How do we fix the Bobcats? Just as important imo.
The Lakers could be in big trouble.
They have already $78mm next year. They need to trade Gasol specially if they are not playing him, but those $19mm are huge. Its not like the contract expires this year, like Jax.
Clark is a keeper...hurry up Lakers.
The more I look at this chart, Kobe's $30mm are poison.
I wanted to write a smart (?) analysis...but I dont have many answers.
How do we fix the Bobcats? Just as important imo.
this is on point...media is always crying help la help la help Kobe...yet the guys are always crying when are the spurs just gonna go away already...with their back handed compliments.
If they don't dump Paus contract and Howard stays, they will be looking at a monumental tax bill. Ear Clark will demand at least MLE money in free agency and they won't want to lose him considering how well he has played. $20m for Howard + Clark and they will have to resign at least a couple of their others.
Looking at $110m+ to keep this roster together. Pau has to go. Maybe they would be open to the trade I put forward (somewhat jokingly) based around Jackson and Bonner. Will save them a lot of tax money.
Nobody will ever give a flying about the LolCats unless MJ suits up for the lulz.
Truth. Even if they make it, the old timers will have no legs in Apri especially against monkey ball and ref ball.
imho they should dump nash for some overpaid defender at the pg position. Maybe trade Artest for Ariza. Then go full half court offense with the slowest pace in the league.. Still winning nothing, but should be play offs..
If the Lakers keep Pau, give Howard a max and re-sign Clark at MLE level and fill the rest of their squad with minimum players they would have a wage bill around $110m
That would give them a tax bill of $135m. Paus $19m contract will be costing them about $90m in tax.
Put simply if they want to keep Howard, they need to dump Pau for expiring deals.
That's why I suggested trading Howard and Gasol this season. Howard's probably going to walk. The way things are going in LA and with the looming thoughts of playing with Kobe for 2 more years anf being unable to handle the pressure in LA, its safe to get something from him since no other player can net you better package.. The plan simply didnt work, clear some cap space, milk Kobe's star power for another year acquire assets from trading Howard and wait for the 2014 and 2015 FA class.
I suppose if they want to get some quality back, they will have to trade both Pau and Howard. However I don't see them trading both, they will make a decision and one of them will be staying next year.
If they don't think Howard will re sign, I don't see why they would even bother trading him. They need to get their tax situation under control. Maybe Buss is willing to pay $135m in tax, but probably not. Even if they could get Love for Howard, they would still have the tax problem next year.
I think they roll the dice on Howard regardless. Keep him in the summer and hope he re signs. That means they need to dump Pau for expiring contracts soon, and hopefully get a player who has quality and is on a cheap contract. Those kind of players don't get traded often.
I agree. I think they'll definitely roll the dice. The thing with this is if Howard doesn't resign, they'll have zero assests. Gasol will not get them draft picks, and not a lot of teams will invest in Gasol without trading some of their trash in return. I guess Artest can still give them a mid 20 pick from those contending teams trying to beef up their defense. They're in this mess tbh because of the stipulation in Kobe's contract. No one else. You can't move him without his consent and he has a huge price tag, and I think with him still on the team, Dwight's chances of staying is slim.
Mitch should call Brooklyn.. Ask for Brook Lopez and some draft picks via a 3 team trade or maybe ship Dwight to Houston for Asik, Lin and Parsons, fire pringles and hire Steve Van Gundy. It works financially.
But the problem of tax is still there. If they trade Howard for pieces and get non expiring contracts back, they will still need to trade Pau or be left with the monster tax bill.
Even if they could trade Lopez for Howard straight up (which they can't, Lakers would need to take back more salary), they would have $90m committed to 8 players. Assuming Clark gets at least MLE money and the rest are minimum players, that's a $100m salary again and with the new tax rules they end up with an $85m tax bill. That makes Pau an $80m player.
Maybe they will have another monster salary next year, but it will cost them a lot and considering how bad they've been this year I don't think the front office would do it again. In fact, they would be morons to do it again.
Dump Pau for expiring deals, a cheap role player (i.e. Mills) and maybe a pick, hope Howard re signs and play next year with Howard/Kobe/Nash big 3 with Clark and Metta finishing off the team, $80m salary (which is still $15m+ in tax) and hope for the best.
Jackson, Bonner, Blair, Mills and a pick or two for Pau would save them $17m of salary next year. We get the best front line in basketball.
Doubt we'll be willing to go in to the tax for it though.
Tell Kobe to play teamball or bench him.
Let Nash and Gasol run the offense, let Dwight man the middle on defense.
They still have too much talent to suck this bad this year. Problem is, coaches and players learned in 2004 that if you mess with Kobe, you will be shipped out.
They are going to have to build back the team like the majority of franchises have to. They do their homework, pay their dues, develop and build.... they can't just rely on throwing money at players and then count on hollywood and so-cal to attract the rest... I also hope other teams quit bending over for them...
Come on Cupcheck, draft and develop a euro... Find a Splitter, Green, or a Neal...
Laker fans are so en led... they feel as so Stern and other teams should "help them out"
Luck the Fakers!!
By Gasol's grace, they had already won 2 extra les in the past. What more they can ask?
agree on _antoni part but why getting rid of Pau if you change the coach ? I do believe that a decent coach will know how to use him. Besides Pau value has maybe took a hit now that he is playing as 3 pts spot up shooter.
agree on Nash, dude is too old and jamison. I'll add MWP on the list, he has some value left. Do what you can to keep Howard and make him happy despite Kobe.
They did all that yesterday and it didn't work.
Woulda never fired coach potato head imo. They started off rocky but he would have had their record better than what it is and likely in the playoffs.
There have been posts circulating that Howard's contract next year, if he resigns, will be = to some team's entire salary when you factor in the penalty tax.
Exactly, they need to dump either Pau or Howard, and being honest it has to be Pau and hope Howard re signs.
To keep this group together (+ Earl Clark) will cost around $110m in salary and a further $135m in tax. $245m for a lottery team.
Dumping Gasol for expiring saves $20m in salary and around $90m in tax. That makes Gasol a $110m/yr player.
Kobe didn't play team ball.
Gasol didn't really had the offense run through him, although he did have some stretches. Nash to Dwight pnr plays are still too sparse.
Because Pau has a contract that can bring some good pieces. Pau is also a guy that you can tell has a bruised ego. Right now he's 3rd in 'star pecking order' in LA, and he's the kind of guy that wants to be number 1 or number 2...
He's also not all mentally and physically there...
Assuming Howard re signs a max, any contract they take back will cost them at least 4x that salary in tax.
I know the Lakers are rich, but they aren't that rich. They're going to have to dump his salary for expirings and very cheap players/picks.
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