Aloha
The more i think about our current situation, the more concerned I become. I remember the Cav’s last ditch move to try snd win and appease Lebron. We traded Clarkson and Nance to them. After the season, Lebron said thank you very much and gratefully stepped into the cap space that trade created and signed with the Lakers. He has done it every where he has played. there is absolutely no reason he wont do it again. Considering the Cav’s with their talented group of young players and only 43mil on the books in Lebrons free agent season, I’m sure that hasnt gone untoticed. I’m pretty convinced that Lebron will not be signing an extension with us is this summer.
so that is the primary reason I’m very hesitant to make an all out win now play to keep him. first of all I really don’t see us having enough amo to make any win now trades. it will cost us those 2 first round picks if we want to move off Russ. And it’s not going to bring back a star or enough quality role players to matter. And THT without 1sts attached won’t bring a lot back either.
when you think about it, AD will be 33 when the first comes do and 35 when that second 1st rounder comes do. considering the picks and pick swaps we spent to aquire AD it could make the Lakers irrelevant for a decade if Lebron leaves after spending every asset we have left to try and win now.
Some fans might figure we can just sign another superstar in free agency. Thats one of the reasons we are where we are now. we gave up young talent for scared cap space. How do you like the way PG and Kwai have been playing for us. lol. Truth is Shaq and Lebron are the only 2 superstars we have landed in the last 25 years. Most stars come through trades.
i think we have one chance. And that is to win big with what we have going down the stretch. It would be helpful if shocked the world and won it all. unfortunately I can’t see that happening even if we enter the playoffs with everyone healthy.
What i fear is what will probably happen. Lebron will not sign an extension. We will trade away everything we have left, but it won’t be enough and he will be playing for the Cav’s in 23/24. We will have a huge amount of cap space and perhaps we could sign another star, but even that will be hard to convince a ttar to come with such an dysfunctional front office. The stretch run will determine everything.
Jamie Sweet says
I can always tell when someone posts from a phone (like I am now) as it’s fraught with weird typos. But I catch the gist of what you’re laying down, Michael. I tend to agree that our current assets aren’t enough to swing a major trade. Something else to consider is how long AD wants to stay here w/o LBJ. Signed for only 1 more after James’ last. Win now needed to be the mentality this last summer when we had a lot more tools to work with. Now, fewer tools and more bloated contracts which are harder to move. Especially when said player is likely to be in a decline of some sort. Hard for me to advocate mortgaging being competitive for the rest of the decade to try and squeeze something else out of LBJ and AD. Davis does not feel like a player who will age well. I love his defense and when he’s engaged and healthy he’s a two way dynamo. It’s just that those circumstances are not the norm. Is AD we’re 100% sure we want to build around is the real question. If so you have to find a dynamic playmaker who also opens the floor with their scoring to maximize the pairing. Nobody plays forever and one would hope the Lakers have already at least scenario
Jamie Sweet says
Scenario’d this out a bit.
LakerTom says
It’s always easy to jump aboard a Lakers doomsday train but it’s all just overreaction. Like Moma said, LeBron James loves living in Los Angeles and playing for the Lakers. He’s not going anywhere until his son is drafted in the NBA.
For that reason, the Lakers will make big improvements using Russ’ $47 million expiring contract and the two first round picks and LeBron will sign a two-year extension to remain with the Lakers.
Everything else is just posturing by the Lakers and Klutch to make sure the Lakers end up in good shape whenever LeBron does retire or leave to play his last year with Bronny.
What I do agree with is that LeBron would be in great demand were he to refuse to sign an extension or the Lakers decided to trade him. He may be 37-years old but he’s still a top-5 player.
LakerTom says
What I find hilarious is the guys who never see the Lakers able to ever make a positive trade are always eager to throw their full opinions behind every crazy doomsday theory that has no basis in reality. The Lakers are not going to trade LeBron James. Get over it and just stop the stupid negative takes.
Jamie Sweet says
L.M.A.O. Lakers didn’t make any trade, despite all your LMAOing in just about everyone’s face for months and your absurd guarantees. Now, after the first mic put in LeBron’s face had nothing positive to say about his current team you both exalt how he’s going to stay a Laker AND drop trade proposal after trade proposal involving LeBron?! That is the definition of crazy my friend.
Here’s a prediction: it’ll go down exactly like I said last night: sign and trade with a team well-positioned and likely to draft Bronny. As we’ve seen now, Cleveland comes to the top of everyone’s list for a variety of smart, realistic, reasons.
Optimism is lovely and cool, but it’s not something you force feed people, Tom. Either they share it or they don’t. So you can please and thanks stop with the stupid passive aggressive…but super positive…behavior.
Michael H says
I’m thinking perhaps I should email you my post first Tom, I don’t want to post negative, stupid stuff. I thought this was a space that fans can post their ideas but perhaps I was mistaken.
LakerTom says
LOL. Haha. Never a problem posting negative stupid stuff, Michael. I do it all the time. Hard to avoid it considering what’s going on right now. It’s just blogging, which is a cross between thinking out loud and venting.
LakerTom says
LakerTom says
Peace, man. You can be as negative or realistic as you want, Jamie, but I’m going to continue to look at the Lakers in a positive light until proven otherwise. Peace, Man!
therealhtj says
Toxic Positivity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxic_positivity