**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins

[grittyman]

Coach is better with better players???????

*Mouth drops*

Results will (or should) improve with better players.

But also…

Process can be evaluated separate from talent… hence “offense has been good all year, defense/game plan needs improvement, etc”

Carry on though.

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

This team is built like a younger version of the 2019-2020 title team

DLo is Rondo with a three point shot
Beasley is KCP
Vando is Kuz
Rui is Kieff
AR is AC with better O
Mo Bamba is Javale with shooting skills
Wenyen is Dwight
Schroder is a better Quinn Cook
Troy Brown is DGreen without the rings and podcast
Lonnie is JR Smith not shaqtin
Christie is THT
Reed is a young Dudley
Bron is Bron
AD is AD

And Ham is black Vogel in a suit

 

[noblekane]

lonnie walker got to play 8 minutes in garbage time and got his 10 points

him putting up as many shots as he can in garbage time is gonna be a hilarious side show for the rest of the season lol

 

[had pants]

 

[James_O]

Woke up to a Lakers W, it’s a good morning

 

[Zo gif]

 

[DLF]

If I’m lakers I strike while the iron is hot. Call BKN and offer D’lo Beasley and Vanderbilt for Durant

 

[darthska]

If I’m lakers I strike while the iron is hot. Call BKN and offer D’lo Beasley and Vanderbilt for Durant

 

[darthska]

Woke up to a Lakers W, it’s a good morning

That was a good one to rewatch if you have the opportunity. AD & Bron weren't 'league superstars', not terrible, not great... but the new guys? And the bench? Leggggo!!!

 

[thasoleful1]

NGL I didn’t know Vando was a lefty until he shot that 3 last night

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Team is almost too deep . Walker Christie and Gabriel are good enough to be in the rotation. Rui and brown could handle more touches and minutes. And then even Reed is interesting. Ham really has to go out his way to find a bad lineup. You could lose walker and brown in the summer and really not miss a beat

 

[geno90221]

If I’m lakers I strike while the iron is hot. Call BKN and offer D’lo Beasley and Vanderbilt for Durant

?

 

[pmatic]

Think Rui will be a casualty of the luxury tax this summer.

 

[tay1]

Alright since the game was over, I was able to quickly do what I saw for offseason stuff.


My guess is the Lakers will look good the rest of the way. How far they go, I’m unsure. But there’s too much talent for them to go .500 or under the rest of the way.
Combine the cost it would take to get Kyrie (having to let quality guys walk to stay under hard cap, and having to trade assets that they cannot replace. It likely does not happen).

My guess, the top end of the rotation for 2023-24
DLo 4 year/ $110-125mil
Beasley $16.5mil
Vando $4.6mil
LeBron $46.9mil
AD $40.6mil

From there, you want to get 6-7 guys, whether it’s
1. A new starting 2 and 3 with LBJ at the 4, and 3 guys in the regular rotation off the bench, and 2 end of the bench depth guys.
2. Or 5 guys for the bench and 2 end of the bench depth pieces.


Here’s where it gets interesting:
-Mo Bamba has $10.3mil non-guaranteed. They will pick it up.
-Reaves is a RFA with early bird rights. Let’s say $9-12mil.
-Rui is a RFA with a QO at $8.496mil. Let’s say $10mil

Lakers own the non-bird rights for Lonnie. They could re-sign him for 120% of his current salary, which is $7.7mil. Lonnie may want to go to another team for a bigger role. Certainly possible. But the Lakers could offer him $7.7mil, and he may take it if it blows other offers out of the water.

They also have Davon Reed for $2mil
Max Christie for $1.719mil

Where they likely lose out if Troy Brown Jr., who they could retain, but only if he’s under $2.2mil (I doubt it). Weyen Gabriel if he’s under $2.2mil, and Schroder if he’s under $2.2mil. Weyen they could probably retain (no reason), but Troy and Dennis will get more than that.


Lakers also have the ability to add through whatever exception they have, the 2023-1st and 2023-2nd, and vet minimums.

Here’s where I’m going. Lakers have 5 spots guaranteed in DLo, Beasley, LeBron, Vando & AD.

And could have $40mil in salaries to trade out come January. There's an ability to keep 80% of a pretty good depth team, and add to it through the draft and exception. Then could do things to still make a big move next year without sacrificing the top half of the rotation.

Lonnie is the odd man out. I’d rather keep Schroder

 

[pmatic]

 

[had pants]

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Think Rui will be a casualty of the luxury tax this summer.

How does that look? I honestly think they might be willing to take the hit now with the cap spike looming. Lonnie is the only one I feel is 100% gone

 

[pmatic]

How does that look? I honestly think they might be willing to take the hit now with the cap spike looming. Lonnie is the only one I feel is 100% gone

Lonnie for sure is gone.

They're gonna be into the tax if/with D'Lo taking market value ($22-25M?). They'll keep Beasley and I think Bamba. Reaves can get between $5-7M. I think Rui would want $16M+, but I think he'll have to settle for less (Kuz contract). Rui kind of a luxury on this team, and it kinda sticks out right now. I would definitely trade him to re-coup some draft assets. But if push came to shove, maybe they match an offer sheet and deal him later.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Yea he's not touching $16M . Think they keep him as an asset at the least. They're actually functioning like a competent organization lately

 

[Lizakers]

Every time I see Myles Turner have a great game I think of Brosizzlew30.23

 

[lovehateself]

dennis and Brown will be gone unless theyre playing for vet deals again right

 

[pmatic]

dennis and Brown will be gone unless theyre playing for vet deals again right

I think Schroder will return for the TMLE. Personally, I think that is an overpay, but the point guard market is weak and Bron/AD/Hands in Pockets love him. With Lonnie likely walking this summer, Lakers need someone besides Bron that can get into the paint.

I would like Brown to return. Sell him on taking another minimum, boosting his value and re-sign him in 2024 with Early Bird Rights.

 

[Lizakers]

Wouldn’t mind Bamba being gone too. Don’t like his body language and demeanor, seems like he doesn’t care. Plays too cool for school

 

[grittyman]

I’ll start worrying about the offseason…during the offseason. For now, season’s just getting started. Lol

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

I think Schroder will return for the TMLE. Personally, I think that is an overpay, but the point guard market is weak and Bron/AD/Hands in Pockets love him. With Lonnie likely walking this summer, Lakers need someone besides Bron that can get into the paint.

I would like Brown to return. Sell him on taking another minimum, boosting his value and re-sign him in 2024 with Early Bird Rights.

When you factor that Christie will be on the last year of his deal, gotta think Brown is gone too. Max/Beas/Reaves can hold down the 2 spot

Wouldn’t mind Bamba being gone too. Don’t like his body language and demeanor, seems like he doesn’t care. Plays too cool for school

Need somebody to match up with Wembanyama. Same player profile as Brook Lopez