Aloha,
I enjoyed the game again last night. Win or lose It’s fun watching your team play hard. I was rooting for DJ to hit one more shot. It would have been the first time I can remember where everyone who played hit double figures. I think the kids will all make the team next year. It doesn’t mean they will all find major roles but I would rather have them at the end of the bench then a 36 year old vet min retread.
But I’m very concerned about the future of this team. One wrong move this summer could set the franchise back for years to come. And when you have a front office famous for wrong moves, it’s a little unsettling. Just looking at the competition in the West makes building a new contender over one summer nearly impossible.
Unless LeBron says he would like to move on, I doubt if either he or AD will be traded. But if LeBron is given that nearly 50 mil extension it will be difficult to build a contender around our 2 stars. Even if they remained relatively healthy. Tearing it down and rebuilding maybe the fastest way to become a contender again but I’m confident that will not happen. So what we do with Russ becomes that much more important.
I really don’t have a lot of confidence that we can have a club transforming trade using him a a couple of distant picks. I was surprised when I read that the Hornets were interested, when they already have a ball dominate guard in Ball. But MJ owns the team and if there is one guy in the league that will make a bad deal for Russ, it’s Mike. The Hornets most pressing need is at center. It’s no secret that they covet Miles Turner. If the Pacer are able to extend Turner like they want to, a trade with the Hornets becomes more likely. Two names jump out at you on the Hornets roster, Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier. Both have contracts that the Hornets would like to get out of. I doubt we would get both, but again this is Mike’s team so you never know. Adding both would certainly be an upgrade, even adding one of the two would be helpful. It’s questionable if they would lead to a ring but we would definitely be better.
The next team you hear about is the Pacers. All though they are hard to read. A lot of what they do will depend on if the can extend Turner. If they can’t and they have to trade him it could change the types of players they will be looking for. There was talk at one time about a Hayward for Turner deal with the Hornets. Now Pincus proposed a Russ and our 2 1st rounders for Brogdon and Buddy as an example. Those are the contracts the Pacers want to rid themselves of. Again it would be an upgrade but hardly a championship move. And the PG hungry Knicks will probably seriously be in the hunt for Brogdon if he hits the market. So this is a rather long shot.
The Knicks have said that hey are not interested but if they have no PG prospects, they may take a look at Russ. But they would probably be looking to dump Fournier and Walkers bad contracts. That kind of deal probably wouldn’t cost a pick. I would do it if Reddish was included. But again, Walker would probably be stretched and Fournier would be a scorer off the bench. Again not a transforming deal.
The Rockets Wall and perhaps Gordon? All I can say is Hell no. We could actually be worse. Paying a pick and THT to become a worse doesn’t move my needle.
Of course the OKC trade to create a big trade exception is another losing proposition. You have to have picks to send someone to use the exception and if you trade them to create the exception, what’s the point?
Then there is the stretch option which would add 12 to 15 mil to our cap for 3 years. I think I would rather keep Russ, because just dumping him isn’t going to help us win and we still wouldn’t have a lot of space to work with. But I would let Westbrooks agent try and find a deal. In the right situation, with the ball in his hands Russ is still probably a 15 to 20 mil player. If his agent could find a 2 or 3 year deal it could substantially lower the amount we would have to buy him out for.
Then we have THT and maybe Nunn to trade. While THT has definite upside he hasn’t been consistent enough to tempt a team into giving up a star. Would the Pistons give up Grant if we throw in both 1st rounders? Possibly but while Grant is very good, it wouldn’t be enough to put us over the top next year.
If you haven’t figured it out I am not very optimistic at this point. I can see Russ coming back next year. Which wouldn’t be as bad as some other moves we could make. The problem is there will be tremendous pressure on the front office to do SOMETHING. I am just hoping that the something doesn’t set us back even further.
Aloha, Michael,
I also enjoyed watching the Lakers kids finally win a game easily. I think we have four young players I would like to see them bring back next season: Reaves (team option), Johnson (team option), Gabriel (team option), and Monk. I expect us to exercise team options on Reaves, Johnson, and Gabriel and hopefully re-sign Monk to the TP or NT MLE.
We’re facing a critical offseason with a front office that’s had problems making good decisions, which could easily end up in disaster. I’m still hoping the Lakers will bring back Magic as a consultant to help create and implement a vision of a team that more closely resembles our bubble championship style of play but with modern stretch five center. I trust Magic more than Pelinka.
I agree the Lakers are not going to trade LeBron unless he refuses for some reason to sign an extension. Short of that, the Lakers are not going to trade their best two players who less than 18 months ago led the team to their 17th NBA championship. I expect LeBron to verbally confirm he will sign an extension on August 4th so the Lakers can make moves in early July to trade Russ and rebuild their roster back to championship caliber.
I do agree the Lakers will have to be extremely lucky to trade Russ for the three starters we need to rebuild the starting lineup around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. I do think there’s a good chance, however, that we can trade Russ and our two draft picks for at least two legitimate championship starters. The two could be Brogdon and Hield from the Pacers, Wood and Gordon from the Rockets, or Hayward and Rozier from the Hornets would be examples of the kinds of deals that Lakers will be looking for in return for Russ and two first round draft picks.
The Lakers top target should still be Myles Turner plus Malcolm Brogdon, offering Russ’ $47M expiring contract and both of their first-round draft picks. The Pacers have still not firmly decided whether to trade Turner or not and they do have two young centers they like in Jalen Smith and Isiah Jackson. Ironically, Jackson is the player picked with the Laker 2022 first-round draft pick. While the Pacers keep talking about not doing a complete rebuild, they’ve already traded their best prospects and look to firmly be on the way towards a complete rebuild. Anyway, we all know how frustrating it is to try and predict trades.
It will be interesting to see if the Knicks open up to trading for Russ as they need a point guard and star power and can use a $47M expiring contract to rework their roster. I could see the Lakers possibly interested in bringing back Julius Russell and some of the Knicks’ mistakes like Fournier and Walker if they did not have to give up a draft pick but only if they can’t get what they want for Russ and the two picks. Similarly, I think there’s a trade to be made with the Thunder that could create a $30M trade exception the Lakers could use to acquire a pair of starters.
Next, we have THT and Nunn to trade. I’d still love to Cam Reddish from the Knicks but they probably want to get back the draft pick they paid to get him. I also like the idea of trading for Kelly Olynyk as a backup stretch center. I would do the trade for Grant with the two picks if we can’t get Turner or Wood. I still like the Lakers having the versatility to play two bigs (Turner and Davis) or go small (James and Davis). I do agree with you that LeBron should be the four rather than the three with Turner as the five. The solution to me is AD at the three.
Bottom line, I want to get much bigger than we are now. We need to have size at every position. Guards who are 6’ 5” and forwards who are 6’ 8” to 6’ 10.” I want to replicate the bully ball roster we had in the bubble but with modern two-way centers rather than low post traditional centers. I also believe we need to get a starting point guard back in one of these trades and ideally, even a backup point guard.
Finally, I do think there will be an option seriously considered by the Lakers that involves keeping Russ and his $47M expiring contract to create up to $35M in cap space for the summer after next, when LeBron (extension) and AD will be the only players with contracts. This would then mean signing no new players except for one-year deals to make that plan work. This ‘Run it back again’ movement could gain momentum if the Lakers can’t find an easy deal and could get support from everybody wanting to claim we would have won but for the injuries. If Lakers cannot find the right trade for Russ, this could be the backup plan.
I’m with you hoping we somehow make the right moves. I do think having Magic as part of the decision making process would hep ensure a smarter decision.
Michael, that’s an insightful and thoughtful article. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I like how the kids share the wealth last night that led to a blowout. I guess that’s what happens when you are playing under no pressure and not having to look over your shoulder. The effort was there but most importantly, the chemistry seemed much improved. THT, though, looked a bit gassed from his 40 point outing the previous night. Still, they gave us something to enjoy two games in a row.
I agree with you about having the kids back next year( Reaves, Johnson, Gabriel, and Monk). I also agree with Tom about having bigger size players just like we had in the bubble. Our lack of size killed us this season, and we didn’t have the luxury of going big when we needed to.
I am hoping that the front office will come up with a better roster next season. I am done with the blame game going on with this season’s failure. It didn’t work out as expected but at this point, I am willing to let the dead bury the dead and work instead to build a better roster next season.
Thanks Buba.
aloha Tom, i have no idea what happened to my first response to you but I’ll try again. its clear we are far apart on what we believe we can get in a Russ trade. I do know this, we will not get Turner in a trade for Russ. i usually say never say never but on this i will make an exception. we will not get Turner. The word out of Indy since the Sabonis trade is they want to extend Turner. stein just reiterated that today. they would like to pair him with Jalen Smith, who by the way is a PF not a center. so they know what they want to do. the question is can they extend him. If they can’t then they may look to trade him. if that happens we will have to get in the back of the line behid four to five other teams that are interested. The Hornets covet him as does the Raptors and we don’t have the assets to complete with either, especially the Raptors. If Turner had not gotten injured he probably would be a Raptor. I actually believe we will be a fall back plan for Brogdon at best. He is a good player and will certainly have other suitors. i look for the Knicks to look at him. Speaking of the Knicks, they are not going to dump Randle in a Russ trade. As much as I like Randle and wish it were so, I can’t see them trading him to us one year removed from 2nd team all NBA. they can get more. For me the Hornets make the most sense. Hayward has 2 more years at 30 mil left and Rozier has 4 more years at 20+ mil left. Rozier would make a lot of sense. He is the perfect PG to play with Lebron because he can play off the ball. I would be a little nervous about Hayward. He has been injured a lot and will be pushing 35 when his contract is up. he won’t be easy to trade so i can see why the Hornets might do it. I actually would like to see Rozier and Oubre coming back to us but the Hornets may insist on Hayward being part of the deal. But it is probably the best we can do.
I will flat out say no to Hayward, as much as I like him. I am very wary of injury-prone players and I don’t want anything to remind me of the injury-riddled season we had this year. Oubre and Rozier would be fine with me as I like them for what they bring to the table and still have some left in the tank. My preference would be to focus on more young players. I am done with the proverbial over-the-hill players.
I know what you mean Buba. He came back for one game April 2nd and went out again with a foot. In the last 3 years he has played 49, 44 and 52 games. I know one thing I wouldn’t add any firsts to that kind of trade. We would be helping them out as much as they would be helping us.
Well said, Michael.
I long ago gave up trying to get Tom to see reality in his trade proposals, if the money works the trade is all but consummated in his mind. Which is fine, I just had to stop going along for the ride. I comment on the ones I think have a shred of possibility of happening. I think we would all welcome Turner, that’s not the issue, it’s that he’s on a fairly cheap deal given his level of production, Indy already traded Sabonis, and they don’t do rebuilds. I’m always happy to be wrong but too often I am not, like how I predicted that the Lakers would make zero moves at the trade deadline, and other not really inspiring but certainly fueled by reality observations. Same goes for the draft picks, they’re slightly more valuable now that first one will convey a couple months sooner. It’s not that we don’t have assets or players to trade, it’s that our picks are inferior to those other teams can offer and teams know we’re functioning from a point of desperation. Other GMs will look to exploit that and I don’t really think Rob is savvy enough for the perils this summer will present.
It’s always a crap shoot to propose a trade as 99% of the trades that are proposed by more informed and smarter basketball people than myself never happen.
Opinions are like anuses. Everybody has one. You are always skeptical about any proposed trade because you prefer to look at life with the glass half full. I prefer to look at the glass as half full.
While you may feel I am unrealistic in my trade proposals, I never propose trades that I don’t think have a chance of happening. Doesn’t mean they’re going to but does mean there are arguments why the trade could happen.
You look mostly at just the players involved and not the other factors like cap space and other reasons why the other team might be interested. I’m not saying every trade I propose has a good chance of happening, just that there is a logic that could lead to the trade happening.
The other thing you need to understand is trades are the biggest way teams can change their fortunes. They’re always great fodder for conversations about what the team needs and how might they get it. My goal always is to create conversations and controversy for Lakerholics to discuss. When I post a trade idea from another source, I will usually express my opinion in the title or comment.
At any rate, feel free to laugh at any trades I propose but don’t expect me to stop providing trade content or the Lakers to stop trying to make trades. You alwayts take the easy way out by claiming nothing is going to happen. You’ll have to eat those words this summer.
Tom, I look at all angles, including cap space. That is exactly why I wrote that the Hornets deal might be the most likely one. They are on the books 2 more years with Hayward and 4 more with Rozier . With the emergence of Bridges who will need a new contract and Ball neither Hayward or Rozier are in their long term plans. I also never said nothing will happen so I will not have words to eat. A Brogdon/Buddy deal is a possibility. I mearly stated that Brogdon is a very good player, he will probably be the best PG on the trade market and the Knicks are desperate for a PG. And there we will be other interested parties, that’s why I believe it is unlikely. If you can move a player for useful pieces it’s always better then a salary dump. If they can’t find a deal then they may look to dump him and Buddy. The only deal I actually said won’t happen is Turner. I seem to do something you don’t when considering trades. I pay attention to what is being said. It’s been stated since after the trade deadline that the Pacers want to extend him and if they can’t then they might trade him. I also pay attention to who else is interested which you never seem to. There are several teams with more assets that are interested in Turner. And if they can’t find a deal they like I still don’t believe they dump him. A deal for Brogdon is going to cost 1st round picks anyway. They gain nothing by adding Turner since he has an expiring contract. They would just hold on to him and see what they can get at the deadline. So I will gladly eat my words if we do land Turner.
I have no issue whatsoever with your propensity to propose trades, it’s just that I can’t get into the weeds on the ones I flat out don’t see as being realistic. It’s often not that I don’t think the trade makes sense from the perspective of the Lakers or as a Laker fan but that I see literally zero reasons why the other team(s) involved would make the deal. Could it happen is light years away from Will or even should. Anyhow, the season is nigh over, mercifully, and I’m far more excited about baseball than our prospects to j in notice the team so while I hope we make a great deal this summer my prediction would be we end up holding into Russ or accepting some busted , broken player back in return. I’m still not sure which i prefer.
Aloha, Michael,
Yes, it does seem like we don’t agree on many things these days, which is understandable as we’re in one of the most volatile and unpredictable times in the history of the Lakers franchise. It’s not a problem that we don’t agree nor should this turn into a competition over who’s right or wrong. Let’s not make this personal. I respect your opinions even if I don’t agree with all of them. This is a blog and the goal is to exchange ideas and become better informed.
I don’t understand why you want to die on the ‘Lakers will never get Myles Turner’ island. The player who is the Pacers center of the future is not 26-year-old Myles Turner but 20-year-old Isaiah Jackson, who has the shot blocking hops and 3-point shooting Myles has but is a better fit with the timeline the Pacers are creating with 22-year-old Tyrese Haliburton, 20-year-old Jalen Smith, and 24-year-old Chris Duarte.
While I do think it’s more likely the Pacers would trade Hield and Brogdon to the Lakers as that saves them the most future salaries but it’s not a slam dunk like you claim that Turner is not going to be traded. He will be traded this summer or at the trade deadline. Like you said, you should know by now, never to say never.
You could be right about our not having the best trading chips to get Turner. That’s a better argument than claiming he is not going to be traded. Turner wants a big extension and a bigger role than he had with the Pacers before. So he may not be willing to sign an extension and the Pacers may not be willing to give him what he wants because of his fit with the rest of what they are doing.
I guess what it comes down to is I believe the Lakers 2027 and 2029 first round picks are going to highly valued because they are post-LeBron picks that could be made unprotected by the Lakers. We saw how many deals the Lakers were offered by teams trying to get the 2027 pick at the deadline. I believe both the 2027 and 2029 picks will be very desirable picks and should be enough to get us two if not three new starters to go with LeBron and AD. That’s what I believe and hope Rob will be able to do this summer. Is that overly optimistic? Possibly.
I do agree with you that the Hornets could be a possibility but I also think the Knicks could be a possibility. I think they already regret Julius’ contract and Russ’ apparent willingness to buyout his contract for next season could swing things so the Knicks could be suddenly interested. I do like being able to address our wing size needs with Hayward, Rozier, and Oubre. There may be other teams too depending on how the playoffs go.
Russ’ $47M expiring contract will have suitors as it gives a team a great opportunity to clear cap space to pursue free agents. In fact, there’s part of me that worries the Lakers may decide to blow off next season by running it back with Russ, knowing that they would be able to free up $35M in cap space to pursue the replacement for LeBron James.
Bottom line, there are going to be a half dozen to a dozen teams who will be interested in trading rotation players with multiple year contracts to the Lakers for Russ’ $47M expiring contract and two unprotected post-LeBron first round draft picks. Lakers will get at least two new starters out of Russ, THT, Nunn, and the two picks. That’s still my prediction and I stand by it.
Agreed on the Westbrook optimism, the only thing gives me hole (potentially) is how some team or another could flame out in the playoffs. There’s still a lot of basketball left that could alter that situation. Unlikely, but possible. Have to admit that even watching the kids is pretty bittersweet as there will be nothing after. We’re just waiting for the schedule to pull the plug on an already expired season.
Obviously the Pacers disagree with you on who they want at center next year because they want to extend Turner so Jackson probably isn’t there yet. If Jackson develops they can trade Turner in the future. They have stated many times they are not going to go full on rebuild. And I never said that he won’t be traded. You said that for me. I said it just won’t be to the Lakers. They already turned down a first THT and Nunn. Adding Turner to the Brogdon trade which will already require first round picks would not make sense, considering he will be pursued by several other teams with better assets then we have. I believe they would hold onto him until the trade deadline before he was included in a salary dump.