Ahhhh the lead up to the draft. Where every trade is possible, where every news report is considered legit and every article devoured by the relevant fan base. While it is a kind of fun in and of itself I generally don’t go in for a lot of these things. I believe it was our own mongoslade who once said, wisely I might add, that you never hear about the actual deals that are being made. So very much of what we’re seeing now is smoke and mirrors, agents positioning their clients for big pay days, teams hoping to lower the value of another’s player(s). But let’s look at the five rumors I think have a shred of merit.
- Anthony Davis to the five. This was the one that set the powder keg-a-burning. Laker Nation, and the sport world in general, has endorsed more Anthony Davis at the five. To his credit, I applaud AD for sticking to his guns and wanting to play the 4. As we’ve seen with far too many athletes what the world thinks should matter very little. if at all. The world isn’t doing reps, putting up shots, getting up at dawn and sacrificing what goes as a normal life these days for a sport. They sit at home and critique things they have little practical knowledge of. I’m one of them and I have no problem admitting that. Now, if AD himself is ready and excited about dropping down to the center position and redefining it for future generations to come then awesome! I welcome his choice. But like the hole the chewed food comes out of my opinion is worth about as much as the brown stuff. That will only work one way: if Anthony Davis actually wants to do that. If AD is forced into a position he’s not mentally into aren’t we all doing the same thing that has been done to Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, Jim Brown and other athletes who decided that the court of public opinion wasn’t worth putting on a uniform and playing a game for? I want Anthony Davis to be as great as I believe his natural born talent and hard work will allow him to be. I want him to be a great Laker for a very long time. I also want him to be a happy human, as happy as any of us ever are.
- The Lakers trading Kyle Kuzma Karousel. I like Kyle Kuzma, I don’t mind that he doesn’t take as many floaters as he used to or that he signed a (kind of) trade-friendly $13 million dollar deal last summer. Because of his not yet(?) reached ceiling that contract means that teams are sorta, kinda, mostly interested in acquiring him but without overpaying. What that means is anyone’s guess. I feel like Kuzma is easily a 15 ppg, 8 rpg decent defensive rating player. There might be more he can show in the right situation. As we’ve said numerous times playing behind AD and LBJ means sacrificing your game. It’s that sacrifice for the team that is preventing the team from trading him for it believes is equal value, ironically. The odds on Kyle staying a Laker appear low since it would appear they’ve shopped him around more than the AVON lady does cosmetics. Should he happen to remain on the Lakers I hope he has his best season ever and makes every team that walked away from him this time pay. Again.
- The Disappearing, reappearing KCP. I guess KCP’s magic act of vanishing for stretches isn’t confined to basketball after all. I jest, but hearing his name next to Kyle’s at the NBA swap meet isn’t likely to do much for the streak shooter. Like Kyle I won’t be surprised if he’s on another team come camp. In fact, considering how it sounds like the Lakers are trying to get in front of the Washington Wizards for draft day I wouldn’t be surprised if Russ is in play to LA for KCP, Dennis Schroeder being signed and traded and the pick that could be Duarte out of Oregon. If that’s the case than Kentavious has his best trick yet to give us: transmogrifying himself into Russell Westbrook which I believe is quite possible.
- Prime, star players coming here the full MLE. It’s not that I wouldn’t love a DeMar DeRozan caliber player coming here for $9.75 million dollars it’s that I don’t think there’s a snowball’s chance in Hell of it happening. DeMar is 31, squarely in his prime and coming off one of his best all-around seasons ever. The dude isn’t going to take an $18 million dollar pay cut to come play 3rd (or 4th) option to LeBron, AD and whomever else we bring in. The dude has worked too hard and has far too much pride to do that. The “Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are SUPER great friends and TOTALLY want to take pay cuts to come play in LA!!!” click bait fantasy lasted as long as it took for Lowry’s agent to say his guy was looking for a $25-30 million/season deal. Frankly, i would worry about him a little if he did. The “players will do anything for a ring!” narrative has as much impact to me as “that guy is from the greater LA area…he wants to play for the Lakers!!!!” philosophy. Which is to say none. Honestly, I’m surprised that notion didn’t die when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George did all but blow the Lakers raspberries when they signed with the Chokers, er, Clippers. I suppose if that didn’t kill it nothing will…
- OK Mr. Grumpus, what do YOU think will happen on draft day and beyond? Great question and I have a simple answer: I don’t have a &$%#ing clue, man. I think the Lakers are trying to pair LeBron with a player he will trust to share the offensive creation load. That is not a long list: Chris Paul, DeMar DeRozan (who was on his Barbershop show early on) and Russell Westbrook. Maybe Derrick Rose (whom I’m sure LeBron thinks stole one of his MVPs so maybe notsomuch?). Not Kemba Walker, not Kyle Lowry, nobody little or unathletic. Frankly the only reason CP3 is on the list is because of his banana boat connection and that he’s shown he can do it with lesser talent. If the Lakers can’t trade down in the draft using Kuzma they’ll likely try to trade the pick for some 2nd rounders. As we’ve seen for a long time now the Lakers are elite at drafting in the later rounds. You’d also get 2 cost-controlled players for the price of one. I also think that KCP will stay a Laker unless it’s for a really impactful player. He won’t be traded for a lateral move because he fits in well for us on both ends. Also his Klutch connection. I don’t see Indy taking Kuzma or KCP for Myles Turner (which I would be really down for, just don’t see them pulling that trigger this year or next even), I could see the Kings going for a Kuzma and Trezz trade for Buddy which is a win for both teams and I don’t see us getting any free agents in a Schroeder sign and trade that goes a penny over $20 million. I see us keeping THT and Caruso, Alex fits alongside LeBron and AD really well and we kept THT over trading for Lowry and even though he wasn’t a huge playoff factor that, along with his own Klutch connection, makes me think that the Lakers will try their best to hold onto him or use him a separate sign and trade should he accept an offer sheet elsewhere.
As always, take all of that for what it is: an opinion, one of many. We all got ’em and keep ’em coming. Even if we disagree it’s all in fun. Besides, we’ll see who can bust a Nostradamus and who really didn’t have a clue soon enough. Go Lakers.
Great fun post, Jamie. One of your best as it shows off your natural writing skills and wry sense of humor. Of course, the sum is a glass-half-empty stream of consciousness. In the same vein, I’ll counter with a more optimistic take on what I think (hope) is going to happen for our Lakers this offseason.
1. Anthony Davis to the Five. First, the Lakers have surely talked to LeBron and AD about the move to the four and five and have their approval for the change. Otherwise, we would not have heard anything about those changes. So I don’t buy your opinion that there’s a possible conflict brewing with AD not wanting to do it. I think AD understands why we won the Bubble Championship and it was clearly because of his play at center both on offense and defense. Give Anthony credit for understanding what he needs to do to create his legacy and brand. I think we’re going to see Playoff AD during the next regular season.
Does that mean that AD is going to only play the five? I do think that’s possible but there will likely be some matchups where it makes more sense for Gasol or whomever else we acquire as our second center to guard a Jokic or Embiid. I do see us signing a third center behind AD and Gasol. I could even see the Lakers considering bringing back Dwight. It just depends on what the real reason why they did not bring him back last season.
The LeBron and AD to the four and five moves were made essential steps for the Lakers to rebuild their starting lineup to match up with the Big Threes the Nets have and the Warriors are going to create. It’s the only way to add the shooting and playmaking we need to compete for a championship. By playing AD at the five, we open up the one, two, and three for 3-point shooters and playmakers. Totally changes the dynamic of rebuilding a championship caliber roster.
2&3. Kyle Kuzma Trade Karousel and Disappearing KCP. The reality is Kuzma, KCP, and Harrell will all be valuable trading chips that will interest many teams. Kuz and Kenny are both elite 3-point shooters and plus defenders with championship pedigrees. It’s Lakers fans more than NBA fans who have soured on both because they didn’t show up when LeBron and AD were injured.
Your point about the difficulty of fitting in behind LeBron and AD is important and I think Kyle has actually shown he has great ability to adjust his repertoire of talents to fit almost any situation. He’s going to be the Lakers greatest trading chip. I also think both KCP and Harrell will attract a lot of buyers also. Truth is there are more quality players than quality openings on teams right now so musical chairs could end up giving the Lakers players nobody expected would end up in LA.
4. Star players signing for the MLE. I think the Lakers are going to end up being hard capped because that gives them a shot at other teams’ free agents, which include the best players available this season, and the $9.5 million MLE, which will give the Lakers an advantage over most of the other teams who will only have the lower taxpayer or room MLE.
I also think DeMar DeRozan will come to the Lakers for the full MLE. Looking at his numbers, what jumps out at me and I did not realize, is he is #10 in assists per game for guards at 6.9. That’s more assists per game than Ben Simmons, John Wall, T.J. McConnell, Ricky Rubio, Fred VanVleet, Kevin Porter, Jr., LaMelo Ball, Jrue Holiday, Kyrie Irving, and Mike Conley.
And DeMar takes care of the ball: 6.9 assists vs. 2.0 turnovers per game for a ration of 3.45 per game. In fact, DeRozan ranked 11th of all players in the league when it came to assists to turnovers ratio. Combine his 49.5% field goal percentage and ability to get a wide-open midrange shot whenever he wants and DeMar could be a great fit on the Lakers as their point guard. And moving LeBron to the four and AD to the five gives the Lakers two other positions to fill with high volume and percentage 3-point shooters. Like Lonzo Ball or Kyle Lowry and Buddy Hield or Terry Rozier.
5. Mr. Positive feels like the Lakers will go for one of the following as a third star: Kyle Lowry, Russell Westbrook, or DeMar DeRozan. Lowry would require a hard cap. Russ would require luxury taxes. DeRozan would become the fourth star behind LeBron, AD, and Lowry or Westbrook. I look for Lakers to make a big splash because they know LeBron’s window is closing fast and the competition is getting better and better each day. This is no time to be timid. Lakers need to go BIG if they want to compete for #18 next season.
What a fascinating read and utterly charming piece, Jamie. This article demonstrates a philosophical principle. A wise man once said, “To a philosopher all news, as it is called, is gossip. And they who read and edit it are old women over their tea”. The latter part insinuating an imagery of little old ladies sitting around drinking tea while sharing the neighborhood gossip. Your post captured my thoughts exactly and you have hit the nail squarely on the head. What a reality out of Jamie the phylosopher’s inner consciousness! That was a masterpiece.