The lakers have given the pelicans a title window for ad.

[madmaxmedia]

Don't forget Lakers also lost Randle and Russell to get to this point. Lot of lost draft capital.

Their trust fund was starting to dry up, but they went to Vegas and won it all back this weekend. This basically resets the franchise for them, even wipes away the front office turmoil and resets Rob Pelinka's image.

I think the Pelicans could've held out for Kuzma if they really wanted him, but in the end they settled for 2 extra #1's and Hart. I think the Lakers needed Kuzma more than the Pelicans wanted him in the end, so that's how we ended up where we are.

In the end, I think NOP winning the lottery helped the Lakers, because NOP's trade return for AD was never going to give them anything as valuable as the #1 pick. So they wanted a good package, but weren't desperate and forced into a corner where they might act impulsively, etc. (like turning down the Lakers' offer back in February.)

[THE J0KER]

Lakers saved two best players Pierce and Rondo... sorry... I mean LeBron and Kuzma, and traded everything else hunting superstars. Did it ever work?

Read on Twitter

[freethedevil]

Lakers saved two best players Pierce and Rondo... sorry... I mean LeBron and Kuzma, and traded everything else hunting superstars. Did it ever work?

Read on Twitter

Kuzma is nowhere near as good as lonzo or bi.

[nbafan38]

Lakers saved two best players Pierce and Rondo... sorry... I mean LeBron and Kuzma, and traded everything else hunting superstars. Did it ever work?

Read on Twitter

This is actuaqlly a good comparison, given Lebrons age the lakers are much more like the celtics than the Lebron heat or warriors, 2-3 year window max, it may be rough for the nba but it'll be short lived.

[THE J0KER]

Spoiler:

Lakers saved two best players Pierce and Rondo... sorry... I mean LeBron and Kuzma, and traded everything else hunting superstars. Did it ever work?

Read on Twitter

Kuzma is nowhere near as good as lonzo or bi.

Maybe in some vacuum, but for Lakers Kuzma is a better piece than Ingram, because Ingram is expiring next season, and much more useful than Lonzo, because of LeBron teams doesn't need at all starter point guard as a playmaker, it is James job in his teams. Plus, Kuzma is 8M cheaper per year than Lonzo.

[druggas]

You're a moron.

[DeRoma]

Read on Twitter

HOLY **** THIS IS Maybe a worse trade than the billy king trade

[nbafan38]

Read on Twitter

HOLY **** THIS IS Maybe a worse trade than the billy king trade

Nah lakers are actually a contender now, Billy King traded away the future without creating a true contender

[DeRoma]

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HOLY **** THIS IS Maybe a worse trade than the billy king trade

Nah lakers are actually a contender now, Billy King traded away the future without creating a true contender

1 injury won't get them there.

[amcoolio]

Laker fans are going to be sorely disappointed. Would feel bad for them but they are overly cocky it seems from this thread. AD isn’t a winner and won’t be healthy when the Lakers need him most.

[RRyder823]

Imagine being dumb enough to tie your franchise's hopes on a 34 year old fa.

This is disingenuous.

Lebron isn't any 34 year old.

and yet you've just shortened your window by about 8 years to accomodate him....

What window did they shorten?

There wasnt a window prior to this trade. What it did was actually create one. Whether they can take advantage of it depends how FA plays out but acting like they had a championship window with what they gave up is silly

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[taikibansei]

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Brilliant!!

[Kalela]

People always overrate young players who haven't accomplished anything. AD is a proven superstar who has been averaging over 23 points since he came into the league. The likes of Ingram, Lonzo and Hart will never be like AD so you do that trade every time.

[taikibansei]

Don't forget Lakers also lost Randle and Russell to get to this point. Lot of lost draft capital.

Didn't Randle recently say that he wants to return? And couldn't they sign Russell now as well? (Not that they necessarily would, just asking....)

[teke184]

If you have a 34 year old Lebron, your focus is next season. This idea that they should punt next season in order to get AD as a free agent is absurd. Get him now, win now.

Pretty much this.

Their window is 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, at which point LeBron's contract probably expires and he may be on the edge of retirement.


That being said, they're gambling heavily on their ability to win now. When LeBron's contract comes to an end, he could bolt or retire. Once he's gone, you will have a roster of AD, the other star they plan to sign this offseason, and probably Kuzma and a bunch of ring chasers.

If they can't carry the load without LeBron, it's going to be a long 5 years until they have control of their picks back.

[Noctilux]

It's actually hilarious to me anyone thinks this team has any shot against whoever comes out of the east.

Pretty sure that team wont be the Knicks

[freethedevil]

It's actually hilarious to me anyone thinks this team has any shot against whoever comes out of the east.

Pretty sure that team wont be the Knicks

Did I say it would be?

[freethedevil]

This is disingenuous.

Lebron isn't any 34 year old.

and yet you've just shortened your window by about 8 years to accomodate him....

What window did they shorten?

There wasnt a window prior to this trade. [/url]

A team of mostly 20 year olds plays at a 50 win pace while healthy without any shooters and you think there wasn't a window?

The raptors built a title winning team by keeping their core and building around it and then trading to put them over the top. The warriors built a dynasty keeping core of unheralded players and building around it until they had the oppurtunity to go big.

You don't trade your core in year 2 of their careers when their values haven't peaked and you don't know what you might get with them. Especially when you have space for two free agents which you'll have several years to make yourselves attractive to. Especially when the only thing separating you from contention is shooting. Lakers could have easily made a run for the title this year by building on their core's defence+playmaking with an assortment of shooters while giving themselves the chance tobecome outright favorites next season. Instead they've decided they'll take a shot at the title and never have another shot in a decade. A team which has multiple shots at a title is more likely to win than one that has one shot. It's simple probabaility.

[tdotrep2]

It's actually hilarious to me anyone thinks this team has any shot against whoever comes out of the east.

it does, depends on matchup and how they fill the roster.. but it does

[coldfish]

Lebron / AD / Kyrie, Kawhi, Kemba or Butler
+ Kuzma
+ ring chasers

Is a title contender for several years. Lebron hasn't fallen that far. AD and several of those guys fit together great. They are going to be really good.

The players they gave up (Ball and Ingram) had a 11.7 and 13.4 PER last year. Its not like they gave up the farm. Hart is even more worthless.

In the long term, their ability to make trades and improve themselves with youth has been compromised due to the picks and pick swaps given up. Their downturn after Lebron and Kyrie or whomever get old will last several years much like the post Kobe era but its a price most organizations would pay.