[:: LAKERS 2014 THREAD | POLL: Who Should Coach Next Year? ::]

[freeze]

This should be fun:

@ShawnFNBA Spoke with a former Lakers insider & now NBA exec last week. Person said biggest problem is Kobe. Players dont want to play with him.

@ShawnFNBA Kobe is known to be very manipulative, 2-faced, & not trustable. Person also told me a bombshell about Kobe's hand in the Fisher trade.

@ShawnFNBA In terms of the Lakers F/O: "Turbulent". Jim Buss has a very shady inner circle of friends who advise/help him, but Kobe is the bigger issue

@ShawnFNBA @M3XRFW I owned a company that managed many athletes including Fisher, also consulted for former players union exec..dont have to believe me

Nothing too surprising, but the Fish tidbit intrigues me.

so the Black Mamba is acting like a snake...you don't say???

 

[CP1708]

This is called the "Out in Round Two plan"

Kobe Bryant is done for the season, but he's already eyeballing next year with high expectations.

"It's my job to go out there on the court and perform. No excuses for it. You have to get it done," Bryant said in a news conference on Wednesday, after being declared out for the season. "Same thing with the front office. The same expectations they have of me when I perform on the court, the same expectations I have for them up there."

The Lakers will have financial flexibility, a high pick in the 2014 NBA draft, and designs on future free agents like Kevin Love in 2015 and Kevin Durant in 2016.

Patience may be the wise path, but if Bryant's advice is to be heeded, the Lakers would need to scrap some of their grander, long-term plans and act with a win-now mentality.

The bigger question is how. How do the Lakers go from a 22-42 season (through Wednesday) to a title contender in just a year?

The first step would involve the Lakers trading their lottery pick.

Trade the 2014 first-round pick for a veteran (Kevin Love)

A young player may be the better investment, but a young prospect isn't likely to help propel the Lakers to contender status in Year 1. Equally, a top-five pick could be a valuable trade asset for teams with veteran stars looking for a new home.

Kevin Love can opt out of his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves after next season. Given the Timberwolves (32-31) continue to struggle on the wrong side of the playoff bubble, Love may look to relocate after the 2014-15 season.

Do the Wolves just wait for him to leave or do they look to get compensation for their All-Star forward?

The Lakers would have to wait until they have cap room in July, but a verbal agreement can be reached on draft night with the Lakers picking for Minnesota.

Another veteran possibility for the pick, instead of Love, might be Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately for the Lakers, the Cleveland Cavaliers are unlikely to trade All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, even for a top selection in the draft.

Carmelo Anthony is expected be a free agent, but the Lakers would be hard pressed to build a contender around him, if he’s looking to earn over $20 million a season.

And does anyone expect LeBron James to opt out of his contract and leave the Miami Heat for the Lakers?

Waive and stretch Steve Nash's contract

To continue their win-now plan, the Lakers would need to use the NBA's stretch provision on Nash, waiving him while reducing his salary to $3.2 million for the next three seasons.

While that would increase the Lakers' cap room this season, it would diminish their spending power slightly for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.

Trading Nash would certainly be better. Perhaps the Lakers can find a team looking to shed a veteran on a long-term deal -- perhaps Jarrett Jack of the Cavaliers.

Assuming the Lakers don't find a trade partner, and in the name of winning quickly, Nash could be released.

Without Nash, the Lakers could have up to $13.4 million in cap space to add another player to join Bryant and Love.

Re-sign Pau Gasol or trade for Omer Asik

The Lakers can use their cap room to go after free agents like Luol Deng, Lance Stephenson and/or Kyle Lowry, but that new lineup would have a hard time winning if Love was the only impact big man.

A center should be the priority, and the Lakers already have a former All-Star in their fold in Pau Gasol.

This next step may depend heavily on Bryant's power of influence. Gasol is looking forward to free agency, where he can have a chance, once again, to compete for a title.

If Bryant and the Lakers can convince him to stay for at least a season, perhaps at $10 million, Gasol would give the franchise a dynamic, offensive frontcourt with Love.

An alternative to Gasol would be Omer Asik of the Houston Rockets. He might be the ideal fit next to Love, given his size and strength as a defender.

The Rockets tried to trade Asik during the season but couldn't find a workable partner willing to give up a first-round pick. Asik will earn $14.9 million next season, but by a quirk of the rules he only counts as $8.4 million against his team's cap.

The Lakers would need to sell the Rockets on a future first-rounder for Asik.

If neither Gasol nor Asik works out, the summer's free agent pool of centers includes Marcin Gortat, Spencer Hawes, Andrew Bynum, Kris Humphries, Emeka Okafor and Andray Blatche, among others.

Chris Bosh can opt out of the $20.6 million he's owed for 2014-15 from the Miami Heat, but even if the Lakers gave him $13.4 million, that's quite a pay cut.

Greg Monroe will be a restricted free agent with the Pistons but Detroit may be more likely to match any offer the Lakers would make.

Re-sign Jodie Meeks, keep the inexpensive players

The Lakers have Jodie Meeks' early-bird rights after two seasons with the Lakers, which enables the team to sign him to a contract starting in the $5 million-$6 million range.

As a free agent, Meeks takes up just $2 million of the Lakers' cap room. The team can sign him to a larger deal after spending in free agency, assuming he is willing.

The NBA has projected its salary cap to climb to $62.9 million for next season. Presuming Nick Young opts out of the final $1.2 million left on his deal, the Lakers will have Robert Sacre and Kendall Marshall (nonguaranteed) on minimum contracts.

Ryan Kelly and Kent Bazemore are likely to receive qualifying offers ($1 million-$1.1 million) from the team, making both players restricted free agents.

To fully maximize their cap room, the Lakers need to either renounce most of their own free agents, or re-sign them before making a deal for Love. Players like Jordan Hill and Chris Kaman may be casualties.

While the Lakers would like to bring Young back, they may not be able to compete with other offers from around the league.

With Gasol at $10 million while retaining Meeks' rights, the team would still have $2.4 million in cap room to spend.

If the Lakers instead trade for Asik, the team would have about $4.1 million in cap room remaining.

The Lakers should be able to re-sign players like Jordan Farmar, Xavier Henry and Wesley Johnson to minimum contracts, after they've used their cap space.

If the Chicago Bulls amnesty Carlos Boozer, make a waiver claim

The Bulls are one of the few teams still able to use their one-time amnesty clause.

Chicago has been long-rumored to be considering using their amnesty on Carlos Boozer, which would remove his $16.8 million from the Bulls' salary cap and luxury tax computation.

As a team under the cap, the Lakers can make a bid to claim Boozer off amnesty waivers, perhaps in the $2 million-$2.4 million range, to add a solid veteran power forward who can also play undersized center if needed.

Use room exception on a veteran (preferably at point guard)

Kobe Bryant was upset that the Lakers traded Steve Blake at the deadline to the Golden State Warriors.

Blake has his family in Los Angeles and has said he's open to a return to the Lakers after his contract expires with the Warriors.

Once the Lakers have used their cap space, they'll attain additional spending capacity too with a $2.7-million room exception.

That might be enough to lure Blake back or add another veteran to the Lakers.

Is it a winner?

Should the Lakers trade their first-round draft pick, even for Love, when he might come as a free agent in 2015 on his own? Why not have both?

If the Lakers are truly in win-now mode, the future concerns fade away despite the long-term consequences.

A core of Bryant, Love and either Gasol or Asik, rounded out with Boozer, Blake, Meeks, Farmar, Bazemore, Johnson, Henry, Sacre, Kelly and Marshall would have potential.

Is that an elite team in the Western Conference? Maybe not, but if healthy it would be a lot stronger than the squad that has stumbled through one of the worst seasons in Lakers history.

Of course, this all assumes that Bryant is able to return at an elite level, which may be difficult for a nearly 36-year-old player coming off Achilles' tendon and knee injuries that knocked him out for nearly an entire season.

Old man Kobe, Love, Old man Gasol, and old man Boozer.

And the best part, that almost assuredly would be a luxury tax team.


Do not do it Mitch.

 

[licensed to ball]

Why stress so much about it everyday?

It's obvious Kobe's here for 2 more years and while he's playing he's going to be thinking win now.

What can we do about it?
We still have to live through this pathetic season and now you're already raising your blood pressure about next season.

Relax man. It's not good for your health

 

[teamlakers909]

This is called the "Out in Round Two plan"

Old man Kobe, Love, Old man Gasol, and old man Boozer.

And the best part, that almost assuredly would be a luxury tax team.

Do not do it Mitch.

hence why we need to NOT listen to Kobe and go about it slowly.  Draft well...see how that goes.  In 2015 sign Love, in 2016 sign Durant after Bryant retires.

 

[kookcle]

Asik will earn $14.9 million next season, but by a quirk of the rules he only counts as $8.4 million against his team's cap.

I dont want Asik but how is this possible?


If we miss out on Embiid i really want to see the team go after Monroe.

No idea why Detroit would match any offers for him when they have Drummond and Smith.

If you truly know nothing of the story (or as little as possible) it's easy.

Start with the OG, #4, 1977
Then 5-6

Then you can go back and watch 1-3.


That is the only way to do it.

then Family Guy Star Wars

 

[pmatic]

Morey exploited a loophole in the CBA when he signed Asik (and Lin) to the contracts that they got.

 

[CP1708]

The real problem for the Bulls is that Houston GM Daryl Morey is an evil mastermind. Thanks to a loophole in the new CBA, Chicago wouldn’t owe Asik an even $8 million a year over the three-year deal. As laid out by John Hollinger, there’s a provision that limits the amount of money a player like Asik (a restricted free agent with one or two seasons in the league) can be paid in the first two years of a new contract. In years one and two, Asik can make the maximum of the mid-level exception (around $5 million), but in year three, Houston can offer him any amount up to the maximum salary.

The way Asik’s contract offer from Houston is structured, that would mean a price tag of about $14 million in 2014-15. The catch is in how the deal is paid out differently by the team making the offer and the team having to match it (the Bulls). For Houston, Asik’s cap hit each year would be the total money evenly split over three seasons. For the Bulls, it would mean having to pay that $14 million in the final year, a figure that would put them way over the luxury tax threshold right when the tax penalties are slated to become even more severe for repeat payers. That difference in $6 million makes matching the Rockets’ offer go from irresponsible to nearly impossible.

Credit goes to Morey for having the ingenuity to exploit the hole in the new system

 

[kookcle]

interesting

 

[essential1]

Stay away from Monroe. You'll have to max him.

 

[pmatic]

I liked Monroe coming out of Georgetown, and still do. I always likened his game to a less athletic Pau.

But I'm not trying to see the Lakers pay him $12M+ to pry him from the Pistons.

 

[kingjaffejo]

We are most likely going to overpay for a big this summer. We might as well pick one.

 

[sea manup]

kings

 

[moiety]

My bad if this has been posted, but I find it funny a Portland Trailblazer has a custom made Kobe shoe, knew I liked Damian Lilliard for a reason


View media item 866417

Pretty dope though

 

[sea manup]

Dave McMenamin         [emoji]10004[/emoji]  @mcten
Follow

Jeanie Buss teared up on @TWCSportsNet lamenting that the team didn't get to give Magic Johnson a farewell tour. They will do so w/ Kobe

7:45 PM - 18 Mar 2014

already planning kobe's farewell tour 

 

[moiety]

Jim just go away and let Jeanie take over

 

[CP1708]

Had a long chat today with Eric Pincus.

I feel less and less optimistic by the day. This is not going to end well.

 

[frink85]

Whatever happens, in no way should picks + whatever assets be traded for Love when he can sign as a FA soon

See: NY Knicks and Carmelo Anthony

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

That won't happen.

 

[jab step]

Had a long chat today with Eric Pincus.

I feel less and less optimistic by the day. This is not going to end well.

@CP1708  What do you mean by this? Can't just come in here, say something that vague, and just leave 

 

[vtotheinay]

This should be fun:



Nothing too surprising, but the Fish tidbit intrigues me.

main problem i have with this guys claims, is that kobe couldnt even have a say on who the lakers would be hiring as head coach, but all of a sudden during the trade deadline he gets powers to help move one of the leaders of the entire laker locker room. i dont buy this guys story

 

[pmatic]

Touche.

Anyways, the Kings won last night.

 

[CP1708]

Had a long chat today with Eric Pincus.


I feel less and less optimistic by the day. This is not going to end well.

@CP1708
 What do you mean by this? Can't just come in here, say something that vague, and just leave 

Pincus is in the belief that Mitch does not give a **** about the draft and could easily sell off this draft pick for Love (or someone else)


If that happens, our franchise is done for. Dark, dark days will be ahead, and Mitch needs a new job immediately.


I pray Pincus is wrong. Please God, don't let Mitch be that ******* stupid.

 

[kal-el-8]

Had a long chat today with Eric Pincus.


I feel less and less optimistic by the day. This is not going to end well.

@CP1708
 What do you mean by this? Can't just come in here, say something that vague, and just leave 

Pincus is in the belief that Mitch does not give a **** about the draft and could easily sell off this draft pick for Love (or someone else)


If that happens, our franchise is done for. Dark, dark days will be ahead, and Mitch needs a new job immediately.


I pray Pincus is wrong. Please God, don't let Mitch be that ******* stupid.

Again.


I completely agree with you.

I'd rather get a wiggins, parker, exum, TRY to develop him, take chances on Love in free agency, rather than sell the pick for love.

It makes no goddamn sense to compromise this pick for someone who could come in 2 years.

 

[pmatic]

Let's say the Lakers land at #5 and the Bucks offer Giannis Anteskdfhgdhrjgpoagshpo for it.

Would you do it?

 

[kal-el-8]

Let's say the Lakers land at #5 and the Bucks offer Giannis Anteskdfhgdhrjgpoagshpo for it.

Would you do it?

Depends on who we get

If the top 4 goes in this combo of:

Embiid
Wiggins
Exum
Parker


and we get randle or smart?

I'd trade it.