Should Lakers trade Randle if they sign Love?

[EasternEaglesFan]

I have been hearing all these scenarios involving the Lakers with their #2 pick and potential free agent acquisitions. For a few years now, the speculation has been that they would sign Kevin Love. Love is saying all the right things like he is "committed to Cleveland" and whatnot, but as a former UCLA product and west coast guy, Love appears to be a fit for the Lakers.

Ultimately, the Lakers are going to come out of this draft with either Towns or Okafor. Towns is the best fit because of his defensive ability in a frontcourt combo with either Randle or Love. But if the Lakers actually do sign Love, then it would probably be in Julius' best interest if they trade him so that he can start somewhere else instead of being overshadowed by Love; and it would probably also be in the Lakers' best interest to receive another starting need in return.

Personally, I would love to see the Lakers swap picks with the Timberwolves. Something along the lines of #1 and Zach LaVine or Shabazz Muhammad (also UCLA products) for #2 and Julius Randle. The Lakers also have a lower first-round pick and a high-second rounder this year, which could be used in a potential Okafor for Towns swap. I could see them coming out of this draft with Andrew Harrison as their second round pick, but who knows?

Depending on how you view Rondo, an even better situation for the Lakers could be if they signed Love and Rondo, and then traded Randle for Justice Winslow. This would give them a team of Rondo, Kobe, Winslow, Love, and Towns/Okafor. That is a championship team with healthy bodies and the proper supporting cast.

This is all speculation based on if they signed Love. If they don't sign Love, then yes, Randle should be in position to become a star for that team, and I would love to see an all UK frontcourt for one of the most storied franchises in one of the biggest markets. But what makes the most sense for the Lakers in potentially Kobe's final season?

 

[LineSkiCat]

Man, too bad the Lakers didn't have a Crystal Ball into the future. If they knew they were getting Love, along with already having Randle, they could offer up the 2nd pick, and get some draft assets for the next year or two.

Then again, I always feel you should draft the best available, whether he fits or not. I never understand why teams don't do this. If he doesn't fit, then offer him up to a team who needs that player. Grab Okafor at the 2 spot, and then see what PG's you can get. Bledsoe? Would they straight-up? I feel you should always go with the highest value pick.

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

Randle can easily serve as a high teens to 20 minutes backup for the Lakers. Gives him time to develop at his rate without the pressure of having a large role.

 

[KidnamedKI]

Love isn't going anywhere

 

[TT Cat]

Why would Love go to the Lakers? He can get more money from the Cavs and play with LeBron who is almost in the finals with a bunch of D-League players.

 

[KidnamedKI]

Exactly. Love is a really good player, but not a franchise guy IMO

 

[throatpoker]

Love will make a nice backup for randle

 

[cballover]

Why would Love go to the Lakers? He can get more money from the Cavs and play with LeBron who is almost in the finals with a bunch of D-League players.

Irving, Smith, Shumpert, Mozgov, and Thompson are D-League players? lmao

 

[EasternEaglesFan]

Randle can easily serve as a high teens to 20 minutes backup for the Lakers. Gives him time to develop at his rate without the pressure of having a large role.

Develop into what though? Trade bait? If they sign Love long-term, then Randle would not also be in the long-term, big picture plans unless being a backup is his ceiling.

 

[krazykats]

No. You don't swap 1 for 2.

What could happen depending on their FA interest is LA could pass on Okafor because he and Randle will not fit together, is that LA could potentially trade down(similar to the Webber/Penny Hardaway trade) where they take Okafor but a lower pick gets the guy they want.

Or they could as you say trade Randle which Id love and keep Okafor

 

[EasternEaglesFan]

Exactly. Love is a really good player, but not a franchise guy IMO

That is your opinion, but many would disagree. Love put up point and rebound numbers that were comparable to Wilt and Kareem while in Minnesota. He is not close to the defender that they were, though.

Is Randle a franchise guy? If not, then what difference does it make? The debate for the Lakers is Love vs. Randle as the future of the power forward position.

Love is a big prize for fans in LA. He is a west coast guy, went to UCLA, his uncle is a Beach Boy, and he has had several small roles in movies, TV shows, and commercials. He has southern California written all over him.

 

[krazykats]

The difference is a lot of money and years available.

 

[EasternEaglesFan]

The difference is a lot of money and years available.

The Lakers have money available to spend. And if Randle is traded for an incoming rookie or future draft picks, then that is even more years available. Randle also has a recurring foot issue that is somewhat concerning.

 

[KidnamedKI]

I think you go all in on Westbrook and draft Towns or Okafor. That way your front court is 21 and 19 in age. Couple that with a 26 year old Westbrook and a good young talent in Clarkson who is 23 and you have a promising future. Westbrook and Clarkson would benefit from one another and should be able to co-exist seeing as neither are true pg's

 

[krazykats]

I'm not arguing about grand scheme, I'm saying between Love/Randle.

Randle is extremely talented and athletic and skilled while Love is hardworking talented and extends the floor with his shooting. Lock poets different styles and yes I agree Love compliments Okafor better than Randle does.

But LA is in a lot of trouble if they do not manage this offseason correctly because Kobe is out if they don't, and even if they do it right he may only play for 1 more year. So what they do should be extending past Kobe and not to make him happy this year.

If I was GM for LA Id draft Okafor, and Id take best available late 1st round and early 2nd round. Based on projections Id take some combo of Delon Wright/Rakeem Christmas/Terry Rozier/Mike Qualls. Then, since FA is after the draft, Id give a max deal to Love. If he takes it Id try to trade Randle to a team that took Booker or maybe another team with flexibility at SG/SF.

 

[st-louie-blue]

I have been hearing all these scenarios involving the Lakers with their #2 pick and potential free agent acquisitions. For a few years now, the speculation has been that they would sign Kevin Love. Love is saying all the right things like he is "committed to Cleveland" and whatnot, but as a former UCLA product and west coast guy, Love appears to be a fit for the Lakers.

Ultimately, the Lakers are going to come out of this draft with either Towns or Okafor. Towns is the best fit because of his defensive ability in a frontcourt combo with either Randle or Love. But if the Lakers actually do sign Love, then it would probably be in Julius' best interest if they trade him so that he can start somewhere else instead of being overshadowed by Love; and it would probably also be in the Lakers' best interest to receive another starting need in return.

Personally, I would love to see the Lakers swap picks with the Timberwolves. Something along the lines of #1 and Zach LaVine or Shabazz Muhammad (also UCLA products) for #2 and Julius Randle. The Lakers also have a lower first-round pick and a high-second rounder this year, which could be used in a potential Okafor for Towns swap. I could see them coming out of this draft with Andrew Harrison as their second round pick, but who knows?

Depending on how you view Rondo, an even better situation for the Lakers could be if they signed Love and Rondo, and then traded Randle for Justice Winslow. This would give them a team of Rondo, Kobe, Winslow, Love, and Towns/Okafor. That is a championship team with healthy bodies and the proper supporting cast.

This is all speculation based on if they signed Love. If they don't sign Love, then yes, Randle should be in position to become a star for that team, and I would love to see an all UK frontcourt for one of the most storied franchises in one of the biggest markets. But what makes the most sense for the Lakers in potentially Kobe's final season?

I have been hearing all these scenarios involving the Lakers with their #2 pick and potential free agent acquisitions. For a few years now, the speculation has been that they would sign Kevin Love. Love is saying all the right things like he is "committed to Cleveland" and whatnot, but as a former UCLA product and west coast guy, Love appears to be a fit for the Lakers.

Ultimately, the Lakers are going to come out of this draft with either Towns or Okafor. Towns is the best fit because of his defensive ability in a frontcourt combo with either Randle or Love. But if the Lakers actually do sign Love, then it would probably be in Julius' best interest if they trade him so that he can start somewhere else instead of being overshadowed by Love; and it would probably also be in the Lakers' best interest to receive another starting need in return.

Personally, I would love to see the Lakers swap picks with the Timberwolves. Something along the lines of #1 and Zach LaVine or Shabazz Muhammad (also UCLA products) for #2 and Julius Randle. The Lakers also have a lower first-round pick and a high-second rounder this year, which could be used in a potential Okafor for Towns swap. I could see them coming out of this draft with Andrew Harrison as their second round pick, but who knows?

Depending on how you view Rondo, an even better situation for the Lakers could be if they signed Love and Rondo, and then traded Randle for Justice Winslow. This would give them a team of Rondo, Kobe, Winslow, Love, and Towns/Okafor. That is a championship team with healthy bodies and the proper supporting cast.

This is all speculation based on if they signed Love. If they don't sign Love, then yes, Randle should be in position to become a star for that team, and I would love to see an all UK frontcourt for one of the most storied franchises in one of the biggest markets. But what makes the most sense for the Lakers in potentially Kobe's final season?

Do not believe Love would leave the "King and his court" to go west to that mess of a team in L.A.

 

[kats23]

The Lakers are a mess right now, so it would make it worse to bring in Kevin Love who has proven this year his body is beginning to break down. When the back starts going there just isn't a lot you can do. Plus, his defense has been exposed. Good player but if he were having to be relied on, that team would not be good.

If you don't need bigs then try to trade down but stay in the top ten with a team who is desperate for bigs

 

[Aike]

If I'm the Lakers, I would rather reel in Aldridge than Love. I would keep Randle as a 6th man, unless I could trade him for a high quality wing starter who could stretch the floor.

I would rather play Randle off the bench than give him away.

 

[WildMoon]

Love is not worth #2 pick.

He's injury prone and they are doing fine without him.

Cleveland would love to get #2 pick to let Love go.

 

[new era cat]

Op obviously underestimates the incompetence of Jim Buss...

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

Develop into what though? Trade bait? If they sign Love long-term, then Randle would not also be in the long-term, big picture plans unless being a backup is his ceiling.

Develop his game. Don't have to be starting and playing 30+ minutes a game to do that. Just look at how Eric Bledsoe turned out serving as backup nearly his entire time with the Clippers.

 

[Mike-D]

Irving, Smith, Shumpert, Mozgov, and Thompson are D-League players? lmao

I agree with what you're saying, but the Cavs just beat the Hawks in Atlanta without Love or Irving. You take the 2nd and 3rd best player off any roster, and that teams going to start looking pretty marginal.

 

[EasternEaglesFan]

Love is not worth #2 pick.

He's injury prone and they are doing fine without him.

Cleveland would love to get #2 pick to let Love go.

Nobody is talking about trading the #2 pick for Love...

 

[EasternEaglesFan]

Develop his game. Don't have to be starting and playing 30+ minutes a game to do that. Just look at how Eric Bledsoe turned out serving as backup nearly his entire time with the Clippers.

And then they traded Bledsoe. So, develop him into trade bait?

 

[Aike]

Lakers drafted Kobe in 1996 even though Eddie Jones was already an all star level wing. They developed Kobe and later dealt Jones.

If they were able to bring in Aldridge or even Love, there's no shame in Randle coming off the bench. There are lots of minutes to go around, and the Lakers would have a decision in 2-3 years about who to hold onto long-term.

Lots of scenarios could play out down the road, but if the Lakers want to compete next season they need to bring in a quality veteran big and at least one good guard.

 

[catfaninsc]

Heard a interview with Kupchek Thursday and he said they would be open to trading out of the 2 slot. Could be an interesting draft. He also said there were 7 future all stars in this years draft.

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

And then they traded Bledsoe. So, develop him into trade bait?

He developed so well they weren't going to be able to afford to keep him. That's not trade bait, that's an asset.

 

[Hoskins91]

They need a lot of help. If they get Love then I would definitely let it be known that he was available for a solid starter at a different position.

 

[krazykats]

1- Kobe was not drafted by LA

2- Eddie Jones was never thought about as a lead guy type while Kobe was thought to be a future star. The only reason it ever happened was because it wasn't highly thought of to take/gambol on HS kids yet.

3- Randle is a very talented player that can and should be built around, and the Lakers have to rebuild. The thing is Kobe is in place and they also need to build something behind him too at his position.

4- They should honestly trade down and try to get Booker and sign DeAndre Jordan.

 

[Aike]

1- Kobe was not drafted by LA

2- Eddie Jones was never thought about as a lead guy type while Kobe was thought to be a future star. The only reason it ever happened was because it wasn't highly thought of to take/gambol on HS kids yet.

3- Randle is a very talented player that can and should be built around, and the Lakers have to rebuild. The thing is Kobe is in place and they also need to build something behind him too at his position.

4- They should honestly trade down and try to get Booker and sign DeAndre Jordan.

1. Semantics. Kobe was acquired by the Lakers on draft day. Are you the grammar police around here too?

2. Eddie Jones was an all star Kobe's rookie season. An all star Kobe's second season. An all star again after he was traded. What does it take to be a "lead type guy" in your book?

3. Randle is talented, but you may be overvaluing him somewhat. They could get a better player in this draft. They could get a better player in free agency.

There is no reason for the Lakers to limit themselves to building around JR if they can do better. Just like they didn't limit themselves to building around an all star in Eddie Jones. Frankly, if Randle has as good a career as Jones, he will have done well.

4. Trading down is a possibility. The second pick is an asset, and they should maximize its value.

If you think a core of Randle/Jordan/Booker is the makeup of a championship team, I disagree. I'm of the opinion that they will need a better player than Randle on the roster in order to be a champion.

 

[krazykats]

Definitely not the grammar police, not even close! Have you read my posts?

Not knocking Eddie Jones, but he was an all star like a in Baker was or a Mitch Richmond was, those guys weren't leading their teams to championships either. Good solid players, yes absolutely. My point was more that Kobe was a star and everyone knew it but his knock was he was straight out of HS and at that time it was not yet the way to go for NBA GMs.

I agree on Randle to a point. The only player they can get better in this draft is Towns, maybe Russell. I'm not sold that Okafor will be better yet. If your saying they can get better with Love I agree but that's short term, as in the next 2 years, after that and for a long time after that Randle to me is the better option to build with.

I always look for best case scenario for teams that have UK players and I'm really starting to think Russell may be the best pick for LA with what they got and what they can add in FA.

 

[Aike]

If they knew for sure what they could get in FA, then I would agree that Russell might be the best option. Even at that, I wouldn't pick Russell 2nd. I would at least make someone give me another pick to move up.

Without the benefit of foresight, the safe play is to pick Towns/Okafor. Personally, I am sold on Okafor as a volume scorer and decent rebounder in the league, if nothing else.

My gut on Randle is that he is an all star caliber player who can be a perfect second option for a championship level team. He could end up better than that and if he does, great.

I don't think it matters much if he starts for the Lakers next year or comes off the bench. I would love for him to be part of a playoff team.

As a Laker fan, I would rather get Aldridge than Love. Having any combination of Okafor/Aldridge, Aldridge/Randle, or Okafor/Randle on the floor together would work - as long as Randle is consistently knocking down his mid-range shot.

 

[krazykats]

Aldridge, absolutely! I can't see Okafor/Randle mixing well TBH. They almost seem like the same player except one has more weight and the other has more natural athletic ability/agility. Who knows!

I'm not a Laker fan, or any team for that matter I just cheer the former UK guys which almost has me liking every team almost.

Besides that the NBA draft is the only one that has a ton of meaningful trades seemingly every year.

 

[Dream Team 13]

Love is not worth #2 pick.

He's injury prone and they are doing fine without him.

Cleveland would love to get #2 pick to let Love go.

And draft Bennett again no doubt. Code of had Nerlins and kept Wiggins.

Really, really bad Pick and trade.

 

[Hoskins91]

They'd take the number two pick for Love because he's not gonna be there next year. They'd be happy with him staying and if he were still healthy they might still have a shot to win it all. Once they got LeBron they were in win now mode. They don't have time to sit around and wait for a rookie to develop. They had to get rid of somebody in order to make room.

 

[Aike]

Okafor is a pure post and Randle is a 4. Okafor is taller with much greater wingspan.

I think they can play fine together as long as Randle continues to improve from the 15-17 foot range.

 

[WildMoon]

And draft Bennett again no doubt. Code of had Nerlins and kept Wiggins.

Really, really bad Pick and trade.

Yeah, i think they really screwed it up on that. With Lebron and how he is playing without Irving and Love, having Nerlens and kept Wiggins would have been absolutely insane team.

Imagine this line up:
1. Irving
2. Wiggins
3. Lebron
4. Thompson / Nerlens
5. Nerlens / Mozgov

Not sure how i would rotate the 4/5. Maybe have a shooter instead of Wiggins, and bring in Wiggins from bench. The best part is that this team might not do as well as this year's Cav, but after 2-3 years they would undoubtably be the best team. Even Lebron can step back and let the young guy stake over while he rest for playoff time.

 

[krazykats]

Okafor is a pure post and Randle is a 4. Okafor is taller with much greater wingspan.

I think they can play fine together as long as Randle continues to improve from the 15-17 foot range.

They could I just see them both as ball stoppers, add Kobe for at least 1 year and there won't be many assists to be had. It seems the NBA is going away from that style too so that's more of my concern for Randle.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

When a big guy starts having back problems, it's time to worry about their health. I have never been that big of a fan of Loves. I know he can step out and hit 3s and rebounds pretty good, but his overall defense sucks so bad i'm not sure it's worth the tradeoff. Randle getting hurt early on last season, who knows what he will look like in the nba. I think i would pass on Love and just build through the draft until a free agent big without health concerns comes along.

 

[UKUGA]

Lakers will not be in a hurry to trade Randle unless someone is ready to overpay for him.

It starts with drafting KAT/Okafor at #2, and then seeing who wants to come to LA in free agency.

I don't think they sign Love, though, without an explicit plan for Randle. They showed signs last year in pre-season that they would use him some to initiate the offense. If they continued on that trajectory, there could be scenarios wherein he shared the court with KAT/Okafor and another big (Love, Aldridge, Gasol, etc.).

The positive for LA, is that there is a lot of interest in Randle around the league, and they will head into FA with a strong sense of what they can deal him for if they do acquire a veteran in FA that makes Randle somewhat redundant.

The Lakers have such little overall talent right now, that I doubt they are of a mind-set to trade away Randle. They are still trying to figure out how many talented pieces they can acquire, and then form a team from there.