Lakerholics

A Lakers Fan Community

LeBron James

Has Jeanie Buss Forgotten Why Los Angeles Lakers Are Worth $5 Billion?

By 4 Comments

Dr. Jerry Buss, who built the Los Angeles Lakers into one of the most successful sports franchises in the world must be rolling over in his grave watching daughter Jeanie forget what made the team worth over $5 billion.

What made Jerry special was he understood pro basketball at its best was simply entertainment and the main key to the business succeeding was to build teams with the star power to attract fans and win championships. The 17 championship banners and 11 retired jerseys of former Laker stars like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant hanging in the rafters are why the Lakers are worth over $5 billion.

While Jerry Buss was often a reckless gambler, he always knew winning solves everything in professional sports so he never allowed himself or the Laker to become complacent or less aggressive. Winning was the only goal. Unfortunately, Jeanie seems to have forgotten that lesson as reports now say the Lakers at this time are unwilling to sign free agents or take back contracts in trades longer than the one year left on LeBron’s contract.

Trying to execute a complete offseason rebuilding of the Lakers roster is challenging enough without having to do with your hands tied behind your back and your feet hogtied. Jeanie Buss must see the forest instead of trees. Investing in the present is investing in the future when it comes to LeBron or any other NBA superstar. LeBron is here today in many ways because of how Jeanie treated Kobe, which is exactly how she should treat LeBron.

Unless the Lakers dysfunction is an inspired scam designed to befuddle competitors and create illusive leverage, the Lakers and LeBron James are now at a standoff that’s paralyzed the franchise during a critical offseason. James’ camp seems to be saying show us you can build a championship team and we’ll sign the extension. The Lakers appear to be replying sign the extension and we’ll then go all-in to build a win-now championship roster.

Who’s right and who’s wrong is not as important as the right outcome, which is LeBron James signing the 2-year extension on August 4th and the Lakers then making the long-term sacrifices to win now with LeBron.

Lakers Fast Break- Did One Phone Call Really Bring Everyone Together? with Jamie Sweet!

By Leave a Comment

Just as the rumors of a Russell Westbrook-LeBron James divorce continue to widen, reports from Chris Hanes of Yahoo suggest that a conference call during the first weekend of Summer League had “reunited” the big three to make a united front stronger than ever. But that was before the Russell Westbrook drama got kicked into high gear. Jamie Sweet from lakerholics.com is here to talk about the call, the fallout since, and what this could mean to Lakers fans on our latest Lakers Fast Break podcast!

Please Like, Share, and Subscribe to our channel and our social media @lakersfastbreak on Twitter. If you have questions for us give us a shout-out on Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook or send us your thoughts to lakersfastbreak@yahoo.com.

Gear up with your favorite Lakers Fast Break shirts and gifts in our Pop Culture Cosmos TeePublic store at https://www.teepublic.com/user/pop-culture-cosmos

Presented by our friends at the Hoop Heads Podcast Network, ThriveFantasy, NBA Draft Junkies, lakerholics.com, lakersball.com, Pop Culture Cosmos, Inside Sports Fantasy Football, Vampires and Vitae, the novel Congratulations, You Suck (available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble) and Retro City Games!

Lakers Fast Break- Something About Kyrie…with Jamie Sweet!

By Leave a Comment


Yes, since everyone else is talking about it, we’ll talk about it too as Jamie Sweet from lakerholics.com stops by to chat about the latest rumor started by the Athletic’s Shams Charania about Kyrie Irving’s contract impasse with the Nets and a supposed desire to look to other teams, including the Lakers. All that and our coaching staff on the bench is complete as we talk Kyrie Irving rumors on the latest Lakers Fast Break podcast!

For the latest news and information on the NBA Draft, subscribe today at NBABigBoard.com and catch the NBA Big Board podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
Please Like, Share, and Subscribe to our channel and our social media @lakersfastbreak on Twitter. If you have questions for us give us a shout-out on Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook or send us your thoughts to lakersfastbreak@yahoo.com.

Gear up with your favorite Lakers Fast Break shirts and gifts in our Pop Culture Cosmos TeePublic store at https://www.teepublic.com/user/pop-culture-cosmos

Presented by our friends at the Hoop Heads Podcast Network, ThriveFantasy, NBA Draft Junkies, lakerholics.com, lakersball.com, Pop Culture Cosmos, Inside Sports Fantasy Football, Vampires and Vitae, the novel Congratulations, You Suck (available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble) and Retro City Games!

How the Lakers Could Upgrade Roster With Five or Six New Rotation Players

By 10 Comments

There’s a growing consensus among those who dislike or doubt the Los Angeles Lakers that there’s just no way they can fix their roster problems this summer to become a legitimate championship contender next season.

On the surface, that projection seems inevitable considering the Lakers only won 33 games this season and there was no interest at the trade deadline for Westbrook or Horton-Tucker, the team’s best trading chips as players. What‘s different now is the Lakers have two first round picks to sweeten trades and Westbrook’s bad contract has now become an appealing $47 million expiring contract for teams looking to dump bad contracts.

In addition to trading Westbrook and Horton-Tucker, the Lakers should also make a strategic decision to hard cap themselves next season, which would then require them to remain under a $155.7 million total salaries hard cap. The benefits of being hard capped include not paying major luxury taxes, getting the full $10.4 million MLE and $4.1 million BAE instead of the $6.3 million mini-MLE, and being able to receive free agents via sign-and-trades.

The Laker should be able to get at least three rotation players who earn between $15 and $20 million per year in return for trading Russell Westbrook, Talen Horton-Tucker, and the team’s two first round draft picks. Additionally, the Lakers should also be able to sign two or three legitimate rotation players using their $10.4 million MLE and $4.1 million BAE. These would all be major upgrades over last season’s minimum salary players.

The Lakers have a path to add five or six legitimate rotation players to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis this summer. So let’s take a look at whom the Lakers might be targeting via both trade and free agency.

RUSSELL WESTBROOK TRADE

The Lakers’ top offseason priority is to trade Westbrook for two legitimate rotation players. Because they would have to take $50 to $100 million in bad contracts, the Lakers should not be willing to include picks to move Russ.

Whether it’s posturing or serious, the Lakers have been hinting they would keep Westbrook if they cannot find a trade for him rather than swapping him to Houston for Wall’s identical deal or waiving and stretching him. Because salaries have to match, the Lakers’ goal in trading Westbrook is to break his contract into two or three smaller contracts. Ideally, the Lakers would like to trade him for two players making around $20 million.

Here are four player trades with teams looking to create cap space by dumping players on long-term contracts for ones on expiring contracts. Rob Pelinka and the Lakers should be able to pull off one of these four trades.

1. Indiana Pacers Trade for Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield

Malcolm Brogdon (3 years and $67.8M) and Buddy Hield (2 years and $42.2M) are probably the best package the Lakers could hope to get for Russell Westbrook’s $47 million expiring contract without a draft pick. Opportunities available to expand trade should include Myles Turner.

2. Charlotte Hornets Trade for Gordon Hayward and Kelly Oubre, Jr

Gordon Hayward (2 years and $60M) and Kelly Oubre, Jr. (1 year and $12.6M) are probably the second best package the Lakers could get back for Russell Westbrook without including a first round draft pick. Opportunities available to replace Oubre include Terry Rozier or P. J. Washington.

3. Houston Rockets Trade for Christian Wood, Eric Gordon, David Nwaba

Eric Gordon (2 years and $39.0M), Christian Wood (1 year and $14.3M), and Davis Nwaba (2 years and $10.0M) would be the third best package in return for Russell Westbrook’s $47 million expiring contract without a draft pick. Lakers are not interested in swapping Westbrook for John Wall.

4. New York Knicks Trade for Julius Randle and Evan Fournier

Julius Randle (4 years and $104.4M) and Evan Fournier (3 year and $54.0M) are probably the fourth best package the Lakers could get for Russell Westbrook and his expiring contract without a draft pick. Opportunities to expand trade should include Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish.

TALEN HORTON-TUCKER TRADE

Horton-Tucker is the other Lakers player besides Russell Westbrook whom the Lakers must trade this offseason. There is a good chance that THT might be included in an expanded version of the Russell Westbrook trade.

While he’s only 21-years old, Horton-Tucker possesses dominating physical measurements. He has a 7′ 1″ wingspan, Kawhi Leonard sized hands, and a powerful body that weighs more than any other shooting guard in the NBA. While THT is not a great fit on the Lakers and needs to be on a young team surrounded by shooters where he could grow and develop into an elite two-way shooting guard/small forward, he still possesses exceptional upside.

Here are four possible THT trades that target potential Lakers starters and include one or two Lakers’ first round draft picks. Pelinka and the Lakers should be able to pull off one of these four trades for key rotation player.

1. Detroit Pistons Trade for Jerami Grant

2028 First Round Pick Should Be 2029

Trading THT, Nunn, Gabriel, and their 2027 and 2029 first round draft picks for an elite young 6′ 8″ 3&D wing Jerami Grant is probably the Lakers’ best available Horton-Tucker trade. Getting Grant would cost the Lakers two first round picks but fills what is thought to be their defensive weakness.

2. Indiana Pacers Trade for T.J. Warren

The Lakers would have to agree to be hardcapped at $155.7 million if they were to pull off a sign-and-trade for Indiana Pacers free agent T. J. Warren, who’s essentially been injured the past two years. Warren would be the Lakers second best return for a Talen Horton-Tucker trade this summer.

3. Brooklyn Nets Trade for Nic Claxton

As with T.J. Warren, a sign-and-trade for Nic Claxton would also require the Lakers to accept a $155.7 million hard cap for next season. Claxton is a defensive specialist who can protect the rim and defend the perimeter. His defense is good enough that small ball teams cannot play him off the court.

4. New York Knicks Trade for Cam Reddish

Cam Reddish would also be a great fit as the Lakers young bigger 3&D wing. THT and our 2027 first round pick should be enough to incentivize the Knicks to trade Reddish to the Lakers. New York didn’t really integrate Reddish into their rotations as he only played 14.4 mpg during the season.

MID LEVEL EXCEPTION

One of the strategic keys to the Lakers being able to rebuild a championship caliber roster this summer is being able to live with being hard capped with total team salaries to be under $155.7 million for next season.

The Lakers’ three major benefits of being hard capped are (1) the standard $10.4 million MLE, (2) the $4.0 million BAE, and (3) the ability to receive a restricted or unrestricted free agent in a a sign-and-trade transaction. That’s a total of $14.4 million to spend on free agents vs. $6.4 million if not hard capped. Not counting possible sign-and-trades, that means one $10 million and one $5 million per year player or three $5 million players.

Here are four possible free agent starters the Lakers could target with their full standard $10.4 million MLE. Rob Pelinka and the Lakers should be able to sign one of these four players to start with their Mid Level Exception.

1. Isaiah Hartenstein, Los Angeles Clippers Center

Isaiah Hartenstein should be the Lakers top free agent target and they should be willing to use their full $10.4 million MLE if necessary. He can be the modern rim protector and floor stretcher the Lakers need. Hartenstein is the Clippers version of Monk in that they can only offer him $4.7 million.

2. Bruce Brown, Brooklyn Nets Small Forward

Bruce Brown is second on the list of free agent prospects whom the Lakers could pursue with part or all of the $10.4 million full MLE. An elite defender who plays bigger than his 6′ 4″ body, Brown would be a great starting 3&D shooting guard and small forward and perfect fit next to LeBron and AD.

3. Pat Connaughton, Milwaukee Bucks Shooting Guard

Should Pat decline his player option to become an unrestricted free agent, the Lakers should try and sign him with their $10.4 million MLE. Pat is not only an elite defender but also a dead eye 3-point shooter. He would be an elite add to the Lakers for the same reason he’s been so good for the Bucks.

4. Jalen Smith, Indiana Pacers Power Forward

Jalen Smith is another player like Warren or Monk whose likely to leave his current team. The Pacers do not have the ability to match his market value since they declined the third year option on his rookie contract. Smith will certainly receive offers greater than the $5 million the Pacers can pay.

BI-ANNUAL EXCEPTION

The Los Angeles Lakers are eligible to use their $4.1 million Bi-Annual Exception this season to sign one player this season provided they elect to become hard capped at $155.7 million in total salaries for the year.

Being able to sign a non-minimum salary player via the BAE gives the Lakers another opportunity to add an important role player to the roster. The two trades and MLE and BAE will let the Lakers to build a deep roster. The Lakers want a rotation with no minimum salary players. Assuming an 8 or 9 player rotation, that means the Lakers need to add six or seven new quality rotation players to superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Here are four possible free agent players the Lakers could target with their $4.1 million BAE. Rob Pelinka and the Lakers should be able to sign one of these four rotation players to their Bi-Annual Exception.

1. Otto Porter, Jr., Golden State Warriors Power Forward

Otto Porter, Jr. should be the Lakers top target for their $4.1M BAE. The Warriors are likely to be moving on from several minimum salary players as James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga take on more minutes. Porter is a perfect bigger 3&D wing who can shoot the three and defend big wings.

2. Nemanja Bjelica, Golden State Warriors Power Forward

Nemanja Bjelica is the next Golden State minimum salary player who would be a perfect fit on the Lakers. Nemanja has good size and mobility and is an elite 3-point shooter who complements James and Davis. He should be the Lakers second choice for their Bi-Annual Exception.

3. Gary Payton II, Golden State Warriors Shooting Guard

Gary Payton II is another Warriors’ minimum salary player who’s likely to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and would be a perfect candidate to sign with the Lakers for their B-Annual Exception. Payton is an elite defender who should fit in great coming off the bench with the Lakers.

4. Damian Lee, Golden State Warriors Shooting Guard

Damian Lee is another minimum salary player who’s earned regular minutes in the Warriors’ rotation but is likely to be allowed to walk as a free agent this summer. Lee can play defense, shoot the three, and is a bench player who’s proven he can play well on a contending team.

Power of Positional Size Is Why Lakers Must Become Bigger at Every Position

By 21 Comments

Dominant size at every position was how the Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble, playing a jumbo starting lineup that averaged 6′ 8″ or 2 inches taller at all five positions than the average NBA team.

Watching this season’s undersized version of those Lakers consistently lose the rebounding and points-in-the-paint battles will hopefully force the front office to reprioritize their roster building strategy to focus on getting bigger. What had been a fearsome small-ball-on-steroids attack that dominated at both ends of the court in the bubble has somehow evolved into undersized micro-ball lineups with Anthony Davis or LeBron James as the only big.

Positional size is not about prioritizing size over needed basketball skillsets. It’s about building a roster with players who are just as good at shooting, passing, rebounding, and defending as any at their position but are bigger. Having a size advantage at every position is game changing at both ends of the court, as Lakers’ opponents discovered in the bubble. The Lakers dominated the boards and paint playing two bigs and small-ball-on-steroids.

While size matters in the NBA, just being big is not enough and players need quickness, foot speed, and physicality to play and defend their position and not be constantly hunted by teams and played off the floor defensively. Heading into this summer, the Lakers’ top priority after hiring a head coach and trading Russell Westbrook should be to return to their winning strategy of positional size advantage when rebuilding around LeBron and AD.

Positional size is about creating a team-wide size advantage that translates into opposing teams getting worn out fighting against bigger players and frustrated as they give up more points, rebounds, blocked shots, and steals. It’s also about not just about size alone; it’s about how a player uses size. LeBron James and Anthony Davis, for example, both play bigger than their physical measurements as do players like P.J. Tucker and Bruce Brown.

Let’s take a look at why positional size is so important to the Lakers, how more positional size will impact the team offensively and defensively, and why greater positional size is the key to the purple and gold winning #18.

Why Is Positional Size Such a Key Factor in Lakers’ Rebuild?

Restoring the positional size advantage that helped them win the 2020 NBA championship should be the Los Angeles Lakers top priority this summer. Positional size is the strategic wild card the Lakers need to fully embrace.

The last two year’s injury plagued seasons should have convinced the Lakers’ front office that playing injury-prone Anthony Davis or 37-year old LeBron James extensively at center was not a smart strategic move to make. James at the four and Anthony at the five leave the Lakers undersized at both positions since at 6′ 9″ James is 1 inch shorter and at 6′ 10″ Davis 2 inches shorter than today’s average NBA power forward and center.

But were the Lakers to acquire a new enter like 6′ 11″ Myles Turner or 7′ 0″ Isaiah Hartenstein and move 6′ 10″ Anthony Davis to the four and 6′ 9″ LeBron James to the three, they’d have a size edge at all three positions. That’s why the smart way for the Lakers to get bigger is by adding a 6′ 11″ to 7′ 1″ center and moving 6′ 9″ James and 6′ 10″ Davis down a position rather than playing the four and five and adding size with a bigger small forward.

Making positional size part of the roster building strategy reflects that players at all positions have been and will continue to get bigger and their wingspans longer so it makes sense to prioritize size when the rest is equal. The other thing to remember is it’s how the player plays that matters more than his height measurement. Individual motor, vertical leap, and physicality can empower players to play greater than their physical size.

While LeBron James and Anthony Davis have the skill and talent to play bigger than they are, their best positions are most likely small and power forward where they have a definite size advantage over their competition.

How Will Positional Size Will Impact Lakers Offensively?

Offensively, having positional size advantage should enable the Lakers to dominate the paint, score at the rim, and control the boards, playing both a versatile bully-ball two-bigs and small-ball-on-steroids style of basketball.

Restoring the Lakers’ positional size advantage on offense starts with a young modern two-way center to start games to enable Anthony Davis to start at the four in regular season games like during the championship year. Starting a 6′ 11″ to 7′ 1″ young stud at center and sliding Anthony Davis and LeBron James down a position to power forward and small forward would give the Lakers a significant 2″ advantage at all three front court positions.

The only tweak the Lakers should make is adding a modern center who can not only block shots and protect the rim but can also stretch the court with 3-point shooting and defend well enough not to get played off the floor. Acquiring a modern two-way center like Turner or Hartenstein could also limit the wear-and-tear and potential injuries due to Anthony Davis having to deal with the raw physicality of playing center in the regular season.

By adding a stretch five center like Myles Turner or Isaiah Hartenstein, the Lakers can upgrade their positional size advantage in the front court and also improve their shooting, rebounding, and points-in-the-paint issues.

How Will Positional Size Impact Lakers Defensively?

Last season, the Lakers’ lack of positional size hurt them defensively in three areas: lack of front court size to control the boards, shot blockers to protect the rim, and guards or wings with the size to defend paint post ups.

Defensively, the Lakers need to get bigger at every position. They need a true starting center with the size to physically bang with Jokic, Embiid, Towns, and other NBA centers who are too big or too physical for Davis. They need bigger small forwards who can guard taller wing scorers like Durant, Antetokounmpo, and Doncic. And they need bigger guards who can switch everything and not be constantly hunted as easy prey on defense.

Adding a defensive center who can protect the rim and defend in space, a proven wing defender who can guard bigger wing scorers, and bigger guards who can switch everything will give Lakers a positional size edge. They may start games with a traditional two bigs lineup with Davis at the four and the new center at the five and close games by replacing the center with an elite wing defender and finishing with small-ball-on-steroids.

Defensively, having positional size advantage should enable the Lakers to transform poor rebounding, weak shot blocking, and easily hunted defenders from being their greatest weaknesses to their greatest strengths.

Why Could Positional Size Be Key to Lakers’ Championship?

Dominant positional size was the path the Los Angeles Lakers took to win their 17th NBA championship and, with a few modernizing tweaks, should be the same strategy they follow when rebuilding their roster this summer.

In many ways, the Lakers have bought in on the league-wide lack of respect for what the center position means to winning in an NBA where Rudy Gobert can win DPOY but can be played off the court by teams going small. The minutes and games that have been wasted with the forgettable and mostly over-the-hill rent-a-centers the Lakers have deployed over the last few seasons is almost criminal. Centers still matter, just like midrange shots.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis give the Lakers an advantage no other NBA team has in that they have two superstars who can play and defend all five positions on the court. They’re solid gold roster building wild cards. Getting bigger by adding a center instead of a forward enables the Lakers to take advantage of their stars’ versatility while reducing their workload and limiting some of the low post physicality that can lead to injuries.

Next to hiring a new head coach and trading Westbrook, bringing in a young modern two-way center to start alongside James and Davis would give the Lakers a significant size advantage at every position.