Official 2016 Free Agency Thread

batum would be a great pickup. obviously, the max is overpaying, but the lakers are in that position now. they're Detroit. thanks, stern.

 

separate FA discussion:

given the lakers' abundant cap space and low likelihood of finding anyone worth spending it on, would you all favor them finding some high quality role players and using the space to frontload their deals (like the thunder did with nick collison years ago)? I'm pretty sure that's still allowed under the new cba.

for example, if you like bass, pay him 10 million this year, then like, 3 per over the next three. again, iirc, the main reason teams don't do this is that when you have space, you want to use it on foundation pieces. but to me, if you strike out on those, why not use that space to fill in around those vacant spots?

anyone know if I'm off base on this? I'm too lazy to fact check.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/22025/inside-collisons-unique-contract-extension

this is what I'm talking about.

 

Huge signing bonuses don't count? That doesn't seem to make sense. Just knee jerk reaction.

Edit. Oh I see. Because they still had it in cap room?

 

Call me fickle, but I'm OFF the Derozen train. I'd rather sign a really nice role player with a 3&d skillet like Batum or Barnes.

 

I think overpaying and giving the max to Batum or Derozan would be a huge mistake because it will feel like a Joe Johnson or Rashard Lewis situation. I also think that the front office needs to stop trying to save money and stop trying to hit home runs and try to sign free agents they have intentions of keeping after one season. Since Kobe is gone now and if you don't count MWP's first run with the Lakers, Robert Sacre has been on our team the longest, then Ryan Kelly and Nick Young. And all of these players most likely won't be back with the team or will barely get any playing time if they do.

 

my point was more general, and more about guys like bass than Clarkson. there are just more creative ways to use space than a) give it all to Durant and b) take the next lin or hibbert. there are options c-z, too. relatedly...

boom.

let's start finding guys we want to keep. Portland went against the grain with ed davis and aminu last year, and it paid dividends, imo. the lakers just sign those guys to one-year deals, which is basically a COMPLETE waste of time. which is what chasing the big fish when you have a roster and coach like ours amounts to as well.

in other words, go after guys you want and can get, and do it right away. quit frittering away time on guys who have zero intention of signing with you.

 

Yeah, I guess it just seems like he's always hurt at the worst time.

 

Yeah slowly disliking Derozan as a target, I know we can't be choosers since we have close to nothing right now but still.

Batum is injured again, those games played, do they account for the games he had to leave early? Cause I could have sworn he played less than that.

 

yeah, I think each one of us wants to be a Laker, but dream on on Supreme Fuzzler

 

Screw that, take Boron's job. Should be good for 10 more wins right there.