Lakers Fans - Who Would You Like LA to Pick Up Now

[doogie_hauser]

Not a Lakers fan but I think Markkanen in his prime could be a great pick up, not sure if they can afford him though, probably not. A core of LeBron, AD and Markkanen with a couple of shooters could potentially do well.

Dude I would love to trade for Markkanen, but i cant imagine the lakers have enough the war chest to acquire him. im sure it would cost multiple first round picks in addition to good players. probably at least 3 frp's. Not even sure the Lakers have that many picks to trade.

Also Ainge would never ever trade Lauri to the Lakers in a million years.

He still has Celtic blood running through his veins.

[ryguy613]

get this crap off the GB and on the Lakers' team forum.

or i dunno... just ignore it and move on to any other thread... like someone who isnt a psycho?

I swear to god, every time... every **** time

Laker fan - create a single thread about FA options

Non Laker fans -

[doogie_hauser]

If they didn't give away their 2025 FRP to Atlanta (via Pelicans) I would suggest their best course of action would have been to trade AD for as many future firsts/young player assets as possible

I think they probably will sign DeRozan and make marginal other signings and or trades,

The Lebron/Bronny James and Klutch Sports debacle certainly didn't make the Lakers any more attractive for big Free Agents/stars to come to the Lakeshow.

One could suggest Lebron now is hurting the Lakers and their ability to build/construct another championship contending team

[ryguy613]

I'm considering sending this thread to the Lakers' board since the query is just for laker fans...Don't be surprised if it's moved or locked if it is.

no worries. honestly ive never created a thread or even posted in a thread that wasnt in the General Board section. If it's really that disruptive to have this thread in the GB, I wont be offended if you move it or delete it all together. your call.

[Joshyjess]

People are making WAY too much about Bronny. The way a lot of folks on the boards talk, youd think the lakers moved up in the draft to select Bronny with a lottery pick. The way a lot of folks on the boards talk, youd think the Lakers didnt use their first round pick selecting Dalton Knecht. Guys... they drafted Bronny with the 55th overall pick! Yall are aware there are a total of 60 picks in the draft right? Yall are aware that the value return rate on 55th overall picks is mathematically insignificant right? Yall understand that the Lakers could literally buy a spot that low in the draft for like 2 million bucks right?

People are either being disingenuous about them drafting Bronny because they wanna troll... or theyre misinformed about the draft.

Actually, just the opposite. We all know that the ONLY reason they even picked Bronny was to make Papa James happy. On his own merits, Bronny would never have gotten picked. However, since the reason that the picked him was to make Lebron happy, then it stands to reason that they should use him as much as possible. The more they play Bronny, the happier Lebron will be. I don't think Lebron has much left to play for, but playing alongside his kid seems to be one of the most important things to him. So do that. Play Bronny every chance they get (don't even worry about how good or bad he is - let Bronny be the Tank commander). If Lebron feels like he's accomplished all that he wants to accomplish (including playing alongside his son), then there is much more chance that he will finally retire - and free the Lakers from having Lebron on their team.

You guys crack me up. If it was so important to draft Bronny in order to placate LeBron, why would they risk drafting him 5 picks before the entire draft ended? Like i just said, buying a 2nd round draft pick is incredibly cheap. If they were so concerned about this, they couldve easily moved up to the 40th pick, or even higher. Just to make a good show of it. Hell, if you really are under the impression that LeBron expects his son to have a rotation spot on the roster, why wouldnt they just take him in the first round? There's such a ridiculous amount of overthinking with this. Was it kinda silly that the lakers drafted him? yeah a little. did i roll my eyes when it happened? yeah a little. is this some kind of clandestine plot to force the lakers to do LeBrons bidding? If so he did a pretty **** job of it. They obviously knew that drafting Bronny would make Bron happy. Thats a suuuuuper low risk scenario. Everything else being pontificated here is fiction

Just out of curiosity, what would your master plan be? Do you think the Lakers ought to go for it right now? Do you think they have any kind of reasonable chance of wining with the guys they have on the roster now? Good luck with that if you do. Seriously what would you do?
If I were an LA fan I would be hoping that they would go into full rebuild mode. Get what you can for AD. Try to encourage Lebron to retire (I don't believe they are allowed to trade him, so if giving his son more playing time then he deserves does that, so be it), get rid of most of the guys they have now (not much to speak of honestly), and start rebuilding from ground zero. But, hey, I'm not an LA fan, so I'm actually happy to see them keeping Lebron, hanging on to AD, and seeing what enfolds as Bronny either gets ignored (and makes his daddy upset), or gets overplayed to make Lebron happy at the expense of the rest of the team.

[ImSlower]

Some of us are currently in the process of talking ourselves into LaVine

Here's a long-form article researching LaVine's improved play and unfair perception as injury prone:
https://theswishtheory.com/nba/2024/06/zach-lavine-the-wages-of-perception/

I've been on the ditch-Zach train for years, but I've never been enamored with AK's actions as soon as it was clear that Ball's career was probably over. As much of a Zach skeptic as I am, I do think he could do some great things playing with more dominant guys like LeBron and AD. Just gets paid too much, alas.

[Ballerhogger]

it's time to stop thinking about the NOW
vet players are turning their backs on lebron left and right

who the lakers have gotten have been by trades. ain't no FA going to willingly sign to play with lebron

if this was 2025 id agree.

if there was a reasonable promise of ring that might be a thing. but there isn't, and vets played for lebron in a different era. he was younger, and they willingly took that in exchange for being pidgeonholed to his whim

i'll bet even klove wont play in los angeles, and he was like the ONLY superstar who willingly dropped everything to play with lebron. so this is now 6 or 7 years and the lakers have lure JACK with the incentive of playing with lebron

so this is my biased anti-lebron stance...despite everything players like westbrook A LOT. he plays hard. he also got F****kkked @lal. blame is not the point - there are plenty of people to point fingers and it starts with lebron/ad/westbrook. but westbrook took a MASSIVE amount of blame. MAGIC, in fact, blamed westbrook for everything. he layed it all at westbrook's feet. westbrook is the one who had to change, NOT LEBRON. and it only reinforced the idea that lebron is teflon and you will take all the SH***

Magic traded Zubac for lint …… so that’s that . I mean you are right but we have go down with ship what FA are even there in 25? Does AD want play without star? Idk lots in the air . If we win lot games early lot of this gets put on the backburner

[LaLover11]

Lauri is the real target for the Lakers

Of course the haters will instantly say: OmG Lakers have nobody to offer or any picks etc

Nobody cares about the opinions of you haters
Go eat a hotdog and relax

[tamaraw08]

I don't think lakers.have to give up FRPs for Cam..

DLo+JHS should be enough to get him

As a Laker fan I hope you are right, but why would the Nets do this deal?

To remove years owed and get a young prospect in JHS.

I don't think lakers need to panic. They don't really have capspace to be signing guys unless they get creative.

SnT or trade is going to be their offseason.

if the Lakers didn’t have to attach picks then Rob should have done this trade the second DLo decided to opt in.
I can’t think of any other teams that are willing to give up good players like Cam johnson
without asking for picks.

[Jta444]

Lakers got karma losing out on the other free agent signings so far for forcing KCP to not resign with the Nuggets. Sore losers. Cant get over the fact they’ve been dominated by the same team the last 2 years lol

[Lalouie]

if this was 2025 id agree.

if there was a reasonable promise of ring that might be a thing. but there isn't, and vets played for lebron in a different era. he was younger, and they willingly took that in exchange for being pidgeonholed to his whim

i'll bet even klove wont play in los angeles, and he was like the ONLY superstar who willingly dropped everything to play with lebron. so this is now 6 or 7 years and the lakers have lure JACK with the incentive of playing with lebron

so this is my biased anti-lebron stance...despite everything players like westbrook A LOT. he plays hard. he also got F****kkked @lal. blame is not the point - there are plenty of people to point fingers and it starts with lebron/ad/westbrook. but westbrook took a MASSIVE amount of blame. MAGIC, in fact, blamed westbrook for everything. he layed it all at westbrook's feet. westbrook is the one who had to change, NOT LEBRON. and it only reinforced the idea that lebron is teflon and you will take all the SH***

Magic traded Zubac for lint …… so that’s that . I mean you are right but we have go down with ship what FA are even there in 25? Does AD want play without star? Idk lots in the air . If we win lot games early lot of this gets put on the backburner

i think ad is collateral fodder amidst the wheeling and dealings of klutch/lebron. his importance is magnified by the fact that the lakers have ZERO. that's what teams do when they sign with lebron - they give up their future. but ultimately ad was part of that whole thing with klutch that set a very bad precedent about stars BREAKING contracts. so in this tsunami of junk, ad is a pawn in a grass hut. we all knew this was going to happen - that it won't last for the lakers OR ad once lebron leaves

they'll have bronny thought at least

[JellosJigglin]

Just call it a day and keep their ears on the train tracks. I haven't seen any FA or trade target this offseason who would've moved the needle for the Lakers. I would rather they hold onto their assets for the post Lebron era, unless a younger star comes along that wants to come to L.A. Until then, stand pat and save those draft picks.

[LaLover11]

Just call it a day and keep their ears on the train tracks. I haven't seen any FA or trade target this offseason who would've moved the needle for the Lakers. I would rather they hold onto their assets for the post Lebron era, unless a younger star comes along that wants to come to L.A. Until then, stand pat and save those draft picks.

Clearly Trae Young wants to be a Laker

[akula1488]

can the Lakers beat OKC, Minnesota and Dallas? doubtful as they need two pieces (solid big man + 3& D wing). They may have a chance against Denver w/o KCP but it is still Jokic and Murray that have been owning them in the playoffs.
I think the best is to just play hardball with LBJ and no need to sacrifice any more future draft capital...
Fans will still tune in for the father and son story and with the illusion Lakers are contenders.

[rapluva]

Raptors dont mind a sign and trade for Fardy Trent... but at all costs we want Bronny James...

[Hellcrooner]

if there was a reasonable promise of ring that might be a thing. but there isn't, and vets played for lebron in a different era. he was younger, and they willingly took that in exchange for being pidgeonholed to his whim

i'll bet even klove wont play in los angeles, and he was like the ONLY superstar who willingly dropped everything to play with lebron. so this is now 6 or 7 years and the lakers have lure JACK with the incentive of playing with lebron

so this is my biased anti-lebron stance...despite everything players like westbrook A LOT. he plays hard. he also got F****kkked @lal. blame is not the point - there are plenty of people to point fingers and it starts with lebron/ad/westbrook. but westbrook took a MASSIVE amount of blame. MAGIC, in fact, blamed westbrook for everything. he layed it all at westbrook's feet. westbrook is the one who had to change, NOT LEBRON. and it only reinforced the idea that lebron is teflon and you will take all the SH***

Magic traded Zubac for lint …… so that’s that . I mean you are right but we have go down with ship what FA are even there in 25? Does AD want play without star? Idk lots in the air . If we win lot games early lot of this gets put on the backburner

i think ad is collateral fodder amidst the wheeling and dealings of klutch/lebron. his importance is magnified by the fact that the lakers have ZERO. that's what teams do when they sign with lebron - they give up their future. but ultimately ad was part of that whole thing with klutch that set a very bad precedent about stars BREAKING contracts. so in this tsunami of junk, ad is a pawn in a grass hut. we all knew this was going to happen - that it won't last for the lakers OR ad once lebron leaves

they'll have bronny thought at least

well if they dont do anything stupid they actually have future assets as in
dont tank this season , its the last uncontrolled first. ( the jazz one if its top lottery they keep)

so the "post lebron era" could be a ton of capspace, tradable semi young assets and actual first rounders to keep if "process" or trade if quality FA+ trades.

[Dez]

Lauri is the real target for the Lakers

Of course the haters will instantly say: OmG Lakers have nobody to offer or any picks etc

Nobody cares about the opinions of you haters
Go eat a hotdog and relax

Living in reality is hating?

The Lakers have nothing that will satisfy Danny Ainge of all people in a trade.

[JRoy]

Lauri is the real target for the Lakers

Of course the haters will instantly say: OmG Lakers have nobody to offer or any picks etc

Nobody cares about the opinions of you haters
Go eat a hotdog and relax

You’re not the boss o me.

[LaLover11]

Lauri is the real target for the Lakers

Of course the haters will instantly say: OmG Lakers have nobody to offer or any picks etc

Nobody cares about the opinions of you haters
Go eat a hotdog and relax

Living in reality is hating?

The Lakers have nothing that will satisfy Danny Ainge of all people in a trade.

Reaves would satisfy the Utah fans and Danny ainge
Stop being delusional

[MrGoat]

If I answer this question seriously I say the Lakers need to carefully pick up the phone and at least inquire with Danny Ainge about the price of Lauri Markannen and/or Walker Kessler. Dealing with Ainge is dangerous but Markannen is expiring and Kessler only has two seasons left on his deal and doesn't seem to be in Utah's future plans