Lakers and Celtics

Middle of the road teams are middle of the road teams because they continue to make the same mistakes for decades.  They sign mid-level players to high-level contracts and expect them to play that way.  Then, when they don’t, they think adding more mid-level talent is going to right the wrong.

There are only three ways to rebuild your team: 1) the draft, 2) free agency, 3) acquiring assets by any means.

Bad teams do one of these, decent teams do two of these, dynasties do all three.

Milwaukee signs long-term and high-paying contracts with Sanders and Ilyasova, then they wonder why they aren’t competitive.

Middle of the road teams are middle of the road teams because they continue to make the same mistakes for decades.  They sign mid-level players to high-level contracts and expect them to play that way.  Then, when they don’t, they think adding more mid-level talent is going to right the wrong.

There are only three ways to rebuild your team: 1) the draft, 2) free agency, 3) acquiring assets by any means.

Bad teams do one of these, decent teams do two of these, dynasties do all three.

Milwaukee signs long-term and high-paying contracts with Sanders and Ilyasova, then they wonder why they aren’t competitive.

an interesting topic could be made about the past championship teams and how they are made up (draft/trade/free agency). im not doing the research.

As a laker fan, I have never relied on draft picks. I have watched the lakers as a die hard fan since 1992 and we have never had a pick higher then 10th. This lotto stuff is legitimately new to me. Lets see what we get. The only 2 lotto picks the lakers have had in the past 30 years have been eddie jones (10th) and Andrew Bynum (10th) who were both all-stars. Lakers have a good track record.

an interesting topic could be made about the past championship teams and how they are made up (draft/trade/free agency). im not doing the research.

As a laker fan, I have never relied on draft picks. I have watched the lakers as a die hard fan since 1992 and we have never had a pick higher then 10th. This lotto stuff is legitimately new to me. Lets see what we get. The only 2 lotto picks the lakers have had in the past 30 years have been eddie jones (10th) and Andrew Bynum (10th) who were both all-stars. Lakers have a good track record.

You know mid market teams have to overpay for players right?  Unless you strike gold in the draft and that player is loyal (eg. Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, hopefully Kevin Durant) then the only way to get to a competitive level is to overpay for good talent and hope they develop more.  If Los Angeles and Milwaukee offer you the same amount of money for the same job where would you go?  Milwaukee needs to overpay.

Oh and @Bmore_DC you may think Raptors are a middle of the pack team but they are actually a 3 seed at the moment haha.  Oh that Eastern Conference.

You know mid market teams have to overpay for players right?  Unless you strike gold in the draft and that player is loyal (eg. Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, hopefully Kevin Durant) then the only way to get to a competitive level is to overpay for good talent and hope they develop more.  If Los Angeles and Milwaukee offer you the same amount of money for the same job where would you go?  Milwaukee needs to overpay.

Oh and @Bmore_DC you may think Raptors are a middle of the pack team but they are actually a 3 seed at the moment haha.  Oh that Eastern Conference.

 the idea of banning the worst 3 teams in the league from getting the top 3 picks is a idea I love,  dynasties that suck for 2 years then decide to tank for a draft pick is bad for the game.

champions should not tank!

 the idea of banning the worst 3 teams in the league from getting the top 3 picks is a idea I love,  dynasties that suck for 2 years then decide to tank for a draft pick is bad for the game.

champions should not tank!

No, it doesn’t shock me and it’s not even mildly surprising. And I wasn’t all that surprised when Kobe’s knee still hurt last week when they re-visited his status. There’s a reason the Lakers & Celtics have been consistently good/great franchises – they do anything within the rules to win as many championships as possible.

Full disclosure – I am a Sixers fan and enjoying the losing.

No, it doesn’t shock me and it’s not even mildly surprising. And I wasn’t all that surprised when Kobe’s knee still hurt last week when they re-visited his status. There’s a reason the Lakers & Celtics have been consistently good/great franchises – they do anything within the rules to win as many championships as possible.

Full disclosure – I am a Sixers fan and enjoying the losing.

Look at the Lakers roster this year and the # of injuries and games missed by their better players.  Do you really think they are tanking?  They play in the loaded western conference and are starting guys like Sacre and Ryan Kelly. I am a huge Laker fan…..but this team is just not that good.

Look at the Lakers roster this year and the # of injuries and games missed by their better players.  Do you really think they are tanking?  They play in the loaded western conference and are starting guys like Sacre and Ryan Kelly. I am a huge Laker fan…..but this team is just not that good.

The Lakers and Celtics kept the NBA in business.  Their Finals battles a few years ago were also popular.  I can’t really hate these two teams.

Both teams need help though.  With the new CBA, I don’t see these two teams contending UNLESS they get superstars. 

The Lakers have historically done well because they can attract top shelf free agents.

The Celtics really have not been able to do that.  The best free agent I can remember them getting is Dominique Wilkins when he was on his last legs.  They NEED a great player in this draft.  They need a STAR to pair with Rajon Rondo.  Otherwise, they will be in danger of being a mediocre NBA team.  …considering that they only have 1 NBA title since 1986 they haven’t really been powerhouses in a while (other than their Big Three run).

I would say that this draft means more to the Celtics.

The Lakers need this draft too, unless they can somehow sign LeBron.  If I were them I would pull out all stops to get LeBron and Blake Griffin over to the Lakers. 

If I were the Lakers I would think that they would want Andrew Wiggins.  He is flashy and has star potential.  He could learn from Kobe, and while I don’t think Wiggins is a shoe in for the HOF (or maybe even the ASG) I think he would be a marketable star for the Lakers and give them a bit of Showtime.  Wiggins seems like a perfect Core Guy for the Post-Kobe Lakers. 

Joel Embiid would be great for EITHER franchise.  Between the Celtics and Lakers, they pretty much cover every great center in NBA history (well, I guess the Rockets would have a say here, too).

Jabari Parker would be very solid for either team, but I am not sure that the Lakers would be the best fit for him. 

If the Lakers pick somewhere between 3 and 5/6 I would trade that pick, Pau Gasol, another player, cash, and a future first round pick plus second round picks to the Heat for LeBron James. 

If LeBron doesn’t want to stay in Miami, then that could be the best deal for the Heat.  What if they ended up with this team?  Marcus Smart, D Wade, Mike Beasley (from LA), Pau Gasol, and Chris Bosh with Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Shawne Williams (from LA), Ryan Kelly (from LA), Greg Oden, and their own first round pick.  That is still a pretty solid team.

The Lakers and Celtics kept the NBA in business.  Their Finals battles a few years ago were also popular.  I can’t really hate these two teams.

Both teams need help though.  With the new CBA, I don’t see these two teams contending UNLESS they get superstars. 

The Lakers have historically done well because they can attract top shelf free agents.

The Celtics really have not been able to do that.  The best free agent I can remember them getting is Dominique Wilkins when he was on his last legs.  They NEED a great player in this draft.  They need a STAR to pair with Rajon Rondo.  Otherwise, they will be in danger of being a mediocre NBA team.  …considering that they only have 1 NBA title since 1986 they haven’t really been powerhouses in a while (other than their Big Three run).

I would say that this draft means more to the Celtics.

The Lakers need this draft too, unless they can somehow sign LeBron.  If I were them I would pull out all stops to get LeBron and Blake Griffin over to the Lakers. 

If I were the Lakers I would think that they would want Andrew Wiggins.  He is flashy and has star potential.  He could learn from Kobe, and while I don’t think Wiggins is a shoe in for the HOF (or maybe even the ASG) I think he would be a marketable star for the Lakers and give them a bit of Showtime.  Wiggins seems like a perfect Core Guy for the Post-Kobe Lakers. 

Joel Embiid would be great for EITHER franchise.  Between the Celtics and Lakers, they pretty much cover every great center in NBA history (well, I guess the Rockets would have a say here, too).

Jabari Parker would be very solid for either team, but I am not sure that the Lakers would be the best fit for him. 

If the Lakers pick somewhere between 3 and 5/6 I would trade that pick, Pau Gasol, another player, cash, and a future first round pick plus second round picks to the Heat for LeBron James. 

If LeBron doesn’t want to stay in Miami, then that could be the best deal for the Heat.  What if they ended up with this team?  Marcus Smart, D Wade, Mike Beasley (from LA), Pau Gasol, and Chris Bosh with Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Shawne Williams (from LA), Ryan Kelly (from LA), Greg Oden, and their own first round pick.  That is still a pretty solid team.