"We don

[longtime lurker]

I don't get this...why pay for free agents that don't really fit to put together a team that won't seriously compete. They could easily build this team organically for another couple of years and be in a great spot to pull in some free agents then...

Like other posters have mentioned the Lakers don't have a lot of draft picks in the next 4 years. The path back to contention is through a superstar. If the Lakers are looking to sign Durant next year(highly unlikely) and Westbrook when he becomes a free agent then they need to already have a competitive team in place. Organic growth takes way too long and it's unreliable.

[Jameerthefear]

Like other posters have mentioned the Lakers don't have a lot of draft picks in the next 4 years. The path back to contention is through a superstar. If the Lakers are looking to sign Durant next year(highly unlikely) and Westbrook when he becomes a free agent then they need to already have a competitive team in place. Organic growth takes way too long and it's unreliable.

tell that to the spurs, warriors, cleveland (kinda)

[Raymone]

Yeah, Kobe can be impatient since he wants to win another, but if he really wanted to win another, he'd be looking for a way to leave the Lakers.

Keep dreaming. He's been with the Lakers for almost 20 years. He won't throw away his loyalty, unlike other players, to make some super friends and embarrassingly try to ring chase.

[Nastradamus]

Skip Okafor for one of the PGs or Winslow and then snag Robert Upshaw with that Houston pick. That roster will be in good shape.

[IGOTGAME]

Like other posters have mentioned the Lakers don't have a lot of draft picks in the next 4 years. The path back to contention is through a superstar. If the Lakers are looking to sign Durant next year(highly unlikely) and Westbrook when he becomes a free agent then they need to already have a competitive team in place. Organic growth takes way too long and it's unreliable.

just looked at the pick situation and it is bad. Reality is that the Lakers arent goin to be good for a long time unless they get very lucky.

[Jameerthefear]

also, i think the pick we own of yours is heavily protected so i think you could still get it?

[DMV2]

tell that to the spurs, warriors, cleveland (kinda)

Bulls and Thunder too.

Both rebuild though draft and big agency/trades have misses and hits.

2010-14 Heat, 2008-10 Lakers were hits for trades and free agency. Melo/Chandler Knicks and 2013 Lakers a huge bust.

Though I guess that route has a better chance of winning championship than from the ground up though since the Rose/Noah Bulls and Thunder still haven't won a ring yet.

[ImKobe]

Lakers coming for that chip y'all haters shook as fk right now

Okafor (most likely)
another rotation player with the #27 pick

30 mil in cap space



gonna be hard to fit another trophy and Finals MVP to that picture after next season.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

This team is the only one in the entire league with expectations of grandeur.

All teams should be like that. I mean, it's no accident they're the most successful organization in basketball.

[dubeta]

Expected as much


The Lakers franchise are built on collusion, they haven't drafted since Magic

1996 - Kobe, Shaq collusion


2004- Malone Payton


2012- Dwight, Nash



Apparently they collude every 8 years, that means 2020 will be the next major collusion.

[daily]

Like other posters have mentioned the Lakers don't have a lot of draft picks in the next 4 years. Organic growth takes way too long and it's unreliable.

It's a crapshoot. For every success story of building through the draft there's 5 failures. Jam mentioned three teams but only one of those has actually put a ring on the table and isn't that ultimately the goal for all NBA teams.

Properly done when starting from the ground up like the Lakers are it's done through a combination of draft, trades and signing free agents. Thunder built through the draft to begin with but are now stalled, they have nothing to show but near misses so now they have to improve through trades and free agents.

Sucking is easy, getting that pick is easy but drafting is a 50/50 proposition because there's more players that don't live up to potential than do so you can't rely on that alone. Sooner or later you have to say we're done going to the draft well and now we're going to phase two build around the base we have and start adding to the team in other ways

As for Starface's post, said it before the guy should just have "Laker Nation Enter Here" tattooed on his forehead. I've never seen a fanbase so ingrained into a guys everyday thought process So comical

[daily]

Expected as much


The Lakers franchise are built on collusion, they haven't drafted since Magic

1996 - Kobe, Shaq collusion


2004- Malone Payton


2012- Dwight, Nash



Apparently they collude every 8 years, that means 2020 will be the next major collusion.

James Worthy is the last Laker taken in the top 5. Get your facts straight if you're going to write gobbledygook

[DMV2]

^dubeta, daily

Drafts before the lottery were completely messed up though.

Championship teams still were able to get #1 picks.

[daily]

also, i think the pick we own of yours is heavily protected so i think you could still get it?

2017, Top 5 protected. You should be able to get it

[longtime lurker]

tell that to the spurs, warriors, cleveland (kinda)

Spurs had a once in a life time player and coach. They also solely didn't rely on draft picks to become contenders. Warriors relied on trades, free agents signings and a head coaching change and Cleveland is the worst example considering the all the trades they made.