Where do the Lakers go from here...?

[Heatles84]

I don't think a heat fan should be talking about having a disastrous summer right now...

Curious as to how this is a disastrous summer for us.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Right.

I was agreeing with you and countering @Shaqdaddy11 who said they would be projected to be the 6-8 seed without adding anybody.

They could make the playoffs in that case, but no way in hell they wouldn't be projected there. Probably projected 10 or 11.

"Could be"

Nobody knows what WILL happen

 

[trojanfan12]

Lost in all of this Max FA stuff has been Randle. Folks forget that his signing is not pressing per se. The reason? He is a restricted FA and so the Lakers can match or exceed any offer he gets. He is not an unrestricted FA and so he is not being deliberately abandoned by the Lakers and he is not walking with the drop of the first offer either. On the contrary. The Lakers will probably sign him to an extension if all the max guys stay put with their present teams.

Timing will be the key. In order to sign 2 max guys, they have to renounce their rights to him to get rid of the cap hit.

I forget what the date is, but if they get to that date and haven't signed anyone, they are going to have to make a decision.

 

[Black Adam]

Would be.

Damn autocorrect on my phone is so effing stupid.

it's why i hate posting with my phone, coach...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Curious as to how this is a disastrous summer for us.

And i'm curious to see how the Lakers could in any way have a disastrous summer too

 

[Black Adam]

"Could be"

Nobody knows what WILL happen

which is why i'm not really debating this all that much...

a few more days, THEN the debate can begin...

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

which is why i'm not really debating this all that much...

a few more days, THEN the debate can begin...

Nah, not to certain people.

According to some the Lakers have already failed and will be a lottery team again

 

[Black Adam]

Nah, not to certain people.

According to some the Lakers have already failed and will be a lottery team again

oh, that's based on HOPE more than anything else...

i mean, it ain't like any fans outside of our own are in a hurry to see the Lakers dominate the league again...

just being real...

 

[Heatles84]

And i'm curious to see how the Lakers could in any way have a disastrous summer too

Not landing George when the potential to get him last summer in a trade (we don't know what the discussions were between the Lakers and Pacers were) was possible would be bad, considering it was public perception that George would just sign with LA in the offseason.

Not landing Lebron James when you're in the perceived drivers seat on his free agency. To lose him to Cleveland (for 1 more year) where they're lacking any flexibility and room to alter their roster.

You then have to decide on re-signing Randle. Letting him walk leaves a young piece from your team leave essentially for nothing while trying to leave room for next summer - which may or may not be used on a max player.

The Lakers free agency has the potential for disaster because this is what Magic and Pelinka were gearing up for. It's the same as when Durant didn't sign with Miami two summers ago - sticking with the roster that we currently have is essentially a disaster. This off season, Miami fans know that we're likely to have the same roster for one more year. If we get rid of Whiteside, it's a true win, if not, then we know the following season is his last year on his deal.

 

[flyerhawk]

Yeah, young teams never improve right? Especially when their core missed a combined 80+ games due to injury.

You said that they would PROBABLY be a 6-8 seed as is. That is an unsupportable statement.

Of course they CAN develop and improve and become a playoff team. But barring some major additions that is not likely to happen.

 

[tlance]

"Could be"

Nobody knows what WILL happen

You said they would be projected to finish 6-8 without adding anybody. That is false.

Now stop with the nobody knows what will happen BS. I said that too. I do know for a fact that they won't be projected ahead of 2 of those teams I listed unless they land a big FA. They might finish ahead of a couple, but they won't be projected there.

 

[flyerhawk]

Lost in all of this Max FA stuff has been Randle. Folks forget that his signing is not pressing per se. The reason? He is a restricted FA and so the Lakers can match or exceed any offer he gets. He is not an unrestricted FA and so he is not being deliberately abandoned by the Lakers and he is not walking with the drop of the first offer either. On the contrary. The Lakers will probably sign him to an extension if all the max guys stay put with their present teams.

Recent history suggests that he will be close to a max player if he becomes an RFA.

 

[trojanfan12]

The Lakers free agency has the potential for disaster because this is what Magic and Pelinka were gearing up for.

Still not a disaster.

There is only one way that this summer can be a disaster for the Lakers.

If they strike out on landing any max guys, Magic goes against what he said about spending money just to spend money and they overpay 2nd and 3rd tier guys instead of preserving their cap space. That would be a disaster.

 

[tlance]

Still not a disaster.

There is only one way that this summer can be a disaster for the Lakers.

If they strike out on landing any max guys, Magic goes against what he said about spending money just to spend money and they overpay 2nd and 3rd tier guys instead of preserving their cap space. That would be a disaster.

Agreed.

 

[Heatles84]

Still not a disaster.

There is only one way that this summer can be a disaster for the Lakers.

If they strike out on landing any max guys, Magic goes against what he said about spending money just to spend money and they overpay 2nd and 3rd tier guys instead of preserving their cap space. That would be a disaster.

It's a disaster in terms of the hype leading into free agency and the positions that you were in with respective players like George and Lebron.

I too don't think Magic will sign guys to long-term deals like Deng and Mozgov were.

But at some point, the "next offseason" talk starts to get old really fast, particularly for a franchise like the Lakers.

 

[trojanfan12]

Agreed.

Considering the Short Buss era, anything less than overpaying 2nd or 3rd tier guys could be considered a wild success. lol

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

You said they would be projected to finish 6-8 without adding anybody. That is false.

Now stop with the nobody knows what will happen BS. I said that too. I do know for a fact that they won't be projected ahead of 2 of those teams I listed unless they land a big FA. They might finish ahead of a couple, but they won't be projected there.

You said that they would PROBABLY be a 6-8 seed as is. That is an unsupportable statement.

Of course they CAN develop and improve and become a playoff team. But barring some major additions that is not likely to happen.

Why not?

 

[flyerhawk]

Why not?

Because you are expecting a 35% improvement in the team's record based on nothing but player improvement. That very rarely occurs.

I know you think that the Lakers young guys are all budding 1st All-NBA players but they need to start playing like that before they start threatening to be a 50 win team.

 

[Black Adam]

what day does FA start again...?

 

[trojanfan12]

It's a disaster in terms of the hype leading into free agency and the positions that you were in with respective players like George and Lebron.

I too don't think Magic will sign guys to long-term deals like Deng and Mozgov were.

But at some point, the "next offseason" talk starts to get old really fast, particularly for a franchise like the Lakers.

This is Magic and Pelinka's first real off-season. Pretty sure they'll get a pass from most Lakers fans if they strike out (as long as they don't do anything stupid). Heck, there are quite a few Lakers fans who are saying they would prefer to just continue developing the kids.

When you consider that, once Boogie went down, it left 2 guys that the Lakers had any business offering max deals to and both of them have reasons to stay put, it would hardly be a huge upset if they didn't land anyone.

Just because the media and fans want to hype it up, doesn't make it a disaster.