where were the organization competitive team championship aspirations at? did they feel like this was part of a championship team. 1. Mitch Kupchack up until this point very smooth smart with the Contracts. he was only giving out one year contracts. he gave Nick young the four year contract but it was actually a pretty good contract. he signed Lou Williams to a very team friendly contract. and Lou was putting up production. he traded for Roy Hibbert and obviously after year one they let him walk as a free agent. Timofey Mozgoff on paper looked like the same player as Roy Hibbert shot blocker great free throw shooter. Why 4 years 64 million. this from a basketball standpoint made no sense. I'm a basketball guy it made no basketball sense. This is the same guy that got the Lakers Pau Gasol the same guy that drafted Marc Gasol. he's a very smart Gm learned from Jerry West. did he really make this move? then the Luol Deng they just drafted Brandon Ingram what was the point. Metta World Peace was already there for cheap mentorship on a non guaranteed contract. Meta probably would've played for free. Why sign a guy 4 years 72 million for mentorship. made no sense.
2. Jim Buss he had the timeline. he guaranteed we would be in the playoffs. obviously this came thinking we would get Lebron James. after drafting a great young core in Deangelo Russell Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram keeping the pick. why the rush to fluck up the cap and sign mozgoff and Deng. what did he see in scouting these guys. was this a guy who knew Jeanie was going to fire him. was this an f u to Jeanie saying he's going to screw up the cap since they are going to fire him? did he ever give an explanation of why these guys had to be signed? the fans were very vocal that we understood that we have a young core develop the young core this team doesn't have to make the playoffs why wasn't that enough for him.
3. Jeanie Buss obviously she knew what was going on. after the Kobe Contract did she try to ask her brother why are they giving out more massive contracts after getting out of the kobe contract? why not just develop the young players.
4. The media the articles the TV free agent coverage. the trolling. we all remember Romona Shelbourne and Aminu talking about the Lakers can't even get a meeting with Kevin Durant. they begged to get in the room with him. and they can't no free agents will meet with the Lakers. the Kevin Ding articles. Did this make Jim and Mitch snap and just say first free agents that say they'll come we are showing the money.
5. Luke Walton did he step in and say? Hey I need roster flexibility. did he say I can definitely use these guys. Mozgoff and Deng. or did he say it would be better for me to develop the young guys. some coaches like having seasoned veterans who can get them wins. some fans were very appealing of Luol Deng. great locker room guy he's going to show Brandon Ingram how to be a pro we posted his games for Miami.
Does anybody have video they can post of the press conference or introduction of these guys. I have been trying to find any statements from Mitch about Why Mozgoff and Deng had to be signed. I never heard media ask him why these signings? why the long big contracts for these guys? I definitely didn't get it on spectrum. so was there any where were the team elaborated on this. it would be great to see and offer some clarity to a very bizaree signing and free agent period. it's bizaree because they came out of nowhere and we were a team really on the one year plan. we weren't doing anything like the new York knicks.
Ryan West Jesse Buss they all were in the room. why make this move? mitch did what jim told him to do. but an organization like the Lakers don't do these signings. it's one of the most bizarre free agent signings I've seen in sports. did they have to spend a certain amount of money? why on these guys?
