[:: LAKERS 2014 THREAD | POLL: Who Should Coach Next Year? ::]

[grandtheftbike]

wow, that troll face looks like hes 150 years old

 

[CHAOSE57]

wow, that troll face looks like hes 150 years old

:x

 

[had pants]

Looking forward to see Lawson against Blake/Farmar

 

[CP1708]

I don't mean you at all Ska.

That was for everyone. P has the skill to type 6 words to get his point across.

I need slightly more than 6.

 

[CP1708]

Wait, you meant that crappy Kobe-TMac joke?

Naw, that don't bother me none.

 

[onlyXXVIII]

Was at the game last night and the entire building exploded with that Xavier dunk. Seeing it live was pretty amazing, when he went up for it, I was like g'damn it, X, you trying too much. I almost thought he wasn't gonna be able to finish cause he looked so far from the rim. But he brought it down hard and I had the :x face in that order.

 

[essential1]

CP you're still not living in a reality world..

They are not tanking... If they were trying to tank, or even remotely look like one of the ten worst teams in the league... Then there might be something there... But since they are not.. Everything you typed was pointless.

So please save the smugness.

 

[kal-el-8]

CP you're still not living in a reality world..

They are not tanking... If they were trying to tank, then there might be something there... But since they are not.. Everything you typed was pointless.

So please save the smugness.

you know thats absolutely impossible right? 

 

[freeze]

I'm forever anti tank. I can't stand watching these guys lose. Try until you die. Winners don't quit as part of a strategy. Winners strategize better, use the pieces they have and do what they can with that. Quitting is never an option. Go down swinging.

 

[kookcle]

Been workin in my head why this Draft Pick is more important than the anti tankers want to admit. Hopefully, this will shed some light and not anger anyone. (gonna be long tho....... )

I get what youre saying but a top 5 or top 10 pick wont really help since our franchise player is still here.

Kobe wont have the patience since his window is closing quickly and it will only impede the development of that young player.

For the next couple of years i see the team building around Kobe for one last push....then rebuild after that.

As for this deep draft, we can always wait for their rookie contract to end and sign them which would make more sense ....Kobe's retired ...a 23yr old from this draft comes in and takes over along with a star FA signee.

That way whoever that kid is can start his own dynasty in Purple and Gold.

Let the Kobe chapter end on a high note he deserves it.

 

[CP1708]

CP you're still not living in a reality world..


So please save the smugness.

Irony.

a top 5 or top 10 pick wont really help since our franchise player is still here.

36 year old of an achilles tear is who you plan to build with the next 3-4 years? It hasn't worked the last 4 years, but it will the next 4?

Do you realize that would effectively mean we'd spent 7-8 years trying to win just one more for Kobe, rather than building the team correctly, and properly?

Why would you want to do that? Why would you be in favor of that?

We gave that last great chance last year with the Nash/Dwight moves. They didn't work, Dwight left, Nash died, and Kobe tore his achilles. At that point, stop.

Time to regroup, and do it right. We have the money, the cap space, the history and destination. Get the 19 year old and get started, don't start with a 36 year old entering his 18th year.


This is like rebuilding around Kareem in 1985 folks. Without Magic, without Worthy, without Scott, Riley, etc. Just Kareem.

Surely you guys see that. Right?

 

[had pants]

Yep, essentially we got a taste of what I think Mitch and Co. have been planning along; go all in for one more chip with Kobe at the nucleus. There's no doubt or question he's resolute and unswerving when it comes to winning chips. At the same time however, we have to prepare for the future and with these draft picks and what we can get they could be a hit or miss. Basically we're in kind of a pickle here whether we're tanking or not tanking.

 

[00david00]

who can we build around kobe with? we have no valuable trade pieces except an expiring pau. We will have cap space but who's coming this offseason? We'll prolly have to wait until the next group of FAs and that's another year on kobe anyway

 

[CP1708]

And Kookle, by no means am I saying toss Kobe out a window. Just that we can't center our plans around him any longer. Same as Shaq in 04.

The Spurs don't make a run last year because of Duncan, he's just a piece. Parker is the engine, and Kawhi the new legs. Manu and Green do their roles, as do Splitter, Diaw, etc. And Pop runs it all.

We don't have a Manu, Parker, or Kawhi. (or a Pop for you non Mike guys)

The Pacers in 04 were led by Artest, O'Neal, Jackson, the young breed, and Reggie was just there, as the face of the team, but no longer their best player. That has to be Kobe's role in 2014, 15, 16. He can finish out his 20, he can be the voice, the "face" of the Lakers, but the new blood has to run the games. If it's Kobe, we're already dead and don't know it yet. Rebuild NOW, not in 4 more wasted years.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Please keep in mind it's not like the Lakers can just wait to fall apart until they have no choice. They don't have that luxury of having their own draft pick every year; they traded it away for Steve Nash and Ramon Sessions.

It's not as simple as them trying to make a run at a 6th seed this year just because they have Kobe and Nash, and then tanking next year.

They can try to stop the wheels from falling off this year, but they'll fall off eventually; why delay it until a year they won't have a draft pick as a reward?

And the team needs the draft. Every team does. Even Mitch can't rely on trades and free agency to build a full nine-man rotation from scratch. They need the draft to add some rotation players - a star (ideally), a role player who can be a key player when the team is rebuilt, or an asset to trade.

 

[CP1708]

One last item.

As for this deep draft, we can always wait for their rookie contract to end and sign them which would make more sense ....Kobe's retired ...a 23yr old from this draft comes in and takes over along with a star FA signee.

This can't happen anymore in today's CBA.

No team is going to let a worthwhile rookie walk after their rookie contract. They will have provisions that keep said rookie in their "control" thru restricted free agency and the like. They can extend before their deals run out, etc etc, like you just saw with Steph, like the reason the Thunder moved Harden, yet extended Durant, Russ, Ibaka, and so on.

We can't just outright sign a 23 year old unless he's a throwaway, Thomas Robinson, Beasley, Xavier, etc. Wiggins, Parker, Randle, those guys won't be included. (unless complete chaos happens)

Even Eric Bledsoe is a RFA. I don't include him as an elite guy like what this class could produce.

Bron, Melo, Bosh, they all waited their 7 years (after 2nd contract) before leaving. Well, not Melo, he forced his trade, but he still waited 7 years for that.

 

[noblekane]

Kobe will put us around .500 or better. .

Not if there are chemistry problems [emoji]128513[/emoji]

 

[noblekane]

I'm forever anti tank. I can't stand watching these guys lose. Try until you die. Winners don't quit as part of a strategy. Winners strategize better, use the pieces they have and do what they can with that. Quitting is never an option. Go down swinging.

Just look at it like this. The nba is on strike this year. So the team is full of replacement players that will not be back next year.

 

[kookcle]

a top 5 or top 10 pick wont really help since our franchise player is still here.

36 year old of an achilles tear is who you plan to build with the next 3-4 years? It hasn't worked the last 4 years, but it will the next 4?

Do you realize that would effectively mean we'd spent 7-8 years trying to win just one more for Kobe, rather than building the team correctly, and properly?

Why would you want to do that? Why would you be in favor of that?

We gave that last great chance last year with the Nash/Dwight moves. They didn't work, Dwight left,Nash died, and Kobe tore his achilles. At that point, stop.

Time to regroup, and do it right. We have the money, the cap space, the history and destination. Get the 19 year old and get started, don't start with a 36 year old entering his 18th year.


This is like rebuilding around Kareem in 1985 folks. Without Magic, without Worthy, without Scott, Riley, etc. Just Kareem.


Surely you guys see that. Right?

Not just Kobe winning his 6th but that Celtic record too so theres that.

Im not saying NO to start rebuilding now i think it will be great ...All im saying is that the Buss Family is very loyal to him and as long as Kobe is still playing management will always build to win NOW.
They owe him after the roster they surrounded him in his PRIME years.

Theyll search for that next great LAkER when the time comes...right now we still have him.


Plus i dont see this team in the lottery anyways since the bench is great and the starters just need that spark.

We gave that last great chance last year with the Nash/Dwight moves. They didn't work, Dwight left,Nash died, and Kobe tore his achilles. At that point, stop.

One last item.

As for this deep draft, we can always wait for their rookie contract to end and sign them which would make more sense ....Kobe's retired ...a 23yr old from this draft comes in and takes over along with a star FA signee.

This can't happen anymore in today's CBA.

No team is going to let a worthwhile rookie walk after their rookie contract. They will have provisions that keep said rookie in their "control" thru restricted free agency and the like. They can extend before their deals run out, etc etc, like you just saw with Steph, like the reason the Thunder moved Harden, yet extended Durant, Russ, Ibaka, and so on.

We can't just outright sign a 23 year old unless he's a throwaway, Thomas Robinson, Beasley, Xavier, etc. Wiggins, Parker, Randle, those guys won't be included. (unless complete chaos happens)

Even Eric Bledsoe is a RFA. I don't include him as an elite guy like what this class could produce.

Bron, Melo, Bosh, they all waited their 7 years (after 2nd contract) before leaving. Well, not Melo, he forced his trade, but he still waited 7 years for that.

Yeah I agree it will be tough to land a star FA but do you see Wiggins or Parker fnishing their career in Utah?

 

[senorroboto2k5]

I'm forever anti tank. I can't stand watching these guys lose. Try until you die. Winners don't quit as part of a strategy. Winners strategize better, use the pieces they have and do what they can with that. Quitting is never an option. Go down swinging.

Just look at it like this. The nba is on strike this year. So the team is full of replacement players that will not be back next year.

I think the Lakers need to position themselves to nab the next James Harden - the fringe potential star who they don't or aren't able to pay. One situation to keep an eye on is Klay and Harrison in GS - it's looking like they can only pay one of them, and chances are they'll look to get some sort of return on the other like OKC did. But the Lakers need to get some assets or solid players to trade if a situation like that comes up.

Or maybe another Pau situation comes up.

But the Lakers need some assets, and that's done through the draft. Sure the team will have cap space, but that can only go so far thanks to RFA.

 

[CP1708]

do you see Wiggins or Parker fnishing their career in Utah

Always depends on the kid, you know that. Karl Malone don't fit in no Utah, and he stayed their 18 years. Ya just never know.

Do I EXPECT one of them to stay in Utah? Course not. But I do know they won't be out in 4 years. Easy to say, not easy to pass on the contract they can offer after year 4, vs other squads. Not to mention Utah being able to match any offer you try to slip by.

And Utah's "core" of kids is nice right now, Wiggins or Parker could be the piece that really sets them off and they become a OKC type come up.


I know full well we can pull free agents. I never fear that. But even pulling 2 27 year olds only buys us a couple seasons. Look at the Heat. They barely in year 4, and Wade BEEN breakin down for 2 years now.


We need our own 19 year old, 15+ year career type like Magic and Kobe. (Magic would have been 15+, etc) Then you supplement that kid with the big splashy free agent or three. Not that I'm greedy, just....I'm greedy.

 

[CP1708]

One situation to keep an eye on is Klay and Harrison in GS

My God I wanted Dwight to pick GS. We could have had BOTH of those guys.

 

[sea manup]

Mike Trudell  ‏@LakersReporter2m

Brian Shaw said he uses @kobebryant stories to motivate players "all the time." Often about work ethic

hopefully kobe unintentionally helps us tank

 

[darthska]

^ The stories usually start along the lines of "This one time, Kobe was busting my ***"

 

[kingjaffejo]

OR we can actually be realistic here people

Look Mitch & Jim seeing the light and Kobe taking the whole year off for us to go in full tank mode for us to nab the #1 or #2 pick in the draft sounds good n all
BUuuuuut unfortunately thats not happening in our reality, I'm sorry I no it sucks but hey thats life.

What would be more use of productive energy would be to see what our best options to choose from with picks 13-20
seeing as thats more likely where we are going to land....I mean if we do happen to do a tad bit worse then projected then we MAYBE will
get between picks 10-12 and thats a huge IF.....

We should spend our energy searching the best prospect through those ranges rather than lottery cuz folks the Lakers FO & Kobe wont let
tanking happen, I wish they would but they wont....we should try and find our next Ginobili or Tony Parker or Rondo or Nash, etc.
You guys do realize that Kobe himself was drafted 13th so sometimes its not all about picks 1-10