Roster Improvement: Free Agents Now and Later?

Two things are apparent from our last two games:

1. Some sort of athletic, energetic PF helps us tri-fold on defense with the starters. Earl Clark has been a great fit.

2. Our bench STILL needs a player who can create his own shot and score. All of our bench are primarily role players. A Lamar, Harden, Ginobili type.

We need to find THAT player in a move for Pau. Who that is, I don't have a clearcut player in mind, but that's what we need.

lakerfan2 wrote:Two things are apparent from our last two games:

1. Some sort of athletic, energetic PF helps us tri-fold on defense with the starters. Earl Clark has been a great fit.

2. Our bench STILL needs a player who can create his own shot and score. All of our bench are primarily role players. A Lamar, Harden, Ginobili type.

We need to find THAT player in a move for Pau. Who that is, I don't have a clearcut player in mind, but that's what we need.

Monta/Gooden/future draft for Pau. I know Monta didn't look particulary to good last nite but give him free reign over the 2nd unit and we have our version of Jamal Crawford. I was surprised to see Godden riding the bench, he sucks I guess but could be a good backup PF, alternative to Jamison if/when his shots starts missing again.

Sacramento would be a great team to trade with. They are loaded with people that we need aka bench scorers.

Brooks/Thornton/Evans/Salmons/Hayes....

I'd take on Salmons/Hayes contracts just to get one of the 3 perimeter players.

Backup Center, backup SF, bench scorer....

C'mon Kings sell that team, move to Seattle and have a fire sale.

Amnesty Steve Blake? If Amnestied, sign Tyrus Thomas, Charlie Villanueva, Drew Gooden or Francisco Garcia? Named these guys cause they're not getting any playing time.

I think our needs have been distilled to a pretty clear list:

(assuming a Pau trade)

PG: Nash......and absolute garbage. We need a capable packup PG, either an all-around vet like a Ridnour, or a young point machine like a Brooks.

SG: Kobe....and Meeks and Morris are not too bad. I think we're set.

SF: MWP, Kobe, Clark, Jamison. It's really filling the position by committee. I think we really need a young athletic STARTING SF that can shoot, so MWP can move to the backup stretch 4.

PF: Clark, Jamison, MWP. I think we're set here.

C: Howard......and NOTHING. We need a backup center for 10-15mpg. Nothing flashy, just a solid backup that's better than Sacre.

Backup pg, starting sf (or maybe a backup sf that can create his own shot), and a backup C for Pau.

Any ideas?

I already had one:

Gasol/duhon for dalembert/udrih/mbah a moute

Gasol /Blake for Kirilenko/Pekovic/Ridnour or Love/Ridnour or Monta Ellis/Dalembert

lakerfan2 wrote:Gasol /Blake for Kirilenko/Pekovic/Ridnour or Love/Ridnour or Monta Ellis/Dalembert

I like em all, dont think Minn will give up Pek with Love being out, they'll need Pek/Pau to playe together but Dwill and pick would be fine by me

Lots of grumblings in these parts about Lowry being overpaid/over-hyped, injury prone, and not a good fit for future plans.

Andrea (soft, I know, but still a stretch 4 who can run and cut to the basket) and Lowry for Gasol and Duhon?

This gives Toronto more flexability for the next two years in terms of salary, esp with Jose expiring (and maybe Jose takes a cut to come back and play with Gasol next year). Also give Toronto a big to see how Gasol fits and plays in a new environment, or if not, a huge expiring next year.

They want to trade Lowry or Jose this year for sure, esp. since they won't make the playoffs again.

Lowry getting 24 mins a game with this team would be beyond perfect -- good back up to Nash, great PG defender, and can play some mins (4 to 6 per game) at shooting guard (or Nash can) like the Bucks do with Jennings and Monta or Denver does with Miller and Lawson. Also reduced Nash's minutes to 28-30 per game.
[I know, having 26 million locked for PGs -- Nash, Lowry, and Blake -- is a little nutso, but it fills HUGE voids - back up for Nash, bench scorer, and small-guard defender to help preserve Kobe]. Lowry would fit well with Howard, Clark, and Meeks]

Andrea -- see how he does with Dwight and MDA (he may flourish), especially as a 3rd and 4th option.
Sign Martin to back up Howard for 14 mins a game.

Nash, Lowry, Blake
Kobe, Lowry, Meeks, Morris
Artest, Kobe, Ebanks, Jamison
Bargnani, Clark, Jamison, Ron
Howard, Martin, Sacre (with Hill coming back for next year -- though he should be moved in the summer for a wing scorer/defender since he is too innury prone)

Lowry is a good player but dude wants to start, that is why he was unhappy when he was in Hou and lost his starting job to Dragic when he returned from an injury.

Playing almost starter minutes for the Lakers -- a contender with Kobe and Howard -- is not the same as coming off the bench for Hou or Toronto. I think he could be sold on being like Crawford and other 6th men, especially since the team will be his when Nash leaves and despite not starting, he will be finishing most games with Kobe, Ron, Clark, and Dwight for defensive purposes.

Come on. You think he would really prefer being in Toronto, another country for god's sake? He went there for the big contract. Now he can get paid that phat money to be a Laker and have a future with Dwight Howard. I don't know the dude, but his agent would be stupid not to sell him on that opportunity -- bright lights, big city, better endorsements, better owners, better weather, and better teammates.

1.) Nash would be finishing the games.

2.) He went to Toronto because he got traded there, not for a big contract.

3.) He's making 6 million and doesn't even have a guaranteed deal next year.

4.) Toronto would give us Calderon before Lowry if anything.

tigerjeterkobe wrote:Playing almost starter minutes for the Lakers -- a contender with Kobe and Howard -- is not the same as coming off the bench for Hou or Toronto. I think he could be sold on being like Crawford and other 6th men, especially since the team will be his when Nash leaves and despite not starting, he will be finishing most games with Kobe, Ron, Clark, and Dwight for defensive purposes.

Come on. You think he would really prefer being in Toronto, another country for god's sake? He went there for the big contract. Now he can get paid that phat money to be a Laker and have a future with Dwight Howard. I don't know the dude, but his agent would be stupid not to sell him on that opportunity -- bright lights, big city, better endorsements, better owners, better weather, and better teammates.

Lakers are gona pay Lowlry big money to be a backup when Nash is here @ 9mill/yr for 2more years? They didn't want to pay ramon $5mill/yr, granted Lowlry is alot better but they're not gona pay Lowrly the salary he's gona want which is probably something high 9-10/yr, like Lawson gets.

Lakers/Minny/Memphis

Gay, Barea, Hadaddi to Lakers
Pau and other stuff to Minny
Some stuff to Memphis

That's super lazy on my part. Anyone want to define the "stuff"?

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA
RT @kbergcbs: Smith's agent speaks with Danny Ferry, stops short of trade request. In other words, let the Josh-a-palooza begin.
Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More

Josh it's as easy as saying you want to come to LA.

Doc Brown wrote:1.) Nash would be finishing the games.

2.) He went to Toronto because he got traded there, not for a big contract.

3.) He's making 6 million and doesn't even have a guaranteed deal next year.

4.) Toronto would give us Calderon before Lowry if anything.

1. If the Lakers have a lead, no matter how slim, against teams with PGs like Tony Parker, CP3, Curry, Westbrook, or Lawson, why would our worst defender be out there to guard them, or left to guard much bigger SG and SFs, or force Kobe to kill himself all season defending PGs, when Lowry can do it and do it very well, while also not losing much (if anything at all) on the offensive side when we get stops? I don't think Nash would be finishing all games or that he needs or wants anything more than 30 mins a game (max).

2. Right. So he likely wants out of that country and to play with a contender.

3. Ok. Thought his deal was through next year. But either way, whether he is a one year rental or not, we need him for this year's run (if there is to be one). Regardless of what Nash signed for in the summer, it is obvious that he has lost steps, will lose more, and the MOST IMPORTANT position we have to fill to compete against SAS, OKC, Clips, Den, etc. is a fast, defending, gritty PG who can finish, hit 3s, and mesh with our other guys in pick and roll sets. So even if the Lakers have to pay another $6 to $8 million for a back up PG, it is worth it. No? [See first 30 games without Nash and Blake].

4. Why? They are faced with losing both for nothing and Lowry doesn't want to be there, and Jose has been playing just as well. Since they want to deal one or the other AND link that one to Bargnani's trash, if it is for Gasol doesn't keeping Jose make more sense for next season? Anyway -- in short, spending more for a solid backup PG who can lead the bench in scoring, defend, and mesh with the starters is worth it. IMO

Doc Brown wrote:

Steve Kyler ‏@stevekylerNBA
RT @kbergcbs: Smith's agent speaks with Danny Ferry, stops short of trade request. In other words, let the Josh-a-palooza begin.
Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More

Josh it's as easy as saying you want to come to LA.

Please please please, yes.

Deal with Minny, and likely lose Clark (who is at an all-time high value, SO FAR). Would be perfect for us. Then add Delonte and find a way to ship Duhon or Blake. That would also guarantee that we keep Dwight. Mitch and Jim -- get on that phone!!!

JSmooth would definitely help in securing Dwight in LA.

Lakers trade - Pau / Blake
Lakers get - Smith / Brooks / Salmons

Minny trades - Pek / DWill / AK47
Minny gets - Pau / Blake

Atl trades - Smith / Harris
Atl gets - AK47 / Cousins

Kings trade - Cousins / Brooks / Salmons
Kings get - Pek / DWill / Harris / Picks

Doc Brown wrote:Lakers trade - Pau / Blake
Lakers get - Smith / Brooks / Salmons

Minny trades - Pek / DWill / AK47
Minny gets - Pau / Blake

Atl trades - Smith / Harris
Atl gets - AK47 / Cousins

Kings trade - Cousins / Brooks / Salmons
Kings get - Pek / DWill / Harris / Picks

Everyone makes out like champs except Minny.

I wasn't a big fan before... but now, I'd do it.

therealdeal wrote:

Doc Brown wrote:Lakers trade - Pau / Blake
Lakers get - Smith / Brooks / Salmons

Minny trades - Pek / DWill / AK47
Minny gets - Pau / Blake

Atl trades - Smith / Harris
Atl gets - AK47 / Cousins

Kings trade - Cousins / Brooks / Salmons
Kings get - Pek / DWill / Harris / Picks

Everyone makes out like champs except Minny.

I want the package that Atl is getting but seriously, Minn getting the shaft big time , giving up 2 core player in Pek/AK and a youth that still has alot of potential in Dwill for 2 players who haven't done much this season

therealdeal wrote:

Doc Brown wrote:Lakers trade - Pau / Blake
Lakers get - Smith / Brooks / Salmons

Minny trades - Pek / DWill / AK47
Minny gets - Pau / Blake

Atl trades - Smith / Harris
Atl gets - AK47 / Cousins

Kings trade - Cousins / Brooks / Salmons
Kings get - Pek / DWill / Harris / Picks

Everyone makes out like champs except Minny.

I've been known to make some crazy trade ideas around these parts but I think there's just too many moving parts for something like this to work. Also, Danny Ferry has talked about the importance of cap flexibility so I'd think Atlanta would want young players with upside and picks as well.

Lakers trade Pau
Lakers get Josh Smith, ~$4-5 million contract (Barea, Ridnour, Roy)

Minnesota trades Pekovic, Williams, ~$4-5 million contract (Barea, Ridnour, Roy), picks
Minnesota gets Pau

Atlanta trades Josh Smith
Atlanta gets Pekovic, Williams, picks

3 team trade between lakers timberwolves and hawks is more likely than 4 team trade with kings.

Any decent perimeter defender that can guard the 1/2's? We don't need a burned out Kobe because we lack another defender/depth to decrease his minutes...