What do you predict our next 2 years will look like?

[DwnShft2Xcelr8]

Will we be on the outside looking in next season, too?
Do you have confidence in the front office getting a winning team on the floor before Kobe retires?
How likely do you think it is that we will draft our next superstar in this upcoming 2014 Draft? And will that player carry our team for another decade or two, like Magic and Kobe did?

I'm just curious about what you all think our future will look like. Are Lakers fans on this board confident we will be a Playoff team within the next 2 seasons or are we now in our own Knicks-like funk? The children of the championship-building owner have taken over, and I know many of us aren't confident in them. Will they be like the Knicks' owner, who took 20+ years before conceding basketball operations to a knowledgeable mind, or can they bring us a winning brand for the next 20+ years like Papa Buss did?

[hermes]

back to back championships

[Marionettetc]

I think next year, it's a small possibility we get the 8th seed depending on Kobe's health, free agent signings and our draft pick developing.

The year after will probably be the same. I don't see anything coming together until Kobe's contract ends.

[Penberthy]

Kobe chuckin us to .500 records. Dantony stays next year, pau hill kaman gone.

[DEEP3CL]

Barring any injuries that will affect the team long term, we should be able to compete. Obviously we have a ton of situations to work out. To build a house you have to have a good foundation, that said we have to start with the coaching situation. I'm not going to sit here and speculate all that now, but we know it needs to be a change.

Secondly we have to figure out how many of our own FA's to keep then how much to pay without seriously hampering any solid chance we have to make an impact next summer. I know we like all these guys but as somebody posted the other day, our core to keep needs to be Hill, Farmar, Young and Meek and probably Henry.

I'm good with that 5 to build our bench.


But our biggest dilemma is Pau/MDA, keeping one means that the other is probably gone. Point blank this situation will determine what our next few years will be like.

[Pan Jia Yuan]

In one word? Misery.
Kobe coming off an 18-month injury with a 48m contract.
Only 6th worst record, no super high pick.
No legit assets.
Dr. Buss gone.

Considering you need around 45-50 wins to get into the playoffs I don't see any chance for the Lakers to become a playoff team.
And considering Kobe will do anything to keep this team "competitive" I don't see any chance for the Lakers to become the tank masters.

In three words? Subpar treadmill misery.

[DEEP3CL]

In one word? Misery.
Kobe coming off an 18-month injury with a 48m contract.
Only 6th worst record, no super high pick.
No legit assets.
Dr. Buss gone.

Considering you need around 45-50 wins to get into the playoffs I don't see any chance for the Lakers to become a playoff team.
And considering Kobe will do anything to keep this team "competitive" I don't see any chance for the Lakers to become the tank masters.

In three words? Subpar treadmill misery.

That's what you wish son, it doesn't take that long to become relevant. I've watch this team long enough to know this situation ISN'T nearly as bad as it was going into the 91-92 season when the Lakers had to rebuild/ recover from Magic. Plus the team was weighed down with contracts with deferred payments to player long gone from the team.

Only a hater/outsiders will take that view point.

Guys keep bringing up Kobe's contract....each time it tells me they really don't know the NBA from an internal business standpoint. You included.

[Pan Jia Yuan]

That's what you wish son, it doesn't take that long to become relevant. I've watch this team long enough to know this situation ISN'T nearly as bad as it was going into the 91-92 season when the Lakers had to rebuild/ recover from Magic. Plus the team was weighed down with contracts with deferred payments to player long gone from the team.

Only a hater/outsiders will take that view point.

I'm an outsider but not a hater. Judging by the fundamentals and comparing it to other teams, it's a bad situation.
Good for you that you've found an example of how it could be even worse. But I don't think that makes this situation any better.

Guys keep bringing up Kobe's contract....each time it tells me they really don't know the NBA from an internal business standpoint. You included.

"Internal business standpoint" - how about an external competitive standpoint?

Again:
40% cap space wasted for a 36-year old player who hasn't played any meaningful basketball in 18 months - check
No uber high draft pick - check
No good assets - check
Franchise in transformation - check

Am I a hater for calling this a bad situation? Really don't think so.
Why would you even assume that this turns out well? Just "because it's the Lakers"?

[DwnShft2Xcelr8]

218 posts, 218 And1's. Mind blown.

[DEEP3CL]

I'm an outsider but not a hater. Judging by the fundamentals and comparing it to other teams, it's a bad situation.
Good for you that you've found an example of how it could be even worse. But I don't think that makes this situation any better.

From just reading your post your only argument that you're trying to make concrete is Kobe's contract. Like I said if guys keep bringing it up it only shows the ignorance of not knowing it's now going to stop the Lakers from making an impact when the books permit it too. Even with his deal 2015 or 2016 were the only two summers the Laker are looking to do damage.

"Internal business standpoint" - how about an external competitive standpoint?

LOL....you act as if the Lakers will just sit there this summer and let it fester all over again. Wrong, no need to get into details with you because it's obvious you think that a team can't be retooled over a summer. Yes the Lakers aren't going to do a major overhaul but they'll do enough to make them competitive.

Again:
40% cap space wasted for a 36-year old player who hasn't played any meaningful basketball in 18 months - check

Who the hell cares about what cap space is used for this deal ? And who the hell cares about the amount of time he's had off ? He's not the first to have sit out for a substantial time and come back. You have some history to read up on if you think Kobe is the only one. Hell the added time off WAS EXACTLY what he needed. Neither injury will be an issue next season. You youngsters think 36 is too old for ball, did you know guys have won MVP's after age 36,37 years old ?

No uber high draft pick - check

First off the word "uber" doesn't even mean what you want it to mean. You can't talk ball using a word that's first off of German use that has NOTHING to do with "high". Now secondly NOBODY is hoping a draft pick can help the team instantly. Third the team hasn't had a pick this high since 1979, and it was no lock the team even keeps it. So why harp on something we have no idea on how it will be utilized ?

Franchise in transformation - check

Duh this means nothing, do you know how many other teams are in a so called transformation ?

Am I a hater for calling this a bad situation? Really don't think so.
Why would you even assume that this turns out well? Just "because it's the Lakers"?

Well you may not be a hater, but it's easy to detect people who think this is some 10 year grave the Lakers are in, got news for you son....it's not even close. And not one high IQ Laker fan thinks this is an easy fix, but it's not as difficult as the mass haters/ outsiders want it to be. And I have enough knowledge of watching this franchise extract itself from lulls. I'm already knowing the team won't be an elite contender next season, but they won't be this awful either.

You gotta come better if you gonna come here and test a long time fan on what I see and know of this team.

[TonyMontana]

That's what you wish son, it doesn't take that long to become relevant. I've watch this team long enough to know this situation ISN'T nearly as bad as it was going into the 91-92 season when the Lakers had to rebuild/ recover from Magic. Plus the team was weighed down with contracts with deferred payments to player long gone from the team.

Only a hater/outsiders will take that view point.

I'm an outsider but not a hater. Judging by the fundamentals and comparing it to other teams, it's a bad situation.
Good for you that you've found an example of how it could be even worse. But I don't think that makes this situation any better.

Guys keep bringing up Kobe's contract....each time it tells me they really don't know the NBA from an internal business standpoint. You included.

"Internal business standpoint" - how about an external competitive standpoint?

Again:
40% cap space wasted for a 36-year old player who hasn't played any meaningful basketball in 18 months - check
No uber high draft pick - check
No good assets - check
Franchise in transformation - check

Am I a hater for calling this a bad situation? Really don't think so.
Why would you even assume that this turns out well? Just "because it's the Lakers"?

You do have a few good valid points, BUT you also make it seem like we are @#$%ED for the next two years or more, that we should just shut it down and there is no hope for this franchise.

What you fail to realize is that we have been down this road before and we have recovered. Not only have we recovered but we came back and won a few titles within a few years.

[Tiesto_Lakers]

Way too early to tell.

[spree8]

Like a few have said already...it doesn't look good. Although I have faith in Mitch, I have zero in his idiot boss. D'Antoni has to leave. His system proved not to be a good fit. Kobe can't play this pace and a crazy amount of minutes. It doesn't help Pau either. Unfortunately, I don't see Buss Jr. getting rid of him.

I also see the pick staying the same at 6th...no surprise since the odds are in favor of that happening.

I don't see any big free agent signings either. I don't think this is an attractive situation. Ever since Phil left it's been downhill. That whole playoff run was a travesty and created a bunch of negative energy. Pau's head has never been the same, Odom spiraled out of control, so did Bynum. Kobe has barely played, and then Nash and Dwight were a disaster. Dwight ditched the team, and after 3 coaches in 2 years it's time for another one.

I have no idea what will happen, but based on the past few years you really can't blame anyone for having a negative outlook. Not only does change need to happen, but it has to work too.

[Mirjalovic]

Why would you even assume that this turns out well? Just "because it's the Lakers"?

Yes

it will look good. Whoever Mitch select in the next draft, i believe he will good.

if not, just wait until our franchise guy retired. Its not that long and im patient enough to it.

[MAMBAEMD]

I think the next 2 years will still be rough, but we'll see steady improvement.
It all depends on Kobe and at what level he comes back , as well as whether we keep Pau.
Nash will be at best a 12-18 minute a game player, and I hope Farmar gets most o the minutes at PG.
MDA is another story. I respect the man but he has been a miserable failure in LA.
I really base my opinion of him from last year, when we didn't have this many injuries. We had D12, although his heart wasn't here, and we had Kobe healthy for most of the year.
We had no direction last year, from the get-go.
The culture has to change starting from this off-season, and that has to start by bringing new leadership.
We will definitely win more games with a new defensive minded coach but I don't see us being in the playoff picture, specially in the loaded West.
We also need to keep a core of young bench plaers like Deep said. That's Farmar, Meeks, Xavier, Young, and Hill, although my gut feeling is most of those guys will be elsewhere because they'll get more money.

I see a slow but sustained march towards playoff contention in the next 2 years, with realistically looking at playoffs in 3 years, and possible title contention in 5.

[Dr Aki]

people usually assume that when a team is at the very end of their window, they automatically enter a period of 5-10 years where they are lottery bound for consecutive years before putting together a team worthy of making the playoffs.

the lakers are not most teams, they are the lakers, the front office have setup a 2014 summer with a **** ton of capspace, a probable top 7 draft pick and a host of good young(ish) role players.

now that capspace will be used to leverage minnesota into giving love to us, which is easy seeing as we have the capspace and don't have to sign long-term contracts that extend past 2015.

hopefully, with a relatively healthy team, the lakers will launch a solid 2015 playoff charge, hopefully landing an 8th seed and pushing whoever is #1 and overwhelming favourite to the brink (hopefully with love in tow).

we then have to make another strong playoff charge in the playoffs of 2016. if we make those 2 strong playoff charges in consecutive years, especially if meanwhile OKC continues to disappoint, we can launch a dark horse challenge to pry durant away from OKC the same way houston pried dwight from our grasp.

[DEEP3CL]

people usually assume that when a team is at the very end of their window, they automatically enter a period of 5-10 years where they are lottery bound for consecutive years before putting together a team worthy of making the playoffs.

the lakers are not most teams, they are the lakers, the front office have setup a 2014 summer with a **** ton of capspace, a probable top 7 draft pick and a host of good young(ish) role players.

now that capspace will be used to leverage minnesota into giving love to us, which is easy seeing as we have the capspace and don't have to sign long-term contracts that extend past 2015.

hopefully, with a relatively healthy team, the lakers will launch a solid 2015 playoff charge, hopefully landing an 8th seed and pushing whoever is #1 and overwhelming favourite to the brink (hopefully with love in tow).

we then have to make another strong playoff charge in the playoffs of 2016. if we make those 2 strong playoff charges in consecutive years, especially if meanwhile OKC continues to disappoint, we can launch a dark horse challenge to pry durant away from OKC the same way houston pried dwight from our grasp.

Right on point Aki, the scenario you just laid out is all that has to be done. Sounds easy but it will be a task none the less. But you're so right guys just automatically assume the Lakers will be in no position to recover when they hit lull periods, yet they fail to understand the Lakers will always find that one guy.

[DwnShft2Xcelr8]

I can't imagine Durant would leave OKC for LAL. I can envision Westbrook doing it, which is perfectly fine with me. Imagine if the Lakers put together former UCLA teammates? It'd probably work out just fine. Be entertaining to watch, too, with Westbrook running point and Love bombing away 3's.

Anyway, the way I see the next 2 seasons is not as bright eyed as some of you. I think if we make the Playoffs next year, it'll be an 8th seed spot and likely being swept by the 1st seed. Kobe's health and how he plays when he is healthy are a major factor in what next season looks like. I want to believe he will come back almost as good as he was when he first went down, but . . .
I'll leave it with the cliche every Lakers reporter and fan has been saying for 12 months now: if anyone can do it, Kobe can.
We'll just have to wait and see.

I don't think our rebuilding process will be as bad as these haters want it to be. This is still Laker town; this is still Los Angeles; even with Jerry gone, players will still feel comfortable with the Buss name alone... So yeah, I think we'll be perfectly fine in another 2-3 years. Maybe not championship contenders right away, but definitely not competing for the worst record in the NBA.

[TylersLakers]

We have a chance to be a good team next season.

- You throw in a (most likely) Top 5 pick if we lose these last two games.
- LeBron being unlikely we'll sign a good FA around 9-11m a season
- Extend some of the keepers on our roster ex. Farmar, Meeks, Hill, Henry
- New coach who will prioritize a defensive system

What we can really dream for next season that's likely.. (Not including LeBron pipe dream)

- Draft Embiid (get lucky in lottery)
- Sign Luol Deng
- Re-sign Henry, Farmar, Meeks, Hill to cap friendly deals, maintain flexibility
- Sign back Steve Blake, Emeka Okafor, DeJuan Blair to vet min deals
- With Room Exception, sign Ariza (2.7m)

PG: Jordan Farmar/ Steve Blake/ Steve Nash/ Kendall Marshall
SG: Kobe Bryant/ Xavier Henry/
SF: Luol Deng/ Trevor Ariza/
PF: Jordan Hill/ DeJuan Blair/ Ryan Kelly
C: Joel Embiid/ Emeka Okafor/ Robert Sacre/

With the right coach that's going to bring in a defensive system, that lineup and roster could push for a really good playoff spot and then in 2015, we add in a big time FA (Love, Aldridge, Rondo) and I think were in the NBA Finals and contending the year after.

We have enough pieces, even with Kobe's extension to make this work. This draft and hopefully getting a top pick is huge.

[Sofa King]