Magic Johnson as a General Manager

[jmizzy4ou]

Well...he gone.

What a strange press conference. Will always love Magic as one of my top 3 Lakers of all time. Strange situation.....

 

[One More Rebound]

Magic was a failure as director of basketball operations, and The Lakers need to hire someone who will put in the full time work that this job requires. Time to go "outside the family" Jeanie. :eddie187_jpg_xs:

 

[One More Rebound]

Shaq calling for The Lakers to hire Jerry West. I honestly don't know how I feel about it, but given Jerry's disdain for Jeanie's boyfriend Phil Jackson, it would certainly keep the drama going.

 

[WTSooner]

Clown show out in LA.

Stories coming out that Lebron was not exactly being a good teammate while out with his injury either. Watch, this whole Lebron to LA thing isn't going to work out very well by the time it ends.

 

[Eielson]

Shaq calling for The Lakers to hire Jerry West. I honestly don't know how I feel about it, but given Jerry's disdain for Jeanie's boyfriend Phil Jackson, it would certainly keep the drama going.

It's the right call, and shoulda been made a couple years ago. Jeannie is too bitter to let it happen, though.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

It's the right call, and shoulda been made a couple years ago. Jeannie is too bitter to let it happen, though.

Jerry West wants no parts of that job. This entire situation is starting to look like Kobe may be involved behind the scene. Pelinka is Kobe's guy, and now the word is Jeanie wants to give more decision making power to Pelinka, who wouldn't have the job if not for Kobe. Jeanie is very loyal to the Laker Family, especially those her father loved. She needs to bring in some outsiders with no emotional connection. Rumors also are out there saying her relationship with Phil Jackson isn't as warm as it once was.......

 

[Eielson]

Jerry West wants no parts of that job. This entire situation is starting to look like Kobe may be involved behind the scene. Pelinka is Kobe's guy, and now the word is Jeanie wants to give more decision making power to Pelinka, who wouldn't have the job if not for Kobe. Jeanie is very loyal to the Laker Family, especially those her father loved. She needs to bring in some outsiders with no emotional connection. Rumors also are out there saying her relationship with Phil Jackson isn't as warm as it once was.......

I agree that Jerry probably doesn't want anything to do with the job. At one point he did, but Jeannie and Phil pretty well nixed that. I think Pelinka is very knowledgable about the game. I wouldn't have been hearbroken had he been fired, but I don't see why everybody has turned on him. I think he deserves another year or two.

 

[One More Rebound]

The best solution would be for Jeanie Buss to sell The Lakers, and for the new owner to hire basketball people who make basketball decisions based on facts and evidence, and not misguided loyalty. NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!

 

[Eielson]

the best solution would be for jeanie buss to sell the lakers, and for the new owner to hire basketball people who make basketball decisions based on facts and evidence, and not misguided loyalty. Never gonna happen!

PITCHFORKs !!

 

[One More Rebound]

Word from LA is that Magic is still going to recruit players to join The Lakers. Is this a way to avoid charges of tampering?

 

[WTSooner]

Rumors of Kyrie to LA with Lebron. lol

Hope it happens. I know that pairing worked for a while, but I don't think it'll work again (Lebron's aging), and in the West.

 

[Eielson]

Rumors of Kyrie to LA with Lebron. lol

Hope it happens. I know that pairing worked for a while, but I don't think it'll work again (Lebron's aging), and in the West.

If healthy, Kyrie and Lebron would be a top 2-3 seed. They won't be alone.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

If healthy, Kyrie and Lebron would be a top 2-3 seed. They won't be alone.

Exactly. Windhorst says probably would be enough to draw AD to LA as well.... The new NO GM has said he wasn't a part of the original LA discussion for AD, and he will listen to LA and any other offers....

 

[WTSooner]

If healthy, Kyrie and Lebron would be a top 2-3 seed. They won't be alone.

lol, I disagree. Unless they can add another star or semi-star, they won't be that good. And their roster's "worth" takes a hit every day. Ball is a clown. Ingram has potentially long-term healthy issues. Nobody wants to play with Lebron except maybe KI, who is being ran out of Boston.

We'll see. Lakers are going nowhere fast though, IMO.

 

[WTSooner]

Exactly. Windhorst says probably would be enough to draw AD to LA as well.... The new NO GM has said he wasn't a part of the original LA discussion for AD, and he will listen to LA and any other offers....

He also said he wants to try and keep Davis in NO.

Please tell me what LA can offer that can't (won't be topped)? Ball isn't all that interesting. Ingram has potential long-term health issues. Kuzma is okay, but if he is the best player NO is getting back, that isn't a great deal for them.

The LA trade chips are worth less today than they were at the time they were being offered before.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

He also said he wants to try and keep Davis in NO.

Please tell me what LA can offer that can't (won't be topped)? Ball isn't all that interesting. Ingram has potential long-term health issues. Kuzma is okay, but if he is the best player NO is getting back, that isn't a great deal for them.

The LA trade chips are worth less today than they were at the time they were being offered before.

It will be a hard sell no doubt. They are saying Ingram is going to be fine, but I wonder....

I guess I see more potential in Ball than most. He is a really good defender, can create some for others, and isn't a bad attitude guy, imo. Not sure how much he works, but if can develop any type of jumper, I think he will be decent.

For sure Ingram and Kuz are the best trade chips they have, and it probably won't land AD. The Lakers have had some luck in the draft lottery lately. Maybe another top pick to add to the offer.....

I actually like Vogel and Kidd over Lue or any of the other names I heard. I believe with Vogel there, they will do a better job with their veteran minimum cast. Beasley, Stephenson, and Rondo were not good choices to play with LBJ. There were shooters available they coulda had....


Still holding out hope they turn it around.

 

[Eielson]

lol, I disagree. Unless they can add another star or semi-star, they won't be that good. And their roster's "worth" takes a hit every day. Ball is a clown. Ingram has potentially long-term healthy issues. Nobody wants to play with Lebron except maybe KI, who is being ran out of Boston.

We'll see. Lakers are going nowhere fast though, IMO.

Nearly everything you said in this post is false. Ball is not a clown, and advanced statistics have shown that since day 1. Yes, his jump shot is broken, but he's an elite PG defensively, passing, and rebounding. That's not my opinion -- it's statistical fact.

Ingram is fine. Surgery was a success, and he's on pace to be 100% this summer. This isn't a hypercoagulability disorder like Bosh, so it has a very low risk of recurring.

Nobody wants to play with Lebron? There's no other way to say it -- you're delusional. You do realize that Bosh and Wade teamed up with him, right? And that AD just tried to force his way to LA? And as you said, there's also Kyrie. And really just about every other notable FA outside of KD.

 

[Eielson]

He also said he wants to try and keep Davis in NO.

Of course he's going to try. He's as aware as everybody else that it won't work, though.

Please tell me what LA can offer that can't (won't be topped)?

Ball, Ingram, Kuzma, and a lottery pick beats anything else NO will be offered. I expect LA could take one of those pieces out and still get it done. Boston is unlikely to attach Tatum without assurances that AD will stay. With that in mind, who is going to make a better offer?

 

[WTSooner]

Of course he's going to try. He's as aware as everybody else that it won't work, though.



Ball, Ingram, Kuzma, and a lottery pick beats anything else NO will be offered. I expect LA could take one of those pieces out and still get it done. Boston is unlikely to attach Tatum without assurances that AD will stay. With that in mind, who is going to make a better offer?

NO will be laughed out of town if they take that. Like I said above, that package of players is worth less now than it was when it was offered the first time around. And let's be clear, while the LA pick is lottery, it's still outside the top 10. Limits it's worth, IMO.

If the Knicks get the first pick (or even if it's top 3), that would be a pretty darn good trade chip if they are able to lure KD and KI, trading that pick for Davis would make A LOT of sense.

I wouldn't be so sure that Ainge won't deal Tatum either. I hope we let KI walk, don't trade for Davis, and build around the young guys, but Ainge has spent a LOT of time trying to acquire "stars", and it's tough to see him backing off that. Even if Tatum isn't included, Jaylen Brown has more upside than Ball/Ingram, and at least as much as Kuz if not more. Boston has the Memphis pick they could deal this year or next which is likely better than LA's pick. The Williams big man Boston drafted last year has some upside that teams are said to like. They could move one of Smart or Hayward. Maybe Rozier (restricted FA I believe).

Those are probably the two biggest competitors, but who knows, I expect some pretty big movement this offseason, so there could be a surprise team or two. LA's offer is more quantity than quality IMO. If NO was smart, they'd take the deal with the best player, or two players (or potential with draft picks). NO isn't going to turn their franchise around with LA's cast-offs.

 

[WTSooner]

Nearly everything you said in this post is false. Ball is not a clown, and advanced statistics have shown that since day 1. Yes, his jump shot is broken, but he's an elite PG defensively, passing, and rebounding. That's not my opinion -- it's statistical fact.

Ingram is fine. Surgery was a success, and he's on pace to be 100% this summer. This isn't a hypercoagulability disorder like Bosh, so it has a very low risk of recurring.

Nobody wants to play with Lebron? There's no other way to say it -- you're delusional. You do realize that Bosh and Wade teamed up with him, right? And that AD just tried to force his way to LA? And as you said, there's also Kyrie. And really just about every other notable FA outside of KD.

Give me a break. If Ball was that highly thought of, by anybody, things would be a lot different. LA been trying to trade him since they took him. PHO, who needs a PG, didn't want anything to do with him.

You have no idea what Ingram's future healthy will be like. It's a risk, even if everything appears on the up and up now.

I'm obviously talking about recently, not 10 years ago. Kyrie didn't want to play with him, and there are PLENTY of rumors that other stars (KD, Leonard) don't either. And we'll see about Davis, and what he really wants. Wanting out of NO, and "trying to force a trade to LA", are two different things. A lot of current Davis rumors that don't involve him joining Lebron and the Lakers. Since that all went down, the Laker's management has fallen apart too. A lot of drama. Tough to see them having a high level of success anytime soon, IMO.