Laker Fans: Win, or Draft? That is the question

[Dr Aki]

it's going to get worse before it gets better

at the moment, we have a team completely full of players that weren't on the team 2 years ago except kobe

we had different coaches, different playstyles, different personnel. the guys we got were stop-gap solutions, of varying levels (but generally not that good) of talent

we're injury-riddled, playing much healthier, more talented teams that have played together with a set team style for many years, on a crazy ass starting schedule with 2 b2bs against genuine playoff contenders in 5 days

and we're already crying chicken little

jesus christ guys, have an ounce of **** patience.

[One Love]

Think about this statement... We have 1 player in the top 100 in the league... There are only 435 players in NBA rosters & we have only 1 player in the top 100... There are 30 teams...

Simple... We DO NOT have enough talent... We will win 20 games this season & have two first round picks & money to spend...

[pdub15]

After watching the first 2 games I say draft. Randal went down. There is no other scoring option besides Kobe. Nick Young still out for another month and him as your second scoring option is not going to make the playoffs in the West. So getting a top 5 pick and trying to sign Marc Gasol or Rondo, added with a top 5 pick and a returning Randal with Kobe would be a good push in the right direction. Not to mention Summer of 2016 tons of money will be available with the cap. Unfortunately Kobe's last 2 years aren't going to look good team wise because the front office struck out this past summer.

[Kilroy]

Kobe has a no trade clause... He'd have to want out, and he doesn't.

...Right now.

I wonder if as time goes by thought, Kobe doesn't start looking around and wondering if maybe he could win more rings elsewhere.

I've never really idolized Kobe or thought of him as more than just another Laker great. But it is kind of painful to watch him be the best player on the team at this stage of his career. He should have the help someone like Duncan has at this point... Not be trying to limp a team to success, essentially on his own.

It might be in everyone's best interests to trade him if that became something he wanted.

In the meantime though, trading Kobe should not even be discussed because it's not even possible.

[desertlakerfan]

I said when Kobe signed his big deal that it was likely in part an agreement to not complain during the next few years of potentially tanking. He has to know that this roster wasn't capable of competing for a title when he signed it. I don't think there is any way where he would demand a trade, nor do I think any championship caliber team will be able to take on his salary.

He's a Laker for life, and he's been through bad seasons here before. I know his primary goal is to always win rings, but he's got 24 million reasons to be content with chasing the "career win" of the all time scoring title in LA this year.

[ROballer]

Everybody knows I've been pro tank since the beginning last season
I'm a little torn now,thankfully our schedule is gonna help....we have a very tough schedule to start the year,if we're in a big hole after 15 games,**** it ,tank hard

If it's not the playoffs,it must be the worst record in the league or close to it,simple as that

[ak7]

Kobe may have every intention of sticking out the next two years because of the extremely generous deal he received, but I find it hard to believe he'll piss away his final two years at the expense of retiring a Laker. I just can't see it - it would be a complete 180 from what he is all about.

[Jedi32]

I can't see kobe leaving like this. I honestly don't believe we'll be as bad as people think. As the year goes on and lin and Davis settle in I think we could possibly break .500 for the season.

[ArC_man]

Kobe's gone back on a lot of what he previously said, he's changed his "championship or wasted season" mentality. From recent interviews he's been all about the process of getting better so I very highly doubt that he will demand a trade or want to jump ship.

I know everyone's demoralized and the team's been in shock from losing Randle but let's get real. Rookie Randle gives us maybe 5 more wins this season. If people originally thought this was a potential playoff team (40+ wins), this team should still get 35+ wins (which is nowhere close to bottom 5).

[crazyeights]

It's not just Randle we're missing: it's Swaggy, Kelly, 2013 X, 15 games of Nash, (so far) a confident Jeremy, an improved Wes, a consistent Boozer, a Clarkson or Price with a semblance of poise, a Jordan Hill with any amount of fire, an offense, a defense...the playoff bubble team prediction was if absolutely every single one of these components was 180 degrees different.

A team without all of those necessary components is like a 15 win team--if that. Not a 35 win team--by any stretch of the imagination.

The only way this team could win is if we play a young team that goes ice cold and Kobe can't beat them down by determination alone.

Now should things settle down, should we establish some better passing, movement on offense? Yeah. Will our guys outside of Kobe and Davis stop shooting 1-5? Hopefully, and probably. But man, we look ill-equipped to stay competitive on a night-to-night basis against these solid teams of the west, east, or anywhere. I'd hesitate to call what I'm seeing organized basketball, let alone a team beyond a handful of 3 minute stretches the past two games.

[Kings2013]

IMHO Kobe should be traded. This Laker team without him would really give Philly a run for its money in getting Mudiay, especially in the West. He just keeps the team trying to hover in no mans land. Its also pathetic to see him putting in work at his age with no effect. Both parties would benefit from a move IMO

[jigga_man]

Kobe has a no trade clause... He'd have to want out, and he doesn't.

...Right now.

I wonder if as time goes by thought, Kobe doesn't start looking around and wondering if maybe he could win more rings elsewhere.

I've never really idolized Kobe or thought of him as more than just another Laker great. But it is kind of painful to watch him be the best player on the team at this stage of his career. He should have the help someone like Duncan has at this point... Not be trying to limp a team to success, essentially on his own.

It might be in everyone's best interests to trade him if that became something he wanted.

In the meantime though, trading Kobe should not even be discussed because it's not even possible.

Kobe just scored 31 points on 44% shooting. Outside of his defense he's still the same elite player (or close to same player) he was 10 years ago, just more methodical now. This is easily the least talented team Kobe has ever played with. Not a single all star potential talent on the floor with him at all. At any stage of Kobe's career these games would still be blowouts.

Like any elite player they need to play with another one. There is also depth, athleticism, size issues but talent is the biggest one.

[Kilroy]

I think you think you're disagreeing with me in some way... I assure you, you aren't.

About Kobe though...
I have this weird feeling Kobe's going to demand a trade to the Knicks... I think Phil and Fish are working him behind the scenes...

That said, their first game wasn't any better than ours, and Melo looks like crap.

[madmaxmedia]

The Lakers aren't going to win (much) this year, so I guess draft???

Is it contradictory to root for a win during each game, but look forward to hopefully landing a top 5 pick at the end of the year? Because that's kind of how I feel.

This way the cup is always half full- either it's nice to see the win, or well there's another loss for the lottery.

[Sedale Threatt]

Give me the draft pick every single time. I couldn't care less about making the playoffs as an eighth seed and getting knocked out in the first round. Who cares? Especially when we don't have nearly enough talent to compete in the West in the first place. And if you're in the lottery, might as well get as many ping pong balls as we can. Tank it up.

[Fresh360Waves]

it's going to get worse before it gets better

at the moment, we have a team completely full of players that weren't on the team 2 years ago except kobe

we had different coaches, different playstyles, different personnel. the guys we got were stop-gap solutions, of varying levels (but generally not that good) of talent

we're injury-riddled, playing much healthier, more talented teams that have played together with a set team style for many years, on a crazy ass starting schedule with 2 b2bs against genuine playoff contenders in 5 days

and we're already crying chicken little

jesus christ guys, have an ounce of **** patience.

Most Lakers fans never heard of the word patience lol

[crazyeights]

Teams are securing their young talent like crazy. The mere fact that the Lakers have cap space is probably forcing teams to throw in the extra money just as a preemptive move. Our only hope is teams are being locked into bad contracts, but then we have the salary cap going up in the next few years...going to be very tough to see how we compete relative to other teams until a disgruntled star literally bails us out....

Look at the Knicks. They've been in disarray-disarray for what? A decade?

I always thought, if I were a big time player, I'd wanna be the type of guy who could go back to NY and save that team. Thought LeBron might in the first decision...but really nobody has until Melo, but he only ended up staying there for the money and after they hired the GOAT to turn things around. Still, one great player and they look just as hopeless. Maybe because Melo isn't a transformative talent, but that's the kind of FA we should expect when one does....

But nobody's coming here in FA until they see the light at the end of the tunnel. Where is that gonna come from?

It can't be Kobe.

So then what? Randle's not going to show that spark for at least a year now. This is why we have to go all-in on rebuilding now. This plodding along crap to be 11th in the West is quixotic and downright stupid. I hope the next time we see Mitch make a move, it's in a strong new direction...because I can't see any guy in their right mind coming here until we do.

Just as we gave Jordan Hill 9M to be a trading chip and to stay somewhat relevant, we should give out tradable contracts to legit rotation players like the Arizas of the world. Still won't be an easy sell.

Going for this pick is by no means a guarantee, and it won't be a golden parachute (see Randle), but if nothing else it's another tangible piece to a very complex puzzle.

[crazyeights]

The mere fact that we aren't drafting top-tier talent on a even semi-regular basis means we're looking to sign disgruntled stars.

Sure we could trade for one, but unless it's for expirings like Hill and Nash, if we give up talent like Randle it almost defeats the purpose, because we have so much need for simple talent and potential.

So, IMO a trade is less desirable than an outright signing...but that means we'll have to sign someone disgruntled, which probably means they'd be closer to their prime years. Westbrook (who may be reaching diminishing returns, because really once he's no longer an elite athlete, how will he hold up with his brainfart mentality?)

But to me that's the problem--if our shot lies on a disgruntled, already established star, then why--why would they come here? These guys are a generation that expect and demand a simple, clearcut roadmap to the conference finals--they need to see it to believe it. If we're waiting for a star, but can't sign middling talent--but talent nonetheless--in the meantime, because we need that cap space to sign someone how do we coax them in the first place?

To me the only answer is time and high draft picks. A youth movement. A strong and appealing plan and direction (something we won't have the semblance of until we actually get that tangible talent here...).

Without making some move this year, and without keeping this year's pick--I'm really trying to figure out how we'd make this appealing at all next summer.

Anyways, anybody see something I'm not?

[TyCobb]

To me the only answer is time and high draft picks. A youth movement. A strong and appealing plan and direction (something we won't have the semblance of until we actually get that tangible talent here...).

The only problem with that are the Lakers business partners. To me, the only answer is signing/adding TWO Free Agents in a summer.

[PKABOOICU]

its not like they really have a choice lol