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So their has been an insane amount of negativity lately in our threads. I understand some are hurt by the Russell trade. But nonetheless as a laker fan you have to feel good about our future. That Lonzo press conference was amazing. I really like our draft picks. I don't know I just felt like a thread of positivity about our direction and our new management was needed. It feels great to be relevant again and to feel charisma in the organization again. Magic truly is special and a rare find. I really enjoy Magic and Rob's direct responses and how they handle the media. You can tell Rob's agent past is a HUGE gain for players around the league. When magic said "I wanted that money for next year" it's great to have someone be direct. No more dry/beating around the bush Mitch answers. Nonetheless that is my vent. Feel free to express your love for our team, our direction, and our new management.

I believe Maginka if they have a Gasol-like deal for PG...

Maybe Russell is current generation Van Exel/Eddie Jones or Lakers version of Monta Ellis.

At some point we need to sacrifice for going to next level

Lakernut4ever wrote::rock: I believe Maginka if they have a Gasol-like deal for PG...

I'd rather not give up the next Marc Gasol (Zubac) for PG

let it go... time to move on already

There's also been an insane amount of positivity about them too, if you know where to look.
Point being don't focus on the negative... Trying to figure out why this thread shouldn't be locked.

nobody is above criticism, even Magic Johnson. If a fan doesn't like the moves he's allowed to say so.

Kilroy wrote:There's also been an insane amount of positivity about them too, if you know where to look.
Point being don't focus on the negative... Trying to figure out why this thread shouldn't be locked.

You can lock it up if you please. It was just an idea to express our excitement for our team. Honestly I think most of our threads have been more negative lately because of the Russell trade. Thought it would be good for a change to praise our management instead of tearing it down like many have because we traded Russ and many peoples disapproval of Magic as our mouthpiece.

Nah bruh. Booooooo.

The regime huh? Sounds like some first order/imperialist propaganda to me. Magic is Vader and Pelinka is kylo. We had rid of Phil Jackson aka palpatine and he is off doing crazy **** in new york. We are the evil empire, after all.

I give them credit for using the power of leaks and information to get prominent writers to put out puff pieces that generate excitement and positivity. Otherwise it's too early to tell, plan is still youngsters, future cap space, promise of star free agents. Nothing has really changed.

Magic with the timing. Landing Lonzo will change his reputation after this season. Lonzo can score too fellas. This **** is about to be entertaining.

I'll trust in them when they deliver. For too long we've been sold hopes and prayers and end up with Trash (see Mozgov and Deng).

We just traded our 2nd best prospect and could still lose out on George and could still fail to sign some F.A's yet.

If they get George for Clarkson + the picks (except Hart if we can, i think Hart is legit).

I do like their accessibility to the media and the positive energy and vibe they bring as a tadem to an organization that desperately needed it over the last few years. Having said that, what you did as a player, as an agent, or any other business ventures should be separated completely from what you do in the position you currently hold. I'm not going to turn a blind eye to bad moves just because Magic is Magic. You have to prove that you're a good executive.

As bad as I thought the Russell trade was, my frustration is more with the vision going forward. Its the same nonsense that Jim/Mitch peddled. Maintain cap flexibility, wait for a top 10 player to fall in our lap. That's not a plan, that's a fantasy. I'm trying not to be Eeyore, but if they don't land two top free agents in 2018, its going to be hard not becoming a bitter fan.

Pythagoras wrote:As bad as I thought the Russell trade was, my frustration is more with the vision going forward. Its the same nonsense that Jim/Mitch peddled. Maintain cap flexibility, wait for a top 10 player to fall in our lap. That's not a plan, that's a fantasy. I'm trying not to be Eeyore, but if they don't land two top free agents in 2018, its going to be hard not becoming a bitter fan.

And even then one has to question the urgency. GSW has arguably the best team ever. Two max free agents (who are the same age or older than GSWs current core) won't be anywhere near good enough to beat them. Seems like letting your core group grow together would have been more beneficial than this course we are on. Either way the Lakers absolutely cannot trade Ingram or Ball at this point. If you do that, in three years we'll have to rebuild all over again.

Zobi wrote:The regime huh? Sounds like some first order/imperialist propaganda to me. Magic is Vader and Pelinka is kylo. We had rid of Phil Jackson aka palpatine and he is off doing crazy **** in new york. We are the evil empire, after all.

Pythagoras wrote:As bad as I thought the Russell trade was, my frustration is more with the vision going forward. Its the same nonsense that Jim/Mitch peddled. Maintain cap flexibility, wait for a top 10 player to fall in our lap. That's not a plan, that's a fantasy. I'm trying not to be Eeyore, but if they don't land two top free agents in 2018, its going to be hard not becoming a bitter fan.

I get this but our drafted youth was no where near what OKC's was several years ago. Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and Harden. They didn't get a chip out of that group. We don't have the leader you need to drive a team to the ultimate success. What we have is a lot of potential and some very lofty if not unrealistic expectations.

The comparison is always GSW yet that team is a rarity not a norm. Their first championship had some fortunate injuries to their opponents. They didn't win the second year. They added the second best player in the game to that team by managing their cap.

Our previous "eras" are all combinations of home grown and acquired star players (trades or FA).

Don't get me wrong, I'm skeptical of the "Plan" too but I was even more skeptical of re-signing our youth one by one in the hopes that everyone one of them fulfilled the sometimes crazy projections surrounding them. At some point you have to have "now" players to make a jump that will attract more "now" players. If we can get just one more top 10 player I think we can be a place to come for FA's

The one think Magic can do to hinder this is by flapping his gums about "face of the franchise" and "no leader" etc. He did this in the 90's (without the power of Twitter) and it took a progressing team and and fractured it. I'm not sure he's done Ball any favors with his comments about Kidd and himself being comparisons and then the "face of the franchise" comment was even worse.

Landsberger wrote:I get this but our drafted youth was no where near what OKC's was several years ago. Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and Harden. They didn't get a chip out of that group. We don't have the leader you need to drive a team to the ultimate success. What we have is a lot of potential and some very lofty if not unrealistic expectations.

The comparison is always GSW yet that team is a rarity not a norm. Their first championship had some fortunate injuries to their opponents. They didn't win the second year. They added the second best player in the game to that team by managing their cap.

Our previous "eras" are all combinations of home grown and acquired star players (trades or FA).

Don't get me wrong, I'm skeptical of the "Plan" too but I was even more skeptical of re-signing our youth one by one in the hopes that everyone one of them fulfilled the sometimes crazy projections surrounding them. At some point you have to have "now" players to make a jump that will attract more "now" players. If we can get just one more top 10 player I think we can be a place to come for FA's

Lets say I concede your point on the young guns. There are better ways to get "now" players, then using your young players in a straight salary dump, for cap space they're not even planning to use until next year. What's more, they're talking like they have no backup plan if they don't get their second magical FA. If Cousins, Westbrook, and Lebron all spurn you, then what?

Landsberger wrote:The one think Magic can do to hinder this is by flapping his gums about "face of the franchise" and "no leader" etc. He did this in the 90's (without the power of Twitter) and it took a progressing team and and fractured it. I'm not sure he's done Ball any favors with his comments about Kidd and himself being comparisons and then the "face of the franchise" comment was even worse.

Agreed here, we'll see how this plays out. If the Lakers don't land PG, he's definitely putting a lot of pressure on Ingram and Ball to keep things afloat.