Lakers Rebuilding Hopes

[jaketwice]

Below is a link to your 2014 NBA free agent class. The Lakers have Kobe, Steve Nash, and Robert Sacre under contract for next year. That's it.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9947573/nba-free-agents-2014-2015

Can the Lakers rebuild through Free Agency to get back in contention? I don't see Nowitzki, Wade, LeBron Bosh or Carmelo signing with them.

While the Lakers might get a high pick, it is unlikely it will be a difference maker - and I have not seen any rookies get better as a consequence of playing with Kobe Bryant.

Do Channing Frye, Pau Gasol, Marcin Gortat and Kyle Lowry get you a championship, when paired with Bryant?

Don't hold back.

[JBcat]

It would be funny if they are left with no big signing with all that cap space. 

I wonder if Kobe would ask for a trade if it's status quo for next year. 

[Neurotic Guy]

I have a pathological hatred for the Lakers so I may not be most objective responder, but I think the biggest issue regarding a quick turnaround for LA is whether Kobe is still Kobe. 

If his current absence from the court is more about tanking than it is about injury then I never want to hear another word about what a warrior/competitor/healer he is. And if he is legitimately unable to play, what does that say about where the 36 year old Kobe will be when he returns?  A huge question mark.  I don't doubt that he will have 'Kobe' games, but consistently 'Kobe' will be unlikely. 

The team you put together in the original post is nowhere near championship caliber and I'd have to wonder why Pau would choose to return when he can be a good piece for a real contender. 

Lakers will continue their tank this year and probably will finish with the 4th best record, and will probably snag a top 3 pick as lottery luck will go their way.  But the next generation of Laker contention wil probably have wait a couple of years. But it won't take long.  Never does.

[jaketwice]

I have a pathological hatred for the Lakers so I may not be most objective responder, but I think the biggest issue regarding a quick turnaround for LA is whether Kobe is still Kobe. 

The team you put together in the original post is nowhere near championship caliber and I'd have to wonder why Pau would choose to return when he can be a good piece for a real contender. 

I think these two paragraphs capture the spirit of this inquiry. Like, what if you replaced Pau Gasol with Zach Randolph? LOL!

[SparzWizard]

Everyone's going to New York because Phil Jackson is there.

When the day actually comes, Kobe AND LeBron will be taking their talents to the Big Apple to win their 6th and 3rd rings, respectively.

Then soon all of these Laker fans will become Knick fans...the day where I don't have to see people wearing garbage colors everyday in Los Angeles.

[Who]

No -- I think they are too far away from title contention to net an A list free agent. I think they'll be working off the B list and C list. Players of a similar caliber as Tyson Chandler (B list) and Monta Ellis (C list). No Carmelo Anthonys or Kevin Loves. So no quick solutions in free agency.

[dreamgreen]

I think they are in trouble, losing Howard in free agency last year was a dagger in the heart for them (and I loved every moment of it), along with giving Kobe that huge contract. I think next year you will se Kobe is on the back 9 and injuries are coming often.

Their best hope is to get lucky in the draft and trade the pick for someone like (close your ears) Rondo and pray that Kobe comes back to 90%.

[Celtics4ever]

Yes and I hate hate Lakers.

Hollywood is a still a draw.  Music, movies, hot chicks and weather.

Howard could not take the pressure there.  I think they have the best shot at the Homeboy Kevin Love.

[PickNRoll]

I hate the Lakers as much as anybody, but they still have drawing power.  It's still LA after all.  The best thing (as a laker hater) is the albatross contracts that Kobe and, to a lesser degree, Nash have.  Zach Lowe did a writeup on them not long ago and his sentiment was that it won't be easy for them to rebuild in the short term.

[freshinthehouse]

It's possible that they could get good enough to be a playoff team again, but I can't see any way that they'll be championship contenders in Kobe's last two seasons.

[Smokeeye123]

They can get Love but who else? Kobe and Love aren't making it past the second round.

[PickNRoll]

Even if they renounce their rights to Gasol, the Lakers can't sign a max player without tax implications.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-true-hollywood-story-of-kobes-crippling-contract/

[Smokeeye123]

The fact they can't easily sign a max player makes me think they are going to use their lotto pick this year and not trade it.

[get_banners]

I don't see them making big moves this offseason. They probably get Kevin Love to sign the following offseason, though. He's tired of not winning in Minnesota and is an LA guy. But yeah, I think the odds of them being a contender next year are next to none.

[PhoSita]

1. Sign and trade Pau + top 5 pick for Kevin Love
2. Re-sign Marshall, Farmar, Meeks, Johnson, Hill
3. Bring back Trevor Ariza; sign Kenyon Martin and Ben Gordon to vet. min deals.
4. Make a move for Larry Sanders

Marshall / Farmar / Nash
Kobe / Meeks / Gordon
Ariza / Johnson
Love / Hill
Sanders / Martin


That team would be pretty good, assuming the main guys stay healthy.