The Swamp

Johnny Carwash wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:33 pm

Johnnie wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:31 pm I posted that gif in response to yours. Did you delete your post?

Yeah. I was momentarily gloating but had second thoughts, but you convinced me again.

Good man.

Joe K wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 9:29 pm

Guess we know who LeBron’s second superstar will be!

No debating this gif:

Joe K wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:11 pm

Drat. Though if they find a way to knock off the Warriors, I'm all for it.

Lakers will be lucky to finish in top 5 of Western Conference.

brian wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 10:35 pm Lakers will be lucky to finish in top 5 of Western Conference.

Barring further major moves, absolutely.

Excellent:

ImaginaryMan wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 11:01 pm

brian wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 10:35 pm Lakers will be lucky to finish in top 5 of Western Conference.

Barring further major moves, absolutely.

I think this was clearly something LeBron decided on a long time ago, largely for off-court reasons.* There’s just no justification for picking the Lakers over Houston or Philly if the goal is winning more titles. Their first three moves after signing LeBron were adding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (a mediocre player whose main credential is sharing an agent with LeBron), Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee. Forget Golden State or Houston, they’ll be very lucky to get past Utah or OKC in a series without swinging a major trade. On that note, both Boston and Philly need to strongly consider taking a gamble on trading for Kawhi. That trade would likely seal a spot in the 2019 Finals for either team, and despite his expressed preference for LA, Kawhi would have to at least think about staying on a team that would be a perennial Finals team.

* ETA: And by “a long time ago,” I mean at over a year ago. Cleveland reportedly would have traded Kevin Love for Paul George, and kept Kyrie, last offseason if LeBron would have committed to stay beyond 2018. I’ve already seen people blame Dan Gilbert or the Kyrie trade for “driving him out,” but this was probably a done deal regardless. He left the Heat after 4 years and probably always had a similar 4 year timeline in mind for staying with the Cavs.

Random dumb predictions:

-LeBron is player-coach at some point in the next 4 years
-LeBron takes a year off (this really only makes basketball sense if it was this year and LA can still tank)
-Klay Thompson will be a Laker

brian wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:26 pm Fuck Cleveland. Enjoy another 100 years of sucking on the tailpipe of failure.

Lol. And whoever did this deserves it:

How soon can Ben Simmons go out there?

mister d wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:45 am How soon can Ben Simmons go out there?

One of the quirks of the NBA salary structure is that players can get a much more lucrative second contract if they stay with the team that drafted them. In fact, I don’t think any player has ever turned down a max extension from the team that drafted them.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:42 am

brian wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:26 pm Fuck Cleveland. Enjoy another 100 years of sucking on the tailpipe of failure.

Lol. And whoever did this deserves it:

Dan Gilbert - Civic Booster!

Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 6:32 am -LeBron is player-coach at some point in the next 4 years

Wouldn't surprise me too much. The coach effectively answers to him anyhow. How long has it been since we've had a player/coach or player/manager in a major league?

Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 6:32 am -LeBron takes a year off (this really only makes basketball sense if it was this year and LA can still tank)

The notion of tanking strikes me as despicable. I'm not sure how you would dissuade teams from it, though, apart from just assigning picks randomly.

Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 6:32 am -Klay Thompson will be a Laker

I'd love that simply because it would be a double blow to the Warriors. Thompson is a very good player, though I must say, I've never been a fan of the style of his game. Then again, I generally hate the shift to guard-oriented, transition and three point-focused basketball over the last 10 years or so.

Forcing myself to follow the Lakers is gonna be tough. Yet it is the burden of myself and Brian Windhorst.

A_B wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:42 am Forcing myself to follow the Lakers is gonna be tough. Yet it is the burden of myself and Brian Windhorst.

At least just one of you has to move.

But, hey, you get to learn so much more about JaVale McGee. So many great veterans to mentor the young players.

The circus is officially in LA.

I want JR Smith on the Warriors yesterday

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:37 am

A_B wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:42 am Forcing myself to follow the Lakers is gonna be tough. Yet it is the burden of myself and Brian Windhorst.

At least just one of you has to move.

But, hey, you get to learn so much more about JaVale McGee. So many great veterans to mentor the young players.

The circus is officially in LA.

I couldn’t believe the other signings they made yesterday. Using a good chunk their cap room on KCP was the classic mistake that the Cavs made with JR and Tristan in overpaying a Klutch Sports client. That may be part of the price of doing business with LeBron, but still it’s not a good move. And signing the world’s biggest LeBron troll was hilarious. I know Lance is a decent player, especially for that price, but he’s also a world-class eccentric.

I can't believe it took me this long to realize this means at least 2 more losses for Sacramento next year.

Ryan wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:05 am I can't believe it took me this long to realize this means at least 2 more losses for Sacramento next year.

Ha. And, maybe picking Bagley over Doncic means Dallas sweeps them, too.

Joe K wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:51 am

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:37 am

A_B wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 9:42 am Forcing myself to follow the Lakers is gonna be tough. Yet it is the burden of myself and Brian Windhorst.

At least just one of you has to move.

But, hey, you get to learn so much more about JaVale McGee. So many great veterans to mentor the young players.

The circus is officially in LA.

I couldn’t believe the other signings they made yesterday. Using a good chunk their cap room on KCP was the classic mistake that the Cavs made with JR and Tristan in overpaying a Klutch Sports client. That may be part of the price of doing business with LeBron, but still it’s not a good move. And signing the world’s biggest LeBron troll was hilarious. I know Lance is a decent player, especially for that price, but he’s also a world-class eccentric.

They're all one-year deals, so they're ensuring the Lakers keep cap space available for next summer. I am amused by the "sign one guy as a favor and two other guys you know you absolutely do not want around any longer than necessary to preserve cap space (save us from ourselves)" strategy being born.

Everyone returning is essentially on a one-year audition for being around long-term (either being extended or being allowed to walk/traded away). The intrigue comes from what happens when LaVar does something.

A_B wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 1:50 pm

first comment:

The Lakers just renounced the rights to Julius Randle, their most efficient scorer last year, so that they could sign Rajon Rondo. They are trying really hard to do the impossible and miss the playoffs even with LeBron.

Isn't the rumor that Randle said "I'm fucking done here" and they're just giving him what he wants?

(Of course he said that before LeBron signed.)

Edit:

This is great.

Regardless of what Randle may have said, surrounding LeBron with famously volatile guys who can’t shoot is an interesting strategy, to say the least.

It’s still kind of shocking to me that LeBron is really going to waste the last few years of his prime so that he can make crappy movies.

Joe K wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 5:27 pm Regardless of what Randle may have said, surrounding LeBron with famously volatile guys who can’t shoot is an interesting strategy, to say the least.

So, you're saying Boogie Cousins will be joining the Lakers?

Joe K wrote: It’s still kind of shocking to me that LeBron is really going to waste the last few years of his prime so that he can make crappy movies.

I thought he was great in Train Wreck!

Fuck this shit!



Four All-NBA players isn’t enough?

I'm thinking maybe the existing roster constraints aren't working. Time to consider the reserve clause!

The league had GOT to investigate whether their ownership is paying guys under the table. Because it’s astounding how much money guys have left on the table to sign there.

Cousins has been through a lot of crap in his career, some deserved and some not, and has played for mostly bad teams. Maybe he'd rather win than be paid what he is worth?

He’s coming off a terrible injury for nba players. But this deal seems remarkably low.

And the union should have real issues.

Rex wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 7:59 pm Cousins has been through a lot of crap in his career, some deserved and some not, and has played for mostly bad teams. Maybe he'd rather win than be paid what he is worth?

He’s also taking a massive risk taking only $5M when he’s coming off an Achilles injury. I know the market cooled on him as a result of the injury but I’d think he still could easily get 4-6 times that amount by signing a 2 year deal somewhere like with the Lakers.

A_B wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:01 pm And the union should have real issues.

He can tell the union to go to hell. The union can't tell a free agent where to sign.

He's made $60 million in his career, so how much of a risk is it really? Why do I always find myself defending the Kentucky guys against people like AB and JoeK?

sancarlos wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:05 pm

A_B wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:01 pm And the union should have real issues.

He can tell the union to go to hell. The union can't tell a free agent where to sign.

Sure but the unions have traditionally had issues with players taking huge haircuts is my point. Because now a player coming off injury has to deal with teams saying “ well boogie took less”

Rex wrote: ↑Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:05 pm He's made $60 million in his career, so how much of a risk is it really? Why do I always find myself defending the Kentucky guys against people like AB and JoeK?

I love boogie. I think he got some bad advice in this instance.

And sixty is not much for all stars these days man.

If boogie were 33 I’d be all in on your point. This is a weird move.

I guess he could be doing the “ I am gonna prove I deserve big money” thing. I hope it works for him. He’s a good dude who gets a bad rap because he gets emotional on the court. He’s hugely active in his communities.

He's wealthy.