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Paul George isn't a generational talent.
He's a better then Derozan, but that's not saying much imo.
He's a better then Derozan, but that's not saying much imo.
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i just want to organically grow from the ground up
develop the young guys, add a piece here and there through FA. see what we can do with the squad and tweak it as we go.
is that too much to ask for?
jimmy buss might not agreei just want to organically grow from the ground up
develop the young guys, add a piece here and there through FA. see what we can do with the squad and tweak it as we go.
is that too much to ask for?
Ok man, I'd love for you to detail this for me.
You want Paul George, and Russell Westbrook.
First off, George is 26. Derozan is 26. George has had one of his legs folded in half. Derozan has not. George is a 41% shooter. Derozan a 44% shooter. George has a higher usage rate than Derozan. Worse shooting, more usage. More injury worry. Oh, and on top of that, we have to TRADE multiple pieces to get George, we trade none for Derozan.
Do I have this right so far?
Then, you want Russ, in 2017. When he turns 29. And he too, has multiple knee surgeries on his resume.
So, rather than have DLo, Pick, Randle, Clarkson, Nance, Brown, BLack, #32, and then sign 2-3 FA's
You would prefer to have maybe one of those left over, Brown, Black, George, and Russ as they enter their older years with injuries already on their bodies.
Do I have all that correct? Have you truly thought this thru, or you just throwin stuff at the wall and seein what sticks? I'm not mocking, I'm askin you to explain how you think that second scenario is the better play. Granted, George is a better player, I agree. But he costs half our assets (and maybe more, like future picks, etc) And adding TWO key players, with leg injuries, as they leave their early 20's for the more elder ages......is this really a wise investment?
The Los Angeles Lakers recently announced an agreement to hire former Golden State Warriors assistant Luke Walton to a multi-year contract as their head coach.
Out of respect for the Warriors, Lakers part owner and executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss was reluctant to talk about Walton at length, but was happy to praise him for his performance as Golden State’s interim coach earlier in the season.
“He was thrust into a situation. People might say, ‘Anyone could coach Golden State with their roster.’ No you couldn’t have,” said Buss in a phone interview with Basketball Insiders. “There’s a lot of pressure in that. There’s a lot of preparation for that.”
Walton posted a 39-4 record while Steve Kerr was sidelined with a back injury.
“It seemed like he had an incredible handle on relationships with players – how to build them, how to build trust and culture,” Buss continued.
Eleven days after the Lakers’ 17-65 season, their worst in franchise history, the team let go of Byron Scott, whose 38 wins over two years with the franchise is one short of the number Walton won on Kerr’s behalf.
“It was a fair amount of time,” said Buss on Scott’s dismissal. “There was a lot to go through before that decision was made. I’m not going to have a knee-jerk reaction because everybody says, ‘You won 17 games, he’s got to go.’ I made a promise to sit with him and [general manager] Mitch [Kupchak] and give him a fair shake.”
While the Lakers were deliberating, Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks signed deals to coach the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards, respectively. Neither was higher than Walton on the Lakers’ list of candidates. An excellent interview sealed it, and Walton was hired the following day.
Of course, Walton will be joining the Lakers without All-Stars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Instead, the Lakers have developing prospects D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson will be a restricted free agent in July, but the team expects him to re-sign.
Buss also listed forward Larry Nance Jr. and veteran guard Lou Williams as building blocks for the future.
“There’s five to me – solid, core players we can work with and build on,” said Buss. “I like Marcelo [Huertas], I think in the right system he might be a good fit.”
Huertas, who just finished his rookie NBA season as a 32-year-old after playing most of his career overseas, can also be a restricted free agent this summer.
Buss was also happy with veteran big man Brandon Bass, who may opt out of $3.1 million owed for the 2016-17 season to explore free agency.
“And Tarik Black, I like him. He could be a rotational player,” said Buss of the second-year forward, yet another potential restricted free agent.
The next milestone for the Lakers will be on May 17, when the NBA holds its draft lottery. The team has a 55.8 percent chance at a top-three pick, otherwise their selection will convey to the Philadelphia 76ers to close out the Steve Nash trade.
Walton may get help in the draft, perhaps with a forward like Ben Simmons of LSU or Brandon Ingram of Duke.
“Right now, I think our young guys are the perfect number and we will add solid veterans,” said Buss.
With Kobe Bryant retiring, Roy Hibbert’s contract coming off the team’s books and the NBA’s salary cap jumping this summer from $70 million to a projected $92 million, the Lakers could have in the neighborhood of $60 million in spending power.
The top free agents will be Kevin Durant, who is unrestricted, and LeBron James, who can opt out his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Either would be a boon to the Lakers, but neither should be expected.
Other quality free agents include guards DeMar DeRozan and Mike Conley, big men Hassan Whiteside, Al Horford and Joakim Noah, and forwards Nicolas Batum, Ryan Anderson, Kent Bazemore and Chandler Parsons (who has a player option with the Dallas Mavericks) among others.
Restricted free agents are generally more challenging to acquire, with standouts like center Andre Drummond, forward Harrison Barnes and guard Bradley Beal atop the list.
Buss hopes the Lakers will have greater success in persuading players to sign, compared to the past couple of summers, when the team could only boast unproven rookies and an aging Bryant.
“In the last two years, we had nothing to sell,” said Buss. “Trust me, it’s a whole different feeling when you walk into one of those pitches and we have a lot [more on the roster and cap room to add additional talent].”
The Lakers could have started the rebuilding effort after Bryant tore his Achilles’ tendon in April of 2013. Instead, the team awarded their long-time All-Star with a two-year, $48.5 million contract extension.
“We could have expedited the rebuild, but I have no regrets,” said Buss of the Lakers’ decision to pay Bryant. “We have a tradition here of taking care of our players.”
Meanwhile, the rival Boston Celtics pulled the plug on their championship core earlier, dealing Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets in June of 2013. The Celtics are well ahead of the Lakers, winning 48 games this past season before falling in six games in the first round of the playoffs to the Atlanta Hawks.
“Boston did a great job because they also got a young coach that got to grow with this guys,” said Buss of head coach Brad Stevens. “When you have a coach that can grow with you, that’s pretty nice.”
That’s what the Lakers believe they have in Walton.
Buss also hopes the Lakers will be well past this rebuilding stage soon thanks to their young core and the pieces they add this summer (be it through the draft, free agency or trades).
“That’s bottom,” said Buss off the team’s most recent campaign. “Seventeen is the low, that’s for sure.”
The Lakers originally drafted Walton as a forward out of Arizona in 2003 with the 32nd overall pick. He spent over eight seasons with the Lakers, winning two NBA titles.
At just 36 years old, Walton is younger than a sizable list of active players including Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter, Manu Ginobili, Jason Terry and both Pierce and Garnett.
Now, he’ll leave the best regular season team in NBA history, boasting a 73-9 record, to join a Lakers franchise coming off a painful 17-win campaign.
It’s a leap of faith for Walton, just as it is for the Lakers, but the team is confident they’ve made the right hire.
Now it’s up to Buss and Kupchak, armed with more cap room in July than any other franchise, to build a roster that Walton can develop into a contender.
4th: The cost control aspect, right now it looks very good because the majority of the team is making pennies. That starts to stop this summer, Clarkson has to get paid, Randle next year, and D'Lo the year after when you may not be seeing the progress you've expected individually and team wise.
Exactly Steph playing for crumbs right now plus Barnes is 50/50 chance he might bounce in FA....I was a year off on the qualifying offers for both, my mistake.
I want a top 10 and top 5 player for the next 3-4 years at least where they can contend and be competitive. I think a team of Russ+PG at the very worst is a playoff team, possibly a top one in the west depending on what happens with the Clippers and at this that point OKC has broken up. I also believe Russ+PG and one of the young guys if possible is a helluva lot more attractive to other impact guys than what we have now.
How long are you thinking it's going to take for the core to get to the point where they're competitive for a playoff spot at the very least? I've been off the mindset it's a self fulfilling prophecy they weren't going to all be together anyway, just doesn't happen in today's NBA. GS got lucky with Steph's deal otherwise they'd be looking at lot different as well.
Just came in here to tell yall PG ain't going nowhere b. Maybe when his contract is up but not now b. NOT AT ALL
I was a year off on the qualifying offers for both, my mistake.
I want a top 10 and top 5 player for the next 3-4 years at least where they can contend and be competitive. I think a team of Russ+PG at the very worst is a playoff team, possibly a top one in the west depending on what happens with the Clippers and at this that point OKC has broken up. I also believe Russ+PG and one of the young guys if possible is a helluva lot more attractive to other impact guys than what we have now.
How long are you thinking it's going to take for the core to get to the point where they're competitive for a playoff spot at the very least? I've been off the mindset it's a self fulfilling prophecy they weren't going to all be together anyway, just doesn't happen in today's NBA. GS got lucky with Steph's deal otherwise they'd be looking at lot different as well.
And if only one of the young guys need to be elite, I don't see the harm in packaging the others if their able to net an elite talent right now, and you're not compromising your cap situation going forward and simultaneously making your team more competitive and attractive to other FAs. *shrugs*
I got two buddies in the org that just told me he's not going anywhere. But **** could change once that lottery comes around though. These orgs ain't loyalJust came in here to tell yall PG ain't going nowhere b. Maybe when his contract is up but not now b. NOT AT ALL
But wouldn't you rather find out who will be that star? Give them at least a year, even half a year to pay under a new coach.I was a year off on the qualifying offers for both, my mistake.
I want a top 10 and top 5 player for the next 3-4 years at least where they can contend and be competitive. I think a team of Russ+PG at the very worst is a playoff team, possibly a top one in the west depending on what happens with the Clippers and at this that point OKC has broken up. I also believe Russ+PG and one of the young guys if possible is a helluva lot more attractive to other impact guys than what we have now.
How long are you thinking it's going to take for the core to get to the point where they're competitive for a playoff spot at the very least? I've been off the mindset it's a self fulfilling prophecy they weren't going to all be together anyway, just doesn't happen in today's NBA. GS got lucky with Steph's deal otherwise they'd be looking at lot different as well.
And if only one of the young guys need to be elite, I don't see the harm in packaging the others if their able to net an elite talent right now, and you're not compromising your cap situation going forward and simultaneously making your team more competitive and attractive to other FAs. *shrugs*
Let's say KD signs somewhere else this summer would you want to trade our draft pick+Clarkson for westbrook? I'm sure okc doesn't want to let Russell walk away just like harden did? I mean Cleveland traded away Wiggins for love straight up because the t wolves didn't want lose love and not get anything in return
Let's say KD signs somewhere else this summer would you want to trade our draft pick+Clarkson for westbrook? I'm sure okc doesn't want to let Russell walk away just like harden did? I mean Cleveland traded away Wiggins for love straight up because the t wolves didn't want lose love and not get anything in return
I never said you'd do it right now, in fact in order for it to work you'd have to resign Clarkson first, draft Ingram/Simmons hope they play well getting their value up along with Julius and D'Lo. At that point you make your projection of which one you want to keep and package the others for a star.
So just to be clear C CP1708 since were dealing in hypotheticals here you'd rather have going into the 2018 season:
D'Lo
Derozan
Ingram/Simmons
Randle
Whiteside
Batum
Clarkson
and capped with that squad for the next 3 seasons
Or
1 of D'Lo, Randle, Clarkson, Ingram, Simmons
PG13
Westbrook
and the flexibility to add another max FA in the summer of 2017 or if they decide to get Whiteside anyway still have almost enough if the cap is at 108.
Russ at 30, Whiteside at 22, PG at 19 mil, young guy.
How could you possibly know that?You're overvaluing some of these young players we have, massively.
They'll fill seats, make a few shots, have a few sports center highlights, give us a few memorable game winners, like most young players will. But they ain't competing for a chip, not in the next 10 years. None of them are good enough individually to carry us into the playoffs in the west, and they aren't good enough collectively to make it past the first round in the playoffs even if they all reach their prime.
Their ceilings are not high enough to compete with the top tier teams in the league at all.
So yeah let's stack up young assets, have cap space, and compete like the Celtics are... Difference is neither the Celtics or us gone get far without a super star.
It's a super star league, we got none.
PG is a super star. He would help you get further in the playoffs alone than DLo and Clarkson will together.
So... I'd rather have the super star.
And he ain't no Carmelo super star. He can actually defend, he's a great teammate and a great leader. Mlre to it than just being a star. He makes a difference where it matters.