Do LeBron James and Anthony Davis Extensions Kill Lakers' Hopes for Giannis?https://t.co/1Nvf0iDf15 via @BleacherReport
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) December 4, 2020
The Lakers also seemed to be building a relationship with another agency in Octagon, where Giannis Antetokounmpo is partnered with Alex Saratsis and Jeff Austin. Is it a coincidence that Schroder, Matthews and the younger Antetokounmpo are all with Octagon?
Wasn’t it that first year with Caldwell-Pope, a year before James’ arrival in Los Angeles, that the Lakers began to build a relationship with Paul and Klutch? It doesn’t take much to see the Lakers were trying to follow the same path.
Enough with the third star already. The Lakers just won the title and upgraded the roster. Now they can play out the 2020-21 season to see if they have the right fit around Davis and James.
If Schroder is the secondary playmaker/scorer to complement James, then they can reinvest in him after this season. Kuzma is extension-eligible, and if he continues to grow, they should give him a contract.
Harrell may be looking for a bigger payday (he has a player option after the season), but he too could be a long-term piece for the Lakers.
Take away the pressure to build a superteam, and the Lakers may actually have something special already. James and Davis together in and of itself is more than what nearly any team has to offer.
At some point, James will start to slow down as he ages. But if last season is any indicator, he and the Lakers will remain a force for some time.
John M. says
Wise move to lock them up. GA is/was a longshot. Better to not pay 3 guys with nothing left over anyway. And, there’s no reason to be greedy, as well as spreading the talent around a bit is good for balance. I don’t want to see Globetrotters/Generals every night.
LakerTom says
I agree 100%, John. The only viable way to add a third superstar without renouncing or trading away everybody on the roster is to trade or S&T for him where you can take back 125% of the salaries you send out or where you trade for a superstar and then use Bird rights to go over the cap to max him.
Jamie Sweet says
While the above is true there’s no denying that Rob has also perfectly positioned LA to be in play for a mid-season trade should that situation materialize. There’s an apropos number of players who can be moved and fit into a deal for GA and who could also be used as S&T fodder the following summer. Rob has done a great job using the assets available within the confines of the cap rules.
LakerTom says
I agree 100% with you on Rob perfectly positioning us for a midseason trade. We now have three very tradable contracts in Schroder’s $15.5M, KCP’s $12.2M, and Harrell’s $10.3M. I would also extend Kuzma for 3-years at $12M per year to give us 4 excellent trading chips, something we sorely lacked last year.
I also have to say that I love this roster. I still wish we had another modern big who could stretch the floor but the new additions have dramatically upgraded the roster to give us unmatched versatility and depth compared to last year. Frankly, even Cook and Dudley as the 13th and 14th men can play quality minutes when needed.
Buba says
Man, I am content with what we have right now. This roaster keeps me grinning all the time and it makes me feel like a child on Christmas. No need for a third superstar. Michael said it best : no need to be greedy and have nothing left over to complement your superstars. This is a great roaster. Let’s keep it as is. My only worry is if we are going to get additional help at the center position.