Where do the Lakers go from here...?

[trojanfan12]

I'm trading Lonzo while he still has value if you land Lebron/PG.

Why would they need to unless Lebron insisted on it? He'd be great alongside Lebron.

He can relieve the burden of Lebron having to bring the ball up/run the offense every time down the floor.

Because he's a pass first guy, Lebron doesn't have to worry about "touches" since Lonzo is just looking to facilitate the offense and move the ball.

 

[shopson67]

Why would they need to unless Lebron insisted on it? He'd be great alongside Lebron.

He can relieve the burden of Lebron having to bring the ball up/run the offense every time down the floor.

Because he's a pass first guy, Lebron doesn't have to worry about "touches" since Lonzo is just looking to facilitate the offense and move the ball.

...and he can defend his position (and switch in some cases)

 

[Heatles84]

Why would they need to unless Lebron insisted on it? He'd be great alongside Lebron.

He can relieve the burden of Lebron having to bring the ball up/run the offense every time down the floor.

Because he's a pass first guy, Lebron doesn't have to worry about "touches" since Lonzo is just looking to facilitate the offense and move the ball.

Because those knees of Lonzo's scare me. Situation reminds me of Penny Hardaway.

 

[trojanfan12]

Because those kneesim of Lonzo's scare me. Situation reminds me of Penny Hardaway.

Not sure why it would. He hasn't had any tears and didn't have surgery. Basically, he had a sprained MCL earlier in the season and then a contusion that cost him the last 8 games of the season.

He got a platelet rich plasma injection after the season, I assume to heal the contusion quicker. He should be 100% going into next season.

Plus, I think the Lakers were overly cautious with both he and Ingram and each would have missed less time if the Lakers were a playoff contender.

Lakers News: Lonzo Ball Had PRP Shot for Knee Injury After Season

 

[Mecca]

Welp.....

Report: LeBron James says he doesn’t like Houston as city

 

[Raw_Bee808]

 

[trojanfan12]

Welp.....

Report: LeBron James says he doesn’t like Houston as city

Heard that one on Dan Patrick this morning. Apparently, the reporter says she heard it "from Lebron's lips."

 

[flyerhawk]

BTW, what does Laker Nation think of this Kuzma/Ball trash talking issue that is going on? NBD?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

BTW, what does Laker Nation think of this Kuzma/Ball trash talking issue that is going on? NBD?

It's nothing. Couple of young guys having fun with each other

Sources: Lakers ask Ball, Kuzma to tone it down

 

[flyerhawk]

It's nothing. Couple of young guys having fun with each other

Sources: Lakers ask Ball, Kuzma to tone it down

Yeah. I don't think it is a big issue.

I was listening to Raymona Shelburne talk about it, however, and she made a pretty interesting point. She was basically saying that this sort of thing is just a bad look for the team. It's fine for Kuz and Ball to play with each other privately but publicly it should be more professional and that it makes the Lakers look a little less professional.

Which is probably why the Lakers told them to pipe down.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Yeah. I don't think it is a big issue.

I was listening to Raymona Shelburne talk about it, however, and she made a pretty interesting point. She was basically saying that this sort of thing is just a bad look for the team. It's fine for Kuz and Ball to play with each other privately but publicly it should be more professional and that it makes the Lakers look a little less professional.

Which is probably why the Lakers told them to pipe down.

This pretty much sums it all up:

"Sources said the team spoke to both players and that there are no lingering issues and that both players agreed to tone down the joking insults on social media. After dealing with a social media fiasco involving a D'Angelo Russell-Nick Young video in 2016, the Lakers wanted to make sure to nip things in the bud before any more escalation."

 

[tlance]

He was inconsistent because his PT was inconsistent. Hard to get in a rhythm without consistent time on the court. I think he can be a solid player with some experience.

Nah.

He is inconsistent because he isn't athletic enough to play in today's NBA.

He can't move his feet to guard pick and roll, so he is a negative defensively in the pick and roll dominant NBA. Unless he can somehow assert himself as a strong positive offensively, his minutes aren't helping anybody.

 

[tlance]

Sorry on the misleading info on Klay Thompson. What the pundits were intimating is that Klay would join LA either as a sign and trade this summer or next summer as a UFA. If it is next year, the Randle signing could then occur this year. I suspect all of this is speculation on the part of the radio hosts but it is intriguing nonetheless.

The pundits are homer idiots then, and you shouldn't be listening.

Because Klay has within the last couple weeks said publically that he is interested in signing an extension for less with GS. And, even if he weren't, GS isn't dealing him away this summer (at least not without returning all star level assets that Lakers don't have) because keeping him means another title.

 

[tlance]

My numbers above include his cap hold. If the Lakers can get Lebron and PG13 for a little under their projected cost, they can keep Randle's cap hold in play, allowing them to go over the cap if his salary exceeds his cap hold (as expected).

That is the problem though.

LeBron has said many times that he won't take less. I don't know about George, but we aren't talking about pocket change here. OKC was already able to offer PG $45 million more than LA, now you are asking god hin to subtract 4.5 million a year off of that?

That is a difference of over $60 million. Maybe PG signs a 1 year deal to help out, but that is risky for him. He isn't an elite player. That money might not be there for him again if he passes it up.

 

[shopson67]

That is the problem though.

LeBron has said many times that he won't take less. I don't know about George, but we aren't talking about pocket change here. OKC was already able to offer PG $45 million more than LA, now you are asking god hin to subtract 4.5 million a year off of that?

That is a difference of over $60 million. Maybe PG signs a 1 year deal to help out, but that is risky for him. He isn't an elite player. That money might not be there for him again if he passes it up.

$45M + $4.5M = >$60M?

Lebron has said a lot of things. If he wants all the young pieces intact, splitting the difference with George is a minor thing. Maybe he doesn't care, but we won't know until we get to that point (if we do).

 

[The Q]

Yeah. I don't think it is a big issue.

I was listening to Raymona Shelburne talk about it, however, and she made a pretty interesting point. She was basically saying that this sort of thing is just a bad look for the team. It's fine for Kuz and Ball to play with each other privately but publicly it should be more professional and that it makes the Lakers look a little less professional.

Which is probably why the Lakers told them to pipe down.

I think the nick young/Russell thing mattered a lot too.

 

[The Q]

I will say that kind of stuff goes on basically every team from HS on up.

It's just part of the team bonding process for most players.

The problems start when you go too far or if you have guys who are certain personality types like a Jonathan Martin who don't feel that it bonds them with anyone. Especially if it becomes a group thing.

But guys giving each other shit in the locker room has been a part of the game for the long time.

 

[flyerhawk]

$45M + $4.5M = >$60M?

Lebron has said a lot of things. If he wants all the young pieces intact, splitting the difference with George is a minor thing. Maybe he doesn't care, but we won't know until we get to that point (if we do).

Lebron James is a VP of the player's union. No chance he takes a discount.

 

[flyerhawk]

I will say that kind of stuff goes on basically every team from HS on up.

It's just part of the team bonding process for most players.

The problems start when you go too far or if you have guys who are certain personality types like a Jonathan Martin who don't feel that it bonds them with anyone. Especially if it becomes a group thing.

But guys giving each other shit in the locker room has been a part of the game for the long time.

Yeah, giving each other shit is pretty common and NBD. But players also need to be savvy enough that you don't want it to be public because it creates controversy.

Kuzma probably didn't care about Ball's joke about him not growing up with his father but the outside observer is going to look at that askance.

 

[The Q]

Yeah, giving each other shit is pretty common and NBD. But players also need to be savvy enough that you don't want it to be public because it creates controversy.

Kuzma probably didn't care about Ball's joke about him not growing up with his father but the outside observer is going to look at that askance.

Yeah, it's one thing to do it in the locker room, but doing it in public is just more questionable and where more problems can come up.

If they weren't doing it on social media and were just doing it in private, the lakers still probably tell them to stop...but it's not a news story on ESPN.