2018 Free Agents

[Penberthy]

Assumptions:
-We can't unload Moz or Deng
-We keep all the young guys and they "develop" to get 10 more wins next year than this year and clinch the 8 seed
-This is enough to convince PG to come, and he tries to recruit another star

Question: who is that second star that would fit this crew

Russell/Clarkson
Ingram/(J Jackson, if we get lucky)/Clarkson
PG/Deng
Randle/Nance
Zubac/Moz

[Slava]

Our aims depend a lot on if we keep our pick this year. If we do, we have zero incentive to tank so I'd showcase the hell out of Deng, Clarkson and Mozgov and hope we can move one of them using Clarkson as sweetener and use the Houston pick to dump the other.

Beyond that I'd board cap space again to make sure we have more than enough to get Paul George and some supporting cast in 2018.

[ALL HAIL]

Our aims depend a lot on if we keep our pick this year. If we do, we have zero incentive to tank so I'd showcase the hell out of Deng, Clarkson and Mozgov and hope we can move one of them using Clarkson and Randle as sweetener and use the Houston pick to dump the other.

Beyond that I'd board cap space again to make sure we have more than enough to get Paul George and some supporting cast in 2018.

Agreed, with the fix, but like many have said including yourself, you only give up the Houston pick and/or Randle/Clarkson if you know with certainty that "your guy" MUST be signed (or traded for) now. If there is no real target this summer, just wait out Mozgov and Deng.

As far as who to target, assuming Ball or Fultz is selected, I'd bring in very unsexy, cheap, unselfish, veteran, defensive guys to bust these kid's asses in practice, and that's it.

With Ball or Fultz though, Russell is unnecessary. The same can be said about Clarkson and Randle. I wouldn't hesitate to trade all three for George if one of Ball or Fultz is in tow.

A team with Ball (or Fultz), George, Ingram, Nance, and Zubac, plus a bunch of carefully selected role players would be a wonderful start for the new regime.

[Penberthy]

If George is saying he will only sign long term with LA, wouldn't it be better to just sign him as a FA and package Russell, Randle, and Clarkson for someone else?

[Mloading]

Magic will find a way to move either Deng or Mozgov, don't see us getting rid of both tbh. Honestly if we draft Josh Jackson, I say we just develop the team we have now with the line up of Russell Ingram Jackson Randle and the mystery center(Houston pick hopefully). I think that lineup has the potential to contend if we get everyone in sync.

[BEazy]

I rather get rid of Luol Deng. Dude is the highest paid player on our roster and he doesn't even play.... Jeez, Mitch and Jim with the colossal fails.

[Vae Victus]

I rather get rid of Luol Deng. Dude is the highest paid player on our roster and he doesn't even play.... Jeez, Mitch and Jim with the colossal fails.

Oh he's playing (unlike Mozgov) problem is he's playing like dog ****. Its hard to fluff his value if all he's doing is **** all over the court. Its hard to say how utterly useless Mozgov is until he starts getting regular PT again. I mean its not fair to call him worthless if he's not on the floor proving how worthless he is.

The only way i see Deng getting dumped is via a disgruntled superstar trade as the salary filler + high value asset (Ingram, #1-3 pick).

While the portents look good we can sign PG13 outright in 2018, we also have to worry about the whole new KD injury situation. If PG13 makes an all-nba team (between KD not getting voted due to not enough games and suddenly PG13 busting his ass to statpad) he's now eligible for the super duper 6 year 35% supermax with mega raises from his home team. Now it becomes REALLY hard to tell whether PG13 is willing to give up all that guaranteed money to sign as a FA to LA. At that point he might just pull a Melo and demand a trade to LA AND THEN get his supermax extension. PG13 can always change his mind and go, "yea Indy aint so bad afterall," he has ALL the leverage in forcing the issue. If Bird plays hardball PG13 can still bolt to LA, if Bird gives him the supermax he risks PG13 dogging it and forcing a trade anyway down the line if Indy remains crap. Bird likely will be better off eating a **** contract like Deng as long as he gets an elite prospect in either Ingram or high pick to rebuild with and properly go into tank mode, its MUCH less uncertainty compared to what a 2018 FA PG13 drama might entail. Overpaying PG13 due to KDs injury/All NBA team rule, for someone who DOESNT want to be there on a middling treadmill team with no escape.

I'm still baffled why people think Clarkson has any positive value, although tbf he might up it now that Lou is gone, but his D is just so **** atrocious. Or why people think Randle or the HOU pick which is like #27 has enough value to offload the horrendous anchors that is Deng/Mozgov.

Well optimism is better than pessimism i always say. Doesnt hurt to try to see which GM is dumb enough to take Deng/Mozgov off our hands, with luck we can find the next Billy King

[Jody Smokz]

I wonder if people check FA list before they throw out the we should recruit stars line.

2018 FA Top 5 is

PG
Boogie
Brook Lopez
Deandre Jordan
IT2

I don't think it's an option to get 2 unless they unload and/or stretch both Deng and Mozgov. Which is possible but not probable for both but easy for 1. However I don't think any of these guys are franchise cornerstones. So capping yourself out with 2 of them long term would be a disaster. I'd hope to add PG13 to a better version of DLo, Ingram, Zubac and Randle/Nance. If we're lucky we get Fultz/Ball/Smith Jr in that mix.

[TylersLakers]

This article will help everybody out.

The reality is this: Stretching Mozgov (or Deng) this summer is technically our best bet. Because it would allow us to have Mozgov's salary spread over 7 years instead of 5.

The bad news: Mozgov & Deng would not be able to BOTH be stretched under the new CBA.

http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2017/03/01/paul-george-and-the-lakers-salary-cap-future/

This article breaks down EVERYTHING over the next 2 years.

[Spens1]

I'd stretch release one of Deng or Mozgov (i think we'd be able to ditch Deng at least by the end of the season, trade deadline next year at the latest) and go after Boogie. As bad as his attitude can be, guy does want to win really badly (idk its similar to Green in a way).

Get Kobe and MWP to mentor him (especially MWP, both similar in attitude in a sense, just that MWP channeled his hunger better, then again Cousins never fought anyone in the stands).

So assuming we stretch release Deng or Mozgov i think we'd be ok for salary.

Boogie-Randle-PG13-Ingram-Russell

Also keep in mind if we keep our pick this year, its either Fultz, Ball or Jackson/Smith/Tatum. That isn't a bad choice at all.

[Dr Aki]

There is no second star.

George will eat all available cap space including the space we open up by stretching Deng or Mozgov. We don't even have the MLE because we would be renouncing it for pure cap space. Then when Deng and Mozgov's contracts come off the books, we'd have extended Randle, and D'lo and we'd still have no cap space.

Not unless we're able to dump Deng and Mozgov prior to August 31st 2018.

If you're living in lalaland thinking another star will come to our team for peanuts, well I'm going to ask if you can do simple math

I sent this from a potato using a penny and strips of copper attached to an antenna and half a coke can

[ALL HAIL]

If George is saying he will only sign long term with LA, wouldn't it be better to just sign him as a FA and package Russell, Randle, and Clarkson for someone else?

Yes, you're absolutely right, but stranger things have happened. He really wants to win. Another team, a playoff team, could take the chance and trade for him and he could fall in love with them. I suppose what I'm really trying to say here is that when there's an opportunity to secure an upper echelon player, you should do it as long as the pieces going out are replaceable, and if Fultz or Ball is drafted, I consider them Russell replacements. Randle is replaceable with guys already on the roster (ie. Black, Nance, Zubac, and Ingram). And Clarkson is replaceable with any half decent third guard (there are plenty to choose from).

If you look at it from the context of Russell, Randle, and Clarkson really not being needed anymore, then the idea of dumping them for George seems much more palatable. Even though they could be traded for other pieces, sure, to me it's quite worth it, if you believe in George, to secure him knowing that the outgoing pieces are are not really in the future plans.

You don't want to miss an opportunity because you were unwilling to sacrifice three guys you really don't need anymore. That'd be the definition of greedy, which could payoff, but it also could leave you with your dick in your hand.

[Up-And-Coming]

If George is saying he will only sign long term with LA, wouldn't it be better to just sign him as a FA and package Russell, Randle, and Clarkson for someone else?

Yes, you're absolutely right, but stranger things have happened. He really wants to win. Another team, a playoff team, could take the chance and trade for him and he could fall in love with them. I suppose what I'm really trying to say here is that when there's an opportunity to secure an upper echelon player, you should do it as long as the pieces going out are replaceable, and if Fultz or Ball is drafted, I consider them Russell replacements. Randle is replaceable with guys already on the roster (ie. Black, Nance, Zubac, and Ingram). And Clarkson is replaceable with any half decent third guard (there are plenty to choose from).

If you look at it from the context of Russell, Randle, and Clarkson really not being needed anymore, then the idea of dumping them for George seems much more palatable. Even though they could be traded for other pieces, sure, to me it's quite worth it, if you believe in George, to secure him knowing that the outgoing pieces are are not really in the future plans.

You don't want to miss an opportunity because you were unwilling to sacrifice three guys you really don't need anymore. That'd be the definition of greedy, which could payoff, but it also could leave you with your dick in your hand.

I completely agree. If (fingers crossed) the Lakers draft Ball then imo Russell becomes expendable for the right price. Randle and Clarkson are already expendable because I think we have solid replacements in Nance/Black and we can find a scorer off the bench to replace Clarkson.

Of course I would want to sign George outright in the offseason and use Russell and Randle and/or Clarkson in a trade for another star, but if necessary I wouldn't mind packaging them to acquire George.

Ball
Shooter/Clarkson
Ingram
George/Nance
Zubac/Black

Imo this will be a playoff team in 2018 with a lot of upside. I think it's probably a couple years and some solid vets away from being a championship contender but I definitely believe it can naturally/internally become one for many years with the growth from the young core.

[LakersSoul]

Assumptions:
-We can't unload Moz or Deng
-We keep all the young guys and they "develop" to get 10 more wins next year than this year and clinch the 8 seed
-This is enough to convince PG to come, and he tries to recruit another star

Question: who is that second star that would fit this crew

Russell/Clarkson
Ingram/(J Jackson, if we get lucky)/Clarkson
PG/Deng
Randle/Nance
Zubac/Moz

The second star is any one of the following:

Dlo
Ingram
Randle
Zubac

If we dont mess up by signing another horrible contract, then the second/third stars could be any one of the above. You add a PG or another star plus some vets at a minimum level then you could see the team make some noise in the next 2 years. We also have West Jr and their super star team that could give us another 1-2 great picks next year.

Adding a Durant type can come when we are a top 5 team and some of the stars want that ring.

Regarding future FAs good/star players, here is a decent list in 2017 and 2018:

2017:
Millsap
Blake Griffin
Jrue Holiday
Rose
Gay
Ibaka
Lowry
Hayward
G Hill


2018:
IT
Lopez
PG
Cousins
Anthony
Aldridge


I would personally go after Holiday, Lowry, or HIll in 2017. In 2018 its all about PG but if we miss on Holiday/Lowry/Hill then maybe we could also get PG and Aldridge or possible Cousins if the NO experiment doesnt work out but risky with Cousins and his mercurial personality.

[Pythagoras]

Ingram and Russell are the two best candidates to be that second star in my opinion. Those are your two building blocks.

My dream offseason:

Hopefully Young opts out, if he doesn't, stretch him.

Dump Clarkson for cap space.

Hopefully Gasol opts out, if he does, bring him in.

Make a strong push for either Ibaka or Gallo.

I'd also guage Brooklyn's interest in a Randle/Hou pick/Mozzy for Lopez deal.

So you'd be potentially replacing, Clarkson, Randle, Mozzy and Young with Gasol, Ibaka/Gallo, and Lopez. You'd dramatically improve spacing, lineup flexibility, and be able to put a decent product on the floor next year. You'd also maintain enough cap flexibility to make a strong push for PG if he really does test free agency next year.

[LakersSoul]

Ingram and Russell are the two best candidates to be that second star in my opinion. Those are your two building blocks.

My dream offseason:

Hopefully Young opts out, if he doesn't, stretch him.

Dump Clarkson for cap space.

Hopefully Gasol opts out, if he does, bring him in.

Make a strong push for either Ibaka or Gallo.

I'd also guage Brooklyn's interest in a Randle/Hou pick/Mozzy for Lopez deal.

So you'd be potentially replacing, Clarkson, Randle, Mozzy and Young with Gasol, Ibaka/Gallo, and Lopez. You'd dramatically improve spacing, lineup flexibility, and be able to put a decent product on the floor next year. You'd also maintain enough cap flexibility to make a strong push for PG if he really does test free agency next year.

We moved Lou. If we trade Clarkson, then we might not have much offense in our second unit. He is still young and with a good contract. I would keep him.

Young might not opt out now since he realizes that not a single team would give up a second rounder for him. If he doesnt opt out, then he will be an expiring contract and will be traded by trading deadline. No problem as he only makes 5.6 million next year.

As for Gasol, you think someone would pay him more than 16 million for 2+ years? Do you want to pay him that much and have 3 old guys with 15+ million salary per year? I would rather give that minutes and money to Black, Zubac and even TRob.

The Lopez deal sound interesting... Do we want Lopez and build around a back to the basketball center? Should we give away assets to trade Mozzy. We dont have too many assets to give away right now. We can eat that contract for the next 1 to 1.5 years then trade him towards the second half of his contract or have it stretched. Another thing, if we traded for Lopez, Zubac's career will be over here in LA as they play similar style and Lopez will get most of the minutes as the starter. While Lopez will be a huge upgrade at center right away, I wonder if it will be wise to trade away Randle, Hou pick and limit Zubac just to get rid of Mozzy and build around a back-to-the-basket center. Lopez will get $22 million next year and will demand the max for sure. Tricky...

[MrWaffles]

Our aims depend a lot on if we keep our pick this year. If we do, we have zero incentive to tank so I'd showcase the hell out of Deng, Clarkson and Mozgov and hope we can move one of them using Clarkson as sweetener and use the Houston pick to dump the other.

Beyond that I'd board cap space again to make sure we have more than enough to get Paul George and some supporting cast in 2018.

Whew.

Slava with the right mindset of getting rid of Mozgov and Deng ASAP.

I'd like to add, we should move Randle if possible. His pay-day is next summer, I'm not sold on him earning max-money. He grew up a Lakers fan though.. so maybe he'll take a discount.

[Dr Aki]

The Lopez deal sound interesting... Do we want Lopez and build around a back to the basketball center? Should we give away assets to trade Mozzy. We dont have too many assets to give away right now. We can eat that contract for the next 1 to 1.5 years then trade him towards the second half of his contract or have it stretched. Another thing, if we traded for Lopez, Zubac's career will be over here in LA as they play similar style and Lopez will get most of the minutes as the starter. While Lopez will be a huge upgrade at center right away, I wonder if it will be wise to trade away Randle, Hou pick and limit Zubac just to get rid of Mozzy and build around a back-to-the-basket center. Lopez will get $22 million next year and will demand the max for sure. Tricky...

the timeline has changed. paul george giving magic the thumbs up means our timeline shifts to summer 2018 where we want to sign george and another star to compliment the team.

this means in the summer of 2018, deng, mozgov, clarkson and randle's cap hold will eat something like 57 million dollars of the 108 mil cap

lopez will expire in 2018, which means his contract is a great one to target if we want to cut salary. brooklyn are young asset starved, have tons of cap space with not many potential FAs (willing to go to brooklyn's sorry ass team) that will eat into that cap space, and so will need to reach the salary cap floor. as such they are an ideal trading partner for the lakers to shed salary to. lopez as well, might very well be happy to come back to LA, as he is an LA native. if he doesn't want to stay, no biggy, we renounce him and claim the cap space. zubac will still continue to get minutes at backup C, black will see more minutes at PF, replacing randle's minutes

by trading away mozgov and randle, we open up way more cap room to wield in the summer of 2018, where FAs such as westbrook, cousins are available, especially if we manage to find a taker for clarkson and/or deng, or we can't find a taker for deng, we stretch him for the cap space, we will end up with around 78-85 million dollars of cap room and we still have d'lo, ingram, nance, zubac, 2017 top #3 on rookie deals. we'd have sufficient talent to get to at least the 2nd round, if not the western finals

maybe we go after LA natives george, westbrook and convince lopez to stay in hollywood. the home run lineup for 2018/19:

westbrook/top 3 pick
d'lo/top 3 pick/ingram
ingram/george
george/nance
lopez/zubac

and then fill out the team with ring chasers and g-leaguers

the following year (2019/20), we would have to sign d'lo, nance and zubac to extensions and pay the luxury tax through the nose to keep the team deep and together. heck, maybe after we sign them to extensions we go after a disgruntled anthony davis

[larry14r]

The Lopez deal sound interesting... Do we want Lopez and build around a back to the basketball center? Should we give away assets to trade Mozzy. We dont have too many assets to give away right now. We can eat that contract for the next 1 to 1.5 years then trade him towards the second half of his contract or have it stretched. Another thing, if we traded for Lopez, Zubac's career will be over here in LA as they play similar style and Lopez will get most of the minutes as the starter. While Lopez will be a huge upgrade at center right away, I wonder if it will be wise to trade away Randle, Hou pick and limit Zubac just to get rid of Mozzy and build around a back-to-the-basket center. Lopez will get $22 million next year and will demand the max for sure. Tricky...

the timeline has changed. paul george giving magic the thumbs up means our timeline shifts to summer 2018 where we want to sign george and another star to compliment the team.

this means in the summer of 2018, deng, mozgov, clarkson and randle's cap hold will eat something like 57 million dollars of the 108 mil cap

lopez will expire in 2018, which means his contract is a great one to target if we want to cut salary. brooklyn are young asset starved, have tons of cap space with not many potential FAs (willing to go to brooklyn's sorry ass team) that will eat into that cap space, and so will need to reach the salary cap floor. as such they are an ideal trading partner for the lakers to shed salary to. lopez as well, might very well be happy to come back to LA, as he is an LA native. if he doesn't want to stay, no biggy, we renounce him and claim the cap space. zubac will still continue to get minutes at backup C, black will see more minutes at PF, replacing randle's minutes

by trading away mozgov and randle, we open up way more cap room to wield in the summer of 2018, where FAs such as westbrook, cousins are available, especially if we manage to find a taker for clarkson and/or deng, or we can't find a taker for deng, we stretch him for the cap space, we will end up with around 78-85 million dollars of cap room and we still have d'lo, ingram, nance, zubac, 2017 top #3 on rookie deals. we'd have sufficient talent to get to at least the 2nd round, if not the western finals

maybe we go after LA natives george, westbrook and convince lopez to stay in hollywood. the home run lineup for 2018/19:

westbrook/top 3 pick
d'lo/top 3 pick/ingram
ingram/george
george/nance
lopez/zubac

and then fill out the team with ring chasers and g-leaguers

the following year (2019/20), we would have to sign d'lo, nance and zubac to extensions and pay the luxury tax through the nose to keep the team deep and together. heck, maybe after we sign them to extensions we go after a disgruntled anthony davis

George is not going to play PF he hated in Indiana he will hate it here in LA too. Also I think Westbrook is too loyal to OKC to leave money on the table.

[TylersLakers]

There is no second star.

George will eat all available cap space including the space we open up by stretching Deng or Mozgov. We don't even have the MLE because we would be renouncing it for pure cap space. Then when Deng and Mozgov's contracts come off the books, we'd have extended Randle, and D'lo and we'd still have no cap space.

Not unless we're able to dump Deng and Mozgov prior to August 31st 2018.

If you're living in lalaland thinking another star will come to our team for peanuts, well I'm going to ask if you can do simple math

I sent this from a potato using a penny and strips of copper attached to an antenna and half a coke can

He's 100% correct and that's what the article talks about. To gain cap space after 2018, we'd have to trade Clarkson and Deng or not re-sign Randle.

The 2018 summer is our last year to keep the free agent hope alive.

Those Mozgov and Deng contracts were completely brutal and I knew it from Minute #1. Sad that the majority of the board knew this and not the Lakers FO.