OT: Lakers, Pelicans agree to AD deal
LeBron has his new Robin:
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1140023139142971392?s=19
That’s a lot to trade for a guy they were getting in 14 months for nothing.
But they probably saw that the league is wide open next season and figured they have a chance to win.
Yeah, but for all we know next year is Lebron's last season as the Lebron we've come to know over the last 16-17 years.
Honestly, they wasted one year of his career already, wasting two...Not a good look.
They must’ve figured they have only a handful of years of LeBron left when he’s still in his prime. Maybe even only one. So getting AD now and opening the title window by one year must’ve been worth it.
LeBron is going to be 35 at the end of December. At some point Father Time comes for us all and collects his due. He’s even coming for Brady at some point. If nothing else this gives LA an All-Pro building block when LeBron retires in a few years.
LeBron is no longer in his prime.
Gotta think Lakers are going to go after Kemba or DLo as well for the PG position.
This is a GREAT deal for the Pelicans. Okay-good for the Lakers.
DLo isn't happening. Too much bad blood on both sides of that relationship from the way DLo conducted himself in the locker room and the way the Lakers handled trading him. Sucks for both sides because I think he'd fit great with LeBron, Kuzma and AD.
Yeah, this is a win-win for sure. Great return for a one season and gone guy, and I'm still pretty high on Lonzo. Him and Holiday is a pretty devastating defensive backcourt, and I like his creativity and vision throwing passes to Zion. Definitely put up or shut up time for AD, but with the Warriors crippled, Houston getting older, and the potential of KL staying in Toronto, there is obvious and immediate chances for Lakers. The next chips to fall in FA will be pretty interesting.
I heard that they are going after Classy Freddie Blaisie to be there manager er coach.
Half the league are 'pencil necked geeks' so it would be a good choice providing they get the ok to dig him up.
Yes Pelicans got an injury prone point guard with a crazy Dad, a player with blood clot issues, a solid defensive bench player and some picks...Lakers got a Top 10 player and all star to pair with Lebron and whoever else comes to LA. Great for Pelicans, ok for Lakers ????
A top 10 player who has never finished a season healthy with an aging Lebron and 0 depth off the bench. Go ask the Warriors how that bench situation worked out for them.
If the Lakers max a 3rd player, they won't have any space for players outside of the Vet minimum.
Now go take a seat.
This is correct. On so many levels.
i dont even follow NBA but but the “max deal” price makes it almost impossible to have more than 2 big name stars
LOL. The Warriors lost in Game 6 of the NBA Championship...worked out pretty well. You go take a seat at the kids table.
Great deal for the Pelicans?
They got a PG with a broken jump shot, a dude who has blood clots and a broken game, a bench player, the 4th pick in a 3 player draft, and two picks in the future when Griffin probably isn’t the GM,
I don’t see how this is a good deal for the Pelicans
Would've been even better had the Pels accepted the trade offer LA gave them at the deadline.
Was something like 4 1sts and ALL the young talent sans Moe. Lakers here got to keep Kuzma, at least.
Their big names they'll be hunting are probably Kemba, Kawhi, and Butler.
LOL at all those first round picks. Hope the Lakers suck again. Hopefully the Pelicans can build from this, since they made out like bandits.
The lakers have 2 top 5 players. Unless injuries happen, those will be very low picks.
Although we don’t know how much LeBron has left in the tank. The guy’s 34 and has been in the league since he was 18. It wouldn’t be a shock if his body started breaking down.
LBJ will be taking it easy on defense, saving it all for the offense.
Defense was the big problem for the Lakers last season.
I'd guess Billy King thought that as well when he traded all those unprotected picks to Boston. Things happen. If those picks aren't at least top 5 protected, that's a lot to give up for a guy that might give you 60-65 games in a season, might leave after this season (doubtful but possible) and doesn't really get his own offense.
Holy bottom-feeding hell Gucci Mane, how did you go so neg?
Bad investments
Totally stupid deal for the Laker's. Front office is a rudderless clownshow.
How's it stupid?
The other 2 1st round picks are essentially worthless if they make the playoffs which might not be hard to do with Lebron Kuzma and AD starting.
Warriors are taking a massive step back next year. The west is wide open.
Right this ain’t the NFL. Most picks outside top ten-ish never develop into anything more than a role player
Exactly. This is nothing like the NFL.
A Herschel Walker type trade can make sense in the NBA because 1 player has far more impact in the NBA than the NFL
This year's draft is
1. Zion
2. Ja
3. RJ
4. ?
Everything after RJ is not worth keeping over AD.
Pels won for the future, but those picks are hardly considered "fleecing".
@Revenge
Interestingly, the current NBA Champion Toronto Raptors did not have a lottery pick on their roster while defeating the Golden State Warriors.
More than that, the Raptors had six (6) undrafted players on their team and only five first rounders in total.
The current playoff MVP Kawhi Leonard was selected 15th overall.
You can win a lot of ways.
True, but it's a little disingenuous. Yes, Kawhi was drafted 15th, but it's not like the Raptors drafted him.
They traded for him well after he was an established superstar and the best two way player in the NBA, and probably the third best player on earth (after LeBron and KD).
The Pels controls LAL's 1st round pick for the next 7 years so they can pick and choose what they can get from it. The LAL can't trade back to back 1st because of Ted Stepien rule(mainly bc Stepien was an idiot). They can get 3 lottery picks out of it
It's one lottery pick and two picks likely to be later than 25. Across the board it's probably less than what they offered at the trade deadline.
I like this trade for NO. Two young developing players that fit well with Zion, plus picks. In three years NO will be a team to reckon with if they can keep the band together
I remember moving to LA in 98 and rooting for the clippers because they had a ton of picks. They sucked and everyone was traded away.
Holy cow. So the Pelicans get the 1st and 4th pick this year, and 2 more first round picks in the future? I guess New Orleans is coming strong.
Obligatory fuck Lebron
Sometimes you're rather unpleasant
Sometimes?
I feel like it used to be sometimes, but now it’s nearing every post
Both sides win, but I think the Lakers won it moreso than the Pels.
Lakers are giving up okay known commodities and future picks (totally unproven commodities) for a full blown superstar.
Lakers are going to be big time next season, especially if they sign Kemba/Kyrie.
Also good to keep in mind two of those future firsts will be lower first round picks, and that the 4th pick in this draft is probably DeAndre Hunter (the top 3 picks are pretty much guaranteed high level NBA guys, then there's a huge drop-off at #4).
I think the Lakers won this trade for the simple fact they kept Kuzma who is the best piece out of the young Lakers players.
I agree with your take fg.
Keeping Kuzma was huge - he's an outside shooter, exactly what they need with 'bron and AD.
If they do sign Kemba or Kyrie, look out.
Did not think the Lakers would become relevant again so quickly; the mess down there suddenly looks viable, at least in the short run.
If you have superstars, you can overcome the dysfunction.
The Cavs are one of the worst Orgs. in North American sports and they still won a title because LeBron, Kyrie, and Love (especially LeBron and Kyrie) are all time talents.
When you factor in that AD already said he wasn’t going to sign long term with the Pels and he was gone after this year, they got a whole lot for him. I think they gave a pretty good nut shot to the Lakers considering AD was heading to LA after next year anyway and the Pels would have gotten nothing
Well, when you factor in that KD likely misses the entire 2020 season, and Klay won't be healthy until late next season, you have to see that the West is open for the first time in 5 years. The Warriors will be in a physical and mental recovery this next season, so even if they get their pieces back for the playoffs, they wont win. They're so emotionally exhausted from the past 5 seasons that next season is likely a gap year
If LeBron is 27, don't make this move. But he's 34. They're in win now mode, and likely will be the favorites in the West a year ahead of schedule
Hard to say Lonzo and Ingram are known commodities
I don't think the picks matter that much to the Lakers. Their window is tied to Labron, they'll focus on free agents to build around James for now and AD down the road. My opinion, they should pay any snipers they can find. What's Stauskas up to these days?
Nik à la?
Lakers have ~$30M in cap space to use to build around AD, LeBron, Kuzma, and of course, Mo Wagner. While that's enough for a max player, I think they're better off with three or four $6M-$10M guys than another max guy. Maybe something like Bojan Bogdanovic, JJ Redick, Pat Beverley and Danny Green. Vets who can shoot and defend. Rotation of:
Beverley, Green, Bogdanovic, LeBron, AD; bench of Redick, Kuzma, Mo, vet minimum guys.