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Smaller moves: Mike Muscala is heading to the Thunder, Pels are looking to sign Derrick Favors, Mario Hezonjia is heading to the Trailblazers for a 1 year minimum with a player option.And Nerlens Noel was returning to the Thunder before asking for more time. “jkjkjk LOL! Teams still have cap space.”
Looks like Jimmy Butler is going to Miami in a sign and trade. Josh Richardson heading to the 76ers. 4 year for Butler.This trade also sends Goran Dragić, Luka Dončić‘s former roommate, to the Mavericks for salary matching purposes. The Heat are hard capped this year, but Hassan White is off the books next summer. Not screwed, but Butler’s first year may be rocky. EDIT: Shams is saying not. EDIT 2: he deleted the tweet.
Lakers Plan C = The Return of D-LoYou don’t say no if Kawhi comes knocking, but man, I’d love to see D’Angelo Russell back on the Lakers. I still follow all the former young core. I’m going to be rooting for the Pelicans. Haymakers aside, I remain a fan of Brandon Ingram.
The cap was only $100,000 short of where the Jazz needed it. Looks like our backup backup Point Guard, Raul Neto, will be the guy on the chopping block. No big loss, really, but it's a bad sign for the upcoming Free Agency Period.Of course, it is because **** the Jazz. Now watch Raul Neto have a breakout year earning Most Improved Player and/or
I saw it on ESPN about the Magic and Jennie part of it. I guess from my understanding now is that Magic can't formally be in the room for a official meeting with the Lakers organization but he can do something on his own.Just an addendum on this. According to Tania Ganguli, NBA rules don't prevent teams from bringing in non-employees to free agent pitches. The league just didn't want Magic Johnson specifically involved in Lakers free agent meetings because of the bad optics. It would be as if Johnson quit just so he could tamper on his own time, unhindered by the collective bargaining agreement.
Re: Kawhi as a first option on the Lakers, I don't see it. Has LeBron ever ceded control?He just gave up his number for Anthony Davis. It sounds insignificant, but that matters to players. LeBron hasn't had to cede control because he was always the best player on the team which would no longer be true on a team Leonard and Davis. Dwyane Wade famously deferred to LeBron in Miami, and it got them two championships. That said, he's seen it first hand. I certainly have some doubts and understand why others would. At the same time, LeBron is 34 and seems far more self-aware than say, Kobe who was jacking up 20 shots a game at the end of his career.
Also, if Kawhi just wants to win, how appealing is a team with 10 minimum contracts vs rolling back with the defending champs in a season where most of their biggest opponents will likely be down a player or two from last year?This is a hilariously reductive comparison. You very blatantly refused to mention he'd be joining two top seven players at worst. You guys can keep dunking on minimum contracts, but again, salary doesn't dictate skill or contribution. That's true across the entire spectrum. Kemba Walker is going to get paid the same amount of money as Kawhi Leonard next season. No one puts them on the same pedestal. Steph Curry is on a supermax contract now yet he's grossly underpaid and he's only earning ~$2 million more than Chris Paul. Just because someone signs a contract for X dollars doesn't mean that's how much they're worth.
Given that most playoff rotations shorten to 8 players, that means the Lakers, after signing 1 max player and 1 MLE player, would need 3 extra players worthy of playoff minutes that would also agree to sign for league minimum contracts.There’s no shortage of thirsty vets chasing their first ring. There’s no shortage of vets who made the bulk of their earnings already and are just looking for a winning situation and/or meaningful playing time. The Lakers overpaid Rajon Rondo knowing they’d star-chasing so they could sign him for the minimum this season. Off the bench, sure. Playoff Rondo® is a real thing. There are always players on the buy-out market. If a team is good at scouting (and the Lakers are), there’s value overseas, the G-League, and the so-called “NBA Scrapheap.” People forget Wayne Ellington played for the Lakers in 2014-2015 on a minimum contract. Spencer Dinwiddie was unceremoniously tossed away before the Nets gave him a chance. He’s been playing for peanuts the last couple years before getting a decent extension in December.
Either way there's legitimate reasons why Kahwi would be reticent to join the Lakers, including willingly taking on the third role after leading a Toronto squad. Bomani and Pablo lay it out perfectly. Possible 10(!) guys on minimum contracts!And there are legitimate reasons why he shouldn't reticent to join the Lakers.
https://twitter.com/bomani_jones/status/1144712073466777600?s=20
Leonard, who is expected to speak to the Lakers in the next few days, had made a personal request that only owner Jeanie Buss and Johnson, the team's former president of basketball operations, be involved in the meeting, sources told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.1. Word-diarrhea pours out of Stephen A.’s mouth all the time.
So I was reading about Kawhi's meeting with the Lakers and Lebron, AD, Magic and Jennie Buss were planning on meeting him but Kawhi himself has requested that only Magic and Jennie be there at the meeting. So it seems he is all business with the meeting.That sounds made-up. Magic Johnson doesn’t work for the Lakers anymore. Yeah, non-employees have shown up during pitches. It’s still odd. Unless it was a troll request from Leonard’s camp, inviting only Buss and Johnson doesn’t make sense. Jeanie, by her own admission, isn’t that knowledge on the basketball side, and Magic isn’t involved with the team at all. Why wouldn’t at least Rob Pelinka be at the meeting?
Most likely true... but wouldn't Klay be a perfect fit next to AD and James? Doesn't need the ball, lethal shot, tough defense, and incredibly durable.He would, but he also isn’t playing again until February or March. If the Lakers use the rest of their cap space on a single player, it would be prudent to spend it on someone who is ready to play at the beginning of the season.
Right now, Cleveland is trying to trade JR Smith and whichever teams that trades for him will waive him. When he's waived, it is my belief he'll end up with the Lakers.
