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He saves money and gets a young player with potential and big-time media presence. I think Gilbert is that stupid. I don't think the Lake-show can absorb Love's contract anymore, so a couple more players have to go out with Ball.
The Lakers are not championship contenders this year we all pretty much agree on that. But they will make the playoffs, maybe, just maybe win one round, then next year they have cap money for one of the many elite free agents next year, with Kawhi on top of their wish list.
We give Kuzma, Ingram, Hart and maybe Ball another year under their belts, and the other free agents we might sign, I think they can possibly be a contender in 2019.
I would say that the 76ers had the most pressure to make huge offseason moves this summer. They began their recruiting of LeBron quite publicly and quite early on in the process, the billboards, the tweets by Joel Embiid, all the media pundits connecting the Rich Paul client relationship with Ben Simmons, the false rumors circulating that LeBron was checking out schools in that city during All-Star Break even though LeBron was actually in Los Angeles the whole time (it can even be noted by his social media accounts disclosing his location on where he was at each of those days). LeBron himself shot those rumors down in a media session, as did reporters that are close and plugged in with LeBron like Brian Windhorst and Rachel Nichols. Brett Brown and management made it known publicly that a top shelf wing player is what they were going after during the offseason and the 76ers targeted Paul George, LeBron James, and Kawhi Leonard.
They made it an offseason priority and they've failed to get the interest of any of the three. Paul George quickly re-upped with the Thunder, he didn't even have a meeting planned with any other team. Strike. LeBron James met with Magic Johnson at his house the moment it became legal for Magic Johnson to reach out to him and gave Magic a verbal commitment that he's coming to Los Angeles. Strike. His camp reportedly told the 76ers organization the night before that he is not considering them, which prompted Joel Embiid to start going on a rampage of tweets essentially telling LeBron that going to the Lakers is a huge mistake. The next day LeBron's representatives met with the 76ers organization (LeBron himself was not present) but it was revealed that the meeting was not planned and was penciled in at the last moment, likely meaning that they didn't want to upset that organization and wanted to let them off easy by giving them a few hours of their time to hear their pitch even though LeBron had already verbally committed to Los Angeles several hours earlier.
Kawhi Leonard's camp has been adamant that they only want to play in Los Angeles with one of the two teams there and that he wont resign with any team that trades for him and his situation is different than Paul George's because Kawhi needs to be in Los Angeles to get a better shoe deal and endorsement offers. Strike. Whereas Paul George had just wanted to play in his hometown but was willing to be convinced otherwise if a better fit and situation arose and he determined one did.
That's three strikes and putting all of their effort into trying to nab LeBron blindsided them to the point where they lost two key 3 point shooters, Ersan Illyasova and Marco Bellinelli to other teams in free agency. They likely realized their failures and that's why they have now ended up with Wilson Chandler. He's a good role player, at age 30, but well short of that "top shelf wing player" that they've so ambitiously have been aiming to get. They struck out on their chance to narrow the gap with the Celtics and quite frankly the Raptors are better than them too and I suspect as are the Wizards now with Dwight Howard. The Pacers by signing Tyreke Evans, one of this year's top free agents got better and there are the Milwaukee Bucks to contend with too. The Celtics eliminated the 76ers team in 5 games, it was a non-competitive series and did so without their two best players: Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. When those guys are back next season, it's going to be a quick wrap and Boston is built to be the East's dynasty going forward.
In free agency, I would say the 76ers have been the biggest losers of them all. I never expected them to get LeBron in the first place, why would he pick some random as hell team in some random as hell city where he and his family have no connections to just to have a non-guaranteed chance to win a championship. A place where his on-court fit and talents don't mesh with the other core foundational pieces? That's a worthless gamble, at least in Los Angeles losing comes with sunshine, palm trees, and his family's personal comfort in setting and environment. Joel Embiid was drafted in 2014, didn't play in 2014-15, not even one game, didn't play in 2015-16, not even one game, played only 31 games in 2016-17, none of them back-to-back, and supposedly in his healthiest season 2017-18, he only played 63 games. That's a total of 94 games out of the 328 total regular season games that he's been eligible to play in since he was drafted, that's an abysmal 28%. His injury history isn't behind him either, he missed the first 3 games in the playoffs just this past season due to injury. Ben Simmons his self has had injury issues but even more than that he's not a shooter at all. Simmons has only scored 1 three-pointer since he started high school and that was back when he played in college at LSU. He only attempted 2 three-point shots this past season and missed both (Ben Simmons' shot chart for the entire 2017-18 season). His range is restricted to just the restricted area on the court and one spot from the mid-range. Joel Embiid is a lousy three-point shooter, he can only shoot them from one area on the perimeter and LeBron himself isn't a knock down three point shooter. Seeing the three on court would be a failure, you cannot beat Boston, Houston, and Golden State without having a legit core of jump shooters and a crop of three-point specialists on the floor at all times.
For other teams like Boston, Houston, and Golden State, the possibility of adding LeBron was more of a luxury than a necessity. All three are already built up to win a championship and if any moves need to be made then it is adding more 3 & D guys to the bench rotation and that's it. For the 76ers, it was imperative to add a top shelf wing player to the core and they failed at doing so, which is why they have to settle for Wilson Chandler now. This comes as no surprise to me, the last time that city and organization added a top shelf player via free agency was 1982 when they added Moses Malone, that was 36 years ago. They're not really a free agent destination for top flight players, I don't see that changing. Trades are the only way they can acquire talent and they've dropped the ball with Kawhi Leonard, even if they did get him, he's a one year rental since getting to Los Angeles is his personal mission.
I'm a Laker supporter but I am in the rare minority where I feel we should build a superteam with youngesters. I want that new car smell with our team. I know for sure that we are going to be paying LeBron during his age-related decline years, that's inevitable, no one escapes age-related decline and it wont be pretty because his game is predicated by athleticism and driving to the basket rather than jump shooting. I am not happy with the roster moves after LeBron's decision, we are wasting what could be the last one or two years of LeBron's extended prime. I guess it sounds cool on paper to say that we landed the big fish and that the best talent of the generation is now employed by our team but that's not enough for me. Making the playoffs and getting destroyed by Golden State, Houston, Minnesota, and likely Oklahoma City is not a pleasant thought. Frankly, as currently constructed, the Lakers aren't even better than Portland, Utah, New Orleans, and maybe San Antonio and Denver. Making the playoffs will be tough for this team if additional moves are not made, their ceiling is like a 6th, 7th, or 8th seed if they're healthy and lucky in the West and it will take all season to clinch the playoff spot.
If the Lakers get Kawhi, who is my favorite player in the NBA, I may feel differently. However, that's no sure thing, the voices in my head keep telling me that the Spurs will eventually trade him to the Clippers instead, likely centered on a package involving Tobias Harris, who is a very good player as a return. That's a team that Kawhi will likely re-sign with too because his camp likes the idea of both the Lakers and Clippers, not just the Lakers alone. If the Lakers offer Brandon Ingram, the Spurs should just take it, that's the best return they can get and Ingram's numbers and development are exactly where Kawhi's were in his earlier years. It's a damn good deal, in my opinion.
Last edited by Trafalgar Law; 07-03-2018 at 07:44 PM..
We give Kuzma, Ingram, Hart and maybe Ball another year under their belts, and the other free agents we might sign, I think they can possibly be a contender in 2019.
Not if you want Kawhi Leonard right now. Spurs want Kuzma, Ingram, and Hart (plus some draft picks) for Leonard. It will be interesting to see how patient the Lakers front office is as well as an aging Lebron
Not if you want Kawhi Leonard right now. Spurs want Kuzma, Ingram, and Hart (plus some draft picks) for Leonard. It will be interesting to see how patient the Lakers front office is as well as an aging Lebron
The Spurs are tripping if they think they can get that much for a one-year rental. I guess we’ll see if they match previous levels of ineptitude and fall for the bluff.
It would be nice if the NBA would clear Bosh to return. Imagine the Lakers with Lebron, Bosh, Stevenson and Rondo...then signing Melo and DWade for vet minimum.. The drama would be excellent.
It would be nice if the NBA would clear Bosh to return. Imagine the Lakers with Lebron, Bosh, Stevenson and Rondo...then signing Melo and DWade for vet minimum.. The drama would be excellent.
Bosh will not play in the NBA and he should be smarter about playing too. He has a serious condition. He has 2 rings, a gold metal, and a boatload of money. He can retire. If he wants to be involved in basketball, he could be an analyst, be a scout, be assistant coach, etc. No reason to put your life on the line.
The Spurs are tripping if they think they can get that much for a one-year rental. I guess we’ll see if they match previous levels of ineptitude and fall for the bluff.
There is a lot of "stupid" in the NBA...."short Buss" is gone, Magic isn't that dumb.
However, that would still leave Cleveland, Orlando, Knicks etc. lol
LA should stand pat, let Lebron mentor the "kids" and then pick up Kwahi and others next year off free agency.
However, the Spurs are arguably THE BEST run organization of the past 20 years so of course they're going to ask for the moon and then work back from there like a Dutch Auction.
It would be nice if the NBA would clear Bosh to return. Imagine the Lakers with Lebron, Bosh, Stevenson and Rondo...then signing Melo and DWade for vet minimum.. The drama would be excellent.
Melo? Say what? I wouldn't put him on the roster for free.
Melo? Say what? I wouldn't put him on the roster for free.
He’s in there because I think at one time Lebron wanted to play with his “boys”. Melo, Wade and Lebron can make it happen...just have to wait on CP3.
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