The Lakers’ long-awaited 2018 offseason is now underway, but after months of speculation about which top free agents the team will land this summer, president Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka are working to keep expectations in check.
Speaking today to reporters, including Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com, the Lakers’ top execs made it clear that they plan to be flexible when it comes to free agency. In the view of Johnson and Pelinka, the team could just as easily end up making a splash in 2019 as in 2018.
As Youngmisuk details, Johnson said the Lakers won’t “give away money” this offseason just to say they signed someone, which is perhaps a veiled reference to the team’s infamous summer of ’16. Pelinka, meanwhile, stressed that the summer of ’18 “is not a litmus test” for the front office’s ultimate success — if L.A. comes away empty-handed this July but maintains flexibility for 2019, management wouldn’t view that as a disaster.
Here’s much more on the Lakers:
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, an unrestricted free agent this summer, says he’s looking for a long-term deal in order to establish some stability for his family, writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. Within the same piece, UFA-to-be Channing Frye says he’d be interested in re-signing with the Lakers. “I want to allow them to make the right decisions with bigger-name guys,” Frye said. “I’m a pretty dang good backup, emergency, break-the-glass type guy.”
- Brook Lopez, yet another UFA, isn’t sure whether he’ll be back with the Lakers, but endorsed the franchise for other free agents, per Rodrigo Azurmendi of Lakers.com. “It’s a great place to be going forward, not just for myself, but for a free agent looking to sign somewhere,” Lopez said.
- As Lonzo Ball prepares for a summer that Johnson and Pelinka told him would be the biggest of his life (link via ESPN.com), insiders around the NBA are marveling at the Lakers’ 2017 draft class, which looks like a potential all-timer, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. In addition to Ball, the Lakers also nabbed Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart – who both look like steals – late in the first round.
- Although there was some speculation during the season about his job security, Luke Walton appears very safe as the Lakers’ head coach. Johnson said today that he and Pelinka “look forward to working with Luke for many years to come” (Twitter link via Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times).
- For his part, Walton would love to keep working with restricted free agent Julius Randle (Twitter link via Oram). “I think it’s obvious that, yes, I would love to have Julius back next year,” Walton said today after raving about the big man’s play. “There’s other factors … but from a coaching standpoint I would love to have Julius back.”
Sign Randle
Trade Randle, Ingram, Zubac, Deng and First Future
Pick for Anthony Davis
Draft Jerome Robinson or Mitchell Robinson 1st pick
Draft Bruno Fernando 2nd pick
Sign PG13, KCP, Marcus Smart, Brook Lopez,
Matt Thomas, Derek Favors, Shabazz Muhammad
Sign 2 way contract : GP2, Andre Ingram
2018-2019 Lineup
PG : Ball, Smart, Robinson, GP2
SG : KCP, Hart, Matt Thomas, Ingram
SF : PG13, Kuzma, Muhammad
PF : Davis, Favors, Frye
C. : Lopez, Fernando, Bryant
The following year sign Kahwi Leonard
You couldnt get A. Davis even if you included Magic and the Hollywood sign with the garbage you offered. Celtics only team with enough young talent to acquire him.
The Sixers could presumably acquire Davis; they just wouldn’t trade what it would take to get him.
And even then I doubt NOLA brass would even do it
Lol
why would they ever do that
1. Why would NO accept that trad?
2. For that trade to work under the cap… well, there’s no way for it to work under the cap. Ingram, Zubac and Deng make roughly what Davis makes. So, can NO get Randle to agree to sign-and-trade for the league minimum? Let’s say instead Randle goes for a pretty cheap $15 million and is willing to do that for a sign-and-trade. No NO has to also give up either Morotic or Hill, plus Ajinca or Miller. There is no possible way this trade happens.
Why not just say: “Trade for Davis and Harden and Curry, sign Lebron. Voila, you’re a great team.”
2. Jerome Robinson, if he goes, and Mitchell Robinson seem like reasonable picks for the Lakers at 25.
3. Fernando probably won’t stay in the draft, but he’s a reasonable flyer at 44 if he does. Don’t assume he’ll contribute though.
4. Wait, you have them re-signing KCP, Lopez and signing George and Favors and more? Do you know there is a salary cap?
If the Lakers strike out? Very possible BTW. Just let the kids grow. Sign 1 year deals. See what happens.