Lakers trading D'Angelo Russell and Mozgov for Lopez and 27th pick
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
They've already been tanking for 3 years. If he cleared cap space to do nothing this summer, that was dumb. They don't even own their own pick next year.
There was no rush to unload Mozgov's contract, unless they have something cooking. And I think they sold low on Russell.
But I won't judge the trade until I see what else they put together this summer.
The difference is before they weren't trying to tank, just had horrible management. They might've sold low on Russell but I think that's more of unloading a team cancer above all else. Having cap space is never a bad thing
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Kupchak was exposed as clueless once West left. With the idiot Buss brothers out of the picture, hopefully my favorite sports team will turn the corner soon.
I think the move is to clear space to get Paul George now so that there's already "a plan" in place next summer when LeBron is a free agent, and maybe to make a run at Westbrook during the season if he makes it clear to OKC that he's leaving.
I think it's stupid to make 2-3 separate moves to acquire a guy who will walk to LA next season when we're in no shape to contend now anyway. It's like we aren't even watching the Warriors build through the draft and THEN land the final piece in free agency, and apparently the days of us fleecing teams has turned into overpaying them.
They may land one other piece besides PG this summer, but I don't know what it would or could be. We'll do something to clear Deng's contract, and something to bring in George (like trade Randle and Clarkson, probably), but what other move is there? Blake Griffin? With what assets? Hayward?
Who are the superstars on the Lakers?
His only chance, at this point in his career, is to attempt to get a big four together. Otherwise, GS is taking every title they want over the next 3-5 years.
** none of LBJ's teams were ever as loaded as current Golden State roster.
They were 100% trying to tank before. Couldn't be more obvious.
The team cancer stuff may have some merit. We also don't know how bad Russell's knees are.
And cap space is a bad thing if you give up too much to achieve it, then don't use it. But like I said, let's watch how it plays out.
Never really understood this. I get people want him to stay in Cleveland and build something there, but when the dumbass owner didn't surround you with anything even remotely good during his first stint (Mo Williams and Ilgauskas were his best teammates), then he goes out and fires the GM (who LeBron really liked) the year after you bring the city its first championship in ages, how much more of an idiot can Dan Gilbert be? Dan Gilbert is constantly pissing off the most prized asset in the history of that city because he feels he is not getting enough credit for the championship. The NBA is a business and results oriented league. Wouldn't everyone on this board jump at the opportunity to leave for a better job and more recognition? If you are working at Gateway and then Apple comes along and offers you a position, wouldn't you take it? Or would you say, "no, I think I will stay with Gateway (even though they are inferior in every way to Apple) because I don't want people thinking my legacy will be tarnished because I went somewhere that will better my career and give me a better opportunity to win "
It's a different time now in the NBA. You don't have to stay with one team. If he leaves and wins multiple championships somewhere else, he will still be considered one of the GOATs.
Don't need any assets to get Griffin; he has a player option.
Millsap has a player option. Ibaka. Gallinari is unrestricted. So is Redick.
So trade for PG. Have enough cap room to sign another All Star in Griffin or Millsap. Or add a shooter like Redick of Gallinari.
Haven't done the math, but I'm guessing would have to dump Deng to have room for both a big and a shooter.
Not saying that's what they are going to do. But it is possible to assemble a 4-5ish seed team for next year. They could do that and hang on to BI and the 2nd pick (likely Lonzo).
Then you lose to GS in the second round. Hope that BI and Lonzo develop into Batman and Robin.
Edit to add: Been playing around with the cap math, and we will have to get creative to do a lot this summer.
I still feel like I did yesterday, and that's that the Lakers jumped the gun on dumping D'Lo. But I hope I'm wrong.
There's a story that we jumped on the Brooklyn deal because the Hawks were about to send Dwight Howard there.
We have probably inadvertently given Indy more leverage, considering what we gave up to the Nets.
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He's not going to the Lakers unless P George and an All Star PG come along. Bet on it.
Hmmm. They tried to tank some.
I think they went into this past season hoping to improve, but when they were bad again by December, they went into tank mode again.
They didn't have to shut down both Mozgov and Deng.
MARK IT DOWN.....Fultz = Russell. You draft Markelle Fultz and you will regret it. 76ers are about to shite the bed with him lol.
I think the reason for getting George this year has to do with exceeding the cap. There is an exception to exceeding the cap space if you are resigning existing players on the team. It is why if you look at the contracts signed in Cleveland and GS (2 teams that exceed the cap), they intentionally held off on resigning certain guys until they acquired the free agents they wanted. It is actually probably why they initially signed LBJ to a one year contract. And why you see 3-4 contract signings within 1 week of acquiring KD in GS.
