2013-2014 NBA Discussion Thread: The Dwightmare is Over!

[L.A.]

So... No Kaman, Hickson or Speights at the Clips...

Psycho T! Plus world peace!

 

[Mr. Dent]

They really should amnesty Kobe.

 

[Raiden]

They really should amnesty Kobe.

As a Lakers and Kobe fan, I did think about this possibility as well, and I'm not completely against this idea. However, I know that the Lakers organization will not do such a thing to a player who has brought so much success to the franchise. I only hope after next season, Kobe will either retire or come back by taking a huge paycut and take a supporting role, otherwise I don't think Lakers will have any luck convincing another all-star free agent to come and play in the team, unless he can coexist with Kobe like Pau could.

 

[Raiden]

They don't have what it takes to win it all, but they could definitely be better with the team they already have. I highly doubt they'll be riddled with as many injuries as they were last year, and that's really what destroyed things even more than coaching and chemistry IMO.

I don't know if Odom would really come back, but they're supposedly trying to find out. Jordan Hill, if healthy, brings the same energy and effort Earl Clark provided. With no fourth star to appease it should be easier for Nash to slide back to his more natural comfort zone along with Pau & honestly I can't see D'Antoni doing much worse. If anything, this should be easier for him to manage. Should be....

The problem is, the Lakers must decide if they want to be merely competitive next season, or really set their sight on 2014 when they have contracts coming off the book and get cap relief in the first time in many years. From the looks of it, they want to have a shot at winning a title in Kobe's last year, as well as reboot the team with new players after next season. I'm concerned that they may ended up achieving neither if they wanted to have both.

 

[Doc Samson]

The problem is, the Lakers must decide if they want to be merely competitive next season, or really set their sight on 2014 when they have contracts coming off the book and get cap relief in the first time in many years. From the looks of it, they want to have a shot at winning a title in Kobe's last year, as well as reboot the team with new players after next season. I'm concerned that they may ended up achieving neither if they wanted to have both.

Most of the premier free agents of '14 I don't think would be interested in the Lakers, regardless of the situation.

I'm on record, and I strongly believe, that if Lebron goes anywhere, it's back to Cleveland. Wade, no matter how he looks this upcoming year, won't be valuable to LA's future, and the same could be said of Bosh whether he was playing at a high level or not. The only reasonable commodity would be Melo, and I just don't think he would want to leave NY. So that leaves a ton of cap space for who? It's this same mentality that sunk Dallas prematurely. Cuban thought he could land at least one star free agent, so he submarined a championship team and has nothing to show for it still, almost three years later.

Beyond that, I need to see more out of Wiggins, Jabari, etc., before I'm convinced they'll be the next stars for years to come. I think the best thing the Lakers can do is try to assemble something mirroring those teams from '09-'10 and hope for the best...

 

[Hound55]

Psycho T! Plus world peace!

Maybe Artest, MAYBE, but I'd think you're a fair way behind Toronto with Hansbrough.

 

[SolarTiger]

Clippers need a solid backup center, J ONeal would have been nice but he signed with GS. Not a lot left out there.

 

[Ghostvirus]

I go to Indiana, and I lived in the same dorm as him my freshman year. The dude's work ethic is unbelievable. He was either in class or at the gym. I'd get back at 3am from pledging at my fraternity, he'd get back at 3am from the gym. Awesome dude, gonna be a great player.

Fellow b-towner huh? Hello.

 

[runawayboulder]

They really should amnesty Kobe.

I think they would be better off using it on Nash.

 

[SolarTiger]

I think they would be better off using it on Nash.

They can't, he signed after the lockout.

 

[Warhammer]

Most of the premier free agents of '14 I don't think would be interested in the Lakers, regardless of the situation.

I'm on record, and I strongly believe, that if Lebron goes anywhere, it's back to Cleveland. Wade, no matter how he looks this upcoming year, won't be valuable to LA's future, and the same could be said of Bosh whether he was playing at a high level or not. The only reasonable commodity would be Melo, and I just don't think he would want to leave NY. So that leaves a ton of cap space for who? It's this same mentality that sunk Dallas prematurely. Cuban thought he could land at least one star free agent, so he submarined a championship team and has nothing to show for it still, almost three years later.

Ugh, don't remind me. Dallas finally gets the title and a month later, half the team is gone. Holy s***, that had to be one of the highest risks with no reward in recent sports history.

 

[Hound55]

Clippers need a solid backup center, J ONeal would have been nice but he signed with GS. Not a lot left out there.

Meh. Watch J.O. Plummet back to his Celtics level without the Suns training staff and our Lazarus pits... I mean, our cutting edge measures to keep players in shape.

 

[Raiden]

Most of the premier free agents of '14 I don't think would be interested in the Lakers, regardless of the situation.

I'm on record, and I strongly believe, that if Lebron goes anywhere, it's back to Cleveland. Wade, no matter how he looks this upcoming year, won't be valuable to LA's future, and the same could be said of Bosh whether he was playing at a high level or not. The only reasonable commodity would be Melo, and I just don't think he would want to leave NY. So that leaves a ton of cap space for who? It's this same mentality that sunk Dallas prematurely. Cuban thought he could land at least one star free agent, so he submarined a championship team and has nothing to show for it still, almost three years later.

Beyond that, I need to see more out of Wiggins, Jabari, etc., before I'm convinced they'll be the next stars for years to come. I think the best thing the Lakers can do is try to assemble something mirroring those teams from '09-'10 and hope for the best...

Maybe those FAs will sign with Lakers, maybe not. But I'm convinced that the window of opportunity for winning another title with this current team has already closed, and the best chance Lakers have right now is to wait for the freedom with the cap space in 2014 and the pool of FA that will be available during that time. I think they will also have to fire D'Antoni and get a better coach a la Doc Rivers in order to entice FAs to come to Los Angeles and play for the Lakers.

 

[SolarTiger]

LeBron and Melo are the only two FAs of consequence that summer, and neither of them are going to LA.

 

[runawayboulder]

They can't, he signed after the lockout.

Ah, crap you're right I forgot about that.

LeBron and Melo are the only two FAs of consequence that summer, and neither of them are going to LA.

Yes, despite how hard ESPN is going to try and convince the world of this over the next year, these two are not leaving where they're at. They'll both be in a position that year to have a team with players they want built around them, so there will be no reason to leave. There's probably a small 10% chance Lebron could go back to Cleveland but I think he's going to stay in Miami for the rest of his career.

The Lakers are going to have to look for a sign and trade for multiple players.

 

[Warhammer]

I don't see LeBron leaving at all. He's got a good thing going for him in Miami. That would have been like Jordan leaving Chicago after the 1996 Finals. Besides, him jumping ship for Cleveland just seems like it'd be more negative than positive. Yeah, he's going back home and/or making up for The Decision, but he'll also look like a phoney for jumping ship to another team again.

 

[Scrandy Randy]

Paul George will be a free agent in 2014. People also saying there's no chance the Lakers can lure LeBron or Melo are probably the same people that said the Lakers couldn't get Dwight and the Lakers did.

 

[TanneRain]

Fellow b-towner huh? Hello.

Haha hell yea man.

 

[Doc Samson]

Ugh, don't remind me. Dallas finally gets the title and a month later, half the team is gone. Holy s***, that had to be one of the highest risks with no reward in recent sports history.

Yeah that's rough, I feel bad for Dirk, he's one of my favorite players to watch when he's right. Paul Pierce, Dirk, Z-Bo, even Melo, I like guys with that "old man" game, based primarily on skill rather than athleticism.

But Dirk deserved better, after staying the course his whole career and finally getting it done, he needed another opportunity with that same team to defend his title but you never know, Dallas is in the Bynum sweepstakes too. Maybe those knees got something left...

I don't see LeBron leaving at all. He's got a good thing going for him in Miami. That would have been like Jordan leaving Chicago after the 1996 Finals. Besides, him jumping ship for Cleveland just seems like it'd be more negative than positive. Yeah, he's going back home and/or making up for The Decision, but he'll also look like a phoney for jumping ship to another team again.

I can see him doing it, and I think the fact that he's won some rings would make it easier for him to justify doing it. He validated the Decision & brought Miami titles, so it's not like he's leaving them high and dry, he accomplished the goal. Going forward however, I'm not so sure how much longer the Heat can maintain that.

The thing that made Miami special in the first place was the teaming of 2 of the top 5 players in the world. It's increasingly apparent that Wade isn't that anymore, at least he's not healthy enough to be that for long periods of time. Particularly if Cleveland can land Bynum and he can manage to stay upright, on top of plenty of cap room, I think the Cavs could potentially offer more upside in the future. And Lebron himself already said it's something he would consider...

People also saying there's no chance the Lakers can lure LeBron or Melo are probably the same people that said the Lakers couldn't get Dwight and the Lakers did.

The Lakers only got Dwight because of Dwight though. It's not like he was a FA and willingly signed with them.

 

[SolarTiger]

Paul George will be a free agent in 2014. People also saying there's no chance the Lakers can lure LeBron or Melo are probably the same people that said the Lakers couldn't get Dwight and the Lakers did.

He's an rfa. Indy will match every offer thrown at him.

 

[Anubis]

When is Danny Granger a free agent?

I mean, guys injury prone but, I don't know, take a chance.

 

[Birdman]

When is Danny Granger a free agent?

I mean, guys injury prone but, I don't know, take a chance.

End of this season.

 

[Doc Samson]

Looks like Cavs did land Bynum.

 

[Anubis]

I'm digging Olynyk.

Kids got some skills.

 

[Warhammer]

Yeah that's rough, I feel bad for Dirk, he's one of my favorite players to watch when he's right. Paul Pierce, Dirk, Z-Bo, even Melo, I like guys with that "old man" game, based primarily on skill rather than athleticism.

But Dirk deserved better, after staying the course his whole career and finally getting it done, he needed another opportunity with that same team to defend his title but you never know, Dallas is in the Bynum sweepstakes too. Maybe those knees got something left...

Man, the reason why I am a Dallas fan is because of Dirk. He's my favorite player in the game. Dirk is one of the best ever and deserves another ring.

I can see him doing it, and I think the fact that he's won some rings would make it easier for him to justify doing it. He validated the Decision & brought Miami titles, so it's not like he's leaving them high and dry, he accomplished the goal. Going forward however, I'm not so sure how much longer the Heat can maintain that.

The thing that made Miami special in the first place was the teaming of 2 of the top 5 players in the world. It's increasingly apparent that Wade isn't that anymore, at least he's not healthy enough to be that for long periods of time. Particularly if Cleveland can land Bynum and he can manage to stay upright, on top of plenty of cap room, I think the Cavs could potentially offer more upside in the future. And Lebron himself already said it's something he would consider...

You know, a big part of me wants to see LeBron leave Miami because I am curious to see how many fans Miami will lose in the process. Is that bad of me?