Roster Improvement: Free Agents Now and Later?

borri · by **borri** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:24 am

Josh Smith for Pau is pointless if Brown is still running the show. Can you imagine how AWFUL Smith would look trying to run the Princeton? Dude's BB IQ......well lets just say it isn't very high.

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:36 am

Lakerjones wrote:I don't even want to think of a roster change with our starters right now. This is a dream team on paper that's been totally ruined by crappy coaching. Don't touch the starting 5.

The only roster move I desperately want to see is us bringing in a quality backup Point Guard. We've needed one since the beginning of the season. Blake hasn't cut it. Duhon's basically just as bad (although I thought he looked better than Blake in his limited preseason minutes). Morris is a disaster.

And now that Steve Nash is injured and will miss some significant time, this issue has just become more glaring.

Part of our problems are centered around that this team isn't balanced on the floor..... regardless if they are a "Dream Team" or not. A defensive minded rebounder at PF along with a top flight SF would do wonders for our floor balance and give Nash more options than passing to a 7'-1" Center playing 18 feet from the hoop with his man sagging in on Howard all game......

The Original 81 · by **The Original 81** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:41 am

Rooscooter wrote:
juninho wrote:i don't think we will make any trades, this core will compete for next two years and then we will reload in 2014 summer.

I don't think Pau will be here next year even if we win it all...... his "expiring" contract will be the largest of all time and I'm sure we'd try and turn it into a couple pieces while trying to get out from under it.

I'm not convinced at all that we quit trying to trade Pau because we got Nash..... I think it's because nobody wanted him at that price and we couldn't even "give" him away...... I think the "he'll mesh well with Nash" stuff is cover for what the league already knows..... and Laker fans are beginning to realize.... He just isn't the same player he was 3 years ago.....

I'd love Granger and West from Indiana.... both expire at the same time and the money is about right (we may have to toss in Ebanks) but that would give us a much more compatible starting line up and a PF that absolutely thrived in the pick and roll with the punk that's in the other home locker room.....

It's really as simple as this. Pau is nothing close to the guy we saw 3-4 years ago. It's very rare that you even see a low post move from him these days, most of the time it's just a turnaround fadeaway.

Whether it's due to the ridiculous amount of minutes he's playing is another story. There's no question his minutes have to be reduced. Like Vasashi said, he has absolutely no lift at all. He''s also EXTREMELY slow out there.

I'd accept that trade in a heartbeat.

The Original 81 · by **The Original 81** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:43 am

What if we move Pau to the bench? Start Jamison. Gives Howard more room and provides better balance than what we currently have. Also allows Pau to be the primary low post scorer and facilitator for the bench.

Blake/Meeks/Ebanks/Hill/Pau

karacha · by **karacha** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:44 am

For all those trades to happen, we would need a team that's actually willing to take Pau now... and you know, he's kind of expensive. If Pau was a 10-11M player, it would be easier to live his his current level of performance.

I do think playing less minutes would help him somewhat. And a coach who could inspire him to playmore in the post, because he can be a beast there.

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:52 am

The Original 81 wrote:What if we move Pau to the bench? Start Jamison. Gives Howard more room and provides better balance than what we currently have. Also allows Pau to be the primary low post scorer and facilitator for the bench.

Blake/Meeks/Ebanks/Hill/Pau

This would be a good compromise to our current problem.... Pau is playing a lot with the second unit anyway. The only issue with this is can Jamison play starter minutes anymore.....

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:55 am

karacha wrote:For all those trades to happen, we would need a team that's actually willing to take Pau now... and you know, he's kind of expensive. If Pau was a 10-11M player, it would be easier to live his his current level of performance.

I do think playing less minutes would help him somewhat. And a coach who could inspire him to playmore in the post, because he can be a beast there.

Yup..... and that window has closed I'm afraid unless we are getting hosed..... that's why I think we've been talking up the Pau/Nash thing all summer..... trying to get his fragile confidence back. Pau isn't playing that bad for a guy making 10 million... the problem is that he's making twice that....

karacha · by **karacha** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:56 am

About Jamison: I think he can. He's is in great shape and needs minutes anyway. He would fit great with Dwight.

Doc Brown · by **Doc Brown** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:57 am

Not saying we should trade Pau for him, but....

I'd love a guy like Varejao on the team. Always plays 100%, always rebounds, always plays defense and never needs a play called for him on the offensive end. He's started off great this season.

dwighthowardsdad · by **dwighthowardsdad** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:58 am

Rooscooter wrote:
juninho wrote:i don't think we will make any trades, this core will compete for next two years and then we will reload in 2014 summer.

I don't think Pau will be here next year even if we win it all...... his "expiring" contract will be the largest of all time and I'm sure we'd try and turn it into a couple pieces while trying to get out from under it.

I'm not convinced at all that we quit trying to trade Pau because we got Nash..... I think it's because nobody wanted him at that price and we couldn't even "give" him away...... I think the "he'll mesh well with Nash" stuff is cover for what the league already knows..... and Laker fans are beginning to realize.... He just isn't the same player he was 3 years ago.....

I'd love Granger and West from Indiana.... both expire at the same time and the money is about right (we may have to toss in Ebanks) but that would give us a much more compatible starting line up and a PF that absolutely thrived in the pick and roll with the punk that's in the other home locker room.....

I'm conviced of this myself. We need an NBA starting Caliber SF. Ron needs to be relegated to the bench or traded. Unfortunately, nobody will want him unless there is a draft pick involved and we don't have any for the forseeable future. So, that makes Pau our only tradeable asset at this point to give us that floor balance.

Nevertheless, I think the FO wants to see what this core does for us this year. So, we'll see happens...

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:26 pm

Doc Brown wrote:Not saying we should trade Pau for him, but....

I'd love a guy like Varejao on the team. Always plays 100%, always rebounds, always plays defense and never needs a play called for him on the offensive end. He's started off great this season.

He'd be our nuevo-Rambis......

thkthebest · by **thkthebest** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:29 pm

Varejao is awesome. He's been really underrated his entire career.

Ariza3 · by **Ariza3** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:16 pm

Bulls trying to move Richard Hamilton? $5 mil guaranteed. somehow get rid of duhon and morris for him?

XXIV · by **XXIV** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:20 pm

^ Are they really trying to move him? He's been playing really well with Rose being out.

Ariza3 · by **Ariza3** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:21 pm

It’s really no surprise, but the Bulls are having no luck trying to move Richard Hamilton, whose $5 million in 2012-13 is fully guaranteed. New York Daily News

XXIV · by **XXIV** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:24 pm

In that case I'd love to grab him, if Brown won't play Meeks maybe he'll play Hamilton.

ben_ready · by **ben_ready** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:27 pm

escobar8 wrote:i wouldnt mind that trade...i think people a lil bit overrating pau here...
he sucked for last two years...he knows to disappear over the season and even in play offs...while geting 20mil...
he is slow and weakminded...and people are allways finding excuses for him...
is he one of the most skilled and one of the most smartest big men in the game...???yes he is...but that doesnt mean much when other players are runing around you, while he is not capable to punish other players on offense...he is now much better version of luke walton( dont want to realy compare them...its more like example of good IQ player but with out athletic abilities)botom line he is weak and slow...j.smith can solve that problems...i know we are losing skiled big man but thats why have nash...imagine Pnr between nash and smith or dwight...thats unstopable...we need fresh blood...plus he would be only 3-4 option...he might be perfect adition while playing under nash kobe and howard...plus i dont think pau would make atl any better...maybe its time to go to club who drafted him in the first place...

Amen yell™

lakersin4 · by **lakersin4** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:28 pm

I was fully against Pau for Smoove unless we could also get Teague.. But it's clear that this team is just too old & not athletic enough.. I'd rather get a stud SF like Granger & in a perfect world West with him, but I would do Pau for Josh Smith right now. We're going to continue to get ran out of the gym as currently constructed. Knowing Mike Clown, he'd play Josh at SF though.

ben_ready · by **ben_ready** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:34 pm

Love to see Lakers fam coming around. Hi iq means nothing when you can't stop nobody.pau gets discourage too easy, not good. Plus josh can guard 3's enabling aj to guard 4's which he should only be doing these days. And we would be better at trans d, which is killing us this year yell™

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:39 pm

^^Josh Smith can't guard 3's..... he blocks shots and that's about it.... on offense he dunks and that's about it...

Have you watched him in the set offense?.... I mean really watched him?... He has no clue how to play with anyone much less guys like Howard and Kobe.... When the game slows down in the playoffs any advantage he brings to the Hawks is nullified by his lack of fundamentals and BBIQ.....

Massively overrated player.......

King of Clutch · by **King of Clutch** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:50 pm

I would be fine with pau being traded. But before i'd pull that trade, i'd try moving him to the bench. Sorry pau, but you're not the same player anymore. Would rather have him as the backup center in his natural positions, than starting pf. Thought this should be done since the first game the big 4 played together against sacramento in the preseason. Reason why he keeps getting burned and blown by is because they're putting a slow CENTER in pick and rolls. He's not a power forward, and can't play it anymore. He used to be able to handle it, but he just can't anymore. ESPECIALLY not at his age. I would rather have jamison start in his place. It would definitely spread the floor and give dwight room to wreak havok in the low post surrounded by 3pt shooters in the lineup. Creating an environment similar to orlando. And off the bench, pau wont be put in as many pick n rolls as the back up center, because he'll be guarding centers as slow as he is. He'll still be playing 30 mins a night, much like crawford, or terry.

starters: Nash, kobe, metta, jamison, dwight (still a helluva starting lineup)
Bench: Blake, meeks, ebanks, hill, pau

Only problems I can see this causing is defense. But I would think that jamison would be better dealing with quick guards getting switched in pick n rolls than gasol, who has been horrible in this aspect since 2011.So it might not affect it as much as people think. But if that too doesn't work. Might as well trade gasol. Smith may not be the better player, but he definitely is the better player for what we NEED. Athleticism, youth, speed, and defense.

therealdeal · by **therealdeal** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:54 pm

So what does Pau Gasol have to do before Laker fans are ready to stop throwing him under the bus? He's played well to start the season and we're putting it on him that we're losing? We're trying to get Smith for him?

If Pau expires and we have a chance to get Smith, that's maybe one thing but trading Pau for him? Jesus, no.

And moving him to the bench would be worse. Not only is he playing fewer minutes and playing less effectively, but you have 19 million dollars on the bench losing any potential trade value. That's insanity.

Pau isn't the problem here. Not by a long shot.

Texas Lakers Fan · by **Texas Lakers Fan** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 4:02 pm

therealdeal wrote:So what does Pau Gasol have to do before Laker fans are ready to stop throwing him under the bus? He's played well to start the season and we're putting it on him that we're losing? We're trying to get Smith for him?

If Pau expires and we have a chance to get Smith, that's maybe one thing but trading Pau for him? Jesus, no.

And moving him to the bench would be worse. Not only is he playing fewer minutes and playing less effectively, but you have 19 million dollars on the bench losing any potential trade value. That's insanity.

Pau isn't the problem here. Not by a long shot.

Well said. Pau has played solid basketball so far. Needs to get better on the defensive end of the floor, but so does everyone else on the team. Trading him right now makes no sense at all. I don't see the point of trading Pau for Smith. Pau is the better player first of all, but he's also the much better fit. Smith and Howard don't fit we'll at all on the offensive side of the ball. Lane would be extremely clogged for both because neither space the floor at all.

Rooscooter · by **Rooscooter** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 4:05 pm

therealdeal wrote:So what does Pau Gasol have to do before Laker fans are ready to stop throwing him under the bus? He's played well to start the season and we're putting it on him that we're losing? We're trying to get Smith for him?

If Pau expires and we have a chance to get Smith, that's maybe one thing but trading Pau for him? Jesus, no.

And moving him to the bench would be worse. Not only is he playing fewer minutes and playing less effectively, but you have 19 million dollars on the bench losing any potential trade value. That's insanity.

Pau isn't the problem here. Not by a long shot.

You must quit watching when we cross half court on the defensive end....... he's been beyond horrible on rotations, blocking out or just about anything else on that end of the floor. On the offensive side of things we have a 7'-1 SF shooting and missing 18 foot jumpers while his man is in Howard's lap.....

His stats may be O.K... but so are everyone's.... his lack of anything other that pass first attitude is a huge problem.... the most effort he puts into anything on the defensive end is explaining to Howard what happened on the rotations...... while shrugging....

King of Clutch · by **King of Clutch** on Sun Nov 04, 2012 4:07 pm

therealdeal wrote:So what does Pau Gasol have to do before Laker fans are ready to stop throwing him under the bus? He's played well to start the season and we're putting it on him that we're losing? We're trying to get Smith for him?

If Pau expires and we have a chance to get Smith, that's maybe one thing but trading Pau for him? Jesus, no.

And moving him to the bench would be worse. Not only is he playing fewer minutes and playing less effectively, but you have 19 million dollars on the bench losing any potential trade value. That's insanity.

Pau isn't the problem here. Not by a long shot.

How would it be worse? And you say its crazy to trade pau, yet you want to keep hi value high to trade him. lol I don't get it. Pau can't play pf. Its about time people realize this. He's just not quick enough, and is getting up there in age. Let's say we play miami. Lbj plays the 3, and battier plays the 4 (he's been guarding the 4's so far this season). Do you honestly think pau would be able to close out to battier for all the threes he'll be taking for lbjs penetration? lol ibaka couldn't even do that in last years finals, and he's 100 times quicker than pau.Same goes with kd if the thunder plays small ball, and the spurs as well. Popovich is smart enough to know that duncan can't play pf anymore, so he doesn't put him at that position. Same goes with pau. Pau is a center. And he needs to go back to playing it.

Roster Improvement: Free Agents Now and Later?

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Re: Roster Improvement: Magic on ESPN hinted Pau for JSmith

Who is online