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Basketball Fan
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 Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 11:54 am Post subject: Rumor: Lakers believe Russell Westbrook coming in 2017 |
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http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/01/31/rumor-lakers-believe-russell-westbrook-coming-in-2017/
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Rumor: Lakers believe Russell Westbrook coming in 2017
Go to your local grocery store and buy a box of Kosher salt (the good stuff) for this one. You’re going to need it.
Lakers management does believe that in the next couple summers they are going to land a major free agent that is going to quickly change the 9-40 team’s fortunes. Someone who can lead a young core with D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance to contender status again.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith (hence the need for all the salt) was on ESPN 710s Mason and Ireland show Friday (as transcribed by the LA Examiner) and stuck by his Kevin Durant to the Lakers this summer rumor and said the reason is Russell Westbrook (who is a free agent in 2017).
““Keep in mind this, one of the biggest reasons I’m told, that Kevin Durant may have the Lakers at the top of his list, is because the Lakers have been led to believe, by whom specifically I do not know, but the Lakers have been led to believe that it is a very good chance that the following year Russell Westbrook is coming….
“It’s a big possibility,” Smith said. “It’s a big possibility.””
Again, sprinkle liberally with salt.
What this rumor has going for it are twofold: There are people with ties to Durant who would like to push him to a larger market like L.A. or New York; also there is a sense among some observers that Westbrook is the guy more drawn to the bright lights of a big city and might be more likely to leave Oklahoma City than Durant. If Westbrook told Durant he was leaving (far from a given) then Durant would have to consider a move, too.
The problems with this rumor… well, there’s too many to list them all here. At the top: Durant is not a guy swayed by the bright lights, he’s in his prime at age 27, he wants to win now, and going to the Lakers from OKC — with Westbrook and Serge Ibaka — would be a step back. The Lakers do not have a third player as good as Ibaka, and while there is potential with their depth, there is still development needed. Plus, who will be the Lakers’ coach next season? What is their team identity? The Thunder are starting to figure that out under Billy Donovan of late; the Lakers are much farther down the curve.
And the Thunder can offer both Durant and Westbrook more money.
My guess? Durant signs a two-year deal with the Thunder this summer with an opt-out after one — he gets a big payday and sets himself up for a bigger one in 2017 (when the salary cap is projected to jump to $108 million, up from $90 million next season and $67 million this season). At that point, Durant and Westbrook may make choices about what’s next. But right now winning a title matters and they are far closer to that in Oklahoma City than L.A. or New York.
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deal
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 11:57 am Post subject: |
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Yep, he'll follow Melo, opps...
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PICKnPOP
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 11:59 am Post subject: |
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No thanks. He will age just like Every other hyper athletic basketball player that leans way too much On his athleticism to be successful. The time to have Westbrook is right now, in a couple more years he will start to decline fast and we will be stuck with him.
The only way i would take that chance is if we land durant this season or Randle or Russell make that jump to stardom next season |
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DoubleClutch
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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The last paragraph of that article is the most cogent. Chances are Durant signs a 1+1 and hits free agency at the same time as Westbrook. If at that point we have the cap space to fit them both in and we have a more competitive team a year removed from Byron, then I could see them jumping ship together to join us. Durant coming this summer is extremely unlikely.
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scoobs
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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| It makes sense to get rid of Lou, Young and Bass if this rumor is true. I would even see if Philly would take Clarkson in exchange for getting our pick back, this way we make sure we get the pick and we save even more money for the Westbrook free agency. |
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Laker_Town
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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i heard it live and smith did say its what he believed.
he left that wiggle room. |
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pjiddy
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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| STill believe trading for Westbrook is our best shot at getting Durant. |
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Don Draper
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Our FO is so mentally deficient. To re-purpose one famous quote, I'd trust 10 random LGers to make better decisions about the Lakers than I would the 10 highest ranking members of our FO. |
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Bard207
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| scoobs wrote: | | It makes sense to get rid of Lou, Young and Bass if this rumor is true. I would even see if Philly would take Clarkson in exchange for getting our pick back, this way we make sure we get the pick and we save even more money for the Westbrook free agency. |
Do you seriously believe that Clarkson is worth an extremely high draft pick? |
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NBALakerLegends
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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| It's important for the Lakers to be flexible for summer 2017 but at the same time the Lakers can't put all their eggs in one basket. So the question becomes, do you go and offer a max to the FAs in 2016 like Derozan, Batum, Horford and Whiteside and leave a slim possibility of Durant and WB coming if two of the 2016 FAs sign? |
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pjiddy
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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| PICKnPOP wrote: | No thanks. He will age just like Every other hyper athletic basketball player that leans way too much On his athleticism to be successful. The time to have Westbrook is right now, in a couple more years he will start to decline fast and we will be stuck with him.
The only way i would take that chance is if we land durant this season or Randle or Russell make that jump to stardom next season |
That was my thought, too, but in the final year of his deal, he'd be 32-33 years old. Look at Dwyane Wade, a similar style player, who is still very good at 34 when his body provides. We have no indication Russell will suffer the same kind of durability issues that Wade has. Russell is a freak after all. He also has a better jumpshot than Wade.
Even if your concerns were valid, is a year (or maybe two?) of a waning Westbrook worth it if he can potentially bring you one or two titles? And what if Russell can evolve his game? |
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Deathstroke
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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| pjiddy wrote: | | STill believe trading for Westbrook is our best shot at getting Durant. |
The problem is the Thunder are not going to trade either of them this season. Their gonna give it one more shot at winning it all. |
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AY2043
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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| I have a feeling Durant takes a two year deal with the opt out for next year, and he and Westbrook decide together what to do. |
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KobeRe-Loaded
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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LOL ... I posted this back in March (and I think even before that in other threads)
http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=172565
| KobeRe-Loaded wrote: | I'll spill the beans... not making this up.
Westbrook's mom's dream is to have Russell come back home and play for the Lakers.
My sauces are peeps from LA Unified! |
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Last edited by KobeRe-Loaded on Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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LuciusAllen
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pjiddy
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Deathstroke wrote: | | pjiddy wrote: | | STill believe trading for Westbrook is our best shot at getting Durant. |
The problem is the Thunder are not going to trade either of them this season. Their gonna give it one more shot at winning it all. |
We're talking after this season, obviously.
And if Durant is a free agent and Westbrook tells OKC he's leaving after this season, which would obviously affect their chances of re-signing Durant, the Lakers would have leverage to make a trade. And they'd have the advantage of being the only team OKC can call since Westbrook would be making it very clear he's a 1-year rental to every team but the Lakers. |
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Honeybadger81
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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| are we going to see a D'angelo Russell Westbrook lineup by then? |
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KobeRe-Loaded
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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2017 is a long time from now.[/quote]
Yeah but Lakers have Randle and probably didn't want to really spend on Love. 
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venturalakersfan
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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I don't understand why everyone thinks that Durant and Westbrook are some kind of package. Maybe they don't want to stay together?
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RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023. |
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KobeRe-Loaded
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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| venturalakersfan wrote: | | I don't understand why everyone thinks that Durant and Westbrook are some kind of package. Maybe they don't want to stay together? |
Me neither, I don't buy the "package" part.
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Omar Little
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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| AY2043 wrote: | | I have a feeling Durant takes a two year deal with the opt out for next year, and he and Westbrook decide together what to do. |
The problem with that is not knowing what the cap will be in 2017, and how many teams will be able to clear 65 mil in cap and have the right roster. |
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dmorans1
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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| venturalakersfan wrote: | | I don't understand why everyone thinks that Durant and Westbrook are some kind of package. Maybe they don't want to stay together? |
I've said a million times that they don't fit. Not sure they want to play together though. Only those two know that. |
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cathy78
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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I don't think any free agent with options will come to the Lakers as long as the coach can't coach and the front office doesn't seem to be willing to make changes and has clear structure.
This situation is actually worse than all the loosing and not developing young players right now. Winning through the draft is still not a proven concept. |
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KobeButler
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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Only way lakers get anyone high profile is if they use the cap space to fill out the roster. No point iin Durant or russell leaving what they have in okc to join lakers.
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LakerDYnasty72
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| Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| dmorans1 wrote: | | venturalakersfan wrote: | | I don't understand why everyone thinks that Durant and Westbrook are some kind of package. Maybe they don't want to stay together? |
I've said a million times that they don't fit. Not sure they want to play together though. Only those two know that. |
I'm willing to go on record that those two will not stay together. Agree, they don't fit. Most of it, at least for me, is the fact that they've played together for years and still don't seem to complement each other very well, or they need a better complement of players around them. |
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