offseason tracker

[danfantastk32]

There are a few other posters here who made it clear that they would rather see Lebron and/or AD traded and rebuild now but it is my opinion that most of them don't post as many negative comments on Lebron like you.
You can scream as loud as you can and write as many as 10 paragraphs about how you don't hate Lebron but it is how I perceive your messages the past 3-4 years. I asked you to go back to your old posts and read them, maybe ask your friends to validate your feelings...
Either you got hacked, have an evil twin or possibly my comprehension is that poor.
The irony was I actually hated Lebron, even had the saddest birthdays watching him win it all for Miami and Cavs but it all changed when he came here and did his best to help this team win. I am not saying he is infallible and he doesn't make any fatal mistakes, of course he does and I understand that this team might be going to hell if they just trade all their draft capital for the wrong player/s.

I just don't think it matters. What if Landsberger does "hate" Lebron? Who cares? The team is completely mediocre. That's really where all the focus should be.

I loved Kobe, but they gave him a ridiculous contract at the end, cause they were desperate. It was horrible, and I was pretty mad at Kobe for accepting it. He knew they were gonna be unable to sign anyone else, with that. It held us back, and made that rebuild feel like it was alot longer than it was...because there were really only 3-4 years of true rebuild...but there were also 2-3 years of watching a completely worn-down Kobe do his thing. I said as much at the time. I thought it was ridiculous.

My feelings on a player really doesn't affect the analysis of the team. Yeah sure....I give a little extra credit here, a little extra there. I turn a blind eye to this little thing.....but once the team becomes 15th-20th in the league for 4 years....that's the only thing that matters. Trading Lebron might give me a little extra smile, or maybe it doesn't.....but it still needs to be done.

I'm not a huge AD fan after watching him bring it one day, and take the next day off. I don't think he has the heart of a champion at all. Could be wrong...could be right....but WHO CARES?? He's the only one with the value to get us a bunch of picks back. That's the ONLY reason I want him traded.

We're just getting off track again. The Lakers need major upgrades, or an overhaul. All that matters. Feelings towards the players here are irrelevant.

[loveshaq007]

In light of LeBron James becoming a souped-up Draymond Green in Paris, playing point guard and defending centers, I want to reiterate what I've been saying before the Olympics -- LeBron James needs to change his game. This team doesn't need him at 25-7-8. They need him at 16-12-12, guarding big men with mass.

I said this weeks before the Olympics:

The idea that Davis needs to be a mostly PF again is the most simplistically overstated trope on this board.

Davis can undoubtedly play "some" PF for some parts of some games, but if he plays PF almost full-time, on offense the Lakers will lack spacing, and on defense they will lack wing protection with a 40-year old forced to guard wings.

Davis is a center in this new league. Porzingis is also a center. Garnett would be a center too.

What Davis needs is for LeBron James to help add a physical presence, to help him guard some beefy guys and help him rebound.

Do they need a center? Yes, but a backup center. They need a center who can provide defense when Davis sits and play with Davis occasionally when they are playing Denver or Philadelphia.

In all other situations, the vast majority of the time, Davis needs to play center and James needs to embrace supporting Davis by rebounding and willingly guarding some beefy big men at various points of the game.

In essence, James is the big man on defense that Davis needs.

did you guys not see joker manhandle both of them??

[danfantastk32]

did you guys not see joker manhandle both of them??

Yeah, I agree. They need a PF or a Center. And it needs to be someone who can shoot 3's...cause Davis can't. Denver has put it to us over and over again. Lebron is 40 now....he's not gonna go wrestle down in the paint night after night.

[Landsberger]

Do me a favor and find any messages that you posted that were actually any positive takes about Lebron and compare them to all the negative ones you wrote that past 3 years or so.
Lakers won it all in 2020, can't find any comments from you during that time.
And almost every time the team struggles and I see you come out of nowhere with guns blazing.
Lebron agrees not to get the max so they can stay below the 2nd apron and you still question and doubt his intention etc.
Below is the last comment you made...maybe I fail to see that you meant sarcasm or what.

You misconstrue my thoughts on the future of the Lakers with hate for LeBron. I'm not a fan of this version of the Lakers. Sorry, but I like to think that we could progress toward a title in the next 3 years. Do you really thing a duo that's barely been over .500 the last 4 years can do that?

Stop the childish "he hates" so in so. I'm in it for the Lakers chances going forward. I can go back 3-4 years and find posts were I correctly noted that I didn't think the Lakers with the Davis/Bron duo was enough to win given the circumstances of the cap and the FA markets that were upcoming. I actually think I was pretty right in that.

I don't "hate" anyone I don't know... let's be adults about this. It's a childish endeavor to believe that someone "hates" someone else because of a game. Have I been positive on the Laker's chances the last few years? Nope. Were my thoughts wrong? Nope.

Forums are for discussions, disagreements and debates. In that context why would any player be above debate? Individually LaBron is putting up amazing stats. Team wise his leadership of the Lakers isn't resulting in what we've become accustom to.... winning. Not sure how that's not a factual statement. We've swapped out the parts down stream of he and Davis a couple of times over the last 5 years... we've swapped out coaches as well. Nothing has changed in the results category. Our cap position ensures we further mortgage the future to reload and try again. I have wanted a different strategy. Unload and rebuild. If that's "hate" to you then that's your problem.... not mine.

Finally, if you're going back to find some hate.... see if you can find where I noted that I didn't think keeping Davis and Bron would result in us being true contenders 3 years ago. If you can't find it, I'll go get it for you. After all... we want to make sure everyone here sees ALL THE HATE.

There are a few other posters here who made it clear that they would rather see Lebron and/or AD traded and rebuild now but it is my opinion that most of them don't post as many negative comments on Lebron like you.
You can scream as loud as you can and write as many as 10 paragraphs about how you don't hate Lebron but it is how I perceive your messages the past 3-4 years. I asked you to go back to your old posts and read them, maybe ask your friends to validate your feelings...
Either you got hacked, have an evil twin or possibly my comprehension is that poor.
The irony was I actually hated Lebron, even had the saddest birthdays watching him win it all for Miami and Cavs but it all changed when he came here and did his best to help this team win. I am not saying he is infallible and he doesn't make any fatal mistakes, of course he does
and I understand that this team might be going to hell if they just trade all their draft capital for the wrong player/s.

I'm sorry that you project hate on a person you've never met and don't know. No, I don't project personal feelings of love or hate onto strangers.

My comments about "Bron ball" are about the type of offense we've had for 5 years now. We won the * Chip by leading the league in points in the paint... by a decent margin if memory serves. Bron was a big part of that. Since his injury he's content outside. We decided to let a lot of the players go that put us in that position. That is the product of an aging LeBron IMHO. We can't afford to build around him and shouldn't try and swing for the fences by trading our future IMHO. So... since I neither love or hate a human I've never met, I'll resort to reason over emotion and say to myself. Why go through a couple .500ish seasons to then rebuild around an aging Davis? Why not get some capital and jump start a reset? A logical approach. The team went to the other extreme and signed him and drafted his kid, who appears to me after watching the summer league, to be an end of the bench or G league level prospect. He won't be either is my guess. I think it's perfectly appropriate to question that. Time will tell. To me, that means we might not have even scouted the second round since we were taking his kid. Is that where we are now with ownership?

We see it differently. Bron and Davis were healthy all season and we didn't do squat. That's not getting better with time. I guess we can all say we didn't finish last. In my book everyone is tied for last who doesn't win the championship.

[Landsberger]

did you guys not see joker manhandle both of them??

Yeah, I agree. They need a PF or a Center. And it needs to be someone who can shoot 3's...cause Davis can't. Denver has put it to us over and over again. Lebron is 40 now....he's not gonna go wrestle down in the paint night after night.

Why 3's? I'd much rather have a big that can make teams defend the paint. Most bigs shoot 70% in the paint and only a few shoot 35% from outside.

To the defense. Defending the Joker is probably the hardest in the league right now. He effects his teams play like no other. On ball defense isn't the way to do it. A scheme that makes his a scorer primarily is. How Pop used to take Chris Paul out of the playoff each year. He make Paul a scorer and he scored well.... and lost to SA every time.

[danfantastk32]

Why 3's? I'd much rather have a big that can make teams defend the paint. Most bigs shoot 70% in the paint and only a few shoot 35% from outside.

To the defense. Defending the Joker is probably the hardest in the league right now. He effects his teams play like no other. On ball defense isn't the way to do it. A scheme that makes his a scorer primarily is. How Pop used to take Chris Paul out of the playoff each year. He make Paul a scorer and he scored well.... and lost to SA every time.

Let me be clear...I don't want a big taking tons of 3's. But you look at Joker, and he had a little dip, but he was 39%(ish) last year when they won the chip. Kat is hovering around 40%, Embiid is around 40%. It forces AD out to the perimiter. But with AD shooting like 28%, he can hang out there all day, as far as defenses are concerned.

[Anderson Hunt]

It's a pipedream to think the Lakers can acquire a defensive bigman who can also shoot.

They simply need a big man with beef who is a strong defensive presence.

This guy doesn't have to shoot because this guy doesn't have to play alongside Anthony Davis.

Davis does not have to play PF for the team to be effective, therefore he doesn't need a unicorn defensive, three-point shooting bigman next to him.

The center they acquire will be brought here to be Davis' primary backup, not to play with him.

[danfantastk32]

It's a pipedream to think the Lakers can acquire a defensive bigman who can also shoot.

They simply need a big man with beef who is a strong defensive presence.

This guy doesn't have to shoot because this guy doesn't have to play alongside Anthony Davis.

Davis does not have to play PF for the team to be effective, therefore he doesn't need a unicorn defensive, three-point shooting bigman next to him.

The center they acquire will be brought here to be Davis' primary backup, not to play with him.

Ok, I admit that would be nice....but a backup center isn't changing our trajectory very much. And We still need someone to play with AD and this new center when AD goes out. Playing Lebron at the 4, at 40 isn't going to happen. He might play pockets of time against a smaller (thinner) more "athletic" PF....someone with a Durant, or Dirk type body....but it's time to start managing his game, not throwing him out to the wolves.

That person should be able to hit 3's at a decent % to keep the defenses honest.

I agree it's a total pipe-dream to think we can get a PF with a decent shot, and a backup center....and a more creative play maker. to be that 3rd guy. It's nigh impossible.

Hence my rebuild stance....this team needs more help than it can realistically hope to acquire. We're all going to come to this conclusion next Apr-May (maybe sooner)....but will it be too late to get a kings ransom for Davis? We're playing a dangerous (and meaningless imo) game of chicken here with the basketball gods.

+3500 in Vegas....so don't tell me I'm a pessimist, or loony. They see it too.

[tamaraw08]

It's a pipedream to think the Lakers can acquire a defensive bigman who can also shoot.

They simply need a big man with beef who is a strong defensive presence.

This guy doesn't have to shoot because this guy doesn't have to play alongside Anthony Davis.

Davis does not have to play PF for the team to be effective, therefore he doesn't need a unicorn defensive, three-point shooting bigman next to him.

The center they acquire will be brought here to be Davis' primary backup, not to play with him.

Ok, I admit that would be nice....but a backup center isn't changing our trajectory very much. And We still need someone to play with AD and this new center when AD goes out. Playing Lebron at the 4, at 40 isn't going to happen. He might play pockets of time against a smaller (thinner) more "athletic" PF....someone with a Durant, or Dirk type body....but it's time to start managing his game, not throwing him out to the wolves.

That person should be able to hit 3's at a decent % to keep the defenses honest.

I agree it's a total pipe-dream to think we can get a PF with a decent shot, and a backup center....and a more creative play maker. to be that 3rd guy. It's nigh impossible.

Hence my rebuild stance....this team needs more help than it can realistically hope to acquire. We're all going to come to this conclusion next Apr-May (maybe sooner)....but will it be too late to get a kings ransom for Davis? We're playing a dangerous (and meaningless imo) game of chicken here with the basketball gods.

+3500 in Vegas....so don't tell me I'm a pessimist, or loony. They see it too.

My theory is the main reason the Wizards signed Valanciunas was not to contend but trade him the Lakers eventually around December 15. JV has career 35% from 3, shot horribly last season but shot around 36% 4 years before that.
They also retained decent SF/PF Kuzma and also acquired Brogdon.
Malcolm has a career 39% from 3 but has been injury prone the past 6 years. One possible good thing though is he has an expiring contract so they can cut bait if it doesn't work out. The question is how many FRPs will the Wizards demand?

[stan francisco]

Preseason Schedule 2024-25

Oct. 4 Minnesota Palm Springs Acrisure Arena 7:30 PM
Oct. 6 Phoenix Palm Springs Acrisure Arena 6:30 PM
Oct. 10 Milwaukee Milwaukee T-Mobile Arena 7:00 PM
Oct. 15 Golden State Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena 7:00 PM
Oct. 17 Phoenix Phoenix Footprint Center 6:00 PM
Oct. 18 Golden State San Francisco Chase Center 7:00 PM

3-3 is my prediction.

[zuju]

Watch on YouTube

I agree with the suggestions in the video. Not only do 3 point shooters could help on offense. There are still ways to use a non shooter in half court sets.

[SlimShady83]

One thing I can't wait to see is, JJ getting everyone cutting and making plays rather then just standing there watching Bron/AD, this alone is going to be great to see, just hope he makes It happen.

[tamaraw08]

Watch on YouTube

I agree with the suggestions in the video. Not only do 3 point shooters could help on offense. There are still ways to use a non shooter in half court sets.

Thanks for the video. It certainly gave most of us hope that they can utilize Vando in other ways on offense.
It's just that most players who can't shoot have had difficulties staying on the game even had problems finding teams.
I think of Stanley Johnson, David Nwaba etc who just can't find any takers.
OKC have given up on Giddey, same with Minnie on Ryan Anderson.
Remember Andre Roberson? The guy can pretty much guard 3-4 positions and had trouble staying in the league.

[zuju]

Watch on YouTube

I agree with the suggestions in the video. Not only do 3 point shooters could help on offense. There are still ways to use a non shooter in half court sets.

Thanks for the video. It certainly gave most of us hope that they can utilize Vando in other ways on offense.
It's just that most players who can't shoot have had difficulties staying on the game even had problems finding teams.
I think of Stanley Johnson, David Nwaba etc who just can't find any takers.
OKC have given up on Giddey, same with Minnie on Ryan Anderson.
Remember Andre Roberson? The guy can pretty much guard 3-4 positions and had trouble staying in the league.

Stanley Johnson actually shoot quite well with SAS on lower volume per game after his season with us.

He is one of my primary target if Dlo, Gabe, Cam Reddish are all gone along with DVD, loonie Walker and Gordon Hayward etc. He is quick to stay in front of most guards nd strong enough to guard some 4s.

[DanishLakerFan]

I agree with the suggestions in the video. Not only do 3 point shooters could help on offense. There are still ways to use a non shooter in half court sets.

Thanks for the video. It certainly gave most of us hope that they can utilize Vando in other ways on offense.
It's just that most players who can't shoot have had difficulties staying on the game even had problems finding teams.
I think of Stanley Johnson, David Nwaba etc who just can't find any takers.
OKC have given up on Giddey, same with Minnie on Ryan Anderson.
Remember Andre Roberson? The guy can pretty much guard 3-4 positions and had trouble staying in the league.

Stanley Johnson actually shoot quite well with SAS on lower volume per game after his season with us.

He is one of my primary target if Dlo, Gabe, Cam Reddish are all gone along with DVD, loonie Walker and Gordon Hayward etc. He is quick to stay in front of most guards nd strong enough to guard some 4s.

Lonnie Walker would be a solid aquisition tbh. He shot well last year and he was playable for LAL in the playoffs the year before.
Another guy that could interesting is Dennis Smith Jr. He cant really shoot, but he can attack the rim and he's developed into on ene of the best of attack defenders in the game.

[LakersSoul]

Watch on YouTube

I agree with the suggestions in the video. Not only do 3 point shooters could help on offense. There are still ways to use a non shooter in half court sets.

Tricky with the Lakers roster is that we have either O threat guys or D helpers but no real true 3&D guys.

Guys who are good on one end and neutral in the other (or could be neutral):
AR
MAX
KNECHT (bit of work needed but athletic)

Think this group might be best to have as closing rotation by year end with Bron and AD. Team has to do better to draft and develop 3&D wings.

Good on D but suspect on O:
Vando
Gabe

This is why guys like JHS and Knecht get dropped while better potential skillset and younger prospects get picked esp by smart franchises like Miami and OKC.

[LakersSoul]

One thing I can't wait to see is, JJ getting everyone cutting and making plays rather then just standing there watching Bron/AD, this alone is going to be great to see, just hope he makes It happen.

Agree!

Ham was too weak of a HC to demand the team practice more to improve and maximize the execution and try things. Instead he just left it to the roster and Bron/AD to run themselves. Yet, in the end, he alienated both his top stars in Bron, AD and even AR. What a clueless leader/HC.

Believe JJ is too much of a perfectionist to let things run themselves so looking forward to less mental errors by playoff time. Hope he can also develop few 3&D guys.

[tamaraw08]

Thanks for the video. It certainly gave most of us hope that they can utilize Vando in other ways on offense.
It's just that most players who can't shoot have had difficulties staying on the game even had problems finding teams.
I think of Stanley Johnson, David Nwaba etc who just can't find any takers.
OKC have given up on Giddey, same with Minnie on Ryan Anderson.
Remember Andre Roberson? The guy can pretty much guard 3-4 positions and had trouble staying in the league.

Stanley Johnson actually shoot quite well with SAS on lower volume per game after his season with us.

He is one of my primary target if Dlo, Gabe, Cam Reddish are all gone along with DVD, loonie Walker and Gordon Hayward etc. He is quick to stay in front of most guards nd strong enough to guard some 4s.

Lonnie Walker would be a solid aquisition tbh. He shot well last year and he was playable for LAL in the playoffs the year before.
Another guy that could interesting is Dennis Smith Jr. He cant really shoot, but he can attack the rim and he's developed into on ene of the best of attack defenders in the game.

I watched a few games where I saw Lebron constantly yelling at Lonnie for missed rotations and taking bad shots.
He went from getting 6.5 Mil from the Lakers to just 2.3 Mil with the Nets the year after and I believe still couldn't find any team to sign him with with his very decent stats.

[DanishLakerFan]

Stanley Johnson actually shoot quite well with SAS on lower volume per game after his season with us.

He is one of my primary target if Dlo, Gabe, Cam Reddish are all gone along with DVD, loonie Walker and Gordon Hayward etc. He is quick to stay in front of most guards nd strong enough to guard some 4s.

Lonnie Walker would be a solid aquisition tbh. He shot well last year and he was playable for LAL in the playoffs the year before.
Another guy that could interesting is Dennis Smith Jr. He cant really shoot, but he can attack the rim and he's developed into on ene of the best of attack defenders in the game.

I watched a few games where I saw Lebron constantly yelling at Lonnie for missed rotations and taking bad shots.
He went from getting 6.5 Mil from the Lakers to just 2.3 Mil with the Nets the year after and I believe still couldn't find any team to sign him with with his very decent stats.

Fair. But he actually did see his minutes go up as the playoffs went along when he was with LA. Would prefer him over Reddish.

[tamaraw08]

Lonnie Walker would be a solid aquisition tbh. He shot well last year and he was playable for LAL in the playoffs the year before.
Another guy that could interesting is Dennis Smith Jr. He cant really shoot, but he can attack the rim and he's developed into on ene of the best of attack defenders in the game.

I watched a few games where I saw Lebron constantly yelling at Lonnie for missed rotations and taking bad shots.
He went from getting 6.5 Mil from the Lakers to just 2.3 Mil with the Nets the year after and I believe still couldn't find any team to sign him with with his very decent stats.

Fair. But he actually did see his minutes go up as the playoffs went along when he was with LA. Would prefer him over Reddish.

oh hell no! One of Rob's biggest mistakes was giving this Scam guy a player option.
I'll rather see anybody else including Stanley Johnson a shot than Cam Reddish.