Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

I named a bunch of star players that haven't attracted squat. If a player is dying to play with someone the team will figure it out. Boston and Miami are great examples, heck even Houston with Howard.

Just saying I don't believe in FA magnets

 

I'll trade anyone on this roster if the right deal came along. It is not my preferred method, but I don't want to wait 3 years on another project and hope they work out. I have gotten use to watching games past April being a Lakers fan, and I hope that continues. I miss playoff basketball...

 

Fire Byron. Convince Jim to step down a year early. Hire Luke. Make Kobe president in place of Jim with path to ownership like MJ. Keep our pick. Instant change in FA perception and a "closer" and respect again in the FO. Anyone want some of this? Cough.

 

You're probably right --- I may be slightly undervaluing Butler and you may be slightly overvaluing him. His real value is probably somewhere in between. Thanks for the good discussion.

OK I didn't get the joke, but no worries

Yeah, it seemed out of character for you and I should have known better.... And I should probably watch more movies.

 

:Mitchthumb:

 

The way the FO is going to handle this summer is do or die ... As fans we will know whether our team is going to stay irrelevant for the next 5+ seasons or not .

 

trodgers is often misunderstood
It happens when ur from his hood
If you ever question dude's intent
Just remember his heart is good

 

I've been complaining about Kobe these last few games. Chucking and all....then, I went back and decided to read Mitch's comment and what he said and it kind of gave me hope despite our dismal record; he says the following:

"I think we'll see enough [from them]," Kupchak said. "Yeah, I think we'll see enough. I do. Kobe has been really good lately. He looks like he's trying to fit in and play the right way. Yeah, I think we'll see enough. Is it going to come as quick as you want? I mean, D'Angelo is going to be 20. They all want it now, but it's just going to take a year or two or three. But it's certainly going to be a lot more attractive than what we had to offer last summer."

"At the end of the day, last summer, we were trying to sell to free agents -- 'Come to LA, we have plenty of cap room, we have the No. 2 draft pick, we have a player we drafted No. 7 [overall] who didn't play this year who we think is going to be a heck of a player, and we've got Kobe, who is going to turn 36,'" Kupchak said. "That was our pitch. And that's a tough pitch to a veteran free agent. A veteran free agent really needs to hear more than that, especially if he's giving up a lot of money. He needs to see more of a core than the No. 2 pick, whom he may not even know who he is, and a player that got hurt in the first game of the season, and the rest of the guys that we had on the team and Kobe who hadn't played in two years. That's a tough pitch to a free agent. It really is.

"So I think going forward, we're going to have a lot more than that this year. And I'm hoping that will be attractive to more free agents this summer."

Despite our dismal record, I think 'being the face of Los Angeles' still has it's appeal. I think we'll do okay in FA. We may not get a 'star' but I think we'll fill the roster with decent free agents and be a lot more competitive next year.

 

I don't share your optimism right now, as I don't think mitch has much more to sell this summer, but the general theory is correct, imo. once the lakers have something on the floor that isn't awful, they will again ascend to the top of the FA destinations. I don't think any of the young guys did enough to move the needle this year, but I could see one or more of them turning some heads next season, which could kickstart things.

and of course, as discussed exhaustively, a trade for an allstar could change things right away.

 

I hear you. I'm optimistic that we won't be a cellar dweller next year. Let's aim for 38-42 wins next year and get the ship headed on the right path.

 

I think our pitch is vastly different from years past....we could have up to THREE max slots. That's a way more attractive pitch than "hey we only have one max slot and you'll have to play second fiddle to an out of prime Kobe Bryant who takes up a third of the cap but doesn't play at the level of a max player anymore.

 

I genuinely think Whiteside will be a Laker. We will miss out on Durant and throw money at this kid and pray it works out. He's exactly what the team needs from a basketball perspective, but I'm just not sure how I feel about his competitive fire long term.

Go into that season with a Whiteside, Randle, Simmons/Ingram, Clarkson, Russell squad, try to turn some heads, and possibly make this an intriguing destination for a Mr. Westbrook

 

If we get Phil, who needs Whiteside?
He'll sign Pau back, just watch

 

I'm fine with that as long as we don't trade D'Angelo or Julius. Anyone else including our pick is fair game.