**the official la lakers thread**

[flipbjefrox]

How do the lakers plan on getting Irving or George? They're restricted free agent and coming off their rookie contracts. They have zero input on where they want to go

[extracurRICular]

I think Kobe will accept a paycut, but he won't take backseat to LeBron. Kobe is an uncontrollable superstar. He'll still have the same mindset that he's a far superior player than LeBron and Melo, and he'll want to win as the primary option. LeBron to the Lakers is a pipe dream. Melo is the only realistic option.

TBH I dont' even think Melo is............

[F l i c k e r]

Kobe needs to take a paycut. He already has enough money. Take the paycut and ride into the sunset with the Lake Show. He could probably get 1 or 2 rings with the paycut.

Kyrie isn't until 2015 I believe. So unless there is some plan to not utilize the whole cap with stars in 2014. That ain't happening. I like Uncle Drew though.

I think the front office will gun for Lebron 110%. If we can't get him, then the others will be looked at but Lebron is likely 1st priority.

I'm down for Paul.G though. Still would prefer we got a legit 1guard however.

[Carpe Diem]

By: Alex Trevelyan

The headline in the ESPN story is too obvious to be news. What other options do they have? What the story doesn't tell you is that it's a pipedream, even Windhorst, who has been pushing the LeBron-back-to-Cleveland fantasy for at least a year now, when pressed will say that the odds of LeBron going anywhere is very, very low, but he keeps popping off about it anyway. It's a transparent attempt to drive hits and sell ad copy. What's the internal logic to LeBron going to the Lakers? There is literally no reason that anyone can concoct that isn't laughable.

Aside from the fact that LeBron would be leaving lots of money on the table and leaving an optimal tax situation in Florida. What player at the top of his game playing for an organization on top of the world is jumping ship to embrace the unknown in a new locale for no apparent reason? Do people really believe LeBron is going to tell his best friends he's leaving Miami because he thinks they're washed up, so he can go play with an even older Kobe coming off a major leg injury?

LeBron, by all accounts, is not overly friendly with Kobe. He's not going to Kobe's team, to stand in his shadow, so he can help Kobe increase his legacy by helping him win more titles! He's not going to leave his present situation where self-sacrifice is the order of the day, so he can go play with me-first Kobe, a man that has publicly chased 2 guys out of town--Shaq and D12 and me-first Melo. Fans that believe this probably also believe that an arch-villain stroking a cat is secretly controlling the world. Melo and Kobe together would be a farce. No defense. Chucking up shot and after shot. Never looking to pass, unable to pass. It boggles the mind how anyone thinks LeBron would purposely sign up for something like that. That core wouldn't win a championship, it wouldn't work.

The idea that LeBron James would abandon Pat Riley and Mickey Arison so he could play for Jim Buss is inane. No one knows the value of ownership and organization better than LeBron, those things were distinctly missing when he was in Cleveland. This is a new era in Los Angeles, Jerry Buss is no longer alive to run the Lakers, do not underestimate the impact Dr. Buss had. It wasn't the location, it wasn't the brand name. The Lakers had only won a single NBA title in Los Angeles before Buss purchased the team. The brand tarnishes easily. Ask Dodger fans. Ask Cowboy fans. The fact is this is a new world for the Lakers, one they're not accustomed to being in. They always had the next act lined up, now they're scrambling, left to improvise. Those harboring the fantasy that LeBron would look upon the Heat's roster and see no opportunity to win going forward obviously haven't considered that a Lakers' roster would be equally handicapped by the large salaries at the top. Who would you trust to rebuild on the fly? Riley or a guy that couldn't even keep Dwight Howard in town?

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/view...4764&start=180

Great post.

[F l i c k e r]

Crap shoots on the idea of getting Lbj or Melo and RFAs. On ideas of super teams with no structure. Don't sit right with me.

[extracurRICular]

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/view...4764&start=180

Great post.

And that is all true and all but don't forget.....99.99% of the time

[Left Hook Tua]

i wish kobe would take a paycut so lakers can load up.

but i wouldn't hate if he didn't.

he's made lakers BILLIONS over his career and even with max money was underpaid relative to what lakers/NBA made off of him.

[BERNIE'S CORNER]

i wish kobe would take a paycut so lakers can load up.

but i wouldn't hate if he didn't.

he's made lakers BILLIONS over his career and even with max money was underpaid relative to what lakers/NBA made off of him.

You should've amnestied Kobe !!!

Nice look huh ?

[extracurRICular]

You should've amnestied Kobe !!!

Nice look huh ?

bite your tongue......................

[BERNIE'S CORNER]

bite your tongue......................

Well with all the Melo in L.A. nonsense thought I'd flip the switch !!!