Who Should the Lakers be Targeting (need non Laker Fan Opinions)

[nzahir]

From an outsiders perspective, what do you guys think the Lakers should be doing

Theres a few ways to go about this

1) Get multiple role guys and build a deep team. This would make a lot of sense, but I don't know if I trust Pelinka and Jeanie to do so.

2) Go after an all star guy and use up most of the assets

3) Go after a guy a tier below a consistent all star and try to grab another useful role guy or two

Listed some names below who make sense, but most will likely not even be available

All Stars:

Young: Changes the identity of the team I think and we need to cover for him defensively, could be a disaster or elevate us to an elite contender
Lauri: Great off ball shooter and scorer, but unsure of the fit. I do know he did play C in Utah, so maybe he and AD can work. But I worry a bit with the lateral speed with a frontcourt of Bron, AD, and Lauri
Mitchell: Would go all in for him as he would work great as our starting pg (put a bigger SG or someone liek Christie next to him(, but I think he stays in Cle
Butler (unsure if he belongs in this tier anymore for the reg season, but come playoff time he is all star level guy): Not an ideal fit, but he is still a good defender and he will help when Bron sits. Advanced metrics still have him as a high impact guy

Not a consistent all star level guy, tier below
Zach Lavine: If he can stay healthy, he would be a great fit next to Bron and AD. The issue is his injury history and contract. But shouldn't cost any real assets, so maybe we have something left for a role guy or two
DJM: I dont think I love the fit, but would love if others had data I am not seeing. Not a great 3 point shooter, left open to shoot. Defense has fallen off hard since SA.
Mikal Bridges: Would be an ideal fit, but asking price seems to be that of literal consistent all stars.
CJ: Meh, not sure if he is worth 2x the price of DLO and assets. But if we lose out on Dlo and not able to get higher end guys, he could make sense

Role guys:
Guards:
Smart: Would be a solid fit, but I dont see him as available
Bogdan (hawks): I think he fits well, but backcourt would be not very athletic with him and Reaves together
Malcolm Brogdan: Same as above, also has injury concerns. Has been meh in playoffs iirc

Wings:
Cameron Johnson: Really like him here and think he is underrated.
Lu Dort: Unclear if OKC would move him now that they have Caruso or want to keep him to add on. But would be an ideal fit.
DFS: Meh, a negative on offense and defense has slipped, but maybe one of the last options
Deni Avdija: Intriguing for his defense, but asking price liekly too high and Wiz should want to keep him since hes young


Bigs:
Brook Lopez: Would fit well next to AD in a drop or without him
Bobby Portis: I don't love him as a stand alone C, but would work well next to AD I think
Duop Reath: Seems like an ideal fit if he doesn't cost much
Myles Turner: I dont see Indi moving him now, but would love him on this team
Naz Reid: I dont see Minny moving him, but a guy I would consider moving Reaves for (think Minny would owe us a bit since he only has 1 year left and Reaves has 2)
Isaiah Stewart: Meh, not bad as a last resort
WCJ: Would be good next to AD in bigger lineups or backing him up, but I feel like Orlando keeps him
Olynyk: More of a last resort guy since he is a limited defender, but also unsure what Toronto wants to do. They extended him, but I dont get the fit or plan

I think we need to add 1 C regardless of whatever move we make, need some more size.

I think most guys are unavailable besides 1 of the Bucks bigs, maybe Stewart, and maybe Reath (already 27 and Blazers have some bigs). I would prefer Lopez or Reath for available guys.

Hardest thing to find were 2 way wings when doing this.......thoughts?

Edit:
For those saying we have no assets, we have 3 1sts, Reaves, swaps, JHS, Christie, Rui, and some tradeable salary filler in Vando and Vincent

Remember what guys like Jrue, White, and KP went for

Indi may have overpaid with 3 1sts for Siakam, but he is in that 2nd tier of guys at worst

Dallas basically got PJ, a very solid role guy in the playoffs for a 1st (which is likely a late 1st due to having Luka and Kyrie)

Etc etc

[Godaddycurse]

Brown is readily available as a wing

[AingesBurner]

All Star tier guys won’t be available and if they are, Lakers assets are not enough. If Walker Kessler is available, they should focus on trading for him.

Try to sign Kris Dunn if Utah does not re-sign him.

2 ways wings are all sought after so teams with more assets will get dibs.

[jbk1234]

I don't think they should trade any more picks, they don't have cap space to offer for a guy like CJ, and the role players they have that hold some value (Reaves and to a lesser extent Rui) they need.

The option they need to take is obvious, but they're the Lakers so they won't do it.

[Fo-Real]

Bronny

[Texas Chuck]

I don't think they should trade any more picks, they don't have cap space to offer for a guy like CJ, and the role players they have that hold some value (Reaves and to a lesser extent Rui) they need.

The option they need to take is obvious, but they're the Lakers so they won't do it.

Sounds like you are implying a team with Lebron and AD should tear it down but that definitely can't be the correct answer. They were in the conference finals just a year ago. Lebron and AD were both reasonably healthy and had very good years. They have enough assets and salary that isn't so bad as to not be moved for upgrades.

If you still have Lebron and AD, you should be trying to win championships. You are not going to get closer to winning a championship by punting them and hoping you draft great. They kept drafting #2 overall and were going absolutely nowhere until Lebron chose them.

They can rebuild in a couple years when Lebron is done. That is the time to rebuild. No reason to rush that.

[AingesBurner]

I don't think they should trade any more picks, they don't have cap space to offer for a guy like CJ, and the role players they have that hold some value (Reaves and to a lesser extent Rui) they need.

The option they need to take is obvious, but they're the Lakers so they won't do it.

Sounds like you are implying a team with Lebron and AD should tear it down but that definitely can't be the correct answer. They were in the conference finals just a year ago. Lebron and AD were both reasonably healthy and had very good years. They have enough assets and salary that isn't so bad as to not be moved for upgrades.

If you still have Lebron and AD, you should be trying to win championships. You are not going to get closer to winning a championship by punting them and hoping you draft great. They kept drafting #2 overall and were going absolutely nowhere until Lebron chose them.

They can rebuild in a couple years when Lebron is done. That is the time to rebuild. No reason to rush that.

But are they asset-less because they tried to appease LBJ at that point? I’d pull the bandaid now while you can get a pick for LBJ and a couple for AD.

[jbk1234]

I don't think they should trade any more picks, they don't have cap space to offer for a guy like CJ, and the role players they have that hold some value (Reaves and to a lesser extent Rui) they need.

The option they need to take is obvious, but they're the Lakers so they won't do it.

Sounds like you are implying a team with Lebron and AD should tear it down but that definitely can't be the correct answer. They were in the conference finals just a year ago. Lebron and AD were both reasonably healthy and had very good years. They have enough assets and salary that isn't so bad as to not be moved for upgrades.

If you still have Lebron and AD, you should be trying to win championships. You are not going to get closer to winning a championship by punting them and hoping you draft great. They kept drafting #2 overall and were going absolutely nowhere until Lebron chose them.

They can rebuild in a couple years when Lebron is done. That is the time to rebuild. No reason to rush that.

Yes, over a year ago they managed to make it to conference finals when LBJ was 38 and AD was 30. They were not particularly close to winning that series and lost 4-1 to that same Denver team, who themselves lost in the semis, a month ago.

By the start of the next post season LBJ and AD will be 40 and 32 respectively making $96M between the two of them (AD will make $60M the following season and if LBJ extends, he'll be North of $50M). Which, even if they manage to trade for Murray, will severely hamper their ability to fill out a roster.

Yes, both AD and LBJ managed to stay relatively healthy last season, AND they finished as the 8th seed. Memphis should be back this season. Both the Pelicans and Rockets are attempting to upgrade. What happens if LBJ or AD miss 20-30 games this upcoming season? Can they even sneak in as a play-in team?

They have two tradeable contracts under their control in Rui and Reaves both of whom who they kind of need. Outside of that, it's more seed corn. Windows shut and it's a lot easier to get in front of that then it is to wait for LBJ to retire and try to trade a 34 year-old AD, who hopefully is still relatively healthy, on a $60M per deal for a rebuilding package because you've traded all your firsts trying to extend a window that's no longer open.

I honestly believe if we were talking about some mid-market team instead of the Lakers all the pundits would be off-the-chain critical of thrm trying to keep it going.

[hugepatsfan]

They could try to rebuild but they have 2 top 10-15 players in the league right now, and that’s probably a conservative ranking on them. I’d try to work with that still, because the end game of a rebuild is to be in that spot.

I would try to do a 3 team deal with NO and BRK:

LAL gives: Rui, DLo, Vandy
LAL gets: CJ, DFS

NO gives: CJ
NO gets: Rui, Vandy

BRK gives: DFS
BRK gets: DLo

Add picks as needed

If Prince is back, that gives LAL:

CJ / Vincent
Reaves
Lebron
DFS / Prince
AD / Wood

[LightTheBeam]

I understand the thinking of continuing to improve. We've entered what feels like a true matchup based west. If you are LA you hope you can dodge Denver/Minnesota in the west, and you probably convince yourself you have a good chance of beating OKC/Dallas.

You really can't rebuild unless lebron decides to leave.

Vincent, Reaves, JHS + pick for Murray
Resign Russell to be the 6th man
Sign ring chasers

Murray - Dinwiddie
X - Russell
Rui
Lebron/Vando
AD

[pipfan]

I think they should go for a sign-and-trade for DeRozan. He plays nightly and gets buckets. He'd REALLY help LBJ/AD get through the RS and can still act like a first option when they sit. Maybe Rui and Vincent?

[jbk1234]

They could try to rebuild but they have 2 top 10-15 players in the league right now, and that’s probably a conservative ranking on them. I’d try to work with that still, because the end game of a rebuild is to be in that spot.

I would try to do a 3 team deal with NO and BRK:

LAL gives: Rui, DLo, Vandy
LAL gets: CJ, DFS

NO gives: CJ
NO gets: Rui, Vandy

BRK gives: DFS
BRK gets: DLo

Add picks as needed

If Prince is back, that gives LAL:

CJ / Vincent
Reaves
Lebron
DFS / Prince
AD / Wood

Has Dlo opted in, and why are the Nets giving away DFS for a player who couldn't make more than his current contract if that's the case?

For that matter, why are the Pelicans trading CJ if not to shed salary or upgrade the position?

The Lakers best shot at extending their window is hitting big at NO. 17, but once you're banking on other teams making bad trades, you've run out of moves.

[mademan]

I'd give a picks package for Lauri. If Utah isnt biting, then pivot and grab Brolo and DFS. Shouldnt cost more than a 1st and some 2nds + maybe JHS

[Karmaloop]

I don't think they should trade any more picks, they don't have cap space to offer for a guy like CJ, and the role players they have that hold some value (Reaves and to a lesser extent Rui) they need.

The option they need to take is obvious, but they're the Lakers so they won't do it.

Rebuilding with LeBron James (assuming he re-signs) and Anthony Davis is obviously very off the table. IF LeBron James were to walk as a FA, I think you could make an argument that the Lakers would be better off moving Anthony Davis.

[babyjax13]

I like LaVine for the Lakers. He shouldn't cost real assets and they can use their future picks to add one more guy.

Hachimura, Vincent, Vanderbilt, JFS, 2nds
for
LaVine

Chicago should be able to flip Hachimura and Vanderbilt later if they don't want them, at worst for expirings, but likely for expirings and some small assets.

I like the idea of then doing something like Russell for WCJ + filler. Just with resigning some of their own guys they'd be left with a better team than they have now without putting themselves in a worse future situation:

Reaves/Dinwiddie
LaVine/Reddish
LeBron/Prince
Davis/LeBron
WCJ/Davis/Wood

They also still have all their future picks to use if someone becomes available.

[Colbinii]

1) Ingram
2) Lavine

Otherwise, besides specific players:

1) Shooting

Yeah, everyone needs shooting, but LA can sacrifice a bit of size for shooting. LA can sacrifice a bit of playmaking for shooting. They should be able to fit shooting like Buddy Hield for relatively cheap and can mask some of his deficiencies [playmaking and defense] with LeBron/AD.

2) Legitimate Rim Runner

Hayes wasn't it.

[SkyHook]

Lauri: Great off ball shooter and scorer, but unsure of the fit. I do know he did play C in Utah, so maybe he and AD can work. But I worry a bit with the lateral speed with a frontcourt of Bron, AD, and Lauri

A minor point, but I can't recall a single play of Lauri playing center on the Jazz. BBR's position data lists him there about half the time, but it's notoriously unreliable. It's simply because he is taller than Collins who was the center. Lauri has been a 3/4 for Utah.

As for the Lakers, I don't have any confidence that a LBJ + AD will ever make noise again in the playoffs. At the beginning of last season I projected them to be a play-in team at best because I didn't expect either of those two to be healthy. They were both surprisingly healthy and they were still a play-in team. I just don't see a move with the assets available to them that can significantly alter the likelihood of a similar result.

[nzahir]

Brown is readily available as a wing

Meh, not horrible, but also not a great shooter

[ChettheJet]

Their Bulls options are

Bring Demar DeRozan back to Compton. The thing most ignore about Demar is he gets fouled, a lot. That puts him, Lebron, AD and everybody else in the bonus. With the Giddey trade the Bulls are making moves not tearing down and tanking. So they aren't the dumping ground. Some 2nd round picks, Rui, JHS and Jaxson Hayes opts in. I know you want to send Vincent but the Bulls have Javon Carter, same 6 foot shooting PG signed for 2 more years at half the price of Vincent. Don't want DLo to opt in just got Giddey as the PG, both White and Dosunmu can handle the ball. NO

The same basic offer but with #17 to get Zach Lavine. Yeah Zach all the shortcomings you're going to bring up, he can flat out score the basketball behind the arc or driving to the lane. And he's going to be one happy guy playing in the LA spotlight. On those games when Lebron is resting, when AD is injured for a week he can step it up and get the baskets.

Scoff all you like Nikola Vucevic. Had a bad 3pt shooting year, players do that what if he returns to form? He can still score and rebound, 18-10 last year, he allows AD to start at the 4 and be the backup center. A veteran who won't crumble under pressure or think he needs to do more than he's asked. Jaxson Hayes opting in, Rui should do it.

[nzahir]

All Star tier guys won’t be available and if they are, Lakers assets are not enough. If Walker Kessler is available, they should focus on trading for him.

Try to sign Kris Dunn if Utah does not re-sign him.

2 ways wings are all sought after so teams with more assets will get dibs.

You sure some of these guys wont be available?

I think they will be

How much can Trae Young really cost?

We have 3 1sts, swaps, and guys like Reaves, JHS, Christie, Rui

Not to say its worth doing, but we have the assets

Kinda annoying when people say with what assets and then ignore many previous trades I have presented