Hinestly, I’m still sitting at a solid B for the offseason. Being that we’re the biggest market it makes sense buyout candidates would want to come here. Still, feels like, for one reason or another, we missed out on the best fits for our team.
I like Ayton, especially at this price point which feels like a pretty fair value for what he brings. Brook Lopez was the better fit, on both ends, and we coukdn’t make it happen. That one I put on LeBron as much as Rob but I do believe a stronger GM could’ve swung him here. We don’t have that GM.
I like Smart, again at a value that feels fair, but I think CP3 is a better veteran fit and I’m honestly not sure we didn’t let the better player in Goodwin walk. Time will tell on that one.
But if you’re thinking either player is much more than a one-year rental I really think you’re fooling yourself. Which means the same issues that have plagued the Pelinka front office from the get-go remian: no over-arching vision of what the team should be.
This feels a lot like the AARP Lakers of 4 seasons ago, after we won the title and brought in 237 over 30 vets and hoped they had one more shot in ’em. They didn’t snd we missed the playoffs entirely.
Jake LaRavia could be the best part of the summer. That’s not a home run, that’s a bloop single that somehow got stretched into a double on a throwing error.
I have high hopes for Vando after a summer and hopefully full camp. When he’s right physically we know what he can do on D and if he can make 35% of his corner threes there’s a consistent role for him.
At any rate, it’s an average summer for the Lakers thus far snd I still see us about where we were last season: sonewhere between 3 and 8. Whee.
I am going to disagree on a few points Jamie. First I don’t understand your age comment. The players we brought in were 21, 23, 26 and Smart is 31. We actually got younger. Smart is a year younger than Finney-Smith. 31 is generally regarded as still prime years age. The issue with Smart was health the last two years. If he stays healthy I think he will be a good addition. He’s reportedly working hard on his body. The last time he was healthy for a full year he won defensive player of the year. He was more important than CP3 because we need defense. Ayton was also a better pick up than Brook. I believe we will see the Suns version of him. He’s just entering his prime years. In LA he will have to answer to LeBron and Luka who is a very good friend. Also he calls Shaq uncle. He grew up and played basketball with his son. I think we will see perhaps a better version of Ayton than he’s ever been. If he does shine I think he will stay with the Lakers. I do agree with you on Vando. This is the first summer in two years that he’s been healthy. Coming in mid season like he has is hard. We have seen stretches of okay 3 point shooting from him. If he can just become a neutral offensive player it will be huge. This is a much deeper team then last year. Gabe maybe the 11th man. That’s how much deeper we have gotten.