Do the unthinkable...

salmahayek · Post #1 » by **salmahayek** » Tue May 22, 2012 1:53 pm

...keep the team largely together.

Yes, they have been dispatched in the second round, but the core of the team is not the problem. I do not see a drop off for any of the big three next year, Kobe, Gasol, or Bynum. I think Kobe and Gasol can maintain their level of play physically this year, next year, while improving their offensive and defensive execution in their second years with the Lakers new systems. Bynum, assuming he is healthy again, can still improve in all facets.

There is the obvious payroll problem, but while Kobe is a Laker, the Busses pretty much have to go all in, even if it means millions and millions in luxury taxes over the next couple of years. While Kobe is very well compensated with a max contract, the Lakers still owe it to him and the fans to go all in these next two seasons. A HOF career and even more importantly five championships give you that kind of cache.

I do not think the Lakers can reconstruct the team better around Kobe by trading Bynum or Gasol. One, you do not trade a young all - star center - you just don't. While Magic and Kobe may be the most celebrated Lakers of all time, Laker basketball dominance has come from the pivot with Mikan, Chamberlain, Abdul - Jabbar, O'Neal, and even Gasol.

If you traded Gasol - what would you get for him? A very good to great point guard? An outstanding small forward? Maybe two good players at each position? I do not think acquiring either type of player would work in conjunction with Kobe. Kobe dominates the ball, so if bringing in an elite point guard, you would not get your bang for the "Gasol bucks." An all - star caliber small forward? Again, Kobe wants to dominate the ball and is a volume shooter, again negating the impact an all - star small forward could have on this team.

So, if going all in the next couple of years, you are better off keeping Gasol who is going to shoot a high percentage along with Bynum - something you really need when building a team around a volume shooter, plus it gives the Lakers 48 minutes a night of all - star level center play - something no team but the Lakers can boast. Gasol is one of the few if any players in the league with his talent level that would be willing to defer to Kobe and Bynum consistently without causing locker room rumbles.

I think you bring everyone back that you can. The kids are cheap and could still develop. Morris, Ebanks (bigger role next year), and Goudelock can be easily brought back. Blake and McRoberts are good, end of your rotation role players - if necessary.

Sessions should now have to opt back in after a disappointing end of the season and playoffs. Still, with an offseason to work with the team and a full training camp ahead and experience playing with the Lakers, he can improve on his own performance and help the team next year.

While there may never be consistently World Peace, and he actually throws in unexpected (or expected) drama to the mix, the bottom line is that defensively, who could the Lakers get at his salary that can reasonably guard Durant, LeBron, etc. He is a deft passer at times and can move the ball inside fairly well and has the ability to make big shots while not taking a lot of them (shots). That's pretty much what you want in a small forward that will be playing with Kobe.

The players likely moving on are Matt Barnes, Jordan Hill, and Troy Murphy. Barnes and Hill should be able to get better contracts elsewhere than what the Lakers can offer and Murphy would only be back at the minimum again to fill a roster spot. However, the Lakers are likely moving on from him, too. Hill showed some moxie this year after being acquired from Houston, but he is not likely in the cards for the Lakers.

The two acquisitions I would go for are Chauncey Billups with the mini - mid - level exception and Lamar Odom (assuming Hill cannot be retained) at the league minimum for one year. The Clippers could have a hard time keeping Billups since Mo Williams is opting back in. Billups could get starter's minutes with the Lakers, being a combo guard where he can play the one and two, with Kobe getting some minutes at the three behind World Peace. Billups has one of the highest basketball IQs and that is something this team needs. Billups would also allow Blake to be a very effective fourth guard, where he can play off of Billups or Kobe, but a backcourt of Sessions and Blake is just too short to be out there together and they get exposed by taller shooters and penetration at times.

Odom is said to be working on resurrecting his basketball career after a dismal season in Dallas. What better way to do that than with the Lakers again, backing up Gasol at the four and giving the Lakers that strong front court rotation. Perhaps he does not log as many minutes as in the past, but depending on foul trouble for Bynum and Gasol, he could log anywhere from 24 - 32 minutes a night. He should be more than capable of that. Obviously, getting back to LA would be important to Odom and he would likely get a lot more minutes with the Lakers than the Clippers.

Then you still have the trade exception to use by December to either add a piece you want or make a move in case of injury. As for the 60th pick in the draft, do a Euro-stash. Take a foreign player that you could look to bring in after this team is ultimately blown up in a couple of years.

Obviously, with the personnel staying largely in tact, the Lakers will need to play smarter and more cohesively next season, but with a year (almost) and a full camp with the new systems, as well as, more rest and practice time for a veteran team with a full regular season next year, they could make noise in the playoffs and contend again in 2013. Kobe will also have to keep in mind in regard to his shots - like a lot of people in a struggling economy - less is more.

mdemers938 · Post #2 » by **mdemers938** » Tue May 22, 2012 5:18 pm

hermes · Post #3 » by **hermes** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:20 am

thought this was going to be about getting rid of kobe and bringing the old band of misfits back together (smush, kwame, sasha, vlad, cook, mihm, etc)

only a little disappointed

TylersLakers · Post #4 » by **TylersLakers** » Wed May 23, 2012 1:29 am

There will be some changes.. for payroll reasons alone. The key areas which this team really lacks right now are...

1) The bench
2) Shooting

We can't get either with the limited resources we have. No draft picks, outside of the last pick of the second round. Only a mini MLE to go with. So what do you do? Add a Chauncey Billups or something for the mini MLE? Not enough. Doesn't help our areas of concern.

Jajwanda · Post #5 » by **Jajwanda** » Wed May 23, 2012 2:44 am

Gerald Green and Michael Beasley and I'd roll with that.

salmahayek · Post #6 » by **salmahayek** » Wed May 23, 2012 3:36 am

[quote="Jajwanda"]Gerald Green and Michael Beasley and I'd roll with that.[/quote]

I happen to like Green and Beasley a lot...but how do you get them?

Jajwanda · Post #7 » by **Jajwanda** » Wed May 23, 2012 3:38 am

Mini-MLE and a S and T.

The unthinkable is trading for the #1 overall pick with a certain young C.

Imadogg · Post #8 » by **Imadogg** » Wed May 23, 2012 5:25 am

Jajwanda wrote:Mini-MLE and a S and T.

The unthinkable is trading for the #1 overall pick with a certain young C.

No team would do that. I don't know anything about college bball but I'm hearing everyone say Anthony Davis will be BIG and can be Tim Duncan status. I don't believe any team with the 1st pick would risk that potential for Drew, who has potential but also the injury risk and is a couple years older and has shown attitude problems.

cbrown32 · Post #9 » by **cbrown32** » Wed May 23, 2012 11:08 am

TylersLakers wrote:There will be some changes.. for payroll reasons alone. The key areas which this team really lacks right now are...

1) The bench
2) Shooting

We can't get either with the limited resources we have. No draft picks, outside of the last pick of the second round. Only a mini MLE to go with. So what do you do? Add a Chauncey Billups or something for the mini MLE? Not enough. Doesn't help our areas of concern.

Bringing in Chauncey would help #1 and #2 instantly if we kept Sessions and somehow dumped Blake...

kobe808lak · Post #10 » by **kobe808lak** » Wed May 23, 2012 3:02 pm

This team has gone stale... I think you need to shake it up quite a bit this off season.

Wile E. Coyote · Post #11 » by **Wile E. Coyote** » Wed May 23, 2012 4:33 pm

When I read "do the unthinkable" I thought you were talking about amnestying Kobe's ridiculous contract.

Jajwanda · Post #12 » by **Jajwanda** » Thu May 24, 2012 5:10 am

How about we do the unthinkable and actually look at what the Lakers have been trying to do?

1- They tried to trade Bynum for Howard straight up. Expect that to be revisited again.
2- They tried to trade for Beasley to be that backup 3/4 not Hill.
3- They wanted to keep Gerald Green but didn't get to.

Put it all together:

PG- Sessions, Morris
SG- Bryant, Goudelock
SF- MWP, Green
PF- Gasol, Beasley
C- Howard

dunleavyjr · Post #13 » by **dunleavyjr** » Thu May 24, 2012 7:13 am

"Do the unthinkable..." for a second i thought you meant trading Kobe.

Sofa King · Post #14 » by **Sofa King** » Thu May 24, 2012 8:18 am

hermes wrote:thought this was going to be about getting rid of kobe and bringing the old band of misfits back together (smush, kwame, sasha, vlad, cook, mihm, etc)

only a little disappointed

I thought it was bringing back SLAVA! Enough said.

tugs · Post #15 » by **tugs** » Thu May 24, 2012 8:33 am

Wile E. Coyote wrote:When I read "do the unthinkable" I thought you were talking about amnestying Kobe's ridiculous contract.

salmahayek · Post #16 » by **salmahayek** » Thu May 24, 2012 7:19 pm

I probably should have chosen a different heading to my post, but with the anticipated reaction of all the national experts being to blow the Lakers up, anyone saying to keep the big three together were going to be in the minority.

In one offseason, no matter what trade(s) or other types of roster moves they would make, they are not going to be more athletic than OKC next year, or likely play better "team ball" than San Antonio.

However, they can keep their distinct advantage over both teams with their inside power players. That is where the Lakers need to use their strength against other teams while improving the team somewhat athletically, while also improving their chemistry and "team ball" play next year.

Improvements in team athleticism and team chemistry in conjunction with keeping the big three could still have the Lakers in contention next season, IMO.

laduane1 · Post #17 » by **laduane1** » Tue May 29, 2012 1:17 am

Dude, get to the point. We do not need to read that much out of date info...zzzzzzzzz

Post #18 » by **jazzfan1971** » Tue May 29, 2012 2:04 am

tldr.

Jetset · Post #19 » by **Jetset** » Tue May 29, 2012 2:14 am

See Salma, despite being one of the most influential hispanics in the world not even the Jazz fan wants to read what you have to say.

Stebo_SSK · Post #20 » by **Stebo_SSK** » Wed May 30, 2012 6:49 pm

Jajwanda wrote:How about we do the unthinkable and actually look at what the Lakers have been trying to do?

1- They tried to trade Bynum for Howard straight up. Expect that to be revisited again.
2- They tried to trade for Beasley to be that backup 3/4 not Hill.
3- They wanted to keep Gerald Green but didn't get to.

Put it all together:

PG- Sessions, Morris
SG- Bryant, Goudelock
SF- MWP, Green
PF- Gasol, Beasley
C- Howard

How did they want to keep Gerald Green when he was clearly cut from the team?