I think the lakers could go best available. Farmar and marshall or solid and considering how many weaknesses they have all over the place, they just need best available. Farmar was off to a great start then suffered some injuries and was rusty when he came back now is finding his stride. Dropped 30 in his last game.

I think the lakers could go best available. Farmar and marshall or solid and considering how many weaknesses they have all over the place, they just need best available. Farmar was off to a great start then suffered some injuries and was rusty when he came back now is finding his stride. Dropped 30 in his last game.

 I agree with both of these most likely happening.  I think the spot the Lakers will most likely be picking in that 4-6 range will come down to Exum or Smart.  I think this is the year a PG for the future finally falls into their lap.

 I agree with both of these most likely happening.  I think the spot the Lakers will most likely be picking in that 4-6 range will come down to Exum or Smart.  I think this is the year a PG for the future finally falls into their lap.

 Getting a young PG in is a big need but with Kobe there he’ll still do a lot of ball carrying so I would only consider drafting one if they consider him the BPA within their draft range. 

 Getting a young PG in is a big need but with Kobe there he’ll still do a lot of ball carrying so I would only consider drafting one if they consider him the BPA within their draft range. 

 I disagree.  I think the Lakers biggest need is more NBA-level players to round out their roster.  There are a few players that get serious playing time with the Lakers this season that won’t be a major part of an NBA rotation in a few years.  I also think that Mike D’Antoni is somewhat of a "point guard whisperer".  He can take a PG who excels at specific areas of NBA basketball but doesn’t fit into quite a few other NBA systems and make that PG above average.  Steve Nash is great, but I think D’Antoni helped him become a 2-time MVP.  Not to take anything away from Nash, but Kobe Bryant deserves more MVP’s than Nash.  Jeremy Lin is a solid NBA player, but he was playing at an All-Star level under D’Antoni.  More recently, he took Kendal Marshall off the NBDL scrap heap and helped him become a legitimate NBA starter and among the league leaders in assiste per game.  I always felt that D’Antoni was a terrible fit for the Lakers roster, especially last year when they had Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol (arguably the best C – PF combination since Robinson and Duncan) to pair with Kobe (and to a lesser extent Nash, who battled injuries and father time).  That being said, the Lakers should play to the strengths of their coach.  Most franchises I wouldn’t agree with such short term thinking but the Lakers have two things going for them that most teams don’t have.

A)  They have Kobe Bryant signed for 2 more years.  Unlike most players 2 years from most likely retiring, Kobe is still an elite player.  He is also one of the all-time greats of one of the 2 best NBA franchises (Celtics being the other).  They should try to trade down and get a couple picks lower in the draft (if they are outside of the Top 3) to get two VERY GOOD starters that are closer to being able to contribute.  These don’t have to be bad players by any means, they could actually turn out to be all-stars down the road.  But, if they feel they need a shooter and a PG, would they not do well with McDermott and Kyle Anderson or Elfrid Payton?  They are probably closer to being able to contribute in Year 1 and Year 2 than other players.  

Also remember that players under rookie scale contract control are important when they are paying Kobe $24 million a year for the next 2 seasons.  Because…

B) The Lakers are ALWAYS going to be a prime destination for free agents.  I fully believe that Kevin Love, and later on Russell Westbrook, will try to become LA Lakers.  They are always going to be a destination on the short list for the top free agents year in and year out.  The only thing that prevents teams like the Lakers from signing the best of the best is salary cap and luxury tax concerns.  The only way to prevent the Lakers from having to turn away all-star free agents is to have a lot of talent that is under team control under rookie scale contracts.

Anyway, I guess what I am saying is that Dante Exum will probably be a very good NBA player.  I just think that he might take awhile to adjust to the NBA game.  Especially because of the level of talent he is up against currently at the Australian Institute of Sport versus what the Los Angeles Lakers are up against on a nightly basis.  Also, and this might sound minimal but it is NOT, the difference in salary for the #5 pick in the NBA versus the salary of the #11 and #17 is basically a 2 for 1 difference (meaning that you would pay #5 the same as both 11 and 17 combined).  

 I disagree.  I think the Lakers biggest need is more NBA-level players to round out their roster.  There are a few players that get serious playing time with the Lakers this season that won’t be a major part of an NBA rotation in a few years.  I also think that Mike D’Antoni is somewhat of a "point guard whisperer".  He can take a PG who excels at specific areas of NBA basketball but doesn’t fit into quite a few other NBA systems and make that PG above average.  Steve Nash is great, but I think D’Antoni helped him become a 2-time MVP.  Not to take anything away from Nash, but Kobe Bryant deserves more MVP’s than Nash.  Jeremy Lin is a solid NBA player, but he was playing at an All-Star level under D’Antoni.  More recently, he took Kendal Marshall off the NBDL scrap heap and helped him become a legitimate NBA starter and among the league leaders in assiste per game.  I always felt that D’Antoni was a terrible fit for the Lakers roster, especially last year when they had Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol (arguably the best C – PF combination since Robinson and Duncan) to pair with Kobe (and to a lesser extent Nash, who battled injuries and father time).  That being said, the Lakers should play to the strengths of their coach.  Most franchises I wouldn’t agree with such short term thinking but the Lakers have two things going for them that most teams don’t have.

A)  They have Kobe Bryant signed for 2 more years.  Unlike most players 2 years from most likely retiring, Kobe is still an elite player.  He is also one of the all-time greats of one of the 2 best NBA franchises (Celtics being the other).  They should try to trade down and get a couple picks lower in the draft (if they are outside of the Top 3) to get two VERY GOOD starters that are closer to being able to contribute.  These don’t have to be bad players by any means, they could actually turn out to be all-stars down the road.  But, if they feel they need a shooter and a PG, would they not do well with McDermott and Kyle Anderson or Elfrid Payton?  They are probably closer to being able to contribute in Year 1 and Year 2 than other players.  

Also remember that players under rookie scale contract control are important when they are paying Kobe $24 million a year for the next 2 seasons.  Because…

B) The Lakers are ALWAYS going to be a prime destination for free agents.  I fully believe that Kevin Love, and later on Russell Westbrook, will try to become LA Lakers.  They are always going to be a destination on the short list for the top free agents year in and year out.  The only thing that prevents teams like the Lakers from signing the best of the best is salary cap and luxury tax concerns.  The only way to prevent the Lakers from having to turn away all-star free agents is to have a lot of talent that is under team control under rookie scale contracts.

Anyway, I guess what I am saying is that Dante Exum will probably be a very good NBA player.  I just think that he might take awhile to adjust to the NBA game.  Especially because of the level of talent he is up against currently at the Australian Institute of Sport versus what the Los Angeles Lakers are up against on a nightly basis.  Also, and this might sound minimal but it is NOT, the difference in salary for the #5 pick in the NBA versus the salary of the #11 and #17 is basically a 2 for 1 difference (meaning that you would pay #5 the same as both 11 and 17 combined).  

I think Rondo is the perfect fit for LA. Kobe’s days are numbered before he retires he doesn’t have time to wait for a rookie PG who may or may not pan out. Does anyone think a trade could be worked out between Boston and the Lakers? Im sure it would have to start with the Lakers 2014 pick

I think Rondo is the perfect fit for LA. Kobe’s days are numbered before he retires he doesn’t have time to wait for a rookie PG who may or may not pan out. Does anyone think a trade could be worked out between Boston and the Lakers? Im sure it would have to start with the Lakers 2014 pick

No brainer for the Lakers to take the best talent, period. Even if its at Kobe’s position. They don’t have a single guy, not 1, that I’d look at as a foundational building block piece moving forward for the future. This draft they need to land one, hopefully a very good one.

I have a funny feeling they get the number 1 pick. Call it my conspiracy thing, but I can just see it.

Marshall is a guy they should keep, and they can see what they can shake up in free agency, although i suspect that all the big names are staying home and is the solution for the Lakers really to tie up big money in Kyle Lowry or Greg Monroe? Kupchak knows what he’s doing, bottom out, they’ll still sell tickets to Kobe’s curtain call, and build the next generation. Its not like its a tough place to get talent to come play, maybe they get 2 really nice lottery picks and in 2015 they get Westbrook and Love.

No brainer for the Lakers to take the best talent, period. Even if its at Kobe’s position. They don’t have a single guy, not 1, that I’d look at as a foundational building block piece moving forward for the future. This draft they need to land one, hopefully a very good one.

I have a funny feeling they get the number 1 pick. Call it my conspiracy thing, but I can just see it.

Marshall is a guy they should keep, and they can see what they can shake up in free agency, although i suspect that all the big names are staying home and is the solution for the Lakers really to tie up big money in Kyle Lowry or Greg Monroe? Kupchak knows what he’s doing, bottom out, they’ll still sell tickets to Kobe’s curtain call, and build the next generation. Its not like its a tough place to get talent to come play, maybe they get 2 really nice lottery picks and in 2015 they get Westbrook and Love.

the Lakers biggest need is a owner that has any Idea of what is going on, instead of some spoiled punk kid, who thinks he knows everything, becuase he has heard stories about how great his daddy was.

the Lakers biggest need is a owner that has any Idea of what is going on, instead of some spoiled punk kid, who thinks he knows everything, becuase he has heard stories about how great his daddy was.