Post#104 » by jazzfan1971 » Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:50 pm
where would he fit?
And aged win now team that just needs a 3rd piece? Not so much.
A rebuilding team? No.
A middle of the road team just looking to get into the playoffs and sell some tickets? Usually these teams don't have the salary to take on a Westbrook. But, this was basically the Wizards and they dumped him.
Some team just looking to dump salary? He is maybe the worst contract in the league, hard to find a positive money move for him. Maybe this becomes easier next year.
I would guess the best fit would be a bottom feeder who is 'willing' to swallow his salary in return for some draft capitol. They would also need to have an aged vet that could help the Lakers win now. I'm not sure that the Lakers have the draft capitol to make this happen, at least this year.
Lastly, maybe there is a team with an owner rich enough to just take him and some middling draft picks and look to move him again when he's expiring. But, the dollars in this scenario would be huge and that team would need a ton of expiring salary for matching purposes. And I think this would be a hard sell for the Lakers. Admitting defeat, and tanking one of Lebron's last years.
So, which bottom feeders make sense to take him on for some lousy draft capitol and also have a vet that can match salaries and also help the lakers?
Detroit: Would probably need to include Grant, and his value probably kills this deal.
Indy is signaling a willingness to rebuild, but their pieces all too valuable again.
Orlando: This 0ne seems possible. I'm not sure if Harris's value is too high or not. I think this one has a chance.
Houston: I could see a larger deal working. Wall and Gordon for Westy, Tucker and picks. Give Houston some youth/picks and Gordon would work a lot better than Westbrook. Houston might be able to get more value for Gordon elsewhere though, killing this.
Timberwolves have enough matching salary to make something work, but this looks like a trade deadline deal where neither side really wins. I'm not sure the Lakers could sell this deal to their fans.
NO: This just feels like a really bad idea. But, there is always hope that NO is desperate and/or stupid. I just think NO would have to include too many players.
OKC: Similar to NO, but I don't feel like there is any chance of OKC being desperate or stupid.
Sacramento: Their salary pieces just seem too valueable to me.
SA: Similar to OKC.
So, all in all.... I would say
Orlando, Houston, or maybe just maybe the Lakers can fleece NO.
Final guess: Houston. And this only if Houston can't find a better deal for Gordon.
"Thibs called back and wanted more picks," said Jorge Sedano. "And Pat Riley, literally, I was told, called him a mother-bleeper and hung up the phone."