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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreWhile fans would like Rob Pelinka to pull off a blockbuster trade for a big name superstar like Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine, or Victor Oladipo, there are lesser, more realistic, championship caliber moves the Lakers can make.
That doesn’t mean the Lakers won’t try to shoot for the moon and pull off a blockbuster move. We all know Lakers’ Exceptionalism is not just a slogan; it’s a mantra that drives the Lakers just like Mamba Mentality drove Kobe. When you’re defending NBA champions, making sure you hang onto key players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo, Markieff Morris, and Dwight Howard may be the smart route to take rather than major change.
Sometimes, it’s the little tweaks to fill critical needs that can be the difference makers in a team being able to repeat as NBA champions. After all, the Lakers had great chemistry and were not challenged in the playoffs. That’s why simply adding a third scorer, second playmaker, elite wing defender, or modern center without giving up invaluable core components could be the ideal blueprint for the Lakers to pursue this offseason.
With that in mind, here are four moves the Lakers can realistically pull off to repeat as NBA champions without sacrificing any major contributors who were instrumental to the team winning their 17th NBA championship:
1. Trade for Chris Paul
The most realistic move the Lakers can make to improve their chances of repeating as NBA champions would be to trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder for 35-year old, 6′ 1,” 175 lb future HOF point guard Chris Paul.
Since CP3 will make $41.4 million next season, the Lakers will have to send out $33.1 million in salaries for the trade to be legal. For the Lakers to reach that amount, they would need Avery Bradley and JaVale McGee to opt in. That would let the Lakers trade the following six players with expiring contracts: JaVale McGee, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Kyle Kuzma, Quinn Cook, and either a re-signed Dion Waiters or Talen Horton-Tucker.
The Lakers would have to accept the $41.4 million due Chris next season and the $44.2 million player option due him the following season, which would mean $85.6 million in salary in a pandemic ravaged NBA economy. That’s a steep price for the Lakers to pay unless Paul gives the Lakers a buyout option for the second year of his $44.2 million contract, a possibility since he does want a chance to play in LA with LeBron and win a ring.
That might be the key to the trade since it would give the Lakers a way to move on from Chris without having to pay his full salary should his play decline dramatically or should he become injured, of which he has a history. And while the Lakers would sacrifice considerable depth to make the trade, they would still field a possible starting lineup of CP3, KCP, LeBron, AD, and Howard with a bench of Rondo, Caruso, THT, Dudley, and Cousins.
A healthy CP3 would give the Lakers a third scorer, second playmaker, and elite on-ball defender to go with LeBron James and Anthony Davis and make them odds on favorites to repeat and win another championship.
2. Sign Aron Baynes
One of the Los Angeles Lakers’ top priorities this offseason should be to to sign 33-year old, 6′ 10,” 260 lb Phoenix Suns free agent center Aron Baynes with their taxpayer $5.6 million MLE or non-taxpayer $9.3 million MLE.
While the Lakers succeeded playing a tandem of traditional centers JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard during the regular season, it became apparent both centers were liabilities and became almost unplayable in the playoffs. The problem on offense was JaVale and Dwight were not threats to shoot, which allowed teams to clog the paint against LeBron and AD, and on defense were too slow to defend against 3-point shooters on the perimeter.
While Baynes is not as good a shot blocker McGee or Howard are, he’s an excellent low post position defender who can protect the rim, control the boards, and has a reputation as both a savvy and capable team defender. He’s a great communicator who always makes the right rotations, defends with size and verticality, and is a rugged banger who would enable Anthony Davis to continue to play the four and roam the paint as a help shot blocker.
Where Baynes shines is on offense, where he’s a high percentage 3-point shooter who can stretch defenses and make it difficult for teams to clog the lane to prevent LeBron James and Anthony Davis from attacking the paint. Baynes only made $5.5 million with the Suns last season so the Lakers could have a great chance to sign him for the $5.6 million taxpayer MLE and offer him a starting role and a chance to win a championship ring.
A stretch five like Aron Baynes would let the Lakers play the modern version of ‘small ball’ basketball that transformed them into an offensive and defensive juggernaut in the playoffs 48 minutes per game going forward.
3. Sign Danilo Gallinari
The Lakers would be smart to convince 32-year old, 6′ 10,” 233 lb OKC Thunder veteran power forward Danilo Gallinari to sign with them for the $9.3 million non-taxpayer MLE and a chance to win a championship ring.
While Gallo earned $22.6 million last season, he made it imminently clear winning would be a bigger motivation than money when he makes his free agent decision for this offseason, which could open the door for the Lakers. Danilo has earned over $135 million during his NBA career, which makes it easier for him to consider joining the Lakers for $9.3 million and a chance to play with LeBron and AD and win his first championship ring.
The blueprint for LeBron James’ teams winning championships has always been surrounding him with 3-point shooting, which is why a sharpshooter like Danilo Gallinari would turbocharge and transform the Lakers’ offense. Gallo’s a 38.0% career 3-point shooter who shot 40.5% from deep last season on over 7 attempts per game, which rank as the third highest 3-point percentage and most 3-point shot attempts in his 12-year NBA career.
The Lakers’ 31.6 3-point shot attempts per game ranked 23rd and their 34.9% 3-point shot percentage ranked 21st in the NBA last year. Their best 3-point shooter was KCP who averaged 38.5% on 3.4 shots per game. While Gallo‘s not a great defender, he’s always been able to produce more on offense than he allows on defense, posting an impressive 5.7 Net Rating and 3.7 Plus/Minus last season, second best on the Thunder behind Chris Paul.
Gallo starting at the four would modernize the Lakers’ offense, opening the door for Anthony Davis to finally move to the five or for Gallo to play small ball five with AD providing critical help side rim protection from the four.
4. Trade for JJ Redick
If the Lakers want to upgrade their 3-point shooting, they should pursue a trade for 36-year old, 6′ 3,” 220 lb New Orleans Pelicans’ shooting guard JJ Redick, who shot 45.3% from deep last season on 6.6 attempts per game.
With New Orleans committed to rebuilding and looking to trade Jrue Holiday, it’s almost certain the Pelicans will be looking to see what they can get for the veteran Redick, one of the best 3-point shooters in the league. Unlike Holiday who had two years and $53.5 million left on his contract, JJ has only one year and $13 million left on his deal so the Lakers would have to offer the Pelicans a tempting package to motivate them to trade Redick.
While Redick may only be a one or two-year solution, his sharpshooting is exactly what the Lakers need to unleash LeBron James and Anthony Davis. His gravity beyond the arc could be a legit championship difference maker. The Lakers might be able to tempt the Pelicans to trade Redick with an offer of Talen Horton-Tucker and their 2020 first round draft pick along with the expiring contracts of Avery Bradley and JaVale McGee as salary filler.
For the win now Lakers, they would land one of the most feared 3-point shooters in the league without giving up any of the key players who were playoff contributors to winning their 17th NBA championship last season. For the rebuilding Pelicans, they would receive a promising young star in Horton-Tucker, a first round draft pick, and a pair of championship experienced veterans to help mentor their talented young roster.
A dead-eye 3-point shooter like Redick would give the Lakers a proven third scorer and 6MOY candidate who could come off the bench and rain threes on opposing defenses to unleash LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
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8 Comments-
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Lots of great options here. As I said in my comments about the ‘Magical’ moves, I love the idea of a modern center even more than a point guard because a player like Baynes would unleash AD and LeBron and Rondo is one hell of a point guard rotation.
CP3 is the backup deal, the deal we can make if nothing else is possible. Redick would be a perfect fit. Not a total fan of adding Gallo. But I’m there with you on Baynes. Plays BB like it’s Rugby.
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In regards to CP3, I guess I’m just not seeing any reasons or explanations that make me see the logic in shelling out 4-5 players, and picks if we get fleeced…, for a player we’ll:
A) Ask to do less because we have LeBron,
B) Is often-injured
C) Is combative with Rondo whom we both have topping our lists of ‘things Lakers should move quickly/players to keep.
D) And even in a world where Rondo leaves town, we would (in theory) still have Bradley who is certainly the lesser talent but, for the price (and not shipping out 1/3 of the roster) you get roughly 1/3 of what CP3 is for an 1/8th of the cost.
E) WIll clutter up our pursuit of Giannis when he’s 36 going on 37.I honestly just don’t see a reason why we would feel the need to make that trade. Unless LeBron signals he wants to end the PG experiment, will take a lesser deal after this year when he renegotiate an option (he won’t) we’re out of the Giannis race, no one will trade us for 36-37 year old Chris Paul making 44 million dollars. It won’t matter that he’s an expiring contract, no team in win now would part with 1/3 of their team to get him. No rebuilding team is looking to inherit our cap issues. There are younger, cheaper and good enough options out there, some are already on our team.
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Hi Guys..Hope all is well in your end..I agree with Jamie..I would love to see an Aron Baynes on our roster..not that much for Galo and Reddick unless Galo takes a subtantial cut like vet min and reddick for bradley and mcgee..Definitely no for Chris Paul..if our aim is to keep AD long term, we would just need to find a third scorer like DRose or someone that can create shots for themselves and help ease out LBJ’s playmaking time..By preserving cap space in 2021, we would have the chance to add a possible star and team up with AD and Lebron
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Going well man, thanks. Agree with you on both Dani and Chris, fine players but bad fits for the modern Laker. I just don’t see Chris impacting the team to the point that the cost to acquire him would be worth it. Toss in his well-documented propensity to come up injured at key moments, his age and the condensed schedule making either injury or another load-managed player highly likely and the kicker is he’d clutter up all or Giannis space. I just don’t really even see a reason to contemplate such a trade. If it happens I’ll be very disappointed, can’t see him adding W’s. I prefer Rondo in every way, shape and form. Hell, I prefer Avery Bradley.
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Hi Magicman. Everything is doing okay now here in the Philippines especially that the Lakers won their 17th. Thank you. Hope all is good in your end as well.
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We’re (the 6) are in the red. Bad surge right now. Me and the fam are okay. Yup 17 was sweet and bittersweet.
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreWhen the games are over and the offseason begins, there’s nothing as fun, exciting, exhilarating, frustrating, or polarizing for Lakers fans than talking about trades, whom to pursue, whom to trade, who says YES, who says NO.
So here is Lakerholics.Com’s ‘Laker Trade Machine’ with rankings by position, fit, cost, and attainability for every potential trade target the Los Angeles Lakers might be interested in pursuing a trade for this offseason:
RANKING (In order of Importance):
Feasibility: A=Doable, F=Not Doable
Fit: A=Great Fit, F=Poor Fit
Cost: A=Affordable, F=Prohibitive
Age: A=In Prime, F=Too Old
POINT GUARDS:
- Dennis Schroder
OKC Thunder, 27 yrs old, 6′ 1″ 172 lbs, $15.5M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 18.9/3.6/4.0, FG%/3P%/FT%: 46.9/38.5/83.9
Feasibility: B, Fit: A, Cost: B, Age: A - Goran Dragic
Miami Heat, 34 yrs old, 6′ 3″ 190 lbs, $19.2M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 16.2/3.2/5.1, FG%/3P%/FT%: 44.1/36.7/77.6
Feasibility: B, Fit: A, Cost: B, Age: D - Chris Paul
OKC Thunder, 35 yrs old, 6′ 1″ 175 lbs, $41.4M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 17.6/5.0/6.7, FG%/3P%/FT%:48.9/36.5/90.7
Feasibility: B, Fit: A, Cost: C, Age: D - Derrick Rose
Detroit Pistons, 32 yrs old, 6′ 2″ 200 lbs, $7.7M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 18.1/2.4/5.6, FG%/3P%/FT%: 49.0/30.6/87.1
Feasibility: B, Fit: C, Cost: A, Age: C - Jrue Holiday
New Orleans Pelicans, 30 yrs old, 6′ 2″ 205 lbs, $26.2M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 19.1/4./6.7, FG%/3P%/FT%: 45.5/35.3/70.9
Feasibility: C, Fit: A, Cost: D, Age: B - Spencer Dinwiddie
Brooklyn Nets, 27 yrs old, 6′ 5″ 215 lbs, $11.5M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 20.6/3.5/6.8, FG%/3P%/FT%: 41.5/30.8/77.8
Feasibility: C, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: A
SHOOTING GUARDS:
- Victor Oladipo
Indiana Pacers, 28 yrs old, 6′ 4″ 213 lbs, $21.0M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 23.1/5.6/5.2* FG%/3P%/FT%: 47.7/37.1/79.0*
Feasibility: B, Fit: A, Cost: B, Age: A
(* 2017–18) - Buddy Hield
Sacramento Kings, 27 yrs old, 6′ 4″ 220 lbs, $24.9M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 19.2/4.6/3.0, FG%/3P%/FT%: 42.9/39.4/84.6
Feasibility: B, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: A - Bogdan Bogdanovic
Sacramento Kings, 28 yrs old, 6′ 6″ 220 lbs, $10.7M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 15.1/3.4/3.4, FG%/3P%/FT%: 44.0/37.2/74.1
Feasibility: C, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: A - J.J. Redick
New Orleans Pelicans, 36 yrs old, 6′ 3″ 200 lbs, $13.0M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 18.1/2.4/5.6, FG%/3P%/FT%: 45.3/45.3/89.2
Feasibility: C, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: D - Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls, 25 yrs old, 6′ 6″ 200 lbs, $19.5M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 15.3/2.5/2.0, FG%/3P%/FT%: 44.7/37.5/80.2
Feasibility: D, Fit: A, Cost: D, Age: A - Bradley Beal
Washington Wizards, 27 yrs old, 6′ 3″ 207 lbs, $28.8M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 30.5/4.2/6.1, FG%/3P%/FT%: 45.5/35.3/84.2
Feasibility: D, Fit: A, Cost: D, Age: A
SMALL FORWARDS:
- Maurice Harkless
New York Knicks, 27 yrs old, 6′ 7″ 220 lbs, $11.0M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 5.8/3.9/1.1, FG%/3P%/FT%: 45.5/28.0/62.5
Feasibility: B. Fit: C, Cost: C, Age: A - Rodney Hood
Portland Trail Blazers, 28 yrs old, 6′ 8″ 208 lbs, $6.0M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 11.0/3.4/1.5, FG%/3P%/FT%: 50.6/49.3/77.8
Feasibility: C, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: B - Joe Ingles
Utah Jazz, 33 yrs old, 6′ 7″ 220 lbs, $10.9M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 9.8/3.9/5.2, FG%/3P%/FT%: 44.5/39.9/78.7
Feasibility: C, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: C - DeMar DeRozan
San Antonio Spurs, 31 yrs old, 6′ 6″ 200 lbs, $27.7M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 22.1/5.5/5.6, FG%/3P%/FT%: 53.1/25.7/84.5
Feasibility: C, Fit: D, Cost: C, Age: C - Joe Harris
Brooklyn Nets, 29 yrs old, 6′ 6″ 220 lbs, $7.7M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 14.5/4.3/2.1, FG%/3P%/FT%: 48.6/42.4/71.9
Feasibility: D, Fit: C, Cost: C, Age: B - Gordon Hayward
Boston Celtics, 30 yrs old, 6′ 7″ 225 lbs, $34.2M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 17.5/6.7/4.1, FG%/3P%/FT%: 50.0/38.3/85.5
Feasibility: D, Fit: C, Cost: D, Age: B
POWER FORWARDS:
- Christian Wood
Detroit Pistons, 24 yrs old, 6′ 11″ 214 lbs, $1.6M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 13.1/6.3/1.0, FG%/3P%/FT%: 56.7/38.6/74.4
Feasibility: B, Fit: A, Cost: C, Age: A - Danilo Gallinari
OKC Thunder, 32 yrs old, 6′ 10″ 233 lbs, $22.6M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 18.7/5.2/1.9, FG%/3P%/FT%: 43.8/40.5/89.3
Feasibility: B, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: C - Kevin Love
Cleveland Cavaliers, 32 yrs old, 6′ 8″ 220 lbs, $31.3M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 17.6/9.8/3.2, FG%/3P%/FT%: 45.0/37.4/85.4
Feasibility: B, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: D - Jerami Grant
Denver Nuggets, 26 yrs old, 6′ 8″ 220 lbs, $9.4M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 12.0/3.5/1.2, FG%/3P%/FT%: 47.8/38.9/75.0
Feasibility: C, Fit: A, Cost: C, Age: A - Davis Bertans
Washington Wizards, 27 yrs old, 6′ 10″ 225 lbs, $7.0M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 15.4/4.5/1.7, FG%/3P%/FT%: 43.4/42.4/85.2
Feasibility: C, Fit: A, Cost: C, Age: A - Robert Covington
Houston Rockets, 29 yrs old, 6′ 7″ 209 lbs, $12.1M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 12.4/6.6/1.3, FG%/3P%/FT%: 43.5/34.6/79.8
Feasibility: C, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: B
CENTERS:
- Myles Turner
Indiana Pacers, 24 yrs old, 6′ 11″ 250 lbs, $18.0M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 12.1/6.6/1.2, FG%/3P%/FT%: 45.7/34.4/76.8
Feasibility: B, Fit: A, Cost: C, Age: A - Aron Baynes
Phoenix Suns, 33 yrs old, 6′ 10″ 260 lbs, $5.5M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 11.5/5.6/1.6, FG%/3P%/FT%: 48.0/35.1/74.7
Feasibility: B, Fit: B, Cost: B Age: C - Tristan Thompson
Cleveland Cavaliers, 29 yrs old, 6′ 9″ 254 lbs, $18.5M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 12.0/10.1/2.1, FG%/3P%/FT%: 51.2/39.1/61.5
Feasibility: B, Fit: C, Cost: B, Age: B - Serge Ibaka
Toronto Raptors, 31 yrs old, 7′ 0″ 235 lbs, $23.3M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 15.4/8.2/1.4, FG%/3P%/FT%: 51.2/38.5/71.8
Feasibility: C, Fit: B, Cost: B, Age: C - Nikola Vucevic
Orlando Magic, 29 yrs old, 6′ 11″ 250 lbs, $26.0M salary
Pts/Reb/Ast: 19.6/10.9/3.6, FG%/3P%/FT%: 47.7/33.9/78.4
Feasibility: C, Fit: B, Cost: C, Age: B - Marc Gasol
Toronto Raptors, 35 yrs old, 6′ 11″ 255 lbs, $25.6M salary (S&T/MLE)
Pts/Reb/Ast: 7.5/6.3/3.3, FG%/3P%/FT%: 42.7/38.5/73.5
Feasibility: C, Fit: C, Cost: B, Age: D
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20 Comments-
I wanted to create a source document to make it easy to compare and discuss potential Lakers trades since trades are going to become a major subject in the offseason and again at the trade deadline.
This post compares the key trade targets the Lakers might pursue by position, feasibility, fit, cost, age, and game and shooting statistics.
I’ve ranked the candidates for each position by (1) the feasibility of the trade happening, (2) how they fit on the Lakers’ roster, (3) what we would have to give up for them and pay them, and (4) what their age says about how long they can help us.
Love to hear some feedback on my rankings as well as any candidates I might have missed. I recommend you click on the article title to go to the landing page and them bookmark or save the page as a favorite on your browser so you easily find it when you want to talk about trades. Thanks.
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1. Green could replace Holiday as the starting shooting guard.
2. Kuzma could replace Josh Hart as starting small forward.
3. Caruso , Horton-Tucker, and the Pick would strengthen the bench.
4. McGee could start at center and mentor Jaxson Hayes.Trade is a great fit for Pels.
Adds three starters,
Two of whom are vets on expiring contracts.Adds three young prospects, all of whom played well in playoffs and were part of championship team. Don’t discount that.
Adds another first round pick.
Makes Pels bench very deep with talent.-
Here’s the Pelicans current depth chart per Eric Pincus:
Old Depth Chart
PG: Lonzo Ball, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
SG: Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick
SF: Josh Hart, Darius Miller
PF: Zion Williamson, Nicolo Melli
C: Jaxson HayesHere it is after the Lakers trade:
New Depth ChartPG: Lonzo Ball, ALEX CARUSO, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
SG: DANNY GREEN, JJ Redick, TALEN HORTON-TUCKER
SF: KYLE KUZMA, Josh Hart, Darius Miller
PF: Zion Williamson, Nicolo Melli
C: JAVALE MCGEE, Jaxson Hayes -
Here’s Lakers potential depth chart after the trade:
Lakers Depth Chart
PG: JRUE HOLIDAY, Rajon Rondo,
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Avery Bradley
SF: LeBron James, VET MIN
PF: Anthony Davis, Markieff Morris
C: ARON BAYNES, Dwight HowardI would then go after Aron Baynes with $9.3M NT MLE
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We give up depth but end up with a terrific 10 man lineup. A championship lineup.
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This is my warning: a team without depth is destined to fail. Injuries and a host of other unforeseen factors can affect how far that team goes.
Also, not having a consistent best third guy might not be a weakness. In fact, having a third guy by committee has been our strength throughout the past season. Our versatility, size and ability to adapt gave us the advantage and the best match-up against any team as we had the pieces to match-up against everyone.
Of course, I am all for upgrades, especially if it’s a 3 and D wing and another playmaker who can give LeBron some rest, but we need most of our role players, if not all. To have a third big guy on the payroll who might cause us to lose a few of these role players might be a net negative.
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Good comment, Buba. Depth is always important but so is keeping ahead of the competition who are working hard to catch up and getting better and younger, which Holiday does for us.
There’s very few players out there for whom I would give up this much and the experts are saying it’s not enough. I wouldn’t give up this much for Oladipo or Hield. Maybe for Turner or Wood. Players who would transform Lakers into a dynastic juggernaut.
It might be though because there are suddenly multiple great players who could be moved so teams have to decide whom to pursue. Lakers could end up being the team with an open chair when the music ends.
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Hi Tom. I guess if there is a way to not give up Alex Caruso, I would not include him. He played his best basketball in the playoffs. That type of role player is hard to come by. He fits with any of the lakers rotation
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Can’t disagree with you there, Havoc. And I don’t think he’s a secret any more. As was reported, teams want to trade for him. He’s more valuable both to the Lakers AND as a trading chip than Kuzma.
There are only two untouchables on this team and AC is not one of them. There are very few trades I would make where we give him up but Jrue Holiday is one. If we want to trade for a third star, Caruso will likely have to be included in the package.
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Just out of curiosity, why didn’t you include current Laker free agents on this?
Otherwise, fun post! Lots to read through and digest before we fire up the podcast this weekend.
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Because I presumed we would keep all of them.
AD, KCP, and Rondo are must keep and we have Bird rights.
Morris and Howard we want to keep but there’s a limit.
Bradley and McGee will opt to stay.
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Is Danny Green about to go full Borg here or what? What’s he wearing?
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Don’t worry Tom and Jamie, we will be talking about Jrue Holiday this weekend on the Lakers Fast Break.
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Tom, I’m going to have to hack into your home network and filter out the trade machine.
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PS – we can pick up Lonzo cheap after his rookie options aren’t picked up. His damaged goodsedness is rubbing off on his equally flawed little bro’s draft stock.
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I would love to have Lonzo back and I think Melo’s going to be even better than Lonzo.
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Better than Lonzo ain’t exactly high praise. I don’t think anyone in the organization wants to invite the Balls back into their lives.
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That is exactly what I said on our podcast. Wait for that $14 million dollar QO to drop to the price of an MLE and, should we want to, he’ll be readily and easily signed. In all honesty, if the Laker franchise is in need for Lonzo Ball someone somewhere must have done something very wrong. Fine player? Yes. Franchise needle mover? Not really. It turns out the best young Laker we ever picked during the lean years was Brandon Ingram (honorable mention has to go to Jordan Clarkson who has now played in the NBA Finals with LeBron and was a key piece in Utah getting there the last 2 seasons), and a fine soon to be considered veteran Pelican, at that. Lonzo still has a lot of room to grow and plenty of years to do it. But, as is, not the answer to any of our short or long term issues to the point that we need to trade 11-14 million in other impact players to get him.
I feel for Lonzo as his entry into the league was over-hyped, over=pressurized and underwhelmed to the point it seemed to, for a time, affect his confidence. He was not a happy Laker but he looks like happier Pelican. I think the lack of limelight, hometown hero expectations and space to work on his game on a team he’s not expected to save has done him wonders and may be what allows him to come close to the player we hoped we had picked for. Not that any of that will happen in a Laker uniform, but that I do see a path for him to improve his overall game (hint: it starts at the free throw line).
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- Dennis Schroder
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreHeld Heat to 35 points in second half but couldn’t hit open shots to win game. Lakers went 1-13 from three in 4th quarter. 3-point shooting has become team’s Achilles heel.
8 Comments-
Awesome article Tom! So much good stuff in here but I do marvel at you ability to instill respect for the Lakers pre-LeBron in NorCal grand kids. That must’ve been interesting. Also loved the anecdote about all the LA banners. Really fun read.
Losing people before their time has always been the roughest of endeavors for those left behind. I share your sentiment in the not believing in God but certainly believing in karma. That’s why I never wish anything bad to happen to opponents or franchises.
OK, maybe I do wish a bit of ill will towards Boston…
But other than that, nothing but good vibes. Like phred used to say: it’s all about the love. There certainly is a lot to love about this post.
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Hope everybody enjoys my own personal take on how the Lakers’ 17th championship was a beacon of light in a nightmare 2020. I hope Lakerholics.com can match the Los Angeles Lakers and have every single member vote in this solemn election for the soul of our nation. If we do that, we’ll see another beacon of light shining bright on Tuesday night. God bless America!
My father came to America from China when he was 11-years old, illegally taking the place of a cousin who died and ending up being a paper brother to six other brothers in his cousin’s family in Janesville, a small town in southern Wisconsin. Like all the brothers, he worked in the family’s chinese restaurant and married my mother, a waitress in the restaurant who was a highschool dropout of English and German heritage. My dad became a citizen of the US before he married my mom and proudly voted in every election until he died five years ago right before his 102nd birthday.
While neither of my parents graduated from high school, I was blessed by having the typical immigrant parents who wanted to make sure their son and daughter went to college. When my mother passed away, 25 years ago, my dad decided he didn’t want to marry another pushy American woman so sent away to his village in China for a widow with two kids the same age as my sister and me. My dad was blind then and needed somebody to take care of him.
The story has a happy immigrant ending as Jade was a wonderful second wife to my dad and her two kids became beloved step brother and sister to my sister and me. So far, the family has brought over 12 other relatives from China, 8 of which are now US citizens who vote every election.
If all of my family, many of whom were not born here, care enough about our country to vote, then everybody who reads this article should show how much they care about the USA and exercise the greatest right a democracy can give you: VOTE! The future of our country depends on it.
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Hey, Tom. Sometimes it’s hard for me to respond on time due to the time difference between the east and west coasts. By the time I got home from work and settled down you guys on the west coast had already moved on to a different topic. So I am always trying to catch up as hard as I can. Hope you all understand that.
Anyway, I just want to say how much I enjoyed reading your story. It was captivating and heartfelt. It’s stories like this that make me feel good about being part of an extended family as I consider this blog my family. So I hope you all understand why I get late in responding to new posts.
Yours was a great story and thanks for sharing.
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Buba, thank you. You’ve become a big part of our extended Lakers family and I always appreciate your thoughtful and intelligent comments. We need to get you on a podcast in the near future. We usually record them on Sundays around 3:00 pm PST. Let me know if you’re interested in joining us on one. Thanks.
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Wonderful read, Tom. Glad you found an outlet for the content. It was emotionally stirring man.
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreWould being able pay Chris Paul just $23.1 million instead of $38.5 million for a shortened 50-game 2021 NBA season be enough to motivate the Los Angeles Lakers to trade with the OKC Thunder for the veteran point guard?
It’s an question that shines a harsh light on how the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic on the 2020 and 2021 NBA seasons is likely to alter the economic landscape between big market and small market teams. We already know that the difference in revenues between a big market team like the Los Angeles Lakers and a small market team like the OKC Thunder is in many ways the difference between real dollars and Monopoly dollars.
The NBA estimates a coronavirus afflicted 2021 Season with only 50 games could lead to having 40% of players’ salaries held in escrow and eventually lost due to the decline in their share of league basketball related income. While the owners would also lose 40% of their BRI or basketball related income, they would also not have to pay 40% of their player salaries, which to an extent ameliorates or minimizes their bottom line losses.
The Lakers are worth over $2 billion dollars, second only to the Knicks, with most of that value not subject to taxes until the franchise is sold. The Lakers could easily absorb short term losses to win another NBA championship. Small market teams like the Thunder have to rely on franchise appreciation rather than operating income to assess value and don’t have the resources or liquidity to weather difficult economic conditions like the Lakers do.
Just as wealthy investors become buyers and less secure investors become sellers when times are tough, now could be the perfect time for the Lakers to take advantage and trade for Chris Paul while his salaries are discounted. With the NBA looking at a 40% reduction in BRI for the 2021 season due to fewer games and the likely lack of live fans, Chris’ 3-year contract obligation could drop from $124.1 million to $108.7 million, a 12.5% discount.
Add to the equation the possibility the new CBA negotiated after this season could easily include another amnesty clause, there could be a legitimate opportunity for the Lakers to take advantage of the league’s financial crisis. There may be no team in the NBA who’s more willing to spend money or even pay luxury taxes to win championships than the Los Angeles Lakers. That motivation to win is not likely to wane just because times are tough.
Finally, there’s the reality that highly profitable teams like the Lakers have significant advantages over less profitable franchises when it comes to taking advantages of losses to shield profits and reduce income taxes. Losses by highly profitable teams like the Lakers can be carried forward and backward to dramatically reduce federal and state income taxes for past and future years with the net result of even cutting the losses in half.
Chris Paul would be a perfect fit on the Lakers as the third superstar alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He would be the second playmaker, third scorer, and elite defender the Lakers desperately need. While he wouldn’t be the young superstar the Lakers want to keep their championship window open after LeBron retires, Chris would make the Lakers odds on favorites to repeat and threepeat the next two seasons.
The looming reduced player salaries for the 2021 NBA season can provide the Los Angeles Lakers with a unique opportunity to add a future HOF point guard who can help them win two more championships at a discount. It’s an opportunity of which the Lakers cannot afford not to take advantage.
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While I personally would prefer the Lakers traded for Myles Turner and Victor Oladipo for the reasons I stated in my article before this one, I do think the prospect of a shorter 2021 season likely without fans and dramatic cut in player salaries makes a Chris Paul trade more likely and do think it might be the Lakers second best option.
I don’t like including a S&T of KCP, THT, or Caruso but would have to include the pick to have enough salary for the trade to work. Since CP3 makes 38.5M, we have to send $30.8M to make it work, which we could do with Kuzma, Green, Bradley, McGee, Cook, and the player picked #28.
Assming we can resign KCP, Rondo, Morris, and Howard, that would leave us with the following:
PG: Paul, Rondo
SG: KCP, Caruso
SF: LeBron, THT
PF: Davis, Morris
CE: Howard, BoogiePlus the $9.3M MLE to use for in order of preference:
Wood, Baynes, Harkness, Grant, Bertans, or Gallinari.
That’s a roster that could win two more championships.-
Tom, you spend far too much time on these trades with no chance of happening. You should take up golf or something.
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That’s funny, Stan, because I would have expected you as a business owner to fully understand how a profitable enterprise like the Lakers could take advantage of short term losses to save on taxes and make a discounted investment on a player like CP3 a smart move.
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As a business owner, I know all too well that a deal with too many moving parts has little chance of going through.
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Draft picks don’t count against salary cap, BTW. You’ll need more raw $$$’s to make the cap issue resolve. Picks are sweetners, nothing more.
I don’t like giving out that much controlled cost in return for a player that will be a Laker for 2 more seasons. Furthermore you;re conflating two very separate issues: the cap and profit are two completely different things. BRI does not calculate based off of team profits but league-wide revenue. It’s one of the long-standing issues between the NBA and the NBPA. So, yes, the Lakers could still profit as a business the team itself would suffer from such a high volume salary.
Basically, I don’t see this as a ‘win-now’ move but rather an abandonment of cap smarts. You’re commuting over $80 million in salary to 2 players (James and CP3) and we haven’t extended Davis, yet. That’s going to cap you out right there (the one and one we all agree he is likely to take will be for $34 million, there will be no pay cut) at $114 million. 3 players does not a team make. Let CP3 over-perform somewhere else and flame out in the early playoff rounds without him taking us with him say I.
Didn’t all those guys you’re trading off the team just win an NBA championship…I could have sworn they did…weird…lol.
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Pincus covered the pick issue: you draft the player, sign him to a contract, and then trade him a month later.
This is the kind of trade LeBron might want and if he does, the Lakers will do it.
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One change I would make in my argument is taking on CP3’s salary would make it impossible for the Lakers to bring back Rondo, KCP, Morris, and Howard AND still have the $9.6M MLE. They could bring everybody back with almost no limit but could not do hard cap, meaning only $5.6M taxpayer MLE. CP3 would be worth it if the Thunder were willing to trade him to Lakers.
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Still playing at All-Star level and is future HOFer.
Will be cheaper because of the pandemic and income tax savings and will only cost expiring contrats.
Will give us a great 1-2 point guard punch
And almost guarantees another one or two rings.
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The players you’re shipping out have greater team value than a single Chris Paul. To equal his mammoth $41.3 million dollar deal you’ll have to trade 2/5ths of the roster. Green, Bradley, McGee, Caruso, Kuzma and likely KCP along with draft picks? For a guy who’s just going to take the ball out of LeBron’s hands? Who himself hasn’t been able to take a team even to a conference finals? AND he has an even more expensive player option the following year that he will certainly opt into? 100% pass.
Every time I pass on that deal. I thought we overpaid for him in the nixed CP3 for Odom and Gasol deal, this would be doubling down on the folly we lucked out on missing back then.
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CP3 makes $41.3M, which means Lakers need to send out $33.1M.
$5.0M Bradley – Didn’t need him to win it all
$4.2M McGee – Didn’t need him to win it all
$3.0M Cook – Didn’t need him to win it all
$3.5M Kuzma
$15.3M Green
$2.1M #28 pick – Didn’t need him to win it all
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33.1 TOTALTruth is we’re only giving up Kuzma and Green!
For a HOF point guard who is Rondo on Steroids.-
And look at what you have left:
PG: Paul, Rondo
SG: KCP, Caruso
SF: LeBron, THT
PF: Davis, Morris
CE: Howard, BoogiePlus the $9.3M MLE to use for in order of preference:
Wood, Baynes, Harkness, Grant, Bertans, or Gallinari.
That’s a roster that could win two more championships. -
This means giving up on any younger superstar, you’re locked into an old team. You’re giving up any and all future cap flexibility and we can all but guarantee the cap will be lowered in 2021. The only way I would ever do this is we had a way to amnesty him. That’s it. I don’t need to watch 19.8 seconds of CP3 dribbling before dishing to LeBron on most possessions.
We don’t need ball-dominant players if we keep Rondo. We have LeBron. He will have the ball in his hands. This is not theory, this is fact. You’re basically advocating for a $41.3 million dollar spot up shooter/back up PG. Just not on board with this notion, there are players of close to equal impact for a fraction of the cost.
Now if we lose Rondo we can have a chat about this, but I feel like this trade will be there all season long. There will not be a long line to wait in to trade for CP3. I haven’t even gotten into the concerns about his injury history and age. We’re not talking someone bionic like LBJ but a guy who is often injured at crucial moments in a season.
Pass.
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CP3 would start and Rondo would come off the bench. And CP3 would do all of the same great things Rondo did when playing with LeBron, allow LeBron to play off the ball, stretch the floor because he’s a much better 3-point shooter, create easy shots for other players, and play tough gritty man-to-man defense. Chris is a better playmaker, 3-point shooter, and defender than Rondo. And maybe less prone to injury
I do agree that trading for Chris would eliminate the opportunity to land a younger stud guard to go with AD, which is why trading for him is not my first option but my fallback option if we can’t land a deal for Oladipo or another elite young guard. I would prefer a trade for Oladipo, Turner, or Wood before CP3 but I think the odds of CP3 trade happening are much higher. I also think there’s a good chance an amnesty will be part of the new CBA.
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Last time the Lakers “upgraded” from a winner to a HOFr was when Horry was replaced by Karl Malone. Didn’t go well. Horry continued winning rings while Karl gets injured in the Playoffs.
Imagine this nightmare: Rondo winning a ring with the Clippers while CP3 gets injured again in the POs.
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There’s always a chance that could happen, Stan, but the other side is you get a steroids version of Rondo who’s just as good a playmaker and better defender and 3-point shooter.
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LakerTom wrote a new post
Read MoreIn the wake of the 2020 Championship and the stifling reality of a pandemic afflicted 2021 season, the pieces are there for a potential blockbuster trade just waiting to be made between the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers need a stud guard to be their third superstar to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis in their quest for more championships and then to take the baton from LeBron when he retires as Davis’ co-superstar. They also need a true modern center whose 3-point shooting can stretch defenses and create spacing to free up James and Davis while protecting the rim and defending the perimeter to allow Anthony Davis to play the four.
The Pacers need to move on from both Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner this offseason as neither play key roles in their future plans. Oladipo wants a max contract he’s not going to get and Turner’s been supplanted by Sabonis. Waiting to move Oladipo will only further diminish what they could get in return as trading for him at the deadline will only yield rental value while keeping Turner will only stifle Sabonis’ emergence as the team’s future.
The Lakers are willing to risk swinging to hit a home run while the Pacers would prefer to patiently wait out the pandemic so there’s a middle ground where both teams can get want they want in a blockbuster trade.
WHAT ARE THE TERMS OF THE PROPOSED TRADE?
Ironically, the more coveted player in the trade is the Pacer’s undervalued center Myles Turner and not guard Victor Oladipo, whose lingering injury and looming free agent status have dramatically lowered his trade value. Considering there’s more interest in Turner rather than Oladipo, it makes sense to break the mega trade down into two separate trades to better be able to judge the merits of the specific offers for each of the Pacers’ players.
Rumors have suggested a Myles Turner trade could even yield the Pacers a borderline star like Gordon Hayward from the Boston Celtics or Andrew Wiggins and the second pick in the draft from the Golden State Warriors. While Hayward’s dubious injury history and Wiggin’s specious resume raise major questions, there’s no doubt that there’s serious interest in trading for Myles Turner by several of the Lakers’ major competitors in the NBA.
That’s why the Lakers are going to have make an offer that includes players whom they would normally consider untouchable in trade discussions if they have any hope of interesting the Pacers in trading Turner and Oladipo.
Here’s the proposed trade for Pacers’ center Myles Turner:
Here’s the proposed trade for Pacers’ guard Victor Oladipo:
WHY WOULD THE LAKERS AGREE TO THE TRADE?
There will be a large number of Lakers’ fans who will understandably be dead set against trading Caldwell-Pope and Caruso, two of the team’s top contributors responsible for the team winning their 17th championship. Realistically, the Lakers cannot expect to trade for two impact players like Turner and Oladipo, who could transform the team into a juggernaut, without giving up serious talent in return. That’s what trades are all about.
The centerpiece in the trade is 24-year old Myles Turner, who would give the Lakers a true modern center to provide 3-point shooting and spacing on offense and rim protection and perimeter speed and quickness on defense. Turner’s a proven 3-point shooter and elite shot blocker, who would be the Lakers’ starting center, replacing traditional low post centers JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard and allowing Anthony Davis to play power forward.
Trading for Oladipo is a gamble that he’ll recover completely to return to be the player he was before the injury and will re-sign with the Lakers but the risk is worth the reward as he could be the superstar guard the Lakers need. Victor is only 28-years old and a former 3rd team All-NBA and 1st team All-Defensive player. That’s the the kind of storied resume that enticed the Lakers to sign Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo, and Dwight Howard.
Imagine Turner and Oladipo replacing McGee and Green next season and the Lakers starting a lineup that would be taller, longer, faster, quicker, and more mobile and athletic at both ends of the court than last year’s squad. Turner and Oladipo would fill the Lakers’ needs for a third scorer, second playmaker, wing defender, and modern center and their version of ‘small ball’ that dominated the playoffs would become their ‘48-minutes’ lineup.
WHY WOULD THE PACERS AGREE TO THE TRADE?
The Pacers have a new coach in Nate Bjorkgren and are on a new course that does not include Myles Turner, who has unfortunately been supplanted by Domantas Sabonis, or Victor Oladipo, who looking to sign a max contract. While the Pacers should receive attractive offers for Turner, Oladipo’s trade value has cratered due to his lackluster play after returning from injury and his looming free agency and continued demand for a max contract.
While Myles Turner has been a mainstay of the Pacers defense, he’s struggled to be productive when paired on the court with Sabonis, who has become the star around whom Indiana is planning on building their team. That’s become common knowledge around the league resulting in Turner becoming a coveted trade target, which is why the Lakers are willing to offer two of their top role players in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.
The Victor Oladipo side of the trade also gives the Pacers great young talent to help them compete for a playoff spot while rebuilding by adding talented Kyle Kuzma, veteran Danny Green, and the Lakers 2020 first round pick. That’s more than any of the trades being proposed in the media for Oladipo and guarantees the Pacers won’t end up losing him at the trade deadline as a short term rental or next offseason for nothing as a free agent.
Imagine a Pacers’ starting lineup with Brogdon, Caldwell-Pope, Warren, Kuzma, and Sabonis that is better offensively and defensively and a deeper and more diverse bench with Caruso, Green, Holiday, Leaf, and McGee. Pacers’ new head coach Bjorkgren will be able to focus on a set roster with elite young defenders like KCP, Kuzma, and Caruso and veteran leaders and mentors like Green and McGee to help build a strong culture and chemistry.
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THE TRADE HAPPENS?
Mega trades are always difficult to predict, especially with coronavirus pandemic still raging and the coming offseason and next season slated to be shorter than normal with unprecedented conditions and expectations. Chances are likely small market teams like the Pacers will be seeking to slash expenses by trading Myle Turner to get out of the 3-years left on his contract and Victor Oladipo to avoid having to give him a new max contract.
So the question is not whether the Indiana Pacers are going to trade Turner and Oladipo but what they’re going to be able to get in return for them in a difficult market where there are likely to be a lot more sellers than buyers. The willingness of the Lakers to actually include two of their championship core in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso is also no sure thing. While neither is a legitimate star player, they are proven elite role players.
When you add Kuzma, Mcgee, Green, and a 2020 first round pick, the Lakers’ offer is a substantive offer and the trade machine projections predict the Pacers will end up with a net gain of 15 wins if they complete the trade. Alternatively, adding a modern center like Turner and healthy superstar like Oladipo could transform the Lakers into a championship dynasty. That raises the possibility this trade could be one of those rare win-win trades.
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1 Comment-
This is probably one of the most controversial trades I could conceivably propose and I’m sure there will be lots of naysayers who reject the idea of trading KCP or AC for anybody. Even the trade machine seems to say the trade is a bad idea and would help the Pacers win 15 more games and the Lakers lose 15 more games. But what those fans and the trade machine ignore are trades are usually won by the team who gets the best players and what those best players do to improve that team’s roster.
But please at least keep an open mind and think about how adding Turner and Oladipo could transform the Lakers into a legitimate championship juggernaut and dynasty in a way that goes well beyond the LeBron James era. Turner is only 24-years old and has already been in DPOY discussions and at 6’11” and 250 pounds has the height and size to be a better rim protector and low post defender than McGee or Howard. And unlike either of them, he has enough lateral quickness and speed to defend stretch centers on the perimeter. He’s a better fit than DeMarcus Cousins to play center alongside Anthony Davis. He’s a better 3-point shooter ( career 35.7%) and defender.
Right now, the Lakers are playing their version of ‘small ball’ around 40% of the time. If they were to trade for Turner and then sign Boogie, they would be able to play that same deadly version of ‘small ball’ for 48 minutes per game, which would be devastating. While Morris did a great job at the four next to Davis at the five, he’s not the rim protector or perimeter defender that Turner is. There’s a reason the Celtics and Warriors want to trade for Myles and it’s specificially to add a player who can matchup with Davis. Adding him to the Lakers doubles down on the ‘small ball’ defense that powered the Lakers to their 17th championship and suddenly makes them younger at the five without forcing AD to play there all the time.
As for Oladipo, yes, he’s a gamble and would have to pass a physical by the Lakers medical team but a torn quad is not like a torn Achilles or knee and Victor should regain the athteticism that made him an All-NBA and All-Defensive player and he is still only 28-years old. Every NBA dynasty has had a superstar guard (LeBron is really that for these Lakers) and the third superstar the Lakers need to take over from LeBron and be the co-superstar with AD going forward is Oladipo. Trading for him will give us his Bird rights so if he recovers we can exceed the cap and sign him to a max deal, something we can’t do with a free agent like Giannis or if we sign-and-trade for a star. Trading for a young stud and then maxing him is the only way for the Lakers to get a third superstar. That’s why trading for Oladip is worth the risk.
Land them both and the Lakers suddenly are a team in its prime with a huge championship window that lasts way past when LeBron retires. It’s worth trading Kuz, KCP, AC, Green, McGee, and the pick because it creates a Lakers dynasty that could last for another five to six years.
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Some good ideas here and one I am as staunchly against as I can be against a player coming to the Lakers. I’ll rank them in terms of personal excitement:
#2 – Sign Aron Baynes. Love everything about what he could bring to the center position. WOuld be the best option to replace Dwight and have McGee, should he opt in, back Baynes up. His defense is underrated, his shooting is as advertised and he’s from New Zealand so we could look forward to his charming southern half of the equator vibe.
#4 – Acquire J.J. Reddick. I think you could do a straight up S&T of KCP for Reddick. The bigger question is: would you rather just keep Pope? I kind of fall back to ‘yes, yes I would rather keep KCP’ but should that become part of a larger trade for Turner or Oladipo then my interest is piqued. I don’t see NOLA trading Reddick for Green straight up. Yes, the money works but Green is about 2 mil costlier and you’re not building anything better that way, for either club, really. Better to gauge and see of we could trade Reddick for Bradley and McGee if we decide we want to go all in on keeping Pope and Rondo. Getting those two players allows Indy to fully embrace moving Turner, just not necessarily to us.
#3 (both times) – Signing Danillo-G. While I can appreciate his shooting his defense is shaky which makes this a hard sell in terms of the modern Laker identity which is defense first. Having said that, should a lot of things break poorly for us in free agency on a front or three, I could see Dani for the MLE as a decent consolation prize.
#4 – Just say ‘NO’ to CP3 in the P&G. This would be, in every way conceivable, a disaster. I can’t fathom a world where the Lakers clutter up the space needed to try and land Giannis by trading the farm away for the bloated and over-priced Chris Paul contract. If the Bucks don’t want him now they won’t want him after he flames us out early next season, either. If we end up keeping Rondo it’s not smart to add the player with whom he perennially comes to blows with on the court to the same locker room, especially since Paul will almost certainly be making 3 times more money and potentially backing Rondo up, given Rajon’s stellar play. Chris Paul has not taken any team to the NBA Finals, and only 1 conference Finals appearance. That does not say ‘missing piece we need!’ to me. Furthermore you will have to trade just about every player who contributed to winning a banner away. For one guy. Who often gets hurt. So many reasons to say no to this that, should it happen, it’s my opinion that we will have squandered the window of LeBron and shrunk AD’s by the two seasons left on that deal because it will be untradeable. LeBron and Rondo are all the ball handlers we need if we keep Bradley, KCP and Caruso who can all make plays well enough. Just say no.