Koolaid_Man
03-18-2014, 03:24 PM
Trade the 2014 first-round pick for a veteran (Kevin Love)
A young player may be the better investment, but a young prospect isn't likely to help propel the Lakers to contender status in Year 1. Equally, a top-five pick could be a valuable trade asset for teams with veteran stars looking for a new home.
Kevin Love can opt out of his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/minnesota-timberwolves-ORSPT000107.topic) after next season. Given the Timberwolves (32-31) continue to struggle on the wrong side of the playoff bubble, Love may look to relocate after the 2014-15 season.
Do the Wolves just wait for him to leave or do they look to get compensation for their All-Star forward?
The Lakers would have to wait until they have cap room in July, but a verbal agreement can be reached on draft night with the Lakers picking for Minnesota.
Waive and stretch Steve Nash (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/steve-nash-PESPT005338.topic)'s contract
To continue their win-now plan, the Lakers would need to use the NBA (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/national-basketball-association-15008001.topic)'s stretch provision on Nash, waiving him while reducing his salary to $3.2 million for the next three seasons.
While that would increase the Lakers' cap room this season, it would diminish their spending power slightly for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
Trading Nash would certainly be better. Perhaps the Lakers can find a team looking to shed a veteran on a long-term deal -- perhaps Jarrett Jack (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/jarrett-jack-PESPT0000010791.topic) of the Cavaliers.
Assuming the Lakers don't find a trade partner, and in the name of winning quickly, Nash could be released.
Without Nash, the Lakers could have up to $13.4 million in cap space to add another player to join Bryant and Love.
Re-sign Pau Gasol (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/pau-gasol-PESPT002503.topic) or trade for Omer Asik
(http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/omer-asik-PESPT000009853.topic)The Lakers can use their cap room to go after free agents like Luol Deng (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/luol-deng-PESPT008296.topic), Lance Stephenson (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/lance-stephenson-PESPT0000010887.topic) and/or Kyle Lowry (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/kyle-lowry-PESPT0000010824.topic), but that new lineup would have a hard time winning if Love was the only impact big man.
A center should be the priority, and the Lakers already have a former All-Star in their fold in Pau Gasol.
This next step may depend heavily on Bryant's power of influence. Gasol is looking forward to free agency, where he can have a chance, once again, to compete for a title.
If Bryant and the Lakers can convince him to stay for at least a season, perhaps at $10 million, Gasol would give the franchise a dynamic, offensive frontcourt with Love.
An alternative to Gasol would be Omer Asik of the Houston Rockets (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/houston-rockets-ORSPT000101.topic). He might be the ideal fit next to Love, given his size and strength as a defender.[/QUOTE]
Re-sign Jodie Meeks (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/jodie-meeks-PESPT0000010836.topic), keep the inexpensive players
The Lakers have Jodie Meeks' early-bird rights after two seasons with the Lakers, which enables the team to sign him to a contract starting in the $5 million-$6 million range.
As a free agent, Meeks takes up just $2 million of the Lakers' cap room. The team can sign him to a larger deal after spending in free agency, assuming he is willing.
Use room exception on a veteran (preferably at point guard)
Kobe Bryant was upset that the Lakers traded Steve Blake (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/steve-blake-PESPT000009470.topic) at the deadline to the Golden State Warriors (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/golden-state-warriors-ORSPT000100.topic).
Blake has his family in Los Angeles and has said he's open to a return to the Lakers after his contract expires with the Warriors.
Once the Lakers have used their cap space, they'll attain additional spending capacity too with a $2.7-million room exception.
That might be enough to lure Blake back or add another veteran to the Lakers.
Is it a winner?
Should the Lakers trade their first-round draft pick, even for Love, when he might come as a free agent in 2015 on his own? Why not have both?
If the Lakers are truly in win-now mode, the future concerns fade away despite the long-term consequences.
A core of Bryant, Love and either Gasol or Asik, rounded out with Boozer, Blake, Meeks, Farmar, Bazemore, Johnson (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/magic-johnson-PEHST001031.topic), Henry, Sacre, Kelly and Marshall would have potential.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-lakers-kobe-bryant-kevin-love-20140313,0,5575094.story?page=3#ixzz2wLdFNYKX
A young player may be the better investment, but a young prospect isn't likely to help propel the Lakers to contender status in Year 1. Equally, a top-five pick could be a valuable trade asset for teams with veteran stars looking for a new home.
Kevin Love can opt out of his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/minnesota-timberwolves-ORSPT000107.topic) after next season. Given the Timberwolves (32-31) continue to struggle on the wrong side of the playoff bubble, Love may look to relocate after the 2014-15 season.
Do the Wolves just wait for him to leave or do they look to get compensation for their All-Star forward?
The Lakers would have to wait until they have cap room in July, but a verbal agreement can be reached on draft night with the Lakers picking for Minnesota.
Waive and stretch Steve Nash (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/steve-nash-PESPT005338.topic)'s contract
To continue their win-now plan, the Lakers would need to use the NBA (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/national-basketball-association-15008001.topic)'s stretch provision on Nash, waiving him while reducing his salary to $3.2 million for the next three seasons.
While that would increase the Lakers' cap room this season, it would diminish their spending power slightly for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
Trading Nash would certainly be better. Perhaps the Lakers can find a team looking to shed a veteran on a long-term deal -- perhaps Jarrett Jack (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/jarrett-jack-PESPT0000010791.topic) of the Cavaliers.
Assuming the Lakers don't find a trade partner, and in the name of winning quickly, Nash could be released.
Without Nash, the Lakers could have up to $13.4 million in cap space to add another player to join Bryant and Love.
Re-sign Pau Gasol (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/pau-gasol-PESPT002503.topic) or trade for Omer Asik
(http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/omer-asik-PESPT000009853.topic)The Lakers can use their cap room to go after free agents like Luol Deng (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/luol-deng-PESPT008296.topic), Lance Stephenson (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/lance-stephenson-PESPT0000010887.topic) and/or Kyle Lowry (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/kyle-lowry-PESPT0000010824.topic), but that new lineup would have a hard time winning if Love was the only impact big man.
A center should be the priority, and the Lakers already have a former All-Star in their fold in Pau Gasol.
This next step may depend heavily on Bryant's power of influence. Gasol is looking forward to free agency, where he can have a chance, once again, to compete for a title.
If Bryant and the Lakers can convince him to stay for at least a season, perhaps at $10 million, Gasol would give the franchise a dynamic, offensive frontcourt with Love.
An alternative to Gasol would be Omer Asik of the Houston Rockets (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/houston-rockets-ORSPT000101.topic). He might be the ideal fit next to Love, given his size and strength as a defender.[/QUOTE]
Re-sign Jodie Meeks (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/jodie-meeks-PESPT0000010836.topic), keep the inexpensive players
The Lakers have Jodie Meeks' early-bird rights after two seasons with the Lakers, which enables the team to sign him to a contract starting in the $5 million-$6 million range.
As a free agent, Meeks takes up just $2 million of the Lakers' cap room. The team can sign him to a larger deal after spending in free agency, assuming he is willing.
Use room exception on a veteran (preferably at point guard)
Kobe Bryant was upset that the Lakers traded Steve Blake (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/steve-blake-PESPT000009470.topic) at the deadline to the Golden State Warriors (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/golden-state-warriors-ORSPT000100.topic).
Blake has his family in Los Angeles and has said he's open to a return to the Lakers after his contract expires with the Warriors.
Once the Lakers have used their cap space, they'll attain additional spending capacity too with a $2.7-million room exception.
That might be enough to lure Blake back or add another veteran to the Lakers.
Is it a winner?
Should the Lakers trade their first-round draft pick, even for Love, when he might come as a free agent in 2015 on his own? Why not have both?
If the Lakers are truly in win-now mode, the future concerns fade away despite the long-term consequences.
A core of Bryant, Love and either Gasol or Asik, rounded out with Boozer, Blake, Meeks, Farmar, Bazemore, Johnson (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/basketball/magic-johnson-PEHST001031.topic), Henry, Sacre, Kelly and Marshall would have potential.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-lakers-kobe-bryant-kevin-love-20140313,0,5575094.story?page=3#ixzz2wLdFNYKX