Chad Ford's offseason grade for LAL

[ak7]

LOS ANGELES LAKERS | GRADE: C

Additions: Chris Kaman (FA), Nick Young (FA), Jordan Farmar (FA), Wesley Johnson (FA), Robert Sacre (re-sign), Ryan Kelly (draft), Elias Harris (FA)

Subtractions: Dwight Howard (Rockets), Metta World Peace (Knicks), Earl Clark (Cavaliers), Andrew Goudelock (Russia), Chris Duhon

It was the best of times and the worst of times in Los Angeles this summer. And for once, it was the Clippers who were celebrating. While Donald Sterling's crew was landing Doc Rivers and re-signing Chris Paul, the Lakers stood by and watched their dynasty crumble.

Dwight Howard bolted and, with him, went any sense of future security for the Lakers. This upcoming season might not be a total disaster. Perhaps Kobe Bryant (if he can recover from his Achilles tear), Steve Nash and Pau Gasol will rally for one last postseason push. Kaman, Young and Farmar are three veterans who might be able to help them creak by the younger, more energetic upstarts in the West. Unlikely, but perhaps.

please add the link and mind the limit on article quote length
DD

[crazyeights]

If we land just Chris Bosh I can't see our future being "super-bright."

[Slava]

Bosh gets crapped on so much but he's an excellent 2nd option, we would need to find better players around him though.

[ak7]

Bosh would be someone we would sign to attract another free agent in 2015 I would presume. Surely nothing I am excited about though. His lack of a physical presence really annoys me.

[XtotheDeezy]

I wouldn't mind Chris Bosh, but like others before me have stated, we need a #1 option that isn't Kobe.

[ak7]

I personally feel like we will strike out in free agency both years. I'm probably being a pessimist in assuming this, but the lesser stars are going to follow the super stars and unless we get ungodly lucky with LBJ, it's going to be a long couple of years.

[Imadogg]

We're not gonna get Lebron so I'm pretty scared of what's gonna happen next year

[leeprettyp]

Why would we want Bosh if we got a solid chance of landing Kevin Love 2015? Love is younger and can be argued to be a better player. Both arent the lead dog on a contender but their nice secondary options on a contending team

[redjays]

Bosh gets crapped on so much but he's an excellent 2nd option, we would need to find better players around him though.

EXCELLANT 2ND OPTION??!!! DID YOU NOT WATCH THE CONFERENCE FINALS AND NBA FINALS?? As the 3rd option he barely did anything! And if not for a miraculous shot by ray Allen he would be the 3rd option on the losing team! How is he an excellent 2nd option

[redjays]

Everybody is talking about the lakers off season next year. They always say "Lakers have cap space and could get Melo, Lebron, and many others"

WHO ARE THOSE "many others"

I personally don't think the lakers are going to sign anyone worth all this hype that their cap space is getting at the moment. I think next year will come and no major players will be signed because there is only two, melo and bron, and neither of them are coming here. Then all the sports media is going to blame Jim buss and co about how the lakers didnt sign anyone with their hyped up cap space.

The only way I see them getting star players is via trade next year.

[BEazy]

I love that our team is against all odds. Just how I like it. Keep writing us off!

[crazyeights]

Bosh gets crapped on so much but he's an excellent 2nd option, we would need to find better players around him though.

The problem is by next season he'll be 30 and we won't have any longterm number 1 option in sight.

Would make more sense to wait, IMO, for either a total rebuild or a true big fish to come along.

That is unless Kobe/Pau/Nash look like world-beaters again and one or two key signings with all that cap space could be the difference. We'll see how the year plays out, but something tells me it won't be that easy.

[EArl]

I dont know why people want Melo. He is old already and by next year he will be older.

[AcecardZ]

I dont know why people want Melo. He is old already and by next year he will be older.

I am not a Melo fan and have no interest in the guy! He's spoiled and not a winner! Yes a very good basketball player when he wants to be but clearly not Laker material!

I doubt LeBron will ever wear a Lakers uni but until he resigns somewhere else I'm going to hold out at least a little hope. If we don't end up with LeBron we have to hope to luckbox Wiggins in the lottery. Lol would this place explode if that happened? And fwiw It wouldn't surprise me one bit if we win less than 20 games next year. Our defense is going to be the worst in the league by far.

One last note. Pau was awful last year defensively. Why should we hold out any hope for improvement this year? Jordan Hill is glass... Our front court is a hot mess. Nash is about to collect social security and Kobe, our god, is returning from an achilles tear. Making the playoffs with this team would be an amazing accomplishment given how good the Western Conference is. And fwiw I'm not the kind of guy to ever count Kobe out but...

[redjays]

I dont know why people want Melo. He is old already and by next year he will be older.

I am not a Melo fan and have no interest in the guy! He's spoiled and not a winner! Yes a very good basketball player when he wants to be but clearly not Laker material!

I doubt LeBron will ever wear a Lakers uni but until he resigns somewhere else I'm going to hold out at least a little hope. If we don't end up with LeBron we have to hope to luckbox Wiggins in the lottery. Lol would this place explode if that happened? And fwiw It wouldn't surprise me one bit if we win less than 20 games next year. Our defense is going to be the worst in the league by far.

One last note. Pau was awful last year defensively. Why should we hold out any hope for improvement this year? Jordan Hill is glass... Our front court is a hot mess. Nash is about to collect social security and Kobe, our god, is returning from an achilles tear. Making the playoffs with this team would be an amazing accomplishment given how good the Western Conference is. And fwiw I'm not the kind of guy to ever count Kobe out but...

I would only want melo on the lakers as the 3rd best player. But, to say that he is not a winner is totally false.
He won in high school.
As a freshman at Syracuse he led them to a national title!!!!! Doing most of everything for that team I might add
Then with the nuggets he came a kobe miraculous shot away from going to the finals in 09 in which he would've beat the magic if he and his team made it

[Dr Aki]

chris bosh is the heat's 2nd most important player. that's saying a lot

also, he's one of the few big men that has a money jumpshot out to 20 ft with the occasional three pointer.

[VinBaker6]

I dont know why people want Melo. He is old already and by next year he will be older.

Dude, who is that girl in your sig? Simply stunning.

[EArl]

I dont know why people want Melo. He is old already and by next year he will be older.

Dude, who is that girl in your sig? Simply stunning.

That would be Olivia Wilde.

[VinBaker6]

I dont know why people want Melo. He is old already and by next year he will be older.

Dude, who is that girl in your sig? Simply stunning.

That would be Olivia Wilde.

Holy I remember her from the O.C. now! (Yes, I used to watch that )

[EArl]

Dude, who is that girl in your sig? Simply stunning.

That would be Olivia Wilde.

Holy I remember her from the O.C. now! (Yes, I used to watch that )

I was introduced to her in House. Great show. A must watch.