The Lakers are going to miss the playoffs for the third straight season, something that almost assuredly won’t sit well with team ownership or the fans. With Kobe Bryant set to retire, the franchise will look markedly different next season. What remains to be seen is if the team will build around its younger players or attempt to remake itself by chasing big-name free agents. Los Angeles certainly has a number of young, intriguing players, but it remains to be seen if any among them are stars who are capable of carrying the franchise back to glory.
According to an informal poll of NBA front office executives, point guard D’Angelo Russell is viewed as having the potential to develop into a franchise-player, but the same sentiment wasn’t shared in regard to 2014 lottery pick Julius Randle, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The dozen executives Berger polled relayed that Randle is seen more as a piece to the puzzle or an energy guy than a bonafide franchise cornerstone. The scribe also noted that it was conceivable that the Lakers could deal one or both of the duo to land a proven star, adding that the organization’s decision-making this summer will be shaped by whether or not it retains its 2016 first-rounder. The Lakers must convey their pick to the Sixers if they fall out of the top three selections.
This brings me to the topic for today: Should the Lakers focus on building around younger players like D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle, or should the team look to deal them for an established star?
If you think the team should look to trade the young pair, who would be a realistic target? Or do you believe Los Angeles needs to take it slow and rebuild through the draft instead of chasing big names on the open market? Take to the comments section to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter.
The star will be more appealing to free agents, while the young players are more appealing to the younger free agents like Barnes and grow together.
Getting a star via trade would certainly gut the roster of what little desirable Talent they have, and that’s including the first round pick (if they were to retain it). Guy’s like Nance, Clarkson, and Randle are intriguing younger players, but you would definitely need to give up at least one of Russell or the Pick to nab a bona fide star, if not both. If they can grab one through FA then they should do so. However that doesn’t seem overly likely with the trend of Big Ticket Names going to the best situation to win, regardless of market size. They really need to take it slow and invest in a coach more keen to player development. As we’ve seen with the Celtics you can certainly turn it around quickly if you invest in player development and savy moves on the trade market. If the Lakers were in the Celtic’s position right now, they’d be going into the offseason with a very good chance of landing that big name Free Agent
Build around and nurture the kids you’ve got. Both have talent, just keep adding young pieces and show some patience.
Would be absolutely stupid if they traded any of their young players. They need to build around them. I think they draft a small forward and sign a center or draft a center and sign a small forward and build up their bench a little bit and they’ll be good. They don’t need a team full of proven super stars. They have a good thing going with a team full of young guys that are relented. I love watching Randle, Clarkson and Russell on the floor together. It’s exciting and having Williams and Huerta off the bench that’s good. Just need that starting center and starting small forward and to build the bench more around Williams and Huerta. If they can draft Simons or however it’s spelled to play small forward and even sign Howard back and get a few bench pieces that’s looking like a pretty good team. With all the money they have freed up next year plus the salary cap raising the sky is the limit for that team and I’d be completely shocked if at least one superstar doesn’t come over. I hear Lebron isn’t happy in Cleveland and he lives in LA, maybe he’s want to help take the young kids to the next level or maybe they get Durant. Who knows. Only way I’d trade a young guy is if they signs Westbrook, then I would trade my draft pick and Clarkson for Cousins in Sacramento and try to sign a SF. Far fetched but you just never know. One thing I do know is I am super excited about the draft and free agency for all the teams. I like seeing who does what and what teams get string and which ones get weaker. I really can’t wait to see what happens in OKC and with the Clippers and in Cleveland
LMAO at keeping Huertas, he is absolutely garbage. SERIOUSLY sign Howard, gtfo with that nonsense. You can’t trade Clarkson unless it is a sign and trade since he is a free agent, that wouldn’t happen until mid December anyways with the free agent rules. LeBron isn’t coming to the Lakers either. Westbrook next year and a very small chance of signing Durant are the only viable options you mentioned.
If the lakers get one of the top two picks, I’d offer
Scenario 1) Randle and Nance or Draft pick for Boogie.
Scenario 2) Randle and I’d waive the draft rights for the pick for Okafor, I’d settle for Noel but then Swap Randle with Nance.
That would be awesome for the Sixers lol. They’d give up a proven rim protector true but they’d pretty much guarantee Simmons/Ingram & Dunn as well as trade a player with almost no offensive talent. If the LA gm calls with this don’t think twice but I doubt that’d happen….
Yea the Sixers would trade for Ben Simmons AND Brandon Ingram. Okafor would be easy to part with.
C – Noel/Embiid
PF – Simmons/Randle/Saric
SF – Ingram/Saric
SG – ….
PG – ……Some ish?
Randle is way too overvalued. I can understand the hype because he should be a rotation player for a good amount of years and can be a double-double guy, but he’s an undersized four who isn’t really a good shooter or defender in a league that is starting to turn into a small ball league. His potential probably maxes out at being a better Brandon Bass if he can develop a decent jumpshot but Randle as the headliner in a deal is insane and any deal for a star would definetly have to include a Nance or Clarkson (depending on the acquiring team’s preference) plus Russell or draft pick. Sorry to disappoint all the Laker fans, but Randle isn’t as valuable as you make him out to be.
They could just stand pat and take the #2 pick and go out in FA and look like this…
PG – Russell
SG – Clarkson
SF – Ingram – Draft
PF – Randle / Noah – UFA
C – Hassan Whiteside – UFA
A frontcourt of Randle/Noah/Whiteside would be almost pitiful on offense. The paint would basically be clogged the entire time preventing any drives to the basket. The only possible advantage would be that Noah’s passing ability is a huge boost for a team, but that would be offset if there is no spacing.
Noah is a reservist at this point, not going to be a 30+ minute guy much longer, he’s a 15-20 min guy. Russell, Clarkson, and Ingram are all score first guys. You’d need some defense along the way..
Too many scenarios to give any sort of definitive answer.
Scenario 1 — they get a Top 2 pick, which is worth MULTIPLES more than the #3 this year. They could get overwhemled with offers from teams like the Celtics or Sixers who have picks and young players.
Scenario 2 — They get a Top 2 pick, which they keep and Simmons falls to them. In this case, what do you do with Randle? They both play the 4…look how well that’s working out in Philly when your two young studs play the same position. I’d look for them to build the franchise around Russell
Sorry I had 5 scenarios but they got cut off
I would easily keep Randle and Russell around, Clarkson will be great but he could be traded with their pick for an established star like Cousins.
Clarkson plus a top three pick (since it falls to the 76ers if its outside the top three) does not get Cousins or another established star unless that pick is the number 1 overall pick or the acquiring team is absolutely in love with a guy in the top three. This draft isn’t as strong as say the last two years of drafts as there isn’t one guy who blows you away with his talent like Towns, Wiggins, Okafor(Simmons maybe, but the issues about his desire and lack of development over the year I think are cause for concern). Considering that, Clarkson and the draft pick, even if it becomes the number 1 overall pick, is still a little shy of value. Lakers might have to throw in another young guy (Nance maybe?) and/or take on a bad contract in order to get a deal done.