Lakers Plan To Pursue Jimmy Butler

[Cottage Grove]

Cute post.....

Anyway you must not be savvy enough to realize a story fabricated by the producer of the story itself. It's only obvious with the amount of cap space the Lakers have that they'll talk to free agents, but it doesn't mean they're gonna come. Secondly a blind man can see the Bulls will retain Butler.

And you're delusional if you think it's gonna take 10 years....keep believing that though.

Well if a blind man can see it, then why would they even go after him? I think its going on 8 years so far since LA has won a championship. And at this point the lakers are a national joke. Did you see Kobe on Jimmy Kimmel? =)

The lakers just dont have the same lure that they used to. Magic said so himself.

Guys aren't knocking down the doors to play with ball hog Kobe. On top of that, you have to pay a ridiculous entertainment tax to play in LA. If Im wrong, who's the championship franchise player that's coming? Lebron? Durant? Melo? Curry? Rose? Harden? Cp3? Your best bet is to build through the draft, which will take 5-10 years(probably tanking). Problem with that is LA is a spoiled bunch(no offense). Jeannie has already said Jim and Mitch have 3 years to turn the franchise around. Thats a little unrealistic due to Lebron going home =). So after 3 years and Mitch is gone, the new GM will probably start all over again.

If Im wrong, whats the plan? Be specific.

At the rate you're posting here and the lack of info you refuse to find you won't be taken serious here at all. 8 years since the Lakers last won a championship ? Dude the last one was 2010 over the Celtics.

And where in hell do you come up with " ridiculous entertainment tax" ? Don't get on the tax argument stuff....that BS is overblown, last I look you gotta pay taxes everywhere in the US.

The salary cap and luxury tax work hand and hand to make the NBA more competitive so teams dont stack superstars like miami did. Because there's a serious lack of superstar/franchise players in the NBA. Teams who have superstar/franchise players will do everything possible to keep them. Which is why you have to draft and develop players. This takes time. Especially if you're losing a franchise player like Kobe who everyone in LA expects immediate rebuilding to surround him for his last year. The cap space LA has means they'll be over paying FAs that wont win championships that lakers fans feel they're entitled to. I know you're too smug to realize this but reality will set in for sure next year and the year after that and the year after that.

Just because I dont have 25000 posts like you doesn't mean my points aren't valid or Im less of a sports fan than you. I just don't spend all of my spare time here on realgm.

Btw that 8 year since a championship was a typo. The 8 is below the 5 on my phone. So like I said, my point is still valid. However you still haven't proven your point in how the Lakers will become a championship team again within the next 3 to 10 years. Kevin Love? Rondo?

[blue2324]

Bulls already said they are willing to pay the luxury tax to keep Jimmy. I heard Paxson say it on CSN Sports talk live with my own ears. Jimmy isnt going anywhere.

Keep dreaming LA. Enjoy that mediocrity. Dont worry, Chicago went through it after MJ left. You only have about 10 more years of building through the draft like we did =)

Cute post.....

Anyway you must not be savvy enough to realize a story fabricated by the producer of the story itself. It's only obvious with the amount of cap space the Lakers have that they'll talk to free agents, but it doesn't mean they're gonna come. Secondly a blind man can see the Bulls will retain Butler.

And you're delusional if you think it's gonna take 10 years....keep believing that though.

Well if a blind man can see it, then why would they even go after him? I think its going on 8 years so far since LA has won a championship. And at this point the lakers are a national joke. Did you see Kobe on Jimmy Kimmel? =)

The lakers just dont have the same lure that they used to. Magic said so himself.

Guys aren't knocking down the doors to play with ball hog Kobe. On top of that, you have to pay a ridiculous entertainment tax to play in LA. If Im wrong, who's the championship franchise player that's coming? Lebron? Durant? Melo? Curry? Rose? Harden? Cp3? Your best bet is to build through the draft, which will take 5-10 years(probably tanking). Problem with that is LA is a spoiled bunch(no offense). Jeannie has already said Jim and Mitch have 3 years to turn the franchise around. Thats a little unrealistic due to Lebron going home =). So after 3 years and Mitch is gone, the new GM will probably start all over again.

If Im wrong, whats the plan? Be specific.

The lakers would go after them because its smart? Ok, because everyone "thinks" Butler will resign with the bulls, lets have no teams go after then the bulls just can sign him at a discount and make their team even better. If the lakers can get him, fantastic. But if they can't, which is probable, the Bulls have less options because they were forced to max. The lakers have nothing to lose going after butler, thats why a blind man would do it anyway

Its fine to hate the lakers, but be reasonable about it.


Edit: And the lakers won a championship in 2010. I mean seriously dude/

[dballislife]

most teams wont even bother with jimmy, kawhi, and marc this summer imo...but ny and la will at least pitch something i guess, but dont think it will matter at all, waste of time and effort

[Cottage Grove]

First of all Jimmy is happy here in Chicago on a contending team. He has great teammates and exposure here. Chicago is a sports town with a worldwide fanbase. The bulls also had the most nationally televised games this year. There is nothing LA can offer Jimmy he cant get here in Chicago. If the lakers sole purpose is to drive up the price just to give the bulls "less options" then Mitch needs to be fired right now.

The Bulls and Jimmy have been negotiating for the entire season. They just haven't agreed on $$$. They have already said they'll match anything and go into the luxury tax if necessary to keep him.

2nd)I know its fine to hate the lakers. They're trying to steal one of our best players or at the least meddle into Bulls business. Like I said...have fun in that mediocrity.

Edit: I said 8 was a typo. Cmon dude keep up.

Sorry LA fans I gotta go cheer Jimmy on. We have a PLAYOFF game going on right now. I think Ive let my DVR record long enough. Now I can FF through the commercials for uninterrupted Jimmy Butler =)

[blue2324]

First of all Jimmy is happy here in Chicago on a contending team. He has great teammates and exposure here. Chicago is a sports town with a worldwide fanbase. The bulls also had the most nationally televised games this year. There is nothing LA can offer Jimmy he cant get here in Chicago. If the lakers sole purpose is to drive up the price just to give the bulls "less options" then Mitch needs to be fired right now.

The Bulls and Jimmy have been negotiating for the entire season. They just haven't agreed on $$$. They have already said they'll match anything and go into the luxury tax if necessary to keep him.

2nd)I know its fine to hate the lakers. They're trying to steal one of our best players or at the least meddle into Bulls business. Like I said...have fun in that mediocrity.

Edit: I said 8 was a typo. Cmon dude keep up.

Sorry LA fans I gotta go cheer Jimmy on. We have a PLAYOFF game going on right now. I think Ive let my DVR record long enough. Now I can FF through the commercials for uninterrupted Jimmy Butler =)

Thats not the sole purpose -_-. Bulls get less options which means less competition in the market for the Lakers to go after other players or Jimmy is Laker. Its called common sense, your looking at it from micro-perspective with a heavy bull-fan rose colored lens, instead of the bigger picture. I know Jimmy is happy with the bulls, whats your point? But by some absurd stupidity the Bulls don't want to pay up, hes not going to just ignore money.

Again, my point is that you scoffing at the Lakers potentially engaging in a very low risk high reward attempt, is absurdly silly. But if your fanaticism prevents you from seeing that, so be it.

Good luck in the playoff! I am actually rooting for the bulls. Well tbh, im rooting for Pau, but it would be a shame that after the bulls have struggled for so long, they still can't win a championship.

[TKainZero]

Pretty. Close to zero percent chance of signing him

Why even waste cap space for 3 days

[DEEP3CL]

I am certain the Lakers would not gave grabbed Rice, Richmond, Malone, Payton without Shaq.
They came for rings.

Again understand the fact before you speak.... The Lakers TRADED for Glen Rice, that had nothing to do with signing as a free agent. And as far as Richmond, Malone and Payton, they were way past their prime and weren't considered franchise changing moves.

[Bensational]

If the Bull's make it to the ECFs, I don't see Butler properly entertaining offers to leave unless the Bulls get stingy.

If I'm LA and I want a legit chance to lure Butler, I'd be offering a 2 year deal on the max rate, with an opt-out clause after the first season, to make sure Jimmy gets the full benefit of signing a max deal on the new salary cap in 2016. Over 5 years, compared to a Bulls 5 year max offer, then that's gonna be $10-20M worth of reasons to seriously consider the option. and that might just be too expensive for the Bulls to match after this season. and if not, Butler would be a FA, so he wouldn't have to worry about getting matched or not.

either way, Butler should stay in Chi-town. better basketball, competitive basketball, and a solid window for contending, too.

[Slava]

If a fully healthy Bulls are not going to beat Lebron this year, which looks like it I don't see how they are a contender next season.

[luss54321]

If a fully healthy Bulls are not going to beat Lebron this year, which looks like it I don't see how they are a contender next season.

Bulls starters played 20 games together the entire season.

It takes time to develop rhythm and chemistry.

[Slava]

If a fully healthy Bulls are not going to beat Lebron this year, which looks like it I don't see how they are a contender next season.

Bulls starters played 20 games together the entire season.

It takes time to develop rhythm and chemistry.

Yeah, like this isn't the first season they lost to Lebron.

[eddiej]

Seeing as '15-'16 will be last season of Kobe Era, the Lakers might be able to sign good FAs this summer. Butler is in play, yes, but imo he stays in Chi. Also, who ever they draft will help in who they get in Free Agency, since drafting an SG/SF would negate signing Butler

[olive_triangurl]

I am certain the Lakers would not gave grabbed Rice, Richmond, Malone, Payton without Shaq.
They came for rings.

Again understand the fact before you speak.... The Lakers TRADED for Glen Rice, that had nothing to do with signing as a free agent. And as far as Richmond, Malone and Payton, they were way past their prime and weren't considered franchise changing moves.

Yeah but you know Rice had to agree to that trade, and he only wanted LA because if you want a ring you go where Shaq resides.
It was never about LA for those guys, it was always about Shaq.
Malone was still averaging 20.6ppg before he came to LA.
Payton still averaged 20.4ppg before he came to LA.
You don't get those guys without Shaq (especially considering they were chasing a ring).

[olive_triangurl]

Seeing as '15-'16 will be last season of Kobe Era, the Lakers might be able to sign good FAs this summer. Butler is in play, yes, but imo he stays in Chi. Also, who ever they draft will help in who they get in Free Agency, since drafting an SG/SF would negate signing Butler

But nobody is certain Kobe is retiring, sadly.

[DEEP3CL]

I am certain the Lakers would not gave grabbed Rice, Richmond, Malone, Payton without Shaq.
They came for rings.

Again understand the fact before you speak.... The Lakers TRADED for Glen Rice, that had nothing to do with signing as a free agent. And as far as Richmond, Malone and Payton, they were way past their prime and weren't considered franchise changing moves.

Yeah but you know Rice had to agree to that trade, and he only wanted LA because if you want a ring you go where Shaq resides.
It was never about LA for those guys, it was always about Shaq.
Malone was still averaging 20.6ppg before he came to LA.
Payton still averaged 20.4ppg before he came to LA.
You don't get those guys without Shaq (especially considering they were chasing a ring).

Rice DIDN'T have to agree to anything, at the time no player in the league had a no trade clause. Rice was traded for one reason only....he wanted a contract extension and the Hornets wasn't biting. He still had 2 years left on his deal and even pressured the Lakers to give it to him, but Jerry West never extended a player with that amount of time left on a deal. In the long run it pissed West off.

Now as far as Malone and Payton, you're exactly right. Them coming to LA had nothing to due with wanting to play in LA, but that was moot at that point in their careers anyway. They were ring chasing and fans here damn well knew that.

[DEEP3CL]

Seeing as '15-'16 will be last season of Kobe Era, the Lakers might be able to sign good FAs this summer. Butler is in play, yes, but imo he stays in Chi. Also, who ever they draft will help in who they get in Free Agency, since drafting an SG/SF would negate signing Butler

But nobody is certain Kobe is retiring, sadly.

Then you haven't paid attention to LA media or Mitch. This was discussed at length by Mitch in his exit meeting with the LA media. The Lakers are pretty damn sure it's Kobe's last and are starting to put things in place to honor him all season long next season.

[olive_triangurl]

Seeing as '15-'16 will be last season of Kobe Era, the Lakers might be able to sign good FAs this summer. Butler is in play, yes, but imo he stays in Chi. Also, who ever they draft will help in who they get in Free Agency, since drafting an SG/SF would negate signing Butler

But nobody is certain Kobe is retiring, sadly.

Then you haven't paid attention to LA media or Mitch. This was discussed at length by Mitch in his exit meeting with the LA media. The Lakers are pretty damn sure it's Kobe's last and are starting to put things in place to honor him all season long next season.

I don't recall when but I thought early this season there was a report whereby Kobe said he can't rule out playing longer than next year.
Maybe it was before the meeting, but either way I'm concerned that Kobe even has those thoughts in his head (he may yet talk his way out of retirement and pressure the Lakers to continue his pursuit of Kareem's scoring record).
I'm not saying its likely that Kobe will try this, but free agents may think its possible.
I don't see what LA has in their favor in pursuit of Jimmy Butler.

[DEEP3CL]

But nobody is certain Kobe is retiring, sadly.

Then you haven't paid attention to LA media or Mitch. This was discussed at length by Mitch in his exit meeting with the LA media. The Lakers are pretty damn sure it's Kobe's last and are starting to put things in place to honor him all season long next season.

I don't recall when but I thought early this season there was a report whereby Kobe said he can't rule out playing longer than next year.
Maybe it was before the meeting, but either way I'm concerned that Kobe even has those thoughts in his head (he may yet talk his way out of retirement and pressure the Lakers to continue his pursuit of Kareem's scoring record).
I'm not saying its likely that Kobe will try this, but free agents may think its possible.
I don't see what LA has in their favor in pursuit of Jimmy Butler.

That was brought up, but then Kobe seemed to have flip the switch somewhere along the way. He said he'd hold off on retirement only if he felt like going thought the process of preparing his body for the grind of a season.

But as far as the narrative of Kobe possibly sticking around and it scaring off free agents, it's starting to be a stretch. At some point some guy isn't going to think about that. And Kobe has always said he'll gladly pull back or hand over the keys so to speak if the franchise brings in a player they know they want to transition to.

Lastly I don't think he's getting Kareem's record, he'd have to play about roughly 4 more years and average about 20ppg to even come close.

Bottom line though this whole story is a fabrication by a source looking for clicks, it's quite obvious that any team with cap space will pursue not only Butler, but Leonard and any other restricted FA. It's only a proper business move to do so, but at the same time also a risk seeing as tending and offer sheet will tie up your cap for 72 hours.

The Bulls aren't going to lose Butler but some team will make them squirm for a bit, you have to see if they're about business or hot air in terms of talk. It was the Bulls who didn't want to pay him and they knew damn well he was going to ask for max, obviously they didn't think he was worth max....but he proved them wrong.

[Cottage Grove]

First of all Jimmy is happy here in Chicago on a contending team. He has great teammates and exposure here. Chicago is a sports town with a worldwide fanbase. The bulls also had the most nationally televised games this year. There is nothing LA can offer Jimmy he cant get here in Chicago. If the lakers sole purpose is to drive up the price just to give the bulls "less options" then Mitch needs to be fired right now.

The Bulls and Jimmy have been negotiating for the entire season. They just haven't agreed on $$$. They have already said they'll match anything and go into the luxury tax if necessary to keep him.

2nd)I know its fine to hate the lakers. They're trying to steal one of our best players or at the least meddle into Bulls business. Like I said...have fun in that mediocrity.

Edit: I said 8 was a typo. Cmon dude keep up.

Sorry LA fans I gotta go cheer Jimmy on. We have a PLAYOFF game going on right now. I think Ive let my DVR record long enough. Now I can FF through the commercials for uninterrupted Jimmy Butler =)

Thats not the sole purpose -_-. Bulls get less options which means less competition in the market for the Lakers to go after other players or Jimmy is Laker. Its called common sense, your looking at it from micro-perspective with a heavy bull-fan rose colored lens, instead of the bigger picture. I know Jimmy is happy with the bulls, whats your point? But by some absurd stupidity the Bulls don't want to pay up, hes not going to just ignore money.

Again, my point is that you scoffing at the Lakers potentially engaging in a very low risk high reward attempt, is absurdly silly. But if your fanaticism prevents you from seeing that, so be it.

Good luck in the playoff! I am actually rooting for the bulls. Well tbh, im rooting for Pau, but it would be a shame that after the bulls have struggled for so long, they still can't win a championship.

What?! What FAs are the Bulls and Lakers competing for that requires the Lakers to pursue Jimmy? LA probably has enough cap space to sign Lebron twice. This theory is far fetched.

LA going after Jimmy only has one purpose, and that's to convince the LA fans that the Lakers are doing their best to become competitive/relevant again. Its just a desperate smoke screen. If you dont see that then you must be delusional looking through your heavy laker-fan Kobe colored lens. The lakers are going to be mediocre for the next 3-10 years, especially in the west. The west is so loaded, the defending champions were eliminated in the furst round.

Btw its not absurd stupidity they didn't sign Jimmy to an extension yet. If you know anything about Jimmy, this is his only year he has been consistent offensively. He was just a great defender who played excess minutes. Jimmy just won M.i.P of the year THIS YEAR. So lets not act like hes been a 2way player his entire rookie contract. The Bulls actually tried to extend him in the preseason before his game blew up.

Not signing Jimmy has actually worked out for both sides because Jimmy is getting the max and the Bulls get a highly motivated Jimmy. It also shows the other players on the Bulls that if you work hard youll be rewarded. Like I said, you have to build your core through the draft. I'm only speaking from experience watching players like Rose, Jimmy, Noah, Taj, Snell, Nikola and Mcdermott get drafted. Snell will be the next big 2way player in the next couple of years when he put on more muscle and start playing more physical. Jimmy and Snell battle each other in practice 1on1. This team actually likes playing with each other. That's why I keep saying Jimmy is happy here. You'll never see one of them calling each other out in practice in front of cameras.

I'm still waiting for one of you Lakers fans to explain the path to a championship within the next 3-10 years. Stop trying to prove me wrong and prove your point.