Lowry to the Knicks again?

[mcHAPPY]

Why would LA give up their 2014 1st to TO? There is no logical reason to do this, unless you think Nash's contract is that debilitating to the Lakers that they would give up their pick to move him. I don't think they do this. If they want a decent young player to help fill the void when Kobe leaves, then their pick provides a very good opportunity to do so. Furthermore, if LA is going to give up their pick, then I bet they would want more back than Lowry.

It is all speculation and opinion based. I respect your opinion, and you very well could be right, here would be the counter:

- $9.7M is nearly 1/6th of wasted cap space.
- Nash has no value on the floor or as a trade chip.
- How many teams could offer a player as good as Lowry and a combination of lower picks for Nash and a higher pick?
- A lottery pick might not contribute right away. As Kobe's career winds down they are looking to win now.
- Kobe/Lowry + $30M in cap space is more enticing than Kobe/Nash/unknown 1st round pick + $25M in cap space.


I don't think Lakers are going to be developing players at this point. My guess is any talk is even more speculative than normal until May 20th when the lottery is held. If they end up in the top 5, then any talk is likely rubbish. If they end up 6-10 then I don't think it is far fetched.

[Axel]

It is all speculation and opinion based. I respect your opinion, and you very well could be right, here would be the counter:

- $9.7M is nearly 1/6th of wasted cap space.
- Nash has no value on the floor or as a trade chip.
- How many teams could offer a player as good as Lowry and a combination of lower picks for Nash and a higher pick?
- A lottery pick might not contribute right away. As Kobe's career winds down they are looking to win now.
- Kobe/Lowry + $30M in cap space is more enticing than Kobe/Nash/unknown 1st round pick + $25M in cap space.


I don't think Lakers are going to be developing players at this point. My guess is any talk is even more speculative than normal until May 20th when the lottery is held. If they end up in the top 5, then any talk is likely rubbish. If they end up 6-10 then I don't think it is far fetched.

It's because of possibilities like this that this off-season has me so excited. Gone are pipe-dreams discussions and now we have legit possibilities to make our team better in a variety of directions.

[stooley]

It's because of possibilities like this that this off-season has me so excited. Gone are pipe-dreams discussions and now we have legit possibilities to make our team better in a variety of directions.

That's what winning does I guess.

[JawsGT]

It is all speculation and opinion based. I respect your opinion, and you very well could be right, here would be the counter:

- $9.7M is nearly 1/6th of wasted cap space.
- Nash has no value on the floor or as a trade chip.
- How many teams could offer a player as good as Lowry and a combination of lower picks for Nash and a higher pick?
- A lottery pick might not contribute right away. As Kobe's career winds down they are looking to win now.
- Kobe/Lowry + $30M in cap space is more enticing than Kobe/Nash/unknown 1st round pick + $25M in cap space.


I don't think Lakers are going to be developing players at this point. My guess is any talk is even more speculative than normal until May 20th when the lottery is held. If they end up in the top 5, then any talk is likely rubbish. If they end up 6-10 then I don't think it is far fetched.

I still think they are better off keeping the pick and letting Nash expire. It's not like there are many appealing FA's this offseason (Lowry, Monroe, and few others). If Love is the target, they can't sign him until Nash expires anyways. So, I just think they are better off keeping the pick, let Nash expire, and roll into 2015 free agency with Kobe, their good 2014 pick, and enough cap space to go after Love and even another near max guy or multiple good to great role players. Adding Lowry and losing that pick just seems like something NYK would do, so maybe LAL does it too, but they would be stupid. Next season is pretty much a write off, with or without Lowry. They could make the playoffs, but contention is out of the question for LAL next season. They should know that. If they want to give Kobe the opportunity to win another ring, then the 2015-16 season would be the best chance IMO. And, if Kobe then decides to move on, they should still have a competitive roster.

I think the Lakers have appeased Kobe enough with that ridiculous contract, other personnel decisions shouldn't hinge on meeting Kobe's approval or his desire to win a ring next season.

[stooley]

I still think they are better off keeping the pick and letting Nash expire. It's not like there are many appealing FA's this offseason (Lowry, Monroe, and few others). If Love is the target, they can't sign him until Nash expires anyways. So, I just think they are better off keeping the pick, let Nash expire, and roll into 2015 free agency with Kobe, their good 2014 pick, and enough cap space to go after Love and even another near max guy or multiple good to great role players. Adding Lowry and losing that pick just seems like something NYK would do, so maybe LAL does it too, but they would be stupid. Next season is pretty much a write off, with or without Lowry. They could make the playoffs, but contention is out of the question for LAL next season. They should know that. If they want to give Kobe the opportunity to win another ring, then the 2015-16 season would be the best chance IMO. And, if Kobe then decides to move on, they should still have a competitive roster.

I think the Lakers have appeased Kobe enough with that ridiculous contract, other personnel decisions shouldn't hinge on meeting Kobe's approval or his desire to win a ring next season.

This is Jim, not Jerry Buss we're talking about here

I'm not sure the Lakers dynasty is gonna be able to keep up it's winning ways.

[007]

This is Jim, not Jerry Buss we're talking about here

I'm not sure the Lakers dynasty is gonna be able to keep up it's winning ways.

They wil just sign a bunch of free agents and try for the playoffs again

[magoon]

Honestly, if the Lakers can sign-and-trade for Lowry with us, then they'd have to consider it. Nash + their first-rounder is probably what makes it happen (maybe they throw in a second-rounder too). But say they offer Lowry $14m; that means in 2015 they're set up perfectly when they pursue Kevin Love (almost certain to happen) and Russell Westbrook (potentially likely) because Lowry becomes a potential sign-and-trade chip. Westbrook wants a sign-and-trade to LA? The Lakers send Lowry to OKC. Or maybe they just keep Lowry because he's cheaper, have a Big Three of Love/Kobe/Lowry for about $55m in 2015, then fill it out with roleplayers that fit D'Antoni's system for a year and then in 2016 Kobe either retires or his salary drops down to the $8m mark and they go after Durant.

As for us, if Lowry decides he wants to go to LA, Masai will make it happen because GMs have to make reasonable efforts to assist with sign-and-trades, that's just how league politics work. Besides, if Nash comes here, he almost certainly retires immediately because his priority is staying in LA near his kids; he gave up a lot of money in 2012 to do that.

[JawsGT]

Honestly, if the Lakers can sign-and-trade for Lowry with us, then they'd have to consider it. Nash + their first-rounder is probably what makes it happen (maybe they throw in a second-rounder too). But say they offer Lowry $14m; that means in 2015 they're set up perfectly when they pursue Kevin Love (almost certain to happen) and Russell Westbrook (potentially likely) because Lowry becomes a potential sign-and-trade chip. Westbrook wants a sign-and-trade to LA? The Lakers send Lowry to OKC. Or maybe they just keep Lowry because he's cheaper, have a Big Three of Love/Kobe/Lowry for about $55m in 2015, then fill it out with roleplayers that fit D'Antoni's system for a year and then in 2016 Kobe either retires or his salary drops down to the $8m mark and they go after Durant.

As for us, if Lowry decides he wants to go to LA, Masai will make it happen because GMs have to make reasonable efforts to assist with sign-and-trades, that's just how league politics work. Besides, if Nash comes here, he almost certainly retires immediately because his priority is staying in LA near his kids; he gave up a lot of money in 2012 to do that.

If LA is gonna offer $14M per to Lowry, then there is absolutely no reason to trade for him. They can offer that in the offseason and MU will likely say thank you to Lowry, and good luck in LA. Having Nash still on the books next season will not affect their ability to go after Love or Westbrook.

[magoon]

If LA is gonna offer $14M per to Lowry, then there is absolutely no reason to trade for him.

Um, I was talking about a sign-and-trade, not a trade. E.g. the offseason.

More to the point, though, LA really can't offer Lowry big money unless they ditch Nash' contract because they don't have the cap space. Nash, Kobe, and $14m for Lowry is over fifty million and they still have to pay twelve other players for at least a year. Ditch Nash, and the Lakers can use that money for Pau on the cheap ($6-8m) or something similar.

[JawsGT]

Um, I was talking about a sign-and-trade, not a trade. E.g. the offseason.

More to the point, though, LA really can't offer Lowry big money unless they ditch Nash' contract because they don't have the cap space. Nash, Kobe, and $14m for Lowry is over fifty million and they still have to pay twelve other players for at least a year. Ditch Nash, and the Lakers can use that money for Pau on the cheap ($6-8m) or something similar.

They only have $36M on the books next year, so they have plenty of room to offer Lowry that.

See:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/LAL.html

S&T or trade, it doesn't matter, Lowry is a FA, they can offer what they want without giving up anything. And if they are willing to pay $12M + per year, MU isn't gonna match. The only way Nash's contract really hurts LA, is if they want to go after a guy like Lowry and a guy like Monroe, which they may still be able to do but would find it difficult to fill out the roster later. And they won't do that if they want Love.

[isaacthompson]

Question: Why would the Lakers want Lowry when they basically have Exum at their fingertips? I can't comprehend.

[JawsGT]

Question: Why would the Lakers want Lowry when they basically have Exum at their fingertips? I can't comprehend.

I agree. I think fans are leaning on this as it's really the only way the Raps can get a decent pick this offseason. If the Lakers wanna do it, then ya for sure you gotta make that trade. But I just don't see it happening, as it makes little sense for LA.

[stooley]

I agree. I think fans are leaning on this as it's really the only way the Raps can get a decent pick this offseason. If the Lakers wanna do it, then ya for sure you gotta make that trade. But I just don't see it happening, as it makes little sense for LA.

Of course, it depends on where the pick falls.

If LA is top 6, they get one of the highly touted recruits.

If the pick is at #8, it isn't a sure thing anymore.

LaVine, Saric,Vonleh, Harris. Are those necessarily guys that LA considers can't miss?

[white men can't jump]

Question: Why would the Lakers want Lowry when they basically have Exum at their fingertips? I can't comprehend.

As has been stated already in this thread: will the Lakers have the patience to develop somebody? Exum is a mystery, but given his experience is pretty far from NBA level competition, it's fairly likely he needs a couple of years to adjust. LA is always in win-now mode, and building around an aging Kobe and developing draft pick if not a win-now strategy.

It's not that LA hates developing young players, it's that they've always reached for on-court success. Even when they traded for Kobe, they had a solid team for him to develop within. They've only missed the playoffs twice since 1976, and they weren't two misses in a row.

[white men can't jump]

Of course, it depends on where the pick falls.

If LA is top 6, they get one of the highly touted recruits.

If the pick is at #8, it isn't a sure thing anymore.

Yeah, this is kind of how I see it. Even the Lakers may not be willing to pass up on one of the top 5-6 players in this year's draft....but after that? Things could be very much up in the air.