Hey everybody and welcome again to the Lakers publication, which has been on a little bit of a summer season hiatus. I’m The Occasions’ Lakers beat author, Dan Woike, and I want I might say I used the time to get a chilly drink in my hand and a few sunshine on my face, however I’ve been within the caves attempting to determine what’s subsequent for the Lakers.
And I actually don’t know. With LeBron James’ extension subsequent up (he’s eligible starting Aug. 4), at the moment appeared like day to attempt to clarify the place the Lakers are at as of now.
Deep within the nook
The offseason is meant to be about optimism, the place a crew just like the Lakers can ignore the plain shortcomings of their roster and as a substitute select to be seduced by optimism that may solely include a handful of months performing as a buffer between promise and actuality.
This, in fact, is how the crew and huge swaths of its followers behaved final yr.
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Friday, it’ll have been one yr because the Lakers upended all the things in a commerce for Russell Westbrook — a commerce that kickstarted an offseason filled with missteps and errors.
That deal simply didn’t submarine the Lakers’ final season, it’s robbed the group and its followers of that excited buzz that ought to gas summer season months. Almost each different crew within the NBA, save for perhaps Utah, has honest causes to be excited in regards to the future. The Lakers? They personal the NBA’s most unsolvable drawback, the results of choices that led the Lakers to at least one championship and a thousand complications since.
It’s why they’re right here at the moment, caught in impartial as they attempt to undo the harm from the Westbrook deal and a collection of others previous it which have made the crew much less versatile than a redwood.
They’ve painted themselves right into a nook, and whereas they’ve acquired an amazing view of the 2020 title, getting again to it'll require lots of creativity.
Whether or not you have a look at the stalled talks for Kyrie Irving, the reported conversations with Indiana for Buddy Hield and Myles Turner or the assertion issued to ESPN by Westbrook’s former agent, it’s not incorrect to deduce a few truths.
The marketplace for Russell Westbrook, the participant, doesn’t actually exist particularly contemplating his $47-million price ticket. Perhaps a fringe contender would have a look at the previous MVP and see a expertise improve that might be the distinction, however that’s sorta the precise factor the Lakers tried a yr in the past and so they didn’t even make a 10-team postseason area within the West. And perhaps, in a vacuum, a youthful crew would look to a vet like Westbrook, who has largely constructed a optimistic organizational repute in locations like Oklahoma Metropolis, Houston and Washington, however nobody thinks Westbrook is prepared for the Yoda stage of his profession as a mentor to the following technology.
That’s why it’s going to take at the least the Lakers 2027 or 2029 first-round decide to ship him elsewhere proper now. And in order for you satisfactory to fairly good property again in that commerce, you higher be ready to supply extra.
And, even should you use these two picks, you continue to may not be ok this season.
It’s negated lots of the leverage the Lakers would’ve preferred to have in commerce talks — everybody is aware of that the crew, due to the Stepien Rule, can solely commerce two first spherical picks (in 2027 and 2029). If the Lakers absolutely needed to empty their arsenal, they might embody decide swaps to sweeten any deal.
In whole, it’s in all probability sufficient, in line with some rival executives, to push the Lakers throughout the end line in a cope with the Pacers for Turner and Hield (although the asking value for Turner has usually been at the least a pair of firsts). And if the Nets determine to commerce Kevin Durant, the bundle of Lakers picks and potential swaps ought to once more have the ability to fulfill Brooklyn or a 3rd crew prepared to tackle Westbrook earlier than, seemingly, shopping for him out and making him a free agent.
So why aren’t the Lakers leaping at these probabilities now?
They should have actual issues.
With Irving, it’s a mix of lots of elements. Irving’s personal harm historical past, questions on his long-term ardour for basketball, his potential to be accessible in conditions requiring he be vaccinated, his personal pending free company subsequent summer season — they’re all causes to offer individuals throughout the Lakers pause when contemplating whether or not or not that is the commerce to go all in for.
Some rival scouts and basic managers view any Irving deal requiring a number of picks to be maybe too dangerous due to these elements — that these picks might perhaps be higher used because the Lakers construct their subsequent contending crew.
However the counter-argument virtually everybody makes subsequent is that it’s virtually felony to have LeBron James enjoying successfully in your crew and never punt on the long run for the current.
When you have him, you probably have Anthony Davis, you need to go for it. And should you don’t need, then perhaps it’s finest should you transfer on from everybody and begin anew. (The difficulty, right here, in fact, is that the Lakers owe picks and swaps to the Pelicans, which is a superb motive for the crew to backside out earlier than 2025 or 2026.)
Sources have stated the Lakers are extra reluctant to half with picks this summer season than prior to now, perhaps an indication that they understand there aren’t any fast fixes or perhaps an indication that they’re prepared to attend so long as attainable in an effort to attempt to get value tags lowered.
In an ideal world, the Lakers would have the ability to pull off a collection of strikes — buying Irving by utilizing Westbrook and a decide earlier than including much more taking pictures (suppose Eric Gordon or Hield).
However this example is much from good, the Lakers pressured to attempt to determine if they will get ok quick sufficient in a deal as a substitute of ready for the in-season commerce deadline or the tip of the season to cope with their Westbrook points.
Requested what he’d do of their scenario, one rival basic supervisor simply sighed.
Music(s) of the week
Pearl Jam – Dwell from Rome 6/26/18
I’ve been in an enormous live performance temper all summer season, and it’s acquired me considering again to what I’d contemplate to be my favourite present I’ve ever seen (I used to be on my honeymoon in Italy and talked my spouse into an evening at a soccer stadium). The very best live performance intro tune….what an amazing night time. Simply needed to share this reminiscence.
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Will the Lakers get Kyrie Irving? NBA scouts and crew executives are torn
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Till subsequent time...
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