So... What the heck are the Lakers going to do?

[GreenWarrior]

i'm fully expecting the lakers to get LeBron, melo, bosh.

saw a quote scroll across the bottom of my screen on NBA TV yesterday from Kobe saying - "the criticism of Lebron isn't fair".

i'm sure Lebron feels picked on and has felt picked on so he'll find comfort in the arms of kobe.

Lebron cares too much about his legacy to go to any franchise where his accomplishments will be scrutinized against his predecessors.  He will never play for the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, or Spurs because he can never outdo what the players before him did, and therefore can never be the greatest player in franchise history.

while I agree his legacy is his main concern, I don't think he's too concerned about being the best player in the history of any franchise. otherwise he would have just stayed in Cleveland.

I think he wants as many championships as possible and that's it. that's why he's conspiring with other big name players to get together and play where they have the best chance to win...and the easiest chance.

[jdub1660]

The trade for Dwight ruined them. The Kobe contract just deepened the hole.

As much as I bleed green, I feel bad for Kobe. To see your team in shambles and he won't leave.
Noway they make the playoffs for the remainder of his career.

[jay]

They can sign Isaiah Thomas.  Trade Nash for Mayo.  Overpay Hill to stay?

[Smokeeye123]

Nobody wants to play with Kobe. When he is gone the lakers can finally rebuild/build on the fly and become contenders.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

don't care about lakers only Celtics

[JSD]

Maybe they'll just start absorbing players on one year deals.

[LarBrd33]

Randle will probably be a 20/10 guy.  If Kobe plays like he did two years ago, he's still a superstar.  They still have cap space to sign at least 1 max contract player and the Lakers are a team everyone always wants to play for.  They'll be fine.

If Minny tries to hang onto Kevin Love, he's a Laker next summer.

[KGs Knee]

Randle will probably be a 20/10 guy.

Randle has 'bust' written all over him.

Not only is he undersized (short) for a PF, he has short arms too. Add that to his lack of leaping ability, lack of refined post moves and lack of a reliable jumpshot, and you have a player who is going to struggle to score against NBA defenses.

And none of this even mentions the fact he was a terrible defender in college.

[wdleehi]

Sign AI.  Watch those two fight over the ball.

[Sketch5]

Randle will probably be a 20/10 guy.  If Kobe plays like he did two years ago, he's still a superstar.  They still have cap space to sign at least 1 max contract player and the Lakers are a team everyone always wants to play for.  They'll be fine.

If Minny tries to hang onto Kevin Love, he's a Laker next summer.

I think Kobe has a 2 year window. He's had a hard comeback from injury. Now it's hard to say if that was in part to do with the tank job they did, but he has a lot of mileage on those legs.

Will Randle be a 20/10 guy next year? And if they get Love next season what happens to Randle? Trade? Come off the bench?

I think when they drafted Randle they thought they had a shot at Lebron or Melo, and could bring Gasol back to play the C. Kobes contract kills a lot of what to do, and they should have thought about that. Howard killed a lot of what they wanted to do with bridging from Kobe to Howard for their superstar.

The Lakers are handicapped with the lack of players for trades and Kobe's contract. I thinki their cockiness could have finally caught up to them. Of course since they are the Lakers they could pull something off. But man it looks like they could be heading into the lotto next year too.

At least with the Celtics they have two options. Trade for a player to play along with Rondo, or Trade Rondo and start the youth rebuild. Lakers have sign FA's and thats it. Can't trade, can't trade Kobe, unless a team has a ton of cap space, or a bunch of expiring contracts.

[footey]

Signing Kobe to that ridiculous contract was the nail in the coffin for them.

[Ogaju]

Orlando magic lost Shaq to the Lakers and that resulted in 3 championships for the Lakers. It looks like the Orlando exacted their pound of flesh through the Howard deal, because that deal is going to set the Lakers back for years. Imagine if Howard had re-upped with the Lakers. If that had happened LeBron or Melo would have been on the way to LA with Gasol still on the team they probably win another championship. Howard pucked their plans in a way that they did not expect.

[SHAQATTACK]

What will they do?

What they always do.....

Pull a rabbit out their rear end


Just when you think they need to actually rebuild .......


They will open the door and half dozen all stars will run in.

And we , the Celtics fans will hate on them

Just like always

It's a cycle.

[Who]

If Kobe signed a reasonable contract extension, LAL could have had enough cap space to sign two max contract players this summer. That would have been a game changer for them. Allowed them to instantly rebuild and put a contender back on the floor.

Kobe chose money over (on court) success. Kobe has only himself to blame when LAL fail to build another title contender around him.

[GreenFaith1819]

Hopefully fester in Purple and Gold Mediocrity for the foreseeable future.

The competitive nature in me wants BOTH BOS and LA to thrive. But if they don't...and have maybe 10-15 years of futility? I won't lose ANY sleep, either. I believe I'll be glad.