DeRozan Opts Out

[SparzWizard]

Kobe's replacement. Will be paired with Westbrook in a year. Pretty good backcourt, particularly if D'Angelo Russell is coming off their bench.

With Ingram on the wing.

Lowkey, the lakers are building a very solid team. If they can land a few guys in FA, they could be scary pretty soon.

You mean scary bad?

Why?

Russell and Clarkson is a special backcourt. They can probably (combined) get you at least 35 a night in a few years. Ingram will be a stud. We all want him. We can't bash him and say he's bad just because he's on the lakers. Possibly 20ppg in a few seasons. Randle is a double double machine. And Centers are a dime a dozen in FA. Or just play small with the explosive Nance and Randle as the front court.

Add in a Derozan, plus whoever Derozan is able to attract, and suddenly you've got a solid team now, with oodles of potential in the near future too.

Now, offensively these teams would have no problem whatsoever. Their defense is a massive, MASSIVE concern. So that could hold them back.  But to say they will be "scary bad" is simply not fair.

Plus they just picked up a really good head coach that had a 39-4 record. Definitely a huge upgrade over Byron Scott.

[LGC88]

And I bet this will be the first Albatros contract of this memorable 2016 free agency 

I feel like you don't understand the term "Albatross".  Under what circumstance is DeRozan not worth the max?  Barring injury, he is clearly a max or very near max player.

So if he's worth the max, how can be be granted a contract at a rate much higher than his worth?

DeRozan is not an efficient scorer. He doesn't make his team win.
GM throw max at players that make the show. Maybe it's good to sell tickets, and it might be the reason why they are willing to pay them that high. But I don't think any GM really believe DeRozan is "worth" the max if we talk purely sportively and leave aside any marketting reason.
Toronto will give him the max, they will have 5 nice years of contention with 0% chance of title. But they will make the fans happy and they will make profit.

I believe many teams will do the same with any players that can fill up some stats.
This 2016 FA will be the "Albatross" year 

[D Dub]

Kobe's replacement. Will be paired with Westbrook in a year. Pretty good backcourt, particularly if D'Angelo Russell is coming off their bench.

With Ingram on the wing.

Lowkey, the lakers are building a very solid team. If they can land a few guys in FA, they could be scary pretty soon.

You mean scary bad?

Why?

Russell and Clarkson is a special backcourt. They can probably (combined) get you at least 35 a night in a few years. Ingram will be a stud. We all want him. We can't bash him and say he's bad just because he's on the lakers. Possibly 20ppg in a few seasons. Randle is a double double machine. And Centers are a dime a dozen in FA. Or just play small with the explosive Nance and Randle as the front court.

Add in a Derozan, plus whoever Derozan is able to attract, and suddenly you've got a solid team now, with oodles of potential in the near future too.

Now, offensively these teams would have no problem whatsoever. Their defense is a massive, MASSIVE concern. So that could hold them back.  But to say they will be "scary bad" is simply not fair.

No, no.. No.   Randle can't shoot outside the paint & can't guard 5's or 3's.    If he's getting double doubles it's for a 20 win team.   Russel is a pg with poor handles and average quickness.  He plays no D, whatsoever.   Clarkson can shoot it, but isn't cut out to be a full time 2 nor one.  He's a pure combo guard & was behind Lou Williams all year.   

These are not cornerstone players, they are fools gold.  Revel in it.  Lakers will be worst in league next year.  Book it.

[LGC88]

Lakers are still fakers, they are not facing reality.
They don't have a cornerstone. They have a bunch of players who can play some offense, but they are not near any team defense.
A bunch of kids who play ball for fun under the LA spotlight.
That's fine for me, Celtics are on the right path.

[trickybilly]

Toronto is such better situation for him.  Why go to LA and lose?

They have topped out IMO. Who on that team can step up another level and make them better?

[TheSundanceKid]

And I bet this will be the first Albatros contract of this memorable 2016 free agency 

I feel like you don't understand the term "Albatross".  Under what circumstance is DeRozan not worth the max?  Barring injury, he is clearly a max or very near max player.

So if he's worth the max, how can be be granted a contract at a rate much higher than his worth?

DeRozan is not an efficient scorer. He doesn't make his team win.
GM throw max at players that make the show. Maybe it's good to sell tickets, and it might be the reason why they are willing to pay them that high. But I don't think any GM really believe DeRozan is "worth" the max if we talk purely sportively and leave aside any marketting reason.
Toronto will give him the max, they will have 5 nice years of contention with 0% chance of title. But they will make the fans happy and they will make profit.

I believe many teams will do the same with any players that can fill up some stats.
This 2016 FA will be the "Albatross" year 

I don't think they will be albatross contracts as such but in 2018 there will be little cap space to go around if max contracts are handed out like confetti this year and next. They will be worth the money but they won't be bargain contracts.

The teams that go into 2018 with space for a max FA without having to give up pieces will be in a very good position. To me that's what we should aim for.

1)Look for a star guy who will be signed past 2018 in trade at good value such as Marc Gasol or Jimmy Butler or a lesser guy like Kris Middleton.

2)Compete in the meantime, determine whether you are going to invest cap space in Bradley and IT. If you aren't then look for a trade for one or both. Personally I'd like to see IT stay long term.

3) Keep 2 of the Brooklyn picks to infuse young talent on a winning team

4)Don't compromise cap space beyond 2018 unless it's a great value contract such as Crowder's

Then in 2018 when most teams have capped tehmselves out the last 2 summers there will be a number of high level FA's such as Cousins, George etc to chase after

[Celtics4ever]

He will go to LA, I wager.