Even with a max contract offer top free agents wont sign, why?

[dcarter4kobe]

We wont be ready until the summer of 2018 IMO to truly be able to go after max free agents and have them listen.

Summer of 2017 will be for large 1 year deals for guys like Andre Iguodala or Jj Reddick. Tony Allen would also be a good target.
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"He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."

[yinoma2001]

[Cochese]

Its obvious, its because nobody wants to play with Kobe...

Seriously though I think its pretty simple. We are a bad team filled with young players. The top guys are not going to waste their prime years in a rebuilding situation. Dudes want to win now and we aren't in a position to do so. If our young guys develop and improve we will be a more desirable free agency destination.

Also, the perception of our front office being incompetent doesn't help either.

[SDLakersFan]

No one wants to play with Kobe...oh wait

It's obvious that the dysfunction in the front office is effecting us. As much as we hear from the Internet, the layers and agents hear A LOT more being in the know.

[True Lakers Fan]

[watchME]

Because they are afraid they wont bring what kobe brought. What shaq, magic and those guys brought. the only guys capable of replicating that already have their own teams.. Is it hard to understand?

[KBH]

Like VLF said, we've signed one Hall-of-Fame level superstar in his prime in the past 30+ years. Don't let the media's narrative about the demise of the Lakers fool you. Signing franchise-altering superstars is the exception, not the rule.

These media members have all had their own theories as to why we haven't landed superstars ranging from the specter of Kobe Bryant, the incompetence of Jim Buss and the luster of our gold not shining as bright when the reason is far simpler. We haven't been able to offer the most money and the best situation.

Dwight left because he read the writing on the wall when Kobe and Nash each suffered what amounted to career-ending injuries. Carmelo passed on us because the Knicks could offer significantly more money. Aldridge passed on us because we had a young roster a few years away from contention and a coach with anachronistic philosophies. Durant joined a team that won 73 teams without him, so that tells you why he didn't bother meeting with us.

None of these reasons are quite as provocative as Kobe and/or Jim being cancers killing the Lakers from within or even that stars are afraid of playing for the Lakers, but what they are is reality.

[jonnybravo]

Name one sub-20 win team that was ever able to poach a max player in the history of ever and we can talk.

[KeepItRealOrElse]

[TDRock]

[yinoma2001]

Ingram needs to eat more pies.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals

[dcarter4kobe]

The great news is our top 10 will likely look the same come next season

Mozgov/Zubac
Randle/Nance
Ingram/Deng
JC/Brown
Russell/Lou (?)

Would like to see Lou moved for a more flexibility and a future draft pick that could possibly be used in the next summer if we need do dump a contract.
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"He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."

[nash]

Right now our team sucks, just that.

If someone want to come with a buddy to play together them we could have traded some assets for a 3rd piece, but no superstar will land on a 17 win roster.

[Fortysixn2]

Because players who deserve and want max contracts are either in their prime or exiting their prime. We don't have enough on the roster to make a deep playoff run right now even if we signed Lebron. No player is going to waste their prime in a rebuild. They all want the best chance to compete for a championship.

It's pretty simple and I'm not sure why people have a hard time wrapping their head around this.

[LakerFan87]

Other teams can offer max contracts too.

And a lot of those other teams don't suck as bad as we do and don't have a dysfunctional front offices.
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...in my opinion.

[tox]

[Boldarblood]

[HOF Rookie]

in addition to what several had mentioned here, the current CBA essentially locks good players up for 7 -9 years. Everyone coming off their rookie deal wants to get paid.

[png]

Top Free Agents WILL NOT sign until Jimmy Buss is removed from the Lakers, period.

[Gomur]

• California tax is cray cray.
  
• Would rather be the big fish in a small pond.
  
• LA spotlight burns too brightly for those preferring privacy.
  
• Jerseys in the rafters are too daunting.
  
• Not sold on current talent or coaching.
  

[RichD]

The Lakers are not good yet. In a few years they will. Calm down.

[kikanga]

Thank goodness Jim Buss's deadline isn't real. Because I'm not seeing alot of avenues in which we become "contenders" by 2017.
Like yinoma said, these pre-extensions are a game changer.

It's crazy that contending was the plan given that we're at the polar opposite end of contending. We're in a similar boat as Philly. Who had a GM whose goal was to lose as much as possible.
It's like running a race as hard as you can, and tying a person who just decided to walk it.
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"Every hurt is a lesson, and every lesson makes you better”

[yinoma2001]

[Bol]

Last two years, top 2 free agents Aldridge and Durant went to join the best teams they could, teams that were already strong contenders even without them. That's how it is now, have to be a great team to appeal to a top player. So better keep developing these youngsters.

[pio2u]

"If you build it, they will come"