It's NOT Enough to Just Resign Our FAs

[ALL HAIL]

Everyone on this board seems to be content with simply resigning Ariza, Odom, and Brown ...

That alone will not be enough to repeat.

We have to bring back those guys but we also have to get better.

I have felt this way since we won it weeks ago but I now feel it even stronger in light of the agressiveness by which contending teams are trying to get better.

Don't be blinded by our recent success .... be objective in your criticism of this roster ... we have serious holes that will only become more prominent next year ... bring back Ariza, Odom, and Brown, but don't stop there.

Opening up the pocketbook for our FAs will not equal a championship, we have got to add at least one more piece that solidifies us and puts fear into the hearts of our opponents.

We need to make a savvy move that makes people say "that's not fair, the rich get richer."

I get the nauseating feeling that MItch Kupchak and all of us on this board will be happy with just bringing back the same team.

I'm from the Jerry West school of thought that believes in improving every year through ADDITION.

Note: Please don't tell me about our salary problems, I know we have major issues, I just think we have to be extremely proactive in trimming salary. We've already started that by dumping Mihm and Radmanovic. This means Walton, Morrison, and/or Vujacic have got to be dumped for more favorable contracts ... no matter who comes back in return as long as we are acquiring a better contract that saves us money so that we can justify to Buss the MLE signing of a player that will make us better.

[Rain_Maker]

Everyone on this board seems to be content with simply resigning Ariza, Odom, and Brown ...

That alone will not be enough to repeat.

We have to bring back those guys but we also have to get better.

I have felt this way since we won it weeks ago but I now feel it even stronger in light of the agressiveness by which contending teams are trying to get better.

Don't be blinded by our recent success .... be objective in your criticism of this roster ... we have serious holes that will only become more prominent next year ... bring back Ariza, Odom, and Brown, but don't stop there.

Opening up the pocketbook for our FAs will not equal a championship, we have got to add at least one more piece that solidifies us and puts fear into the hearts of our opponents.

We need to make a savvy move that makes people say "that's not fair, the rich get richer."

I get the nauseating feeling that MItch Kupchak and all of us on this board will be happy with just bringing back the same team.

I'm from the Jerry West school of thought that believes in improving every year through ADDITION.

Note: Please don't tell me about our salary problems, I know we have major issues, I just think we have to be extremely proactive in trimming salary. We've already started that by dumping Mihm and Radmanovic. This means Walton, Morrison, and/or Vujacic have got to be dumped for more favorable contracts ... no matter who comes back in return as long as we are acquiring a better contract that saves us money so that we can justify to Buss the MLE signing of a player that will make us better.

i agree with improving even now, but our GOAL is to resign the players

we should trade Walton, Morrison, Sasha, Farmar, for smaller contracts as you already said

[Kilroy]

I agree...

But I don't think Mitch ever stands pat... He is just content to wait for the right deal... He's always looking though. Not many teams want to help us though so it's kinda up to free-agency.

I've always thought that you don't hunker-down after you win it all... You make the right changes...

I love Ariza and Odom, but if they could bring us an improvement at the 1,2 and 3... I'd say you gotta look at it...

I'd like to see Bynum dominating in P&G... But if there's a better option at true Center out there, you gotta look at it...

But honestly, I think something can be done with Sasha, Farmar, Ammo, Powel, and Yue plus our picks that can bring us improvement...

And also, even if we just bring everyone back, we're going to be better... Unless Odom, Ariza, and Brown were just playing for a paycheck, just having them all on the team for the whole season will make us better...

And if Bynum, Kobe, Walton, and Sasha are still not 100%... The time off will make us better... Gasol could use some rest too...

All that said, everything is a gamble... You could make a trade that destroys team unity... You could count on improvement from you're youngsters and they regress... You could pay your free-agents just to find out that once they get paid they take a season off...

I think our core is pretty solid though and I think if we bring back A, B and O... Make a few tweeks with our picks and our bench players... And see if Bynum gets better in the off-season... We'll be in great shape for '010...

[slifersd]

The goal for the management on a winning team should always be to try and improve the team. The only thing is that, resigning all of our FAs is the first priority and the bottomline. We can't and shouldn't go out of our way talking to other teams and FAs without securing our own FAs to new contracts first. There are always deals that are out there and we do have an expiring contract or two to throw around for needed improvements.

[ALL HAIL]

I think their are trades available to dump some of our bad contracts, but those trades will not improve our talent level and will more than likely lead to getting back bad players with slightly better contracts than Walton, Morrison, and/or Vujacic (ie Eddy Curry).

I think once two of the aforementioned players are dumped for more favorable contracts that save us money we can add players that we really want through free agency.

I haven't perused the list of guys that are free agents but I know that their are guys that can be had for no more than 3 years, 15 million.

Two guys off the top of my head are Jason Kidd and Marquis Daniels. Either one of those versatile-type guys can REALLY, REALLY help our team. Trimming salary then signing a free agent like Kidd or Daniels are the type of moves that can firmly secure a repeat.

Resigning our guys and standing pat will make things very, very difficult and possibly very disappointing.

Let's be proactive to get BETTER ... our competitors are!

[daddyfivestar]

Remember that the Ariza/Cook deal was in late November, so Kup has his feelers out year round, not just in the offseason.

Also, if this floated Amare/Barbosa to Houston deal comes through that will put them right up on the Lakers tail.

[ALL HAIL]

Resigning all of our FAs is the first priority and the bottomline.

I completely agree. I think we all agree with that sentiment. I started this thread because of the importance I see in signing a significant fourth player AFTER Odom, Ariza, and Brown. I feel like most people feel like we will have had a successful off season by simply resigning our guys ... and that's it.

I disagree.

[lakersfanatic]

I don't think we're all content with just re-signing our FAs. We have lots of holes and it showed during the playoffs which we managed to luckily cover up.

I think the fear is being place on our faces because of the recent acquitioning of shaq to the cavs and spurs getting jefferson. I'm more worried about the spurs then cavs. Shaq had flaws before and now that he's older, it'll be harder for him but of course he has improved their front court, but that wasn't their weakness; it was their wings.

Anyways, i'm totally not satisfied if we just keep our FAs and team intact. I welcome trades of course... involve eh hem sasha, luke, farmar....maybe powell and dj.. We still need a good pg to run with the kids remember? I look for fisher's role to be lessen considering his age..

[DubaLakers]

Our competitors also have a lot more room to manuver. They also don't have near the pieces that the LAL have. Guys like Sasha, Farmar, Morrison, Walton aren't coveted pieces. Teams aren't looking to add them as assets. They are looking to dump salary as we've seen all this week, more than they are looking for assets. Why do so many of these teams want to get more picks in draft, outside of the highest picks it's about getting guys in cheap and letting expiring contracts and team option guys go.

I'm one of the few that have been supportive of Mitch's decisions from day 1. I have faith he'll make the right decision. I even accuratly predicted his 1st round pick 2/3 last three years, we didn't have a first rounder last year. We're on the same wavelength .

Whether he drafts a guy like, Ellison SG UNC, trades the pick for cash, or takes a gamble on a guy overseas avoiding paying him for a year, I'm comfortable with this team and with Mitch's track record.

IMO he's one of the best GM's in the NBA, relax, let him work.

[Speedlot]

Bynum becoming 20-10-3 is what the lakers are banking on pretty much.

[LAKESHOW]

i think bynum has to step up his game. that is the only area to improve upon. i believe we have the perimeter length. and the perimeter game to defend anyone in the league. guys like lamar and ariza are extremely long and they can get out on shooters. but on the inside is where bynum needs to step up his game and stick around for more than 3 minutes before gettin 5 fouls or whatever it is.

with that said, i dont think theres anyone out there who can do it. unless we get a big name, but thats not gonna happen and no team is gonna give us that. also, bring in someone new, and kobe wont look at that guy at all and pass it in. bynum however has some experience and tenure enough, for kobe to start dumpin the ball inside a little more. and ive said this before, get bynum out of there, and get pau into foul trouble, and we are toast.

so bynum is the key to this offseason. provided of course we get all of our FAs back. bynunm needs to bring his game to another level that is dependable for points, rebounds and defense in any game.

[snaquille oatmeal]

Bynum becoming 20-10-3 is what the lakers are banking on pretty much.

^^^^that and hoping Ammo becomes "Ammonition".

[ALL HAIL]

Even if Bynum stays healthy and gets much better we still need to add one other versatile piece ... a guy who can play and guard multiple positions.

[LAKESHOW]

pau guards 4s and 5s
lamar guards 3s 4s and 5s
ariza guards 2s and 3s.
kobe guards 1s 2s and 3s.

[lakersfanatic]

bynum was disappointing last season.. i mean the man was a beast during his contact year... but then it was his contact year. He looks lazy, tired, no excitement for some reason. Maybe it's the less minutes but in order to play more, you have to earn it like everybody else.

All i see him doing mostly was slashing at guys heading to the basketball and not playing them defensively. If bynum just bring out the beast within.. im pretty sure the league would still be fearing us.

[milesfides]

I totally think all teams should be open to trading anybody if it makes their team better.

People were talking about how long it would take Gasol to get used to the triangle. Yeah, one quarter, and suddenly he was the 2nd best triangle guy on our team.

Odom has been playing in the triangle for how many years? Pretty much given up as a playmaker, now he's a rebounder and tries to play better off the ball.

Many people were predicting the Celtics would have trouble integrating Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen.

It's all a bunch of hogwash. If players have talent and the right attitude (winning), things work out, magically.

There are two players that I think we cannot trade and make our team better: Kobe and Gasol.

However, I think Fish is untouchable for sentimental and leadership reasons, and I think Odom has a long history with our team, is a major locker room presence, and has been playing consistently well.

[tayzer]

Bynum is key for us next season. He needs to improve and not do low iq fouls. He should watch Gasol. Gasol knows how to defend well, he is just weaker.

Also, I don't like his jumpshot and he shots it too much, he needs to take it to the rim, he lost his hops or something.

[TommyTheCat]

bynum stepping up and a more consistent effort on the defensive end of the court as a team will vastly improve this team from last season. i'd be suprised to see much movement regarding trades or additional FA's due to the fact the lakers are already over cap and don't have big expiring contracts to use. maybe they'll get someone good for the mle

[Rain_Maker]

does anyone think that maybe Ammo could have a breakout year this season if we give him a chance?

[Erik Eleven]

Besides re-signing our free agents Ariza, Odom and Brown, no moves should be made unless they undoubtedly make us better, in my opinion. Unless it's a no-brainer, we should stay put. We'll be better next season just from having won it all. The swagger will be different. Also, Bynum might stay healthy next season. If he does, we just got a whole lot better.

Farmar for Crittenton? I'd do it yesterday.

Morrison for Ryan Gomes? Sure. Not very likely.

I think Farmar is perfect for D'Antoni's system. How about Farmar, Morrison, Yue, Powell for David Lee and filler? We'd have to add veteran help via MLE and BAE to ensure depth, but that could easily be done with ring-hopes.