LABron James Discussion: The Final Year?

I wish all our players look "so bad" when healthy...

 

A qualifying offer is different than an extension, bro.

But either way...it's time to move on. I'm just going to start focusing more on what we could do rather than what we have done.

On interesting note, Jules, DLo, Zu, TB and BLo could all be potential free agents this summer. Haha

 

I thought we did but rescinded it so he could be a FA. No?

 

LeBron James’ summer plans: Being ‘uncomfortable in the offseason’ and sitting out Team USA’s World Cup

LeBron isn't going to play for team USA in China at World cup ? Really
It is actually very good !!! I can now watch some basketball at the summer

 

We didn't offer Jules anything so this is a moot point.

Moving on, I am interested to see what happens this summer with all of he above mentioned contracts. If they all get big paydays MagRob's offloading will not look that bad, contingent upon their also signing a tier 1 FA. Everything rides on that, we sign that tier 1 FA then the moves all make sense. We don't and we get some 2nd or 3rd tier guy and max or near-max them then it will always be discussed how we should of hung on to some of these guys.

 

And likely the most realistic.

 

I will say this. I understood and saw the vision Magic and Rob were trying to promote. The thing I didn’t get was the idea that we would beat Golden State. Supposedly we were constructing the team to beat them, since “teams with shooters got beat” and we were supposed to somehow do it differently and succeed.

Now I will admit I picked the Lakers to be the #3 seed behind Houston and Golden State because it made sense to me, Lonzo, Rondo, Bron, Lance, and the emergence of BI, Kuzma, Hart, etc. was gonna make us the team to beat, and then once you make the playoffs anything can happen, but I wasn’t realistic. Magic and Rob weren’t realistic. What you see in your head and what actually happens on the court are two COMPLETELY different things, lol and we look like fools because of it.

Lebron coming really blinded the FO from the #1 goal which should have been to make the playoffs and kill the drought, not beat Golden State.

 

Realistically could we do this if they are all free agents? I know all the Mintz drama and whatever, but could it actually happen if the opportunity presented itself? Then the next question is would we want these guys back? 4 of the 5 are frontcourt players which is what we need.

A lot of variables and unknown but I’d be all for it.

 

Considering D-Lo's max is like $27M?? No, we can't.

 

Wait...we have $38.2M so maybe D-Lo takes $27M, Randle takes $9M, and either Zu or TB or BLo takes the rest?

I would not be opposed to that at all and I hope the Lakers are thinking of these options...

 

I would think Jules would come back but no chance in hell Dlo would IMO, he's thriving in Bk, why come back to an environment that hinders his game?

 

I agree, and while I like DLo, he's no longer a good fit here. We have 3 ball-handling starters in Ball, Ingram and Lebron and his talents would be wasted being relegated to a spot-up shooter. I hope him well in Brooklyn where he can strive as the 1st option.

I'd take Randle back in a heartbeat. He's developing into a legit 3 point threat and he's basically unstoppable in the paint. We all know how clutch he is, both offensively and defensively, in pressure moments.

 

The Lakers DID offer Julius the qualifying offer, but it’s just a placeholder if you are trying to work something out. Just passing along in the interest of being factually correct.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/lakesh...-julius-randle-extended-qualifying-offer/amp/

 

It hurts to read that. Again. Yeah we couldn't have used an even more improved version of that Julius this year. If they wanted him here, not just as a f****** contingency afterthought, they would have made it happen. And figured it out after the end of this season.

 

James has heard the speculative chatter—that other stars don't want to join him. That they'd have to sacrifice too much to play with him. That the Lakers have lost their magical charm.

"They got me," James retorts, laughing. "I'm very confident. And I'm confident that players want to play with me. I'm very confident in that."

The bus is waiting down the ramp. James comforting himself with the promise of summer.
He is so f***ing naive

 

Funny, I saw the complete opposite reaction to this on another website. They all seem to think that Lebron has to know something re: someone joining him.

AD definitely wants to play with LBJ, so I guess he's not completely wrong.

 

I think the narrative that players don't want to play with James is something the media makes up or takes out of context what players actually meant. They always do this for clicks and hype. In reality these players have always loved playing with LeBron, during the Olympics you can see it, during all Star weekend you can see it, and in the off season he works out with these players and knows their families. One thing I'll give LeBron credit is he has great relationships with hundreds of players in the league and even in college coming to the league. They also know now that playing with LeBron especially in LA will make them a s*** ton of money. Look at Tristan Thompson, etc for example. I believe LeBron will convince first and foremost Kawhi, and I do believe with the pick we'll get will be in used in a trade for a 3rd Star. Hopefully AD, if not maybe Booker, Beal, Kemba (sign and trade) etc. I have faith and will give LeKlutch and Magic/ Pelinka one more off season to fix this. I'm pretty confident they learned a valuable lesson this season. As far as coach goes, all I care about is defense

 

i think the "nobody wants to play with _____" kicks into high gear when ______ is playing for the lakers.

 

Definitely.