re: NBA Offseason Thread | Media Day

quote:

---

And y’all are still melting over Cousins

---

quote:

---

FOH, 48 wins last season and this season has much better roster fits than last season.

---

Tbh I am a little worried about pg play. But Niko for a full season and adding Randle are fricking huge.

West is gonna be brutal next year. Kings probably will be the only team actively tanking. Suns/Mavs/etc will all be much improved, and they probably won't win that many more games just because of how tough the west is.

quote:

---

Tbh I am a little worried about pg play.

---

Honestly, I don't think Elfrid will have a tough time producing what Rondo did on-court. It's the loss of leadership/IQ that concerns me more than on-court production there.

Randle will be huge for defense/transition offense.

Nice article by Kevin O’Connor, who has now joined Zach Lowe on the “Lakers need to keep Brandon Ingram at all costs” bandwagon. Does a great job of breaking down Ingram’s game and how much he should improve playing alongside Lebron

LINK

quote:

---

The Lakers should be fine with San Antonio’s wait-and-see approach. It seems the key piece the Spurs want from the Lakers in a deal for Leonard is Brandon Ingram, a 20-year-old, 6-foot-9 forward with a versatile scoring skill set, passing vision, and the length to defend multiple positions. If I’m Spurs general manager R.C. Buford, I wouldn’t trade with the Lakers unless the former no. 2 pick is involved. But if I’m Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, I’d view Ingram as a keeper that’s virtually off limits in trade talks. Here’s why:

---

quote:

---

Ingram’s adaptability is what I loved about him as a prospect, and still do now. LeBron has never played with anyone like what Ingram could be. He’s had a ball-dominant point guard in Irving, an athletic slasher in Dwyane Wade, a playmaking power forward in Kevin Love, and a stretch power forward in Chris Bosh. Ingram blends all of those qualities, which is why some scouts and executives had him ranked no. 1 ahead of Ben Simmons in the 2016 draft—and still do, as crazy as it might sound. Ingram can be whatever the Lakers—or Spurs—need him to be.

---

quote:

---

If it comes to the point that the Lakers feel pressured to give up Ingram in a trade for Leonard, I’m still skeptical that the Lakers should bite. Sure, you can say that we don’t know what player Ingram will develop into. But the same can be said about what Leonard will look like when he returns. If Leonard is a shell of his former self, or even if he ended up signing elsewhere, there are still a wide number of other unrestricted free agents to target such as Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, a healthy DeMarcus Cousins, or restricted free agents like Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Lakers could also stay positioned for the next superstar available on the trade market that wouldn’t cost nearly as much as Leonard, like Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan, or Damian Lillard. Or, if Anthony Davis is available and healthy, then it’d be easier to stomach dealing Ingram. Leonard should be the current top option for the Lakers, but there are always other stars dreaming of playing in Los Angeles with a chance to compete for titles with the greatest player of this generation.

---

quote:

---

With so much excitement building, it’s surely tempting for the Lakers to go all in on these next three or four seasons; anything less than a championship would feel like potential gone unfulfilled. But even if the Lakers did acquire Leonard in a trade that involved Ingram, I doubt they’d beat the Warriors this season. They’d still be one star away.

Ingram could be that piece. If the Lakers resist trading him for Leonard this offseason, and then manage to sign Leonard next summer, the 2019-20 Lakers could end up with Leonard, James, Ingram, Ball, and Kuzma, plus whichever veterans tag along for an NBA Finals run. It’d be a loaded squad filled with players who can switch on defense and play with or without the ball. And depending on other decisions made, they could decide to use Kuzma or Ball—not Ingram—as a sweetener in trades.

---

quote:

---

The last thing the Lakers should do is sacrifice the whole future like the Cavaliers were forced to do when James signed short-term contracts. The Spurs are right to target Ingram in any deal for Leonard. But of all teams, the Spurs should understand why the Lakers would resist. When Tim Duncan entered the homestretch of his career, Leonard became the difference-maker during their 2014 championship, and then the star to bridge into the new era. If the Lakers keep their long view, the same could someday be said about Ingram in a post-LeBron world.

---

quote:

---

At some point, 80-85% of the NBA All-Stars will be in LAL/GS/NYK/BOS if not more.

Ridiculous.

---

Did you ever hear about the '60s? The 80s?

It's nothing new, man.


Except we've 7 different teams win a title in the last 11 seasons, much more parity than we usually have, actually.

Melo and OKC parting ways per Woj

edit: damn it... haha

quote:

---

Yea, i vote to keep this core and to go after Butler/Kawhi next seaspn.

---

And Lebron seems to be fine with that, considering he trusts Magic to sign a 3+1. Windhorst even said the other day that when trade talks were heating up and the Lakers were on the verge of making a panic trade for Kawhi, Lebron’s people made sure they knew he didn’t want them to gut the roster for a 2nd star.

Rockets bound