**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins

[Lizakers]

Guys, my sources on the inside are saying Pelinka may be announced this week

 

[pmatic]

@ESPNSteinLine The one move widely expected from the Lakers' Magic Johnson-led front office this week is trading Lou Williams. No need for LW when tanking

 

[mr j 858]

Damn, Lakers be bringing the off-court drama like no other 

People getting axed out of the blue mid-season like an episode of Game of Thrones. 

Please the Knicks recent off the court drama with Oakley, they're owner bringing in guys like Sprewell to sit court side at MSG is far worse & more embarrassing drama compared to the house cleaning the Lakers did today

 

[fun guy]

You think my sources would allow me to reveal the Magic announcement? That stuff is top secret when you have an "in" bruh Lol

I kept telling y'all to read between the lines of my comments going back over a month now.

Plus I told you to mark your calendars for Mon and Tue. Of course a curveball had to be thrown.

But keep watching and enjoying the show. There's more to come.

Showtime is back baby! !

 

[pmatic]

Sources: With Magic Johnson in power, Lakers eyeing agent Rob Pelinka to become GM

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/source...agent-rob-pelinka-to-become-gm-204625211.html

 

[VinMillerHearn58]

@ESPNSteinLine The one move widely expected from the Lakers' Magic Johnson-led front office this week is trading Lou Williams. No need for LW when tanking

It just makes sense for both parties. We need picks, and Lou needs to be on a contender.

 

[lovehateself]

But I really want to know, why did John Black get the axe????

Maybe he was the final say on the Boogie trade.

Article listed stated that Jeannie and Mitch weren't even talking and she and Magic had no clue of the boogie offer. John black has been around long enough to talk to her about potential rumors but then again that's the gm's job
Could be cause he didn't inform her
Idk ...I have no sources

 

[tupac003]

You think my sources would allow me to reveal the Magic announcement? That stuff is top secret when you have an "in" bruh Lol

I kept telling y'all to read between the lines of my comments going back over a month now.

Plus I told you to mark your calendars for Mon and Tue. Of course a curveball had to be thrown.

But keep watching and enjoying the show. There's more to come.

Showtime is back baby! !

View media item 2341787

 

[mrdieselfuel09]

JC, Randle, and Black for PG13

Lou for picks.

 

[whiplashtw03]

All I know is Whip claims to have all of the sources...how did he not have the inside on this?

Oh best believe I have THE source. That's why I told y'all to mark your calendars.

I threw the curve because y'all weren't supposed to know the deal beforehand but I gave the hints something was going down on Monday or Tuesday, which will be the precursor to the big things that will follow moving forward.

 

[denni5themenace]

JC randle and the first we get from lou for butler/PG13

do it mitch rob

 

[pmatic]

Magic Johnson can fix the Lakers in three not-so-easy steps

So Magic Johnson is the new president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers, who ousted former VP of basketball operations Jim Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak from their roles in the team's front office in a housecleaning Tuesday. Now what?


As we recently explored, the Lakers' young talent hasn't proved it has star potential so far, leaving the team in need of an anchor to compete in the Western Conference.

What moves can the Lakers make under Johnson's leadership to improve their chances of returning to the heights they reached with Magic at point guard?

1. Sell off guards at the trade deadline

Without a GM, the Lakers will need a committee made up of Johnson, assistant GM Ryan West, Joey Buss, Jesse Buss and perhaps others to get through Thursday's trade deadline.

Johnson admitted shortly after rejoining the organization in what was then an advisory position that he was studying the NBA's collective bargaining agreement to understand how it works. Having Johnson negotiate against experienced GMs would be unfair to him and the Lakers.

Still, there are moves to be made. Any value the Lakers can get for shooting guard Nick Young, who can opt to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, would be a win -- particularly given the expectation entering the season that Young would be waived.

The Lou Williams situation is a bit trickier. There's less urgency to move Williams, who has one more year at the bargain price of $7 million remaining on his contract. If the Lakers can get a protected first-round pick for Williams, who doesn't figure to be part of their long-term future, they should certainly take it.

I'd consider moving Williams for a high second-round pick if that's the best offer, since such a trade would create a modest a mount of cap space. It would also help with the Lakers' biggest priority the remainder of the season.

Now, about that ...

2. Maximize chances of keeping 2017 and 2019 draft picks

This year's draft lottery will be crucial to the Lakers' future. To recap, if the Lakers' pick comes up in the top three, they keep it -- and also keep their 2019 first-round pick, which would otherwise go to the Orlando Magic unprotected. If the Lakers don't win a lottery spot (top three, that is), their pick goes to the Philadelphia 76ers and their 2018 first-rounder would be the only one they hold in the next three drafts. Ouch.

Because the Lakers have to come up in the top three, there's no way they can guarantee keeping their pick. And the Brooklyn Nets, who have 10 fewer wins, have effectively clinched the top spot entering the lottery on behalf of the rival Boston Celtics. Even if the Lakers lose every game remaining on their schedule, it'd doubtful the Nets get to the 19 wins the Lakers already have.

What the Lakers can control is whether they finish with the league's second-worst record. They are currently a half-game ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who are 29th. Both teams have 39 losses. The Lakers ought to do anything it takes to finish with a worse record than the Suns. A-nay-thing.

Yes, organizational culture and winning habits are important. But don't forget that no team in recent memory tanked more shamelessly to keep a protected pick than the 2011-12 Golden State Warriors. Three years later, the Warriors won the championship with 2012 lottery pick Harrison Barnes as a starter.

3. Spend long-term money only on stars

When I last wrote about the Lakers' future, the organization was still clinging to the idea that Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov were helping the team win now. Though Deng and Mozgov might be helping in the locker room, the veterans have been ineffective on the court and the Lakers have gone 2-3 since replacing them in the starting lineup with Ingram and Tarik Black.

With three years remaining at an average of $18 million (Deng) and $16 million (Mozgov), respectively, those contracts will likely limit the Lakers' cap space for at least this summer. Depending whether they trade Williams and keep their pick, the Lakers may not have cap space to make a maximum offer without sacrificing a useful player.

Moving Deng and Mozgov would surely require giving up future first-round picks. So Johnson probably can't do anything about last summer's mistakes. He can avoid repeating them.

If the Lakers identify good values, like Williams was in the summer of 2015, it's fine to spend some cap space that way while keeping the team competitive. Otherwise, the Lakers should avoid giving long-term contracts to non-star free agents so as to keep their powder dry when and if a superstar does hit the market.

The Cousins trade makes it more likely that he'll be a free agent in the summer of 2018. We'll see if the Lakers are interested in taking the risk on Cousins' personality to add his immense talent if it doesn't mean giving up any player in return. Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, a native of the L.A. area, could also be an unrestricted free agent that summer provided he doesn't make an All-NBA team this season and become eligible to sign a designated veteran contract with the Indiana Pacers.

Of course, those specific stars may end up re-signing with their current teams or going elsewhere. The Lakers' young players also need to continue developing to convince stars that they have a realistic chance of winning in L.A. But the Lakers can't sign a star player unless they have the cap space to do so, and maintaining that flexibility is paramount to their future. It's certainly not worth sacrificing for role players.

Such mistakes got Buss and Kupchak pushed aside. Now it's up to Johnson to chart a better course for the Lakers.

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/18734022/next-magic-johnson-los-angeles-lakers-nba

 

[EddieDoyers]

Just don't act surprised if Magic and Mitch decide to blow this whole thing up on Monday and ship D'Angela, Julia, and TinaFey outta town via overnight mail.

Man stop lying

 

[pmatic]

I am not trading anything for Paul George. He's been venting the past week about the Pacers and it doesn't appear likely he'll get an All-NBA nod this year. He could for the taking next summer if the dominoes fall correctly.

Jimmy Butler is not a seamless fit for what Puke wants. But he's really good and locked up for a couple more years. So I could understand trading for him, just not now. Maybe at the draft if the Lakers are lucky enough to keep their pick.

 

[MVP]

But whip said we weren't tanking!

 

[Los Angeles]

not trading lou for a 2nd round pick esp at that salary.

 

[Lizakers]

Oh best believe I have THE source. That's why I told y'all to mark your calendars.

I threw the curve because y'all weren't supposed to know the deal beforehand but I gave the hints something was going down on Monday or Tuesday, which will be the precursor to the big things that will follow moving forward.

Why would your source care about what 20 dudes on NT see? Lol

 

[MVP]

not trading lou for a 2nd round pick esp at that salary.

It's a 1st rounder

 

[lovehateself]

not trading lou for a 2nd round pick esp at that salary.

It's a 1st rounder

If showtime bring back mean Byron is back, then no

Trading Lou frees up 7mil

White Gordon Hayward, come on down
Especially if Boston acquires PG or jimmy

 

[tupac003]

Shoot why don't we flip Lou to Indy for a 1st and flip Nick to Washington for a 1st?

I'm being greedy! LOL

 

[fun guy]

No one giving up a 1st rounder for swaggy

 

[mrdieselfuel09]

Shoot why don't we flip Lou to Indy for a 1st and flip Nick to Washington for a 1st?

I'm being greedy! LOL

I like that.

 

[whiplashtw03]

You think my sources would allow me to reveal the Magic announcement? That stuff is top secret when you have an "in" bruh Lol

I kept telling y'all to read between the lines of my comments going back over a month now.

Plus I told you to mark your calendars for Mon and Tue. Of course a curveball had to be thrown.

But keep watching and enjoying the show. There's more to come.

Showtime is back baby! !

I don't even have sources and called this week's go.

And Jeanie & Magic specifically said this is not the case. Think it's free to say you're nothing but a

You and the rest of y'all make me laugh at how frustrated you guys get because you all damn well know my tune hasn't changed nor wavered from day one.

And now that everything is coming to fruition, you guys are beginning to see that tanking is not in their plans. We will go after Stars and we will trade for/sign stars. Period

So you still believe we tanking with Magic on board? Lol

 

[tupac003]

No one giving up a 1st rounder for swaggy

They both need scoring...both willing to give up a 1...

 

[fun guy]

They both need scoring...both willing to give up a 1...

I hope I'm wrong