RealGM

returning players- kobe, gasol, odom, fisher, farmar,
options that they will exercise- mihm- ariza

non tradeable players- walton- radman
RFA- sasha- turiaf


MY PLAN-

1) convince odom to have a 6th man role next year. Challenge him to win 6th man of the year. We can have a 3 man front court rotation with bynum-gasol-odom and he will get easily 32 minutes (minutes distributed evenly at 32 minutes). We can matchup with any frontcourt in the league.

2) resign sasha (maximum at 4.5 million)

3) resign turian at maximum 4 million (if not sign thomas/diop for cheap)

4) sign posey to midlevel contract for 3 years.

5) trade radman/walton. easier said than done. we can only dream.
rotation

fisher- farmar
kobe- sasha
posey- ariza - walton
gasol-odom- turiaf/thomas- radman
bynum-gasol- turiaf/diop

we get better defensively, tougher, and can spread the floor better.

There's no way we are getting posey. I am positive boston will resign him.

boston better sign posey, it would be a bad move letting him go

and good luck trading luke and vlad

I think the Lakers would be wrong to try and change too much.

Just the addition of Andrew Bynum probably would have been enough for the Lakers to win this series, regardless of how poorly the team played. A frontline of Bynum and Gasol is a totally different look than Gasol and Odom.

And don't forget one thing regarding Lamar Odom....Can anyone say "contract year"? He now has an entire offseason to stew over the idea that his next contract is his last as a pro - and right now, I don't think anyone is going to spend more than $6 or $7 million on him. But if he has one of those "contract years", he could find himself back in the $10-$11 million range.

I'd also think that they have to look to give Trevor Ariza a bigger role. Even if he just takes Walton's minutes, that should be a huge improvement.

So given that the team made it to the finals without Bynum and really without Ariza, and with Odom going into a contract year, I would be suggesting that the team more or less stand pat.

My feelings change every 30 minutes or so on what we should do, but currently here's what I would try:

1. Trade Odom to Houston for Battier and Jackson. Battier fits much, much better at SF than Odom does. He's a better defender, and he'll help spread the floor with his 3-point shooting, which is considerably better than Odom's. This isn't a knock on Odom in any way. He's a very good player, but we need certain pieces and in this case Battier fits the bill. We take on Jackson's expiring contract to make it all work, and as a side benefit we have an extra PG in case one of ours goes down (anyone seriously see Fisher and Farmar playing all 82 again, in the same season?).

2. Resign Kwame with the LLE as a backup to Bynum. He's a better choice than Turiaf, Mihm, or MBenga at center, and he brings what we need most -- defense. Additionally, and I realize that he can't catch a pass to save his life, he's efficient on the offensive end and has 3 years triangle experience. As a side benefit, this allows Turiaf to play his minutes where he's most effective at the PF spot.

3. Give Ariza some serious burn. Heck, give him the remaining minutes at SF. This ensures that both Walton and Radman see very limited minutes, which is how it should be. They'll be called upon when someone goes down with an injury, so consider them a luxury to have (no matter how hard that may be).

4. Bring in JVG as an assistant so that he can get us on the right track defensively. The coaching staff has got to preach defense next season. We've spent the last few season becoming a better offensive team, now let's focus on the other end. Do whatever it takes, just get it done.

5. Resign Sasha and Turiaf for as little as possible. Neither of them deserve the MLE, and I'm tired of seeing us overpay for guys that have solid contract years. I don't know what I'd offer, but I'm sure the Buss family will try to be as conservative as possible.

I don't think that any of the above are really major moves. We replace 1 starter and bring in a guy that lets everyone else play their natural position on the bench, in addition to adding to an already great coaching staff. We don't need any kind of roster shake-up or drastic changes, so the above would be enough IMO.

PS: As others have stated in other threads, we could also go after Posey with our MLE. If we do that, then we don't need to resign Sasha.

Hank_Scorpio wrote:I think the Lakers would be wrong to try and change too much.

Just the addition of Andrew Bynum probably would have been enough for the Lakers to win this series, regardless of how poorly the team played. A frontline of Bynum and Gasol is a totally different look than Gasol and Odom.

And don't forget one thing regarding Lamar Odom....Can anyone say "contract year"? He now has an entire offseason to stew over the idea that his next contract is his last as a pro - and right now, I don't think anyone is going to spend more than $6 or $7 million on him. But if he has one of those "contract years", he could find himself back in the $10-$11 million range.

I'd also think that they have to look to give Trevor Ariza a bigger role. Even if he just takes Walton's minutes, that should be a huge improvement.

So given that the team made it to the finals without Bynum and really without Ariza, and with Odom going into a contract year, I would be suggesting that the team more or less stand pat.

Sasha Vujacic! uh.......i mean contract year!

semi-sentient wrote:My feelings change every 30 minutes or so on what we should do, but currently here's what I would try:

1. Trade Odom to Houston for Battier and Jackson. Battier fits much, much better at SF than Odom does. He's a better defender, and he'll help spread the floor with his 3-point shooting, which is considerably better than Odom's. This isn't a knock on Odom in any way. He's a very good player, but we need certain pieces and in this case Battier fits the bill. We take on Jackson's expiring contract to make it all work, and as a side benefit we have an extra PG in case one of ours goes down (anyone seriously see Fisher and Farmar playing all 82 again, in the same season?).

that would be nice but will houston give up battier, and would they have any interest in odom?

2. Resign Kwame with the LLE as a backup to Bynum. He's a better choice than Turiaf, Mihm, or MBenga at center, and he brings what we need most -- defense. Additionally, and I realize that he can't catch a pass to save his life, he's efficient on the offensive end and has 3 years triangle experience. As a side benefit, this allows Turiaf to play his minutes where he's most effective at the PF spot.

now don't get me wrong kwame was a really popular guy when he was here but would he want to come back? he would be a nice backup

3. Give Ariza some serious burn. Heck, give him the remaining minutes at SF. This ensures that both Walton and Radman see very limited minutes, which is how it should be. They'll be called upon when someone goes down with an injury, so consider them a luxury to have (no matter how hard that may be).

always a good thing

4. Bring in JVG as an assistant so that he can get us on the right track defensively. The coaching staff has got to preach defense next season. We've spent the last few season becoming a better offensive team, now let's focus on the other end. Do whatever it takes, just get it done.

don't know about this, i'm all for bringing in a defensive assistant and i'm betting JVG would leave broadcasting for a coaching job but i don't imagine he would be trilled as an assistant

5. Resign Sasha and Turiaf for as little as possible. Neither of them deserve the MLE, and I'm tired of seeing us overpay for guys that have solid contract years. I don't know what I'd offer, but I'm sure the Buss family will try to be as conservative as possible.

sounds reasonable

I don't think that any of the above are really major moves. We replace 1 starter and bring in a guy that lets everyone else play their natural position on the bench, in addition to adding to an already great coaching staff. We don't need any kind of roster shake-up or drastic changes, so the above would be enough IMO.

DO IT MITCH

-feels good to bring that back

semi-sentient wrote:PS: As others have stated in other threads, we could also go after Posey with our MLE. If we do that, then we don't need to resign Sasha.

And if I go after Angelina Jolie, my sex life will be much improved.

Fencer reregistered wrote:

semi-sentient wrote:PS: As others have stated in other threads, we could also go after Posey with our MLE. If we do that, then we don't need to resign Sasha.

And if I go after Angelina Jolie, my sex life will be much improved.

No, your sex life wouldn't be improved. Jolie wouldn't give you (or anyone else on this forum) the time of day, so if you mean that by jacking off to a picture of her you are improving your sex life, then yes, I suppose you are correct.

Anyway, I threw Posey out there because his agent recently stated that he will be opting out to get a bigger paycheck. There's a decent possibility that he can be had for the MLE (though that might be overspending), and it's a question of whether or not the Celtics are willing to match.

Oh crap I didn't see this thread.....should I just move my crap over here?

semi-sentient wrote:
1. Trade Odom to Houston for Battier and Jackson.

Houston won't go for that.

2. Resign Kwame with the LLE as a backup to Bynum. He's a better choice than Turiaf, Mihm, or MBenga at center, and he brings what we need most -- defense. Additionally, and I realize that he can't catch a pass to save his life, he's efficient on the offensive end and has 3 years triangle experience. As a side benefit, this allows Turiaf to play his minutes where he's most effective at the PF spot.

Seems like a rather insignificant move to me, but sure.

3. Give Ariza some serious burn. Heck, give him the remaining minutes at SF. This ensures that both Walton and Radman see very limited minutes, which is how it should be. They'll be called upon when someone goes down with an injury, so consider them a luxury to have (no matter how hard that may be).

Yes.

4. Bring in JVG as an assistant

Yes, I am sure that is what Jeff Van Gundy wants to do - be an assistant to Phil Jackson. I am sure that after defining himself as a top-tier NBA Head Coach and now, as a premier sportscaster, that this is how he wants to end his career.

In other words.....no.

5. Resign Sasha and Turiaf for as little as possible. Neither of them deserve the MLE, and I'm tired of seeing us overpay for guys that have solid contract years. I don't know what I'd offer, but I'm sure the Buss family will try to be as conservative as possible.

Sasha will get the MLE - if not from the Lakers, then from someone else.

See Kapono, Jason

I don't think that any of the above are really major moves. We replace 1 starter and bring in a guy that lets everyone else play their natural position on the bench, in addition to adding to an already great coaching staff. We don't need any kind of roster shake-up or drastic changes, so the above would be enough IMO.

I imagine that your offseason scenario will be like that of many other Lakers fans

1) trade Odom for someone who is better
2) lowball Sasha
3) bring in a defensive-minded assistant coach
4) play Ariza

of course, other than the last one, none of those are likely to work out.

hermes wrote:Sasha Vujacic! uh.......i mean contract year!

As a general rule, I am less suspicious of a good year in a contract year for a younger player than I am for an older one. I tend to think Sasha is a real deal - though by "real deal" I mean a sold bench player who can hit shots and play some reasonably decent defense.

I dunno if that's worth the MLE, but my guess is that is what he gets - either from the Lakers or from another team.

So it's off season guys. I think we really don't have to make big and a lot of moves this off-season. we just need little re-signing, little trades and the MLE.

* Trevor Ariza (extended already)

I'll resign Sasha Vujacic. why? this guy had a spectacular and an amazing season. i know all of us didn't expect him the way like this last off-season. he just did what he needs to do to help our team. he led our bench mob this playoffs and i am looking forward to see more of this machine style next season.

I'll resign Ronny Turiaf. why? because i'm sure this guy wants to return for our team. he loves being a laker. we all know that he gave everything he got for this team. his energy, his toughness and his low post defense. he don't give up on plays, he runs the floor and he's not soft. i hope mitch would resign him.

I'll let go Chris Mihm and Ira Newble. I didn't see a lot of minutes from both guys this playoffs.


I'll sign Kwame Brown cheap. I miss this guy wearing his # 54 jersey. i don't know why. i know he likes being under Phil and Kobe. His defense are good isn't it? I'll rather go for this guy than Mihm.

I'll trade Luke Walton, Coby Karl, and Resign and Trade DJ Mbenga to the Suns for Raja Bell. I think it's a little bit impossible but i still hope for that. and also, i know we need a player like him. A great defender and a good outside shooter. He struggled last year in Phoenix and he's already turning old so i think this trade would be great for both teams. i really want to trade Walton now. He was really struggling all season long.

Sign Veteran Kurt Thomas and Earl Boykins cheap for 1 year.

Select Sasha Kaun from as our #58th pick.


New Lineup:

PG: Derek Fisher - Jordan Farmar- Earl Boykins
SG: Kobe Bryant- Raja Bell- Sasha Vujacic
SF: Lamar Odom- Vladimir Radmanovic- Trevor Ariza
PF: Pau Gasol- Ronny Turiaf- Kurt Thomas
C: Andrew Bynum- Kwame Brown- Sasha Kaun

Sign Chris Duhon for cheap.