Baz wrote:arkuo wrote:Baz wrote:
He wants to be in Dallas still. The circumstances don't allow him to come back to Dallas now or probably ever but I really don't think he's taking to LA. From a non American standpoint it feels like a soulless and transactional city. When I think of that place I think of the nightmare that is the movie Mulholland Drive. It's a place where your hopes and expectations go to die. As a tourist who's been there a few times Santa Monica and Venice Beach is the only thing I like about LA. New York is a thousand times better. Get out of there Luka!
+1 on NYC. I feel gets dirty there though with all the trash sometimes.
What do you think are the chances Luka lands in Demver and does not sign an extension with LA?
I think LA being "America's team" makes him very marketable. But that is a double edged sword. Lakers have twice (maybe thrice) the fan population of the Mavs.
This question deserves to be talked about more. It's the elephant in the room for the Lakers. They want to sweep it under the rug. Nothing to see here. It's supposedly the main reason why they didn't give the Mavericks more in the deal, right? Because how sure could they be that Luka would resign? And now that they've got him it's 100% a sure thing he is resigning, apparently.
I think it's more like 60/40. Luka resigning makes sense for his branding and it's the likely option. The Lakers mystique is a real pull for most athletes but I just don't think he gives a damn given all we know from the years we've followed his career. He was deeply loyal and I'm sure he took that trade very personally. The Lakers were the other team that was apart of the deal made in the shadows that ripped him away from his hometown in the middle of the night. Everything since has indicated he feels sick over this and doesn't understand it. That photo of him getting off the plane in LA... the man looked like he'd been crying for hours. If he believes for a second that Nico Harrison was helping a buddy out over in LA or that there was some form of collusion, I think he goes and breaks the league with Denver or San Antonio. He owes absolutely nothing to the Lakers organization. If LeBron declines and they can't find a good 2nd option for Luka as soon as the end of next season, the Lakers could be in trouble.
Jeanie Buss would drink a bottle of Lysol with Linda Rambis if Luka left for Denver. Lakers would move heaven and earth to keep Luka. But the caveat there is Luka didn't choose LA and he was kept in the dark. LA has a few months to make Luka "fall in love" with the city. At this point in his career, Luka has earned the priviledge to earn the same max contract anywhere he goes. So now the ball is in his court. I think in this situation his agent will have a lot to say as his commissions and earnings are tied to off court stuff too? With Lebron retiring soon, would Luka want to cuff himself to a ship with Bronny James and other scrubs? That's the same as a Dallas Maverick lineup on his frist year. I think a lot of if depends on the willingness of other teams to help LA build a loaded roster. LA needs a lot more Nico Harrisons scattered in the USA to build something similar to Boston IMO.
The only selling point LA has now is that it's Kobe's former team and there are murals of him and Kobe painted somewhere. That's a start.
