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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreThe Philadelphia 76ers’ playoff loss and Ben Simmons’ shooting woes may have given the Los Angeles Lakers an out-of-the-box opportunity to trade for the 24-year old point guard and turn him into a small ball point center.
While it might be a long shot considering the competition and the Lakers’ need for shooting, the idea of Superstar Big Three front court of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Ben Simmons could transform the Lakers. Imagine the Lakers next season with a modern defense anchored by 6′ 9,” 250 lbs LeBron James at small forward, 6′ 10,” 253 Anthony Davis at power forward, and the 6′ 11,” 250 lbs Ben Simmons playing small ball center.
Unlike other former Lakers traditional low post centers like JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, or Andre Drummond, opposing teams would not be able to play Ben Simmons off the floor due to his inability to defend the perimeter. Simmons has the potential to be the perfect prototye of a modern defensive small ball center, a player who can block shots and protect the rim and still switch, rotate, and guard smaller guards and wings outside the paint,
We’re seeing traditional, low post centers consistently getting played off the court when opposing teams go small because they lack the quickness and mobility to defend on the perimeter. It even just happened to Rudy Gobert. With three big, athletic, mobile, and versatile front court defenders capable of guarding all five positions on the court in James, Davis, and Simmons, the Lakers could redefine what defense will look like in tomorrow’s NBA.
The idea of converting Simmons from a point guard to a point center is not new but something the Sixers have considered in the past because his size and skillset are better suited for playing point center than point guard. Simmons’ 6′ 11,” 250 lbs body and 7′ 0″ wingspan combined with his speed, quickness, athleticism, mobility, and defensive instincts make him the ideal candidate to be a modern small ball center in the mold of Draymond Green.
More importantly, trading for Ben Simmons would give the Lakers the third superstar they desperately need to keep pace with the Brooklyn Nets’ Superstar Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. That’s something the Lakers’ Rob Pelinka and Klutch Sports’ Rich Paul have probably already discussed in the aftermath of the Lakers’ disappointing first round exit. Three superstars is great insurance against injuries.
Don’t underestimate the influence Rich Paul could have on what happens to Ben Simmons. It’s no secret that Paul and Klutch Sports have worked closely with Rob Pelinka and the LA Lakers to build a championship caliber squad. Rich and Rob worked closely together to orchestrate Anthony Davis’ trade to the Lakers and you can expect them to be looking for a solution that would add another Klutch Sports client to the eight already on the Lakers’ roster.
The big question is whether the Lakers have enough trading chips to make an offer to compete against offers from other teams that could include star players like Gordon Hayward, Kyle Lowry, CJ McCollum, or Zach LaVine? The best offer the Lakers could make could be a package including small forward Kyle Kuzma, shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and either point guard Dennnis Schroder or shooting guard Talen Horton-Tucker.
Needless to say, trading for Simmons would cost the Lakers bench depth and diversity and leave them with few trading chips left to upgrade their 3-point shooting but it would dramatically upgrade their top ranked defense. Doubling down on defense by going all-in on a small ball center would be the Lakers zigging when every other NBA team is zagging but it would also give LeBron James and Anthony Davis the third superstar to be their best.
The Lakers would still have to scramble to find more accurate and prolific 3-point shooters at both guard positions but trading for Simmons would give them the foundation to become the NBA’s dominant defensive juggernaut.
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If they’re crazy enough (Morey is) to trade him…it’d be a coup that CP3 was supposed to be.
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I actually kind of love this idea except for that Ben might get pushed around by guys like Embiid, Ayton and their ilk. But that could an incredibly unique dimension to the Laker offense.
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Thanks, Jamie. This is actually one of my favorite articles this season. I had written last year about Ben’s potential as a small ball center but am intrigued by the possibility that Philly will have to trade Simmons. I think his potential as small ball point center on offense and a mobile athletic rim protector who can guard all five positions on defense is elite.
As for Embiid or Ayton pushing Ben around, Ben is 6′ 11″ 250 lbs and will have 6′ 9″ 250 lbs LeBron James and 6′ 11″ 250 lbs Anthony Davis to help him in the post. Lakers could dominate inside on offense and defense. Would need to find two elite high volume 3-point shooters for the guards position to make it work but teams would struggle to score against a James, Davis, Simmons Big Three.
Do I wish he could shoot and stretch the floor? Sure, but his ability to switch and shut down players who play all five positions makes up for that. Inabiliity to defend on the perimeter is what allows teams to play other centers off the court. That won’t happen with Ben, who has replace Myles Turner as my primary center target for the Lakers.
Talk about doubling down on defense. James, Davis, and Simmons would give the Lakers three ‘bigs’ who are mobile, athletic, and impactful at both ends. All three could play the five. All three are great instinctive defenses. All three are BIG and strong. They would make the Lakers defense dramatically better and more versatile.
Rich Paul needs to push this idea to the Lakers. It’s the single best way to redeem Ben’s value. Playiong small ball five with LeBron and AD would resurrect his career in a major way. Lakers defense, playmaking, and versatility would be unmatched in the league.
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Count me in. Someone will get thru to Ben and help unleash him into the dynamic playoff performer that he can be. Why not us?
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Thanks, Lee. I have trading for Ben as the #1 priority for Lakers, even over trading for Turner or Lowry. He is the perfect modern defensive small ball center. He and LeBron and Anthony would dominate the front court against everybody.
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No. They can’t. If they wouldn’t take James Harden for him, they won’t take the worthless garbage the Lakers have to offer.
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Therein lies the issue on a lot of these trade ideas. Can Lakers convince some team that Luz, KCP, THT and/or a S&T for a Dennis is a positive move?
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Only piece the Lakers have worth a crap is AD, and you can’t get equal value. But if you move him, be prepared to unload everything related to the klutch clown show, including Lebron and THT. I would as I think the championship window is closed. AD seems content with having the pressure off having won one. Maybe Minny would give up Towns, and definitely Russell. Lebron is on his decline and will probably be looking for an extension to boot at another max. Send him back to Cleveland since he likes to pretend he gives a crap about his home state. Better to get rid of these guys a year too early than too late.
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreThe Lakers need a new starting point guard, shooting guard, and center if they want to rebound and win their 18th championship next season. Which position or positions will they prioritize and which stars will they pursue?
With no cap space for free agents and limited trading chips in the form of valued players under contract and tradeable draft picks, the Lakers face a daunting challenge upgrading the team’s starting lineup this offseason. Unless they’re willing to trade valuable young role players like Caruso and Horton-Tucker or accept being hard capped as the result of bringing in a player via a sign-and-trade, the Lakers options are severely handicapped.
So let’s look at the players the Lakers might target as new starting point guard, shooting guard, and center to get an idea of what kind of starting lineup the front office might be able to put together for next season:
FINDING A STARTING POINT GUARD
The Lakers need a starting point guard who takes and makes more threes, does a better job running the offense, and has a proven record of creating more and better assists with fewer turnovers than Dennis Schroder.
Upgrading the point guard position will be difficult since Schroder is an unrestricted free agent and the Lakers don’t have cap space to replace him if he leaves as a free agent this summer unless he agrees to a sign-and-trade. Ideally, trading him to a team that needs a point guard like the Knicks with cap space to create a trade exception or sign-and-trading him to a team like the Raptors without cap space might be the Lakers’ best two options.
Point guard is one position where there may be legitimate star players who might be attainable if the Lakers decided to go all-in to get a star point guard. In order of priority of fit, here are the Lakers point guard candidates:
- Kyle Lowry. The Lakers best option might be to revisit a possible double sign-and-trade deal with the Raptors for Schroder for Lowry. The Lakers would have to include a sweetener but Lowry would be their third star.
- Chris Paul. A double sign-and-trade of Schroder for CP3 is another option should Paul opt out of his contract with the Suns as expected and decides to join up his friend LeBron James to create a Lakers Big Three.
- Lonzo Ball. Like with Lowry and CP3, reuniting with Lonzo would require the Lakers to accept a hard cap for adding a player via a sign-and-trade but in compensation would not cost as much to pull off.
- Derrick Rose. Using the Taxpayer $6 million MLE or Non-Taxpayer $9 million MLE to sign Rose would enable the Lakers to save their trading chips to upgrade their starting shooting guard and center positions.
FINDING A STARTING SHOOTING GUARD
The Lakers need a starting shooting guard who is a proven high volume, high percentage 3-point shooter who can play defense and has the gravity to open up the floor for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to attack the rim.
Upgrading starting shooting guard should be the Lakers’ top priority as it’s the position with the most available high volume, high percentage 3-point shooters, including several players who would be legitimate third stars. Landing one of these elite 3-point shooters will likely require the Lakers to go all-in with package that could include quality role players like Kyle Caruso, Alex Caruso, Talen-Horton Tucker, and their first round pick.
The Lakers need to an elite high volume, high percentage 3-point shooter who can play creditable defense to replace low volume 3-point shooter KCP. In order of priority of fit, here are the Lakers shooting guard candidates:
- CJ McCollum. Landing a star shooting guard like CJ would require the Lakers to go all-in with a package of Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Talen Horton-Tucker, and their 2021 first round draft pick.
- Buddy Hield. Trading for Hield might be the Lakers best option as they already have had talks with the Kings about Hield and Sacramento has always coveted Kyle Kuzma. Hield would be a great fit on Lakers.
- Terry Rozier. The Hornets are deep at guard and short in the front court so might be interested in trading Rozier for a sign-and-trade for Harrell. Rozier is an elite volume 3-point shooter and quality playmaker.
- Malik Beasley. Since Beasley makes considerably less than any of the other high volume, high percentage 3-point shooters, the Lakers might be able to acquire him in return for Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso.
FINDING A STARTING CENTER
While the center position has become undervalued in today’s NBA, the Lakers desperately need to stop settling for temporary rent-a-center solutions and solidy the center position with a modern stretch center.
Over the last two seasons, the Lakers have failed to find a modern center who can shoot the three and finish lobs at the rim on offense and protect the rim and switch and rotate and defend on the perimeter on defense. McGee, Howard, Harrell, Gasol, and Drummond all had flaws that led to them being unplayable in the playoffs. Fortunately, the Lakers have the perfect prototype modern offensive and defensive center in Anthony Davis.
Wirh Anthony Davis fagility and desire not to play the five, the Lakers need a dependable starting center who can fill the team’s greatest two needs at the five: stretching the floor o offense and protecting the rim on defense.
- Myles Turner. The NBA’s leading shot blocker the past two seasons, Turner would be the perfect front court mate to pair with Anthony Davis in a Twin Towers lineup that would anchor a championship defense.
- Chris Boucher. The 6′ 9″ Boucher is another player who could be a great small ball center for the Lakers. His unique combination of length and athletic hops would be a great complement to Anthony Davis.
- Kristaps Porzingis. Word is the Mavs will be looking to move Porzingis as part of their franchise makeover since he and Doncic do not like each other. Playing next to Davis, Porzingis could be perfect for the Lakers.
- Nerlens Noel. While he can’t stretch the floor, Noel has speed, quickness, and mobility to be the perfect modern defensive center. Unlike Rudy Gobert, Nerlens cannot be playoff the floor defensively.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Since they don’t have enough resources to land each of their top choices for starting point guard, shooting guard, and center, the Lakers will have to figure out what they need and how much to budget for each position.
If they use all their trading chips to land Lowry at point guard or McCollum at shooting guard, the Lakers may have to settle for signing a less expensive free agent with their MLE like Noel at center or like Rose at point guard. There are unlimited combinations of three new starters at point guard, shooting guard, and center that would be major upgrades for the Lakers and would unleash LeBron James and Anthony Davis to be even better.
For example, one combination that would be lethal for the Lakers would be Derrick Rose starting at point guard, Buddy Hield at shooting guard, and Myles Turner at center to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Another great combination that could give the Lakers a third superstar to go with LeBron James and Anthony Davis would be Kyle Lowry starting at point guard, Buddy Hield at shooting guard, and Nerlens Noel at center.
In the end, this summer may be the most important offseason in LeBron James tenure with the Lakers. What Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office do to upgrade the starting lineup will determine the future of the franchise.
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We’re going to have a Lakers Fast Break podcast Sunday night to be posted Monday morning discussing all of the Lakers options to upgrade their current roster with trades and free agent signings this summer.
I wrote this article as part of my preparation for that podcast and as a guideline for Lakers fans to consider what I believe are the team’s top options to replace Dennis Schroder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Andre Drummond as starters.
I’m a strong believer that the Lakers’ offseason plan needs to focus on landing a third star. My top picks for starting point guard are Kyle Lowry, starting shooting guard CJ McCollum, and starting center Myles Turner. Landing one of these three could take almost all of the Lakers trading chips, including young stars like Caruso and THT and their draft pick.
Since the Lakers don’t have enough trade assets or exceptions to land their top option at all three positions, Pelinka is going to have to be creative and decide which position should be the top priority and how resources should be allocated among the positions.
Are there scenarios where Schroder, KCP, or Drummond end up starting for the Lakers? If so, hopefully they would be part of packages where the Lakers landed a third superstar in the form of Lowry or McCollum or the player I still think should be their top priority: Myles Turner.
At any rate, hope you enjoy the article. I list my four top choices for the Lakers to pursue at point guard, shooting guard, and center. I also include all of the latest stats for each of the 12 players on my list. Let me know what you think of the article, my picks, and who else you would add to the list of potential starters for next season’s Lakers.
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So, if the rumors are true, the Lakers may be looking to revive the Dennis Schroder and KCP for Lowry trade the Lakers and Raptors came close to making at the trade deadline when the Lakers woundn’t include THT.
The big question is what would the trade look like this time around? Raptors would have to agree with Dennis on a contract (4 years. $84 million) and Lakers with Lowry (2 years, $50 million). If the Lakers could make trade Schroder & KCP for Lowry, do it. It would be an important first domino to make the offseason a winner almost no matter what else.
The beauty of the deal is it doesn’t cost the Lakers Kyle Kuzma, their best trading chip, who could be used in a deal with Sacramento for Buddy Hield, another situation where there is history of interest on both sides. Buddy would modernize the Lakers offense greatly and open up lanes fr LeBron and AD to attack but also open shooters for them to dish to.
The Lakers problem this summer is they have no riller or ballast. So they can’t trade Kuzma ($13M) straight up for Buddy ($22M). Maybe add McKinnie and Gasol. Maybe expand the trade to include THT in a S&T and get back Maurice Harkness and Damian Jones. Anyway, there’s a way. That only leaves the starting center situation.
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Good article Tom. I would love to Lonzo back home. I’m not crazy about bringing in a 35 year old Lowry that missed 26 games this year. McCollum would fit in great offensively just know that he isn’t the defender that KCP is and we’d suffer on that end. I also would like the fit with Buddy Hield. He struggled to make shots all year but with LBJ and AD he’d get a more easier shots with the Lakers. I agree Turner would be great fit but I don’t think the Pacers will trade him to the Lakers.
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Dennis not agreeing unless he gets a major overpay which TO won’t want, so don’t waste your breath.
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I am not on the Lowry or Kemba train. We have injury concerns enough as it is. In terms of the SG spot I think we have to also consider what’s full off-season of rest will do for KCP who, apart from his lack of a consistent shot or aggressive offensive posture last season, is a perfect fit fir this team. As far as center goes I am also not on board the “we 100%, absolutely have to, we’ve failed LeBron if we don’t get a stretch give this summer” train. Ayton doesn’t shoot threes, just does big man stuff well. If we can swing a reasonable trade for Turner or Vucevic, great, those are the only two I’d really consider, maybe bringing back an aged-Brook Lopez if possible but other than that we need a banger for the regular season more than a tall guy who can shoot threes. Honestly I’ll be fine if we simply keep Gasoline and Drummond if it’s for the vet min in Dre’s case. Prove you want to be here, give us the ability to build steam around you and we can give you a raise next season. PG is where we need to focus. Using Schroder in a S&T for either Russ, Dame or…Simmons… makes TONS of sense for the Lakers as those guys are already signed and we wouldn’t be hard-capped in the doing. If that takes including KCP or Kuzma I think I’d be cool with that since those minutes can be slotted right into THT’s growth chart. Also, don’t sleep on us keeping cost-controlled McKinnie who showed some promise as a role guy with his rebounding and decent enough shooting. Honestly I’d be thrilled if the Lakers were in play to acquire Payne or Reggie. Calling Rondo on the buyout market next season now, lol.
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreWhile a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis are clearly two of the top five players in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers need to upgrade their other three starters to be able to compete for the championship next season.
The harsh reality is Dennis Schroder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Andre Drummond would not be guaranteed to start on any of the other top teams with whom the Lakers would be competing for a championship next year. That’s why the Lakers’ top priority this summer should be to upgrade their starting point guard, shooting guard, and center positions with true starter quality players who can complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers need a starting point guard who can run the offense and shoot the three, a starting shooting guard who’s an elite high volume 3-point shooter, and a starting center who can stretch defenses and protect the rim. The problem is the Lakers have no cap space to sign free agents, only two players with tradeable contracts, and just their 2021 and 2027 first round picks to upgrade their starting lineup to championship caliber this summer.
While the Lakers don’t have the trading chips to land a third superstar like Bradley Beal or Zach Lavine, here are three second tier NBA stars who would transform LA’s starting lineup into a championship caliber fivesome.
1. Replace Dennis Schroder with Derrick Rose
While Dennis Schroder has talent, he’s not a good enough playmaker or 3-point shooter to be the starting point guard on a championship team. He’s actually better suited to be a backup point guard coming off the bench.
Unfortunately, Dennis has made it clear at this point in his career that he wants the role and salary of a starting point guard rather than coming off the bench like he did when he was 6MOY runner up for the OKC Thunder. Schroder will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Since the Lakers don’t have the cap space to replace him, they will have to overpay or sign-and-trade him to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency this summer.
The perfect candidate to replace Schroder as the Lakers’ starting point guard would be the Knicks’ Derrick Rose, an unrestricted free agent whom LA should try to sign with their $10 million non-taxpayer Mid Level Exception. The 32-year old Rose is coming off a stellar season with New York where he averaged 14.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists in 26.8 minutes per game shooting 48.7% from the field, 41.1% from three, and 88.3% from the line.
Rose would better complement LeBron and AD and give the Lakers a proven starting quality point guard who was a better 3-point shooter (41.4% vs. 33.5%) and playmaker (3.0 vs. 2.0 assists-to-turnover) than Schroder.
2. Replace Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with Buddy Hield
While he’s a plus defender, shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has averaged just 9.3 and 9.7 points per game the last two seasons, which is not what the starting shooting guard on a championship team should average.
The Lakers’ single biggest problem offensively is the lack of high volume, high percentage 3-point shooting. While KCP shot 38.5% and 41.0% from three over the last two seasons, he still only averaged 1.6 threes per game. What the Lakers desperately need is a shooting guard who can not only get open but also won’t hesitate to rain 8 to 10 threes per game. In other words, a top-15 volume 3-point shooter like Steph Curry or Damian Lillard.
The perfect candidate to replace Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is Sacramento shooting guard Buddy Hield, who was the third most prolific 3-point shooter in the league after Curry and Lillard with 10.2 threes per game. Averaging 4.0 made threes per game and shooting 39.1% from deep, Hield would give the Lakers the high volume, high percentage 3-point shooter they need to free up LeBron James and Anthony Davis to attack the paint.
The Kings have been looking to move Buddy Hield, who has three year’s left on his contract at $22.8, $20.8, and $18.9 million per year, for some time now. They need cap space to invest in several promising young players. Offering a package of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Talen Horton-Tucker should be enough for Sacramento. KCP is a proven quality two-way rotation player and THT is a future superstar whom the Kings can build around.
Replacing KCP with Hield would solve many of the Lakers 3-point shooting woes and catapult them from the bottom five in attempted 3-point shots and 3-point percentage to the top-ten in the league in both categories.
3. Replace Andre Drummond with Myles Turner
While the Lakers hoped the Andre Drummond experiment would somehow work out with him re-signing this summer for the NT MLE, it’s obvious the Big Penguin was not a good fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Andre Drummond not only didn’t solve the Lakers’ rim protection problems on defense but also didn’t provide the spacing LA desperately needed to prevent opposing teams from packing the paint against LeBron and AD. While they still contend Drummond did not have enough time to learn how to play with James and Davis, Andre simply does not have the low post offensive game or natural rim protection instincts the Lakers need.
The player the Lakers need to be their starting center is the Pacers’ Myles Turner, who led the entire NBA with 3.4 blocked shots per game. Turner is the perfect front court candidate to play center alongside Anthony Davis. Myles not only solves the Lakers’ rim protection problems but also gives them a stretch five center whose career 35% 3-point shooting can space the floor and open up lanes for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to attack.
The Indiana Pacers are looking to trade Turner because the double bigs, twin towers lineups featuring him and Sabonis have not worked. Turner currently makes $18 million per year and has two years remaining on his contract. Turner will be in high demand and the price high because of his age and skillset but Kyle Kuzma and the Lakers’ 2021 and 2027 first round draft picks for Myles should be enough to tempt Indiana to trade him to LA.
The 25-year old, 6′ 11,” 250 lb Turner would provide the Lakers with the perfect modern center who can protect the rim and stretch the floor and allow the injury prone Anthony Davis to play the four all of the time.
Replacing Dennis Schroder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Andre Drummond with Derrick Rose, Buddy Hield, and Myles Turner would dramatically upgrade the Lakers’ starting lineup for next season.
The changes would improve the Lakers at both ends of the court. Davis and Turner would put a lid on the basket defensively and five capable 3-point shooters would open up the floor for the Lakers to get to the rim on offense. The Lakers would lose some depth off the bench but Pelinka should be able to re-sign stalwart reserves like Alex Caruso and Markieff Morris and maybe pick up some other quality veterans for the bench like TJ McConnell.
There are other candidates the Lakers could pursue to upgrade their starting lineup. For example, starting point guard targets could include players like Malcolm Brogdon, Kyle Lowry, or even Russell Westbrook or Chris Paul. Starting shooting guard targets could include CJ McCollum, Terry Rozier, Evan Fournier, Malik Beasley, or Devonte Graham. Starting center targets could include Kristaps Porzingis, Chris Boucher, or Christian Wood.
A starting lineup of Derrick Rose, Buddy Hield, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Myles Turner would give the Los Angeles Lakers the offensive fire power and defensive rim protection to win their 18th championship.
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Rob Pelinka faces his biggest challenge yet as head of basketball operations for Lakers rebuilding this roster. Saying he wants to run it back (whatever that means) is not a promising first comment, especially if it includes using the NT MLE to re-sign Andre Drummond to be the Lakers center. Andre is not a stretch center or rim protector or low post scorer and it puzzles me why the Lakers continue to think he is the future at center.
Replacing Schroder, KCP, and Drummond with Rose, Hield, and Turner would be a perfect summer for the Lakers. Signing Derrick Rose with the NT MLE, trading KCP and THT for Buddy Hield, and trading Kuzma and our 2021 and 2027 first round picks for Myles Turner would transform the Lakers starting lineup into a true championship starting lineup.
There are, of course, other viable candidates to replace Schroder, KCP, and Drummond but Rose, Hield, and Turner are the three new starters I think make the most sense to modernize the Lakers on offense and make them dominant on defense. This summer is one of those momentous offseasons that will determine what kind of future the LeBron James led Lakers will have. Making the right moves would be a godsent. Making the wrong moves, like keeping Drummond, would portend a disaster.
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I can’t agree more, Tom. Seems as if you read my mind. I will go with the three players you mentioned( Rose, Hield, Turner ) in a heartbeat. That would totally give the starting five an unmatched balance and power. Not sure how practical it is to get that done, but that would be a hell of a move.
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Thanks, Buba. I think Lakers need to shore up starting lineup. Being able to get all three is going to be tough. What could be a difference maker is the ability to sign-and-trade Schroder and Harrell. There’s also no hard cap if you SEND out a player via sign-and-trade. Only if you receive one.
The bigger issue is whether the Lakers will embrace improving their 3-point shooting. All three of these guys can shoot the three, especially Hield whose top five.
I would say top priority to me is Myles Turner. I would trade whatever the Pacers want of Kuz, KCP, THT, Schroder, and Harrell. I think he’s that important. Will protect and help Davis become the best he can. Next has to be a point guard to replace Dennis.
I would be thrilled with Turner and Rose. Hield would be frosting on the cake. Give me 2 out of 3 please.
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Thanks for the response, Tom. I can’t wait to see what Rob does this offseason. Whatever he does has to include improving our three-point shooting, first and foremost. And that includes our center position as well. You’ve been making good points on this subject for a while. I like mongo’s counter as well though he likes to err on the side of caution.
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What the above three transactions amount to is:
Additions: Derrick Rose, Buddy Hield, and Myles Turner.
Subtractions to trade for Hield and Turner:
KCP, THT (S&T), Kuzma, 2021 and 2027 1st RoundersS&T or lost to free agency candidates:
Schroder, HarrellRe-sign: Caruso, Morris, Matthews
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3-Point shooting dramatically improved:
50.0% more 3P takes, 43.3% more 3P makes
Points from threes increased by 6.6 PPG.Lakers offense was 22nd with 109.5 PPG
Would now be 116.1 PPG, which tied for 5th in league.Players Subtracted:
KCP 9.7/2.7/1.9, made 1.8 of 4.4 3PPG for 41.0%
THT 9.0/2.6/2.8, made 0.6 of 2.0 3PPG for 28.2%
Kuzma 12.9/6.1/1.9, made 2.0 of 5.6 3PPG for 36.1%TOTAL 31.6/11.4/6.6, MADE 4.4 OF 12.0 FOR 36.7%
Players Added:
Rose 14.7/2.6/4.2, made 1.1 of 2.6 3PPG for 41.1%
Hield 16.6/4.7/3.6, made 4.0 of 10.2 3PPG for 39.1%
Turner 12.6/6.5/1.0, made 1.5 of 4.4 3PPG for 35.2%TOTAL 43.9/13.8/8.8, made 6.6 of 17.2 3PPG for 38.3%
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If it was only that simple to just unplug and plug in those numbers…
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The thing about 3-point shooting is you have to have guys who are able and willing to take a lot of shots. You can’t improve your 3-point shooting volume and percentage by just having the same guys take more shots. It’s about the players’ games and you need players who are confident shooters who work to get open threes and then can make them.
Of the three additions, Rose is questionable as this was his best season from deep. Hield and Turner have been consistent throughout their career. The big difference to me is the PPG of the new additions vs. the current players. Lakers need starters who can get the job done. Schroder, KCP, and Drummond are not the answer.
Can the Lakers sign Rose and make the trades for Hield and Turner? That’s really the big question. So far, I haven’t seen any indication that Pelinka believes the current roster can’t get it done, despite the obvious evidence. Like Vogel, he continues to claim the ‘shots will fall.’
Unless Pelinka and Vogel admit the Lakers need a starting center who is a stretch five and a shooting guard who’s a high volume and high percentage 3-point shooter, any hopes of the Lakers coming out of summer as a favorite to win a championship are probably fairy tales.
Lakers not going to win unless they embrace the power of 3-point shooters when you have LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That is how you win in today’s game. We need the front office to understand that and build a new roster that embraces the modern game.
Do I expect that to happen? Probably not. We’ll probably try to retain Drummond as our starting center and go down hill from there.
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But the stats are just part of the equation. You gotta factor in coaching, system, roster construction, and maybe most importantly…fit. It’s not easy to join a team with LeBron & AD and adjust to the new role you’ll need to play. That’s why Pau, Lamar, Fish, & MWP did well with Kobe..know your role & stay ready. That’s a unique skillet. Also..I’m not sure Buddy & D-Rose help our perimeter defense. Like folks say..it’s all a crapshoot. You can’t predict how guys will respond when put into this situation.
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And speaking of coaching..I’m not sure Frank is the guy to effectively integrate all these new dudes and put them in comfortable positions to succeed. We’ve seen his failure at that this season. And his reluctance to make changes is problematic. I’m watching all the moves Ty Lue has made in these 2 series so far and realizing how stuck in the mud our coach is.
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Good points, Mongo. I suppose part of the blame has to go to Pelinka for promising a starting job to Drummond. Hard for Frank to make the change until too late and too little because of the injuries. The problem is a static starting lineup is great for stability and setting roles but not when the three non-superstar starters are subpar. Frank should have starting whomever matched up best since there wasn’t much impact difference between the #3 and #8 players on this team. Vogel would have been better off rotating starting roles by matchup. Lue has done a good job adjusting but then it’s easier to do when you go down 0-2 in both series.
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Nice article, LT, hope your foray down south was lucrative, as well. I am willing to embrace the idea of upgrading the roster but there are a few things I think we absolutely have to avoid:
I think that, in order to fill it out, we need to make sure we do not bring a player back in a Sign & Trade. Even if it means starting the season with a roster that has some holes it makes it so difficult to both retain our own free agents and make moves at the trade deadline. There is a very short list of players I would amend that stance for: Dame, Steph, & Kawhi. Nobody else I can think of fits the needs of our team, brings either the defense, scoring or the playmaking we need (or both in Curry’s case).
Ignoring that the Lakers actually made moves we advocated for at the start of the season, they just didn’t pan out as expected. When we brought in Matthews, kept KCP, and added McLemore we tried to address the three point shooting issue. Also, Davis was atrocious from behind the arc all season long and LeBron missed the most games ever in his career. No single player can overcome all of that, we’ll see that unfold in Brooklyn with Kyrie and Harden out.
Indy listed Turner as part of it’s future core. I just don’t see us putting together a package that would make them change that notion. Whether he really is or not isn’t the issue, that’s how they’re posturing right now. Kuz, KCP and whatever ain’t going to get it done. Frankly, that’s true for a lot of the league and the kind of players we need. Everyone wants a better point guard, everyone wants stellar three and D guys on the roster, everyone wants a center that can play high level D and shoot the three. We may need to think outside those boxes like we did the Bubble season. I’m not saying “avoid trying to trade for Myles Turner” but rather let’s not focus on one player, under contract, who we don’t really have the assets to pry away, anyhow.
I like Rose, would be fine with him coming over. Like Schroder I don’t want to overpay for what is essentially a backup PG. That’s what was great about Avery Bradley and Rondo at this point in his career. They have a nose for defense, don’t need the ball to be effective and have improved in the analytic areas of the game. Rose also doesn’t really fit into your “volume, volume, volume from three” theory as he only took 2/game last season. He’s also another guy who generally has one major injury/season and misses chunks of time. Since he tore his knee up he’s played in 60+ games twice, only played in 50 last season.
In terms of structuring our cap and setting ourselves up for success next season I look at it this way: Of our free agents who is essential to our identity and needs? One could make the point that none of our free agents are “essential” but that since they are ours, and we can go over the cap to retain them, that therein lies their true value. We can keep everyone currently on the roster, give them raises or whatever. The only one I’m ambivalent about is Schroder. Sign him for too much and he’s an albatross. I’ve said it before, no more than $12-15 mil, if he finds a bigger deal somewhere else cool.
I also think we need to take a long look at why guys didn’t play in the playoffs. Trezz got some “hey thanks for being here” minutes, same for THT. Why? That will be one of the biggest questions I would have for Rob and Frank. If the kid is worth keeping he should be worth playing, if only for the experience since, you know, he’s worth keeping. Might also be worth our time to simply let the market dictate the worth of guys like THT, Caruso, etc. The summer is so dicey, things can start fast and you feel like you’re getting left out.
The thing with the Lakers is we got AD and LBJ, so we need complimentary pieces. I don’t see us currently being in a position to acquire another top tier player (as you noted) so I think we need to nail down who can help them. I’m of the same thinking you are when it comes to Drummond. Unless he’s here on a vet minimum deal he’s not our guy. LeBron needs a more mobile and athletic big like Tristian Thompson, Dwight, that kinda guy. AD wants to play the 4 in the regular season so we need some kind of 5. It’s funny how much hinges on what Gasol and Trezz do this summer.
All in all, be interesting to see whom we draft. It’s all happening!
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Thanks for reading and commenting, Jamie.
I’m completely in agreement with you that we should avoid being hard capped, which primarily means not ‘receiving’ a player via S&T. I would also make exceptions to get a third star but in general, the hard cap makes it impossible to overpay your own players to keep them and limits actions on trades. It’s why I focused on adding players like Turner and Hield who are under contract.
Yeah, I was pretty supportive of the moves we made last offseason but in retrospect I think we were all in a euphoric state after winning the championship. When you look back, it’s hard to deny that a big factor was LeBron and AD getting four and half months off to get 100% healthy and rested. AND both of them having the best postseason shooting the three they ever had as a result. Obviously, we saw a completely different challenge this season with the injuries. Bottom line, lots to disagree in retrospect with the moves Rob made but that’s life in the NBA.
I think Indiana will trade Turner regardless of their listing him as core. The simple truth is a twin towers starting lineup with Myles and Sabonis just doesn’t work and Turner is too expensive to come off the bench and Sabonis is their future. I also agree there are likely to be teams who can offer more. I do think we could win the Turner deal if we went all in and included Kuzma and THT and the 2021 pick and I would do it if necessary as I think solidifying the center position is our top priority. Not only to solve the stretch five and rim protection issues but also to protect Davis’ health going forward. I do think we have pieces to get one great player and Turner would be my choice, even over a volume shooter like Hield. Bottom line, I’d be thrilled with Rose for NT MLE and Turner for Kuz, THT, and the 2021 first.Rose is a short-term fill and would hopefully come for the NT MLE. There are other options like Lonzo, Lowry, Westbrook, CP3, etc. but would require taking a S&T guy which would hard cap us, which we both agree would not be good.
We may have to approach our rebuild as a two-step process, where we re-sign our own free agents in summer so we can trade them at the deadline. Or we can try to trade Schroder and Harrell via S&T deals for players under contract. I love the idea of maybe getting a shooter from Charlotte for a Harrell S&T or maybe a deal with the Raptors in a Schroder S&T. There aren’t as many teams with cap space as originally anticipated so there’s a good chance there will be teams who would like to add Schroder or Harrell but with S&T rather than cap space.
Drummond is the time bomb waiting to go off and screw the Lakers offseason. It still boggles me why the front office ever thought he could be the long term center for the Lakers. He can’t protect the rim or stretch the floor. And the only way we can sign a free agent is with the NT MLE. Wasting it on him rather than on a player like Rose would be a travesty. My biggest worry is Pelinka doubling down on Andre Drummond. When you look at the available centers who can stretch the floor and protect the rim, it’s hard not to see what a great fit Myles Turner would be on the Lakers. Again, I’d give Indiana whatever they want. A starting lineup with a Turner, Davis, James front court would be championship caliber and Davis is the perfect power forward to play with Turner. They would put a lid on the basket and Davis could go small when needed.
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Yup, lots could have broken differently but between the moves made not panning out as hoped, the team’s overall shooting/scoring taking a dip and the massive amount of games lost due to injury/H&SP the hill was too high to conquer.
I’ll be surprised if Indy moves Turner before the trade deadline, likely not in the summer when they would hope that a new coach/system and another year together improves the on-court product. If having Turner at the 5 can work with AD they’ll see what Sabonis and Turner can do as that is, essentially, the same situation we are talking about creating here. Indy has Myles on a reasonable deal, he’s an elite defender signed until the season after next. Small market teams generally don’t trade impact for spare parts. They can (and should) get more than we can offer until well into the season if they move him this summer.
I think Rose will command a salary equivalent to Schroder. I would be surprised if he took such a small amount to come to a team where his role and influence are reduced. Frankly, he’s earned it and I’ll be surprised if New York (with ample cap space) doesn’t go a little over the line to keep him. He became the starting point guard, was in control of the offense and playing like D-Rose of old. If Julius had played anything like he did during the regular season they would be the darling dark horse show of the NBA playoffs and not Atlanta. That’s a lot to come here and hope LeBron and AD stay healthy and have enough in the tank come playoff time.
Thtat’s my big worry, in all honesty, these guys all know what LeBron has been able to accomplish and, like the rest of us, are wondering “is this the season he declines in a noticeable way?” That may hinder second tier stars looking to rebuild or up their rep. While nothing can compare to winning it all as a Laker, as we saw last season, the knives come out reeeeeeeal quick when we struggle or fail to meet expectations. Not saying it wouldn’t happen, just that I hope LeBron has his parabolic chamber sched in order, get that body reset.
I know one thing, the playoffs have been (for the most part) fun but the summer is where it’s going to get wild. With not as much cap space as expected the fish will feast early and it’ll come down to who can swing a major summer deal. The Lakers are also behind the 8 ball there as league rules won’t allow them to trade guys with newly minted deals until 3 months after the ink dries or 12/15. So it really just becomes a game of “What can we realistically expect to get for Kuz, KCP and…Alonzo McKinnie? Trezz if he opts in? Gasol if he doesn’t retire/go to Spain?” THT, Caruso, Matthews, McLemore, Schroder are all either going to sign a new deal with us or book it on out of town. When they do we won’t be able to move them for several months unless we S&T one. Same goes for this summer’s draft pick. Can’t be traded until 30 days after the draft and it’s going to be near the bottom of the 1st round. Not exactly a spot known to bew coveted because, as a first rounder, they’ll have a specific range of money coming their way.
Rob has his work cut out for him, that much is true. Going to be wacky and wild.
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Lakers Fast Break wrote a new post
Read MoreGreat post, Sean.
I haven’t been a big follower of international basketball competition so I don’t remember Oscar Schmidt scoring 55 points except as a reference for Luka’ great game.
I do remember Len Bias, however, and his death after using cocaine and how the Celtics karma seemed to be permanently damaged after that. Great player.
T-Mac got lost in Orlando. Put him in LA or NY and he would be in many of those conversations about great point guards. The size of the market can impact a player’s legacy.
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreAnthony Davis’ injury killed the dream but five major mistakes revamping the roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be real reasons the Los Angeles Lakers’ quest to repeat as NBA champions will ultimately fail.
It’s easy to look in the rear view mirror and see what went wrong but in retrospect the Lakers not only ignored flashing red warning signs all season long but also doubled down on two late season major personnel mistakes. They traded for the wrong point guard, signed centers who were poor fits, failed to draft or trade for a volume 3-point shooter, declined to trade for All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry, and signed center Andre Drummond.
Besides dooming their chances of repeating as champs, these five major mistakes may also have derailed the Lakers’ opportunity to fix the problems this summer as the threat of free agency losses and luxury taxes loom.
1. Trading for point guard Dennis Schroder.
The Lakers first mistake was trading Danny Green and their first round pick for point guard Dennis Schroder. The Lakers hoped Schroder could be their point guard of the future and help LeBron James with playmaking duties.
Aside from the fact that Schroder turns the ball over too much, only shoots 33.3% from three, and has a barely acceptable 2.1 assists-to-turnovers ratio, Dennis wants more money and a bigger role than the Lakers have to offer. Since Schroder’s an unrestricted free agent, the Lakers will have to either dramatically overpay him to convince him to stay or pull off some form of a miracle sign-and-trade to prevent losing him for nothing to another team.
The ultimate irony of the trade is Danny Green had a great season with the Sixers and shot over 40% on 6.3 threes per game while Schroder reverted to being a below average 3-point shooter and inefficient starting point guard.
2. Signing centers Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell.
The second big mistake the Lakers made was not trading for a modern center like Myles Turner who could protect the rim on defense and stretch defenses on offense rather than signing rent-a-centers Harrell and Gasol.
Trading defense for offense is essentially what the Lakers did when replacing McGee and Howard with Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell, but the moves left the team defensively challenged without rim protection. The result was a poor fitting Lakers center tandem that featured an over-the-hill stretch five in Gasol who could no longer jump or dunk and an undersized small ball, low post center in Harrell who could not defend.
With Davis relegated to playing the five less than 10% of the time compared to over 25% of the time last season, the Lakers production from the center position, especially when it came to rim protection, took a big step back.
3. Failing to draft, sign, or trade for 3-point shooters.
For whatever reason, the Los Angeles Lakers continue to ignore the longtime acknowledged formula for winning with LeBron James, which is to surround him with elite high volume, high percentage 3-point shooters.
Last year, the Lakers ranked 23rd with 11.0 made threes on 30.6 shots per game for 34.9% vs. league average of 34.1%. This year they ranked 25th with 11.1 made threes on 31.2 shots for 35.4% vs. league average of 34.6%. The Lakers’ 3-point shooting has taken a major step backward in the playoffs as they rank second worst in the league with just 9.3 made threes on 31.8 shots per game for 29.1%, a fatal drop from last year’s 35.4% in the playoffs.
The Lakers continued rejection of the importance of high volume, high percentage 3-point shooting and abject failure to fix the problem when building this year’s rosters is one of the team’s biggest mistakes.
4. Declining to trade for point guard Kyle Lowry
The biggest major mistake was failing to add a third superstar so they could not only weather the injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis but also have enough firepower to match the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Finals.
That’s the decision that left the Lakers without the star depth to survive the injuries to LeBron and AD and left them vulnerable to what’s looking more and more like a possible first round flame out to the upstart Phoenix Suns. We saw how important a third superstar was for the Brooklyn Nets whose superstar Big Three with Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving allowed them to overcome significant injuries to all three superstars.
The Lakers blew an opportunity at the trade deadline to land veteran point guard Kyle Lowry, who would have given the Lakers a third superstar and allowed the team to weather the current injuries to LeBron and AD.
5. Signing free agent center Andre Drummond
After declining to trade for Kyle Lowry and failing to make any moves at the trade deadline, the Lakers made their fifth and final fatal mistake by signing the enigma center Andre Drummond from the buyout market.
A seriously talented but flawed 27-year old center who had never played for a winning team, Drummond proved to be the Laker final fatal roster mistake, throwing the team’s center rotation and team chemistry into total turmoil. Worse, the addition of a third center left Frank Vogel without enough time to integrate Drummond into the Lakers style of play, especially defensively, with the result that signing Andre was subtraction by addition.
The result was lineup and rotation chaos as the Lakers tried to integrate Drummond while re-integrating James and Davis returning from injury as the team prepared to defend their championship in the playoffs.
While these roster mistakes will likely cost the Lakers the chance to repeat as NBA champions, the bigger issue is how the mistakes have acerbated the challenge the Lakers will face this summer to repair the damage.
The Lakers have a serious cap space issues next season. They are likely to lose Andre Drummond, Montrezl Harrell, and Dennis Schroder to free agency and could even lose fan faves Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker. They will also only have the $5 million taxpayer MLE to use to pursue free agents and, should they lose to the Suns in the first round, could turnover the entire roster except for superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers are just one game away from facing their first elimination playoff game in the last two years. Suddenly, they’re facing a first round flame out that will be more embarrassing than the Clippers departure last year.
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I must admit I don’t believe the Lakers can beat the Suns playing the way they have been with or without Anthony Davis. Worse, I think the mistakes made by Pelinka and the front office by declining to trade THT for Kyle Lowry may cost them any opportunity to rebuild a championship roster this summer. We may have seen the last NBA championship by LeBron James. The injuries and the front office’s failure to upgrade the roster from last year is likely to prove fatal. Frank Vogel may become just another single ring coach. Hope I’m wrong but I’m expecting AD not to play, the Lakers to lose big tomorrow night, and then be sent fishing in front of their own fans on Thursday. Lakers right now are toast and they know it.
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I just feel it in my bones 🦴 Tom, LeBron will go apeshit/cray cray all over them tonight
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You simply can’t have LeBron and AD miss that much time in a condensed season and expect to see favorable results. The roster wasn’t much better last year but we were able go into the bubble with the 2 superstars 100% healthy and rested. Probably why folks wanna put an asterisk on that title. On a side note..it’s kind of amazing to see Donovan Mitchell bounce back to nearly 100% after all that time lost to injury.
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Yeah, there’s no question it would take a perfect storm like last year for LeBron and AD to recover and remain healthy enough to repeat as champions. Right now, it’s at least a 20 to1 shot at best.
To try and bring in a project like Drummond at the same time as they’re trying to reintegrate LeBron and AD into the lineup only makes the challenge even more difficult to accomplish. Bottom line, the Lakers are likely toast unless we have a few miracles.
Should have pulled the trigger on the Kyle Lowry trade. That would have given the Lakers a third star to weather the storm. Losing one star is not a killer if you still have two. Losing one and being left with just one is not enough in today’s NBA.
While injuries obviously get the top blame, the Lakers front office made too many mistakes and we will pay the price in flaming out in the first round and find an impossible challenge to fix things this summer.
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Thing is..Kyle Lowry also missed a buncha games down the stretch with injury iirc.. I also think the FO didn’t anticipate LBJ & AD being out so long and probably thought they’d have more games to integrate Drummond with them. Sometimes shit just don’t work out the way you hope..lol
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They’re still acting like a groin pull is as simple as a sprained ankle, which it’s not. All of our injuries are of the type for which recovery is hard to estimate or even know until they’re ready to go. High ankle sprains, groin pulls, hamstrings. Man, give me a simple sprain or contusion. The short offseason and compressed schedule have been hell on us.
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I can’t just gloss over the injuries and say they had zero role in where we are now. I also think it funny that almost all of us looked at this roster at the start and saw an offensive juggernaut. Just as easy to critique the Kuzma and Caldwell-Pope extensions as bad moves in hindsight. This roster always had a one-dimensional aspect to it, Drummond didn’t help that but it shouldn’t be laid at his feet. He didn’t build the team, after all.
I will echo what magicman has been vibing on: why not include THT in the Lowry trade if all of a sudden he’s unplayable? What’s up with that? In a series where we so desperately need scoring from anyone at all one of our best interior scorers sits for games at a time? Same goes for Trezz. If we’re not going to out-defend the Suns than we need to keep pace better and you’re leaving you two best paint scorers not named LeBron on the pine for entire games. Mystifying coaching…
I do agree we will likely overhaul the roster to the point we are capable of doing. That a groin strain is waaaaay more serious than we seem to be treating it as (like…why was AD warming up last night? get some ice on those gonads son!). Still got a game to right the ship and convincingly send this back to Phoenix. Anything can happen in game 7.
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I always love an idea that’s out-of-the-box and the Lakers trading for Ben Simmons certainly is not something most LA fans would be in favor of, especially after Ben’s flaws were exposed in the Sixers’ second round loss to the Hawks. Now might be the perfect time for the Lakers to steal him while his price is low.
When you look at Ben Simmon’s skills size and skills, it’s obvious to me that he would be better suited to be a point center than a point guard. In fact, he could be the Lakers’ version of Draymond Green, an elite small ball center who can defend all five positions as well as make plays for hiomself and teammates.
While other teams are going small on offense with stretch fives, the Lakers would be going in the other direction and looking to go small on defense, much like the Warriors did with Draymond Green and their Death Lineup. A front court Superstar Big Three of LeBron, AD, and Ben could be the best defensive front court in the history of the league.
We’re talking about three near 7-footers who can each defend 1 through 5 at the rim or behind the 3-point line. That’s unheard of size, speed, quickness, athleticism, and mobiliity for a small ball lineup. While it’s a long shot to happen, it’s the kind of creative and innovative moves Rob Pelinka needs to make to rebuild the Lakers this summer.