Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 35853 Location: Santa Clarita, CA (Hell) ->>>>>Ithaca, NY -≥≥≥≥≥Berkeley, CA
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2021 7:20 pm Post subject:
JUST-MING wrote:
The Jim Buss era started in 2004. His first move was to fire Phil Jackson. His first trade was Shaquille O'Neal in the worst trade in basketball history. His first draft pick was a 19 year old euro shooting guard, Sasha Vujacic. His first roster, so unbalanced, a team of small forwards -- Kobe Bryant, Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Jumaine Jones, Deveon George and Luke Walton. His first MLE signing, a 35-year old Vlade Divac. His first coaching hire, Rudy Tomjanovich, quit mid-season due to alcoholism. That was also the first season the team, which had failed to make the playoffs only three times in history to that point, deliberately tanked for a draft pick. Any of that sound familiar? The infamous quote that his bartender Chaz was better than our scouting department. Please, enlighten us all, how Rob Pelinka should be compared to a failed horse trainer, Jim Buss.
How do you know Tomjanovich resigned due to alcoholism? What was wrong with hiring a Hall of Famer and two time champion? _________________ Damian Lillard shatters Dwight Coward's championship dreams:
Lol firing Phil and trading Shaq were KOBE moves that Dr. Buss signed off on so that Kobe wouldn't leave. Acting like these were unilateral Jim decisions are just the usual predictable turds from the Awful Take Factory that is one particular poster.
The Jim Buss era started in 2004. His first move was to fire Phil Jackson. His first trade was Shaquille O'Neal in the worst trade in basketball history. His first draft pick was a 19 year old euro shooting guard, Sasha Vujacic. His first roster, so unbalanced, a team of small forwards -- Kobe Bryant, Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Jumaine Jones, Deveon George and Luke Walton. His first MLE signing, a 35-year old Vlade Divac. His first coaching hire, Rudy Tomjanovich, quit mid-season due to alcoholism. That was also the first season the team, which had failed to make the playoffs only three times in history to that point, deliberately tanked for a draft pick. Any of that sound familiar? The infamous quote that his bartender Chaz was better than our scouting department. Please, enlighten us all, how Rob Pelinka should be compared to a failed horse trainer, Jim Buss.
How do you know Tomjanovich resigned due to alcoholism? What was wrong with hiring a Hall of Famer and two time champion?
It's not exactly a secret that Rudy had a drinking problem. He was arrested for a DUI while he was coaching the Rockets. I've never heard that his leaving the Lakers had anything to do with alcohol, however. But then Just-Ming tends to make up a lot of stuff, so that went in one ear and out the other for me.
only a disfunctional and weak FO hands over decision making to a player that has one more year at best.
Too bad we don't even have our first round pick this year
You mean Lebron? He's got 3 more years in him (atleast as a 3rd man), he's only 37 in December. Ofcourse if he doesn't get a career ending injury in the meantime _________________ 48 49 50 52 53 54 72 80 82
85 87 88 00 01 02 09 10 20
only a disfunctional and weak FO hands over decision making to a player that has one more year at best.
Too bad we don't even have our first round pick this year
You mean Lebron? He's got 3 more years in him (atleast as a 3rd man), he's only 37 in December. Ofcourse if he doesn't get a career ending injury in the meantime
His current contract runs one more year after this season
only a disfunctional and weak FO hands over decision making to a player that has one more year at best.
Too bad we don't even have our first round pick this year
You mean Lebron? He's got 3 more years in him (atleast as a 3rd man), he's only 37 in December. Ofcourse if he doesn't get a career ending injury in the meantime
His current contract runs one more year after this season
It will most likely be extended with the way he's playing. Lebron is still playing like a top 5 player in the league so he's still got plenty of years left unless he runs into problems with our front office if this season continues on its current path. _________________ Playoffs is good enough. - Jeanie Buss 2024
Pelinka did what anyone in 2k would do. Don't blame him.
Jokes aside, he did a reasonable job two years ago. Defense was the calling card of the team in the bubble, and the losses of Alan Caruso and Casey P have made them drop 10 spots in the DE rankings.
If there's one thing I've learned about makeshift championship squads, it's that they rarely succeed. Even the Heat superteam with Wade, Lebron (who is apparently the GOAT now?) and Bosh in their primes went 2 for 4, and would have been 1 for 4 if not for a historic shot by Ray Allen. The Spurs showed that chemistry and defense are big factors in winning one.
Shuffling players in and out isn't a good strategy to preserve continuity. It's why I was critical of the KCP trade. They seem to be missing that this season.
Despite all the above, I think the Lakers will be fine, but it will take them 20-30 games to figure it out. The biggest roadblock will be the health of LBJ and AD. If they can't keep it together and stay healthy for at least one more season, it may be time for a full-fledged rebuild.
Last edited by KindCrippler2000 on Sun Nov 07, 2021 8:36 am; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2021 8:35 am Post subject: Re: Without Lebron, the Rob Pelinka era would have been just the same like the Jim Buss era
Lakesh0wtime wrote:
activeverb wrote:
lakersfever714 wrote:
If you think about it, without Lebron, the Lakers would be a lottery team just like in 2012 during the Jim Buss era. Only difference between Rob and Jim is Rob got Lebron while Jim didn't. If we didn't get Lebron, Rob would running a lottery team right now. And we wanted executive of the year for Rob in 2020. Boy, were we wrong.
I don't see how you can make this assumption.
Basically, every move that Rob has made was because Lebron was here.
If Lebron wasn't here, for all we know he would have made completely different moves.
So, I don't see how you can guess with any sense of accuracy who would be on the roster, let alone how that roster would have performed.
only a disfunctional and weak FO hands over decision making to a player that has one more year at best.
Too bad we don't even have our first round pick this year
You mean Lebron? He's got 3 more years in him (atleast as a 3rd man), he's only 37 in December. Ofcourse if he doesn't get a career ending injury in the meantime
His current contract runs one more year after this season
It will most likely be extended with the way he's playing. Lebron is still playing like a top 5 player in the league so he's still got plenty of years left unless he runs into problems with our front office if this season continues on its current path.
With Lebron, who knows what he's going to do? He might re-up; he might move onto another team.
How many years he has left is anyone's guess. When he's on the court, he plays at a high level. But as we've seen the last few years, he can be derailed with injuries. When things come to an end, it might be abrupt, rather than gradual.
Let me add something. For all the talk about major free agents coming to LA, only two have ever done it when they were still elite players: Shaq and Lebron. ...
The talk about players coming to LA has more to do with Wilt & Kareem, who forced their way here before free agency existed in the NBA.
Both were elite players (age 32 & 28) when they landed here, playing over 40 mpg (45.3 & 41.2)
Let me add something. For all the talk about major free agents coming to LA, only two have ever done it when they were still elite players: Shaq and Lebron. ...
The talk about players coming to LA has more to do with Wilt & Kareem, who forced their way here before free agency existed in the NBA.
Both were elite players (age 32 & 28) when they landed here, playing over 40 mpg (45.3 & 41.2)
You can look at Davis as a modern analogy. Those were trades. You need assets for trades. _________________ Internet Argument Resolved
If Rob didn't get Lebron, he would most likely gotten another star. Hard to say how it would turn out.
Yeah, this is kind of obvious imo.. We probably get Kawhi or Butler at least to pair with AD (maybe even 2 depending how they shifted around the salary cap) but regardless we would have been a dream spot for any super star perimeter player considering they get to play with a top 2 big in the NBA in a massive market and be the go to guy.
That’s a huge assumption.
Here’s what we know…
Couldn’t close on our top coaching targets
Couldn’t close on Kawhi as our top FA target
As part of Magic’s tenure, couldn’t get a sit down with George/Mintz AFTER paying a 500k tampering fine for him
Let me add something. For all the talk about major free agents coming to LA, only two have ever done it when they were still elite players: Shaq and Lebron. Both were motivated in significant part because they wanted to be involved with Hollywood. Back in the 2000s after Shaq left, we had all sorts of free agent dreams -- Yao, Amare, Lebron, and more. We had the 2007 free agent plan, then the 2008 free agent plan. We never signed anyone, unless you count Vlad Rad, Fisher, and Artest. The big names blew us off.
We had a few years after we made the Gasol trade when we didn't have any cap space and didn't have any realistic means of clearing cap space. Then came the 2010s, when we got blown off by Lebron (again), Carmelo, Aldridge, and others. Hell, Howard walked on us even after we humiliated ourselves by putting up a billboard. Due to the Buss family drama, Mitch and Jim signed Mozgov and Deng because that was the best that we could do. Let that sink it. During the Magic/Pelinka era, the biggest free agent signings we've made other than Lebron were KCP and Green (and Montrezl Harrell, I guess). Let that sink in. We cleared tons of cap space, but couldn't sign any major free agent to join Lebron.
The point of all of this is that we should not live in a fantasy world in which the Lakers are some incredible free agent magnet. We should stop kidding ourselves that free agents are eager to come play here. Shaq and Lebron wanted to make movies, plus Lebron wanted to expand his brand. The rest of them have blown us off. James Ennis wants to come play here, but Kawhi and George took a pass. We've added pieces through trades (Davis and Westbrook), and trades require assets. So when we fritter away assets because we think we're going to hit home runs in the free agent market, it's maddening to some of us.
We may manage to sign a major free agent down the road. However, when someone thinks that Pelinka would just have signed another big name if Lebron didn't come, they need to look at history. If Lebron didn't come, Pelinka might have wound up talking to Mozgov/Deng level players. The true superstars don't seem very impressed with Lakers exceptionalism. I know that this is a bitter pill to swallow for a lot of people, but the historical record is what it is.
Great post as usual. _________________ Music is my medicine
Let me add something. For all the talk about major free agents coming to LA, only two have ever done it when they were still elite players: Shaq and Lebron. ...
The talk about players coming to LA has more to do with Wilt & Kareem, who forced their way here before free agency existed in the NBA.
Both were elite players (age 32 & 28) when they landed here, playing over 40 mpg (45.3 & 41.2)
You can look at Davis as a modern analogy. Those were trades. You need assets for trades.
Yup. And we have none. _________________ Music is my medicine
Just because Jim and Mitch screwed up the end of the Kobe/Pau/Odom era, doesn't mean this FO will screw up the AD/Bron era. We didn't trade for a near 40 year old Nash, way past his prime, or trade our best young asset for an impending FA who never wanted to be Laker or play with Kobe (wanted to go to the Nets). There were many miscalculations. The Lakers contracts are all short. Even this Westbrook deal, it's for still in athletic prime star who will be a FA either this summer or next.
Just because the previous FO screwed up the end of that championship team, like how they managed the important assets of that team (Kobe, Gasol, Odom, Bynum etc). It doesn't mean that this FO will do the same with these assets.
As for the cupboard is bare argument. It definitely holds true that assets aren't easy to attain when you have so much invested in 2 players, now 3 players. However, this is usually the case for all championship level teams. They usually have a window where they compete for a ring or rings. They win 1 or 2, or some don't even win. They their stars hit a decline/team hits a wall. And it's a situation of deciding whether you stay loyal to the stars or you trade them for assets while you still can. For example, Boston traded their championship team's key players when they could still get longterm assets. We didn't, well we kind of tried with Gasol/Odom/Bynum, and stayed loyal to Kobe (which was obvious). The Spurs as well stayed loyal to their stars.
I have no clue what Jeanie's stance is in loyalty to Bron, AD, etc. Maybe she will pawn off AD in 2 years when Bron may decide to move on to play with his son (or whatever happens). RW's contract is up in '23 and he has an opt out in this season's end. Remains to be seen what we do with that. We don't have too many assets aside from those 3 (and looking at RW as an asset at the moment may be a stretch) and THT. But the good thing I see from the Lakers situation is there are no longterm horrid contracts on the books. You have flex with the cap longterm. And it's not just about signing mega stars, you can easily gain some assets using 8-10M a piece of your cap. I guess we will just have to wait and see what they decide to do in a year or two years. I am not going to automatically assume failure, just because it is usually what happens after a championship team's key players get old/decline and the team has to be broken up.
Just because Jim and Mitch screwed up the end of the Kobe/Pau/Odom era, doesn't mean this FO will screw up the AD/Bron era. We didn't trade for a near 40 year old Nash, way past his prime, or trade our best young asset for an impending FA who never wanted to be Laker or play with Kobe (wanted to go to the Nets). There were many miscalculations. The Lakers contracts are all short. Even this Westbrook deal, it's for still in athletic prime star who will be a FA either this summer or next.
Just because the previous FO screwed up the end of that championship team, like how they managed the important assets of that team (Kobe, Gasol, Odom, Bynum etc). It doesn't mean that this FO will do the same with these assets.
Wake up and smell the coffee. This isn't about the old FO and the new FO. That's just a narrative to make some of you feel more reassured. We are looking at a long-term dependence on quick fixes. This has become baked into the DNA of the franchise, and it ties into the idea of Lakers Exceptionalism. Jeanie Buss is addicted to it. This isn't about the evil depravity of Jim Buss. This is how we operated when Dr. Buss was calling the shots. Heck, we operated this way when Jerry West was still around.
On occasion, it succeeds. The Shaq signing made us relevant and eventually opened a title window when Kobe developed into a star. The Gasol trade opened a title window. More often, it fails. The 2007 plan. The 2008 plan. The Nash trade. Really, the Lebron deal failed until Team Lebron (legally) tampered with Davis. Paul George flipped us off. Kawhi flipped us off. We did manage to win the bubble title, but at this point we are pot committed to a Lebron-Davis-Westbrook title run with no flexibility and no assets going forward.
We might get the title this year, or we might crash and burn. Either way, there is no plan going forward. It's just dreams about how Lakers Exceptionalism will draw in the Next Big Star. That could happen, of course, but history should have taught you to bet against it. But for some reason, you've decided to wave the pom-poms. Well, let's hope you turn out to be right. _________________ Internet Argument Resolved
The biggest problem with the Lebron plan was his age. If this was the plan when he was in his 20's or even early 30's - all good, let Klutch run the show and you have plenty of time to tweak the roster around LBJ/AD. But with the mileage Lebron has and his advancing age, it was a huge gamble from the start and you are on the clock big time.
I bet if you had Lebron and Rob being honest, they would admit they expected AD to take over as alpha by this point. I mean he is in his peak prime and deferring to a guy who is 37? AD should be beasting right now and controlling the team to the point that we aren't so reliant on Lebron to do everything. It's crazy because I feel like he was more dominant his 1st year here before he got a chip and got paid, where he and Lebron would take turns rolling teams.
Maybe we get lucky and snag a chip this year? Crazier things have happened. I think if you get two titles out of it, all good no matter what.
Just because Jim and Mitch screwed up the end of the Kobe/Pau/Odom era, doesn't mean this FO will screw up the AD/Bron era. We didn't trade for a near 40 year old Nash, way past his prime, or trade our best young asset for an impending FA who never wanted to be Laker or play with Kobe (wanted to go to the Nets). There were many miscalculations. The Lakers contracts are all short. Even this Westbrook deal, it's for still in athletic prime star who will be a FA either this summer or next.
Just because the previous FO screwed up the end of that championship team, like how they managed the important assets of that team (Kobe, Gasol, Odom, Bynum etc). It doesn't mean that this FO will do the same with these assets.
Wake up and smell the coffee. This isn't about the old FO and the new FO. That's just a narrative to make some of you feel more reassured. We are looking at a long-term dependence on quick fixes. This has become baked into the DNA of the franchise, and it ties into the idea of Lakers Exceptionalism. Jeanie Buss is addicted to it. This isn't about the evil depravity of Jim Buss. This is how we operated when Dr. Buss was calling the shots. Heck, we operated this way when Jerry West was still around.
On occasion, it succeeds. The Shaq signing made us relevant and eventually opened a title window when Kobe developed into a star. The Gasol trade opened a title window. More often, it fails. The 2007 plan. The 2008 plan. The Nash trade. Really, the Lebron deal failed until Team Lebron (legally) tampered with Davis. Paul George flipped us off. Kawhi flipped us off. We did manage to win the bubble title, but at this point we are pot committed to a Lebron-Davis-Westbrook title run with no flexibility and no assets going forward.
We might get the title this year, or we might crash and burn. Either way, there is no plan going forward. It's just dreams about how Lakers Exceptionalism will draw in the Next Big Star. That could happen, of course, but history should have taught you to bet against it. But for some reason, you've decided to wave the pom-poms. Well, let's hope you turn out to be right.
yup, hoping this works, a shot at ring in the next2 yrs
It succeeds because to win a ring usually you either need that player through the draft or FA. We were fortunate in the past to draft one (Magic Kobe etc) and then always use FA/trade to get the other (Shaq, Kareem, Pau, AD). This FO took it to another level. Knowing full well that the young guys were all-star caliber at best but not superstars #1 on a ring team (or even a #2) they went all in for a duo that could get it done. Which they did, the very first season.
Now in the future, it's about looking for that player again via the draft (very lucky or hard to find) or FA (tough as hell, but easier than the draft).
Here are championship #1 option ball players that have left their teams in FA just in the last 5 years.
LeBron three times.
KD two times.
Kawhi once (but basically twice he forced his way out of SAN).
Here are championship co-stars or guys that you can easily see as 1A types to the above mentioned players in championship level teams who have left in FA or forced a trade to a team they want
Anthony Davis
Kyrie (once via trade, second by FA).
James Harden
Paul George
Quote:
We might get the title this year, or we might crash and burn. Either way, there is no plan going forward
You would know this, how? Do you know the inner thinkings of Jeanie? You are so sure that Bron tampers. Yet since Bron tampers, then there's no way Jeanie (or Rob basically) would have not discussed with Bron all the plans A, B, C, D etc before he signed? Lebron came with a plan that was merged with the Lakers plans. 2 superstars in LA and title aspirations, using the trade assets. Whether you respect this plan or not, it was a plan.
Here are some of the things said by certain posters about the Lebron/AD pairing under Jeanie's watch.
2018 DECEMBER when Lakers first show interest/talk develops about AD to the Lakers.
Quote:
NO would be crazy to deal AD now, they would likely have more suitors in the off season.
Quote:
So next summer, Boston becomes a player in the trade scenarios. Suppose that Davis says that he will only sign long term with the Lakers. Ainge will know that it’s an empty bluff. Magic would need to hold open a max slot for another year and hope that he doesn’t get Georged. That’s not happening. Ainge, Paul, and Magic have likely figured this out by now. So don’t expect Davis to say Lakers or bust.
So, if Magic wants to pick up Davis, he needs to break the bank before the trade deadline this year. I don’t think he will do it. Furthermore, NO may not value Ball, Ingram, Kuzma, and Hart very highly, and NO may legitimately ask itself whether it wants to be the 2018 Lakers with Mirotic and Holiday instead of Lopez and Casey P. NO may value the Boston pieces and immediate picks more highly. We have no way of knowing.
Quote:
I am not thrilled by the prospect of gutting the team to get Davis. But:
1. Lebron's age puts us on a timer. This has been a concern for me ever since we signed him. The Lebron timer may induce the front office to make some bad long term decisions because they need short term gains. But like it or not, the timer is here and it is ticking away.
2. It is hard to say no to a likely HoFer. Unless you're the Pistons, you don't win a title with a roster full of good players. You need at least a couple elite players. Even though I've warmed up to Ball and Kuzma this season, they do not project to become elite players, especially not before the timer goes off.
3. If we have Lebron and Davis, it's going to be a lot easier to lure Durant or Leonard this summer, and then to fill out the roster with ring chasers on budget contracts. This is what we need, given that ticking timer. I am not a fan of the free agent strategy, but we are committed to it at this point.
Having said all of that, I won't be crushed if the Pelicans flip us off. In fact, I think that this is precisely what will happen.
There was not a strong sense of confidence in these moves. Not only happening, but that doing them (and taking the measures they did to get them) would work. Now the narrative changes to well sure we won a title, but what happens next? This is a not a plan, etc. It's damned if you do, damned if you don't with Jeanie. I go back to what Kobe told her. Have a plan, don't be afraid to piss people off and make changes. Go for it and stick with your plan.
If anything, I feel they've learned from mistakes and follow Kobe's wise words. Not sure what the time line will be for the next great Laker duo. It could be many years. This is not an exact science. What I do know?
Lebron, Durant, Kawhi, Harden, AD, Kyrie all have left their teams multiple times. This is the era we live in. Guys collude. Guys talk. They team up. Just like Bron did with Wade. If we're playing the FA, scheming behind the scenes game, we have a much much better chance at winning a title post-Bron that way, than reverting to lottery.
Even teams like the Bucks, Warriors who draft their #1 guy. It's even harder to get that guy through the draft. How many lotto picks are there every year? For each Giannis and Steph. there are far more unknowns that get drafted higher or around who don't pan out. There's no exact way to do this, but going the FA route, the team up era, especially in these times, seems to be working. I'd love for us to have drafted Luka, or before that Giannis or Steph. But we didn't. You work with what you have. Based on what the Lakers had, I think they have the right idea of what their strengths and weaknesses are.
The Jim Buss era started in 2004. His first move was to fire Phil Jackson. His first trade was Shaquille O'Neal in the worst trade in basketball history. His first draft pick was a 19 year old euro shooting guard, Sasha Vujacic. His first roster, so unbalanced, a team of small forwards -- Kobe Bryant, Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Jumaine Jones, Deveon George and Luke Walton. His first MLE signing, a 35-year old Vlade Divac. His first coaching hire, Rudy Tomjanovich, quit mid-season due to alcoholism. That was also the first season the team, which had failed to make the playoffs only three times in history to that point, deliberately tanked for a draft pick. Any of that sound familiar? The infamous quote that his bartender Chaz was better than our scouting department. Please, enlighten us all, how Rob Pelinka should be compared to a failed horse trainer, Jim Buss.
How do you know Tomjanovich resigned due to alcoholism? What was wrong with hiring a Hall of Famer and two time champion?
It's not exactly a secret that Rudy had a drinking problem. He was arrested for a DUI while he was coaching the Rockets. I've never heard that his leaving the Lakers had anything to do with alcohol, however. But then Just-Ming tends to make up a lot of stuff, so that went in one ear and out the other for me.
Rudy T resigned because of a health problem, the health problem was that he had fallen off the wagon.
The media was still somewhat polite in 2005 and didn't dig into it.
Rudy said his sobriety was never "threatened" . . . but he was overly reliant on "medication" . . .
I feel for anyone who struggles with addiction, but it was a concern when they hired Rudy that he wasn't in the right frame of mind to coach professionally. _________________ On Lakersground, a concern troll is someone who is a fan of another team, but pretends to be a Lakers fan with "concerns".
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144469 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:50 am Post subject:
BandwagonLBJhopper wrote:
The biggest problem with the Lebron plan was his age. If this was the plan when he was in his 20's or even early 30's - all good, let Klutch run the show and you have plenty of time to tweak the roster around LBJ/AD. But with the mileage Lebron has and his advancing age, it was a huge gamble from the start and you are on the clock big time.
I bet if you had Lebron and Rob being honest, they would admit they expected AD to take over as alpha by this point. I mean he is in his peak prime and deferring to a guy who is 37? AD should be beasting right now and controlling the team to the point that we aren't so reliant on Lebron to do everything. It's crazy because I feel like he was more dominant his 1st year here before he got a chip and got paid, where he and Lebron would take turns rolling teams.
Maybe we get lucky and snag a chip this year? Crazier things have happened. I think if you get two titles out of it, all good no matter what.
That would tell us that Pelinka and Lebron don’t understand who AD is, he isn’t an alpha player. _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
You would know this, how? Do you know the inner thinkings of Jeanie? You are so sure that Bron tampers.
Are you well? You can look at it and see that there is no plan. The "inner thinkings of Jeanie"? Really? Yes, Lebron tampers, though it is legal under the CBA. There have actually been articles about this. He had an interview room at his house last summer. Lebron and Rich Paul orchestrated the whole thing with Davis.
i still prefer the Rob Pelinka era by a mile. 2020 title aside, what Pelinka and Klutch Sport did a remarkable job of marketing Laker franchise as one of the top free agency destination. before you all jump on me about Laker brand sells itself, 17 titles, blah blah blah. just dig into our memory bank how a prime Aldridge and Melo blew us/made fun of us during our FA pitches. those was conducted by Buss family, mom and pop style. no one cares about Laker brand anymore, get that thru your head, we need to sell Lakers as a platform to further FAs' brands, not just telling them it's a honor to put on a Laker jersey blah blah blah. Rob Pelinka and Klutch has done that since they took over.
i still prefer the Rob Pelinka era by a mile. 2020 title aside, what Pelinka and Klutch Sport did a remarkable job of marketing Laker franchise as one of the top free agency destination. before you all jump on me about Laker brand sells itself, 17 titles, blah blah blah. just dig into our memory bank how a prime Aldridge and Melo blew us/made fun of us during our FA pitches. those was conducted by Buss family, mom and pop style. no one cares about Laker brand anymore, get that thru your head, we need to sell Lakers as a platform to further FAs' brands, not just telling them it's a honor to put on a Laker jersey blah blah blah. Rob Pelinka and Klutch has done that since they took over.
So what has changed? Lebron came to us, in large part, because he wanted to expand his empire and brand to Hollywood. The other free agents (George, Kawhi) blew us off. It's not that we can't ever attract a big name free agent. However, the biggest free agent signings of the Lebron era are KCP and Danny Green. That's a fact.
Okay, Lebron did make us his latest franchise. That's a win. Otherwise, what has actually changed when it comes to free agents? I'm dead serious. People seem to find it reassuring that we have Pelinka instead of the despicable, incompetent Jim Buss. That's great, but we still aren't a magnet for free agents. _________________ Internet Argument Resolved
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