Which Lakers mistake has proven the most destructive?

[Yao Ming's Foot]

- Not signing Phil Jackson (of the 10-45 Knicks) to a Coach/GM role
- Not signing Derek Fisher (of the 10-45 Knicks) to a Coach role
- Not signing Brian Shaw (of the 20-35 Nuggets) to a Coach role
- Losing Dwight Howard (played less than Kobe this year and had even worse box plus/minus impact numbers)
- Trading away the next great big man in Andrew Bynum (now retired)
- Trading away Lamar Odom (see above)
- Signing Kobe Bryant to a massive contract extension (that ends next year)
- Missing out on Free Agents Carmelo Anthony (out for the season) and Chris Bosh (out for the season)

[Bosnian Sajo]

Last two. Odom trade killed our chemistry, if it had gone through then great, but because it didn't....Kobe's huge contract isn't too big of a problem, but it does limit us in terms of being able to sign talent to help him get his 6th. The Lakers are still going to end up winning a title this decade, so it's more of a problem for Kobe than it is for the Lakers and their fans.

[Wally450]

Signing Kobe to a ludicrous deal like that IMO. He's old and sources say not a lot of players want to play with him because of the way he plays. That's why they can't sign big name free agents right now. Wait until Kobe retires and FA will be coming in by the handful.

[FKAri]

Kobe extension

[CP343]

Not signing Phil, closely followed by Kobe's huge contract.

[Yao Ming's Foot]

Signing Kobe to a ludicrous deal like that IMO. He's old and sources say not a lot of players want to play with him because of the way he plays. That's why they can't sign big name free agents right now. Wait until Kobe retires and FA will be coming in by the handful.

Which big name FA could they have signed had Kobe taken a smaller contract?

[Yao Ming's Foot]

Not signing Phil, closely followed by Kobe's huge contract.

Which big name FA could they have signed had Kobe taken a smaller contract?

[JerrySeinfeld]

trading away all of their draft picks, young talents, assets, etc.

[Yao Ming's Foot]

trading away all of their draft picks, young talents, assets, etc.

So basically just trading for Steve Nash....

(Traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Los Angeles Lakers for a 2013 1st round draft pick (Nemanja Nedovic was later selected), a 2013 2nd round draft pick (Alex Oriakhi was later selected), a 2014 2nd round draft pick and a 2015 1st round draft pick.)

Not quite destructive yet, but they owe another 1st rder

Andrew Bynum was already listed...

[HurricaneKid]

Kobe. When Dwight left they should have started over. Probably should have started over before that to be honest. Instead they signed a me first player for years and delayed their ability to restart.

LAL will probably be among the worst teams in the NBA for the next 5 years. They literally don't have one player that could play a meaningful role on a contender. We don't know about Randle yet. But to reset the franchise with Randle and this year's pick is a stretch and still resets the clock to 2020.

Maybe Westbrook signs there in 2 years and this all changes. But right now their future looks pretty bleak. I mean its not as bad as NJN but there aren't more than a few teams that have no pieces AND aren't competitive.

[JerrySeinfeld]

So basically just trading for Steve Nash....

(Traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Los Angeles Lakers for a 2013 1st round draft pick (Nemanja Nedovic was later selected), a 2013 2nd round draft pick (Alex Oriakhi was later selected), a 2014 2nd round draft pick and a 2015 1st round draft pick.)

Not quite destructive yet, but they owe another 1st rder

Andrew Bynum was already listed...

why does it matter who was selected with those picks?

[hawkfan]

Jim Buss being put in charge.
The Lakers are the only team to beat the Warriors and the Hawks this year, so they have talent.
Yet they have no choice but to tank and be in the bottom five teams so that they keep their draft pick.

Awful.

[Yao Ming's Foot]

why does it matter who was selected with those picks?

Because the title of the thread asks for "proof"...

Its not a destructive trade if the Lakers give up nothing for nothing in the long run.

[ImKobe]

that Nash S&T and not signing Phil

[Yao Ming's Foot]

Kobe. When Dwight left they should have started over. Probably should have started over before that to be honest. Instead they signed a me first player for years and delayed their ability to restart.

LAL will probably be among the worst teams in the NBA for the next 5 years. They literally don't have one player that could play a meaningful role on a contender. We don't know about Randle yet. But to reset the franchise with Randle and this year's pick is a stretch and still resets the clock to 2020.

Maybe Westbrook signs there in 2 years and this all changes. But right now their future looks pretty bleak. I mean its not as bad as NJN but there aren't more than a few teams that have no pieces AND aren't competitive.

Ok the Lakers force Kobe out and resign the now injured Dwight Howard... whats their next move?

Which free 2013 free agents pair up with Dwight Howard and turn them into a contender?