2014-15 Lakers Season Thread (21-61) KAT

[senorroboto2k5]

He'd be a great piece at the right price. It's looking more and more like some team will have to overpay, but you never know.

 

[freeze]

game was rough


I know you guys are happy.

View media item 1341576

loll!

 

[CP1708]

11-25

vs Magic
vs Blazers
vs Miami
vs Cavs
At Jazz (back to back)
At Suns
At Pelicans
At Spurs
vs Rockets
vs Wizards
vs Bulls


13-34 thru the end of January?


That would easily have us in great shape for the 4th slot and convince the front office it's time to sell whatever isn't bolted down. Even a stolen win would only mean 14-33. If we luck out, and lose to the Magic or Heat, we could get in range of a 12-35 mark.

 

[pmatic]

A key point that gets glossed over:

The Baseline: For Knicks, Lakers, free agent market is not what it used to be

If there is hope on the horizon for two of the league’s best-recognized teams, it lies in cap space. Ah, but cap space in the modern NBA is a very unreliable commodity.

As things stand, the Knicks are wheezing toward the worst season in franchise history, with a record of just 5-33 and little relief on the horizon. On the West Coast, the Lakers have just 11 wins, and will likely finish worse than last year’s 27 wins—and that team was the worst Lakers bunch since the franchise left Minnesota.

Both franchises find themselves operating in a realm usually occupied by the likes of Sacramento and Minnesota, their fan bases dealing with the NBA doldrums by wi****lly checking scouting reports on top draft prospects.

Make no mistake, though, the Lakers and Knicks are not planning to rebuild entirely through the draft—they’re not going into Philly mode here. Getting a franchise fixture in June would be ideal, but it is July’s free-agency that will determine just how quickly the teams get back on their feet.

And when you get into the way free agency has gone in recent years, there’s not much reason to think the Lakers and Knicks can bounce back without continuing hardship. That’s because, for players around the league, landing in New York or Los Angeles used to mean some sort of pinnacle—the big stage, name-recognition, endorsement opportunities.

Now? Every market is a stage. The highest paid endorsement pitchman in the NBA is Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, who plays in the league’s 25th-biggest television market. Back in the summer, of course, the league’s biggest star, LeBron James, chose to downgrade his market by going from Miami to Cleveland.

“I hope LeBron going back to Cleveland is a turning point,” said Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley. “Because, it used to be, it was a negative turning point when he went to Miami. I felt like, wait, you can’t be great in Cleveland? You have to go to a major market? …

"I feel like guys like (Andrew) Wiggins are like, ‘OK, nothing wrong with Minnesota.’ Jabari Parker in Milwaukee. Anthony Davis in New Orleans. I hope this is a tipping point the other way, in favor of smaller markets.”

Parker—the likely Rookie of the Year before injuring his knee—says he does believe that is the case. He has been outspoken about wanting to remain in Milwaukee for the duration of his career.

“LeBron went back to Cleveland, Kevin Durant is in OKC,” Parker said. “There’s no such thing as a small market. If you win, they come see your games. It’s about winning. If you lose and you’re in a big city, they are not going to come to your games, so it doesn’t matter.”

Parker is right. For free agents, it is in large part, about winning. But it’s also about being paid—athletes have limited career earning power, and it behooves them to maximize that power. That’s why when you really get into it, you find that very few free agents actually leave the teams they’re currently playing for.

Going back to when James originally left the Cavaliers—the Summer of 2010—there have been 76 major free agents (those paid $7 million or more) on the market in the summer. Of those, only 29 signed with different teams, and just 19 went up to a bigger market.

But of those free-agents changing teams, only eight went from a small market to one in the league’s Top 10: Paul Millsap (Utah to Atlanta); Carlos Boozer (Utah to Chicago); Andre Iguodala (Denver to Golden State); Steve Nash (Phoenix to the Lakers); Chris Kaman (New Orleans to Dallas); Jose Calderon (Detroit to Dallas); Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix to New York); Raymond Felton (Charlotte to New York).

Notice something about those names? You don’t exactly see Shaq to the Lakers or Larry Johnson to the Knicks there, right? The Lakers last used major cap space on Nash, while the Knicks used theirs for Stoudemire and Felton.

Since 2010, there are only eight franchises that have signed multiple free agents worth more than $7 million per year, and you’ll find that the list doesn’t necessarily break along market-size lines: Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Miami and the Knicks have signed three, while Chicago, Golden State and New Orleans have signed two.

The league stalwarts don’t wield the same kind of power they once did.

“If you look at it, when is the last time the Boston Celtics signed a big-time free agent?” said former coach and current ESPN analyst Doug Collins. “When is the last time that the Philadelphia 76ers have signed a big-time free agent? When is the last time the New York Knicks have signed a big-time free agent?

"The days of those teams automatically signing those guys aren’t happening. Guys are going and playing other places. They understand that you don’t have to play in the biggest markets to have success as well as get endorsements and all.”

Of course, players will express interest in the Lakers and Knicks this summer. They have money available, after all. But they will have competition—by the end of the trading deadline next month, about half the teams in the league could be poised to have enough cap space to sign a max-contract free agent.

The Lakers and Knicks will just be another couple of teams in that pool.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/sto...market-phil-jackson-lebron-james-kevin-durant

 

[CP1708]

Which is why it is so key to add talent thru the Draft, as a supplement to Free Agency.

 

[pmatic]

I did not realize how light the February schedule is until now.

 

[CP1708]

At Knicks
At Bucks
At Magic
At Cavs
Vs Denver
At Blazers (back to back)
All Star Break
Vs Nets
Vs Celtics
At Jazz
Vs Bucks


10 games in 27 days. If the org plays it the right way, could at best be 4-6. Do it right, could be 3-7. Trades get consummated, we’re in great shape to close out the year firmly in 4th position. (minus someone like Minnesota starting to stack wins and bump us down to third)

 

[pmatic]

One more week until Hill is eligible to be traded.

 

[noblekane]

One more week until Hill is eligible to be traded.

You sound like a kid one week before christmas

 

[essential1]

11-25

vs Magic
vs Blazers
vs Miami
vs Cavs
At Jazz (back to back)
At Suns
At Pelicans
At Spurs
vs Rockets
vs Wizards
vs Bulls


13-34 thru the end of January?


That would easily have us in great shape for the 4th slot and convince the front office it's time to sell whatever isn't bolted down. Even a stolen win would only mean 14-33. If we luck out, and lose to the Magic or Heat, we could get in range of a 12-35 mark.

15-32

At Knicks
At Bucks
At Magic
At Cavs
Vs Denver
At Blazers (back to back)
All Star Break
Vs Nets
Vs Celtics
At Jazz
Vs Bucks


10 games in 27 days. If the org plays it the right way, could at best be 4-6. Do it right, could be 3-7. Trades get consummated, we’re in great shape to close out the year firmly in 4th position. (minus someone like Minnesota starting to stack wins and bump us down to third)

18-38

 

[licensed to ball]

The fact that Mitch didn't trade Pau multiple deadlines when multiple good offers were on the table, or Dwight and good offers were on the table (and everyone with 2 eyes could see he wasn't going to work out in LA and was leaving) makes it hard to keep faith in him for pulling the trigger on trades that should be made.

I'll believe in him again when I see it.
But for now I'm on the Ska train of faith in Mitch.

 

[essential1]

The fact that Mitch didn't trade Pau multiple deadlines when multiple good offers were on the table, or Dwight and good offers were on the table (and everyone with 2 eyes could see he wasn't going to work out in LA and was leaving) makes it hard to keep faith in him for pulling the trigger on trades that should be made.

I'll believe in him again when I see it.
But for now I'm on the Ska train of faith in Mitch.

Ehhh there were not multiple good offers for Pau... Ever



We couldn't even get Deng for Pau when Pau was still an All-Star


And the biggest reason was the money he was owed. It was just to difficult to match any salaries with him.



And there were not good offers for Dwight until it was too late... There was a last minute offer from the Warriors, at the time it would have been a risk trade where you couldn't prove the risk was better than the reward. But hindsight, should have taken it.

 

[noblekane]

No way in hell they gonna move anyone this season

Laker management always asking for too much and end up with nothing

 

[senorroboto2k5]

I wouldn't say Hill is in the same boat as those two - Mitch could very well not get any offers for him even though we think he's decent value.

iirc he couldn't even get a late first rounder from Phoenix for Pau which is why a deal never happened.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Yea I don't recall too many good offers for pau other than....well ya know

 

[joecoolio66]

What was the serious offer from the Warriors for Dwight? Was it Klay and scrubs? Not sure what was offered.

 

[essential1]

What was the serious offer from the Warriors for Dwight? Was it Klay and scrubs? Not sure what was offered.

If I remember correctly it was David Lee and Klay OR Barnes


The problems is it was hard to justify that trade because what it could have created in GSW. Just getting Iguodala and having Bogut who they could now trade.

Then being stuck with David Lee for 3 seasons, and not knowing what to expect from either Klay or Barnes is likely why they said no.

 

[pmatic]

I think I wanted Biendrins, Jefferson, Klay and two first rounders for Dwight and Blake.

 

[joecoolio66]

I would have done it just to get Klay on board...

 

[essential1]

Guy who covers the Raptors (Stephen Brotherston) wrote about their need to improve in Rebounding.. And guys to trade for.

Jordan Hill, Los Angeles Lakers

When the Lakers claimed center Tarik Black off of waivers, they may as well have fired off an email to every GM that they now have a big man available to trade. The most likely available target, Jordan Hill, has a $9 million deal and a team option for $9 million that would probably have to be picked up to get a trade done.

The 27-year-old 6’10 center is starting for the woeful Lakers, but would probably look better coming off the bench against other backups. He is long, bouncy and plays with energy and he is a solid defensive rebounder that grabs about 20 percent of the available defensive boards. In Toronto, only Valanciunas has better numbers on the glass than Hill.

It’s tough to know what the Lakers would want in return. They should be rebuilding and the acquisition of Black suggests that might be the direction the team is heading. Toronto does have an ‘extra’ first round draft pick in 2016 if Ujiri wants a specific player badly enough and one look at the Lakers roster suggests players like Landry Fields and Tyler Hansbrough would actually help them.

I'd take a 2016 1st Round pick + Landry & Psycho T for Hill.. But probably would need to add a 2015 2nd as well.


The tank implications


Still like Hill to OKC for Perkins and move it to a 2017 Top 10 protected, just because we know where they are headed.

 

[joecoolio66]

I think most of us wanted Klay, Barnes , Lee and a 1st rounder for Dwight ....lol

 

[essential1]

I think most of us wanted Klay, Barnes , Lee and a 1st rounder for Dwight ....lol

I didn't want Lee, just because he had 3 years left at a miserable salary. If we could have worked a 3rd team to take Lee. I would have been happy with that.


But with Steph on a generous discount, no way they would have parted with both Klay & Barnes.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Something tells me Madsen and hansbrough would really hit it off

Then you have Landry and lin. That's just too much bromance for one squad

 

[joecoolio66]

Man....I wanted Kyle Lowry at one point to be a Laker though

 

[pmatic]

Pau Gasol for Luis Scola, Goran Dragic and Chase Budinger was out there at one point.