TylersLakers wrote:danfantastk32 wrote:
Ok, yeah...my site was wrong. Nice detail on that spotrac website. I''ll have to remember to use that one moving forward. And yes, Im sure that GS will waive him. But I doubt he takes the minimum. And if he does, it will be with a legit contender. He will only be doing it to get a ring.
"2) Trade Vincent, JHS, Max Lewis, 2024 1st (#17), 2029 1st (unprotected) to Chicago for Alex Caruso and Jevon Carter."
So you want to trade away not one, but TWO of our first round picks for Alex Caruso and Jevon Carter?? Christ man...the two of them combine for 15points, 4.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds. Thats worth 2 first round picks??
3) Trade Rui, 2031 1st round pick (Top 3 protected), x2 2nd round picks to Brooklyn for Dorian Finney-Smith.
So now we're giving away our 3rd first round pick, and two second-rounders. For a 31yearold Power forward who averages 8points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists?
I mean buddy.....come on, you can't be serious here? We've just thrown 3 first round picks and 2 second round picks for guys you wouldn't waste your mid-level exception on! Holy hell.....your making me wanna go back to supporting the FO! If we're tossing 3-first round picks and 2 second rounders.....I want Mitchell, or Embiid, or Jimmy Butler, guys who are gonna make a difference.
And then what? We're just screwed for a decade afterwards? I get swinging for the fences, but this???
I'm hoping for 4 first-round picks for AD....and that includes us taking some stinker contracts back to sweeten the deal....your throwing that in for Caruso, Jevon Carter, and Finney-Smith? Who there is a difference maker?
Nah man.....no, no, no, no, no.
I don't disagree with you that letting LeBron walk and trading AD would probably be the best long-term move going forward. However, that's clearly not going to happen. I know this about the Buss family:
They're deathly afraid of not having "stars." I think it's BS. Lakers fans appreciate fun basketball. When we had those Lonzo/Ingram/Kuzma/Hart/Randle teams - I actually quite enjoyed watching them. There was a lot of rough nights for sure but at least they were fun to watch. I believe Luke's first year we started the season 10-10. I was so happy.
However, that's not going to happen until it's the only option. Which means they'll be bringing back LeBron and AD. And if they're going to bring those guys back, they need to go balls to the wall and give away every asset to make sure we have a team around them that can compete and possibly get 1 or 2 more deep playoff runs. I don't need a Championship - we've done that. I just want deep playoff runs where we're competitive.
I would love to acquire Mitchell. However, it's going to take trading away a huge chunk of our team to make that happen. If D-Lo were to opt in, I would absolutely trade Russell, Vincent, JHS and all of our draft picks for him. However, it's going to take a lot more than that. It's going to require giving up Reaves, Vando, Rui, etc. A team with LeBron/AD and any third star whether that's Mitchell or Trae Young will not be a Championship team if they're surrounded by minimum guys. So I think that's not the right path to go unless we're keeping Reaves, Vando, Rui.
Anderson wasn't a fan of my off-season because he thought the team needed more scoring punch. I totally agree with him - I think that's the one downside to my off-season plan. I've constructed a team that I think will win in the playoffs. Look at what's happening right now with Minnesota. They are winning because of their defensive prowess. And I know this - having a team with AD, Caruso, Vando, Drummond, DFS, Max Christie and LeBron (when engaged) is not a team opposing offenses want to see. Caruso is a 1st team all D guy, same with AD. Vando is in that discussion IMO as well. DFS is a great team defender that knows where he needs to be on the court and knows which rotations to make and how to not screw up assignments (See: Hachimura, Rui). Go back on our Championship run and realize how important guys like Caruso, Danny Green and KCP were. Caruso closed the majority of the games until Rondo came back. When our backs were against the wall and we felt threatened by Miami in the 2020 NBA Finals - who came into the starting line-up in Game 6? I'll tell you: Alex Caruso. It was the most ridiculous mistake of the last 10 years that the Lakers have made when it came to letting him walk. I think it's worse than the Mozgov and Deng signings.
I also know this: If you surround AD and LeBron with defensive minded, dirty work guys - you're going to have a successful playoff team and a real chance at winning a title.
Our biggest problems this year were defense and rebounding. Let's fix that and if we need to worry about the offense later on around trade deadline time, we can do that.
As far as offensively, I do think my team has enough to get by and win games in January and February. You lean into guys like Hield, Max, Reaves, Wood, LeBron and AD in the regular season. I think Max has a lot of offensive ability when it comes to catch and shoot and attacking closeouts. He just needs to play and him not playing this year while Cam Reddish did I think was one of the more fireable offenses that Darvin conjured up. I think Christian Wood is a way better player than was shown this year. The rotations were completely insane.
When the game tightens up in the fourth quarter and playoff time - that 8 man rotation is as good as any in the league. LeBron, AD, Reaves, Caruso, DFS, Vando, Paul, Hield or Drummond (matchup based). The reason why LeBron and AD are so good in clutch time (look at our clutch rating this season) is because they just manufacture points when it matters - even if it's ugly a lot of times. LeBron getting to the rim, AD getting offensive rebounds and free throws. Reaves can handle more ball handling and scoring opportunities. All we need are guys to make shots when it counts around those three and guard their asses off. Caruso and DFS can do that.
