Dion Waiters is taking a meeting with the Lakers.

[Smartacus]

Call me an optimistic fool but I think that there's a good chance that the Lakers pick conveys next year. If they strike out on talent in free agency we I don't think Lonzo Ball is going to stop them from being a bottom 5 team.

Unfortunately we have another need for Gordon Hayward to sign here(or stay in Utah)...

Dion Waiters will meet with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Waiters had the best season of his career in 16-17 on a makegood contract with the Miami Heat. Waiters has been widely expected to re-sign with the Heat if they are unable to sign Gordon Hayward in free agency.

The Lakers are only looking to sign players to one-year deals in order to preserve 2018 cap space.

Rob Pelinka represented Waiters before he joined the Lakers' front office as general manager.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/246703/Dion-Waiters-To-Meet-With-Lakers

Waiters had a strong season and would be an excellent fit on that LA squad. Other than him I can't see any of the other marquee free agents signing a 1 year deal with LA. I think Waiters could easily be the difference between the 5 and 7th worst record. Lets hope Waiters stays in Miami.

[celticinorlando]

But Miami wants to sell their roster as being as good as Bostons.....

[kraidstar]

Why would Waiters sign a 1-year deal?

You'd think after his decent season he could be in line for a big payday here.

I seriously doubt he signs unless it's for multiple years.


And if the Lakers DO sign him for multiple years it would hamper their ability to get multiple stars in free agency.

Doesn't make sense for either side.

[celticsclay]

I feel like I am one of the more optimistic people on here, but we are not getting the lakers pick. The best player on Indiana is Myles turner. The best player on Atlanta is Dennis Schroeder. The knicks are going to lose derrick rose and Carmelo anything from a 30 win team. Brooklyn is Brooklyn.  The kings and suns are still the kings and suns. Hell dalllas has nerlens Noel and a 40 year old dirk. You think of all those teams and the fact that they all have incentive to lose while LA does not. Tough to fathom us getting the pick

[saltlover]

I feel like I am one of the more optimistic people on here, but we are not getting the lakers pick. The best player on Indiana is Myles turner. The best player on Atlanta is Dennis Schroeder. The knicks are going to lose derrick rose and Carmelo anything from a 30 win team. Brooklyn is Brooklyn.  The kings and suns are still the kings and suns. Hell dalllas has nerlens Noel and a 40 year old dirk. You think of all those teams and the fact that they all have incentive to lose while LA does not. Tough to fathom us getting the pick

I hear you, but it's not just about incentive to lose.  You actually have to be good enough to win games, at least for the first 80% of the season.  Then incentive to lose comes in.

The Lakers were legit not good last year.  At a certain point they started to try a bit less, but it was in March.  As of yet they've barely, if at all, improved.  Ball is a very nice prospect, but most 20 year-olds aren't very good.  It's unlikely he'll be much of an improvement over Russell. Their goal is to trade Lopez for another expiring and a pick.  Deng might be benched less this year, but he was not good last year.

Furthermore, with the West so good, it will be very difficult to win many conference games, of which 5/8 of their ganes are.  They're probably at the same level as SAC and Phoenix.  If SAC gets Porter, the Lakers will still be a bottom two team in the conference.

Meanwhile, in the East, the bad teams will largely beat up each other, inflating their records a little bit collectively.  Maybe one team will fall to the bottom (hopefully Brooklyn), but if you think the bad teams will average about a .500 record vs. each other, then most of them are starting with a baseline of about 10 wins of 20 games.  (I'm adding Orlando and Chicago to your list of bad teams from the East).  And even the "good" East teams are less good than the West, so there are just more wins to pick up in conference.

It's not difficult for me to fathom the Lakers finishing with the 3rd-5th worst record, and the pick accordingly having a decent chance to convey.

[celticsclay]

I feel like I am one of the more optimistic people on here, but we are not getting the lakers pick. The best player on Indiana is Myles turner. The best player on Atlanta is Dennis Schroeder. The knicks are going to lose derrick rose and Carmelo anything from a 30 win team. Brooklyn is Brooklyn.  The kings and suns are still the kings and suns. Hell dalllas has nerlens Noel and a 40 year old dirk. You think of all those teams and the fact that they all have incentive to lose while LA does not. Tough to fathom us getting the pick

I hear you, but it's not just about incentive to lose.  You actually have to be good enough to win games, at least for the first 80% of the season.  Then incentive to lose comes in.

The Lakers were legit not good last year.  At a certain point they started to try a bit less, but it was in March.  As of yet they've barely, if at all, improved.  Ball is a very nice prospect, but most 20 year-olds aren't very good.  It's unlikely he'll be much of an improvement over Russell. Their goal is to trade Lopez for another expiring and a pick.  Deng might be benched less this year, but he was not good last year.

Furthermore, with the West so good, it will be very difficult to win many conference games, of which 5/8 of their ganes are.  They're probably at the same level as SAC and Phoenix.  If SAC gets Porter, the Lakers will still be a bottom two team in the conference.

Meanwhile, in the East, the bad teams will largely beat up each other, inflating their records a little bit collectively.  Maybe one team will fall to the bottom (hopefully Brooklyn), but if you think the bad teams will average about a .500 record vs. each other, then most of them are starting with a baseline of about 10 wins of 20 games.  (I'm adding Orlando and Chicago to your list of bad teams from the East).  And even the "good" East teams are less good than the West, so there are just more wins to pick up in conference.

It's not difficult for me to fathom the Lakers finishing with the 3rd-5th worst record, and the pick accordingly having a decent chance to convey.

I would be thrilled if that happened. Honestly. I just think another year from Ingram and randle and nance (nance is better than what people think) and zubac is not awful young talent. Then you add in Lopez and you compare that to a pacers team that lost Teague and George and has no young players besides turner. Think of a hawks team that lost milsap and Howard. I haven't even mentioned the magic. There are just so many bad teams that will be tanking the whole season

[Smartacus]

I feel like I am one of the more optimistic people on here, but we are not getting the lakers pick. The best player on Indiana is Myles turner. The best player on Atlanta is Dennis Schroeder. The knicks are going to lose derrick rose and Carmelo anything from a 30 win team. Brooklyn is Brooklyn.  The kings and suns are still the kings and suns. Hell dalllas has nerlens Noel and a 40 year old dirk. You think of all those teams and the fact that they all have incentive to lose while LA does not. Tough to fathom us getting the pick

I hear you, but it's not just about incentive to lose.  You actually have to be good enough to win games, at least for the first 80% of the season.  Then incentive to lose comes in.

The Lakers were legit not good last year.  At a certain point they started to try a bit less, but it was in March.  As of yet they've barely, if at all, improved.  Ball is a very nice prospect, but most 20 year-olds aren't very good.  It's unlikely he'll be much of an improvement over Russell. Their goal is to trade Lopez for another expiring and a pick.  Deng might be benched less this year, but he was not good last year.

Furthermore, with the West so good, it will be very difficult to win many conference games, of which 5/8 of their ganes are.  They're probably at the same level as SAC and Phoenix.  If SAC gets Porter, the Lakers will still be a bottom two team in the conference.

Meanwhile, in the East, the bad teams will largely beat up each other, inflating their records a little bit collectively.  Maybe one team will fall to the bottom (hopefully Brooklyn), but if you think the bad teams will average about a .500 record vs. each other, then most of them are starting with a baseline of about 10 wins of 20 games.  (I'm adding Orlando and Chicago to your list of bad teams from the East).  And even the "good" East teams are less good than the West, so there are just more wins to pick up in conference.

It's not difficult for me to fathom the Lakers finishing with the 3rd-5th worst record, and the pick accordingly having a decent chance to convey.

I would be thrilled if that happened. Honestly. I just think another year from Ingram and randle and nance (nance is better than what people think) and zubac is not awful young talent. Then you add in Lopez and you compare that to a pacers team that lost Teague and George and has no young players besides turner. Think of a hawks team that lost milsap and Howard. I haven't even mentioned the magic. There are just so many bad teams that will be tanking the whole season

I think it's a fair point CClay, but they have a long way to and might have some structural problems. Brook Lopez is a great player but he is always at risk of injury. Lakers have a bit of a target on them now. Indiana is going to be trying to stick it to LA every chance they get for forcing PG out, DeAaron Fox, Dennis Smith Jr. and Makelle Fultz are going to be gunning for Lonzo, and if course we'll want to eviscerate them.

It's entirely possible the Lakers will just be bad and that there's a chance they find their way into the bottom 5, but that chance turns to nothing if you throw in Dion Waiters.

[LGC88]

If the Lakers get Waiters, which one is going to show up, Miami Waiters or OKC Waiters?
I'll bet for the later.
Plus, I don't believe 1 player makes a difference in a bottom team.
Phoenix, LA and Sac should be bottom of the west.
The question is, how many eastern teams are going to tank and if so they need to do it purposely because there are games to win in the east even if you are bad. It's not the same in the west, tough to win a single game with so many teams improved.

[tazzmaniac]

I feel like I am one of the more optimistic people on here, but we are not getting the lakers pick. The best player on Indiana is Myles turner. The best player on Atlanta is Dennis Schroeder. The knicks are going to lose derrick rose and Carmelo anything from a 30 win team. Brooklyn is Brooklyn.  The kings and suns are still the kings and suns. Hell dalllas has nerlens Noel and a 40 year old dirk. You think of all those teams and the fact that they all have incentive to lose while LA does not. Tough to fathom us getting the pick

I hear you, but it's not just about incentive to lose.  You actually have to be good enough to win games, at least for the first 80% of the season.  Then incentive to lose comes in.

The Lakers were legit not good last year.  At a certain point they started to try a bit less, but it was in March.  As of yet they've barely, if at all, improved.  Ball is a very nice prospect, but most 20 year-olds aren't very good.  It's unlikely he'll be much of an improvement over Russell. Their goal is to trade Lopez for another expiring and a pick.  Deng might be benched less this year, but he was not good last year.

Furthermore, with the West so good, it will be very difficult to win many conference games, of which 5/8 of their ganes are.  They're probably at the same level as SAC and Phoenix.  If SAC gets Porter, the Lakers will still be a bottom two team in the conference.

Meanwhile, in the East, the bad teams will largely beat up each other, inflating their records a little bit collectively.  Maybe one team will fall to the bottom (hopefully Brooklyn), but if you think the bad teams will average about a .500 record vs. each other, then most of them are starting with a baseline of about 10 wins of 20 games.  (I'm adding Orlando and Chicago to your list of bad teams from the East).  And even the "good" East teams are less good than the West, so there are just more wins to pick up in conference.

It's not difficult for me to fathom the Lakers finishing with the 3rd-5th worst record, and the pick accordingly having a decent chance to convey.

I would be thrilled if that happened. Honestly. I just think another year from Ingram and randle and nance (nance is better than what people think) and zubac is not awful young talent. Then you add in Lopez and you compare that to a pacers team that lost Teague and George and has no young players besides turner. Think of a hawks team that lost milsap and Howard. I haven't even mentioned the magic. There are just so many bad teams that will be tanking the whole season

Pacers, Hawks, Magic are all in the East.  Lakers only play each of them twice.  I more concerned about the Nets pick since they play all the weak East teams 3 or 4 times each. 

Teams almost never tank the whole season.  They generally wait until the All-star break. Don't see that changing next season. 

[TheSundanceKid]

When we talk of tanking we forget the prize money that is in making the playoffs. The Magic will certainly be aiming for a big jump this year, I expect teams like Detroit and Charlotte to be doing the same. Even Philly.

The bad teams in the East are Brooklyn, Atlanta, Indiana, Chicago. That's the bottom 4. Knicks will be better than all of them, especially the triangle nonsense experiment is over.

Brooklyn to fairly easily finish 3rd or 4th bottom in the East. In the West there are the Suns and Lakers at the bottom. Sac will be much better this year I feel, they've jettisoned the rubbish now and environment means a lot. So I see that Lakers pick as more valuable than the Brooklyn pick in many ways. As long as it doesn't jump to 1 then I think we could easily have 2 top 5 picks next year.

[ThaPreacher]

When we talk of tanking we forget the prize money that is in making the playoffs. The Magic will certainly be aiming for a big jump this year, I expect teams like Detroit and Charlotte to be doing the same. Even Philly.

The bad teams in the East are Brooklyn, Atlanta, Indiana, Chicago. That's the bottom 4. Knicks will be better than all of them, especially the triangle nonsense experiment is over.

Brooklyn to fairly easily finish 3rd or 4th bottom in the East. In the West there are the Suns and Lakers at the bottom. Sac will be much better this year I feel, they've jettisoned the rubbish now and environment means a lot. So I see that Lakers pick as more valuable than the Brooklyn pick in many ways. As long as it doesn't jump to 1 then I think we could easily have 2 top 5 picks next year.

I think you underestimate the Pacers talent. Oladipo and Sabonis, with Myles Turner, Lance Stephenson and company is better than you think.  And I'd wait to see what happens.
However, you all better hope that LA doesn't sign Rondo.

Now Waiters Island. I have always stood behind that kid. I think he has a ton of talent. He might be a very interesting back court partner with Ball-pass first. Might take the Lakers out  of the 2-5 spot in the draft. Ugh!

[TheSundanceKid]

When we talk of tanking we forget the prize money that is in making the playoffs. The Magic will certainly be aiming for a big jump this year, I expect teams like Detroit and Charlotte to be doing the same. Even Philly.

The bad teams in the East are Brooklyn, Atlanta, Indiana, Chicago. That's the bottom 4. Knicks will be better than all of them, especially the triangle nonsense experiment is over.

Brooklyn to fairly easily finish 3rd or 4th bottom in the East. In the West there are the Suns and Lakers at the bottom. Sac will be much better this year I feel, they've jettisoned the rubbish now and environment means a lot. So I see that Lakers pick as more valuable than the Brooklyn pick in many ways. As long as it doesn't jump to 1 then I think we could easily have 2 top 5 picks next year.

I think you underestimate the Pacers talent. Oladipo and Sabonis, with Myles Turner, Lance Stephenson and company is better than you think.  And I'd wait to see what happens.
However, you all better hope that LA doesn't sign Rondo.

Now Waiters Island. I have always stood behind that kid. I think he has a ton of talent. He might be a very interesting back court partner with Ball-pass first. Might take the Lakers out  of the 2-5 spot in the draft. Ugh!

If Indiana turn out to be better than Brooklyn that's a bonus.

Even if LA sign Waiters I don't see them being better than 13th in their conference. Who could they possibly beat out? The NorthWest teams are all borderline playoff teams at least. In the Pacific you have the Suns and Kings who are locks for the lottery. In the SouthWest you have NO who could combust but likely will be good enough to stay ahead, the rest are all playoff hopefuls, even Dallas.

Just who are they surpassing in the West??