Lakers 2014 Off-Season Thread

[lakersrule]

Well, the off-season has started early for the 2013/2014 Lakers. What an important one this will be. With, among other things, a high first round pick, a coaching decision, and significant cap space to work with, this summer will be a busy one. I figured I start a thread where we can discuss all things off-season for the purple and gold.

What to do with Pau Gasol? I think it is time to move on. I don't feel money should be used on him during this rebuild. That doesn't mean he should just be let go. Enter the Phil Jackson equation. He is a big fan of Gasol's game and fits perfectly with PJ's philosophies. Pau can still play and I'm sure Phil would love to have him starting in the blocks. That may be the type of player that would convince Carmelo to stick around (and keep him away from the Lakers!).

The problem is that the Knicks could only offer him the mid-level exception, unless a sign and trade can be worked out. The problem with a sign and trade is that the Knicks roster doesn't have many exciting pieces. I think Shumpert and Chandler are about it. Chandler would be a good fit say if the Lakers happen to acquire K-Love in 2015. A defensive minded center alongside a high scoring PF would be strong. However, Chandler is starting to get a bit long in the tooth and would need to resign for less than what he is currently getting.

 

[lakersrule]

Here's who we know will be on the roster for next season:

Kobe Bryant ($23,500,000)
Steve Nash ($9,701,000)
Robert Sacre ($915,243)
Kendall Marshall ($915,243)

I think they can make Ryan Kelly and Kent Bazemore restricted free agents and will resign them fairly cheaply.

There's still a lot of spots to fill! Other players I'd like to see return, for the right price, include:

Jordan Farmar
Nick Young
Jodie Meeks
Jordan Hill
Wesley Johnson

I think Farmar has the talent to be a starting PG on a contending team. Young thrives in that 6th man scoring role. The Lakers have some good role players. They just need the stars to lead them.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Here's who we know will be on the roster for next season:

Kobe Bryant ($23,500,000)
Steve Nash ($9,701,000)
Robert Sacre ($915,243)
Kendall Marshall ($915,243)

I think they can make Ryan Kelly and Kent Bazemore restricted free agents and will resign them fairly cheaply.

There's still a lot of spots to fill! Other players I'd like to see return, for the right price, include:

Jordan Farmar
Nick Young
Jodie Meeks
Jordan Hill
Wesley Johnson

I think Farmar has the talent to be a starting PG on a contending team. Young thrives in that 6th man scoring role. The Lakers have some good role players. They just need the stars to lead them.

Ryan Kelly made $490,180 this year and Bazemore was on the books for $788,872. They're two guys i'd like back too. Kelly back at 2yr/$1.2m and Bazemore at 2yr/$1.8m would be ideal IMO

And I agree with the guys on your list too apart from Johnson. There are a lot more guys out there who are better than him at his position.

 

[trojanfan12]

I read an interesting article this morning and am encouraged by the number of players who either flat out want to return or who are willing to return under the right circumstances.


According to the article, Young, Meeks, Farmar, Johnson, Kelly, etc. (basically the young guys) all want to come back.


Pau is willing to come back and surprisingly (for some) may even be willing to come back with D'Antoni as coach. The article addressed that they had their disagreements, but were able to find common ground this season. For Pau (who believes he has about 5 years left) it seems that it's going to be about whether or not the Lakers can convince him that they have a plan to get back into contention soon enough for him. He's more interested in another title or 2 at this point than how much money he will make.


Kaman is also one who said he was willing to come back under the right circumstances. Considering that it doesn't appear that he and D'Antoni ever found the common ground that D'Antoni and Pau did, I'd say that D'Antoni has to be gone for him to come back. However, the Lakers aren't firing D'Antoni to appease Chris Kaman.


As for D'Antoni, he should be at the bottom of the Lakers list of things to deal with in the off-season. You don't fire a coach just to be able to say you "did something". If you are going to fire a coach, you fire him because you can get someone better. Example: Del Harris was a good coach, but could only get the Lakers so far. However, the Lakers kept him until they could get Phil.


If the Lakers fired D'Antoni today, the only coaches out there and available now that anyone could say has truly proven themselves to be better are both Van Gundy's. I don't see any coach that would be better than D'Antoni, being willing to come to the Lakers without knowing who they will be coaching outside of Kobe, Nash and Sacre. The Lakers need to at least get a good chunk of the roster in place before they make a decision re: the coach.


This is going to be one of, if not the most interesting off-seasons that I can remember in my 43+ years following the Lakers.

 

[lakersrule]

Ryan Kelly made $490,180 this year and Bazemore was on the books for $788,872. They're two guys i'd like back too. Kelly back at 2yr/$1.2m and Bazemore at 2yr/$1.8m would be ideal IMO

And I agree with the guys on your list too apart from Johnson. There are a lot more guys out there who are better than him at his position.

I was very disappointed with Wes. I think he can be a very good NBA player. Someone just needs to light a fire under him. He just has such a great NBA body and is so athletic. I'd like to see him get another chance, another year, to see if he can develop that fire consistently.

 

[lakersrule]

TF12, I think any coach would be willing to come to the Lakers regardless whether the roster is in place or not. Having some input with roster decisions would be good for a new coach to have. If they do fire Mike, I'd like to see them bring in some fresher coaching blood. No more of these older retreads.

 

[trojanfan12]

TF12, I think any coach would be willing to come to the Lakers regardless whether the roster is in place or not. Having some input with roster decisions would be good for a new coach to have. If they do fire Mike, I'd like to see them bring in some fresher coaching blood. No more of these older retreads.

Under normal circumstances (i.e. Dr. Buss still alive) I would agree with you, however, there is some understandable skepticism re: Short Buss.

If Short Buss were to let a potential incoming coach know that he is going to do like his Dad and just let his basketball people do their jobs, then I could see any coach wanting to take the job. Even with the roster nowhere close to set. However, do any of us really believe he'll do that?

As for who could possibly replace D'Antoni if it comes to that, the advantage to an "older retread" is that they are a known quantity and have proven that they can win. Having said that, I agree about bringing in fresher blood and I have a front row seat on the Steve Kerr bandwagon!!

Plenty of room for anyone else who wants to jump on board with me!!

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I don't care who the coach is, as long as the team starts playing D.

 

[trojanfan12]

I was very disappointed with Wes. I think he can be a very good NBA player. Someone just needs to light a fire under him. He just has such a great NBA body and is so athletic. I'd like to see him get another chance, another year, to see if he can develop that fire consistently.

I agree. The kid has a ton of upside. He is quick as a wink and can jump out of the gym. If Kobe comes back healthy, it would be interesting to see how he responded to Kobe giving him a "swift kick" every now and then to motivate/toughen him up.


I'd like to see the Lakers him offer him a 1 year deal and see how he does next year.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't care who the coach is, as long as the team starts playing D.

Even if they were 100% healthy, the Lakers were never going to be mistaken for the Bulls or Pacers defensively. But even if they were just middle of the pack (which I believe they would have been), it would have made a huge difference.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't know if anyone else has watched the Access Sportsnet: Lakers End of Season Interviews, but James Worthy made a good point re: why to bring back Pau.


Basically, using San Antonio as his example (older guys blended in with young guys), he said that if you blend a healthy Kobe with a healthy Pau and young, athletic guys like Meeks and Bazemore or whoever, it's a quick recovery.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

My two cents:

I am personally in favour of the smaller line-up D'Antoni has been players. Problem with that defensively though is, it allows everyone to penetrate the key with ease.
In the past, the Lakers have always had big men to guard the middle. Whether it was Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, or even Dwight for the one season - we've always had a star big man to cover the painted area.

With the smaller line-up we're scoring a lot of points, but the big men have had to leave the key to guard the other guys.

If we are to keep D'Antoni, we need just ONE big guy (Embiid if we get lucky in the draft), or Love in the future. Problem is, not a lot of big skilled guys want to play for us if we're going smaller and faster.

Either way, this off season is going to be DAMN interesting.

And I won't miss a second!

 

[trojanfan12]

My two cents:

I am personally in favour of the smaller line-up D'Antoni has been players. Problem with that defensively though is, it allows everyone to penetrate the key with ease.
In the past, the Lakers have always had big men to guard the middle. Whether it was Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, or even Dwight for the one season - we've always had a star big man to cover the painted area.

With the smaller line-up we're scoring a lot of points, but the big men have had to leave the key to guard the other guys.

If we are to keep D'Antoni, we need just ONE big guy (Embiid if we get lucky in the draft), or Love in the future. Problem is, not a lot of big skilled guys want to play for us if we're going smaller and faster.

Either way, this off season is going to be DAMN interesting.

And I won't miss a second!

In my opinion, the Lakers already have that big guy if they choose to re-sign him. I think Jordan Hill would be perfect. He's fast enough to get up and down the floor, he plays tough defense, rebounds and isn't going to take away shots from anyone because the Lakers don't have to run plays for him.

How about this lineup for next year, if it can be done?

C - Jordan Hill
PF - Pau
SF - Kelly
SG - Kobe
PG - Farmar

Bench:
Nash (if healthy)
Marshall
Meeks
Bazemore
Whatever rookie we get in the draft
Sacre
Wes Johnson
Xavier Henry

Pau and Jordan Hill can swap so that Pau can play center if he's more comfortable there. I don't know if you can contend for a title with that group, but you could compete with just about anyone, imo.

 

[wildturkey]

Kelly was a 2nd round pick, doesn't LA have a team option on him? Maybe its different on the new CBA but that's how Houston has gotten such a damn bargain with Chandler Parsons. Drafted him in the 2nd round, liked what they saw and picked up the option that locks him into a low salary at and/or under 1 mil for a couple of years.

 

[trojanfan12]

Kelly was a 2nd round pick, doesn't LA have a team option on him? Maybe its different on the new CBA but that's how Houston has gotten such a damn bargain with Chandler Parsons. Drafted him in the 2nd round, liked what they saw and picked up the option that locks him into a low salary at and/or under 1 mil for a couple of years.

I think you might be right about that.

 

[Retroram52]

Yes, Kelly is locked in if the Lakers pick up the option.

Also, recent articles at Yahoo Sports and ESPN indicate Pau is going to N.Y. to talk to Phil. Phil has already signed Lamar Odom, has spoken with Metta, and wants Pau to come to N.Y. for a chat. Pau has indicated he'd like to comeback to the Lakers but has also intimated he is going to go talk to Phil and see what is up. Pau could be gone just as easily as re-signed.

Furthermore, don't think it out of the question, that Phil will give Kobe a call at some point after Kobe returns back from vacation. If Don'tknowi is retained, don't be surprised if Kobe lands in New York with Pau, Melo, Odom, and Metta as Phil ressembles some of his championship Lakers in the big apple.

Kobe has made his opinion known about the Lakers season and if Phil sells what he is putting together in N.Y., Kobe may just bolt at the chance for his sixth ring in N.Y. The two teams will work out the contract details and the swapping of players for sure. Because of Phils connections with both teams
I believe the Lakers and the Knicks will be doing alot of transactions this summer of which could include Kobe Bryant and more likely Pau Gasol. You heard it hear first.

 

[Silas]

I don't care who the coach is, as long as the team starts playing D.

though I don't see D'Antoni ever filling that role.

 

[HizzleRocker]

PG: Exum
SG: Kobe
SF: Melo ??? (over ryan kelly)
PF: Pau
C: Kaman

Bench:

Nash
Farmar
Young
Meeks
Hill
.....

Coach: Byron Scott

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I don't see Hill and Kaman coming back. Pau neither to be honest. I think the team is going to have to work their ass off to get a couple of new big men!

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I see the Lakers getting Luol Deng. He plays a position we need to improve on and he'll be cheaper than Melo.