NBA free agency/LeBronapalooza 2018

[IthacaBarrel]

I would move Lonzo - wonder if other teams have been "thanks but no thanks on him being included". Fascinating power struggle between player and franchise with the league's face waiting on the outside to see what happens.

Funny if the Lakers whiff on everything they will look really bad. As media always makes it sounds like guys would be falling over themselves to play for Magic and the storied Lakers in such a major market. Golden St is clearly the toast of the NBA right now as Hollywood aside there are so many opportunities in Silicon Valley for players theses days.

Pop is driving the bus and he's going to get a hell of a deal for Leonard, IMO. Celtics offer looks light to me

 

[Alsacs]

Let me say again I was wrong and Danny Ainge was right.
I can’t believe how he knew Tatum at 3 over Ball at 2.

I thought Ball was the best prospect last year and even liked Fultz.

 

[Knicks411]

Love the off season

 

[CuseFaninVT]

It is starting to sound like Kawhi is the dependency for Bron to the Lakers now. And Pop can just sit on this and wait and make the Lakers sweat. The Lakers will have to throw the kitchen sink at them, see the tweet.

"Want Kawhi, no problem, just give us everything you have, thanks".

Ingram and Kuzma? Ouch. Trade away the future. No thanks.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I’m entirely sick of talking about the Lakers already.

I think the media is manufacturing a lot of this because they want them to be good.

 

[OrangeDW]

Ingram and Kuzma? Ouch. Trade away the future. No thanks.

Ridiculous. Offer Randle and Hart, and if they say no then move on. The Spurs have no power here. They’re the crumbling franchise whose superstar wants out and wants to come to our team. Hang onto him then Spurs, and lose him for nothing when we sign him next year. Or trade him to somebody else and let them rent him for a year. Again, we’ll just sign him next year.

Don’t let the media and the many stupid Laker fans make you feel any pressure. We don’t have to do a damn thing this summer!

 

[Trueblue25]

How can you possibly listen to that?

Because I agree with his views on Lebron and Kawhi.

 

[chugg21]

Because I agree with his views on Lebron and Kawhi.

When he opens his mouth I start debating whether or not life is worth living.

 

[chugg21]

Ridiculous. Offer Randle and Hart, and if they say no then move on. The Spurs have no power here. They’re the crumbling franchise whose superstar wants out and wants to come to our team. Hang onto him then Spurs, and lose him for nothing when we sign him next year. Or trade him to somebody else and let them rent him for a year. Again, we’ll just sign him next year.

Don’t let the media and the many stupid Laker fans make you feel any pressure. We don’t have to do a damn thing this summer!

100% disagree. If you don't bring in someone else this summer then LBJ likely isn't coming and even if you manage to sign Kawhi next year, what is a core of Ball, Ingram and Kawhi going to do in the West? Be battling for a 5 seed for the next 4 years until the Warriors get too expensive? Randle and Hart probably isn't even enough to get someone to take on Deng's contract, let alone bring in Kawhi.

 

[Knicks411]

100% disagree. If you don't bring in someone else this summer then LBJ likely isn't coming and even if you manage to sign Kawhi next year, what is a core of Ball, Ingram and Kawhi going to do in the West? Be battling for a 5 seed for the next 4 years until the Warriors get too expensive? Randle and Hart probably isn't even enough to get someone to take on Deng's contract, let alone bring in Kawhi.

i think I agree with this, it's easy to say we'll sign Kawhi next summer, but you never know. Maybe he gets traded somewhere else, loves it there, and never hits the market.

 

[chugg21]

i think I agree with this, it's easy to say we'll sign Kawhi next summer, but you never know. Maybe he gets traded somewhere else, loves it there, and never hits the market.

It's literally the exact same situation as Paul George last year. Lakers don't pay and cross their fingers. PG might still end up there but it seems no better than 50/50 at this point.

 

[Melancer46]

Multiple Phoenix radio guys are saying that there will be a major move today involving the Suns.

There seems to be some random speculation that they could be acquiring one of three players: Kevin Love, Ryan Anderson, or Luol Deng.

 

[Alsacs]

Rumor is the Suns are going to take Ryan Anderson for a first round pick and they are getting Lonzo Ball from the Lakers with Deng.

 

[Knicks411]

Rumor is the Suns are going to take Ryan Anderson for a first round pick and they are getting Lonzo Ball from the Lakers with Deng.

Both guys are signed for 2 years, man that's a lot of $ to eat

 

[chugg21]

That would be incredible for PHX though. Ball fits into their timeline perfectly and fills their biggest need. No point of them to be spending any more money on FAs and taking playing time away from the kids right now. Might as well use that cap space to grab assets that fit the timeline.

Kupchak and Buss really boned the Lakers with those Deng/Mozgov deals that made absolutely no sense from day 1. Might end up costing them 2 #2 overall picks to clear them out of the way.

 

[Melancer46]

 

[Melancer46]

Rumor is the Suns are going to take Ryan Anderson for a first round pick and they are getting Lonzo Ball from the Lakers with Deng.

I would think Phoenix would receive more than just one first round pick if they're absorbing Anderson's contract

 

[Alsacs]

That would be incredible for PHX though. Ball fits into their timeline perfectly and fills their biggest need. No point of them to be spending any more money on FAs and taking playing time away from the kids right now. Might as well use that cap space to grab assets that fit the timeline.

Kupchak and Buss really boned the Lakers with those Deng/Mozgov deals that made absolutely no sense from day 1. Might end up costing them 2 #2 overall picks to clear them out of the way.

The Steve Nash trade is what killed the Lakers. He was cooked and they have up 2 lottery picks for his corpse.

Phoenix trading that pick to Philly for Eric Bledose was the stupid.

I agree Ball is a perfect fit for them. They aren't going to get any real FA anyway. Use your cap space for assets and then they will expire in 2 years.

 

[OrangeDW]

100% disagree. If you don't bring in someone else this summer then LBJ likely isn't coming and even if you manage to sign Kawhi next year, what is a core of Ball, Ingram and Kawhi going to do in the West? Be battling for a 5 seed for the next 4 years until the Warriors get too expensive? Randle and Hart probably isn't even enough to get someone to take on Deng's contract, let alone bring in Kawhi.

I don’t care if LBJ comes because we’re not beating GS before he gets too old anyway. Let’s play the long game.

We don’t know the ceiling of a Ingram, Ball, Kawhi core yet because 2 of those guys are 20 years old.
I remember when the Warriors ceiling was supposedly 50 wins and round 2...until it wasn’t.

I’m good with keeping our flexibility, letting the young guys cook this year, and making a move next summer. If it’s not Kawhi, it’ll be somebody else.

 

[Alsacs]

So Orlando is going to trade one of Issac/Gordon/Bamba for Lonzo?

I can't see them being that stupid.

 

[HOFCeluck]

The Lakers are not going to unseat GSW with or without LeBron. Better to just wait them out.

 

[Melancer46]

So Orlando is going to trade one of Issac/Gordon/Bamba for Lonzo?

I can't see them being that stupid.

No, he's saying they'd have all four. I assume that they'd hypothetically be taking Deng's contract as well so that the Spurs don't have to.

 

[OrangeDW]

The Lakers are not going to unseat GSW with or without LeBron. Better to just wait them out.

I’ve said before that I’d love to wait them out another year and then start our rise and their fall simultaneously by signing Klay away from them.

We don’t need to go all in on a veteran “super team” with 3 stars including a 33 year old LeBron in full win now mode, when one of the best teams in NBA history is still in its prime right in the West.

 

[Alsacs]

No, he's saying they'd have all four. I assume that they'd hypothetically be taking Deng's contract as well so that the Spurs don't have to.

So Ball and Deng to Orlando, I wonder what the Lakers would send to San Antonio.

Lakers can't trade 3 of their 4 guys (Ball/Kozma/Ingram/Wagner) to get Leonard.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I’ve said before that I’d love to wait them out another year and then start our rise and their fall simultaneously by signing Klay away from them.

We don’t need to go all in on a veteran “super team” with 3 stars including a 33 year old LeBron in full win now mode, when one of the best teams in NBA history is still in its prime right in the West.

I mean its not like the Lakers tried to make a "super team" of veterans somewhat recently. And failed miserably against a team that falls a bit short compared to these Warriors.