The Lords of the Rings - Rebuilding the Lakers

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Lakers Potential Free Agent Targets

C - Greg Monroe (Player Option)

Of all the free agents on this list, if there’s anyone who is going to be playing with a different team next year, it’s Monroe. Monroe put up 15.9PPG and 10.2RPG this past season. If the Lakers were to bring him in he could pair nicely with Julius Randle to give the Lakers a big, young duo in the front court. Of course, that's what Detroit was hoping to have with Monroe and Andre Drummond.

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Lakers Potential Free Agent Targets

C - DeAndre Jordan (Unrestricted)

DeAndre Jordan is a great rebounder and enormously efficient scorer at the rim. Being that he “anchors” an essentially average defense (ranked 15th) that gets better when he sits down (by 1.3 points per 100 possessions), the whole Defensive Player of the Year thing might be overhyped.

The Lakers could try to lure Jordan to the "other" LA team. They would prefer to have a more versatile big man in the middle and it's likely the Clippers will lock him up before he hits the market.

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Lakers Potential Free Agent Targets

C - Marc Gasol (Unrestricted)

Marc Gasol is the best center in the NBA right now. That's mainly because he’s the one guy you don’t look at any aspect of his game and go “Yech!”

Defense, scoring, passing, rebounding, leadership—he does it all decently to very well.

Joakim Noah can't score. Jordan can't score away from the rim. DeMarcus Cousins has maturity issues. Roy Hibbert can't score or rebound. Al Jefferson can't defend on an elite level. You go down the list, and they all have a glaring weakness.

If there’s an apparent flaw with Gasol, it would be cleaning the glass. But the fact his rebounding percentage jumps when Zach Randolph sits, per NBA.com, suggests he’s just deferring the uncontested misses to his teammate.

While he's the loftiest dream of many a general manager who is looking to land a big name, Gasol is not going anywhere. He’s too entrenched with the Memphis Grizzlies. The team, player and city all love one another. He’s going to get a max offer to stay, and he’s going to happily take it.

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2015 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Prospects Heading into Final Day of Season
By Rob Goldberg , Featured Columnist Apr 15, 2015
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...-day-of-season

While half of the NBA is focused on making the playoffs and fighting for a championship on the final day of the year, the rest of the league has already turned its attention to the NBA draft.

Whether a team was intentionally tanking or just wasn't very good, the squads at the bottom of the standings will be rewarded with high picks in the upcoming draft. Fortunately, there are a few franchise-changing talents available at the top.

Although a lot can change in the coming months, here are projections for the first round with a breakdown of the top picks. Order based on standings as of April 15.

NBA Mock Draft 1st Round
##|Team|Selection
1|Minnesota Timberwolves|Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky
2|New York Knicks|Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
3|Philadelphia 76ers|Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China
4|Los Angeles Lakers|D'Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio State
5|Orlando Magic|Justise Winslow, SF, Duke
6|Sacramento Kings|Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia
7|Denver Nuggets|Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky
8|Detroit Pistons|Mario Hezonja, SF, Croatia
9|Charlotte Hornets|Stanley Johnson, SG, Arizona
10|Miami Heat|Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
11|Atlanta Hawks (via Nets)|Jakob Poeltl, C, Utah
12|Utah Jazz|Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
13|Phoenix Suns|Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
14|Oklahoma City Thunder|Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
15|Indiana Pacers|Myles Turner, C, Texas
16|Boston Celtics|Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky
17|Milwaukee Bucks|Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
18|Houston Rockets (via Pelicans)|Kris Dunn, PG, Providence
19|Washington Wizards|Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
20|Toronto Raptors|Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
21|Dallas Mavericks|Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona
22|Chicago Bulls|Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
23|Portland Trail Blazers|Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville
24|Cleveland Cavaliers|R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State
25|Memphis Grizzlies|Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
26|Los Angeles Lakers (via Rockets)|Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia
27|San Antonio Spurs|Christian Wood, PF, UNLV
28|Boston Celtics (via Clippers)|Caris LeVert, SF, Michigan
29|Brooklyn Nets (via Hawks)|Delon Wright, PG, Utah
30|Golden State Warriors|Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky

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PORTER, LAKERS CLEAN HOUSE

THE LAKERS ROSTER WILL LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT IN 2015-16

With a plethora of potential free agents looming new Lakers GM DJ Porter had some tough decisions to make and he needed to make them quickly. He didn't waste any time in shaking up the team's roster.

Porter announced that unrestricted free agents Jeremy Lin, Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Price, Wayne Ellington, Wesley Johnson, Tarik Black, and Vander Blue would all be allowed to walk without offers.

Porter also stated that the team will not be picking up team options on Jordan Hill, Robert Sacre and Jabari Brown. Jordan Clarkson's $845,059 team option is still up in the air.

That leaves Ed Davis. Davis has a player option worth $1,100,602. Most close to the team and to Davis don't expect him to accept that option.

The Lakers currently have Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, Julius Randle and Ryan Kelly under contract.

"We went 21-61 last season. If I'm brutally honest we just don't want those guys that were part of it around. We're looking to regain that swagger and winning attitude this team has had in the past. Losing isn't acceptable here anymore." Porter said.

"We trust him to do what's right for this franchise. He knows what our goals are." Lakers' team president Jeanie Buss said when asked about Porter's bold moves.

"We're on board. We know what he wants for this team. We're ready." Kobe Bryant told the press.

Head coach Byron Scott has also endorsed the moves.

The Lakers will have plenty of roster space, plenty of money and two first round draft picks. If Porter makes the right moves the Lakers could find themselves in the midst of a great turnaround as early as next season.

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2014-15 NBA Awards
Award	Player	Pos	Team
Most Valuable Player	R. Westbrook	G	Thunder
Rookie of the Year	J. Parker	G	Bucks
Sixth Man of the Year	I. Canaan	G	76ers
Defensive Player of the Year	A. Davis	C	Pelicans
Most Improved Player	K. Thompson	G	Warriors
Coach of the Year	T. Thibodeau	Coach	Bulls

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