, after we take care of our own. Stan and a rook should be doable.

I'm at the point where I want to keep Beas for his salary slot, but am fine moving off the player. I do wonder and am curious to see if Ham could open up more for him and the offense with a full training camp.

Unless DS leaves and Seth is willing to come here (I don't think you can curse a Curry), I think I'd rather focus finding shooters in the draft. That's a much easier price point to swallow when the LA slump hits vs the $16m slump.

 

Beas had the 3rd most 3's in the NBA (behind Steph and i want to say Hield). He put on P&G... his shot went bye bye. I really think, that even Steph would stink it up here. Must be something in the water...

 

I think we can groom this guy into one


He's a little raw, but if he really puts in the work with Handy...I think he might develop into something special.

 

Magic would call him fat