Espn - Kupchak: 21-win Lakers "can Get Better Quickly"

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by ElginTheGreat, Apr 17, 2015.

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  1. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/...ch-kupchak-gears-los-angeles-lakers-offseason
     
    ElginTheGreat, Apr 17, 2015
    #1
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  2. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    only way to get better really quick, imo, is to trade the pick for a current allstar. I know that's not what people want (and probably not what I want), but I don't see immediate impact at the top of the draft this year. a few guys who might be very good in two to three years, though.

    so, can they turn it around quickly? yes, I think he's right about that. will they? I doubt it. at this point, let's just get some steady progress. try to put a team on the floor that can compete and win somewhere near half its games next year, then hope to strike it rich in FA the following year.
     
    abeer3, Apr 17, 2015
    #2
  3. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    Yeah. To me, that phrase "get better quickly" is kind of relative. I think we can improve and get better even if we just keep our draft picks.

    If by getting better he is talking about getting us back in the playoffs and competing for a championship, I think that's at least a couple of seasons away absent bringing in a true big time guy on that Davis, Harden, Westbrook, Curry, Lebron level. (yes, I know we aren't getting those guys just using them as examples of the caliber player we would have to bring in to immediately be in the playoff hunt).

    I like some of the names that have been thrown out there for trades, but I'm not sold on guys like Dragic or even Cousins being the guys that will lead us to another banner.

    Bottom line for me is that since I believe its going to be a bit before we are true contenders for the championship, I am not against keeping the pick and seeing if lightning will strike again with our draft pick. I think Mitch and crew have shown that they can definitely spot talent.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Apr 17, 2015
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  4. lakerjones

    lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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    I like how Mitch is talking. He's got a good read on things and I like that he's talking about picking up Ed Davis and implying he will probably let Hill go. Also as we thought for quite some time, he was certainly in favor of tanking to keep that pick (after a year like this we need to get something out of it - my feelings exactly). And as before I like that he's thinking about the future and not just trying to throw something together for the sake of Kobe's last year.
     
    lakerjones, Apr 17, 2015
    #4
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  5. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    During press-conferences, Mitch has a tendency to lower expectations for fans. This is who I think will be back next year:

    - Tarik Black
    - Kobe Bryant
    - Jordan Clarkson
    - Julius Randle
    - Jabari Brown
    - Robert Sacre
    - Ryan Kelly
    - Top 5 pick

    Subtract Kobe, and you know what all these players have in common? They're all on rookie deals. We've preserved our future cap space, acquired young talent, and developed our bench with some of these guys; additionally, I think Julius and Jordan project into starters at the NBA level. During the summer, I would expect to re-sign Davis and Price. Lin is a question mark, but I think he will find a better situation for himself, and that's fine. I expect Young and Hill to be shopped.

    Nevertheless, with a couple of tweaks, I have higher hopes just with the players I listed going into the following season than I did heading into last summer. This top 5 pick moves us into the 2nd phase of the rebuild and accelerates our rebuild. If we don't get it, we still have 2 picks in the draft, so we could package them together and try to move up to add another nice young player. I don't think we have to do much tweaking to see a improvement next year. I think we'll be closer to a .500 team while maintaining our flexibility financially going forward...
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Apr 17, 2015
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  6. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    You move the pick for Cousins and you're on the edge of the playoffs next season.

    Keep the pick and we're a .500 team on the cusp of the playoffs.

    Lose the pick and we're still probably close to .500 honestly with a little luck and health.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 17, 2015
    #6
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  7. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

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    I'm fine with not being very good again for another season if it means no Rondo or Dragic for max. That's not going to bring a championship no matter who we draft if we keep our pick. There's no reason to spend a lot of money just to spend it if we aren't going to move toward the long term future. I'm good with giving some second tier guys the contracts they deserve to start to build a core here for the future, but again, we don't need to spend on a name just to spend. I'm also fine with trading the top 5 pick for certain all-stars if that's possible, like Cousins. Also, get rid of Luke Kelly.
     
    Weezy, Apr 17, 2015
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  8. TIME

    TIME Administrator Staff Member

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    Well, we can't be any worse, so...
     
    TIME, Apr 17, 2015
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  9. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    This is pretty much what I have been thinking.

    I definitely like this team and our options a lot more heading into next season a lot more than I did at this point last season.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Apr 17, 2015
    #9
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  10. ShowTime_IR

    ShowTime_IR - Rookie -

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    Clarkson Kobe SF Randle Cousins is a mother f***ing HEAVEN.
    If healthy It's a 5-6 spot in the west in my opinion. so much power on this squad.

    EDIT: I know you know not to bypass the site swear filter. Just type what you want to say and let the filter do its work. - TIME
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2015
    ShowTime_IR, Apr 17, 2015
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  11. LakersIn4

    LakersIn4 - Rookie -

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    Yeah moving the pick for Cousins is the "get better quickly" move if there's ever going to be one. Dump Young and Kelly's contracts to create more space and get Middleton. We're sitting pretty with a core of very good young players.
     
    LakersIn4, Apr 17, 2015
    #11
  12. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    i'll quibble with the latter two. it would take a lot of luck in FA to move this team into playoff contention next year, top five pick or no (even the best of draft picks rarely influence the win column early on).
     
    abeer3, Apr 27, 2015
    #12
  13. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I think the luck change would have to be in the injury department and I'm rolling on faith. That's assuming our draft pick and/or FAs make it through most of the season and most importantly Kobe makes it through most of the season. I don't think we'll have as much trouble adding talent as we will staying healthy.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 27, 2015
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  14. LakersN4

    LakersN4 - Rookie -

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    That's why I'm not against trading the pick for an established star unless we draft a player that Mitch & company think is going to turn into a franchise player. Same with Randle. If we keep our pick this season, it's only top 3 protected next season. We get to keep the following pick, then the next 1 goes to Orlando. There's no benefit to tanking when we're losing 2 of our next 3 1st rounders. The only thing we can do to improve our future is put a playoff team on the floor to make us more appealing to free agents.
     
    LakersN4, Apr 27, 2015
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  15. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    yep. same here. if you can get an established allstar on the right side of 30 for the pick, i'm listening.
     
    abeer3, Apr 28, 2015
    #15
  16. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    I just don't see us making the playoffs next season. The way we get the "best player possible" added to our team is trade our pick for Cousins which I don't think gets it done. We probably have to put either Randle or Clarkson in with the pick to nab Cousins. That leaves us with, let's say, Randle and Cousins as our frontline. Kobe may make it through 50 games, so we now have Cousins essentially carrying the load with Randle (a rookie for all intents and purposes [;) to Real]). Remember that getting Cousins takes about half of our cap space. The pick is, let's say, 4 million, while Cousins makes 14. 10 of our potential 22 million in cap space is gone with that transaction. So let's say we go grab Middleton. Middleton and Cousins with a geriatric Kobe and rookie Randle may not get it done in the Western Conference. In fact, I don't see it.

    If we don't trade for Cousins and we get Okafor or Towns (best case scenario), sign Middleton and sign...who? If we sign Middleton to grow with Okafor, Randle and Clarkson (Kobe takes up the sg slot) who do we even want to sign at that point? I mean, I know we'd have cap space, but this could potentially be our lineup:

    Okafor/Upshaw (via 27)/Black
    Randle/Black/Kelly
    Middleton/Young
    Kobe/Brown/Young
    Clarkson/?/Price

    I mean, you pick up a backup pg like Mo Williams or something, but that roster sits at 63 million with Middleton overpaid at 14 and Mo at 5 million. I'm not saying I don't like that team. I LOVE that team because of the potential to grow. But that team also is YOUNG, YOUNG, YOUNG. No way those guys all put it together to make the playoffs in the bloodbath Western Conference.
     
    Savory Griddles, Apr 28, 2015
    #16
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  17. LakerFanIam

    LakerFanIam - Lakers 6th Man -

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    Unless a legit All Star, Franchise type player falls in their laps, I'd like to see the Lakers keep their Draft Pick & pick up two solid role players.
    Somewhere in the range of $12-15M guys.

    See what Kobe brings next season & then use his salary to go Big in 2016 after we have developed a stronger core of players..
     
    LakerFanIam, Apr 29, 2015
    #17
  18. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    That's actually my favorite plan, but it wouldn't be the Lakers' style. My favorite plan is picking up Carroll and a big like Asik while drafting Winslow or Johnson or Hezonja. Then you have exactly what you said: a solid base that sets up a foundation for a FA to come in and own the city.

    The problem is you're almost guaranteeing mediocrity for at least one season. By using the cap to get role players, you're using valuable space to fill out a team when that team cannot win a Championship. For instance if we split our big cash between Carroll and Asik who are two great role players, then you're depending either on a 37 year old Kobe or a bunch of kids under 24 years old to carry the team in 2015. That's a tall order. I'd be behind it, but I think the Lakers would rather swing for the fences.

    Clarkson/Mudiay/Lucas
    Bryant/Ellington/Brown
    Carroll/Young/Anderson
    Randle/Kelly
    Asik/Black/D. Johnson

    That team could probably make the playoffs if they stayed relatively healthy and jelled, but they're not winning a ring. If you don't grab Durant in 2016 this team might never win a Championship and then you're treading water... I still like the plan though. Give me all in on creating a solid base of role players. I wanted that last season too, but they didn't do it.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 29, 2015
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  19. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    more on the carroll train i see...excellent. he might be my top realistic target.
     
    abeer3, Apr 29, 2015
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  20. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I've been on it for a while already. Everyone else keeps saying Middleton so I use his name in examples. I'd much rather target Carroll. He's a little older, but will be cheaper and is unrestricted.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 29, 2015
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