Lakers are back Mizzy

[bocabull]

lol @ them getting Okafor or Towns to pair with Randle. More rings are coming. At the end of the day they played their hand perfectly.

Clarkson + Randle + Towns/Okafor + the 27 & 34 picks + massive cap space. The Nash trade cost them nothing. Howard leaving landed them Randle & Okafor/Towns. Only the Lakers pull that rabbit out of the hat.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

lol @ them getting Okafor or Towns to pair with Randle. More rings are coming. At the end of the day they played their hand perfectly.

Clarkson + Randle + Towns/Okafor + the 27 & 34 picks + massive cap space. The Nash trade cost them nothing. Howard leaving landed them Randle & Okafor/Towns. Only the Lakers pull that rabbit out of the hat.

The result might look good but you are kidding yourself if this is how they saw it working out.

But yeah, their future looks bright. Still a couple years out before they will be contenders again. biggest hurdle is going to be getting a decent coach

 

[Eielson]

The Nash trade wasn't at no expense, as the Lakers could easily be handing a top 10 pick to Philly next season.

I also don't think Kupchak expected that the Lakers would be so bad that they get two guys like Randle and Okafor/Towns. Kupchak is great, and set things up well despite the misfortune, but also got a boost of fortune. I give him credit for the position the Lakers are in, but this isn't how he drew it up.

I agree that it is probably a couple years before the Lakers are true contenders, but they'll be a playoff team in the next year or two, and could pull this off sooner. So many things are up in the air right now. The Lakers nearly swung the #7 pick in a deal for Klay Thompson last year, so there's no telling what the Lakers do this offseason with so many assets (Randle, Clarkson, #2, #27, #34). Their roster may be completely unrecognizable in a month or two.

With the cap space available, I could see the Lakers pulling Butler from the Bulls, and may be able to sweeten the deal a little with a pick. If the Lakers have Butler, Randle, and Towns at 3, 4, and 5...that would be tough for KD to turn down that opportunity. I'm just talking crazy, but plausible, scenarios right now, so I'll try not to stray too far.

 

[bocabull]

Word out here is they are going to offer Marc Gasol a max offer on opening day of free agency. The Grizzlies are going nowhere. He could spend his 30-35 years while Okafor/Towns were spending their 20-25 years. Kind of like David Robinson/Tim Duncan.

Similar to the Cavs getting the #1 pick last year the Lakers pitch to free agents just increased infinitely. Kobes life just got a lot easier too. I wouldnt be surprised if he played 3 more seasons now if his wheels hold up. If they add Gasol, Okafor/Towns & Randle this year and have a max slot for next year that 6th title becomes at least a remote possibility instead of impossible.

If they somehow landed Kevin Durant after next season they would become a top contender. Hes got a real tough decision to make. He's a loyal guy and OKC has done everything right for him. But in the back of his mind he knows Mike Miller, Pau Gasol, etc wouldn't come as free agents.

 

[bocabull]

Biggest hurdle is going to be getting a decent coach

We are now going to find out the next couple years when Scott has some players instead of the "we're not tanking" tank roster he was given. But you're right he now has to perform.

 

[Eielson]

Similar to the Cavs getting the #1 pick last year the Lakers pitch to free agents just increased infinitely.

Exactly. This changes everything.

Word out here is they are going to offer Marc Gasol a max offer on opening day of free agency

I expect that to be true, and even if they don't get him, they can try with just about any free agent. They can find a way to make almost anything work, as all these assets have trade value. If they don't get Gasol, they can offer Jordan, Aldridge, Love, Butler, Leonard, Dragic, Green, Monroe, Jefferson, Green, Matthews, or any number of other free agents. The possibilities are limitless.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

Pretty happy about the way things turned out with the draft, but please remember we are counting on Baby Buss and not Dr. Buss to make rational/wise decisions.

My jury is still on recess when it comes to him...... But, we are much better than we were before this turn of events. Also need to see Randle back & healthy...

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

Too bad they're putting 25 million in a pile and burning it next season.

 

[NickZepp]

If the Lakers are smart they draft Justise Winslow. He is James Harden with a better shot and better defense. He's a guy you can build a franchise around like they haven't had since Kobe got a bit old the last 5 years or so. He wouldn't have to be a star right away he could learn a bit from Kobe for a year basically like Kobe did once upon a time. But he can play a role and then take over the reigns after a year. Kobe has already said this will be it for him. If they draft a big guy they will probably still be mediocre because they are mediocre at the wing. Even with Kobe he can't keep up with the top guys anymore and hasn't been able to for a while.

 

[bocabull]

I like Winslow a lot Nick. The Harden comparison is obviously a best case but he's a tremendous skilled athlete. It won't surprise me if he ends up being a top 3 player in this draft if not the best.

 

[NickZepp]

To me a rebuilding team like the Lakers need to hang their hat on a big time guard. Particularly in the west where you are going to face Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, KD and Westbrook, James Harden, Chris Paul, Damien Lillard. Right now the Lakers don't have anyone that can really compete with those guy son a nightly basis. That's where you start to build a franchise to me. And the Lakers are also in a position in Free agency to get their big guy like Gasol and/or Rondo. Mizzy is also right in that this isn't Jerry Buss running things so they could easily mess stuff up.

 

[Eielson]

I think the pick has to be Towns or Okafor. If we're going guard, Russell is the guy.

3 and D guys like Winslow are easy to find, and I don't see him as a Harden comparison. Towns is more of an Anthony Davis than Winslow is a Harden, and 7 footers like Towns and Okafor are incredibly rare. Guys like Embiid and Noel went really high despite major injuries that caused them to sit out their rookie years, because it's so hard to get guys like that.

If the Lakers want a 3 and D guy, they have another first, and an early 2nd rounder. That falls in the range where guys like Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Danny Green, Demarre Carol, and pretty much anybody else the Lakers may have interest in.