Potentially both....and I don't think ESPN would be wrong to believe that. I mean, while it may be obvious to me or you that the Lakers know they can't contend with the "Meme Team", I guarantee you could convince a decent number of casual fans that the Lakers are back and that's who ESPN is targeting.
Maybe PHX would be willing to send us an asset to help them free up some cap space. They have over $10 MM in cap space, even after Ariza's deal. A few guys on PHX's roster jump out to me: Chandler, Dudley, Knight (only if he makes his last year non-guaranteed like Lawson), and Daniels. If we take on one of these contracts, PHX could make another splash in free agency. Something like Ariza for Dudley + MIL 1st could work for both teams. PHX would have $20 MM+ in cap space and get rid of a player that doesn't bring them much value. We'd get a backup 4/rotation piece, and get an asset that could help facilitate future deals.
Looks like it, especially with the new modern day big having to have some range like Boogie, KAT, Embiid, etc. Even that kid in Memphis knocked down 8 threes in summer league the other day. Capela has zero in that department and also can't hit his FTs. He's a perfect fit for what we do, but yes, playing with 2 HOFers has made him look unstoppable. Albeit he does run the floor and finish extremely well.
The Lakers aren't intentionally punting the season. 538's model has them as a 50 win team already. If Melo is bought out he may very well consider LA over Houston. He was fine with Cleveland at first last year and then ultimately narrowed down to Houston only because there was no guarantee Lebron would stay in Cleveland. Now Lebron is locked into LA for four years. And it's LA. I would not be surprised if Melo wants Houston NOR would I be surprised if he jumps at the chance to be in a glamor city again.
I am guessing doing a S&T would yield a Trade Exception. That could be a very useful tool to add a player on a salary dump from another team. Like if the Cavs wanted to dump Kyle Korver or something like that.
That would be awful. If Capela takes the QO, he can't be traded and will be a UFA in a year. And next summer will have way more suitors. This is basically throwing away an asset.
LOL and casinos around the country are hoping people believe that BS. The Cavs were barely a 50 win team in the East last year and this Lakers team has less talent AND has to play in the West. There's no doubt plenty of people will be fooled into buying into the Lakers hype....but I'd bet they won't be players.
It’s definitely the first one. They were able to get their audience to believe Westbrook was the MVP after all..
Rockets would have money to keep him. But they couldn't block him from leaving. That is the problem. If he takes the QO...that basically signals he is leaving after a year.
Lakers don't care about winning it all this season, their goal is to make the playoffs and keep their delusional fans happy. No one in the west actually believes they can beat the Warriors other than the Rockets.
Yes, they'll have Bird rights, no they won't be hard capped unless they do a sign and trade and receive a player.....which they might not be able to do anyway.
Ramona is heavily invested in her Lakers contacts. It's not a coincidence that this article came out one day after "WTF Are the Lakers Thinking?!?" articles started appearing. Magic doing damage control, with LeBron's consent to use the angle that these moves were all part of a plan. My take: Magic is signing a bunch of high-upside guys to 1-year deals. If the upside materializes, great. If not, they'll be gone by next summer if not sooner. The goal is still Kawhi or KD (or both) by the beginning of training camp in 2019.
This spin job for those signings is pretty funny. I guess this is what happens when you're the media darling.
