Woj and Ramona: Lakers changing focus to 2019 free agents

[dockingsched]

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[yanuary]

If this is true...

Congratulations Magic for trade Russell for capspace.

[Michael Lucky]

It's the right call so I'm not surprised. Possibility of resigning Randle probably went up as well.

[Laker_Kid]

im still hoping to sign PG13 at least.

[dockingsched]

If this is true...

Congratulations Magic for trade Russell for capspace.

It’s crazy how people still don’t recognize the great value the lakers got out of Russell. At the time, even though I was against moving DLo, it was easy to see that dumping Mozgov and getting a first was a package that just wasn’t going to be available much longer. It was crazy good value.

People used the trade as an indictment on Dlos value or an indictment on the front office, but man people just have a hard time seeing just how difficult to dump Mozgov.

[yanuary]

If this is true...

Congratulations Magic for trade Russell for capspace.

It’s crazy how people still don’t recognize the great value the lakers got out of Russell. At the time, even though I was against moving DLo, it was easy to see that’s dumping Mozgov and getting a first was a package that just wasn’t going to be available much longer. It was crazy good value.

People used the trade as an indictment on Dlos value or an indictment on the front office, but man people just have a hard time seeing just how he’s it wasn’t to dump Mozgov.

Its basically late 1st (Hart + T.Bryant) and expiring Lopez for dump Mozgov and Russell. When we dont need capspace in 2018, why the hell we did this? We could have them (Deng and Mozgov) until 2019 than their contracts will be "expiring" - also often valuable in trades.

Also waive Nwaba, huge KCP one-year deal, waste many possibilities for take one or two year bad contracts with assets (like Calderon or Lin trade). Waste possibility for Randle extension in Sixers-Covington way. So many chances wasted.

For capspace in 2018 which could be useless - this happens when you make a move for a year too soon. In NBA where everything could change in a second.

[Rosque]

I like how Woj said 'moving focus to 2019 but NOT giving up on 2018'. If we can get PG you sure bet yo ass we gettin him

[Rosque]

If this is true...

Congratulations Magic for trade Russell for capspace.

It’s crazy how people still don’t recognize the great value the lakers got out of Russell. At the time, even though I was against moving DLo, it was easy to see that’s dumping Mozgov and getting a first was a package that just wasn’t going to be available much longer. It was crazy good value.

People used the trade as an indictment on Dlos value or an indictment on the front office, but man people just have a hard time seeing just how he’s it wasn’t to dump Mozgov.

Its basically late 1st (Hart + T.Bryant) and expiring Lopez for dump Mozgov and Russell. When we dont need capspace in 2018, why the hell we did this? We could have them (Deng and Mozgov) until 2019 than their contracts will be "expiring" - also often valuable in trades.

Also waive Nwaba, huge KCP one-year deal, waste many possibilities for take one or two year bad contracts with assets (like Calderon or Lin trade). Waste possibility for Randle extension in Sixers-Covington way. So many chances wasted.

For capspace in 2018 which could be useless - this happens when you make a move for a year too soon. In NBA where everything could change in a second.

Because Brook alone is better than DLo and more durable...which say A LOT.

Also we got probably a more valuable and better fit in Hart and possible future starting 5 in Bryant. It was a no brainer IMO.

DLo obviously is not that great of a locker room presence and has shady knees. Who would play with both Dlo and Zo injured? Ennis and Caruso back court

[yanuary]

Especially when Nance, JC and Zubac were devastated when DLO was traded?
When Walton said that if it would be his decision he wouldnt trade DLO?
When DLO is still 21y - way too soon giving up on him, he was perfect fit next to Lonzo.

Ouch Hart "more valuable than Russell".
Ok, just stop

[dockingsched]

If this is true...

Congratulations Magic for trade Russell for capspace.

It’s crazy how people still don’t recognize the great value the lakers got out of Russell. At the time, even though I was against moving DLo, it was easy to see that’s dumping Mozgov and getting a first was a package that just wasn’t going to be available much longer. It was crazy good value.

People used the trade as an indictment on Dlos value or an indictment on the front office, but man people just have a hard time seeing just how he’s it wasn’t to dump Mozgov.

Its basically late 1st (Hart + T.Bryant) and expiring Lopez for dump Mozgov and Russell. When we dont need capspace in 2018, why the hell we did this? We could have them (Deng and Mozgov) until 2019 than their contracts will be "expiring" - also often valuable in trades.

Also waive Nwaba, huge KCP one-year deal, waste many possibilities for take one or two year bad contracts with assets (like Calderon or Lin trade). Waste possibility for Randle extension in Sixers-Covington way. So many chances wasted.

For capspace in 2018 which could be useless - this happens when you make a move for a year too soon. In NBA where everything could change in a second.

Not just 2018 Cap space, 2019 cap too. Without the trade, you still have Mozgov on the books in 2019 and also DLos cap hold since he’d be due for an extension. Flexibility that trade created is far reaching.

[TylersLakers]

They just keep on kicking the can down the road.

Get ready for another summer of sitting back, signing one year deals, and finding guys like KCP.

[what would jack bauer do?]

We ended up with kuzma from that D'lo trade, not Hart. We traded our 28th pick to get Hart and Bryant.

[iamworthy]

I was just listening to the jump podcast this morning. PG was talking about how they've form a Brotherhood in OKC.

[Slava]

Nevertheless, if the Lakers sit out free agency this summer, they'll try to use their salary cap space to accommodate teams looking to dump bad contracts -- and willing to send draft picks to sweeten the deal, sources said.

This is essential. This puts us on path to accepting a deal like JR Smith with a sweetener.

[yanuary]

It’s crazy how people still don’t recognize the great value the lakers got out of Russell. At the time, even though I was against moving DLo, it was easy to see that’s dumping Mozgov and getting a first was a package that just wasn’t going to be available much longer. It was crazy good value.

People used the trade as an indictment on Dlos value or an indictment on the front office, but man people just have a hard time seeing just how he’s it wasn’t to dump Mozgov.

Its basically late 1st (Hart + T.Bryant) and expiring Lopez for dump Mozgov and Russell. When we dont need capspace in 2018, why the hell we did this? We could have them (Deng and Mozgov) until 2019 than their contracts will be "expiring" - also often valuable in trades.

Also waive Nwaba, huge KCP one-year deal, waste many possibilities for take one or two year bad contracts with assets (like Calderon or Lin trade). Waste possibility for Randle extension in Sixers-Covington way. So many chances wasted.

For capspace in 2018 which could be useless - this happens when you make a move for a year too soon. In NBA where everything could change in a second.

Not just 2018 Cap space, 2019 cap too. Without the trade, you still have Mozgov on the books in 2019 and also DLos cap hold since he’d be due for an extension. Flexibility that trade created is far reaching.

You realize that for cap flexibility we could sign extension with Randle in "Sixers-Covington" way, we could receive D.Carroll + 1st round pick + 2nd round pick?

In 2019 Mozgov and Deng contracts will be EXPIRING - way, way easier and cheaper to dump than in 2017 (3 years left).

[yanuary]

We ended up with kuzma from that D'lo trade, not Hart. We traded our 28th pick to get Hart and Bryant.

Nets wont draft Kuzma.

Also it was so easy to move up 2-3 spots (basically future 2nd round), and Lakers were so confident that Kuzma will slide to 27th pick that they didnt make any move.

[RamonSessions7]

If this is true...

Congratulations Magic for trade Russell for capspace.

It’s crazy how people still don’t recognize the great value the lakers got out of Russell. At the time, even though I was against moving DLo, it was easy to see that’s dumping Mozgov and getting a first was a package that just wasn’t going to be available much longer. It was crazy good value.

People used the trade as an indictment on Dlos value or an indictment on the front office, but man people just have a hard time seeing just how he’s it wasn’t to dump Mozgov.

Its basically late 1st (Hart + T.Bryant) and expiring Lopez for dump Mozgov and Russell. When we dont need capspace in 2018, why the hell we did this? We could have them (Deng and Mozgov) until 2019 than their contracts will be "expiring" - also often valuable in trades.

Also waive Nwaba, huge KCP one-year deal, waste many possibilities for take one or two year bad contracts with assets (like Calderon or Lin trade). Waste possibility for Randle extension in Sixers-Covington way. So many chances wasted.

For capspace in 2018 which could be useless - this happens when you make a move for a year too soon. In NBA where everything could change in a second.

With what dumping contracts appears to take now, as dock said, to get a first and an expiring out of a 3 year huge deal 3rd string level center and DLo (who I'd argue already doesn't even have the value to get us out of the 2.5 yrs of mozgov now) was a timely and smart deal. The "value" of expiring contracts is to send them to deals as filler or to take on longer deals teams do not want, attached with picks. As filler, usually they can be replaced by other cap as the team is more looking towards the other assets as the key part of the trade. As the 2nd option for expirings, we'd have to be rebuilding or at least restarting some part of our rebuild in the summer of 19, which will be quite late in a rebuild(if our hopes are of being decent sooner than later) to start trying to accumulate assets.
Nwaba waiving seemed unnecessary and would've liked to have him on our team. KCP deal was late, and I'm sure we looked for any team willing to dump one of those valuable expirings along with some seconds but either A) found none, or B) wanted to take a rental look at a 24 yr old shooting guard who looked like a potential above avg starter 2 years ago at 22. KCP regressed last year and hasn't been too spectacular this year, making the high value for one year the correct choice instead of offering his more correct cap number over long term (obviously not your point, just stating the reason for the premium on the huge one year deal. The covington situation was unique as covington signed a deal as a role player 3+D player and that's always been who he is. If randle and his agent picture him as a 20/10 guy, there is no covington deal to be made. Also, if we're going for '18 or '19 FA regardless, they would not want that type of contract on the books regardless of what year they're mapping out.

Initially I hated the russell trade(even though never saw much out of Laker Russell as everyone who still holds on) then quickly was over it understanding what they were doing. I love that trade now looking back, and that's without factoring in that russell has taken a step back shooting the ball deep and his knee has flared up enough times already for me to red flag that on his value.

[iQon]

The writing has kind of been on the wall for a while. We never "had" the cap space for 2 free agents. The odds of us getting bailed out on Deng were astronomically low. Clark is kind of our best LouWill move, but... that cap space deal kinda ruins the traction.

Then you factor in Julius showing up on a consistent basis, forcing the FO's hand. PG being a crapshoot for a myriad of reasons. Boogie probably being the only big FA that I know would give us a hard look, now being a complete crapshoot for obvious reasons.

2019 sounds like the better plan.

My beef with this is, I don't want to deal with another year of this BS. Enough. We have our core. Pay Julius and stop selling us "July".

[dockingsched]

Nevertheless, if the Lakers sit out free agency this summer, they'll try to use their salary cap space to accommodate teams looking to dump bad contracts -- and willing to send draft picks to sweeten the deal, sources said.

This is essential. This puts us on path to accepting a deal like JR Smith with a sweetener.

This is the best part.

[Laker_Kid]

why are people still arguing the dlo trade like it could still change anything now? it’s over. move on already.