Lakers - Kings- Trade Very Unlikely; Both Teams Focused On Draft

That was the term the Kobe haters at CL kept using because Dwight Baby was unhappy with his touches and what kind of game he thought he was good enough to play. "Kobe needs to pass Dwight the torch NOW. When he was balling still and it was clearly his team still.

You know what it means. The LEADER of the team with the winning mindset. Or more than one of them. The guy(s) that is/are fearless and will work hard constantly to be able to dominate. Randall shows this. Again I'm not the only guy saying or seeing this here. Same questions for you then. Spell out please the specific areas of Okafor's and Randalls games that have you so concerned there is a chance they won't be able to dominate. Who's the #6 player in the draft this year who's also a leadership candidate stepping on the floor next year that will be a more impactful player than Julius Randle?

 

Well agree to disagree. You can root to get Cousins and some young new, unproven player at 6 in the draft and give up the #2 Tim Duncan like offensively skilled BIG man in the draft this year, and the should have been several picks higher in the draft rather than #7 last year from seeing him compete however briefly against NBA players in Julius Randle. With no leader penciled in. I'm rooting like hell we keep #2, Randle, Clarkson, Black and whoever else Mitch's wand brings in to complement everyone.

 

Interesting. It seems like a Laker move for sure.

On another note - He claims that the Lakers, if they do, will sign Jimmy Butler to a RFA that will be structured the way Jimmy Butler wants it. AKA get me outta here as fast as possible.

 

LT - Let me ask you this. Is it only the character issues of DMC? What if it was the same deal for LaMarcus Aldridge?

 

Yes his character issues, and even if he was a decent citizen and never caused problems is he a leader? The team needs a high talent, capable of dominating player who will be willing to be that guy. If Randall walks like one, talks like one, works like one, idolized Kobe as a kid, there is a chance he is one. Same with Okafor's enormous size and skills and WINNING history, coupled with his fiery demeanor in competition on the court. He jams it through the hoop in a needed moment and he's the chest pounding primal screaming alpha dog that you build around. Both of them cost controlled for years. No on Aldridge unless as FA.

 

Kobe - 25
Love - 18.9
DMC - 15.8
Young - 5.2
Kelly - 1.7
JC - 845k
Black - 845k
Brown - 845k
Sacre - 900k
Late 1st - 1
2 cap holds - 1

72.035 million total.........Over by 5 million

Kelly goes in the trade as well. Let go of Sacre and Brown.

Kobe, Love, DMC, Young, JC, Black, Late 1st, 5 cap holds = 70.09......3 million over

Does Kevin Love take a paycut?

 

Ok that makes sense. You are just locked in on these guys. I admire that, I just wouldn't gamble potential for guarantees.

I think the Lakers stick due course and keep both, and I don't think Cousins will happen - and I hope we are right about Okafor and Randle, two guys who I absolutely love.

 

I dont want love but i agree that cousins would hurt us in salary

 

I agree. I've been pumped for draft night for a while, and now it feels kinda gloomy. We sure know how to make our players feel unwanted here. [cough] [cough] Pau [cough]

 

man, this is still living? unless the lakers come out a lot better than most of the rumors suggest, it should be dead.

 

I don't think love/cousins can actually happen. even if you clear out everybody (which would involve attaching remaining picks) but kobe, Clarkson, and black (because he's not much more than vet min cap hold), you barely have enough to absorb both salaries.

27 on three players, plus 10 500k cap holds = 32 committed. the cap's what, 67? you're barely squeezing it in. vet mins to round out.

I'd prefer keeping my two young guys and hoping to add a couple useful players in FA with an eye towards a big fish next year.

is love, cousins, kobe, Clarkson, black, and vet mins even a playoff team in the west next year? maybe?

 

Exactly plug somes holes this year and go for a big FA next year and build around the core of clarkson/randle/okafor that will grow together

 

Throw a chunk of the Room Exception or the BAE at K.J. McDaniels & have Justin Anderson fall to 27 & we aren't looking bad at SF either. Upshaw for a high reward backup C.

Clarkson/Min
Kobe/Min
McDaniels/Anderson
Love/Black
Cousins/Upshaw

It's risky but the reward could be huge.

 

I think my issue is that love/cousins requires retaining neither of randle/okafor, when I think it's possible to retain the two rooks while getting a love/cousins level player in addition if the lakers are patient.

 

Exactly

Why trade both for cousins & signing a fa when you can have both AND a FA

 

Too much smoke here. Got me thinking (not saying I'm sold at all) what would a front line that includes love and boogie look like? Love is outside shooter so it pairs well with boogie post game. What do we look like on d without Randle and with cousins? Would okafor and Randle be a better pairing? Would 2016 class of free agents be more or less excited? Ok. I'm leaning that we draft okafor. If we suck we keep drafting - 'super teams' and lakers don't work out very well. 2004, 2011, 2012

 

New here..... loooooong time Laker Fan.

No to Cousins. Think it through..... If Karl could coach guys like JR Smith and Kenyon Martin and can't a guy like Cousins what does that say. Even known knuckleheads like Shawn Kemp and Vin Baker who both burned out way before their talent was realized could play for him. Karl is a very good coach and has a good eye IMHO. Stay away from Cousins.

Why would the front office want to trade for this guy? It isn't like we're a piece or two from contention. We need a whole team.... we have one piece that is NBA level who will be here in 2 years on the roster. We aren't getting a truly competitive team in this offseason.

One part of this rumor that I would like to see happen is trading Randle. His issue with coming over weight and out of shape last year has me concerned as well as that he seems more like a Derrick Favors guy to me. If we could get in the top 5 again for a guard with him and Clarkson I'd have to take it.

Build it from the bottom up and build it slow and with thought. Just getting a name for the purpose of getting fans interested is a Knicks thing.... not a Laker thing.