The LA Lakers dumpster fire

The Lakers opened as the betting favorites the day after the season ended (before the trade). Davis is immensely talented, but also soft as butter.
Guessing the warriors won't have Klay next year. If Durant leaves they probably become a second round type team. I think Houston missed their window, but I still really like Portland and Denver and if the Clippers get Leonard, I think that definitely puts them over the Lakers again

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The Lakers did a great job of outbidding.... themselves. With virtually no other serious players for Davis, the Lakers gave up a boatload. Three first round picks, including this year's #4, for a guy that was leaving anyway? I'd be somewhat surprised if at least ONE of the 3 young players, Ball, Ingram and/or Hart, doesn't develop into a very good player; Ingram and Ball are still 22 years old, Hart just turned 24.

If either James or Davis, or both, get injured and miss significant time this year (based on history, the odds are decent), that #1 pick next summer could be a mid-lottery pick.

They had to do it, and they got what they wanted, but I think David Griffin comes out looking awfully good after this deal. With black eye after black eye in the press for the last few months, the Lakers absolutely had to make this move and Griffin made them pay for it.

If by boatload you mean one good draft pick. The rest is giving up close to nothing.
 

"One of the most substantial returns"? All of the active players are mediocre (at best) - the only truly valuable asset is the 4th overall pick, which might turn out to be junk too. I mean, I applaud the Pelicans for getting anything for a guy who was going to leave regardless, but it's pretty comical to call the return "substantial" when this trade was the equivalent of trading away a dollar for a dime and five nickels.

Man, the Lakers will be scary. Even with Davis, they still have room for a 3rd max contract. Depending on who they're able to sign (Kyrie?) they might be the favorites by the time next year's playoffs roll around.

Yep.
 


Poor New Orleans. In just over a week they lost Dr. John and gained LaVar Ball.
 


I guess I like Brandon Ingram a lot more than you guys do.

I was thinking the same thing although I'm not completely sold on Ingram. He's a lot like Wiggins, except I think he's shown the capability of being a better all around basketball player. Ingram's stats were very similar to Wiggins this year, and Ingram is 2 years younger. I think Ingram has also shown more improvement than Wiggins over his first three years in the league.

I agree with some of the other posts saying the Lakers didn't have to give up much, but saying they got the #4 pick and not much else is just not true. Ingram has the skillset to develop into an all star. He was also having a very strong second half of this season until they shut him down in early March.
 

I was thinking the same thing although I'm not completely sold on Ingram. He's a lot like Wiggins, except I think he's shown the capability of being a better all around basketball player. Ingram's stats were very similar to Wiggins this year, and Ingram is 2 years younger. I think Ingram has also shown more improvement than Wiggins over his first three years in the league.

I agree with some of the other posts saying the Lakers didn't have to give up much, but saying they got the #4 pick and not much else is just not true. Ingram has the skillset to develop into an all star. He was also having a very strong second half of this season until they shut him down in early March.

As of right now...it is for sure true. Like you said, Ingram could turn into an all-star, but he isn't close to that right now. I personally don't see a future all-star. Hart was abysmal last season. Ball is a poor man's Rubio at best. Then you have to consider that Ball and Ingram are close to ending their rookie contracts. After that they will be over paid disappointments the way their careers have gone so far. The picks, I will admit, could be really damaging to the Lakers. I didn't see the two pick swaps involved until recently. Those might not ever get used, but it is a pretty good add-on to the trade.
 

As of right now...it is for sure true. Like you said, Ingram could turn into an all-star, but he isn't close to that right now. I personally don't see a future all-star. Hart was abysmal last season. Ball is a poor man's Rubio at best. Then you have to consider that Ball and Ingram are close to ending their rookie contracts. After that they will be over paid disappointments the way their careers have gone so far. The picks, I will admit, could be really damaging to the Lakers. I didn't see the two pick swaps involved until recently. Those might not ever get used, but it is a pretty good add-on to the trade.

So a 21 year old who averaged 18, 5, and 3 is not much else? Ingram has a better chance of becoming an All-Star than the #4 pick.

NBA draft picks are overrated, it's not the NFL. Only a few players become stars out of each draft.
 

So a 21 year old who averaged 18, 5, and 3 is not much else? Ingram has a better chance of becoming an All-Star than the #4 pick.

NBA draft picks are overrated, it's not the NFL. Only a few players become stars out of each draft.
Plus you never know where a very good to great player will pop up. Look at guys like Jimmy Butler, Splash Brothers, Draymond Green, Khwai Leonard. Kobe went like 15th in his draft.
As for this deal, Pelicans did as well as you reasonably can, in investment terms they got 80 cents on the dollar, which is about as good as you can do in the circumstances. I think Ingram is close to being an All-star, Lonzo is solid, but if they can get a good shooting guard and keep Holliday at the point. He will be fine running the second unit. Hart will be a good bench player. Be interesting what they do with the 4th pick, if they take a guy like Hunter or Culver or swap it for a guy in their prime. Ultimately though, the Lakers got a basketball unicorn in his prime, they won the deal, as long as he stays healthy, they can build around Davis post LeBron

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The lakers are making their move. They will win it next year.
 

The lakers are making their move. They will win it next year.
IDK they need some shooting and probably another max player. West is loaded, especially if KD stays with the Warriors

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IDK they need some shooting and probably another max player. West is loaded, especially if KD stays with the Warriors

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KD isn't playing next year.

The lakers will get another max player. There are plenty going around.
 



KD isn't playing next year.

The lakers will get another max player. There are plenty going around.
True but if Kwaii goes to the Clippers, they may not be the best team in their own building

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True but if Kwaii goes to the Clippers, they may not be the best team in their own building

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If *

I'm not sure Kawhi is leaving. He is now a hero there, some people can get addicted to that. But when the lakers sign another max contract player they will be better. Notice I said when, not if.

Edit: Also what if Kawhi is the 3rd player the lakers get? Last I remember reading he was wanting to sign with the lakers not the clippers.
 
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If *

I'm not sure Kawhi is leaving. He is now a hero there, some people can get addicted to that. But when the lakers sign another max contract player they will be better. Notice I said when, not if.

Edit: Also what if Kawhi is the 3rd player the lakers get? Last I remember reading he was wanting to sign with the lakers not the clippers.

If the Lakers sign Kawhi, they definitely win it all. If they don't, I'm not sold on them. If they sign Jimmy Buckets, he's a cancer. The management of the team is a mess and, as we know watching thirty years of Timberwolves dysfunction, poor management usually trumps a couple of talented players. There is going to be a power struggle in LA between Buss and Pelinka on one side and Rich Paul, AD and LBJ on the other side for control of the direction of the franchise. Finally, LeBron will be 35. He can't play heavy minutes anymore.
 

If *

I'm not sure Kawhi is leaving. He is now a hero there, some people can get addicted to that. But when the lakers sign another max contract player they will be better. Notice I said when, not if.

Edit: Also what if Kawhi is the 3rd player the lakers get? Last I remember reading he was wanting to sign with the lakers not the clippers.
I don't think Kawhi is wired like that. He wants to be the man, he is now been the man on two different title teams with two different franchises, why join a guy you've already beaten? The Lakers will get another guy, but will a guy like Jimmy Butler set his ego aside and be a third wheel? Kyrie I don't think will crawl back to LeBron. Klay Thompson doesn't help next year. They need shooters to go with the max player. Also can LeBron stay healthy, has rather time caught up to him? AD also has a reputation for being soft, will he crumble like Dwight Howard did in the spot light?

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If *

I'm not sure Kawhi is leaving. He is now a hero there, some people can get addicted to that. But when the lakers sign another max contract player they will be better. Notice I said when, not if.

Edit: Also what if Kawhi is the 3rd player the lakers get? Last I remember reading he was wanting to sign with the lakers not the clippers.

As it stands, there's about 23 million and change that the Lakers can spend on one guy. That number can go up if the Pelicans agree not to submit the trade until the end of July and Davis waives a $4 million trade kicker. As a point of reference, Serge Ibaka makes 23 million. Does a guy like Kemba take a pretty steep pay cut to chase a ring?

https://www.latimes.com/sports/lake...s-trade-lakers-salary-cap-20190616-story.html
 

Butler isn't going to LA; Philly will offer him, for some reason, a max deal and he'll take it and stay in Philly.

The Lakers may sign another player to a max contract, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are signing a max contract caliber player. Not that many of those walking around.
 


Butler isn't going to LA; Philly will offer him, for some reason, a max deal and he'll take it and stay in Philly.

The Lakers may sign another player to a max contract, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are signing a max contract caliber player. Not that many of those walking around.

I agree with all of that. A lot of Kemba talk going on. Is he a max player or a future contract headache?
 


So a 21 year old who averaged 18, 5, and 3 is not much else? Ingram has a better chance of becoming an All-Star than the #4 pick.

NBA draft picks are overrated, it's not the NFL. Only a few players become stars out of each draft.

When you just list those three numbers...looks alright. But...He doesn't shoot threes (less than two a game). Bad free throw shooter (67%). Average rebounder for 33 minutes a game. Just looked up his defensive rating = not even close to good. So, disappointing on defense. Plus, a few different injuries in his first three years. Solid overall shooting 49% though. He is one of those "promise" types Wolves fans know a lot about. He's gonna get paid and won't be worth it from what I've seen.

It boils down to this with a trade like this one. Davis is clearly the best piece. So, will any of the pieces gotten for him turn out to be as good? Probably not. So, now they have to hope that at least two of the pieces become at least all-star level. There is a chance of that, but we already know that two of the pieces (Ball and Hart) aren't going to become all-star players. Now, if the draft is as bad as you said, then they can't count on the draft to produce two future all-stars. It's kind of up to Ingram.
 

When you just list those three numbers...looks alright. But...He doesn't shoot threes (less than two a game). Bad free throw shooter (67%). Average rebounder for 33 minutes a game. Just looked up his defensive rating = not even close to good. So, disappointing on defense. Plus, a few different injuries in his first three years. Solid overall shooting 49% though. He is one of those "promise" types Wolves fans know a lot about. He's gonna get paid and won't be worth it from what I've seen.

It boils down to this with a trade like this one. Davis is clearly the best piece. So, will any of the pieces gotten for him turn out to be as good? Probably not. So, now they have to hope that at least two of the pieces become at least all-star level. There is a chance of that, but we already know that two of the pieces (Ball and Hart) aren't going to become all-star players. Now, if the draft is as bad as you said, then they can't count on the draft to produce two future all-stars. It's kind of up to Ingram.
No guarantees and I know it's not part of a package, but IAM guessing at some point Zion will be an All Star, so if Ingram develops into that they'll be fine. Christian Laetner was an all star once, so was Tom Gugliota, so one never knows

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Newest rumor is Kawaii to the lakers. I personally don't want to see that happen but I could make a lot of people in this thread eat crow if it happens...
 

Newest rumor is Kawaii to the lakers. I personally don't want to see that happen but I could make a lot of people in this thread eat crow if it happens...

Enough with the super teams already. The NBA needs to reform its salary cap.
 

Enough with the super teams already. The NBA needs to reform its salary cap.

Completely agree. The players have way too much power and just pick and choose which friends to play with and no one can stop them.
 





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