Around the NBA XI

[Kilroy]

Wait, what, Porzingis got traded for Bertans and Dinwiddie? Rob didn't even make the call offering Westbrook there?

Yeah, there were enough weird moves out there that it makes me think something could have been done... Either we weren't very creative, other teams just refused to deal with us (maybe because of the simmons/Klutch thing?)... Or maybe we have big plans for this summer...
LeBron can be extended this summer... Maybe he's let them know this was going to be his final run with the Lakers, and that's why they seemed to be 'swinging for the fences' this year with the Westbrook trade, etc...

[kblo247]

**** depressing watching rondo help the Cabs win game after game even with Garland out by making the right **** plays. Especially knowing all Frank had to do was start him and bench Russ and then you got AD going and Bron too.

[kblo247]

Rockets just waived Enes. Seems like the perfect guy for the Lakers to target.

He hates Lennon with every passion of his being and has for years.

In a perfect world, Kanter and Dennis would be signed but the bad blood there needs to be cleared. This team badly needs rebounding and perimeter defense. Kanter is one of the best rebounders there is especially offensively, and it’s the opposite of Drummond as he can score at the rim. No big we have is playing D anyway so I don’t want to hear of his short comings.

I would start Dennis so damn fast though if he came back because lord knows to see him defending the point of attack compared to fake hustle Bradley and I just move out the way Russ would make Frank’s team defense look so much better. I mean people bitched about the Portland game, but good **** god AD had 5 blocks and the guards let the perimeter in so many times and they weren’t funneling to do it

[loveshaq786]

The team should ask Westbrook to stay away from team and permanently bench, maybe he will opt out thinking he may have a better opportunity

[Danny Darko]

The team should ask Westbrook to stay away from team and permanently bench, maybe he will opt out thinking he may have a better opportunity

THT might regain some skills and value on the market if we sent Russ to his mansion for the rest of the year.

[stan francisco]

Dragic being bought out by Spurs. Pounce. Is he injured or what?

[LAKESHOW]

Get Schroeder if he becomes available. At least he can say he's played here before. Thats all we got left

[MAMBAEMD]

I prefer Dragic over Dennis if he’s healthy. He at least knows how to run an offense. And is a better outside threat.
Dennis is a better on-ball defender but his flaws far outweigh his benefits.

[LAKESHOW]

Dragic i like sure, but injury history is a concern

[zimpy27]

Dragic is a terrible defender. He's another name that Lakers can add to the collection of names they have but don't actually need

[Slava]

I'm curious about what could be legit trade options to improve next season.

Our trade-able assets:

Westbrook: $47M expiring if he picks up his player option.
Kendrick Nunn: $5.2M expiring if he picks up his player option.
THT: 2 years and $21.2M remaining.
Stanley Johnson and Austin Reaves: $3.8M put together, both team options.

Picks: 2027 and 2029 1sts.
2023 2nd from Chicago, 2024 end from Washington/Memphis, 2028 2nd from Washington. Along with our own 2nds from 2023, 2025 and everything from 2027 onwards.

Other than Lavine, there aren't any blue chip free agents out there and he's more than likely to remain with Bulls.

[tamaraw08]

I'm curious about what could be legit trade options to improve next season.

Our trade-able assets:

Westbrook: $47M expiring if he picks up his player option.
Kendrick Nunn: $5.2M expiring if he picks up his player option.
THT: 2 years and $21.2M remaining.
Stanley Johnson and Austin Reaves: $3.8M put together, both team options.

Picks: 2027 and 2029 1sts.
2023 2nd from Chicago, 2024 end from Washington/Memphis, 2028 2nd from Washington. Along with our own 2nds from 2023, 2025 and everything from 2027 onwards.

Other than Lavine, there aren't any blue chip free agents out there and he's more than likely to remain with Bulls.

Lillard and Beal would probably request a trade. If their teams accept an expirer? Would It help if Lakers hire Stotts as HC?

[Kilroy]

I'm curious about what could be legit trade options to improve next season.

Our trade-able assets:

Westbrook: $47M expiring if he picks up his player option.
Kendrick Nunn: $5.2M expiring if he picks up his player option.
THT: 2 years and $21.2M remaining.
Stanley Johnson and Austin Reaves: $3.8M put together, both team options.

Picks: 2027 and 2029 1sts.
2023 2nd from Chicago, 2024 end from Washington/Memphis, 2028 2nd from Washington. Along with our own 2nds from 2023, 2025 and everything from 2027 onwards.

Other than Lavine, there aren't any blue chip free agents out there and he's more than likely to remain with Bulls.

That's what I was looking at over the weekend too... I'm prone to conspiracies, but what I was thinking is, given the rather weak free agent class this summer, Kendrick Nunn would probably have been a prime target if he played this year... I still am not clear on why he hasn't played all season...
Maybe with Westbrook's expiring, and LeBron eligible for an extension, they could keep Kendrick, and add a Beal or something like that?

Gary Harris would also figure to be a top target around the league... Maybe they'll choose between him and Monk...

There seem to be some options out there, if not the full blown superstar type... Mabe Dame...

But I'm not sure I see Westbrook's expiring as a huge plus for us this summer, either... We'll be right back, looking at NYs bad contracts or Wall... Who has a star player and a bad contract they want to dump for Westbrook? Maybe Mini if Towns demands out?

[Slava]

I'm curious about what could be legit trade options to improve next season.

Our trade-able assets:

Westbrook: $47M expiring if he picks up his player option.
Kendrick Nunn: $5.2M expiring if he picks up his player option.
THT: 2 years and $21.2M remaining.
Stanley Johnson and Austin Reaves: $3.8M put together, both team options.

Picks: 2027 and 2029 1sts.
2023 2nd from Chicago, 2024 end from Washington/Memphis, 2028 2nd from Washington. Along with our own 2nds from 2023, 2025 and everything from 2027 onwards.

Other than Lavine, there aren't any blue chip free agents out there and he's more than likely to remain with Bulls.

That's what I was looking at over the weekend too... I'm prone to conspiracies, but what I was thinking is, given the rather weak free agent class this summer, Kendrick Nunn would probably have been a prime target if he played this year... I still am not clear on why he hasn't played all season...
Maybe with Westbrook's expiring, and LeBron eligible for an extension, they could keep Kendrick, and add a Beal or something like that?

Gary Harris would also figure to be a top target around the league... Maybe they'll choose between him and Monk...

There seem to be some options out there, if not the full blown superstar type... Mabe Dame...

But I'm not sure I see Westbrook's expiring as a huge plus for us this summer, either... We'll be right back, looking at NYs bad contracts or Wall... Who has a star player and a bad contract they want to dump for Westbrook? Maybe Mini if Towns demands out?

I’m thinking more about role players we can get by attaching a pick to Russ. If OKC wants another tank season, they’ll likely want to move dudes like Dort, who are useful. This also seems like utahs last season with both Gobert and Mitchell.

[Danny Darko]

at this point Russ now becomes valuable next year for his 1 year 40 mill expiring alone.

[Kilroy]

at this point Russ now becomes valuable next year for his 1 year 40 mill expiring alone.

I get why people are saying that, but I still don't see many partners for a 44M expiring... There aren't that many big, long-term contracts out there on the same team, to make dumping a couple of them for Russ, even with the few picks we have to attach, make sense...

I want to believe, but I'm not getting my hopes up until it's a done deal... In the meantime, my main hope is the GSW game marks a change in mined-set for Westbrook and he's going to continue to engage on Defense and Offensive rebounds more... Then he may become a net positive both on the court as well as on the payroll as an expiring...

On a related note, what do you think RW's value is on the open market right now? And would we be willing to extend him for that this summer?

[Danny Darko]

Read on Twitter

FFS really?

[Kilroy]

Read on Twitter

FFS really?

Not sure how I feel about that... Is it reassuring? ...Because LeBron seems to listen to Magic and I trust Magic to keep it about the Lakers brand more than I do LeBron/Klutch...
Or does it scare me because of what a disaster his tenure as Pres ended up being... Although, in retrospect, what did he screw up?
About the worst thing he did was talk **** about Pelinka, but Pelinka was doing the same...

It is kind of a goofy look for the Lakers... Especially right now... But maybe it's also a way to send a subtle message to Klutch as well as Pelinka... As in; it's no longer a Klutch playground... And Rob we loved you once, but what have you done for us lately...

[LAKESHOW]

Because Magic is not a Yes Man to the Superstar player. Unlike you know who. Who allowed us to get into the mess we are in.

[Danny Darko]

yeah but Magic is also actually worse than Michael Jordan at personnel decisions and he's a divisive force of shenanigan tweets...