NBA Off-Season Moves

[Lipoli390]

Lakers signed Lance to a 1-year $4.5 million deal and signed McGee to the vet minimum of around $2 million. So as it stands the Lakers have about $10 million in cap space left this summer with the following 9 players locked up on their roster:

1. LeBron
2. Ball
3. Ingram
4. KCP
5. Hart
6. Lance
7. McGee
8. Zubac
9. Wagner (their draft pick)

I suspect that that someone will offer Randolph a contract the Lakers won't want to match as they try to preserve flexibility to dump salary next summer and pluck off one or two top free agents in what will be an impressive list of top free agents, most likely including Kawhi Leonard. I can see the Lakers signing Lopez and Amir Johnson with their remaining $10 million in cap space to beef up their front court. Then they can fill the remaining 3 roster spots with one-year vet minimum deals.

Next season, the KCP, Stephenson and McGee contracts will all come off the books, cutting $18 million from their payroll. They'll save another $4 million from the end of their 1-year vet minimum deals, giving the Lakers around $22 million in cap space under this year's cap. With the cap expected to go up, the Lakers should have at least $25 million in cap space next summer. They'll have Luol Deng going into the last year of his $18 million per year deal. They can probably find a team willing to take that expiring deal in return for a draft pick or at least agree on a buy out that gives them some additional cap room. So the Lakers should have at least between $30 and $40 million in cap space next summer.

I sure hope Lavar Ball somehow messes everything up for the Lakers.

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

I think Dieng would fit in nicely as the starting C for the Lakers. 15 mill per year is bad for a back up C playing 10 minutes a game, but it isnt bad if hes your starting C and playing 30 minutes.

[kekgeek]

I think Dieng would fit in nicely as the starting C for the Lakers. 15 mill per year is bad for a back up C playing 10 minutes a game, but it isnt bad if hes your starting C and playing 30 minutes.

Dieng for Deng. Saves the lakers 3 mil this year and they get the better player. Wolves get out of dieng longer contract.

I know there are Aldrich back for the min rumors.

Who knows just throwing out ideas

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

I think Dieng would fit in nicely as the starting C for the Lakers. 15 mill per year is bad for a back up C playing 10 minutes a game, but it isnt bad if hes your starting C and playing 30 minutes.

Dieng for Deng. Saves the lakers 3 mil this year and they get the better player. Wolves get out of dieng longer contract.

I know there are Aldrich back for the min rumors.

Who knows just throwing out ideas

I was thinking Randle s&t for dieng. It doesn't help our cap, but it does balance the roster a bit.

Randle can play small ball c and then take over for taj.

Let bjelly go, then use mle on bradley.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Julius Randle would be an amazing get, and I've been very high on him ever since his commitment to Kentucky, but I think we're dreaming again. Position yourself as a fan to get excited over Nemanja Bjelica's return or the addition of Anthony Tolliver or Dante Cunningham. This free agency period will be disappointing. It appears to me that Derrick Rose was considered a priority in free agency with intentions for him to have a big role off the bench. Now we're turning our attention to veteran bench bigs and end of the bench wings. Haven't heard a peep in regards to trade rumors either.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

As a Laker hater, I don't like seeing them pick up the best player in basketball. But I agree with others here that the rest of their roster isn't good enough to make them a powerhouse...I think we match up with them well. And as a season ticket holder I'm excited about James coming to Target Center 2 (or 3) times per season. Laker games will be guaranteed sell-outs.

[60WinTim]

Lip -- you must have missed the previous post. The Lakers still have 16 mil to work with, not 10. That's because the Lance and McGee contracts will not be signed until AFTER the 16 mil is used up. Then McGee can be signed with a vet minimum deal Lance can be signed with the Room Exception. So unfortunately, the Lakers still have a nice chunk of change to throw around...

[Lipoli390]

Lip -- you must have missed the previous post. The Lakers still have 16 mil to work with, not 10. That's because the Lance and McGee contracts will not be signed until AFTER the 16 mil is used up. Then McGee can be signed with a vet minimum deal Lance can be signed with the Room Exception. So unfortunately, the Lakers still have a nice chunk of change to throw around...

So even worse than I thought. Thanks for bringing me down even further, Tim. :)

[Lipoli390]

I think Dieng would fit in nicely as the starting C for the Lakers. 15 mill per year is bad for a back up C playing 10 minutes a game, but it isnt bad if hes your starting C and playing 30 minutes.

Dieng for Deng. Saves the lakers 3 mil this year and they get the better player. Wolves get out of dieng longer contract.

I know there are Aldrich back for the min rumors.

Who knows just throwing out ideas

I was thinking Randle s&t for dieng. It doesn't help our cap, but it does balance the roster a bit.

Randle can play small ball c and then take over for taj.

Let bjelly go, then use mle on bradley.

I'd love to get Julius Randle. But there's no way the Lakers would do that deal. And it's not even because they consider Randle better than Dieng. It's because the Lakers won't tie up a significant part of their remaining $16 million in cap space on multi-year deals. Right now, the Lakers are all about having cap space next summer to land another star to pair with LeBron. Next summer's list of free agents will be rich with elite players, including Kawhi Leonard.

To that end, here's a thought. How about Taj Gibson in a sign-and-trade for Randle? Gibson would be a great fit for the Lakers this upcoming season. He'd shore up a position of need with a very solid veteran and his contract would expire at the end of the season. Meanwhile, the Wolves could sign Randle to a multi-year deal.

[Monster]

I think Dieng would fit in nicely as the starting C for the Lakers. 15 mill per year is bad for a back up C playing 10 minutes a game, but it isnt bad if hes your starting C and playing 30 minutes.

Dieng for Deng. Saves the lakers 3 mil this year and they get the better player. Wolves get out of dieng longer contract.

I know there are Aldrich back for the min rumors.

Who knows just throwing out ideas

I was thinking Randle s&t for dieng. It doesn't help our cap, but it does balance the roster a bit.

Randle can play small ball c and then take over for taj.

Let bjelly go, then use mle on bradley.

I'd love to get Julius Randle. But there's no way the Lakers would do that deal. And it's not even because they consider Randle better than Dieng. It's because the Lakers won't tie up a significant part of their remaining $16 million in cap space on multi-year deals. Right now, the Lakers are all about having cap space next summer to land another star to pair with LeBron. Next summer's list of free agents will be rich with elite players, including Kawhi Leonard.

To that end, here's a thought. How about Taj Gibson in a sign-and-trade for Randle? Gibson would be a great fit for the Lakers this upcoming season. He'd shore up a position of need with a very solid veteran and his contract would expire at the end of the season. Meanwhile, the Wolves could sign Randle to a multi-year deal.

Lip that is an interesting idea. To me the question is what are the salary demands of Randle...which could be key for both sides of the deal. If the Lakers can keep him cheap enough...they probably would just resign him. How much would the Wolves be willing to spend on him? Cam and I have been on Julius Randle bus for years now but idk what kind of money I would feel comfortable giving him. What were you thinking? I'd be curious what Cam or others would sign him for in this theoretical deal that probably wouldn't happen. :)