LAKERS LAKERS Thread

You sound like the folks who where pissed when we trade Divac for a draft pick.
Clarksons are a dime a dozen. Really.
Lou Williams is a degree or two better than him.
In this new NBA it is much easier for short combo guards to flourish due to the lack physicality/perimeter defense allowed.
They can be easily found and will get cheaper and cheaper as this mode continues to run its course.
Josh Hart is already a better option due to his superior defense, and ability to rebound like a forward and push the ball up the court.
And he can shoot at a nice clip too.

IT was fifth in MVP voting a short time ago, ahead of Steph Curry. While he has defensive limitations due to folks being able to shoot over him, he more than makes up for it in his ability to take over games in a Westrbook like fashion. He has killer instinct which we know a team like ours needs. His injury is of the type that can heal and bring the player back to normal. The Cavs dont have that luxury, Lakers do.

Nance is a nice fan favorite type player. Like Louis Amundson. But not much to shed tears over.

You cannot go forward without cutting off the past. The Lakers are trying to upgrade their decent players with great players.
It puzzles me that you would rather the Lakers strive to be an 8th seed instead of take risks to do what they have always done when they find the right moment to strike.

And please, if the Kupchak/Jimbo era has made you a cynic... its time to look up young man, it gets better soon.

 

The Lakers dont write the story.
The guy that wrote that story didnt write the headline.
Writers never write the headline.
They have people set up to write headlines of every story you read in the paper and the internet.
The writer who has researched the story rarely if ever gets to write the headline of the story.
That is why reading headlines produces undue bias to the story you are about to read.
And many just read the headline and skip most of the story having already satisfied what they were looking for.

 

It still has tons of potential even if we dont win the FA lottery.
We traded away 2 second rounders who have never been able to crack our rebuilding lottery lakers. Bench players. Nice players but bench role players.
IT is a little baby mamba. Thats why he can come in as a new player coming off injury and have the manhood to challenge the non hustling softass cavs.
IT is not a cancer. Cleveland has autoimmune disease so his dose of real affected them like cancer.
But this the Lakers and we got magic blood that is so strong and immune even the HIVs has to check itself.
IT gonna be huge for this squad.
He gonna put some stank onto Lonzos game.
Great mentor for him.
And PG gonna want to come play with him.
Isaiah Thomas gonna come and nuke the opposition like his namesakes old teammate the microwave.

So who cares about 2 second round bench players?
Even if they turn into marc gasols it wont matter when you start conting rings and parades.

We stealthlike got a dude who nearly stole the mvp and willled Boston with his heart. Dude nearly averaged 30ppg.
I wouldnt put it past Lebron to have sent IT to the Lakers to pave the way for his arrival.
All the trades being a way to not leave the Cavs bare. Rodney Hood was a real nice get for the future.

What was in it for Lebron to trade away Wade for nothing? Wade was actually contributing. He sent his buddy to get his farewell tour back home in Miami.
What about Rose. Rose got sent to a real good team to play for the coach that brings the best outta him. His ex bull coach from when he was an mvp caliber player.
And he sent IT to his dreamjob playing for the lakers.
Lebron being everyones santa this deadline.

But forget LeBron.
He can stay home if he wants.

IMO Magic and Luke will get these guys to be a program. And folks will take a little less money to get with the program.

Who is coming to join IT next year. Because u know that on this young team IT will take the leadership mantle and nobody will able to challenge him. His will is too strong.
I know the type.

 

I been on a natural Laker high all afternoon!

PG: Thomas, Lonzo
SG: George, Hart
SF: Iguodala, Ingram
PF: Randle, Kuzma
C : Cousins, Bryant

Veterans to start with the young guys filling in off the bench.

 

Its win win for the Lakers. If IT gets healthy and plays like he used to, then the Lakers stole an all-star and a first round pick for two role players. If not, then it's salary cap relief and they still get the 1st rounder.

Lou Williams just signed for $8M/year and he's way better than Clarkson. Can get someone else that's just as good or better than JC for way less money any time.

Hurts to lose Nance though. He did lots of little things that didn't show up in the stat sheet but made the team better.

 

Agent says Thomas won’t come the bench, Magic calls Ball the starting PG
by Dan Feldman | NBC Sports — 4 hours ago

Just last season, Isaiah Thomas finished fifth in MVP voting. You could hear the beeping as his Brinks truck backed up.

Yesterday, the Cavaliers traded him – seemingly more as an expiring contract than basketball player – to the Lakers, a team that already has a franchise point guard in Lonzo Ball.

Rachel Nichols on ESPN:
I’ve been texting with Isaiah Thomas’ agent, and he says in capital letters: “HE IS NOT COMING OFF THE BENCH.” The idea is that they would a buyout, maybe, before they did something like that.

Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN:
Johnson and Pelinka made it clear that Thomas will play for the Lakers and that management can see him mentoring and playing alongside rookie point guard Lonzo Ball. Johnson said Ball remains the team’s starting point guard but that the Lakers need someone to fill the role while Ball is out with a sprained MCL.

“We talked to him. He’s so excited,” Johnson said of Thomas. “He said his father was born and raised in Inglewood so he’s really excited, and also right now Zo’s hurt. We need a point guard. So especially with that type of experience and the fact that he can score the basketball and pass it, we want to get him in here fast. We told him that. … We need somebody to come in there and lead our troops. It’s not about starting, it’s about how many minutes you get,” Johnson added. “He’s going to get a lot of minutes.”​

Thomas’ agent, Aaron Goodwin, via Sam Amick of USA Today:
Once he spoke to (Lakers president of basketball operations) Magic (Johnson) and (general manager) Rob (Pelinka), he was ecstatic about the opportunity. It’s clear that he’ll get a chance to play, and play up-tempo like he has played throughout his career. And that’s all we can ask for. That was our biggest concern.​

This situation takes care of itself while Ball is still sidelined. After that? It’s unclear exactly where Thomas falls between just being initially upset about the trade then calming down and holding a sustaining, complete opposition to coming off the bench.

Thomas and Ball can play together in that Ball is tall enough to defend multiple positions (though not necessarily well at this stage of his career) and Thomas can’t defend anyone. Offensively, there’s probably too much overlap between the primary ball-handlers, though Ball cuts well off the ball.

Starting is often about pride, and Thomas has plenty. Even with significant playing time, he might balk at a reserve role. And when Thomas is unhappy, he’s not one to stay silent.

Thomas is running out of time to prove himself before free agency. He was dreadful in Cleveland as he returned from a hip injury, and the Lakers’ season will end months before the Cavs’. A big payday, already, an uphill battle battle, became even more unlikely with yesterday’s trade.

In the end, Thomas will probably do what the Lakers ask. What choice does he have? He’s due just $2,193,257 the rest of the season. Even if he volunteered to relinquish all that, is it enough for the Lakers to accept a buyout?

Thomas worked his tail off to become a star while still locked into a relatively low-paying contract, played through injury then got traded twice – now to a team with a point guard it already believes in. I empathize with him.

But, at this point, his best way to maximize future earnings is playing well whatever role the Lakers give him.