mademan wrote:zimpy27 wrote:Tracymcgoaty wrote:If AD wants to get traded all he needs to do is request it. Hopefully Rob doesnt waste anymore assets. No trade out there that moves this team to legit contenders. Not when the duo consists of a 40 year old and an inconsistent 1st option. Timeline for contending with this team is ovah.
Main thing needs to be avoiding giving up a great pick to the teams we owe. Keep the assets and tell lebron and AD to deal with what they have.
Could pick up Dwight we wont have to give up anything for him

Lakers can use a pick on a young guy that willing be there anyway in 2028-29 season. Don't think Lakers need to bottom out.
I think Lakers have enough talent to win a championship but there are a couple things:
- Davis and LeBron played Olympics and it was expected that they have a down RS, at least to begin.
- The team has lacked crispness and focus, they could get that by seasons end, who knows.
- They need another playmaker who can defend.
The Lakers just arent good enough defensively and dont have the players to be good enough defensively to win a championship. The rotation has like 3-4 guys who play D...thats just not enough. They can probably beat most teams in the West if things go their way, but thats something you can say about 6-7 different squads
I see no way they can put up a challenge against OKC tho. OKC has problems scoring at times, so a strong defense and a strong offensive pairing like Luka/Kyrie or Ja/Bane might be able to push them on games where both teams score under 100. A bad defense like the Lakers cant grind out those wins tho
PG: Reaves (38) | LeBron (10)
SG: Christie (32) | DFS (16)
SF: DFS (22) | Rui (18) | Vando (10)
PF: LeBron (28) | Rui (10) | Vando (8)
C : Davis (40) | Rui (8)
12 mins: Reaves, Christie, DFS, LeBron, Davis
10 mins: Reaves, Christie, Rui, Vando, Davis
10 mins: LeBron, Christie, DFS, Rui, Davis
8 mins: Reaves, DFS, Rui, LeBron, Davis
8 mins: Reaves, DFS, Vando, LeBron, Rui
In a tight playoff rotation, if the above guys are all healthy, I think Lakers have more than enough dynamic size and defense mixed with scoring to be a true contender. I'd have them as 4th most likely after OKC, BOS, CLE
Lakers are struggling gin RS because LeBron and Davis are low motor in RS, they will turn it up in playoffs.
Lakers also don't have great players beyond the above 7 you'd have in a playoff rotation.
The backups are Vincent, Milton, Reddish, Knecht, Wood, Hayes. They can play spot minutes but none of them are particularly impactful. Wood has best chance to be an impact piece when he is healthy.
I'd be happy to turn Vincent, JHS, Knecht in to an 8th man in the playoffs rotation. Doesn't need FRPs.