RealGM

1️⃣ Lakers Want to Make a Run at PG13?
2️⃣ Could Lakers make a play for Harrison Barnes?
3️⃣ DeMar DeRozan L.A. Bound?
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According to Bill Simmons, the Lakers have interest in trying to acquire Paul George from the Indiana Pacers. George is under contract for two more seasons with a player option for the third, but Simmons believes an offer of a high lottery pick and then some would at least get Indiana’s attention.
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The Warriors small forward, Harrison Barnes will enter July as a restricted free agent after he and the team failed to finalize an extension by the deadline on Nov. 2. Barnes will draw a lot of attention on July 1 and the Lakers might have an interest.

“I think he’s capable of averaging 18 a game here if the Lakers sign him and brought him here.” Lakers analyst Mychal Thompson said during his show on ESPN LA. “I think he could be more of a featured scorer, maybe a No. 2 option, maybe even a No. 1 on certain nights. He’s capable of putting up in the high-20s. He’s a very good shooter, can get to the basket, very athletic. He just hasn’t been asked to do very much in Golden State, but coming here, he’d be asked to do more, and I think he could." He also stated that Barnes wants 20 million per season. (H/T ESPN)

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▪️During Tuesday’s show of ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith claimed DeRozan has made it very clear he wants to come to Los Angeles this summer:“He’s made it very, very clear that he wants to be in L.A.,” Smith said of DeRozan’s intentions in free agency. “He has family out there. He’s from out there. He wants to be in L.A. He wants to wear the purple and gold, and if there’s a way for it to happen, again he’s restricted, if there’s a way for it to happen, DeMar DeRozan will be in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform next season.” (H/T Ryan Ward | Lakers Nation)

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[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84ZXVVJKEs8[/youtube]

Can't wait to see his backpadelling excuse when this never happens

ROballer wrote:Can't wait to see his backpadelling excuse when this never happens

That's easy. Oh my 2 sources got it totally wrong.

That or "they tried trading it, but didn't get the return they wanted"

I'd trade it for this man...

I wouldn't...

I'd want a Westbrook (if Durant signs here, which is doubtful)...at the very least a Paul George

Butler is good, but I'm not seeing him as 1st option type player for a contender, and you need to get that if you trade a no.1 overall pick ...and he'll be 27 by the time the next season starts, so I'm not seeing a lot of improvement out of him, what you see now is what you're going to get

think pelicans would give up davis or the sixers give up noel?

Davis is not being traded for anyone in this league...


Noel yes, especially with Saric coming over and possibly Embiid recovering in time for next season
But you don't trade the no.1 pick for Nerlens Noel, c'mon now

Highly plausible, since Jim's priority is making the 2nd round, not building a contender

Some names I think might be traded if certain circumstances occur, that we might be interested in trading for the pick; (these are merely names, I'd probably take 1 or 2 of them, the FO might think differently)

Butler
George(longshot)
Griffin(if the Clippers blow it off)
Cousins
Westbrook(if Durant leaves and OKC starts rebuilding)

Some other lower tiered names that I won't even bother consider, it's the FREAKING 1st overall pick after all, you don't trade it for peanuts

If I were to trade the pic it would go as follow.
Westbrook < if possible but doubt it
George
Butler
Griffin < don't like him and doubt clipps would make any trade with us any way
Cousins.

Food for thought

The first overall pick in a draft was traded a mere THREE times in the history of the game( draft day or just after the draft, never playing for the team that traded them)

It just doesn't happen often ..

Wiggins essentially was traded for Kevin Love
Webber was traded for Penny Hardaway and future picks


So you need a star back, not just any star, one that's actually young enough to be relevant for years to come ...you don't trade it for anybody half decent

I don't think the Lakers will trade the pick if they have a shot at Ingram or Simmons. Both have perennial all-star potential.

IGSaint wrote:I don't think the Lakers will trade the pick if they have a shot at Ingram or Simmons. Both have perennial all-star potential.

Remember, Jim is on a timeline. We gotta be a little further along than "got lots of young talent" by the end of the season, or Jeanie can hold him to his word. You gotta know that the media and fans who dont like Jim (and there are TONS) will be constantly reminding him and Jeanie at every interview. Guys like Magic will certainly have something to say.

I would look for Jim to make waves coming up. Not saying it's smart.....but I for one would not be surprised at all if he tries to land Cousins. Especially if word around the league is that it would improve the Lakers appeal for other stars.

Also, if they were to land a guy like Simmons, you now have two 6'10"Sf/Pf players. One will have to go. Too much talent rotting on the bench. My guess would be that they would keep Randle and try to flip Simmons.

Cousins does fill a need. I personally like Cousins....and I would make that trade. But even if you wouldn't, you can see there's certainly alot of logic to the move.

Hypothetical question: Which bigman combination is more intriguing, Okafor/Simmons or Cousins/Randle?

ALL HAIL wrote:Hypothetical question: Which bigman combination is more intriguing, Okafor/Simmons or Cousins/Randle?

cousins/randle by a landslide.

cousins is probably the best center in the game, and a great compliment to stretch the floor and be the last line of defense
randle, in essentially his rookie season, averaged a double-double

okafor is a back-to-the-basket scoring machine but bad defender
simmons has potential to be the best player out of the 4, which he probably will, but he's still hasn't played a single nba game.

John Ireland was saying people need to brace for the young guys to not be here. He said that people assume this is going to be a young team and that's not the case. He thinks the Lakers are going to cash in their chips. In saying that the only trading pieces they have currently is Russell and Julius. Assuming Clarkson resigns he won't be able to be traded until later on in the year. So that means if they're cashing in their pieces for a star vet Julius and or Russell is gone.

Let me preface this by saying I am not a Cousins fan. I hope we don't trade him but if we did...

I haven't said this out loud because I know most people would hate it... But I like Randle and Clarkson next to Cousins... I'd trade #1 and Russell and filler for Cousins... I doubt they'd take that, but I'd do it... Maybe take back a bunch of debt as well?

ALL HAIL wrote:Hypothetical question: Which bigman combination is more intriguing, Okafor/Simmons or Cousins/Randle?

Cousins/Randle, easily.