Lakers trades the last few years

[celticsclay]

Was listening to a podcast from the ringer that was talking about some of the Lakers trades the last few years.

I guess it seems like right now they could have Lopez, Lebron, Julius Randle, Lou Williams, Russell, Ingram, ball, Zubac (No Kumza, Hart)
Is this correct? It is hard to follow the order of the trades and picks to tell if this is accurate, but i have to think that team is like the 5th seed in west with a lot of upside...

[Phantom255x]

They traded Russell because they drafted Ball, and the irony is, one of the picks they received in the trade was the one they used for Kuzma (pick #27) who's looked better than Ball. Then they pretty much let Lopez and Randle walk. And of course just recently, they traded Zubac.

Frankly letting Randle walk despite having his Bird Rights was a mistake, and LAL may have been much better off keeping a lot of those guys instead of signing the likes of Rondo, Lance, etc. on 1-year deals.

Magic Johnson has been overrated as a GM if we're being honest. He's pretty lucky the Russell trade ultimately resulted in Kuzma, otherwise things would look even worse. And no, I don't want to hear about "Magic's influence" in getting Lebron to LA. Lebron was likely going to LA anyways regardless who was in the front office (unless it was James Dolan or Dan Gilbert I guess lol)

The Lakers may still end up fine though if they land a max FA and/or trade for Beal or Davis this summer, but if they are unable to pull it off, then Clippers may end up being the best team in LA, not Lakers (especially if LAC ends up landing a star or 2 in FA).

[celticsclay]

They traded Russell because they drafted Ball, and the irony is, one of the picks they received in the trade was the one they used for Kuzma (pick #27) who's looked better than Ball. Then they pretty much let Lopez and Randle walk. And of course just recently, they traded Zubac.

Frankly letting Randle walk despite having his Bird Rights was a mistake, and LAL may have been much better off keeping a lot of those guys instead of signing the likes of Rondo, Lance, etc. on 1-year deals.

Magic Johnson has been overrated as a GM if we're being honest. He's pretty lucky the Russell trade ultimately resulted in Kuzma, otherwise things would look even worse. And no, I don't want to hear about "Magic's influence" in getting Lebron to LA. Lebron was likely going to LA anyways regardless who was in the front office (unless it was James Dolan or Dan Gilbert I guess lol)

The Lakers may still end up fine though if they land a max FA and/or trade for Beal or Davis this summer, but if they are unable to pull it off, then Clippers may end up being the best team in LA, not Lakers (especially if LAC ends up landing a star or 2 in FA).

Randle could be the best of the bunch

[CptZoogs]

The Lakers may still end up fine though if they land a max FA and/or trade for Beal or Davis this summer, but if they are unable to pull it off, then Clippers may end up being the best team in LA, not Lakers (especially if LAC ends up landing a star or 2 in FA).

This is what it comes down to for them.  That's what all of those moves you referenced were all about.  We will see if it works or not.  I could see Klay ending up there next season.  He may be ready for the Trailblazer Pippen portion of his career.

[Neurotic Guy]

I’ve said often that Lakers GM is the easiest GM position in all professional sports.  The formula works, rinse and repeat.  Tank, free cap space, get top player, fill in around him.  They’ve had luck along the way, 3 straight #2 picks... they make mistakes but it doesn’t matter.  LAL is on the verge of being a contender again — just need another one of the many who want to play there.

[celticsclay]

I’ve said often that Lakers GM is the easiest GM position in all professional sports.  The formula works, rinse and repeat.  Tank, free cap space, get top player, fill in around him.  They’ve had luck along the way, 3 straight #2 picks... they make mistakes but it doesn’t matter.  LAL is on the verge of being a contender again — just need another one of the many who want to play there.

Hmm, I am not sure I would say on the verge. They are not going to make the playoffs this year, and there has been a notable drop off in Lebron's game this year (I am not even sure he makes all NBA second team this year). He is going to regress again next year, just a matter of how much. Even if they do trade all their young guys and get AD is that really a contender? How is a 35 year old Lebron, Rondo (who is also getting old) AD and some vet ring chasers any better than the Pelicans with Mirotic, Holiday, AD, Rondo last year? That seems like maybe a 5th seed at best....? They wouldn't have any assets left to trade for another star. Then you add in the fact that a number of star players that could change teams (Durant, Leonard, possibly Butler) have either publicly said or had it said through back channels they didn't want to play with Lebron that much.

Edit and that is why some of these trades have hurt them the last few years. If they did have a player like Randle or Russell under team control that was a young all-star or near all-star, then the path to the championship is that much easier. Getting rid of a player like Lou Williams.... those are filling out a championship squad.. 

[bdm860]

On Zach Lowe's podcast (Kevin Arnovitz guest) they just talked about this (mostly centered around LeBron missing the playoffs and what it does to his legacy, another thread over here at CelticsStrong), but also all the Lakers moves.

Starting at the 48:43, and they spend 20 mins talking about LeBron/Lakers.


Quick summary from Arnovitz:

Said the Lakers were living in willful ignorance.  They have the best media market, best weather, great draft picks, LeBron, etc.  How is Russell now an All Star, how is Randle averaging 20/9/3, how is Brook Lopez the missing piece, how is Paul George somewhere else as an MVP and DPOY candidate?

At what point do we look at the Lakers and say do these guys have any clue of what they're doing?

Why does the front office and ownership group deflect responsibility?

Missing the playoffs with LeBron to a team like the Clippers where you need a program to know whose even on the roster?

Can't divorce LeBron question from Lakers question.

Lakers have failed.  They have every advantage and they've failed.

They've failed with LeBron.

They've failed without LeBron.

And then Lowe constantly brings up how he struggles with how does LeBron switch conferences and suddenly doesn't make the playoffs.  Seems to think it's hurts LeBron's legacy, but he struggles to articulate it.