Lakers 2019-2020 Thread (Hey, Maybe We Can Win This Time With Anthony Davis) [Archive] - LGK

TooCool

June 15th, 2019, 07:04 PM

Sad that Ingram is gone but it had to be done. Keeping Kuzma is huge though!

Losing all those 1st round picks sound bad but at the same time this is the Lakers we're talking about. Enough losing. Let's start winning and those will be super late 1st rounders in the future for New Orleans.

Now we'll see who we can attract in free agency.

HeadInjury

June 16th, 2019, 09:51 AM

From what I've reviewed online, here are some more details.

The trade will be official on July 6. Lakers can't make the deal now and get the chance to sign a max free agent. It would have been ideal for the trade to go down in late July as the way the CBA works, the Lakers would have had more cap space then.

Davis has a $4 million trade kicker which he can waive. No word on that, but it hurts the team if he doesn't, so I'm guessing he does. If he waives the kicker and if Wagner and Bonga are both traded, the Lakers can get within $500k of a max slot.

In addition to the #4 (http://letsgokings.com/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=4) pick in this draft, the Lakers' 2021 first round pick goes to New Orleans if it’s in the top eight. If not they’ll get an unprotected first in 2022. New Orleans has the right to swap first round picks in 2023 (only happens if they have a better record than the Lakers that year). New Orleans get an unprotected first in 2024, with a right to defer it to 2025.

Did New Orleans bend the Lakers over on this? Absolutely. But reports are that the Lakers are going to pursue Kawhi now. If he signs, it would certainly be worth it.

If this all pans out, the Lakers will have to renounce or trade everyone else so they will be left with a roster of LeBron, Davis, Leonard and Kuzma. They will have the room exception, which is $4.76 million. Everyone else will need to be signed to minimums. I could see Caruso and McGee coming back. Then you fill out the roster with vet players chasing a title.

TooCool

June 16th, 2019, 04:58 PM

In addition to the #4 pick in this draft, the Lakers' 2021 first round pick goes to New Orleans if it’s in the top eight. If not they’ll get an unprotected first in 2022. New Orleans has the right to swap first round picks in 2023 (only happens if they have a better record than the Lakers that year). New Orleans get an unprotected first in 2024, with a right to defer it to 2025.

Interesting. So we keep the 2020 no matter how good or bad it is. So New Orleans is pretty much banking on the fact that the 2021/2022 and beyond picks are top picks because by then Lebron is done and if some crazy chance Davis doesn't sign an extension, then they'll get the upper hand easily.

Meanwhile for us is to just freaking win. Enough losing already.

So long GS doesn't continue their super team we should be good.

ucsdguy1

June 17th, 2019, 08:04 AM

Interesting. So we keep the 2020 no matter how good or bad it is. So New Orleans is pretty much banking on the fact that the 2021/2022 and beyond picks are top picks because by then Lebron is done and if some crazy chance Davis doesn't sign an extension, then they'll get the upper hand easily.

Meanwhile for us is to just freaking win. Enough losing already.

So long GS doesn't continue their super team we should be good.
The cap numbers make my head hurt. But I think half of we was go after Kawhi/Kyrie/kemba/other hard, the other half was spend the remaining money on guys like patrick beverly/seth curry etc. And of course the third half of me says I don't comprehend all the salaries/figures so let it just play out and see what happens.

HeadInjury

June 21st, 2019, 08:33 AM

Lakers made a trade with Orlando to acquire the 46th pick in the draft and selected Talen Horton-Tucker, a 6'4", 240 pound guard from Iowa State with an insane 7'1" wingspan. He is said by some to be a first round talent, but is obviously not in the greatest shape. He was the youngest player in the draft and does not turn 19 until Thanksgiving.

Lakers have also signed Mississippi State forward Aric Holman, a 6'10" senior, who shot 38% from the three, and UNC Wilmington center Devontae Cacok, a 6'7" senior, who averaged 15.2 points on 59 percent shooting and 12 rebounds per game. Both of these guys will play in summer league but don't have guaranteed contracts.

Rumors abound that Kawhi Leonard is not really considering the Lakers. The Lakers have $23 million in cap space now, $27 million if Anthony Davis waives his trade kicker. They can get further cap space by finding a third team to take Wagner and Bonga as part of the Davis trade. That would get them close to the $32.5 million max spot. But if I were them, assuming Kawhi isn't coming, I would try to sign 2-3 good players with the cap space instead of trying to add another max player. They will also have a $4.76 million room exception to sign another player once they run out of cap space. Right now, the roster is LeBron, Davis, Kuzma, Wagner, Bonga and Horton-Tucker, with Alex Caruso and possibly Jemerrio Jones to be added. Some talk of McGee, Rondo and Stephenson possibly returning too. Just say no to Rondo. McGee as Davis' backup would be pretty good.

Edit: Lakers have also signed Gonzaga guard Zach Norvell, a 6′ 5″ sophomore, to a two-way contract.

HeadInjury

June 27th, 2019, 11:59 AM

The Lakers have an agreement with the Wizards to trade Wagner, Bonga and Jemerrio Jones. Lakers are also including a 2022 second round pick.

So we are down to 4 players: LeBron, Davis, Kuzma and Horton-Tucker.

Davis has also agreed to waive his trade kicker.

The Lakers now have $32 million in cap space.

If they sign multiple players using that space, they actually will have a little more space because for each extra player signed, one of their cap holds at the league minimum is eliminated. Those are about $900,000 each.

All of this hyperventilating in the media, particularly ESPN, about how the Lakers didn't understand the salary cap was total BS. New Orleans had to agree to the Lakers including this trade in the Davis trade. That was the plan all along. New Orleans just didn't have any use for Wagner, Bonga and Jones.

Reports are that Kawhi Leonard is going to meet with the Lakers, Clippers and Raptors next week in Los Angeles.

ucsdguy1

June 27th, 2019, 03:32 PM

Reports are that Kawhi Leonard is going to meet with the Lakers, Clippers and Raptors next week in Los Angeles.

https://media.giphy.com/media/YRHUxUsud3200/giphy.gif

ucsdguy1

July 1st, 2019, 07:42 AM

Yesterday was nuts. Quite a bit of money thrown around. Lakers really going all in on getting Kawhi. Seems like KL's team doing their due diligence on the Lakers FO, and "hopefully" where there's smoke there's fire.

Danny Green/Seth Curry possibility waiting to see what KL does? If he comes to LA maybe they follow? (if they can wait a week). I should say if he comes to the Lakers, not LA.

Sounds like Iguodala may get bought out, could go after him?

Pure offseason entertainment.

HeadInjury

July 2nd, 2019, 09:16 AM

The contracts being handed out are truly nuts. If Leonard does end up picking the Lakers, we wouldn't have had the cap space to sign anyone of note who is now gone. If he goes elsewhere, we will have missed out on a few good players.

It is interesting that none of the Lakers free agents have signed elsewhere. Rondo, McGee, KCP, Stephenson and Caruso. Only Bullock, who was a rental, has left so far. I think there's an agreement for KCP to come back, either for the minimum or the room exception. He was paid $30 million over the last two years for no apparent reason and he shares LeBron's agent. If I understand correctly, he can be re-signed one year from now for more than the vet minimum if he re-signs this year.

Lakers did sign guard Troy Daniels to a minimum deal yesterday. He shot 40% from the 3 last year and his % on wide-open 3's is much higher. You would think he'd get a lot of kick out passes if defenses are trying to deal with LeBron, Davis and hopefully Leonard.

In past seasons, I've recapped summer league, but after watching about 10 minutes of the first game yesterday, there is no point in doing that. They were awful and the guys there are competing for G-League contracts. Our lone draft pick didn't play due to an injury.

ucsdguy1

July 3rd, 2019, 02:23 PM

Jalen Rose saying hearing 99% sure he's re-signing with Toronto for 2 years then will be eligible to sign a supermax.

It's Jalen Rose so take it for what you will.

HeadInjury

July 4th, 2019, 08:09 PM

Cris Carter (of "All He Does is Catch Touchdowns" fame) seems to be the person with the most insight into the situation. He had the same agent Kawhi has. He said the decision will be made Friday and everyone (Lakers, Clippers and Raptors) were still under consideration.

There are rumblings that if he goes elsewhere, the Lakers plan to trade for Goran Dragic, the point guard for the Heat, who is in the last year of his contract.

ucsdguy1

July 5th, 2019, 11:06 PM

Clippers set to sign Kawhi and trade for Paul George. WOW

TooCool

July 6th, 2019, 12:08 AM

Clippers set to sign Kawhi and trade for Paul George. WOW

Damn you Kawhi!

Clippers pretty much gave OKC all their draft picks for the next few seasons. If this doesn't work out for them, they're going to continue to be a miserable franchise for many more years to come.

HeadInjury

July 6th, 2019, 07:06 AM

It looks like Leonard wasn't indecisive at all, but was just waiting for the Clippers to work a trade for George. They gave up three first round picks and Miami's unprotected 2021 first rounder, plus pick swaps and their most coveted young player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. I'm not sure this sets up a championship level team for the Clippers, but they are now relevant.

Lakers signed Danny Green to a two-year $30 million deal and Quinn Cook to a two-year $6 million deal. Both good shooters. They also re-signed McGee and KCP. The Lakers have somewhere around $5-8 million in cap space left, plus the room exception at $4.76 million. They are up to 10 players on their roster.

HeadInjury

July 6th, 2019, 07:45 AM

Clips also gave up a protected Miami 2023 first round pick, so that's 5 first rounders in all.

Lakers have to exhaust all of their cap space before making the Davis trade, so there should be more signings today.

The two-year signings mean the Lakers are probably going to focus next on Giannis, who becomes a free agent in two years.

HeadInjury

July 6th, 2019, 12:04 PM

Lakers signed Boogie Cousins to a one-year deal and re-signed Rondo to a two-year deal. Not a fan of Rondo but it is at the veteran minimum, so no big deal. Cousin's deal is $3.5 million.

Right now the roster looks like:

Rondo/Cook/Caruso
Green/KCP/Daniels/Talen Horton-Tucker
LeBron/Dudley
AD/Kuzma
Cousins/McGee

TooCool

July 6th, 2019, 05:55 PM

Thanks for the summary HeadInjury.

Rondo, Green, James, AD, and Cousins as the starting 5. Kuzma as the 6th man and along with all the other fillers... I can dig that. Barring no significant injuries, there's no reason this Lakers team can't compete either.

kingrussell

July 6th, 2019, 06:22 PM

Clippers won the off season. Jerry West is a genius. Interesting that Kings fans hate big egos in hockey players, but slobber all over themselves over the humongous ego of Lebron James. On the bright side, the secondary market for Kings tickets should be pretty reasonable with both NBA teams contenders.

HeadInjury

July 6th, 2019, 10:40 PM

I like what the Clippers did, but I think they will have a lot of trouble defensively with AD, McGee and Cousins, not to mention LeBron. They signed Zubac to a 4-year, $28 million deal today. I like Zubac but he is a project.

Paul George had a hell of a year, but he also had surgery on both shoulders and apparently won't be ready at the beginning of the season. The Clippers will be the best defensive team in the league at the 1, 2 and 3 spots. But who exactly will guard AD?

The big difference with the role players the Lakers signed this off season is they can hit the open 3. There are going to be tons of open looks unless teams never intend to double team AD or LeBron. Good luck with that.

ucsdguy1

July 7th, 2019, 07:16 AM

TooCool

July 7th, 2019, 01:44 PM

So I've heard two differing stories - one that Kawhi was stringing everyone along and wanted the Clippers the whole time, or at the very least it was between the Clippers and Raptors. Another is he wanted LA and if the Clippers hadn't swung the George trade he would've signed with the Lakers.

Either way, seems like he was doing some backhanded communication with George for at least a few days, quietly. And George, man after signing that deal with OKC and not even taking a meeting with the Lakers.....now he requests this trade? How would you like to be an OKC fan right now?

Won't most of those picks to OKC be quite late first rounders if the Clippers are as good as projected? I don't know the exact mechanics.

Yeah, I think Paul George has something against the Lakers. Oh well, screw him.

As for the Thunder organization, I think they don't know what they're doing. Just look at how they handled the Harden and Durant situation.

Here are all the picks they're getting from the Clippers. Unprotected first-round picks in 2021 (via Miami), 2022, 2024 and 2026. The rights to swap picks in 2023 and 2025. And a separate 2023 first-round pick (also via Miami) that’s protected 1–14.

So assuming the Clippers picks are late 1st rounders, maybe they're banking on Miami being terrible. But of course, if the Clippers are the Clippers after all of this, then OKC could still be looking at mid-late first rounders and not necessarily late first rounders.

ucsdguy1

July 8th, 2019, 08:26 AM

Yeah, I think Paul George has something against the Lakers. Oh well, screw him.

Or rather, his agent. If I remember correctly George's agent also represents Julius Randle, Lonzo Ball and D'angelo Russell. He may have been more than willing to accommodate a trade across the hall? :)

HeadInjury

July 8th, 2019, 10:43 AM

Lakers have signed Avery Bradley to a two-year deal using the room exception.

One curious note. Lakers have not announced the Rondo signing.

Edit: Reports now that LeBron is going to be the starting point guard and Danny Green the starting shooting guard. Not sure how that would work defensively as LeBron can't defend well against guards. So the starting small forward will have to be able to defend a guard I suppose.

HeadInjury

July 21st, 2019, 06:00 PM

Lakers have 14 of their 15 roster spots filled. Presumably leaving the last spot open in case of a buyout, such as Andre Iguodala. Memphis is trying to trade him, however, and the Lakers aren't a possible trade partner.

In addition, today the Lakers claimed Kostas Antetokounmpo off of waivers and signed him to a two-way contract. He is Giannis' younger brother. I think this puts to rest any question as to what the Lakers' long-term plan is. They have structured their free agent signings such that all the deals end right in time for Giannis' free agency. They basically announced this is their plan, but without tampering this time. In 2-years, Kostas will be recruiting his brother to play with him.

Ice24

July 23rd, 2019, 12:16 PM

The Lakers will be a decent to good team until mid Feb when Lebron breaks down. They will make the playoffs but Davis will not be able to carry them without Lebron who will be out.

HeadInjury

August 16th, 2019, 12:47 PM

Well the injury bug is already back. Boogie Cousins tore his ACL earlier this week and might miss the entire season.

If he hadn't torn his Achilles, he's probably be making north of $30 million a year right now. As it stands, he probably won't make $30 million over the remainder of his career.

HeadInjury

August 25th, 2019, 12:44 PM

Lakers signed Dwight Howard to a non-guaranteed deal. Apparently non-guaranteed so they can cut him at the first sign of him creating team chemistry problems, which he apparently has caused everywhere he's been since his first time with the Lakers.

Not thrilled by this. (Neither is James Worthy who lambasted the suggestion of signing him a few months ago.) Presumably McGee will start and Howard will be there to eat some minutes. Certainly he is capable of doing that for 15 minutes a night. But this guy has a long history and that's the best indicator of how this will go.

All you need to know about Dwight is when he was traded to the Lakers, in his opening press conference, he didn't mention trying to win a championship. Everyone knew the Lakers had traded for him for that purpose, but it never dawned on him to bring it up.

HeadInjury

November 3rd, 2019, 07:34 PM

Lakers win 5 in a row and, for a night at least, are number 1 in the West.

I have Frontier and thus lost the Lakers' Spectrum channel recently when they couldn't reach an agreement. Figured I wouldn't be able to see many games, but seems like every games in either on TNT, ESPN or NBA TV.

Dwight Howard is fitting in real well thus far, which is a surprise. I guess he's decided its time to be humble and try to fit in. He is not spectacular but has been real strong defensively. He is much better than McGee so far. So a hat tip to him. Hopefully, he doesn't revert to the old Dwight.

LeBron and Davis are a force together.

Danny Green is fitting in real well too.

Best start in 9 years.

HeadInjury

November 30th, 2019, 07:08 PM

Lakers are a league best 17-2 as we near the end of the first quarter of the season.

Lakers haven't lost away from Staples Center. Their only "road" loss was to the Clippers in the season opener.

The James - Davis tandem is the best we've seen since Kobe-Shaq. LaBron is averaging 11 assists a game while shooting 50%. Just a tremendous season for him so far.

Ice24

December 2nd, 2019, 09:30 AM

HeadInjury

December 14th, 2019, 08:56 AM

Funny how this thread is completely dead with the Lakers off to their best start in forever. 23-3. Still haven't lost away from Staples Center. Last night they handed the Heat their first home loss.

Fans were saying that December was going to be the real test to see how good this team is. So far 6-1. They play the Bucks on Thursday who have the same record.

HeadInjury

January 26th, 2020, 01:44 PM

RIP Black Mamba.

dneprovec

January 26th, 2020, 05:30 PM

Most of Kings fans don't care about Lakers at all .I learned it a few years ago.And now I am just
speachless...RIP Mamba

HeadInjury

March 8th, 2020, 11:15 AM

With their win Friday over the Bucks, the Lakers qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 6 years.

HeadInjury

September 16th, 2020, 08:34 AM

I guess it's time to resurrect this thread.

Lakers make it to the conference finals and Clippers fail to get out of the second round again.

Clippers have gone 50 years without making the conference finals. That is the longest streak in all professional sports.

Doc Rivers is the only coach in NBA history to have lost three playoff series after leading 3-1. I didn't watch the series, but watched the second half last night and it did not seem that the Clippers made any adjustments as the game slipped away.

HeadInjury

September 16th, 2020, 08:57 AM

More on the Clippers. Kawhi and George can opt out after next season, making the decision on coaching for next season particularly important.

The Clippers have traded away their first round picks in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2026.

Their picks in 2021, 2023 and 2025 are subject to swaps (the first with the Knicks and last two with OKC). If they were to fall apart, their first real chance to pick up a top player in the draft will be in 7 years. So they have to be all in and hope Kawhi and George extend their deals.