Buddy Hield to lakers? Update: Westbrook to Lakers?

[gouki88]

A Big 3 of LeBron, Davis, and Westbrook...

man, going to be tough.

Haha, knew you’d come to the Lakers defence despite it being an awful mismatch of a trio

[kraidstar]

So how many shots does Russ average next year?

He averages 19 per game over his career. Every shot he takes is one fewer potential shot from AD and LeBron. He was a ballhog with KD. A ballhog with CP3 and PG13. A perennial playoff failure who siphons shots away from more efficient scorers. Can he change his ways?

Can he play off the ball? Will LeBron's special vitamins grow his BBIQ as much as it inflates his neck size?!?

[gouki88]

So how many shots does Russ average next year?

He averages 19 per game over his career. Every shot he takes is one fewer potential shot from AD and LeBron. He was a ballhog with KD. A ballhog with CP3 and PG13. A perennial playoff failure. Can he change his ways?

Without the ball in his hands his strengths (driving, dump-off passes and drawing fouls) are mitigated, but LeBron isn’t an off-ball player either. Bad fit

[Chief]

So how many shots does Russ average next year?

He averages 19 per game over his career. Every shot he takes is one fewer potential shot from AD and LeBron. He was a ballhog with KD. A ballhog with CP3 and PG13. A perennial playoff failure. Can he change his ways?

Without the ball in his hands his strengths (driving, dump-off passes and drawing fouls) are mitigated, but LeBron isn’t an off-ball player either. Bad fit

Really doesn't make any sense. Reminds me of the time when the Lebron Cavs picked up Wade.

[OnPoint]

what free agents do we see now consider the Lakers that fit their needs? what do the Lakers have to spend?

what I know:

ds in a sign and trade

MLE?
Vet Mins?

JJ Redick
Jeff Green
Jae Crowder
Batum

[gouki88]

So how many shots does Russ average next year?

He averages 19 per game over his career. Every shot he takes is one fewer potential shot from AD and LeBron. He was a ballhog with KD. A ballhog with CP3 and PG13. A perennial playoff failure. Can he change his ways?

Without the ball in his hands his strengths (driving, dump-off passes and drawing fouls) are mitigated, but LeBron isn’t an off-ball player either. Bad fit

Really doesn't make any sense. Reminds me of the time when the Lebron Cavs picked up Wade.

I remember that team. Had Rose and IT as well

[Ed Monix]

Just look at the Lakers depth chart before LeBron turned up.

Lonzo Ball
Thomas Bryant
Caldwell-Pope
Josh Hart
Brandon Ingram
Kyle Kuzma
Brook Lopez
Julius Randle
Ivica Zubac
Alex Caruso


You could argue that this team is actually better then the one they have around LeBron right now lol

Serious question, who wins?

2021 Lakers:

Gasol (might retire)
Davis
James
Horton-Tucker (might lose him)
Westbrook

Drummond
Caruso
McLemore
Matthews

*2017 Lakers (+ LeBron):

Lopez
James
Ingram
KCP
Ball

Julius Randle
Kyle Kuzma
Ivica Zubac
Josh Hart
Thomas Bryant
Alex Caruso

* based on 2021 performance level

My money is on the 2017 team, which goes to show how damaging the pressure of LeBron's influence has been to their talent.

[radiohead]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2946360-lakers-wizards-updated-roster-salary-cap-after-russell-westbrook-kuzma-trade

This is a good read regarding the Lakers’ and Wizards’ salary after the Westbrook deal. Also, Westbrook’s final year is a player option. So this experiment will likely hold for the next 2 years. Then the contracts of LBJ and Westbrook expire at the same time.

[Sophomore]

This trade is pretty hard to understand. How does Russ fit next to LBJ? I guess they didn’t give up too much, but…

[LaBran Jaymes]

Great trade for the Lakers.

[JSD]

I don’t see the path for which the Lakers can fill in their roster with the type of caliber players that would put them over the top.

What’s really out there for Dennis Schroder? At this point do they just sign him?

[Who]

Gotta move AD over to center permanently for this Westbrook experiment to have any chance of being successful.

G - Westbrook
G - shooter
F - shooter
F - LeBron
C - AD

Similar to the Rockets micro-ball lineups only with AD at center instead of PJ Tucker offering LAL more defensive integrity and rebounding integrity.

With this in mind, this may be more workable a combination than I had initially thought.

[gouki88]

Gotta move AD over to center permanently for this Westbrook experiment to have any chance of being successful.

G - Westbrook
G - shooter
F - shooter
F - LeBron
C - AD

Similar to the Rockets micro-ball lineups only with AD at center instead of PJ Tucker offering LAL more defensive integrity and rebounding integrity.

With this in mind, this may be more workable a combination than I had initially thought.

The problem will be finding shooters who can defend and are durable.

[tazzmaniac]

Gotta move AD over to center permanently for this Westbrook experiment to have any chance of being successful.

G - Westbrook
G - shooter
F - shooter
F - LeBron
C - AD

Similar to the Rockets micro-ball lineups only with AD at center instead of PJ Tucker offering LAL more defensive integrity and rebounding integrity.

With this in mind, this may be more workable a combination than I had initially thought.

During the playoffs, I agree.  During the regular season, they'll do just fine playing AD at PF. 

[celticsclay]

I like Kuzma but this is a big win for the Lakers.

How?

Westbrook is an excellent passer, ball handler, and rebounder.  He will take immense pressure off of James and actually allow him to rest a lot more (on the floor).  That will give the Lakers a huge advantage at the end of games when James can go full bore and actually have stuff left in the tank.  Westbrook will also put relentless pressure on opposing PG's and he gets to the line a lot.  I just don't think it is a bad thing for a team to add a guy that plays most every game and is coming off a season averaging 22.2, 11.5 and 11.7.  And it isn't like Russ is replacing an elite shooter.  Schroder is a better shooter, but isn't a lot better or actually good, and Russ is literally better at everything else (and they still can sign Schroder or sign and trade him).  Harrell and KCP are fairly easy to replace role players, and while I like Kuzma, he just isn't a good fit with James and Davis so I think they can replace him fairly easily as well.   

Lakers clearly need to add some depth, but I don't think they will have that much difficulty finding some solid role players and they always could still bring back guys like Morris, Matthews, Drummond and Dudley (I expect Caruso and Horton-Tucker to be back).

What is the most they can offer Drummond for a contract? I think it is very hard to win in the NBA without shooting from your stars. Obviously Giannis was not a great shooter, but just about every other player on the team was a good player including middleton as a star. I am surprised you like this deal Mo.

Drummond would have to be the tax payer exception, but I'm honestly not sure he is going to get more than that.  KCP is the only good shooter they gave up in the trade.  Their next 3 best shooters they can all bring back rather easily (Gasol, Caruso, and McKinnie).  McLemore also able to come back rather easily and he was one of their better shooters.  The simple reality is the Lakers didn't have much shooting last year and Westbrook doesn't change that at all, but he adds so many dimensions to what they can do that Schroder (or anyone else) can't do.

Now maybe bringing back Schroder and doing the Hield trade might have worked out better, but I suspect the Lakers know they have a really good shot at getting some one to provide some shooting at the 2 guard spot.  Like maybe Reggie Bullock.

This seems be a really optimistic read on things. I certainly believe some team would give Drummond more than tax payer exception. He also made it pretty clear that his next contract is important to him and is not in ring chasing part of his career yet. Marc Gasol should retire. He also was upset with his role at points last year so if he did decide to play one final yeah might go back to memphis or something like that. Some of the other guys you mentioned like Dudley and Wes Matthews are not rotation players and really irrelevant.

Now maybe klutch can work some magic and can get some buyouts or guys to take a massive pay cut (like davis west a few years back). I’m just not sure who those players are.