NBA 24/25

[pdub]

No one realistically thought the Lakers were going to be contenders just because of JJ Redick - not sure what this guy is talking about.

https://www.nba.com/news/offseason-powe ... -west-2024

They've struggled on defense for a while now.
LeBron and AD are still, at worst, top 15 players, and you definitely can put some of the blame on them, but that roster otherwise ain't contending.

This is the cycle that occurs when you trade a lot of young players and future picks to acquire elite talent. It can work in the short term, and did. They won an NBA title.

There is no realistic path to them becoming a contender anytime soon. They'd have to move AD and even then, not sure the return would pay off in time before LeBron retires.

At this point, I would seriously just think about finding deals to send both those guys out if they were open to it.

I personally think the Lakers management is more to blame for all this -- they made some moranic moves during LeBron's window. And no, LeBron is not management.

[DeletedUser]

No one realistically thought the Lakers were going to be contenders just because of JJ Redick - not sure what this guy is talking about.

https://www.nba.com/news/offseason-powe ... -west-2024

They've struggled on defense for a while now.
LeBron and AD are still, at worst, top 15 players, and you definitely can put some of the blame on them, but that roster otherwise ain't contending.

This is the cycle that occurs when you trade a lot of young players and future picks to acquire elite talent. It can work in the short term, and did. They won an NBA title.

There is no realistic path to them becoming a contender anytime soon. They'd have to move AD and even then, not sure the return would pay off in time before LeBron retires.

At this point, I would seriously just think about finding deals to send both those guys out if they were open to it.

I personally think the Lakers management is more to blame for all this -- they made some moranic moves during LeBron's window. And no, LeBron is not management.

Yes, if you could get them to agree, but I'm not sure how much you can really get for LeBron at this point.

He's only going to allow himself to be traded to a handful of teams. Warriors, Suns, maybe the Knicks? Boston won't want him. Denver won't want him. OKC maybe? They've got a ton of picks stockpiled.

He's not going to go to a non contender. He'll just stay in LA if that's the case.

These well run organizations that have built contenders aren't going to give away their future for 1 or 2 years of LeBron. And even though he probably "could", i don't see him playing 4 or 5 more seasons.

[pdub]

If what you said is true ( not sure how much you can get for LeBron at this point ) then Denver would definitely want him. Same with a lot of teams. This all depends on the asking price of the Lakers.

Houston? Dallas?

[DeletedUser]

If what you said is true ( not sure how much you can get for LeBron at this point ) then Denver would definitely want him. Same with a lot of teams. This all depends on the asking price of the Lakers.

Houston? Dallas?

Maybe Dallas.

I don't think Houston is good enough to get him to agree to go there.

Maybe the Lakers would ask for very little, but then I'm not sure it really makes any sense for them either.

[pdub]

Yea.
I don't really see a good scenario for them for either guy.
Kinda stuck.

[DeletedUser]

Yea.
I don't really see a good scenario for them for either guy.
Kinda stuck.

You know what would be interesting, and maybe something he'd consider, and that's a trade back to Cleveland. They are a solid team, but they know they can't beat Boston in a 7 game series "as is".

The Lakers knew that their window was small. They accomplished their goal of a championship. I don't think multiple championships were a realistic expectation based on the method they chose to "build". Which is mortgage the future for the present. We are now into the "future" part of that scenario.

Dynasty building is done more like Boston and Golden State have done. Good drafting and developing. No impulsive trades or buys.

[pdub]

Eh, I think the moves they made after winning their first title, especially their overreaction to loosing to a good Suns team and trading a ton for Westbrook, completely handicapped them of another title.

They needed defense and they got rid of Caruso, one of the best defenders in the league.
And they needed shooting and decided not to pursue Buddy Hield, one of the better shooters in the league, and went with Westbrook, one of the worst shooters in the league.

Not saying i'm guaranteeing a title ( those are tough! ) but I do think they'd have been far more competitive and, with the right breaks, maybe would have gotten another.

[DeletedUser]

Eh, I think the moves they made after winning their first title, especially their overreaction to loosing to a good Suns team and trading a ton for Westbrook, completely handicapped them of another title.

They needed defense and they got rid of Caruso, one of the best defenders in the league.
And they needed shooting and decided not to pursue Buddy Hield, one of the better shooters in the league, and went with Westbrook, one of the worst shooters in the league.

Not saying i'm guaranteeing a title ( those are tough! ) but I do think they'd have been far more competitive and, with the right breaks, maybe would have gotten another.

Yes, the Westbrook move was stupid in hindsight. Although he's doing fantastic with Denver, likely due to being asked (or told) to do less.

Buddy Heild is such a unique situation. Nobody seems to want him, despite how good he is offensively.

[pdub]

Well he's older now - when younger, he should be your 4th best guy - a spacer - and he would have cost so so much less than Westbrook.

[BiggDick]

And no, LeBron is not management.

I dunno if we can say this so definitively.

I think it's a matter of to what degree Lebron has influenced/gets to influence management.

with one example being, I kinda doubt Lakers management drafting Bronny was Lakers management's idea alone.

[pdub]

And no, LeBron is not management.

I dunno if we can say this so definitively.

We can say this definitively.
LeBron is not management.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanie_Buss
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Pelinka
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James

[DeletedUser]

Well he's older now - when younger, he should be your 4th best guy - a spacer - and he would have cost so so much less than Westbrook.

Agreed. And Westbrook just isn't a good fit with LeBron on the court.

I think Westbrook was partially AD injury insurance and AD has been relatively healthy the last few years iirc.

And spot on about the cost. And length of the commitment to him.

Westbrook was an impulse buy. They'd have been better off sitting tight and developing young guys.

[DeletedUser]

And no, LeBron is not management.

I dunno if we can say this so definitively.

We can say this definitively.
LeBron is not management.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanie_Buss
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Pelinka
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James

This.

All superstars have say in moves. Just not the final say.