Building a Superteam in Los Angeles - The Time is Now

[ALL HAIL]

You want your pipe dream...well here it is.

~Nick Young opts out, Waive David Nwamba and Tarik Black
why?
Lakers need all the cap space that they need in order to maintain cap flexibility.

~Trade Corey Brewer, Julius Randle, Timofey Mozgov, and #28 to Brooklyn for Brook Lopez
why?
Again, Lakers creating more cap space but also receive a more win-now piece while also getting rid of Mozgov's contract.

~Sign Blake Griffin to a max, 2+1 contract
why?
He's the closest thing you can get to a star in this year's FA realistically. And he'd have to be willing to leave the Clippers which if he thinks they're topped out is a potential possibility.

~Sign Lonzo Ball to his rookie contract
why?
In order to maximize cap space, they must wait until the last minute to sign him to his rookie contract. His cap hold is only 100%, while he'll be signed to 120% the rookie scale.

~Sign 1 year, minimum salaries
why?
Need to fill out the roster.

PG: Lonzo Ball / Jordan Clarkson
SG: D'Angelo Russell
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Blake Griffin / Larry Nance Jr.
C: Brook Lopez / Ivica Zubac

A year from now, you stretch Luol Deng and salary dump Clarkson and you have enough cap space to sign Paul George outright.

Only the Blake Griffin part is "pipedreamy" (although still possible). You'd have to share your Plan B for me to think you're capable of being realistic and probable though.

The trade for the Lakers, I'd do, but for Brooklyn, it'd all hedge on how much they value Randle and that #28 pick. My guess is not that much. The draft pick ain't that great, and Randle's skillset may not be valued by Brooklyn and the way that they want to play.

[Vaylen]

If all the backroom conspiring among the supers is set in stone behind the scenes then:

Hit the lotto, hype Ball as the second coming of Magic

Ball+Russell+Clarkson+Randle+Deng for Rondo+Butler

Moz+28 to Minn

2017

Rondo
Butler
Ingram
Nance
Zubac

8 seed. Let the young guys grow with the aid of old guys.

2018, Rondo expires, let him walk or sign him for the vet min.
Sign Westbrook and PGeorge
Fill out with ring chasers

2018

Westbrook Rondo
Butler
George
Nance/Ingram
Zubac

This is the only plan I've seen that would have a chance to dethrone the Warriors. It's a major long shot, but so is sitting on a bunch of kids and hoping they all bear fruit without any busts.

[milesfides]

I wouldn't touch Blake Griffin - way too injury prone over his career.

Second, he can't play big man defense.

Dominant playmaker, dynamic wing, defensive big man. Those are your three spots you have to cover before looking at offensively talented power forward (Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge)

That's just gravy, but it's no formula for championships.

[Princeinrevolt]

I wouldn't touch Blake Griffin - way too injury prone over his career.

Second, he can't play big man defense.

Dominant playmaker, dynamic wing, defensive big man. Those are your three spots you have to cover before looking at offensively talented power forward (Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge)

That's just gravy, but it's no formula for championships.

I think you need to add 3 point shooters (role-players) to your "formula for championships". All the championship teams have that/need that.

[Karmaloop]

Only the Blake Griffin part is "pipedreamy" (although still possible). You'd have to share your Plan B for me to think you're capable of being realistic and probable though.

The trade for the Lakers, I'd do, but for Brooklyn, it'd all hedge on how much they value Randle and that #28 pick. My guess is not that much. The draft pick ain't that great, and Randle's skillset may not be valued by Brooklyn and the way that they want to play.

If you want a realistic plan, you're pretty much already looking at it. I can't imagine a scenario in which the Lakers are overly active this offseason. Probably sign a few players to 1 year deals, maybe looking to take back some contracts that expire in 2018 in return for assets.

[milesfides]

I think you need to add 3 point shooters (role-players) to your "formula for championships". All the championship teams have that/need that.

Sure, but they're much easier to find. And will continue to be easier to find.

Harder to find dynamic players, and that's why Golden State is really successful, because they really are a team full of dynamic wings. That's why their talent and basketball IQ and defense are all so high. All this, despite not having a real big man or true point guard.

This is also why the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Clippers have always fallen short, despite having some great players. Ultimately they don't have dynamic wings who can break meticulously planned defensive schemes in the playoffs. You can have a great defensive big man, you can have great playmakers, but if you don't have wings who can hit threes, get to the line, create shots, make plays, and play defense, then you will lose to the team that does.

This is also why I think Gordon Hayward is actually undervalued. But go ask Doc Rivers what he thinks about Gordon Hayward. A lot of top basketball minds, including top basketball players, respect his game. Paul George does. And speaking of Paul George, remember when Kevin Durant got heat for saying Kawhi Leonard could be replaced by Paul George and the Spurs would still be successful? His point was not that Kawhi wasn't that good, it was that these dynamic wings, when they're in a good system, will find a lot of success.

Hayward didn't have a good playmaker when George Hill went out (although Hill isn't really a dominant playmaker anyways). George had the same problem. They didn't have the proper framework as a team.

All I know is that if we had a team like Paul George and Gordon Hayward at the wings, with a true playmaker like Lonzo Ball to get them the ball, and a bouncy big like Nerlens Noel protecting the basket...

That fits the formula for a championship. I don't care how sexy or unsexy their names are. Their games work.

This is why I was never high on guys like Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, or Julius Randle. Guys like Eric Gordon, Bradley Beal, etc are harder to fit into a team scheme.

[ozymandias818]

Harder to find dynamic players, and that's why Golden State is really successful, because they really are a team full of dynamic wings. That's why their talent and basketball IQ and defense are all so high. All this, despite not having a real big man or true point guard.

Pretty awesome post on the whole. I did find one issue here though. They won without a true point guard. What does that mean though?

Curry averaged 8 assists per game that year. Obviously we're not calling him a "true" point guard.

Who else has won a championship lately? Kyrie? He's a scorer, not a distributor.

Tony Parker? Less than 6 assists per game in 2013-14.

Mario Chalmers? Moving on.

You just need overall passing. Whether that comes from one elite passing point guard, or from a collective core of good passers (Spurs), a do-it-all wing (LeBron), it's important, but what is asked for from point guards is very different now. You need a guy that can score and create his own shot, a guy that can hit 3s, and a guy that, worst case scenario on defense, can gamble effectively for steals. Getting 8-10 assists per game doesn't matter. "True" point guards don't win championships.

[milesfides]

Curry is very unique - I do think he can average more assists and be considered more of a trad PG if he 1) weren't the best shooter in history 2) Draymond and iggy weren't shouldering playmaking roles

Lebron is the PG, not Kyrie ... kyrie is really like IT, not ideal actually imo. I changed my mind about him - he's a great scoring and has great talent but not ideally suited for winning championships. Also why Lebron said they need another playmaker - ouch. That also explains Mario chalmers whose career is over without Lebron

Spurs are definitely a system team - they make sure they have the right personnel to run it - but Tony parker was a dynamic player as was manu Ginobili (2nd to Kobe imho for - dynamic wing in that era)and Duncan sure as hell wasnt just a defensive player.

You're pointing out exceptions, but it's harder to plan on getting Lebron or Duncan or Kobe or Shaq or Curry. It makes your team way stronger of course, and it gives you the luxury of getting away with weaker positions.

But the formula exists ... when you realize you can't bank on getting a superstar who can be 2 or even 3 key roles all by himself.

[ozymandias818]

Curry is very unique - I do think he can average more assists and be considered more of a trad PG if he 1) weren't the best shooter in history 2) Draymond and iggy weren't shouldering playmaking roles

Lebron is the PG, not Kyrie ... kyrie is really like IT, not ideal actually imo. I changed my mind about him - he's a great scoring and has great talent but not ideally suited for winning championships. Also why Lebron said they need another playmaker - ouch. That also explains Mario chalmers whose career is over without Lebron

Spurs are definitely a system team - they make sure they have the right personnel to run it - but Tony parker was a dynamic player as was manu Ginobili (2nd to Kobe imho for - dynamic wing in that era)and Duncan sure as hell wasnt just a defensive player.

You're pointing out exceptions, but it's harder to plan on getting Lebron or Duncan or Kobe or Shaq or Curry. It makes your team way stronger of course, and it gives you the luxury of getting away with weaker positions.

But the formula exists ... when you realize you can't bank on getting a superstar who can be 2 or even 3 key roles all by himself.

But you need to bank on that superstar, it's a simple fact. It's part of why I want the Lakers to go hard for a guy like Butler. The Cavs have LeBron. The Warriors had Curry. The Spurs had Kawhi. The Heat had LeBron. The Heat had LeBron. The Mavs had peak Dirk. The Lakers had Kobe. The Lakers had Kobe.

Bored yet? I am.

You don't win a championship without a Top 10 player. There are a lot of other things that go into it too, but you need to bank on that superstar or you're not winning. They're not exceptions, these are the types of point guards that end up on these teams every year, and these are the types of teams that win every year.

[milesfides]

Not true. The Pistons and Dallas Mavericks showed you could win a championship with a true team effort by having those roles fulfilled.

It's harder of course, but it's much more logical to approach it that way than to plan for a Shaq, Duncan, Kobe, or Lebron.

And of course, those guys had to prove it. Shaq, Kobe, and Lebron all had to develop and evolve to become the transcendent forces in the game.

Look at what's happening with Russell Westbrook and James Harden when they were placed in different situations.

Don't rule out what guys like Paul George or Gordon Hayward can do when given the right opportunity.

[Karmaloop]

Not true. The Pistons and Dallas Mavericks showed you could win a championship with a true team effort by having those roles fulfilled.

That's what two teams in the last two decades? And one of those was going up against a hobbled Lakers team. I wouldn't exactly use that as evidence. Talent wins in the NBA more times than not.

[Dr Aki]

i think this thread would have more legs if it was set up as a fun hypothetical, rather than a serious idea thread

[milesfides]

Not true. The Pistons and Dallas Mavericks showed you could win a championship with a true team effort by having those roles fulfilled.

That's what two teams in the last two decades? And one of those was going up against a hobbled Lakers team. I wouldn't exactly use that as evidence. Talent wins in the NBA more times than not.

No. That's closer to two in the last decade. And talent does win, if you have it in the right places. As does coaching and system - the Spurs didn't have a prime Tim Duncan for a few of those championships.

And as Kevin Durant and Lebron have shown, talent attracts talent. None of the best players in the world will join a rebuilding team. So it's in the team's best interest to get top players and maintain flexibility to improve.

[stan francisco]

Quickest way to superteam must becto trade for a PG and PF. No star will come here to build from scratch. We'll have to do this in steps, via trade first, and then FA signings and trades over a couple of years.

Here's my superteam plan of action:
2017 #2 pick, Jordan Clarkson, Deng for PG X
2017 #28 pick, Julius Randle, Mozgov for PF Y

Then improve roster with starting FAs using freed up cap space. Keep tweaking for the next two seasons. CP3, Russell, Ingram, A Davis, Zubac could very well be a superteam in two years. Just saying that we're possibly only two players away. PG and PF. Trading us out of the bush league first, is how. Not FA, where we will be overpaying at this point.

PG: X
SG: Russell
SF: Ingram
PF: Y
C: Zubac

To me, those are the three players we build around.