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Could this have something to do with how Magic seems so dead set on preserving cap space for 2018 instead of this summer?

Genius plan. With Lebron carrying so much of the load, he'll be much more fresh if he meets the Warriors prior to the finals. If he loses that eventual matchup, it doesn't go against his finals record. Always better not to make the finals than to make it and lose.

Great, let's get a 40year old LeBron. Will he have anything left in the tank? Or is the thinking by then some of our guys will be ready to contend so he doesn't have to play at such a high level.

RIP youth movement. We are trading them for vets and cap space.

'18 roster
Ball
Wade
George
LeBron
Zubac

Regardless, getting rid of Mozgov and Deng become #1 and #2 on the off-season list this summer.

#2+Deng for #5+#10
Clarkson for a 1st
Randle for a 1st
Moz+1st for space

Westbrook Vet Min
Russell 1st Vet Min
Tatum Ingram
Lebron Nance
Zubac Markannen Robinson

This is going to be an interesting offseason. So many possibilities.

dockingsched wrote:Always better not to make the finals than to make it and lose.

Huh?

Dr Aki wrote:

exactly. Like LeBron would actually come out West where the playoffs are a blood bath.

Errrrrrrrr....... No, thanks.


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LeBron would need a lot of help by that time in his career. On the flip side the PR, buzz and attention the Lakers would get would put them back at the top of the list for commercial charges and nationally televised games. Remember this is a business first and foremost and that our owners don't know how to do anything else (that assumes they know what they are doing now as well).

This smells like click-bait but if it's true I think we'd be looking to get vets in here at the expense of the youth... and quickly if we are to lure him here.

ak7 wrote:

dockingsched wrote:Always better not to make the finals than to make it and lose.

Huh?

People always want to criticize his finals record while ignoring the fact that just getting there 8x is an accomplishment.

Ballmer will sell CP3 on this and he and James will team up on the Clips... And lose more often to GSW. Maybe they'll bring in Melo too...

Only way he chooses us at this point is if Ball is everything he's supposed to be and more, of if we trade everyone for a couple of his friends.

Kilroy wrote:Ballmer will sell CP3 on this and he and James will team up on the Clips... And lose more often to GSW. Maybe they'll bring in Melo too...

Only way he chooses us at this point is if Ball is everything he's supposed to be and more, of if we trade everyone for a couple of his friends.

Ballmer doesn't have to sell CP3 on anything. CP3 will not walk away from 200 million dollars. Especially since he's one of the guys to help push that provision in the new CBA.

Not this crap again.

Barring injury, he would be our best player, but I'd still be pissed. All of the FA's we've struck out on in the last 4 or 5 years, and we get LBJ when he's like, 35?

aint this a little too soon??? i guess people are already banking on the Warriors to sweep.

also. i'll pass on a 35 year old Lebron if it means having to deal away our young guys to make room.

The Ringer is run by the biggest Laker hater of them all, Bill Simmons. I wouldn't trust anything they put out that has to do with our team. Of course they'd want us to trade our promising young core for an old declining LeBron. Even the stupid website itself is Celtic green. Yuck.

Go to the clips so they can make their first WCF...then lose to gsw

Between the two, way more likely to be win-now clips than rebuilding lakers.

No offense to kyrie, but Chris Paul is an upgrade as a top 5 point guard of all time.

Blake griffin opts out, clips could get close to clearing capspace to add Lebron.

Clips could also send out a package including Crawford and Rivers (thanks Dad) to get Melo, who would def waive his clause.

Chris Paul, Lebron, Melo ...

And I wouldn't rule out the clips trading deandre Jordan for more capspace to fit in Dwayne Wade and/or a more dynamic big man.

All of them would have to take some paycut, but there's precedent for that, and all four players have a narrow window.