2014 Off-Season Thread

[Vni]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I wouldn't be surprised if the Lakers were battling for .500, which means they'd be a pretty decent team considering they're in the west.

You're more optimistic than I am.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

The Lakers are hosting a game on opening night as well. This league man lol

This has been going on for how long now? Lol

Shouldn't even be a surprise to anyone.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

This has been going on for how long now? Lol

Shouldn't even be a surprise to anyone.

That's the sad part. That it isn't a surprise.

[JJJones135]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

What more could they have done besides what they did this offseason? We had no draft picks in next years draft before the Jeremy Lin trade(our pick is owned by Phoenix unless we finish in the top 5). We got a free draft pick to take on an expiring deal. Nash, Boozer & Hill(his 2nd year is a team option at $9 mil) come off the books as well. There was not much the Lakers could do this summer to rebuild because you cant rebuild in one summer. There were not a lot of young quality unrestricted FAs out there for us to try and sign.

Good news for us is that Monroe is only signing a 1 year qualifier so he will be an unrestricted FA next year. Hopefully Bledsoe signs his 1 year qualifying offer as well.I've accepted we are going to be bad next year but there wasn't much else out there without giving another team a chance to match their deals(in respect to Monroe & Bledsoe).

Your missing my point, they've already screwed themselves for at least a few more years. I think them resigning Kobe at the amount they did was enough to just trash the FA market. My point is, you don't see LA trying to grab young guys like Philly is. All they got from Houston was a 1st rounder for Lin? For that contract that no other team would've took they coulda got a lil bit more IMO. My point is you go and try and get young talent. Like getting rid of Kendall Marshall and signing Carlos Boozer is the opposite of what the Lakers should be doing.

[JJJones135]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

The Lakers might not have amassed a pool of draft picks but they have positioned themselves to have a ton of spending money over the next few summers even with Kobe's bloated contract. Now whether or not marquee free agents will sign with them or not just because "they're the Lakers" is another topic.



But let's not sit here and act like they've set their franchise back with the contracts they have on the books. Once Kobe retires they'll be able to truly start over.

No, I'm saying they haven't set themselves back from last year, they've stuck themselves in Limbo. Philly has a ton of cap space but you don't see them actually thinking they had a shot at Lebron or Melo.

I think Kobe's only option after his contract was up (especially with the injuries) was to resign with LA. Now I know u gotta pay the man his respects for what he's done for the franchise but you could've easily gave the man 10-15 mil for the last few years of his career. That way if he doesn't resign he looks like the bad guy and not the Lakers front office.

Like I said tho, all my (one man's) opinion

[Vni]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Lakers will be fine man. They will be contending within 5 years.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Kendall Marshall aint the difference between rebuilding and staying in limbo.

The Lakers are not in limbo, so that is not a fact. They will have flexibility next summer to sign any free agent. Again, the question is, will a free agent(s) come?

Explain to me how they are in limbo? Because they didn't keep Kendall Marshall or Kent Bazemore? They got rid of some young guys but you're overvaluing them just a touch when you're trying to paint a picture that they're in such a bad position.

Extending Pau Gasol would have kept them limbo.

[Teddy_Long]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

why the Lakers over the cavs opening night?

[JJJones135]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Kendall Marshall aint the difference between rebuilding and staying in limbo.



The Lakers are not in limbo, so that is not a fact. They will have flexibility next summer to sign any free agent. Again, the question is, will a free agent(s) come?



Explain to me how they are in limbo? Because they didn't keep Kendall Marshall or Kent Bazemore? They got rid of some young guys but you're overvaluing them just a touch when you're trying to paint a picture that they're in such a bad position.



Extending Pau Gasol would have kept them limbo.

If u sign older vets (such as a Carlos Boozer) and u have a star on the downside of his career getting paid 20 mil. And your flipping head coaches year after year.

The Lakers weren't even close in play for FA's this summer. You can throw out Melo if u want bc there were reports that they were in the running (I mainly heard it from Broussard's sauces, so not sure if woj reported it) but still the lakers were on the outside looking in the whole time in FA And their roster hasn't changed much and their cap space will be just as good as it was this summer, and they won't get any FA's then if the roster stays as is.

The only way LA is getting any good FA's next summer is if they overpay a guy like a Bledsoe or Monroe which will not get u over the top. You can throw getting guys like a LaMarcus Aldridge out the window.

Your acting like cap space guarantees you that your on the up and up. The only thing cap space will get the Lakers next summer is another draft pick and a Jeremy Lin which is better than nothing I guess.

Keeping guys like bazemore and Marshall I realize doesn't take you out of limbo but the concept does. For instance taking on young talent at least means your looking for young serviceable guys who may or not be good down the line. Signing guys like Boozer and Jeremy Lin have already hit there High points and that's that. There there for the short term not the long haul.

[702]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I don't get all the hate for the Lakers getting these games. They're the premier franchise in the league. They have the biggest fanbase who's very committed to them. This is a business, man. It's good for the league to play them, and what's good for the league is good for everyone.

I get that people want other teams to get their shine, but honestly if you're a serious enough fan to want the Hornets to get more National TV games... You're going to watch the Hornets anyway. Whether that's on NBA TV or league pass or whatever. The primetime games are for the casual fans. Casual fans want Kobe.

[23]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I don't get all the hate for the Lakers getting these games. They're the premier franchise in the league. They have the biggest fanbase who's very committed to them. This is a business, man. It's good for the league to play them, and what's good for the league is good for everyone.

I get that people want other teams to get their shine, but honestly if you're a serious enough fan to want the Hornets to get more National TV games... You're going to watch the Hornets anyway. Whether that's on NBA TV or league pass or whatever. The primetime games are for the casual fans. Casual fans want Kobe.

I know one thing, the playoffs were great without them so lets stop acting like the NBA cant show other teams on tv for once.

Its forced business like it always is now. Don't expect others to get excited over the rest of the league if you keep doing this then keep having to come up with gimmicks to get people to watch or buy merchandise

[King_B_Mack]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I know the Nets aren't a "premier franchise" in the NBA but it's amazing how quick they get a boot from the national spotlight when it looks like their going to be garbage for an upcoming season. They've gotten burned by the Lakers the last two or three years with these games but it changes nothing. Who cares if they're a premier franchise if they're getting their heads kicked in on these games by 20+ and people are turning the channels from the games? Yeah it's a business, which is exactly why LeBron less Cleveland got snatched out of the national spotlight before LeBron could move all his **** to Miami good. You're in the business of viewers with the best games possible. But as 23 said, if you aren't going to do that then don't come around looking stupid about all these gimmicks and other stuff that gets pulled to sell merchandise and ad space.

[aholbert32]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I'm sorry, but when a team that only won 27 games is getting more airtime than the defending NBA champions that's not good business.

Actually it is. LA is the second biggest tv market in the us and they love their lakers. Higher ratings equal more as revenue for the networks which equals a bigger tv deal for the nba.

Also a lot of this comes down to timing. TNT does a double header every Thursday. So the late game has to start at 10:30 unless the first game can start at 7. Now only a few places are willing to start games at 7 and the networks hate 7 o'clock games because they always rate lower.

So if you want a 10:30 game, ur first choices are the two la teams, Portland and Phoenix. Doesn't give u a ton of options.

Also let's not ignore that even while injured Kobe is one of the most popular players in the league. That equals higher ratings also.

[OkayC]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

I agree with what others said. The lakers have one of the biggest fan bases. For those who live here in cali, especially la, every other house, car, bill board and article of clothing has something either dodgers related, or laker related. Lets not act surprised when they get games on the 25th of december every year. You also gotta remember that casuals want to see their big name guys. Lebron, rose, kd, cp3, melo, and kobe will always play on christmas because they get more views than, d-will, john wall, al jefferson, or(shamefully) lamarcus aldridge, etc. If you want other guys to get shine, go buy league pass. You may not like how it works, but thats how its going to be. Lakers vs hea is gonna get more views on christmas, than wizards vs bobcats or whatever unfortunately.

[23]

Re: 2014 Off-Season Thread

Clippers are enough to take those spots

Lakers have a bunch of bandwagon fans.

You guys are sounding like nba employees