NBA General Discussions | Lakers Trade Ideas/FA Discussions

[ihatetimthomas]

I stated in my post that I am not confident in the front office and won't be until they revamp it. I do not think they can build a winner with the management make up.

I agree w all you posted, free agents need confidence in the team that the are doing everything in their power to build the team. We don't have the intell to answer all those questions but it's a telling sign if no big signing is happening

[daily]

Last big free agent the Lakers signed was Shaq, the myth of big market teams get all the free agents is just that a myth.

Lakers have always built through trades and the draft and the draft has always been hit and miss because of where the Lakers drafted. Our last ground up rebuild took 10 years to produce a title and that was with a Collective Bargaining Agreement that allowed the Lakers to stomp all over the league financially
Since we're only in year two of this one I think fans are being way too pessimistic about the team and it's direction considering the current anti big market team climate created by the new contract with the players union.

We have good solid rookies, decent cross mix of vets and youth. A couple more minor deals this summer and they should go into the season with a much better outlook than last year

[SoCalMike]

"the myth of big market teams get all the free agents is just that a myth."

Actually, this is not a myth. It was a fact up until the last few years or so.

This was a dynamic based on how the NBA and the world was structured. Today, with social media and how the world is now "reported," visibility can come from virtually anywhere and people can establish their brands from anywhere. The world is a smaller place as they say.

So, saying it is a myth is incorrect. Perhaps saying it is a legend of the past is better.

[daily]

"the myth of big market teams get all the free agents is just that a myth."

Actually, this is not a myth. It was a fact up until the last few years or so.

This was a dynamic based on how the NBA and the world was structured. Today, with social media and how the world is now "reported," visibility can come from virtually anywhere and people can establish their brands from anywhere. The world is a smaller place as they say.

So, saying it is a myth is incorrect. Perhaps saying it is a legend of the past is better.

Can you list all these big time free agents the Laker have signed over the years? I spotted you Shaq so who are the other big name free agent players in their prime who left their team to join the Lakers going back to 1980 when Buss took over the team

[Mgamer20o0]

I stated in my post that I am not confident in the front office and won't be until they revamp it. I do not think they can build a winner with the management make up.

I agree w all you posted, free agents need confidence in the team that the are doing everything in their power to build the team. We don't have the intell to answer all those questions but it's a telling sign if no big signing is happening

i wouldnt go that far. though i think they need to bring someone in to handle the pitches. after spending a couple hours today listening to 710 pick apart the interview they had with mitch something needs to be done. he was making all kinds of crazy excuses. the round table threw him off.... they only had 2 hours and they ran out of time so they couldnt get to basketball side of things.... there was too many people in there. he didnt seem to care at all.

[magic chiongson]

robert upshaw got signed for 2 years. this could be goodbye to the other bob if they need an extra roster spot

[ihatetimthomas]

i wouldnt go that far. though i think they need to bring someone in to handle the pitches. after spending a couple hours today listening to 710 pick apart the interview they had with mitch something needs to be done. he was making all kinds of crazy excuses. the round table threw him off.... they only had 2 hours and they ran out of time so they couldnt get to basketball side of things.... there was too many people in there. he didnt seem to care at all.

I listened to that interview. It didn't do anything for me to change my perception of how the team is running. It made me think the pitch was fairly unorganized. Mitch also didn't have much idea about analytics. Its not something he is supposed to specialize in but he didn't really answer much about analytics other than very general things.

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

Can you list all these big time free agents the Laker have signed over the years? I spotted you Shaq so who are the other big name free agent players in their prime who left their team to join the Lakers going back to 1980 when Buss took over the team

This. The whole "Free agents love LA" is such a myth. In fact, superstars rarely sign with different teams outright in free agency anyway.

The Lakers were successful because they had 2 top 10 GOATs in Shaq and Kobe and supplanted them with decent casts that grew into champions.

[ihatetimthomas]

The players the Lakers were able to sign were the elite role player free agents. They have never really had to sign superstar free agents as they have been blessed with Shaq, Kobe, Gasol, etc. And before that it was drafting Magic, Worthy and trading for Kareem. They always managed to acquire elite superstars through draft or trade.

If anything, the Lakers more than any team had the ability to sign the big role players. Rick Fix took a significant payout to go the the Lakers. They got Gary Payton and Karl Malone for cheap. While those 2 were out of their primes, they still had solid seasons prior to joining and took big payouts. Then there was getting Ron Artest. Wether it was Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, or Horace Grant...Lakers always managed to get role players who were great and came on the cheap.

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

The players the Lakers were able to sign were the elite role player free agents. They have never really had to sign superstar free agents as they have been blessed with Shaq, Kobe, Gasol, etc. And before that it was drafting Magic, Worthy and trading for Kareem. They always managed to acquire elite superstars through draft or trade.

If anything, the Lakers more than any team had the ability to sign the big role players. Rick Fix took a significant payout to go the the Lakers. They got Gary Payton and Karl Malone for cheap. While those 2 were out of their primes, they still had solid seasons prior to joining and took big payouts. Then there was getting Ron Artest. Wether it was Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, or Horace Grant...Lakers always managed to get role players who were great and came on the cheap.

Agree with this (although the Artest signing was almost like a trade with Houston considering Ariza left for them).

The Lakers have been able to make great trades and decent picks, at least in recent history. Trading for Kobe, trading for Pau, trading Shaq and getting Lamar, etc. They've rarely outright signed FA superstars because those players rarely sign with different teams in free agency anyway.

But again, they were also lucky to have Shaq and Kobe then a peak/prime Kobe to build around. Now, they have nothing. Kobe is on his last legs (literally) and they have no desirable pieces whatsoever aside from maybe their most recent draft picks. I hate to sound cynical but I think it's going to be a dark few years for the franchise unless a miracle happens. Think mid 90s when Cedric Ceballos was the best player.

[kshutts1]

I was listenting to Max and Marcellus and Max made some decent points that I have said and agree with.

Lamarcus Aldridge signing never made much sense. A 30 year old with rookies and second year players didnt make sense to me. By the time the rookies would have been really ready, LA is on the decline. It had more to do with the Lakers front office wanting a big name and be relevant once again. But it didnt make much sense in a long term stand point

Max actually applauded the Hibbert signing as it is a position we needed, doesnt take minutes away from our young core and keeps flexibility for next season as he is a expiring deal.

They got some guys who can play in Lou Williams and Bass and they are solid role players that can help while at the same time maintaining flexibility next year and within the roster.

He also said in a weird way, this is a successful off season bc of the reasons above. They keep the young guys and they will have ample minutes to develop. No one is in front of them to stunt growth. They still have flexibility next season to sign big free agents. Overall, the situation they are in is a positive long term. I know we all wanted the big name guys, but the future is not bad with the makeup of the team now. The problem is that the situation they are in now was by accident and not by design. They struck out of everyone and are just making due with what is available. I am still not confident in the front office. Until they decide to do a revamp and hire new management, I am not sold a winner can be built.

Kobe wont be going to the playoffs his last season but Lakers have some guys who can turn into stars. They will be a better team than last season (I know not too tough lol)

I love how no one, Lakers fans included, is willing to discuss the likelihood of losing next year's pick, and how it's increased exponentially with the additions of solid players like Bass, Hibbert and Williams.

Sure, tons of FA flexibility next summer... but is anyone truly confident in the FAs ability to get anyone? Not to mention, Lou does take minutes from Clarkson. Four-guard rotations don't work.

That said, I really like the building blocks of this team, in Randle, Russell, Clarkson. I just wish the FA remembered they protected next year's pick in the top 3, instead of assuming it was gone.

[dd24]

I think pretty much everyone has said they expect to lose that pick.

[ihatetimthomas]

I love how no one, Lakers fans included, is willing to discuss the likelihood of losing next year's pick, and how it's increased exponentially with the additions of solid players like Bass, Hibbert and Williams.

Sure, tons of FA flexibility next summer... but is anyone truly confident in the FAs ability to get anyone? Not to mention, Lou does take minutes from Clarkson. Four-guard rotations don't work.

That said, I really like the building blocks of this team, in Randle, Russell, Clarkson. I just wish the FA remembered they protected next year's pick in the top 3, instead of assuming it was gone.

Its not mentioned because its a foregone conclusion that Lakers will lose the pick. Even if they land in the bottom 3, there is still a good chance they lose it. They could tank and not have signed Bass or Lou and still have a high probability of not having the pick.

Im just saying considering the situation as of now, its not the worst. Not the best, but they have options.

[magic chiongson]

i want us to try to get to the playoffs or at least 9th-10th seed and give philly a crap pick next year

[dd24]

i want us to try to get to the playoffs or at least 9th-10th seed and give philly a crap pick next year

^^^ I agree.