Woj: Dlo & Moz to Nets for lopez and 27th pick

[RingsDontLie]

I was more concerned with the whole removing fluid from his knee, and the platelet-rich therapy than I was with Dlo's attitude. The attitude eventually will change, I mean he is just a kid after all.

[lake_show]

No disrespect to anyone as i'm new here and have found that most of you guys are awesome and have a great knowledge about the game but I've never seen a player get so overrated as you guys rate Russell.

Nah... I think he was underrated. He was underrated for dumb reasons too. 80% of the people who wanted him traded wanted it because of the cell phone incident lol. Nothing to do with basketball. Even as I'm watching TV now NBATV analysts are surprised he was traded.

Either way, whether you wanted him traded or not, salary dumping him now to have enough cap space to sign 2 max contracts in 2018 makes no sense unless you're bringing on 2 max contracts right now.

Fair point. I mentioned its a very high risk game that Magic and Rob have gotten us into.

I feel that people think (incorrectly) that adding Russell to a team of PG and Max free agent would help us beat GSW and without Russell we can't.

I don't know if that's the case. I mean, we ain't beating GS even with or without either of those guys. I think people just wanted to keep our best assets. Especially in a situation where there's really no incentive to get rid of them. Now it looks like we're also getting rid of Randle, and Clarkson to get a player who was coming here next year anyway. The desperation on our part makes no sense.

Also, I think people who are ok with this trade are putting a whole lot of faith in Lonzo Ball. He's probably a skilled player, but we still haven't even gotten a glimpse of what he'll do in the NBA. If we take him we'll be drafting the only high draft pick that showed up out of shape to his NBA workout. Just let that sink in for a second. Not saying he's gonna suck, just saying that's not a goid look. Meanwhile, we know D'Lo has potential.

[LakersLegacy]

I don't really now if this is a right move going forward, but it's depressing seeing DLo gone so soon.
The franchise wasn't so high on him as most of the fans, that's for sure, they maybe see him having a OJ Mayo or Tyreke Evans type of career.

I expect him to put AllStar numbers in Brooklyn next season.

Don't like the move, hope I'm wrong.


Man, last offseason was the worst ever, who could anyone on Earth think it was a good idea to sign Mozgov and Deng to those deals?

He will be an all-star in the East. Break out season. They will ask him to shoot as much as he wants.

Are you serious? Irving, Wall, Thomas, Lowry (if he stays in the east) and Walker all play point guard. Even Goran Dragic and Dennis Schroeder are better. Not to mention top level 2 guards like Derozan & Butler

Unless Brooklyn become a top 4 team in the East, it's not going to happen.

I think I'm still all hyped on D-Lo. Thanks for making tonight easier

[MistyMountain20]

This is a tough trade to justify. The rational is there, but essentially you're hoping that an older LeBron James decides to leave an Eastern Conference that he has owned since 2011, to come out West to come to a team with young player and maybe Paul George, who together we'll win 32-42 games next season. It just seems like a shortsighted move thinking about it now, never mind that you gave up your best player for basically a salary dump. Why not let the Warriors who are going to dominate for at least another 2-3 years continue to do so and develop your young core. Eat the Mozgov and Deng contracts and give up the fixation of trying to assemble a championship team in the next year or two when there's already a better super team in the your conference. Laying it all out there, this deal is ****.

[ozymandias818]

And Russell wins us what exactly?

D'Angelo, even if all went well with his development, would be relegated to carrying Old-man-Lebron's bags around. A declining Lebron is still better than 96% of every player who have played in the history of the game. As it turns out, Russell's maturity, or lack there of, will likely prevent him from even reaching his full potential. As so he shouldn't even be allowed within 20 yards of a declining Lebron.

And you're concerned we let go of what exactly? A young kid, while admittedly talented, is as athletic as battery operated barbie Ken doll with a Nick Young personality?

No thanks.

Yet again, what's your point? I want us fielding a good team and competing for championships. This trade made our team worse. At least you know better than to argue about that.

I don't care how good a declining Lebron is. Is he winning a championship here? The answer, obviously, is no. We just gave up one of the pieces we had that could've made a nice third player to put with a Lebron and Paul George for nothing.

Are you implying that D'lo would've been a bad influence on grown ass Lebron James? That's maybe the most ridiculous thing I've literally ever heard on the internet.

I'm concerned we're getting rid of the 2015 #2 pick for scraps.

You guys can whine about Russell and hate all you want, but what we're getting in return is far worse no matter how much you want to delude yourself and you all know it.

Haha. A nice third player with Lebron and Paul George?

Lets look at the facts...

1. We had to trade away those massive garbage deals to make room for the two of them... that takes assets.

2. I got news for you... Lonzo would be #3, Ingram would be #4... THEN maybe Dangelo is #5. Accept that fact.

We didn't need to trade the 2015 #2 pick to receive nothing and dump Mozgov. You're out of your mind if you think that was a smart move.

I don't even know what your #2 is, you seem to be lacking reading comprehension. Feel free to try again.

[Beethoven]

I'm excited. Love this trade. Brook is a great player and we have him for only a year in case it does not work. We get rid of an albatross from the Mitch era. We invest in another guard, I don't think Russel will ever be a championship mindset guard. Love the front office keep doing great work this game is chess fellas and only those who don't see it exclaim hyperbole of fail here on this thread without looking really into it. You think you can do better than pelinka??

[Sushisensei26]

I feel that people think (incorrectly) that adding Russell to a team of PG and Max free agent would help us beat GSW and without Russell we can't.

Yet again, what is the point of this post? The goal is to win championships. The goal is to have as good of a team as possible. We just made a trade that is a terrible value. We just made our team worse. What aren't you understanding?

To have as good a team as possible we HAD to have Russell on it?

You can't see a path to having as good a team as possible by dumping Mozzy and Deng and signing top tier free agents into that cap space?

edit: Just saw you posted that you think Russell could have been the 3RD PIECE to a Lebron and PG.... WOW!!!! I guess we differ enormously in our valuation of Russell which is why i'm not as worked up about this trade as you are.

[SashaTheMachine]

Gonna smoke a pound tonight

[nymets1]

Mozgov contract is too much, he's way overpaid. The Lakers were so dumb to overpay for him. Great trade by the Lakers but STUPID trade for the Nets. The nets might be ok if Russell performs well, but that Mozgov contract sucks.

The only player the lakers need to shed now is Luol Deng. The lakers have a good amount of cap space now with Mozgov and Russell gone so Deng is really the only player on the Lakers now I think with a high salary.

The Lakers trading Russell basically means they are getting ready for Lonzo Ball to get his 30+ minutes per game.

[Sedale Threatt]

I honestly think Russell's issues were far more than we are aware. I would not be shocked if his immaturity rubbed his teammates and Walton the wrong way. I bet there's more to this. That being said he's worth more than what we got right now. I would not be shocked though if Russell never truly meets his potential because of his immaturity.i mean now he's in Brooklyn next to Jeremy Linn . We better take ball. Ball already appears more mature than Russell. I hope it's balls team now regardless of George.

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In hindsight, the Lakers pretty much spelled out their thinking through Kevin Ding's column the other day, not only what they think about Ball or their plan to get George and LeBron -- gee, I wonder who his sources could be about LeBron's wife wanting to live in L.A. full time? -- but, more importantly, how they feel about Russell (and Randle).

Between the last few years of losing and some lottery luck, the Lakers have assembled a core of players who could one day be special. But as well as the team has drafted, it has also gotten to see Brandon Ingram, D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Ivica Zubac, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. closely enough to know what imperfections each player possesses.

Ingram has already been diligent and impressive in offseason workouts, affirming the Lakers' belief that he is their most special prospect despite his shaky shooting as a rookie.

There is still a lot to like about both Russell and Randle as well, but there are also ongoing questions about how well they take criticism, according to team sources. Lakers head coach Luke Walton entered the season asking Russell to be less of a know-it-all and more of a leader for the group, while he hoped Randle would emulate Draymond Green in using every perceived slight as motivation. Though both players improved their games, neither advanced as far as Walton had hoped. Russell was inconsistent with his professionalism, and Randle often lost messages given to him if they were delivered harshly.

Whether the uncertainties surrounding players as young as Russell and Randle are meaningful enough that the Lakers are willing to trade them remains to be seen. It'd be a huge risk to sell low on Russell, in particular.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2716504-lakers-favor-drafting-lonzo-ball-with-an-eye-on-paul-george-lebron-james

Indeed -- a huge, huge risk. Nobody could argue otherwise. Especially at a point in time where, even if everything plays out exactly how they hope, we'll still be massive underdogs to the Warriors.

But it's not a coincidence you have this kind of inside information spilling a day before they move Russell. They like him, but clearly weren't sold on him -- or anybody else on the roster, for that matter -- so they did in fact sell low in order to help facilitate their larger (pipe dream?) goal of landing a pair of superstars. EDIT: Personally, I don't have any problem with their internal assessment. I'm not sold on any of these guys, either. That includes Ingram.

I think more than actually winning a title, the front office -- especially Jeanie -- is feeling intense pressure just to be good and relevant again. That's a frightening place to be as you end up making big, potentially knee-jerk gambles of the sort that have kept teams like the Knicks and Nets in perpetual mediocrity.

[ozymandias818]

You think you can do better than pelinka??

I think my dead grandmother can do better than Pelinka. She wouldn't have made any trades, which is exactly what we should be doing.

[SlimShady83]

HAHAAHAHA! Good riddens too Dslo never liked him and let's hope we keep "My boy JC"

Now I'll go read the replies.

[RingsDontLie]

We can't put faith in lebron coming here however. Why would we? This isn't the first lebron rumor to surface, so to shape your franchise on the possibility of Lebron coming is lunacy.

[jigga_man]

He will be an all-star in the East. Break out season. They will ask him to shoot as much as he wants.

Are you serious? Irving, Wall, Thomas, Lowry (if he stays in the east) and Walker all play point guard. Even Goran Dragic and Dennis Schroeder are better. Not to mention top level 2 guards like Derozan & Butler

Unless Brooklyn become a top 4 team in the East, it's not going to happen.

I think I'm still all hyped on D-Lo. Thanks for making tonight easier

Trust me, I'm not thrilled with the trade by any means but I don't believe it sets the team significantly back at all either. He's a talented yet flawed young player with physical limitations that prevents him imo, reaching all star status.

I'll be the first to admit it if i'm wrong.

[dockingsched]

Haven't been able to be online to get updates, any news on what the team intends to do with Lopez?

[MistyMountain20]

Outside of rumors, it makes very little sense for LeBron to come to the Lakers or the West at all. For Magic and the Laker front office to basically sacrifice a significant part of their future on a chance an older LeBron comes here just to lose to the Warriors anyways is kind of amazing.

[TyCobb]

Kiss of Death Mentorship program, check!

Love this trade.

[myersia]

I don't really now if this is a right move going forward, but it's depressing seeing DLo gone so soon.
The franchise wasn't so high on him as most of the fans, that's for sure, they maybe see him having a OJ Mayo or Tyreke Evans type of career.

I expect him to put AllStar numbers in Brooklyn next season.

Don't like the move, hope I'm wrong.


Man, last offseason was the worst ever, who could anyone on Earth think it was a good idea to sign Mozgov and Deng to those deals?

He will be an all-star in the East. Break out season. They will ask him to shoot as much as he wants.

Are you serious? Irving, Wall, Thomas, Lowry (if he stays in the east) and Walker all play point guard. Even Goran Dragic and Dennis Schroeder are better. Not to mention top level 2 guards like Derozan & Butler

Unless Brooklyn become a top 4 team in the East, it's not going to happen.

Some of you are really overrating how good Russell is. He'll be in contention to be one of the worst starting point guards in the East.[/quote]

Valid point

[Kilroy]

Damn... I guess we're all in on the LeBron/PG/Ball front.
Not impressed with the return... But it should be an on court improvement.

[Michael Lucky]

Haven't been able to be online to get updates, any news on what the team intends to do with Lopez?

nope, although I assume we would let his contract expires and not resign him. God, I hope so anyways.