2014 NBA Free Agency and Draft

[tussin]

I don't know how many different ways I can explain this to you... THEY HAVE OVER $28M IN CAP SPACE.

There isn't a free agent available that they don't have the money to pay right now. They are significantly below the cap. That's why they are fine with signing guys like Lin. It doesn't matter that they are paying their guards over $34M a year, because they still have $28M to spend. Sheesh...

Lakers have $28M in cap space but Kobe's contract still makes them an unappealing destination basketball wise.

It is a generally accepted fact that you need three elite players to win a championship (or two STUDS with a super supporting cast). Lakers can afford 1 max player and one solid supporting player. No star is going to decide his best chance is to join up with a 35 year old Kobe coming off an Achilies and knee issues. It's just not happening.

 

[SoIll]

The Lakers missed this summer. Shit Happens. They will have so much cap space next summer, and the 2015 free agent class is stupid good. The lakers don't rebuild, they buy. They've been good for so long, its hard to watch, but they'll never been down long. Garentee that

 

[ACamp1900]

I don't know ... Argentina was given second best odds of winning the World Cup pre-tourney, right? What would they have been without Messi?

They are normally among the favorites... they still would have made the knockouts fairly easily like they always do??

 

[NDdomer2]

Nash and Lin would be expired after this year, right?

yes. but why not cut some of his salary? you arent getting that money returned in production from steve nash anymore.

Lakers have $28M in cap space but Kobe's contract still makes them an unappealing destination basketball wise.

It is a generally accepted fact that you need three elite players to win a championship (or two STUDS with a super supporting cast). Lakers can afford 1 max player and one solid supporting player. No star is going to decide his best chance is to join up with a 35 year old Kobe coming off an Achilies and knee issues. It's just not happening.

good thing is he has a year to show he can still play. The class next year is nice.

 

[tussin]

lakers next step is some how getting nash out. Sign some nice pieces (i thought there was some original interest in bring ariza back at a 3/4) and possibly deal for Love down the road if he isn't gone by then. I'm assuming he will be. However, gotta get someone in next years FA.

Lakers are all in on making a run for Durant and/or Westbrook.

I don't particularly see that happening. I personally think their best chance to get really good again is to build through the draft and find a stud. That's how the Kobe / Shaq era started. Perhaps Randle will be that guy, who knows.

 

[NDdomer2]

Lakers are all in on making a run for Durant and/or Westbrook.

I don't particularly see that happening. I personally think their best chance to get really good again is to build through the draft and find a stud. That's how the Kobe / Shaq era started. Perhaps Randle will be that guy, who knows.

Would be crazy to sign them both. Just don't see it. Westbrook's background does make some since for him to have interest. But $$ talks, lakers have it. I'm just hoping to catch a game when they come to Indy cuz Kobe isn't gonna play too much longer.

 

[woolybug25]

Lakers have $28M in cap space but Kobe's contract still makes them an unappealing destination basketball wise.

It is a generally accepted fact that you need three elite players to win a championship (or two STUDS with a super supporting cast). Lakers can afford 1 max player and one solid supporting player. No star is going to decide his best chance is to join up with a 35 year old Kobe coming off an Achilies and knee issues. It's just not happening.

Weird, because San Antonio did it with one max player this year. But I digress.

Just like you said, they have room for another max guy and some pieces. How many teams could say they have two all star quality players? Not that many really. So I really don't see how Kobe's contract is effecting them whatsoever. They could even do a sign and trade with Nash and get another stud. You can say that you don't like the long term outlook on Kobe, but you cant say that his contract is the reason. They have more room to sign players than 2/3 of the league with still one of the best players in the league with Kobe.

 

[tussin]

good thing is he has a year to show he can still play. The class next year is nice.

Love will be off the market by then and I suspect Aldridge and Kawhi will resign. Class isn't that great otherwise unless I'm forgetting someone (I guess Klay Thompson and Rubio are intriguing).

 

[koonja]

So Melo, what's up, dog?

 

[ACamp1900]

I would be very interested to know what our boy HCTI thinks about all this.... Johnny Football too for that matter.

 

[IrishLax]

Lol Durant is not going to the Lakers... not unless they get magically better in the next two years.

If he leaves OKC for anywhere, it's probably going to be DC. He's expressed a lot of interest privately in getting back to this area, and spends a lot of his free time in DC.

 

[ACamp1900]

Ha, I have long tied Laker and Trojan fans together on the same fair weather train... it's hard for me to separate them... so even though I'm not a basketball guy I LOVE IT when the Lakers struggle... I hope they miss the playoffs for years to come...

#hater4life.

 

[sparkyND]

Weird, because San Antonio did it with one max player this year. But I digress.

Just like you said, they have room for another max guy and some pieces. How many teams could say they have two all star quality players? Not that many really. So I really don't see how Kobe's contract is effecting them whatsoever. They could even do a sign and trade with Nash and get another stud. You can say that you don't like the long term outlook on Kobe, but you cant say that his contract is the reason. They have more room to sign players than 2/3 of the league with still one of the best players in the league with Kobe.

Spurs did not have a max player this year.

 

[Buster Bluth]

How many championships do you think Lebron wins with Cleveland? Im thinkin 2

IF they get Love for Waiters/Thompson/picks, who knows.

Irving, Wiggins, James and Love on the same team is kinda just stupid.

 

[tussin]

Weird, because San Antonio did it with one max player this year. But I digress.

Just like you said, they have room for another max guy and some pieces. How many teams could say they have two all star quality players? Not that many really. So I really don't see how Kobe's contract is effecting them whatsoever. They could even do a sign and trade with Nash and get another stud. You can say that you don't like the long term outlook on Kobe, but you cant say that his contract is the reason. They have more room to sign players than 2/3 of the league with still one of the best players in the league with Kobe.

Is Kobe still an all-star player? Can you really count on him to be a championship player if you are a young player looking to join a contender? It is silly to assume that Kobe will be tearing it up until he is 40. He is an unknown commodity at this point. He is grossly overpaid... not sure how you can argue that doesn't factor into their future success. It's less money they can spend on other players to improve their roster.

I think you are just looking to argue at this point because anyone who watches basketball regularly knows that the Spurs success is an anomaly in the modern NBA (along with the mid-2000s Pistons). Pop is indisputably the best coach in basketball and they run a system unlike any other team. They are also built around 3 guys that have been there 12+ years and a rising young star. Pretty much the opposite scenario of the coachless debacle that is the LA Lakers.

 

[tussin]

Lol Durant is not going to the Lakers... not unless they get magically better in the next two years.

If he leaves OKC for anywhere, it's probably going to be DC. He's expressed a lot of interest privately in getting back to this area, and spends a lot of his free time in DC.

Yeah, I have zero confidence in that actually happening. I just think that's what they are attempting to build towards. Keep in mind that the Lakers are a fairly inept franchise (especially since Dr. Jerry died). The Buss kids (Jeanie excepted) have no idea what they are doing. Wouldn't be surprised to see them sell in the future....

 

[sparkyND]

Is Kobe still an all-star player? Can you really count on him to be a championship player if you are a young player looking to join a contender? It is silly to assume that Kobe will be tearing it up until he is 40. He is an unknown commodity at this point. He is grossly overpaid... not sure how you can argue that doesn't factor into their future success. It's less money they can spend on other players to improve their roster.

I think you are just looking to argue at this point because anyone who watches basketball regularly knows that the Spurs success is an anomaly in the modern NBA (along with the mid-2000s Pistons). Pop is indisputably the best coach in basketball and they run a system unlike any other team. They are also built around 3 guys that have been there 12+ years and a rising young star. Pretty much the opposite scenario of the coachless debacle that is the LA Lakers.

I think the beauty of the current Spurs team (and the mid-2000 Pistons as well) is the team concept that is ingrained in they way they play and throughout the organization and personnel. That is difficult to achieve in the modern era considering the fact that the NBA is a business for both players and organization. Lakers have always relied on star power and Kobe sort of epitomizes it. I think the Lakers can be competitive given how they do in the transaction market. I just doubt that they will start cultivating a different organization culture during Kobe's time there.

 

[koonja]

I can't imagine James and Love on the same team. You could argue Love's stats are as good as James's this past year.

They're going to have some incredible performances.

 

[IrishLax]

There have been some great ones out there today... but this is the funniest one I've seen (scept it should've been Norris Cole)

 

[zelezo vlk]

Love it.

 

[irishfan]

If Cleveland can offer up Wiggins to go along with a 1st rounder and either Thompson or Bennett, I think Minnesota makes that trade. Otherwise, I think Celtics get Love by offering up some picks and young guys. They have 9 1st round picks over the next 4 years, they should be able to make some moves.

 

[woolybug25]

Is Kobe still an all-star player? Can you really count on him to be a championship player if you are a young player looking to join a contender? It is silly to assume that Kobe will be tearing it up until he is 40. He is an unknown commodity at this point. He is grossly overpaid... not sure how you can argue that doesn't factor into their future success. It's less money they can spend on other players to improve their roster.

Again... how does it effect them negatively if it wont be a deterrent (especially after this year once Nash's contract expires) to sign whatever players they want. I don't get it. They literally have zero issues paying big money to multiple players. That's just if they want to stay under the cap, they have shown in the past that they are perfectly willing to go over.

I think you are just looking to argue at this point because anyone who watches basketball regularly knows that the Spurs success is an anomaly in the modern NBA (along with the mid-2000s Pistons). Pop is indisputably the best coach in basketball and they run a system unlike any other team. They are also built around 3 guys that have been there 12+ years and a rising young star. Pretty much the opposite scenario of the coachless debacle that is the LA Lakers.

You don't need three max guys to win a championship. In fact, only two teams that I can think of in our lifetimes had three bona fide all stars on their starting lineup (Heat, Celtics). Ironically, less than the amount of teams with only one all star. The key is that you need at least one superstar, with a sidekick on the verge. Then a mix of players depending on the team. Almost all championship team has that combo. There is nothing holding the Lakers back from doing exactly that in the next FA cycle.

 

[IrishLax]

Also...

Good of Lance to try and help TP unburn his jersey

 

[DillonHall]

Yeah, I have zero confidence in that actually happening. I just think that's what they are attempting to build towards. Keep in mind that the Lakers are a fairly inept franchise (especially since Dr. Jerry died). The Buss kids (Jeanie excepted) have no idea what they are doing. Wouldn't be surprised to see them sell in the future....

The Lakers were the most profitable team in the league. I don't think they'll be selling anytime soon.

 

[irishbird]

Newsflash: Lakers will not be contending for a championship in the near future. You can forget that.

Come from 76er fan ... lol

 

[ResLife Hero]

Miami apparently is going to sit this year out:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Chicago Bulls are gauging interest with free agent Dwyane Wade, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.</p>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/487691852196642816">July 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Emcee77]

Holy hell.

So I guess everyone is just going to go back to their home state. LeBron to OH. Bosh to TX. Wade to IL. What's next? Durant to DC??

 

[FearTheBeard]

I would love to see wade in chicago

 

[Luckylucci]

Miami apparently is going to sit this year out:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The Chicago Bulls are gauging interest with free agent Dwyane Wade, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.</p>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/statuses/487691852196642816">July 11, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

If he was willing to take a pretty good pay cut Chicago is a great place for him as a situational scorer. Wade needs to come to the realization that he is not good enough anymore to be on a winning team if he wants to get paid as much as he wants.

 

[A Pac]

This is freaking awesome!!! I'm tempted to drive the hour to Cleveland just to party tonight!

No joke, I found from a text today on the 18th hole of a very nice golf course. I sprinted down the fairway like my hair was on fire yelling "He's coming back! He's come back!" I would have been well worth being kicked off the premises.