NBA Offseason Thread

[bakemeister52]

Didn't think he would go to LA but let's see what they get him for support!

[WilyWestbrook0]

Honestly, had he not won Cleveland a title in 2016, I'd be eBaying all my stuff of his right now. Never have cared much for the Lakers. Seeing him in that gold uniform will be ugly.

But again, not surprised. LeBron has always loved the limelight, and LA is the ultimate of the limelight. :/ LeBron + Lakers=LeBronkers.

So what are the LeBronkers' other options right now? Simply adding James won't be enough to compete against the Warriors. They must have other moves in sight. I applaud George for sticking with my Thunder and not taking the easy way to the rings, but perhaps LA still has their sights on Kawhi and maybe Cousins. If it's feasible for them to add both, I'm still not sure that will be enough, though ... George is more versatile on both ends; I think they would have needed him to compete with the Warriors. Kawhi doesn't have a comparable offensive game, and Boogie is too big and doesn't have the speed to cover anyone on GS.

With all that in mind, I'm thinking this move looks more like LeBron has given up on the ring chase and just wants to enjoy life and business in LaLa Land, come what may basketball-wise.

[Jameis1of1]

With all that in mind, I'm thinking this move looks more like LeBron has given up on the ring chase and just wants to enjoy life and business in LaLa Land, come what may basketball-wise.

THAT is exactly what it looks like and I hate the move … had he signed with Philly he would have gone to 12 straight NBA Finals and likely won another 2-3 as well for sure. Now, with the Lakers, he may never go to another Finals, let alone win one.

I simply don't trust the Lakers brain trust at all. And, if I was LeBron and just saw that they gave Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Lance Stephenson, two BACKUP SG's $16,5mil for one year, which leaves them with just $8.5mil to spend on a starting center (nowhere near enough for Boogie Cousins), which is "maybe" enough to bring back an old, average center like Brook Lopez, I would back out of the deal!

LeBron signing with the Lakers MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL from a "basketball perspective" and I hate it … but, I will say that I respect it and him as a person even more now, as this signing seems to point to nothing other than making his wife and children happy as it's a pure "lifestyle move" … LeBron's an amazing human being, period.

Anyways, as it stands right now, the Lakers have just $8.75mil in cap space and their roster is:

PG: Lonzo/Ennis
SG: Ingram/KCP/Hart
SF: LeBron/Stephenson/Myhailiuk
PF: Kuzma/Wagner/Deng
C: ???/McGee/Zubac

^ THAT is a HORRIBLE ROSTER and it's still missing a starting center and the team has just $8.5mil of cap space to work with.

Now, if they extend (for 3 years at vet min value) and waive Luol Deng, they could free up an extra $14.15mil in cap space. That would give them $22.65mil of cap space to use on a starting center, still probably not even close to enough to get Boogie Cousins, or enough to get Clint Capela, but they could re-sign Julius Randle, who isn't even a true center by any sense of the imagination.

[Jameis1of1]

I will say the Lakers have options though … they could trade Lonzo & Deng to the Magic for Vucevic & Terrence Ross or to the Pelicans in a S&T for Boogie … they have a lot of options BUT if they stand pat, they're roster is bad ...

[WilyWestbrook0]

To make everything stranger, Cleveland has been supposedly adamant that they want to hold onto their lone remaining Big Three piece, Kevin Love, and Love has said he wants to stay, too. Why? It honestly would be best for both parties if they parted ways and started over: the Cavs should get value for Love while he's still in his somewhat prime, and do the right thing and honor his professionalism by sending him somewhere respectable where he can contribute to a playoff-level team (the Blazers, perhaps). Besides, I've seen Cleveland Cavs message boards and their fans, and generally speaking, most of them hate Love -- I don't know why he wants to stay in a place where he's not respected. Most Cavs fans think he's a pansy and sissy underachiever, and some of them right now are saying he'll just put up meaningless stat stuffing numbers on another struggling team, like they always say he did in Minnesota. He must really be oblivious to that, or else has some kind of honor and respect from management, for him to want to stay there. Seeing it only from a fan's perspective, it doesn't make sense to me. If I were Love, I'd want to get the heck out of there.

[rjabreu88]

Crazy how things have turned out. I think the lakers are planning on getting kawaii next year as a free agent. They will not contend this year but with all the 1 year deals they will have money to spend next year. Surprised to see lebron take a year off of chasing rings. Hell rest up groom the young lakers and go hard at the title next year with kawaii and hopefully a Center.

The KCP signing was ridiculous but he has the same agent as Lebron so something bust be going on there. Hes not a bad player but 12 mill was really over paying. If the lakers sign Nerlens Noel as their center (he has the same agent too) I will be really suspicious of some behind the scenes things going on.

[Jameis1of1]

To make everything stranger, Cleveland has been supposedly adamant that they want to hold onto their lone remaining Big Three piece, Kevin Love, and Love has said he wants to stay, too. Why? It honestly would be best for both parties if they parted ways and started over: the Cavs should get value for Love while he's still in his somewhat prime, and do the right thing and honor his professionalism by sending him somewhere respectable where he can contribute to a playoff-level team (the Blazers, perhaps). Besides, I've seen Cleveland Cavs message boards and their fans, and generally speaking, most of them hate Love -- I don't know why he wants to stay in a place where he's not respected. Most Cavs fans think he's a pansy and sissy underachiever, and some of them right now are saying he'll just put up meaningless stat stuffing numbers on another struggling team, like they always say he did in Minnesota. He must really be oblivious to that, or else has some kind of honor and respect from management, for him to want to stay there. Seeing it only from a fan's perspective, it doesn't make sense to me. If I were Love, I'd want to get the heck out of there.

I agree with you 100% … Love seems like a class-act and it makes no sense for him to stay in Cleveland or for Cavs brass to hold onto him … ship him to the Blazers or Clippers, maybe even the Thunder for Melo's expiring contract and a few picks?

Crazy how things have turned out. I think the lakers are planning on getting kawaii next year as a free agent. They will not contend this year but with all the 1 year deals they will have money to spend next year. Surprised to see lebron take a year off of chasing rings. Hell rest up groom the young lakers and go hard at the title next year with kawaii and hopefully a Center.

The KCP signing was ridiculous but he has the same agent as Lebron so something bust be going on there. Hes not a bad player but 12 mill was really over paying. If the lakers sign Nerlens Noel as their center (he has the same agent too) I will be really suspicious of some behind the scenes things going on.

I agree the Lakers likely won't be a legit title contender this year and may just wait till next year to sign Kawhi … and THAT is one of the main reasons I HATE that LeBron signed now, rather than later … he could have signed a one year deal with Philly, won a title next year and then went to Cleveland in the summer of 2019 … but, it was a "lifestyle move" for his wife and kids imho and I respect that.

However, it wouldn't shock me to see the Lakers re-sign Randle, add a guy like Noel and even pick up Melo on a vet min. contract if he gets bought out … they could have a very talented roster that could make some noise and maybe even make it to the Conference Finals in year 1 which would be impressive.

[rjabreu88]

Ya definitely a lifestyle move. Moving your family to philly for 1 year wouldnt make sense in that respect. Or not moving your family and being away from them for a year. I dont think that philly squad with Lebron would have beat the warriors but make the finals for sure.

This East West balance has gotten even more ridiculous. Are there any top 10 NBA players left in the East? The only 1 that jumps out to me is Giannis. West has Durant, Curry, Lebron, Westbrook, Harden, Davis, Towns. Maybe you squeek in a healthy Kyrie or Embid in the top 10.

[WilyWestbrook0]

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/a...ve-per-report/

Good, the Cavs are open to trading Love after all. I like Jameis1of1's scenario to my OKC the best, of course, but if he can't go there and form a formidable trio with former UCLA college teammate Westbrook, and George, then I'd at least like to see him on a team like Portland or Utah.

And with both LeBron and Love gone from Cleveland, I won't be caring much about the Cavs anymore, lol.

[Jameis1of1]

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/a...ve-per-report/

Good, the Cavs are open to trading Love after all. I like Jameis1of1's scenario to my OKC the best, of course, but if he can't go there and form a formidable trio with former UCLA college teammate Westbrook, and George, then I'd at least like to see him on a team like Portland or Utah.

And with both LeBron and Love gone from Cleveland, I won't be caring much about the Cavs anymore, lol.

The Cavs are going to be a laughing stock this year it seems … fine by me.

Melo and some future 1st round picks for Love makes sense for both teams, with Melo being cut and going to the Lakers making sense for LeBron as well.

As for LA, Boogie seems to be a formality with Rondo signing with the Lakers and Julius Randle signing with the Pelicans … almost like salary cap circumvention is going on, hahaha