Laker News: Lakers may not sign any free agents in 2014

[Robster89]

I would not give Max to even Melo...he is 30 and towards the end...I would not spend money like the Mavs on Calderon, Monta Ellis, Dalembert, brandon wright...

prefer to wait a year when you have LMA, Love, Rondo, Marc Gasol and some others in free agency...

I would prefer them to sign bledsoe, hayward, Lance Stephonson as stepping stones...

the article says could...never said he is adamant about NOT signing in 2014

I agree. LBJ is the only max FA we should make an offer to, and I really doubt he leaves Miami. I love Melo, but do we want to sign a 30 year old guy to a 4 year max deal? Also, a Melo max will start at 23 and top out at close to 30 mil. A KLove max will start at 17, that's a nice role player salary difference, and Love is 5 years younger.

I say sign some value FA's this offseason, depending on who we draft.
If we draft Smart, I'd look at Ariza and then Hill/Varajao. Then add Love in 2015.
If we get Wiggins, then take a look at Lowry in FA if his price is right, then either Hill or Varajao.
If we get Embiid, I'd look at both Lowry and Ariza. I'd also keep a close eye on Boozer if Amnestied. Preserve that cap space for 2015 when there are younger FA's available. Go for value FA's this offseason.
We'll be competitive next year, maybe not a favorite, but competitive.

I also think we may be able to parlay Gasol and cap space into additional picks.

[dd24]

This team could be looking at a top 5 draft pick if things keep going the way they are. That means LA could end up with a solid young starter. We all need to cross our fingers that will actually happen.

I agree they shouldn't waste their cap space on a max player this summer. Outside of Lebron I don't see a max player. Deng is going to get a ton of money. He's going to be way overpaid. He wants a contract bigger than what the Pistons gave Josh Smith. Save the money for the following season when there's good players the Lakers could actually get. Love is good enough to give a max contract too. Unless the Lakers can draft a guy like Randle, it's worth going after him. I also agree with resigning Kendall Marshall. He's been a bargain for this team thus far. He's the best PG the Lakers have had in a while. That's not saying much lol, but it's worth keeping him.

As for the coach I think we all agree 'antoni is horrible. I don't see making the change right now though. Let 'antoni deal with the losing, especially this season when the Lakers need to. Once the team gets built back up then make the change to put the icing on the cake.

I see it as this. If the Lakers land a really good draft pick this year then things can change around in about 2 seasons after that. If the Lakers don't get a solid lottery pick this season it's going to be a very long rebuilding process.

[L.A. Jazz]

As long as the Lakers have MDA as coach no great player (LBJ, Durant, Westbrook, Love) will come to the Lakers. maybe lesser talent, but i dont want that. So first bring in a great coach and then go from there. So far if a great player wants to come to LA, he will consider the Clippers. they have the better coach and the better team.

[dd24]

As long as the Lakers have MDA as coach no great player (LBJ, Durant, Westbrook, Love) will come to the Lakers. maybe lesser talent, but i dont want that. So first bring in a great coach and then go from there. So far if a great player wants to come to LA, he will consider the Clippers. they have the better coach and the better team.

That's fine. This season they need to lose and they aren't going to get a top tier FA. So let him coach this season and next (and this is coming from a guy who really doesn't like his coaching and wants him fired). Then after next season fire him and lure the top talent by telling them there will be a new coach and new system to fit their skillset. It will suck to have him as a coach, but the worse the Lakers are now the better set they are for the future. As bad as this team is, there could be a real shot at a guy like Randle or Parker.

[longtime lurker]

Easy solution. Absorb Carlos Boozer's contract and 2 draft picks. Sign try to sneak sign Bledsoe or Monroe. Resign Marshall, Farmar and Johnson for the min. Try to trade for Love during the season or just sign him in free agency.

[dd24]

Easy solution. Absorb Carlos Boozer's contract and 2 draft picks. Sign try to sneak sign Bledsoe or Monroe. Resign Marshall, Farmar and Johnson for the min. Try to trade for Love during the season or just sign him in free agency.

Who says Chicago wants to give up 2 draft picks? Also Phoenix has said they won't let Bledsoe walk. The Pistons have said they're going to keep Monroe around. The only reason they didn't sign him earlier is because they want to see what the market dictates (which is quite the opposite of what the Lakers did with Kobe.....). Monroe will get a contract very similiar to what Cousins did and Detroit is prepared to give him that. I don't see Minnesota trading Love. None of these scenarios seem likely.

Outside of being really bad this season and landing a guy like Parker or Randle I don't see how the Lakers are going to turn this around quickly. Especially with Jimmy running things. Of course, I never expected the Pau trade either...

[Robster89]

Easy solution. Absorb Carlos Boozer's contract and 2 draft picks. Sign try to sneak sign Bledsoe or Monroe. Resign Marshall, Farmar and Johnson for the min. Try to trade for Love during the season or just sign him in free agency.

The Boozer idea is not a bad one, though I don't think you'd get both Chicago picks, maybe just one.
They are going to amnesty him, so we could just claim him off waivers, or, as you suggest, absorb his horrible contract if they give us one of those picks.
I say do this:
1. Trade Pau this season to Charlotte for Gordon and the Blazer pick (which Charlotte owns). Help the Bobcats make a playoff push, helps us shed salary and save tax money and gets us a late first rounder.
2. Absorb Boozer after July 1. Saves the Bulls 16.8 mil and gives them a huge TE, gets us another first rounder (mid range). All depends on what we think that pick may be worth. But guys like Cauley-Stein, Harrison and Lavine may be available mid first round.
Boozers contract is only one more year, so it's off in time to pursue Love.

[bladefd]

The Boozer idea is not a bad one, though I don't think you'd get both Chicago picks, maybe just one.
They are going to amnesty him, so we could just claim him off waivers, or, as you suggest, absorb his horrible contract if they give us one of those picks.
I say do this:
1. Trade Pau this season to Charlotte for Gordon and the Blazer pick (which Charlotte owns). Help the Bobcats make a playoff push, helps us shed salary and save tax money and gets us a late first rounder.
2. Absorb Boozer after July 1. Saves the Bulls 16.8 mil and gives them a huge TE, gets us another first rounder (mid range). All depends on what we think that pick may be worth. But guys like Cauley-Stein, Harrison and Lavine may be available mid first round.
Boozers contract is only one more year, so it's off in time to pursue Love.

You know what? That could work very well. Makes me a bit more optimistic.

Would Lakers be able to sign Love next summer if Boozer is on roster next year? I mean Lakers would have to give up Boozer's bird rights or trade him to get him off the books. If it's the former, Boozer won't agree to a one year deal to be in LA.

[longtime lurker]

Who says Chicago wants to give up 2 draft picks? Also Phoenix has said they won't let Bledsoe walk. The Pistons have said they're going to keep Monroe around. The only reason they didn't sign him earlier is because they want to see what the market dictates (which is quite the opposite of what the Lakers did with Kobe.....). Monroe will get a contract very similiar to what Cousins did and Detroit is prepared to give him that. I don't see Minnesota trading Love. None of these scenarios seem likely.

Just look at the past trades that have been salary dumps. 2 first rounds picks is usually the going rate. It doesn't mean the picks have to be lottery picks, they good be mid round to end of the first round picks. On top of that Chicago saves a ton of money and clears cap space to sign a free agent. They have a tons of picks that they're owed from other teams. Teams always talk about keeping free agents, but Phoenix and Detroit could be players in the free agent game and that gives the Lakers a chance to swoop in and steal Monroe or Bledsoe. For example if Detroit is trying to negotiate space to sign Melo the Lakers could swoop in and offer Monroe a contract starting @ 14 million. Teams only have 3 days to match a restricted free agent so the key is catching a team by surprise. A team like Phoenix has also been rumored to be wiling to offer a max contract to Gordon Hayward. Lakers have nothing to lose by calling their bluff and offering Bledsoe a huge contract.

Outside of being really bad this season and landing a guy like Parker or Randle I don't see how the Lakers are going to turn this around quickly. Especially with Jimmy running things. Of course, I never expected the Pau trade either...

For all the shit that Jimmy gets the guy does know how to pull off big moves. If the Lakers signed Melo in the offseason a healthy Melo and Kobe would be guaranteed playoff contenders. The only problem with signing Melo is their ceiling becomes a 2nd round team. There's no question Love is leaving the Wolves, the only question is are they trading him or is he leaving as a free agent. Lakers would be in a position of power and I'd be fine with waiting on Love as a free agent while building up draft picks and some young studs.

The Boozer idea is not a bad one, though I don't think you'd get both Chicago picks, maybe just one.
They are going to amnesty him, so we could just claim him off waivers, or, as you suggest, absorb his horrible contract if they give us one of those picks.
I say do this:
1. Trade Pau this season to Charlotte for Gordon and the Blazer pick (which Charlotte owns). Help the Bobcats make a playoff push, helps us shed salary and save tax money and gets us a late first rounder.
2. Absorb Boozer after July 1. Saves the Bulls 16.8 mil and gives them a huge TE, gets us another first rounder (mid range). All depends on what we think that pick may be worth. But guys like Cauley-Stein, Harrison and Lavine may be available mid first round.
Boozers contract is only one more year, so it's off in time to pursue Love.

Trading Boozer makes more sense for a team like Chicago that loves to save money. If they amnesty him they still owe him 17 million to not play. Makes no sense. It makes more sense to get ride of him for two future picks. I'd trade Pau for anything that nets us some draft picks. They can always be used in a trade for a big name player. Young, Pau, Meeks, Blake and Hill should all be traded for a picks.

[dd24]

Just look at the past trades that have been salary dumps. 2 first rounds picks is usually the going rate. It doesn't mean the picks have to be lottery picks, they good be mid round to end of the first round picks. On top of that Chicago saves a ton of money and clears cap space to sign a free agent. They have a tons of picks that they're owed from other teams. Teams always talk about keeping free agents, but Phoenix and Detroit could be players in the free agent game and that gives the Lakers a chance to swoop in and steal Monroe or Bledsoe. For example if Detroit is trying to negotiate space to sign Melo the Lakers could swoop in and offer Monroe a contract starting @ 14 million. Teams only have 3 days to match a restricted free agent so the key is catching a team by surprise. A team like Phoenix has also been rumored to be wiling to offer a max contract to Gordon Hayward. Lakers have nothing to lose by calling their bluff and offering Bledsoe a huge contract.

For all the shit that Jimmy gets the guy does know how to pull off big moves. If the Lakers signed Melo in the offseason a healthy Melo and Kobe would be guaranteed playoff contenders. The only problem with signing Melo is their ceiling becomes a 2nd round team. There's no question Love is leaving the Wolves, the only question is are they trading him or is he leaving as a free agent. Lakers would be in a position of power and I'd be fine with waiting on Love as a free agent while building up draft picks and some young studs.

I think signing Melo would be a bit crazy. Plus Melo and Kobe doesn't automatically equal a playoff team. Who knows if Kobe will ever play a full season again. It definitely doesn't guarantee a 2nd round team either. Look at all the talent he had around him in Denver. That was argueably the most talented roster in the NBA at the time.

I'm not really sure if Detroit is interested in him either. Sure there's probably a part of Dumars that would want to fix the mistake of drafting Darko over Melo. The flipside of that is Melo has hated Detroit because of that. He's going to be a FA and he gets to pick where he wants to go. I highly doubt it's Detroit, especially with all of his big city marketing ambitions. He'd stay in NY first. I wouldn't say two first round picks is necessarily the going rate. When the Pistons got rid of Ben Gordons contract it only cost them one 1st rounder. I don't think teams are going to give up two first round picks in this years draft.

[dd24]

The rumor right now is the Lakers might be willing to overpay for Eric Bledsoe. For me it depends on where they end up in the draft. I think it would be a waste if they end up drafting a guy like Exum or Smart. I'm not sure what overpay means, but I don't think he should be getting more than 10 million. He's been good, but I don't know if he'll ever be an all-star. Anyway around it, he's an upgrade. I'd like to see Kendall Marshall stay around next season too. I think he's been a good pickup at PG for the Lakers this season. It's really sounding like Bosh isn't going to head back to Miami next season. I wonder if the Lakers are thinking about him too. He's never been used the way he should be in Miami and I'm sure he could still put up really good numbers for another contract.

[Al Thorton]

should do nothing but focus on 2015 if that's what it takes, no need to flimsy around with diddle doddle contracts in the interim.

[tamaraw08]

The rumor right now is the Lakers might be willing to overpay for Eric Bledsoe. For me it depends on where they end up in the draft. I think it would be a waste if they end up drafting a guy like Exum or Smart. I'm not sure what overpay means, but I don't think he should be getting more than 10 million. He's been good, but I don't know if he'll ever be an all-star. Anyway around it, he's an upgrade. I'd like to see Kendall Marshall stay around next season too. I think he's been a good pickup at PG for the Lakers this season. It's really sounding like Bosh isn't going to head back to Miami next season. I wonder if the Lakers are thinking about him too. He's never been used the way he should be in Miami and I'm sure he could still put up really good numbers for another contract.

Yikes, overpaying a player who currently has a major injury. Sounds familiar.
Why not use that money on Lowry?
Heck, Ill over 5 Mil on Rodney Stuckey, even more if he'll agree on a 1 yr contract.

[dd24]

Yikes, overpaying a player who currently has a major injury. Sounds familiar.
Why not use that money on Lowry?
Heck, Ill over 5 Mil on Rodney Stuckey, even more if he'll agree on a 1 yr contract.

I really like Stuckey. He's been an extremely good (and underrated) scorer when healthy. That's the problem with him too though.... the health issue. He's been hurt pretty much every season. When he's 100% he scores over 20 ppg easily. He's been the Pistons go to guy when they really need a bucket and the defense knows it. I think it'll take more than 5 million and he'll certainly sign more than a 1 year deal.

I think Lowry would be a good signing, at the right price of course. I'm really wondering how the minutes at PG are going to be distributed once Nash comes back. At this point in time, I think Kendall Marshall will probably play better than Nash but since Nash makes so much money I think he's going to eat up his minutes.

[dd24]

I think with all the Kyrie Irving rumors the Lakers should try to go after him this summer. If he doesn't sign that extension I would think that says he wants out of Cleveland. I'm not sure what kind of package they could put together to try to pull that one off though. They'd probably have to give up their lottery pick but it would be worth it.