Lakers Thread

[Jackal]

Like?

[Bruce]

I wonder if Lakers execs stay awake at night pondering on the possibility of using the stretch provsion on Kobe. lol

[Jackal]

Why would they? Take a hit this year and you're done with it.

[Bruce]

After declining the option on HIll, the Lakers have approximately $34-35M committed in salary. Kobe command $23.5M of that. Next season, the salary cap is rumored to be set at $68M+. The Lakers have approximately $32M in cap space, of which the Lakers are rumored to be in the hunt for both Jordan and LMA. Both LMA and Jordan are reported to be seeking $20M a piece. Putting Kobe on waivers and using the stretch provision on Kobe gives the possibility of shrinking the cap hit of Kobe's salary from $23.5M. If say some team pick up a waived Kobe off waivers for MLE price, approx $5.2M. the remaing $18.3m can be streched for 3 years, shrinking the cap hit from $23.5M to $6.1M. Which means, if Lakers were to waive Kobe, the Lakers would have close to $50M to sign both Jordan and LMA now, plus a third player.

Anyway, before anyone gets too serious again. This is all just talk. We now this is not how the Lakers roll. Kobe deserves a proper send off and he deserves to retire a Laker.

[Kevin]

Lakers' meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge went 'really well,' source says

The meeting went "really well," a source who was in the room for the Lakers' presentation told ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne.

"LaMarcus seemed completely focused," a source told Shelburne.

The Lakers' contingent included Kobe Bryant, president Jeanie Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak.

According to one source, the chance of Aldridge staying with the Portland Trail Blazers is "very unlikely."

ESPN.com reported in May that the Spurs and Mavericks strongly believe they'll have a great shot to lure Aldridge back to his home state of Texas. But sources said last week that Aldridge is actually thinking more and more about a free-agent jump to the Lakers.

[Andrew]

With Duncan seemingly likely to stick around at least one more year, and I'm guessing more money on the table in LA, it's probably no surprise that the Lakers are starting to emerge as the frontrunner. Likewise, it wouldn't be the best fit alongside Dirk in Dallas.

[NovU]

Lamarcus is 30. The Lakers would be wasting his years unless they have another star to pair him up with.

Perhaps KD can come and join him once Kobe retires.

[Jackal]

Think LA is going to strike out on every A/B tier player this off season. Kobe does not seem to help the recruitment sessions one bit.

Yay for Randle/Clarkson/Russell, I guess.

[air gordon]

What is Up with the report of Aldridge and Bryant not quite gelling on the recruitment visit??

If he doesn't sign, who do lakers fans feel is worth still going after??

[Jackal]

Probably didn't like the answer Bryant gave about seeing it as a Kobe/Pau dynamic. Not to mention seems they were presenting outside business opportunities more than they were focussing on basketball.

Monroe is a long shot, Chandler already signed in Phoenix. Small forwards are being snatched up left right and center, not sure what's left on the market. Resign Ed Davis and try again next off season. They need a wing player though and no, not Wesley Johnson anymore.

Maybe that Robert Upshaw guy can prove himself on the summer league roster. Seems like he's fucked up in the past though.

Damn FA's:

[Andrew]

BDL's take: The Lakers lost out on LaMarcus Aldridge by being the Lakers

[Bruce]

And.... the Lakers' option are quickly drying up.

The rumor mills are reporting that Love is re-signing with the Cavs, Chandler moving to PHX, Butler going back to CHI.

[[Q]]

LOL nice report by ESPN saying that it went really well. They'll do anything for a story.

I hope they snag Harris and then overpay Davis to stay. I'd be happy to watch a team of Davis/Randle/Harris/Kobe/Russell run out of that tunnel.

[Bruce]

I have not heard any reports that LA is indeed chasing Harris, but the second unit might look like this sacre, nance, brown, young and clarkson.

[Kevin]

Lakers are running out of big men to impress.

[Phil89]

Lakers are running out of big men to impress.

Isn't Kendrick Perkins still available?

[NovU]

Wow. How bad was the Laker's basketball part of the presentation that Lamarcus is completely turned off? This makes me think the Lakers didn't really want him.


Perhaps the Spurs will snatch him now.

[Sauru]

Wow. How bad was the Laker's basketball part of the presentation that Lamarcus is completely turned off? This makes me think the Lakers didn't really want him.


Perhaps the Spurs will snatch him now.

he went in there wanting to be the man and kobe said, in a year or 2 the team is all yours but til then you are the new pau

[Andrew]

As I've said before, the Lakers can't truly start rebuilding until Kobe's gone...and probably not a year until after that, to boot. This year will be a retirement tour as he adds to his career totals, possibly shooting at a mediocre clip. The young guys won't get touches, and if Kobe's healthy, they'll probably win enough games to miss out on a decent pick, setting them back another season.

If Kobe had done with Duncan did, what Shaq did, what Kareem did when he started to get up there in age and it became Magic's team...then it could've been a different story. Kobe's helped carry the Lakers to great heights in these past couple of decades, but he's also doomed them to their first real period of irrelevance in franchise history.

[Sauru]

players need to be able to accept a lesser role as they get up there in the years. its not a knock on their career to take a back seat to someone else but some people will always be me first and team second

[Andrew]

If you're going to have a longer than average career, and your game starts to slip a bit as age takes its inevitable toll, it's something to consider. As you said, there's no shame in it; in fact, it's quite admirable.

[Jackal]

Yeah that contract fucked us royally.

I don't think they'd get a top 3 pick any way this season, anything out of top 3 is going to Philly anyways so that sucks.

Oh well, last season I was looking forward to see a healthy Bryant and Randle and this season I can look forward to Russell/Randle/Clarkson, a hopefully healthy Kobe and perhaps a surprise in Robert Upshaw if he makes the roster.

Glad that contract is coming off the books though.

[Andrew]

The contract probably doesn't help, but I think him not wanting to take a backseat is the bigger factor. After all, even after giving him a "thanks for everything you done for and meant to us" type of contract, the Lakers are still in a position to pursue big name free agents. However, it's unfair to expect those big names to be comfortable with the idea of making huge sacrifices on the court for Kobe's retirement tour.

[Jackal]

Yeah that alpha dog mentality is a double edged sword. I don't think MJ would take a backseat on any of those Bulls teams either. If you're going to LA you're going to Kobe's team unfortunately.

It'll be okay, his alpha-ness cost him competitiveness in his final seasons but once he's retired the Lakers can focus on climbing the hill properly again.

[air gordon]

Jordan had no reason to. Everyone embraced their roles. Ron Harper wasn't complaining about getting enough shots

Aldridge is not the next great player in the making. I don't see why Bryant should be eager to pass him the torch

When the lakers won, Pau was being regarded as the most skilled big man in the game. What a great selling point

I would hope the big signing is not Tobias Harris, who is asking for the max.