2014-15 Official Lakers Season Thread, Vol: We Love Each Other

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Do we honestly even have to tank in a stacked west?

See: 2013-14 Laker basketball. Worst season ever. 7th pick

Put it this way, if we tank and end up with #6 we won't have a draft pick and will look like complete idiots to potential FAs

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Yeah they're not gonna tank from the start, but there's a good chance they're gonna suck.

I just hope they do tank when they need to, if they're ever in the position... ie a late season game against another bottom feeder...

 

[pmatic]

Do we honestly even have to tank in a stacked west?

[CP] Ska, we don't HAVE to tank, man. The losses will come. [/CP]

(circa July, 2013)

*nods*

 

[trynafeelmink]

Again, why is this being repeated over and over?

The Celtics had done nothing for YEARS.
Spurs tanked to come up with the quickness.
OKC was "inept" for what they did?
Clippers are perma inept, they got CP3 to join no problem.


What is this lose and look inept fear everyone has?

The Celtics had Prime Paul Pierce, A Prime Ray Allen traded, which allowed for KG to give up his Clause to come there.
The Spurs literally tanked ONCE in damn near 20 years, Got a Top 10 player of ALL TIME & picked up two HOF caliber players at the bottom of the 1st & 2nd rounds.
OKC just so happened to pick up another "Once in a generation prospect" & another player who is currently Top 5 in the NBA and they are just reaching their prime.
Clippers haven't passed the Second Round yet and are capped out.

So unless you figure Julius Randle or a projected top 5 player next year, a once in a generation player or a combo who will be top 5 in the L those scenarios are HIGHLY unlikely.

The only situation you named that would be remotely close to ours is the clippers situation... which we have seen the results of over the past few years & that's with both Blake & Jordan taking dramatic leaps in their games (FTR i don't see Randle being at the level of BG). Not to mention that we are counting on a pick to be their which has to be top 5. In which case you say bring back Kobe, Pau, Randle, and whatever fillers to make out the bench. THAT IS NOT A TOP 5 WORST TEAM. So we suck and get absolutely no award from it.

The point here is to bring in superstars... No FA who wants to win a championship is coming into a team that has been tanking for three years and has one Rookie. My point being unless Randle becomes a special player (Meaning AD, BG, SUPERSTAR level) in the next two years i'm just not that confident with him drawing in other franchise changing superstars to play with him. And as of now nothing about him screams unstoppable lock to be a Superstar.

So in 2016 we can be in the same position again, looking at young players who can develop into All-stars but not quite Superstars and we STILL wouldn't be contenders, when looking at teams who are constantly lottery bound the odds are more Timberwolves than Thunder and that's just the facts.

 

[laker4lifeman]

Do we honestly even have to tank in a stacked west?

I just expect us to be bad for a bit. Just like in the 90's before we got shaq. Entertaining team but not a good team at all. No title runs or title hopes.

We continue to draft, develop and THEN bring in stars we will be on the right track until then...expect the 92-93 lakers all over again.

I was 1 so not sure what to expect

 

[tay1]

If we are a disaster, I just wanna see Kobe balling his *** off out there. Show these doubters he still got it

 

[mjsaver]

Honest question

If 8/9 is too much for IT, what's the going price for a decent point guard these days ?

That really doesn't seem like a lot for a good young pg.

 

[CP1708]

Do we honestly even have to tank in a stacked west?

I just expect us to be bad for a bit. Just like in the 90's before we got shaq. Entertaining team but not a good team at all. No title runs or title hopes.

We continue to draft, develop and THEN bring in stars we will be on the right track until then...expect the 92-93 lakers all over again.

I was 1 so not sure what to expect

After we lost Magic, is was ROUGH man. But thru all that sadness, they landed George Lynch, Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, and Anthony Peeler.

Peeler and Lynch were traded for nothing to clear cap space, which got us Shaq. Then Divac was flipped for Kobe, and just like that, we were back in business. Littler tinkering here and there, Kobe had to develop, brought in Fox and Horry, Fisher was drafted, traded Eddie for Glen Rice, and boom, Title x 3.


Just like the Smush, Kwame, Luke era. Tough to watch, but bides time so Bynum could grow, Ariza trade, bam, Pau deal, back in business.

 

[MVP]

Again, why is this being repeated over and over?

The Celtics had done nothing for YEARS.
Spurs tanked to come up with the quickness.
OKC was "inept" for what they did?
Clippers are perma inept, they got CP3 to join no problem.


What is this lose and look inept fear everyone has?

Totally different scenarios and franchises there.

You neglect the fact that KG getting to Boston had everything to do with Ray Allen agreeing to come, Pierce already being there, and far less to do with Rondo or Perk.

Spurs tanked for one season got TD but already had a great player in David Robinson. Unless you see Randle as a Duncan type talent. They also subsequently drafted very well late while maintaining excellence.

OKC was a extremely rare rare case of hitting on every draft selection, and they had 4 guys not two, 5 of you wanna count Reggie. It can also go the other way, see the Cavs.

CP3 agreed top stay because of not only Blake and DeAndre there but also the fact they have him a 5 year max deal. Anyone that leaves they're current team would be taking less to come play for LA via free agency.

And none of them maybe except for the spurs are under the constant pressure to produce a winning program like the Lakers are and as much as that maybe shouldn't factor into the equation it does.

The zombie sonics, Celtics and Clips were never expected to do anything, a lot of luck factored into each of their situations (CP3 veto, McHale helping his ol buddy Ainge out, Thunder's exceptional scouting). I mean if it was that simple everyone would be doing it right? Sixers are tanking every year and trading prospects for other prospects and even ones they've had before. CLE has been sorry and a joke since LBJ left and they've had some of the best luck draft pick wise.

Mitch and whoever else will be feeling the heat from the fanbase, media, and a certain guy they just gave a ridiculous contact to figure out something.

Also our situation isn't going to be the only one in play in a couple years, other teams with better assets are going to be positioning themselves to make a run at KD as well.

 

[tupac003]

See: 2013-14 Laker basketball. Worst season ever. 7th pick

Put it this way, if we tank and end up with #6 we won't have a draft pick and will look like complete idiots to potential FAs

I watched last year (in pain). We played. We won games, We lost games. Should We have "tanked"? I don't know that answer, but I do know that I can't see THIS franchise purposely losing games.

So my question to you is this. Say we have a fast start. We ALL know this team (at this point right now) does not have enough to win a championship. You really want them to just lose on puropse for the HOPE of keeping a top 5 pick that may not pan out?

 

[pmatic]

Honest question

If 8/9 is too much for IT, what's the going price for a decent point guard these days ?

That really doesn't seem like a lot for a good young pg.

There's outliers, but to me:

$4-8M - should buy you at the least a average starting PG (George Hill, Jeremy Lin, Brandon Jennings)
$9-11M - should get your a (very) good PG (Jeff Teague, Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson)
$12M+ - should be an All-Star/franchise PG (Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, John Wall)

 

[grandtheftbike]

the disrespect :x

In my post?

no, not your post..but to respond to your post..

Would you consider someone like Ariza or Lowry a bigger/smaller acquisition?

i would consider Ariza to be a small acquisition..but i don't think he's worth it for the money he wants.

Lowry would be a big acquisition imo but I don't think the Lakers can get him

 

[CP1708]

Honest question

If 8/9 is too much for IT, what's the going price for a decent point guard these days ?

That really doesn't seem like a lot for a good young pg.

Depends on who/what you want. Does IT make the Lakers a playoff team, with Kobe/Randle/Pau? Does he win a playoff series? So, if you answer no, why give him 8/9 mil?

Now, value wise, Kyrie makes 90 mil, if you can get IT for 25-30 over 3-4 years, yeah, good value, but not the same kind of upside.


Lowry wants around 11-12 I think? But is also older, so it just depends. Lowry is the better player, but older, and more expensive. But Lowry might win you a playoff series, IT likely doesn't.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

The only example of repeatedly tanking working would be okc. And that's only because they just so happened to time their tanking with the entry of two top 5 players in durant and westbrook. The cavs sixers magic and every other team that stays in the lotto were not fortunate enough to land a durant or westbrook or even harden and they will never achieve the success of the thunder which at best has been second place

 

[tupac003]

I was 1 so not sure what to expect

My lord you were a one year old?!?! My age is really starting to show! I was 10 that year. Watched all the games on channel 9. The good old days!

 

[trynafeelmink]

I watched last year (in pain). We played. We won games, We lost games. Should We have "tanked"? I don't know that answer, but I do know that I can't see THIS franchise purposely losing games.

So my question to you is this. Say we have a fast start. We ALL know this team (at this point right now) does not have enough to win a championship. You really want them to just lose on puropse for the HOPE of keeping a top 5 pick that may not pan out?

That's my point Under No Circumstance is Kobe,Pau, & Randle gonna purposely sit here and lose games, will they Lose ALOT yes will it be enough to be bottom 5 NO, and that's where my problem is coming in. The team that there putting out here this year would have to try VERY VERY hard to be worse than last years, We are adding Kobe & A Great (He better be if this tanking plan is gonna flourish) lottery pick. along with whoever else comes to play for us.

It will take legitimate losing effort to be that bad & when the leader of your team is Kobe ****** Bryant i kind of find it hard to believe that the team is just gonna throw in the towel.

 

[darthska]

 
If we are a disaster, I just wanna see Kobe balling his *** off out there. Show these doubters he still got it

Honestly, I wouldn't eem care.

True story.

Give the fans SOMETHING, man.

I know a lot of you won't get the reference, but it would be like Dominique in Atlanta. Pretty much was a W for the other team, but Nique was going to leave the fans w/ SOMETHING. Hell, his nickname was Human Highlight Film.

Actually, same w/ early Jordan's Bulls. They weren't world-beaters when he first came up. You could beat the Bulls if you let Jordan have his, and stop everyone else. Then Pippen came and then Phil and Jordan learned to be a teammate and blah, blah, blah. But at first? Let Jordan go ham, and get your W.

Except our roster minus Kobe is like a billion times worst than those Bulls sans Jordan or the Hawks without Nique.

Kobe, "So go ahead, go nuts, go ape****."

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

I watched last year (in pain). We played. We won games, We lost games. Should We have "tanked"? I don't know that answer, but I do know that I can't see THIS franchise purposely losing games.

So my question to you is this. Say we have a fast start. We ALL know this team (at this point right now) does not have enough to win a championship. You really want them to just lose on puropse for the HOPE of keeping a top 5 pick that may not pan out?

What I was trying to say was that we would have to go all in on tanking and have, hands down, the worst season in franchise history to get a top 5 pick. Hell no I don't wanna tank .

 

[tay1]

That's my point Under No Circumstance is Kobe,Pau, & Randle gonna purposely sit here and lose games, will they Lose ALOT yes will it be enough to be bottom 5 NO, and that's where my problem is coming in. The team that there putting out here this year would have to try VERY VERY hard to be worse than last years, We are adding Kobe & A Great (He better be if this tanking plan is gonna flourish) lottery pick. along with whoever else comes to play for us.

It will take legitimate losing effort to be that bad & when the leader of your team is Kobe ****** Bryant i kind of find it hard to believe that the team is just gonna throw in the towel.

We may not bring Pau back. And who is worse than us at this point. We're no the absolute worse team I believe, but most of these teams out here are getting better.  If it's just Kobe & Randle, then I could see it happening.

 

[MVP]

With the Pacers signing CJ Miles I'm guessing Lance is for sure gone now. Guess it's down to us and Chicago.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Kobe and Randle don't need to purposely try to lose games... the team could still suck without them trying to.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

We didn't purposely lose last season. ...gonna have to go the Philly way, 82 straight losses for a top pick

 

[tay1]

 
Honestly, I wouldn't eem care.

True story.

Give the fans SOMETHING, man.

I know a lot of you won't get the reference, but it would be like Dominique in Atlanta. Pretty much was a W for the other team, but Nique was going to leave the fans w/ SOMETHING. Hell, his nickname was Human Highlight Film.

Actually, same w/ early Jordan's Bulls. They weren't world-beaters when he first came up. You could beat the Bulls if you let Jordan have his, and stop everyone else. Then Pippen came and then Phil and Jordan learned to be a teammate and blah, blah, blah. But at first? Let Jordan go ham, and get your W.

Except our roster minus Kobe is like a billion times worst than those Bulls sans Jordan or the Hawks without Nique.

Kobe, "So go ahead, go nuts, go ape****."

Yeah. As long as Kobe getting 25+, doing things people no longer expect him to do, I'll be cool. Depending on where Bron goes, this season is up for grabs, so it's gonna be entertaining.

 

[trynafeelmink]

We may not bring Pau back. And who is worse than us at this point. We're no the absolute worse team I believe, but most of these teams out here are getting better.  If it's just Kobe & Randle, then I could see it happening.

Off the top of my head Mil, Orl, 76ers, Wolves, Kings, Jazz are ALL absolutely bad teams and are teams who have been actively trying to build through the draft and acquire more & more young picks.

 

[mjsaver]

Appreciate the responses CP and P but it's basically sounds like y'all don't like his game and would rather stay as is to support the tank plan.

Who would satisfy y'all ?

Or would u rather we let another d leaguer start, no shade just trying to see your angle.