Free Agency

[I Love You Kobe]

Mitch Kupchak admitted that the new, tougher rules governing the luxury tax will make it difficult for the Lakers to improve via free agency.

“I’d be surprised if we’re going to be very active,” Kupchak said of the impending free agency period. “Only because of the limitations on this franchise resulting from the collective bargaining agreement. ... You might not be able to really go out there and dramatically improve your team with a $1 million player or a $3 million player. But there’s value out there and we’ll search for it.”

Los Angeles is well over the salary cap, with just the mini-mid-level exception, veteran’s minimum and an $8.9 million trade exception at its disposal.

which players are there that fit this:
“Wouldn’t that be nice if a team gave us a player making $9 million or less to improve our team?” Kupchak said. “Obviously, the chances of that are not good. We’d probably have to move something back in the other direction just as good to make the other team happy. However, there are occurrences where teams look to get rid of a player that maybe doesn’t fit in or sometimes the trade exception can be used to make a more complicated trade. So it’s valuable to have, but it’s not like you can go out and sign a player making $9 million.”

unwanted players making $9 mill. or less that we can acquire for just our TPE and maybe a younger player on r team like Ebanks or Morris..

[I Love You Kobe]

would anybody want Ariza from the Wizards for most of the TPE?

is Millsap realistic? if the Jazz want to give more minutes to Favors, Kanter

[Jetset]

It'll be just like it was in December, we'll sign someone for $3 mil but hope it turns out better than Josh McRoberts. That's the only move that can be done outside of a bunch of vet min signings, which is why a trade has to be done.

[Sedale Threatt]

We might as well just clean house and start over.

[Jetset]

would anybody want Ariza from the Wizards for most of the TPE?

is Millsap realistic? if the Jazz want to give more minutes to Favors, Kanter

I don't think either one is realistic. Ariza makes too much for what he produces, and Utah isn't going to just hand over a player to the Lakers for a TPE.

[Stebo_SSK]

would anybody want Ariza from the Wizards for most of the TPE?

is Millsap realistic? if the Jazz want to give more minutes to Favors, Kanter

I don't think either one is realistic. Ariza makes too much for what he produces, and Utah isn't going to just hand over a player to the Lakers for a TPE.

Only way I see Utah trading Millsap to LA is if they can dump Harris with him for Pau but even then that would create a PG gap there and I dont think Utah is looking to pay for a 19 mil dollar guy.

[crazyeights]

We might as well just clean house and start over.

Outside of trading for Deron/Dwight, I don't see how we can even start over with Kobe's contract. That informs every decision they can possibly make. The Lakers doubleddown on Kobe after repeat championships and before a landscape altering lockout...their hands are tied until 2014, IMO.

[chandlerbang23]

I LOVE THE NEW CBA TAXES!!! GM's have to do more than pick whoever they want now. LA needs to feel the pain of paying more in taxes tha your teams combined salaries

[iamworthy]

Laker management is playing poker right now.

[Gek]

I liked it better when we had Phil and were playing chess.

[AnaheimRoyale]

All the more reason not to trade Pau, a move you're sure to regret, as you'll never get equal value back, and it will be the beginning of the end of the Lakers recent run of contention.

[Doormatt]

Well the lakers recent run of contention is already pretty clearly over, trading pau (or Bynum) is the first step in moving on from that.

[AnaheimRoyale]

Yeh, and how will Kobe react to you winning less games and getting bumped in the first round (or worse)?

[Sedale Threatt]

Maybe he'll demand a trade, and we can get rid of his contract.

[AnaheimRoyale]

Not before he demands Bynum is traded...

[One Love]

Pau & Bynum don't come ment each other... Bynum is 7 years younger & has more potential therefore Pau is the odd man out... We have 7 players under contract & we are at the luxury tax already... Trade Pau for 3 players... Get a PG or PF (spread the floor) & some bench help... Sign Roy and Rashard if possible... Here's an idea, sign & trade for Kidd & LO with Dallas for the Exemption... Should be an interesting offseason...

[Anklebreaker702]

Pau & Bynum don't come ment each other... Bynum is 7 years younger & has more potential therefore Pau is the odd man out... We have 7 players under contract & we are at the luxury tax already... Trade Pau for 3 players... Get a PG or PF (spread the floor) & some bench help... Sign Roy and Rashard if possible... Here's an idea, sign & trade for Kidd & LO with Dallas for the Exemption... Should be an interesting offseason...

I think this subject is looked at improperly pretty often. I think if Pau enjoyed playing down low they would be just fine. Pau doesn't dominated down low like he could because he doesn't like the rough stuff that's why he's going to be traded imo.

[hermes]

mitch will make it work, he's the best

DO IT MITCH

[Josephpaul]

We might as well just clean house and start over.

Agreed.

[MAMBAEMD]

Kobe has 2 or 3 good years left.
Ideally, the Lakers should make trades to make the team a contender during Kobe's tenure and build a foundation for the future of the team at the same.
IMO, the only way you can do that is by getting Dwight or Deron. Those are players that you can build a team around when Kobe retires.
The only way you get one of those two is by trading Bynum and/or Pau.
They should do their best to get Dwight or Deron.
If not, they should sit tight this year and just find a decent PG and strengthen the bench with their trade and mid level exemptions. It will be easier to trade Pau next year as an expiring.
Buss seems to think yo can build a team around Bynum. He may be right but I doubt it.
The time to trade Bynum is now.