Seriously - what are they trying to do in Los Angeles right now?

The Lakers should wait a year , no need to gut the team. Kuzma & Ingram are very good parts of their future. Kawhi will join them next year. The only way GSW will get challenged is by building another super duper stacked roster.

 

LeBron is in LA for lifestyle. He will play hard, if they win, great. If not, he's there for lifestyle anyway.

Magic is doing his best - which is pretty much the pre-analytics era jock-ocracy way of doing things. Think Jordan as GM. It might actually work if they get a 2nd star next summer. Who knows maybe a 30+ year old Harden ends up in LA or CP3 shows up as a role player when the ROckets rebuild.

 

He is just trying to sign guys to 1 year contracts. It isn't that hard to figure out. No fancy analytics needed for that.

 

You want to hear their delusional plan or what it's more likely to happen?
Their plan is to kick their capspace down one year. If they can get Kawhi now by paying only peanuts and most importantly by getting rid of Deng to SA then fine.
Otherwise they plan to make the playoffs with so called defensive speciallists, probably make the WCF or something (LMAOOO) and build a good reputation to attract along with Kawhi as UFA, ringchasing vets at discount. Also showcase some of their cheap kids like Hart, Ingram, Ball and trade them away when their trade value is higher in the middle of the season. Also probably fire Walton by next season and instal a puppet.

What is going to happen:
The lockeroom will implode much more than a usual Lebron circus lockeroom. There may be fistfights even. Instead of a good reputation they will hardly qualify for the playoffs. There will be disgruntlment and Rondo will speak his mind at least once in the media and blame will be tossed around.
Lakers fans will start critisizing everyone but Lebron.

In the summer after all that, Kawhi would be not interested to join a team with such a toxic environment and probably go join the Clippers.
Instead they will sign players like Kemba Walker and around that caliber.

 

It's a stretch, but I can understand signing KCP (Klutch client) and Javale (rim runner). Both can be solid defensively as well. And maybe even Lance for defense and such. But dropping Randle to sign Rondo is just crazy. They already have Lonzo, and Randle is a beast.

 

next to getting LeBron on board, this was the smartest move by the LAL

first and foremost, he is there to push Lonzo; also he is the PG insurance should Lonzo be involved in a trade to get Kawhi B4 the trade deaudline in Feb.

for Kawhi, SAS must pick up Deng's contrat (who'd fit w Pop's system), Ball, Ingram or Kuzma, and future 1st round pick

this is the best offer the SAS will get, far better what can either Bos or Philly can offer ?
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LAL and SAS are playing a game of chicken. Magic/Pelinka signing all this one yr contract for FA, the message to SAS is that

LALs are not blinking, and daring Pop to make a deal w Bos or Philly​

just the opposite. LAL can offer the best package, by far. what can Bos or Philly offer ?

easy w the meaningless rhetoric.

which member of the media, specifically, have been saying that LAL will be contender ?

Barkley said that LAL, assuming no more signings, will probably be the 5th to 7th best team in the WC; Colin Cowherd said that
LAL will win 48 to 50 games, an improvement of 13-15 games. i m in the ball park.

they're both good defenders and scorer. Ingram was running the point when Ball was injured. Kuzma is the better 3-pt shooter and rebounder. LAL's 3rd youngster, Hart, who shot close to 40% on 3's, was the team best defender.

 

my 2 cents.. Lebron will be a billionaire by 2022 and will purchase the Cavaliers or a NBA TEAM

 

Signing one year deals to get the next best free agent in next off season, then everyone will be on lakers nuts for the next 3 years.
Isn't it obvious?

 

Sure, I guess when you can swap a young big/asset for an aging, non-shooting, ball dominant PG in order to strike fire in the belly of your 20yr old PG, or for a trade that may or may not happen, you gotta do it!

 

GM Lebrun and magic.... need I say more??????

 

lol the cav OR an ndba team? i like it. cavs are basically G league

 

u got that right

may be not.

he may be following Kobe, ie, after retiring from NBA, go win an Oscar Award

 

Thank you. The strategy really isn't hard to understand. May as well close the thread.

This is one reason why they let Randle go for Rondo.