My Two Year Plan for the Lakers

[TheFloyd72]

I'm actually pretty optimistic about the team's potential within the next two seasons. Some things need to fall into place and Jim Buss/Mitch need to go after more mid-tiered free agents, but there's a lot of potential. I'm looking for the following:

1. Tank this season and end up with a top 5 draft pick. This is huge and it's very doable. We have to finish among the bottom two to ensure a pick, which likely won't happen. I'm going to assume, however, that our bottom 3-5 record will land us a top 5 pick and we'll draft a Stanley Johnson, Myles Turner, or Chris McCullough (for the sake of conversation let's say we take Turner).

2. Use Houston's pick and our early 2nd rd pick to add youth and depth: Justin Anderson (sf- 15 ppg) and Brandon Ashley (pf- 11ppg, 5rpg)

3. Sign Reggie Jackson- 4 years 44 million.

4. Sign Jimmy Butler- 15 million per season - The Bulls will do everything they can to re-sign him, but the have about 55 million committed to Rose, Noah, Gasol, Gibson, and Mirotic. The Bulls also seem to be a cost conscious team that would not overpay any one player too much. Butler provides a great 2nd scoring option for Kobe, a very good defender, and a future leader of the team once Kobe retires. Certainly a guy worth paying.

5. Pick up Jordan Hill's option

2015 Roster

Jackson (11)/Aaron Brooks (1)
Kobe (25)/Young (5.2)
Butler (15)/ Anderson (1)
Hill (9)/ Randle (3.13) /Ashley (.5)
Turner (3)/Kelly (1.7)

Overview: This team is over the projected salary cap of about 66-68 million by a couple million. Can't we go over the cap to sign our rookies though? In either case, some small adjustments can be made to accommodate. Kelly is not a center, but is a backup big is in simply there for depth purposes. Hill would be the backup center.

This team is not likely a championship contender, but they would be competitive. Jackson, Kobe, Butler, and Turner would provide a great 1-4 for scoring purposes. Young still provides scoring off the bench. The depth on the bench is unproven.


2016- I still think that Kobe will play for 1-2 more years to go for Kareem's record and 1 more ring (assuming he stays relatively healthy in the interim. Sign him to a two year-22 million dollar deal. That gives you about 14-15 million to sign one more building block like a Joakim Noah or Ryan Anderson

Lineup:

Jackson (11)/Augustin (3)
Kobe (11)/Young (6)
Butler (15)/Anderson (1)
Ryan Anderson (8)/Randle (4)/Ashley
Turner(3)/Nene (4)

The young players have used 2015 to develop, Sign a veteran big like Nene, and sign a proven power forward like Anderson to pair with Randle. That is a team that could compete.

What do you think? How unrealistic is this? lol.

[DEEP3CL]

Unrealistic....and Kobe would have to play another 4 years and average 25 points a game to even sniff close to Kareem's scoring record. Don't like Turner at all and besides Randle is better as a post option, the kid sucked when went up against Kentucky's frontline players. His only big games this season have come against smaller front line players. If we finish within the bottom 5, it's no way we shouldn't end up with Johnson, Justice Winslow or Towns.

[gotokyo]

It seems like your plan is to be stuck in mediocrity for the next 2-4 years. That would be a first round exit team at best.

[Fresh360Waves]

We should definitely sign Reggie Jackson, but Jimmy Butler is not happening and offering him 15 mil per is too much to begin with. Chicago will do whatever they can to retain cap flexibility to pay Butler like trading some guys perhaps.

[Laker_Kid]

i stopped reading at tank.

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[TheFloyd72]

i stopped reading at tank.

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Magic Johnson seems to think it's a good idea. A top 5 pick would go a long way whether it's Johnson, Turner, Okafor, or whomever.

[mcscotty]

I'd be willing to overpay for Butler, but $15M seems rich. I'd like him paired with Patrick Beverly. These guys would go a long way at addressing our defensive issues, while still providing ample scoring. Seems OK, but I wouldn't be paying Ryan Anderson anything near what you're suggesting. Wouldn't even want him, really.

[ArC_man]

Compete for a playoff spot or compete for a championship? Competing for a championship is a lot harder than drafting in the top 5 a couple years in a row and picking up some solid players. If it were so easy, teams like Utah, Sacramento, and Cleveland (team from last year) would be competing for chips. Those teams didn't even make the playoffs.

[Dr Aki]

losing the top 5 pick would be a disaster, have to at the very least secure it or else it's a completely wasted season.

[ArC_man]

Oh, no doubt getting as many assets as possible is important. I'm just saying it takes a pretty special team to compete for a chip.

[mcscotty]

Compete for a playoff spot or compete for a championship? Competing for a championship is a lot harder than drafting in the top 5 a couple years in a row and picking up some solid players. If it were so easy, teams like Utah, Sacramento, and Cleveland (team from last year) would be competing for chips. Those teams didn't even make the playoffs.

Baby steps. Build a team that makes us young and competitive, then sign the big free agent down the road. This guy has the right idea. Young mid-tier role players. Choose wisely.

[SlimShady83]

i stopped reading at tank.

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Magic Johnson seems to think it's a good idea. A top 5 pick would go a long way whether it's Johnson, Turner, Okafor, or whomever.

Oh well If Magic said it was a good idea, then we might as well all jump off a cliff!

You lost me at Tank too.

[kblo247]

Anyone who proposes to tank is a pussy bitch and insults sports, the lakers, and game of basketball. No player worth 2 cents and with an ounce of pride tries to purposely Lose. And if you want guys to do so then you're a disgrace too, period, point blank

[kblo247]

Also, Tobias is better than Jackson or Butler

[Penberthy]

Trade hill for Stephenson and cha 1st. Assume we lose our top 5.

Jackson Farmar Grant
Stephenson Young Clarkson
Kobe Young Petteway
Randle Davis Kelly
Marc (or Asik) Cauley-Stein Davis Sacre

Cha 1st (13th) http://www.nbadraft.net/players/willie-cauley-stein
Hou 1st http://www.nbadraft.net/players/terran-petteway
Lal 2nd http://www.nbadraft.net/players/jerian-grant


2016

Replace Kobe with Durant.

Extremely likely scenario.*

[Laker_Kid]

i stopped reading at tank.

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Magic Johnson seems to think it's a good idea. A top 5 pick would go a long way whether it's Johnson, Turner, Okafor, or whomever.

magic johnson says a lot of things. doesnt mean he's right. i get where he's coming from though. but we are not getting that pick. cmon. look at the bottom teams. there are far worst teams than us in the west not to mention the east where i see like 5 right away. get rid of this tanking mindset already.

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[Mamba Venom]

Lakers are not going to get a top 5 pick. There are at least 7 teams that will finish with a worse record.

3 game winning streak.

That messed up my plan.

Okafor + Randle + max FA + Kobe + Young

[thegamefritz]

I'm all for the tank also.. It kills me that we sucks but the rewards are GREAT!!
Getting in the playoffs even a 1st rd exit is okay too.. but if we wont make the playoffs
then why not keep the pick..

My version:
Trade our 2nd rd pick and DPE for MCW.. Sixers will do this because they'll go after Mudiay
*in order means highest priority
If we get to keep the pick:
If we pick from 1-5-I'll pick the following if available (In order) Okafor; Mudiay; Johnson; Towns last option will be Turner
Our pick from Houston: (in order if available) Dakari Johnson; Frank Kaminsky, Caris LeVeRT
our 2nd rd pick: 1st priority: package w/ our DPE for MCW (in order if available) Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Alex Poythress

Free Agents:
most likely we can sign 2
in order
1. Kawhi Leonard-offer Max 20-22 mil/yr (unrealistic)
2. Jimmy Butler- offer 12-16 mil/yr
3. Tobias Harris -offer 6-8 mil/yr

2nd free agent
1. Reggie Jackson -offer 9-10mil/yr
2. Goran Dragic offer 9-10mil/yr
3. Brandon Knight offer 6-8mil/yr
4.louis Williams offer 4-5mil/yr

If we get bigs in the draft then let go of Jordan Hill
Resign Wesley Johnson(if possible) or resign Ellington. resign Sacre because he can give 6 fouls

Rosters
If we get the bigs in the draft

C- Okafor or Towns/Dakari Johnson or Frank Kaminsky/Sacre
PF- Randle/Davis
SF-Butler/Wes Johnson
SG-Kobe/Young
PG-Reggie Jackson or Goran Dragic/ MCW/Clarkson

If we Pick SF or PG in the draft in top 5

Free agents: we can get 2 big names FA

1. Marc Gasol offer 15-18mil/yr
2. DeAndre Jordan offer 12-15/mil yr
3. Nikola Vucevic offer 10-12/mil yr
4. Omer Asik offer 9-11mil/yr
5. Greg Monroe 8-10mil/yr
6. Robin Lopez -8-11mil/yr

possible line up
C-Marc Gasol or Jordan or Vucevic or asik or Monroe or Lopez/D. Johnson or Frank Kaminsky/Sacre
PF- Randle/Davis
SF- Stan Ley Johnson or Jimmy Butler/Wes Johnson
SG- Kobe/Young
PG- MCW/Mudiay/Clarkson

[PKABOOICU]

just get rondo and stephenson alongside kobe. get randle healthy. sign kg for the vet min. good cheap lineup and full of intensity. kg would play with motivation and probably still be better than 50% of the centers in the league right now.

rondo
kobe
lance
randle
kg

[mcscotty]

just get rondo and stephenson alongside kobe. get randle healthy. sign kg for the vet min. good cheap lineup and full of intensity. kg would play with motivation and probably still be better than 50% of the centers in the league right now.

rondo
kobe
lance
randle
kg

Rondo is made of glass and his playing making abilities would be underutilized.
Lance seems to have personality issues, inconsistency problems and may be just trouble.
KG is old and probably ain't comin back.