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- Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 8:52am #62256
Memphis MadnessParticipantThe Lakers are obviously BAD this year and are riding out Kobe’s World (Retirement) Tour, BUT they could end up with a top pick (or not) and should have some money to spend, with the LA Lakers being a top shelf free agent destination.
So, what are the odds of the Lakers having a PERFECT off season?
By PERFECT, I mean they start out by winning the lottery and getting Ben Simmons to be a flashy, unselfish guy to spark Showtime 2.0, then they look at ahead at the free agent market.
If Durant wants to leave OKC, then I would put the Lakers as an interesting destination for him. He would be THE GUY and it feels like they would have some good young pieces around him with some solid young guards in Russell and Clarkson, and active old-school type 4 in Julius Randle, and the newly arrived Ben Simmons.
Then they look at another guy who I think might consider going to the Lakers (especially on a young, exciting, reloading roster). Hassan Whiteside would be a GREAT fit, and he would fill out the CORE. With KD being the main scorer, and Ben Simmons being a primary creator on offense (passing, ball handling, slashing), that would take some pressure off Whiteside.
Get the roster personnel figured out and looking really promising, and I think that Luke Walton could be enticed into taking the Lakers’ head coaching job. If they whiff on Luke, I think they take a look at John Calipari. He is a guy who can excite the team, and he is THE BEST recruiter in sports. AND, the Lakers THRIVE off free agent pick ups.
So, what are the odds of a PERFECT LA Lakers off season?
Ben Simmons, Kevin Durant, Hassan Whiteside, and Luke Walton (or Coach Cal) would be a FANTASTIC off season, and I THINK that it is possible.
They then roll out a BIG Small Ball Lineup of Clarkson, Russell, Durant, Ben Simmons, and Whiteside with Julius Randle as the 6th man.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 9:41am #1032964
Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant25/1 maybe less. They have a decent chance of landing the top pick but convincing Durant will be a tough sell. Durant is in his prime right now and only way I can see him leaving okc is to go to a team he feels can legitimately compete for a championship right now. Even with Simmons and Whiteside (presuming they can get him) I don’t think you could put the Lakers in that category. I think it will take more (probably another big name player through a trade or free agency) for Durant to even consider the Lakers.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 9:41am #1033098
Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant25/1 maybe less. They have a decent chance of landing the top pick but convincing Durant will be a tough sell. Durant is in his prime right now and only way I can see him leaving okc is to go to a team he feels can legitimately compete for a championship right now. Even with Simmons and Whiteside (presuming they can get him) I don’t think you could put the Lakers in that category. I think it will take more (probably another big name player through a trade or free agency) for Durant to even consider the Lakers.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 9:57am #1032966
Magic JordanParticipantI would say the odds are about as equal as whiffing on the off season. Unfortunately I would like to say otherwise but I digress.
Losing their pick would probably create a downhill trend. That will really set the tone for the off season. It all kind of starts with that. That will give people an incentive to either come to LA or decline.
Pretty much everything you mentioned though is on my off season wish list as well. Though I’m not totally sold on Whiteside, he will probably be the best option for a team in desperate need of a center.
Simmons, Durant, Walton… While all technically possible, I would place the odds quite low.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 9:57am #1033101
Magic JordanParticipantI would say the odds are about as equal as whiffing on the off season. Unfortunately I would like to say otherwise but I digress.
Losing their pick would probably create a downhill trend. That will really set the tone for the off season. It all kind of starts with that. That will give people an incentive to either come to LA or decline.
Pretty much everything you mentioned though is on my off season wish list as well. Though I’m not totally sold on Whiteside, he will probably be the best option for a team in desperate need of a center.
Simmons, Durant, Walton… While all technically possible, I would place the odds quite low.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 9:59am #1032968
SteezGawdParticipantI’m a huge Lakers and Pelicans fan, I would hope that the Lakers actually get the #1 pick and grab Ben Simmons and grab a nice wing defender who could shoot the 3 and a whiteside(esque center since P. Riley rarely looses players he likes or deems valuable not named LBJ, like ezeli whose athletic and who actually expects to be thrown and could catch those lobs that D. Russell and B.S. two amazing playmakers would be throwing for showtime that’d be an amazing offseason, we put clarkson and randle on the bench and now we have the makings of a deep, young athletic team with potential and the ability to play multiple positions. But if not how awesome would it be if my hometown Pelicans get Ben S. and with the Warriors previous offensive coordinator (Gentry) at the helm letting Ben Magic Johnson Simmons play point 4, putting A.D. at the 5 running pick n roll with a healthy jrue and a corner 3 and d specialist or two, that could be incredible and exactly what NBA 2K dreams are made of. (Just kidding about the Magic Johnson stuff, don’t neg me)
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 9:59am #1032970
thetruth87ParticipantI’d say way less than 25/1. I’d say slim to none. I’d say there is a better chance of having a disaster offseason (having their pick go to Philly and signing no one) than having this perfect offseason. I can’t see Durant going to the Lakers with all their questionmarks. They may be able to get Whiteside and Walton though. That coupled with Ingram or Brown would be a very solid offseason. Heck ridding themselvles of Byron Scott, and hiring a coach who actually has a desire to develop Russell, Randle and Clarkson would be a solid offseason in my books.
As a Knicks fan I know all too well that you can’t lay all your hope on having the "perfect" offseason and vault right back into contention. As this past offseason proved players in free agency seem to care less about playing in a big markert like NY or LA, and more about their fit on the team and their chances of winning.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 9:59am #1033102
SteezGawdParticipantI’m a huge Lakers and Pelicans fan, I would hope that the Lakers actually get the #1 pick and grab Ben Simmons and grab a nice wing defender who could shoot the 3 and a whiteside(esque center since P. Riley rarely looses players he likes or deems valuable not named LBJ, like ezeli whose athletic and who actually expects to be thrown and could catch those lobs that D. Russell and B.S. two amazing playmakers would be throwing for showtime that’d be an amazing offseason, we put clarkson and randle on the bench and now we have the makings of a deep, young athletic team with potential and the ability to play multiple positions. But if not how awesome would it be if my hometown Pelicans get Ben S. and with the Warriors previous offensive coordinator (Gentry) at the helm letting Ben Magic Johnson Simmons play point 4, putting A.D. at the 5 running pick n roll with a healthy jrue and a corner 3 and d specialist or two, that could be incredible and exactly what NBA 2K dreams are made of. (Just kidding about the Magic Johnson stuff, don’t neg me)
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 9:59am #1033104
thetruth87ParticipantI’d say way less than 25/1. I’d say slim to none. I’d say there is a better chance of having a disaster offseason (having their pick go to Philly and signing no one) than having this perfect offseason. I can’t see Durant going to the Lakers with all their questionmarks. They may be able to get Whiteside and Walton though. That coupled with Ingram or Brown would be a very solid offseason. Heck ridding themselvles of Byron Scott, and hiring a coach who actually has a desire to develop Russell, Randle and Clarkson would be a solid offseason in my books.
As a Knicks fan I know all too well that you can’t lay all your hope on having the "perfect" offseason and vault right back into contention. As this past offseason proved players in free agency seem to care less about playing in a big markert like NY or LA, and more about their fit on the team and their chances of winning.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 10:06am #1032972
Hype MachineId say the chances of getting Simmons are 52%
20% they win the lottery through luck
30% the league rigs it
2% they get 2nd or 3rd pick and trade up, or he falls.
The chances of getting Durant is 1%
70% chance he signs an extra 1 year before his new max
5% chance he signs a max with OKC
24% Chance he signs with a contender or the Wizards
1% chance he signs for the non contending Lakers
There is a 75% chance of signing Luke Walton for a lot of money
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 10:06am #1033106
Hype MachineId say the chances of getting Simmons are 52%
20% they win the lottery through luck
30% the league rigs it
2% they get 2nd or 3rd pick and trade up, or he falls.
The chances of getting Durant is 1%
70% chance he signs an extra 1 year before his new max
5% chance he signs a max with OKC
24% Chance he signs with a contender or the Wizards
1% chance he signs for the non contending Lakers
There is a 75% chance of signing Luke Walton for a lot of money
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 11:55am #1032986
Robb_CParticipantI have a feeling they will get the first pick in the draft, as far as them landing bigname free agents right now its doubtful.. They need to get rid of Byron Scott and start creating a new bench and team identity with mid level type contracts ala like Phil Jackson did with the Knicks.. This will allow Simmons or Jamal Murray to Develop with a decent supporting cast.. Once the Lakers show theyre growing it would make it easier to plug in a big name free agent to take them over the hump, right now its pointless though.. A strong Bench would do wonders for the Lakers right now oppose to a star FA.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 11:55am #1033121
Robb_CParticipantI have a feeling they will get the first pick in the draft, as far as them landing bigname free agents right now its doubtful.. They need to get rid of Byron Scott and start creating a new bench and team identity with mid level type contracts ala like Phil Jackson did with the Knicks.. This will allow Simmons or Jamal Murray to Develop with a decent supporting cast.. Once the Lakers show theyre growing it would make it easier to plug in a big name free agent to take them over the hump, right now its pointless though.. A strong Bench would do wonders for the Lakers right now oppose to a star FA.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 12:13pm #1032994
Magic JordanParticipantThe most important thing for the Lakers this off season, which is unfortunate because it’s like the 3rd off season in a row that they will have to prevent themselves from spending on middling free agents and overpaying them. Much like Carmelo when he was a FA, I have a terrible hunch that they do something stupid like offer Demar Derozan a max or something ridiculous like that. Essentially fighting the urge.
They should be targeting true game changing players ala Kevin Durant, Al Horford… I guess you can throw Whiteside in here.
If they strike out on all the top tier free agents. Then they should target positional depth with players like Kent Bazemore and Meyers Leonard. Good backups, or on a sorry team such as the Lakers poor starters. There are plenty of these players this off season.
Batum, Ryan Anderson are guys that you want on your team, but will probably end up being in the Derozan "getting overpaid because there is so much money floating around" category. Both would make the Lakers significantly better (not a tough task), but at what expense will be the key question.
The loud Laker fans will make a ton of noise if they strike out again. I think they just need to stay the course, try to properly assemble a team without taking any short cuts that aren’t named Kevin Durant.
A new coach with any sort of a brain will be a huge step forward. You can’t really put into words how awful of a coach B Scott is. In every aspect, X’s and O’s. Offense, defense, rotations, in game adjustments, and throwing his players under the bus routinely after every game. I firmly believe that he would be the last ranked coach in everyone of those categories.
No matter what happens, meaning if we get KD, Horford, new coach, etc. The Lakers will not be a top 5 team next year. I am quite confident in saying that. They need to take baby steps what about bob style. Put a system in place, target players to fit your system. Get rid of the toxic culture that surrounds the team now.
The list is just so long now that I think about it. And oddly enough, as much as I think the players they pursue in free agency matter, I don’t think they matter as much as the culture/system fixes that I mentioned above.
0- Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 5:14pm #1033060
daggers818ParticipantI share the same fear of the Lakers showing impatience and locking up salary on players who ultimately won’t move the needle for them. I pray for a Simmons/Durant offseason, but realistically those odds are very slim.
If they strike out on the big names, I wholeheartedly agree they should stay the course and just develop the kids and find guys who play with heart.
The culture fix will be hard as it seems to stem from the top down and is always the hardest thing to change in any organization. Winning will help — a lot.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 5:14pm #1033195
daggers818ParticipantI share the same fear of the Lakers showing impatience and locking up salary on players who ultimately won’t move the needle for them. I pray for a Simmons/Durant offseason, but realistically those odds are very slim.
If they strike out on the big names, I wholeheartedly agree they should stay the course and just develop the kids and find guys who play with heart.
The culture fix will be hard as it seems to stem from the top down and is always the hardest thing to change in any organization. Winning will help — a lot.
0
- Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 12:13pm #1033129
Magic JordanParticipantThe most important thing for the Lakers this off season, which is unfortunate because it’s like the 3rd off season in a row that they will have to prevent themselves from spending on middling free agents and overpaying them. Much like Carmelo when he was a FA, I have a terrible hunch that they do something stupid like offer Demar Derozan a max or something ridiculous like that. Essentially fighting the urge.
They should be targeting true game changing players ala Kevin Durant, Al Horford… I guess you can throw Whiteside in here.
If they strike out on all the top tier free agents. Then they should target positional depth with players like Kent Bazemore and Meyers Leonard. Good backups, or on a sorry team such as the Lakers poor starters. There are plenty of these players this off season.
Batum, Ryan Anderson are guys that you want on your team, but will probably end up being in the Derozan "getting overpaid because there is so much money floating around" category. Both would make the Lakers significantly better (not a tough task), but at what expense will be the key question.
The loud Laker fans will make a ton of noise if they strike out again. I think they just need to stay the course, try to properly assemble a team without taking any short cuts that aren’t named Kevin Durant.
A new coach with any sort of a brain will be a huge step forward. You can’t really put into words how awful of a coach B Scott is. In every aspect, X’s and O’s. Offense, defense, rotations, in game adjustments, and throwing his players under the bus routinely after every game. I firmly believe that he would be the last ranked coach in everyone of those categories.
No matter what happens, meaning if we get KD, Horford, new coach, etc. The Lakers will not be a top 5 team next year. I am quite confident in saying that. They need to take baby steps what about bob style. Put a system in place, target players to fit your system. Get rid of the toxic culture that surrounds the team now.
The list is just so long now that I think about it. And oddly enough, as much as I think the players they pursue in free agency matter, I don’t think they matter as much as the culture/system fixes that I mentioned above.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 1:12pm #1033018
river09ParticipantA perfect Lakers off season for me would probably be an off season where I don’t have to listen to their fans speculate that every single free agent and to be draftee will inevitably sign or be drafted by the Lakers.
So from my point of view.
Unlikely.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 1:12pm #1033153
river09ParticipantA perfect Lakers off season for me would probably be an off season where I don’t have to listen to their fans speculate that every single free agent and to be draftee will inevitably sign or be drafted by the Lakers.
So from my point of view.
Unlikely.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 7:27pm #1033080
123BballMasterParticipantHonestly the perfect Lakers offseason would just be the lakers keeping their pick first and foremost. If they don’t keep their pick them it’s going to be a LONGGGG offseason and there not gonna have hopes of signing anybody. They don’t even need to win the lottery, just keep their pick. Second they need to get rid of Byron Scott, but that’s self explanatory. I think the Lakers have a real shot at Whiteside more than any free agent. I think he wants to be a somewhat face of the franchise and he’ll have a better shot at that in LA than he would in MIA w/ Dwade and Bosh. It’s not gonna be easy but if the Lakers keep their pick (1,2, or 3) and get Whiteside plus a couple of shooters, and a new coach they would be good.
***A coach that the Lakers should look at is Scoot Brooks. He got a lot of flack in OKC but he has shown to develop young players and they were always consistent championship contenders. He’ll have them playing defense and he’s shown he has the patience to coach a losing team.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 12/22/2015 - 7:27pm #1033215
123BballMasterParticipantHonestly the perfect Lakers offseason would just be the lakers keeping their pick first and foremost. If they don’t keep their pick them it’s going to be a LONGGGG offseason and there not gonna have hopes of signing anybody. They don’t even need to win the lottery, just keep their pick. Second they need to get rid of Byron Scott, but that’s self explanatory. I think the Lakers have a real shot at Whiteside more than any free agent. I think he wants to be a somewhat face of the franchise and he’ll have a better shot at that in LA than he would in MIA w/ Dwade and Bosh. It’s not gonna be easy but if the Lakers keep their pick (1,2, or 3) and get Whiteside plus a couple of shooters, and a new coach they would be good.
***A coach that the Lakers should look at is Scoot Brooks. He got a lot of flack in OKC but he has shown to develop young players and they were always consistent championship contenders. He’ll have them playing defense and he’s shown he has the patience to coach a losing team.
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