NBA Season 2024-25

[Donoghus]

Multi year per Sportrac

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/yearly

[liam]

Ben Simmons played backup center last night = point center. I didn't see the game but it looked like he was moving well and helping the team from the highlights.

12pts 7reb 6ast 3stl 1blk in 27min 4-5 FGA

Got himself some layups on drives, transitions and hanging out near the rim. Handled the ball well and passed well.

Clippers have no backup center. He could prove a good addition for them if he can maintain this. The Clippers seem to be willing to let him play his game as a ball-handling backup center. Utah's centers looked in rough shape trying to stop Ben's dribble penetration. Too quick off the bounce.

I said this when he signed with the Clips and even all the way back to his 76er days, Center is his best position. Like Sabonis and Şeng?n...

[RMO]

I encourage people to look at the lakers free agent signings between 1996 and 2018 when they got LeBron. They got Malone who could still play, but was 39 and a year away From retirement. They also got Ron arrest when he was good. Aside from that it was pretty brutal and some of the years they actually had money and spent it on guys like mosgov and deng cause nobody else would. Lamarcus Aldridge laughed at their presentation. Paul, George, Leonard, Carmelo all did not want to sign there when they were offered max contracts. Dwight Howard famously left them when they had take. Out billboards to keep him. Let?s stop rewriting history here guys https://clutchpoints.com/every-notable-los-angeles-lakers-free-agent-signing-by-year

I look at having a franchise player to build around as the #1 item in attracting a star to join your team. The Lakers have that in Luka. Lots of guys around the league will want to play with him.

And LA has all the rest (beyond Luka) in terms of warm weather city, sand sun and sea, LA star lifestyle, big market, and Lakers history. So I expect them to be successful in their pursuit of a star in FA.

The Lakers from 2000-2020 had limited ability to attract a star.

(1) They had Shaq and Kobe in place in the early years and had no money to attract an All Star. They got Malone & Payton as MLE and less guys. 

(2) Shaq left. They tried to get a FA in the following years. They hoped to attract Yao Ming from Houston or Amare Stoudemire from Phoenix. They struck out. Both guys had no interest in leaving. LAL got their next star in Pau Gasol in a trade shortly after. It was a 2-3 year period. I am not even sure which years they had a chance at having capspace in those years.

(3) Pau & Kobe era lasted from 2008 until 2012 or so. No capacity to add a big nam FA.

(4) Rebuilding around Kobe. The Lakers tried to add a major FA again. Like you mentioned above with LaMarcus Aldridge and others. LAL's problem was Kobe was too old. Younger stars / prime stars did not want to join up with an old star in his mid to late 30s. Kobe could not attract a star to join him. Not anymore. He was too old. Dallas had the same problem with Dirk. They did not want to join an old guy who was on their way out and then start a rebuilding process halfway through their new contract. Better to go elsewhere where they could join a longer term project.

This is not the issue with Luka. Luka is 26. Stars will pair up with him.

What is their cap situation?  Will they have the space to sign a free agent assuming they pay Luka the max this summer?  I have minimal understanding of how it works.

Lebron will eventually retire but I don't think it's as simple as that entire salary becoming available to spend dollar for dollar.

I think Reaves is alright.  Kind of overrated but he's on a really good contract.  Teams might consider that a value when trading for him.  Kills me that the lakers got him for cheap.  I wish another team had driven the price up when he was a restricted free agent, knowing that the lakers were going to match.

LeBron's contract ends after next season along with a bunch of other contracts. The summer of 2026. The Lakers can have cap space to add a max contract player then.

Not this summer though. Only after LeBron leaves.

Just looked at the list of free agents that year and didn't see anything too concerning

[Goldstar88]

Cp3 and Wemby got DQ?d from the skill challenge. 

[Goldstar88]

Why does Dame get to do the 3pt contest every year. 

Would have been fun to have either Pritchard or Hauser in this.

[radiohead]

Why does Dame get to do the 3pt contest every year. 

Would have been fun to have either Pritchard or Hauser in this.

Exactly. Just saw Cam Johnson have a dismal shooting display. PP should have gotten some consideration i think.

[Roy H.]

Why does Dame get to do the 3pt contest every year. 

Would have been fun to have either Pritchard or Hauser in this.

Exactly. Just saw Cam Johnson have a dismal shooting display. PP should have gotten some consideration i think.

Pritchard turned it down.

[Who]

The Clippers have the lowest attendance in the league despite their new arena.

[Phantom255x]

The Clippers have the lowest attendance in the league despite their new arena.

I'm half joking when I say this but what even is a Clippers fan? I've met a lot of friends and fans of sports teams in my life but never a real life Clippers fan lol. I feel like even most people attending Clippers games are just Lakers fans getting a cheap ticket to enjoy a sporting event, and then of course the fans of opposing teams.

[Who]

The Clippers have the lowest attendance in the league despite their new arena.

I'm half joking when I say this but what even is a Clippers fan? I've met a lot of friends and fans of sports teams in my life but never a real life Clippers fan lol. I feel like even most people attending Clippers games are just Lakers fans getting a cheap ticket to enjoy a sporting event, and then of course the fans of opposing teams.

3rd most popular team in LA after the Lakers and UCLA.

[Phantom255x]

The Clippers have the lowest attendance in the league despite their new arena.

I'm half joking when I say this but what even is a Clippers fan? I've met a lot of friends and fans of sports teams in my life but never a real life Clippers fan lol. I feel like even most people attending Clippers games are just Lakers fans getting a cheap ticket to enjoy a sporting event, and then of course the fans of opposing teams.

3rd most popular team in LA after the Lakers and UCLA.

Probably true. It's just I've known and met many Mets fans, Jets fans, Angels fans, etc. (secondary to the "major" teams like Yankees/Giants/Dodgers) but not Clippers lol.

[RMO]

The Clippers have the lowest attendance in the league despite their new arena.

I'm half joking when I say this but what even is a Clippers fan? I've met a lot of friends and fans of sports teams in my life but never a real life Clippers fan lol. I feel like even most people attending Clippers games are just Lakers fans getting a cheap ticket to enjoy a sporting event, and then of course the fans of opposing teams.

3rd most popular team in LA after the Lakers and UCLA.

Team or basketball team?  Dodgers have to be up there

[Goldstar88]

Mac McClung trying to 3peat tonight. No one has ever won the dunk contest 3 times in a row.

[radiohead]

Why does Dame get to do the 3pt contest every year. 

Would have been fun to have either Pritchard or Hauser in this.

Exactly. Just saw Cam Johnson have a dismal shooting display. PP should have gotten some consideration i think.

Pritchard turned it down.

Oh too bad. Thanks for the info @Roy.

[Goldstar88]

Dup