I get that. But my point, and could be wrong, is that I don’t see Mark Walter as an owner letting HARD to come by unique talents already here and having proven themselves under the glare of the Lakers spotlight (Reaves, Hachimura, Kennard, Smart, even Ayton) …. get away. Whatever it takes. You ADD to that core wherever the winning formula slots them later each season on the team depth chart.
I agree with this point to a certain degree. However, elite defense is played as a team. We saw throughout this season how horrible this team was defensively until the end of the season in which they actually started playing together on that end. We had a squad of so called individually poor defenders in Luka, AR, Rui, LeBron(age limitations) turn into a very good unit. For me, the wide margin of age and athleticism is the hardest hurdle to get over when it comes to beating OKC.
OK I’ll say it as no one else has …. another attaboy for the playoffs shooting Rui … keep working and it might be special some day.
In the meantime my money is on no way in H Mark Walter lets THAT …. which the world champ physically cheating football playing Thunder have NO answer for …. walk out the door. Rui “rebounding wart” and all. Fans in Japan that his on steroids marketing / ROI new hires will be targeting …. would riot before the Rui mania has even started. If not Rui …. who???
It's going to be tricky with Rui. He's certainly played great efficient basketball to warrant being re-signed but is he worth $18-20 million? Are other teams thinking that Rui is the answer to them being able to compete or not? As a player, I don't think Rui is going to develop further. I think he's going to be a stable 14-18 PPG player with 4-5 rebounds and just mediocre defense. He might be worth that to another team but for the Lakers, salary-strapped and needing to penny pinch, I don't think he's worth the $. I hope they can make something along the $14-15m work. My concerns with Rui will always be if he's not scoring, he's not doing anything else. And that's just very difficult to work with when you need guys alongside Reaves+Luka to do the dirty work such as rebound, hustle, and play defense.
Rui can’t rebound. Rui makes dumb mistakes. Rui can be an airhead. But Rui is the best damn shooter in the playoffs multiple years running. Rui is automatic from mid range. Rui is an actual defender. Rui can be put onto centers when we go small. He has played himself back into the firmly resign side of things. There is only MLE money out there for him this season, unless you think Chicago and Brooklyn are going to give him more. I’m offering him just above the MLE. 16-18ish.
Yeah. He is not a great defender during the regular season, but he does step up in the playoffs. He's big. He is a lights out shooter and can always get his shot off. He does not try to dribble too much. He's allergic to rebounding and boxing out, but you can't have everything. If the price is right, he should stay.
I agree with all but the number. If the best he has is MLE offers, which I think he will get, we actually offer a bit below that. Because does he want to risk it in a new place and all the impact of moving cities for 2-3 million more? I guess not. I think we can get him at the 13-15 million range. 52/4 or 45/3 with a PO in the last year. That's a fair number and I would give it to him Fact is we will need sharpshooters in the playoffs and we have one at home. He's not good enough to be a starter in a contender but at that number he is an elite 6/7th man and that on a contender is valuable. It's a win-win
I don’t think he would or should take a pay cut to stay here when he’s increased his value. We have Walter and Co at the helm, no need to go cheap IMO. He’s good value where he’s at currently.
Seems that to be able TO take advantage of Mark's deep pockets in order to keep the hard to get talent here, that is already here, we're going to need to operate over the cap. And trade for, or draft, or use our then limited exceptions, or internally develop ..... the 2-3 additional (good enough from 3 / other offensive capabilities) and (good) D players. But that's the whole process of building a deep roster. You can't let established well performing players on the team leave. We need to add to them in the 3 positions that are going nowhere for that process in our future. Maxi, Dalton and Vando. That's four different possible ways to beef up our number one priority, Defense. With some offense from those guys.
Since the Flippers are going to get away with their cheating, let’s just “sushi cart” Rui the remaining difference that he’s looking for. This whole League is now based on corruption- rigged lottery system, NBA built perennial Contender(Spurs), favored teams when it comes to officiating (OKC), betting allowed(has opened up even more avenues for ref corruption), and worst of all, the Flippers being allowed to cheat and get away with it(RoboticCornrows Scandal). The NBA has turned into a dirty, corrupt product with zero integrity. If the rest of the NBA, including those who run it, aren’t going to play by the rules, why should our new owner?
I still maintain there will be penalties handed out not insignificantly. That s*** was blatant and didn’t require rocket science out of the NBA’s experienced in these matters blue chip law firm to confirm. And with the more lenient than criminal or even civil trial findings from circumstantial evidence, as spoken by Silver himself at the start of the investigation. BUT they’re not going to announce the outcome until the playoffs are over. All that said your point and abeer’s still stands if they’re only given a slap on the wrist, both Snake and the Clippers. What’s good for the goose is good for the Lakers ….. just being smarter about it. Than signing Kawhi freaking Leonard to be the media Star of stars for your company (highest dollars paid over real, established stars) (continued even after bankruptcy filed, IIRC) with ZERO work done.
I do think Rui would be a starter in a lot of teams. He’s just an odd fit here with Luka and Lebron. But imagine Rui in: Castle - Fox - Vasell - Rui - Wemby Dosunmu - Antman - McDaniels - Rui - Gobert Maxey - VJ - PG - Rui - Embiid Basically wherever they have decent rebounding at the 5 and defensive guards and could use more spacing and a decent PF defender. 15m would be ideal over 4 years with a PO in year 4.
Rui with another great game. One of the best role players in the playoffs, kept us in it in the first half.