What coulda been a real dud of a roadie was salvaged by gritty wins in Boston and The Mecca, and they didn’t wholly screw the pooch in Charlotte. Sitting 2 games above .500 and looking exactly like the record shows the Lakers have many issues and few paths forward for improvement. But one tradeable draft pick, a bevy of pick swap seasons and some 2nd rounders. In short, not much when placed against the back drop if multiple 1st rounders flying all over the league the last few years. Couple that with no truly expiring salary relief and Rob doesn’t have a lot to work with.
1) Towel Gate! Evidently LeBron now uses towels as a form of code. Great reporting, Windhorst, it’s that level of expert journalism that guarantees I’ll never tune in to watch your show. Don’t feel bad, though, I don’t watch anyone else’s shows, either. The notion that LeBron “needs” to send a message to the FO is beyond asinine. They know the drill and it’s not a difficult equation. LeBron is old, Lakers will be bad for about a decade after he leaves, everyone involved should be on board with a ‘win now’ mentally.
2) Keep Reaves?! Trade DLo?!?! Whatever will happen?!?!?! Who knows, probably nothing and I guarantee it won’t be anyone if the trades we’ve seen blathered about on every show and podcast across the land. It never is. All I know for a fact is that DLo’s uptick of late is about exactly how he played down the stretch last season and Reaves has looked more like his pre-summer World Hoops self, too. The issue is we have nascent production out of the 3 spot and rely on a 39 year old to collapse the defense.
3) Max is gone next season so might as well get SOMETHING for him. Too many talented Lakers have walked for nothing the last several seasons, you inexplicably signed him to a 2 year rookie deal and he’s shown decent growth. Trade him into a bad team’s cap space for couple 2nd rounders and call it a win. You won’t be able to afford him next season, anyhow. Plus he’s probably find a better PT opportunity in URFA, anyhow.
4) OMG!!!! Could the Lakers ACTUALLY trade the King?!?!?!
Really? Please, just…just stop and think before anyone goes and writes something like that. The Lakers will let LeBron walk and might still retire his jersey simply for the history and legacy. We will never, ever, ever, never, ever, never, never trade him. Ever.
5) Build around the right guy. ProTip: it ain’t LeBron. AD signed a big time extension and it makes him about as tradable as Zach LaVibe. Which is to say not at all. Given his age, injury history, propensity for getting injured and the fact he’s not a play initiator but more of a play finisher it’s real hard to see him bringing back much in a trade beyond some decent picks and maybe a promising player but definitely not a superstar of the tiger he was when we traded for him. So make sure you build the team around the guy who is probably gonna be here longer.
Did LBJ deliver a Ring like he said? No bubble crap, it hangs along with the others. No one gonna watch plain jane Lakers. They have to have a Legend or one in the making! I am watching to see if LBJ plays at Indy end of March, if not, I ain’t going. And I have always said paying AD 60M is crazy! He terrific, but 60M?
I won’t be surprised if there isn’t a trade or a smaller deal that no one has even mentioned. After all no one saw the trade deadline deals last year coming. I do disagree about Max. I think the Lakers will keep him on f he isn’t sweetener in a larger deal. He has shown a lot of growth and they have bird rights. By the way I discovered the reason for the 2 year deals. Before this last agreement, teams could only sign 2nd round players and undrafted player for 2 years unless the dipped into MLE money for longer deals. That been changed. I believe the Lakers lobbied for it because it’s called the Pelinka rule. This year Lewis was signed for 3 years with the new rule.
Interesting, good find Michael (re: The Pelinka Rule).
We sign max and we’re over the 2nd apron, i think, so that will be a no-go zone for jeannie. need to go back and look at the #s tho.