:X Lakers 13/14 Thread: 6th Draft Slot "Locked Up" :BYE: (1 Viewer)

[Gr00vus]

Nice tapestry.

Howard saying he's leaving because he doesn't like D'Antoni's system. Has nothing to do with Bryant saying he's going to play forever (by the way I told you so on that).

How much for that Bynum in the window?

I think there are some lean years coming here - fertile ground for Kobe to chase the all time scoring record.

ETA: Sorry Laker fans, things weren't getting better without me posting a thread, and nobody else (Gunz, Bucky, Smails, BRONG, Eebok - I'm looking at you) was jumping in so...

 

[Run It Up]

I wonder if D'antoni likes dags.

 

[Gr00vus]

I wonder if D'antoni likes dags.

When are those sausages going to be done?

 

[Abraham]

It is interesting that the lakers cap predicament comes from a guy spending his whole career there as a star. AS much as I make jokes about it, it really is amazing that Kobe has had a HOF career like he has in one uniform. The sad part is the rules essentially punish a player and team for that occurring due to the raises he can make by reupping with his current organization. I don't see any way Kobe takes a paycut, but it would be interesting if he did after next season. With Gasol and artest off the books - and assuming Howard bolts - they could have an extraordinary amount of cap space if Kobe takes a paycut.

That said, much of the discussion by some Laker fans here is that the Lakers are a destination location and they can have their pick of players when they have salary cap room, etc. But is that true? Discounting the Howard saga because he is nuts, when was the last time a premier FA signed outright with the Lakers?

 

[Gr00vus]

It is interesting that the lakers cap predicament comes from a guy spending his whole career there as a star. AS much as I make jokes about it, it really is amazing that Kobe has had a HOF career like he has in one uniform. The sad part is the rules essentially punish a player and team for that occurring due to the raises he can make by reupping with his current organization. I don't see any way Kobe takes a paycut, but it would be interesting if he did after next season. With Gasol and artest off the books - and assuming Howard bolts - they could have an extraordinary amount of cap space if Kobe takes a paycut.

That said, much of the discussion by some Laker fans here is that the Lakers are a destination location and they can have their pick of players when they have salary cap room, etc. But is that true? Discounting the Howard saga because he is nuts, when was the last time a premier FA signed outright with the Lakers?

Shaq. Prior to that, Wilt. Most of their key guys were drafts or trades. Otherwise it was guys like Rick Fox willing to take a bit less to play for the Lakers.

It'll be "fun" to watch old man Bryant on a non-playoff team. Lots of fun.

 

[Gr00vus]

Definitely ######ing #######ed.

Do we even have a 14' draft pick?

Edited: I just caught that you wrote 14. Pretty sure they have their 1st rounder at least - could be a lottery pick.

Jimmy Buss must feel like he's submerged in acid right now.

 

[timschochet]

Nothing is for sure yet. Let's see what the Lakers look like in the fall before assuming things are going to be terrible. I admit it doesn't look so good at the moment,.

 

[Gr00vus]

Nothing is for sure yet. Let's see what the Lakers look like in the fall before assuming things are going to be terrible. I admit it doesn't look so good at the moment,.

You think they keep clinging to D'Antoni?

I think he's a goner by tomorrow at the latest.

 

[Abraham]

Nothing is for sure yet. Let's see what the Lakers look like in the fall before assuming things are going to be terrible. I admit it doesn't look so good at the moment,.

If everyone returns at full health by the end of October they have the same squad that barely snuck in to the playoffs and then got trucked by the Spurs.

 

[Gr00vus]

Nothing is for sure yet. Let's see what the Lakers look like in the fall before assuming things are going to be terrible. I admit it doesn't look so good at the moment,.

If everyone returns at full health by the end of October they have the same squad that barely snuck in to the playoffs and then got trucked by the Spurs.

Well, to be fair, by the end of the Spurs series, I was starting at shooting guard and Timsosuave was running the point due to all the injuries.

 

[timschochet]

Nothing is for sure yet. Let's see what the Lakers look like in the fall before assuming things are going to be terrible. I admit it doesn't look so good at the moment,.

If everyone returns at full health by the end of October they have the same squad that barely snuck in to the playoffs and then got trucked by the Spurs.

Full health?

The team that got swept by the Spurs had no Kobe, no Nash, Howard at 80%, and no time to play together as a team. There was never a time when they had "full health"- and in terms of Nash, it may never happen again.

 

[timschochet]

Nothing is for sure yet. Let's see what the Lakers look like in the fall before assuming things are going to be terrible. I admit it doesn't look so good at the moment,.

You think they keep clinging to D'Antoni?

I think he's a goner by tomorrow at the latest.

It wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Abraham]

Nothing is for sure yet. Let's see what the Lakers look like in the fall before assuming things are going to be terrible. I admit it doesn't look so good at the moment,.

If everyone returns at full health by the end of October they have the same squad that barely snuck in to the playoffs and then got trucked by the Spurs.

Full health?

The team that got swept by the Spurs had no Kobe, no Nash, Howard at 80%, and no time to play together as a team. There was never a time when they had "full health"- and in terms of Nash, it may never happen again.

Fair enough - you think Kobe, Nash and 100% Howard would have fared better? Either way, even at full-health this isn't a championship contending team.

 

[Gr00vus]

Good news: The Lakers exercised their option on starting shooting guard Jodie Meeks for next year, and they made a qualifying offer to starting center Robert Sacre, so he's a restricted free agent now.

 

[Timmay]

Lakers need to go into rebuilding mode. Let Howard walk, he is a cancer. Let Nash ride out his 2 years, Amnesty either Kobe or Gasol and let the other walk after next year. Let World Peace walk after next year (im sure he will accept his player option this year) Go for the lottery next year, Get Wiggins with your #1 pick. Develop Jordan Hill and Earl Clark.

 

[timschochet]

Nothing is for sure yet. Let's see what the Lakers look like in the fall before assuming things are going to be terrible. I admit it doesn't look so good at the moment,.

If everyone returns at full health by the end of October they have the same squad that barely snuck in to the playoffs and then got trucked by the Spurs.

Full health?

The team that got swept by the Spurs had no Kobe, no Nash, Howard at 80%, and no time to play together as a team. There was never a time when they had "full health"- and in terms of Nash, it may never happen again.

Fair enough - you think Kobe, Nash and 100% Howard would have fared better? Either way, even at full-health this isn't a championship contending team.

I don't think we have enough information to know that.

Put it this way. At the beginning of last season, I believed that Kobe, Nash, Howard, and Gasol, healthy and playing together over the course of most of an entire season, would be either the best or 2nd best team in the NBA and make it to the Finals and possibly win. I was not alone in this belief, but I stated it in this forum. We never got to see that team. As it turns out now, we probably never will. Who knows if I was right or wrong?

 

[Gr00vus]

Lakers need to go into rebuilding mode. Let Howard walk, he is a cancer. Let Nash ride out his 2 years, Amnesty either Kobe or Gasol and let the other walk after next year. Let World Peace walk after next year (im sure he will accept his player option this year) Go for the lottery next year, Get Wiggins with your #1 pick. Develop Jordan Hill and Earl Clark.

Can't they at least try to trade Gasol first? He's not totally valueless. MWP did exercise his option. If they dealt Gasol, they could amnesty Metta. No way they'll amnesty Bryant - particularly if Howard, Gasol and Metta are all off the books.

 

[timschochet]

I've followed the Lakers for over 40 years. They've never gone into rebuilding mode. Never. They were forced into it twice- the retirement of Wilt Chamberlain, and the forced retirement of Magic Johnson. But in both cases very quickly they were back in the hunt for a championship.

The Lakers just signed a huge contract with Time Warner which makes them the richest franchise in the NBA, by far. There's not going to be any rebuilding. They will find a way to be relevant- watch and see.

 

[Timmay]

Lakers need to go into rebuilding mode. Let Howard walk, he is a cancer. Let Nash ride out his 2 years, Amnesty either Kobe or Gasol and let the other walk after next year. Let World Peace walk after next year (im sure he will accept his player option this year) Go for the lottery next year, Get Wiggins with your #1 pick. Develop Jordan Hill and Earl Clark.

Can't they at least try to trade Gasol first? He's not totally valueless. MWP did exercise his option. If they dealt Gasol, they could amnesty Metta. No way they'll amnesty Bryant - particularly if Howard, Gasol and Metta are all off the books.

I guess they could try trading Gasol first, but the returns they were talking about during the year this past year was Andrei Bargnani....I would rather them amnesty than take on his huge salary. He is terrible.

 

[Timmay]

I've followed the Lakers for over 40 years. They've never gone into rebuilding mode. Never. They were forced into it twice- the retirement of Wilt Chamberlain, and the forced retirement of Magic Johnson. But in both cases very quickly they were back in the hunt for a championship.

The Lakers just signed a huge contract with Time Warner which makes them the richest franchise in the NBA, by far. There's not going to be any rebuilding. They will find a way to be relevant- watch and see.

I never said they will. I said they should.

Signing Howard, Josh Smith, Andre Igoudola, or Bynum to max contracts could be the worst thing they could do. Chris Paul would be great, but don't see that happening.

 

[Gr00vus]

Duhon and Ebanks will be playing elsewhere next season. Morris might be back.

 

[Gr00vus]

Lakers need to go into rebuilding mode. Let Howard walk, he is a cancer. Let Nash ride out his 2 years, Amnesty either Kobe or Gasol and let the other walk after next year. Let World Peace walk after next year (im sure he will accept his player option this year) Go for the lottery next year, Get Wiggins with your #1 pick. Develop Jordan Hill and Earl Clark.

Can't they at least try to trade Gasol first? He's not totally valueless. MWP did exercise his option. If they dealt Gasol, they could amnesty Metta. No way they'll amnesty Bryant - particularly if Howard, Gasol and Metta are all off the books.

I guess they could try trading Gasol first, but the returns they were talking about during the year this past year was Andrei Bargnani....I would rather them amnesty than take on his huge salary. He is terrible.

I wonder if the Lakers could get a draft pick for Gasol. They won't trade him now of course because they have to wait and see if they lose Howard.

 

[Abraham]

Put it this way. At the beginning of last season, I believed that Kobe, Nash, Howard, and Gasol, healthy and playing together over the course of most of an entire season, would be either the best or 2nd best team in the NBA and make it to the Finals and possibly win. I was not alone in this belief, but I stated it in this forum. We never got to see that team. As it turns out now, we probably never will. Who knows if I was right or wrong?

I don't think you are right or wrong, I think that it's not something to ever know fully. The fact is that the Nash and Howard LAL expected to have were not the guys that took the court. Whether they had nagging injuries or not, the feeling in October was that this was a contender on paper and reality showed it wasn't. At this point its as irrelevant as saying "the Thunder would have won the West if Westbrook were healthy."

I've followed the Lakers for over 40 years. They've never gone into rebuilding mode. Never. They were forced into it twice- the retirement of Wilt Chamberlain, and the forced retirement of Magic Johnson. But in both cases very quickly they were back in the hunt for a championship.

The Lakers just signed a huge contract with Time Warner which makes them the richest franchise in the NBA, by far. There's not going to be any rebuilding. They will find a way to be relevant- watch and see.

I asked this earlier: when is the last time the Lakers attracted a marquee free agent? I was asking because I seriously don't know. Yes, having tons of money is useful and they can blow through the luxury tax with ease. But there are still parameters that exist with regard to acquiring those players in the first place. Even with all the money in Midas's tomb they can't have everyone they want; their are still CBA rules about such things.

 

[Gr00vus]

I asked this earlier: when is the last time the Lakers attracted a marquee free agent? I was asking because I seriously don't know. Yes, having tons of money is useful and they can blow through the luxury tax with ease. But there are still parameters that exist with regard to acquiring those players in the first place. Even with all the money in Midas's tomb they can't have everyone they want; their are still CBA rules about such things.

As I said up thread, Shaq was the last one. I think Jamaal Wilkes before that. Most of their marquee guys have been acquired via trade or draft. Losing Howard would be their biggest swing and miss ever in terms of trying to sign a high profile guy.

 

[bryhamm]

 

[EYLive]

Next year will suck big time. Thank goodness for the Clippers.

But the 2014 draft is supposed to be stacked and the FA's will include some big names. The radio guys have been saying for months that Laker management are probably going to ride out a bad year with a bad coach and start fresh with a fat wallet for 2014-15.

 

[Gr00vus]

Who needs Dwight Howard when you've got Ryan Kelly? The similarities are dumbfounding.

 

[drummer]

Put it this way. At the beginning of last season, I believed that Kobe, Nash, Howard, and Gasol, healthy and playing together over the course of most of an entire season, would be either the best or 2nd best team in the NBA and make it to the Finals and possibly win. I was not alone in this belief, but I stated it in this forum. We never got to see that team. As it turns out now, we probably never will. Who knows if I was right or wrong?

I don't think you are right or wrong, I think that it's not something to ever know fully. The fact is that the Nash and Howard LAL expected to have were not the guys that took the court. Whether they had nagging injuries or not, the feeling in October was that this was a contender on paper and reality showed it wasn't. At this point its as irrelevant as saying "the Thunder would have won the West if Westbrook were healthy."

I've followed the Lakers for over 40 years. They've never gone into rebuilding mode. Never. They were forced into it twice- the retirement of Wilt Chamberlain, and the forced retirement of Magic Johnson. But in both cases very quickly they were back in the hunt for a championship.

The Lakers just signed a huge contract with Time Warner which makes them the richest franchise in the NBA, by far. There's not going to be any rebuilding. They will find a way to be relevant- watch and see.

I asked this earlier: when is the last time the Lakers attracted a marquee free agent? I was asking because I seriously don't know. Yes, having tons of money is useful and they can blow through the luxury tax with ease. But there are still parameters that exist with regard to acquiring those players in the first place. Even with all the money in Midas's tomb they can't have everyone they want; their are still CBA rules about such things.

I don't know why everybody forgets Chris Paul.

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Even when you guys suck next year, you're still a bunch of jerk-offs.

 

[drummer]

I voted fire D'Antoni all across the board. That's all I got for now.

 

[drummer]

Even when you guys suck next year, you're still a bunch of jerk-offs.

That still have more money than you.

 

[drummer]

I've followed the Lakers for over 40 years. They've never gone into rebuilding mode. Never. They were forced into it twice- the retirement of Wilt Chamberlain, and the forced retirement of Magic Johnson. But in both cases very quickly they were back in the hunt for a championship.

The Lakers just signed a huge contract with Time Warner which makes them the richest franchise in the NBA, by far. There's not going to be any rebuilding. They will find a way to be relevant- watch and see.

Which was all Jeannie from what I figure. As long as she is around, she is the only hope I got for this Franchise, outside of Jerry West coming back.

 

[Juxtatarot]

They'll be back. It's just going to take a few years.

 

[drummer]

Next year will suck big time. Thank goodness for the Clippers.

But the 2014 draft is supposed to be stacked and the FA's will include some big names. The radio guys have been saying for months that Laker management are probably going to ride out a bad year with a bad coach and start fresh with a fat wallet for 2014-15.

If they went and got Lebron James, this board would go into a full meltdown. Skrubs would have to castrate himself to prevent from getting chubs reading Ferris' latest Lebron soliloquy's.

 

[Gr00vus]

Kupchak saying he's still optimistic about Howard coming back, and that no one associated with Howard has complained to him about D'Antoni.

Enjoy Houston Dwight.

 

[Gr00vus]

Even when you guys suck next year, you're still a bunch of jerk-offs.

You and your sugar mouth.

 

[Abraham]

Local radio guy has some convoluted theory that letting Dwight Howard walk would eventually open the door for LeBron to come to LA.

Well, sure. Depends on how much salary Kobe is going to account for. If he's still on the roster at full $ then having another max on the roster pretty much rules out Lebron.

 

[pollardsvision]

I don't understand the difference in the last 2 questions.

 

[encaitar]

I'd say they are Proper ####ed as of right now. If Howard leaves and Kobe refuses to take a pay cut after next season, then we can say they're ####### ####ed.

 

[rodg12]

I asked this earlier: when is the last time the Lakers attracted a marquee free agent? I was asking because I seriously don't know. Yes, having tons of money is useful and they can blow through the luxury tax with ease. But there are still parameters that exist with regard to acquiring those players in the first place. Even with all the money in Midas's tomb they can't have everyone they want; their are still CBA rules about such things.

The last time they had cap space to do anything big was when they got Shaq.

Do the Karl Malone/Gary Payton signings count? They were pretty marquee.

 

[drummer]

Jeebus, they had a roster with Bryant, Gasol, Nash, Artest and Howard. They ALSO HAD CHRIS PAUL but the League stopped that.

What, do players have to collude to play with each other like MIA in order to call it an acquisition of marquee talent now?

 

[Gr00vus]

Kupchack actually got the 1st post free agent accessibility period word in with Howard.

 

[Gr00vus]

Lakers talking to Farmar, Francisco Garcia, Wayne Ellington, Carlos Delfino and Nick Young. Interested in Buddinger, but probably wants more than they can offer. Also talking to Byron Muellens.

Time Warner Cable will give Howard his own show if he stays with the Lakers.

J.J. Adande wrote that Howard has spoken with Jack Nicholson about staying with the Lakers.

Warriors might offer a sign and trade for Howard.

Lakers saying they have a few surprises in store for Howard when they talk to him tomorrow. I figure unless Jackson getting back with the team is one of the surprises, Howard will be a Rocket shortly.

 

[Gr00vus]

Before you get all excited about Farmar coming back:

Mike Bresnahan @Mike_Bresnahan 3 minutes ago Jordan Farmar isn't returning to Lakers. Has 2 more yrs on Turkey contract. The buyout he'd have to pay is more than Lakers would pay him.

 

[Shrugs]

One of the surprises is that LeBron has already silently committed to taking his talents to Tinseltown next season.

 

[Chaka]

Fire D'antoni. Sign and trade Howard. Gear up for 2014-15.

 

[drummer]

Fire D'antoni. Sign and trade Howard. Gear up for 2014-15.

The Lakers' prevailing theme will be simple — they possess a time-tested championship pedigree that has led to 16 titles. And they'll be flush with spending cash in exactly one year, when Nash will be the only player currently under contract, a concept Kupchak recently referred to as a time of “an enormous amount of financial flexibility.”

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-20130701,0,4130006.story

We'll see how deep Jimbo's pockets are in a year or so. Even without Howard, they would have even more $$ for a big time FA.

 

[Daywalker]

Lebron is going to be a Laker or Cav come this time next year. I'd give a slight edge to the Lakers. What else really matters? If Lakers miss out on Lebron oh well. But the real possibility of it happening makes the Lakers prospects over the next five years brighter then just about any other franchise in the league.

I'd rank them:

1. OKC

2. Lakers

3. Cavs

4. Chicago

 

[Gr00vus]

Sasha Vujacic wants back in. So I guess he's plan B if the whole Howard thing doesn't work out. I'm reading Jeannie isn't going to be present at the Howard courting today. I find that odd. More problematic - D'Antoni is going to be at the meeting. So it'll make it next to impossible for them to have the "I'd play here if D'Antoni wasn't the coach" conversation.

 

[bryhamm]

Sasha Vujacic wants back in. So I guess he's plan B if the whole Howard thing doesn't work out. I'm reading Jeannie isn't going to be present at the Howard courting today. I find that odd. More problematic - D'Antoni is going to be at the meeting. So it'll make it next to impossible for them to have the "I'd play here if D'Antoni wasn't the coach" conversation.

oof