Current players we want to keep around for 2015

[dipstick]

As someone mentioned in the game thread, its time to start talking about guys who we want to keep around for next year. As of now, the only givens are Kobe and Randle. Even Nick Young is debatable.

In my opinion, I think next would be Clarkson, Ellington and Black since they are still under contract for the minimum or can be relatively cheap. Nick Young would also probably stay I would not be averse to a trade for a first rounder though. Problem is, most if not all 4 guys, have not shown that they can be starters on competing teams.

Only starting caliber player we might have is Jordan Hill but Id much rather have a true center to play with Randle. With Kobe and Randle and/or Hill we need to add 2 or 3 starting quality players through the draft and free agency.

Other players I initially wanted to come back are Lin and Ed Davis. There seems to be too much hate for Lin on this board and he probably won't resign given his horrible season on a non competitive team.

Davis on the other hand should only be back if we get rid of Hill or if we fail at landing that true center again.

I would only keep wes, sacre and kelly just to round out the roster amd not for any meaningful roles.

Thoughts?

[Slava]

I'm not sure what to think of Kelly, before the season started I'd have had him in my list of players to keep for sure but I don't know if its down to him playing out of position at SF a ton or just general lethargy but his form has been totally whack.

He started well yesterday by being assertive and stepped right into a 3 pointer, nailed it but it just wasn't happening for him and he can't put the ball on the floor or handle it from time to time as needed for a SF, leading to that embarrassing double stuff by Nurkic.

I wish we could give him some game time at PF by sitting Sacre a few games but the Sacre/Black front court yesterday was excellent defensively to start the game.

[WOX_69]

Obviously Kobe. Let he have his twentieth season and retire. Outside that:

Jordan Clarkson
Julius Randle
Ryan Kelly
Tarik Black

Do NOT bring back no matter what:

Nick Young
Carlos Boozer
Ronnie Price

Trade for assets:

Nick Young (He's terrible, but his gimmick gives him value we can con someone on)
Jeremy Lin
Jordan Hill
Wayne Ellington (His stock is rising. He needs to be gone to a contender before the deadline)
Ed Davis

Whatever:

Robert Sacre
Wesley Johnson

If we can, re-sign Xavier Henry provided he's healthy at the minimum. then I'd be down with it. Though stats-wise he's never amounted to much, I think he can be molded to at least be able to be a decent role player off the bench if given the proper tutelage. He's twenty-three so he has plenty of time to further refine his skills.

[Mirjalovic]

Sacre, improving each year, and cheap 7 footer.
Tarik Black, dont know, but probably a good 4th or 5th big
Clarkson and Randle of course. Randle has potential to be a star.
Ryan Kelly, he looks little rusty, and he is not a SF, but a true PF.

i dont like Nick Young this year. Nick needs to send a gift card to MDA. He is a fraud coach, always can maximizing offensive potential of players not named Ebanks and Morris.

[One Love]

The only CORE pieces are Clarkson & Randle... I think Sacre will stay at $1 million as a back up but everything else is expendable... It would have been nice to watch Randle play 35 minutes a game right now with Clarkson... This is a BIG offseason for us...

[Hector_Reyes_8]

Why do you guys want to trade Ellington? It's not like there are many bench twos that'd play at his salary nowadays.

[LApwnd]

Ellington (2-3yr deal but only if Young is traded away) he should be the primary backup 2 that is why I would want Young traded
Davis-on reasonable deal and only if Hill is traded
Clarkson/Randle-only 2 true young guys we got
Boozer- only on the cheap vet contract...there's no backup big with his talent right now that could be had for his price if he's willing to come back for 2-3mill/yr or vet min would be even better

everybody else can go, especially Price...I never want to see this scrub in a Laker uni again.

[Penberthy]

Swaggy. P.

[Kilroy]

Clarkson, Kobe and Randle are the only ones I don't want to trade.

Black, Ellington, Davis, Kelly and Sacre would be cool to keep unless something nice like good picks could be had for them.

Hill, Young, Lin, Price, Johnson, Boozer I hope all find other homes and I hope we profit from that.

[TyCobb]

Clarkson, Kobe and Randle are the only ones I don't want to trade.

Black, Ellington, Davis, Kelly and Sacre would be cool to keep unless something nice like good picks could be had for them.

Hill, Young, Lin, Price, Johnson, Boozer I hope all find other homes and I hope we profit from that.

Spot on.

[TylersLakers]

Locks to be back:

- Jordan Clarkson (Small team option)
- Julius Randle (Guaranteed contract, last season's #7 draft pick)
- Kobe Bryant (Guaranteed contract)
- Ryan Kelly (Guaranteed contract)
- Tarik Black (Small team option)
- Nick Young (Guaranteed contract)

I don't think Nick Young is going anywhere. However, if he keeps showing up late to games among other things, I could easily see him dumped in the off-season to a team with a ton of salary cap space and us receive a future 2nd or something.

Players I would like in addition to be back:

- Ronnie Price (Will be a vet min contract, not bad to have as your third PG)
- Jordan Hill (Team option for 9m, I imagine we decline the option to open up as much salary cap space as possible and depending on how much of it we use on a big free agent, we could re-sign him to a longer Nick Young type deal)
- Wesley Johnson (Small raise to current contract, a Kobe favorite, can be a spot starter if a rookie isn't ready)
- Wayne Ellington (Could be a great backup to Kobe at the 2, spot starter if Kobe has to miss games)

In regards to Ed Davis, I would also like him back but at a price. And I think we'll only keep 1 of Davis or Hill. Either of those two could be a great 3rd big man off the bench in a rotation.

Don't Want Back:

- Jeremy Lin (Hated the acquisition, was more excited about the pick than player. This season proved it. Don't want him anywhere near this team going forward)
- Robert Sacre (I realize he's only a 3rd big and he's only due about 1m or so, but I think we can find better options)
- Steve Nash (Done anyways)

I also would like Boozer back, but only a veterans minimum contract. Don't know if he' d accept that however. He's been solid off the bench.

[BEazy]

Keep Kobe, Young, Randle, Clarkson, Black,and Kelly. The rest of them can go back to the d league.

[Danny Darko]

last year i would say keep Kelly, but this year he's been fairly terrible beyond being fragile... just out of position?

[Fresh360Waves]

Gotta keep the young core of Clarkson, Randle, and Black. If Hill isn't traded, I wouldn't mind him coming back another season either but as a 3rd big man off the bench. Price would be nice to have back as a 3rd PG because of his veteran leadership/presence.

Sacre, Wes, Nash, Davis (will likely be too expensive to bring back), Lin, and Boozer... bye bye. I think Kelly should be shopped around because by next season, he will most likely not getting much PT with Randle, Black, possibly Hill + draft pick all in the mix. Get a 2nd round pick and call it day.

[PKABOOICU]

definite NO- sacre/boozer/young/ellington/price/wes

definite YES- kobe/randle/clarkson/davis

on the fence- black/kelly

trade assets- hill/nash

[LApwnd]

I see some post wanting Price back due to vet presence but what good is vet presence when he sucks? as saying goes "lead by example" and he's terrible. Its not hard to find a 3rd guard for vet min that's a lot better than Price.

[Edrees]

Clarkson, Kobe and Randle are the only ones I don't want to trade.

Black, Ellington, Davis, Kelly and Sacre would be cool to keep unless something nice like good picks could be had for them.

Hill, Young, Lin, Price, Johnson, Boozer I hope all find other homes and I hope we profit from that.

I agree with all this....

[miggs]

Clarkson, Kobe and Randle are the only ones I don't want to trade.

Black, Ellington, Davis, Kelly and Sacre would be cool to keep unless something nice like good picks could be had for them.

Hill, Young, Lin, Price, Johnson, Boozer I hope all find other homes and I hope we profit from that.

that's my list, only difference is I'm pretty sure Young will end up here next year thanks to that deal we gave him. I hope all those players find other homes to our benefit as well.

Kelly's been awful this year I believe for 2 reasons: 1- Moving to SF and 2- Not rehabbing so well from knee injury he had. Still, I'd keep him and if next year he doesn't show enough I'm sure he still has some value in the league, as supposedly he had solid interest before he re-signed with us.

[dipstick]

I really wouldn't want to keep Ronnie Price evan at the minimum for 3rd string For the following reasons:

1. No upside, past his prime and getting older as well as cant seem to stay healthy.
2. No offense
3. Not really defensively good as well

So whats the point? I'd rather have a 3rd string pg who is young with potential and brings more to the table. There will probably be players that fit that could be had for the minimum as well.

Given the importance of the pg position, I would rather have someone who we can rely on either to score or defend or just contribute.

[miggs]

Ugh Price sucks man