2019-20 WORLD CHAMPION Los Angeles Lakers Thread

I don't think Kawhi will come, but who knows. If he does, damn. It'll be like golden state when KD was healthy. Unbeatable. There won't be any competition next year.

I'm SHOCKED Kawhi is willing to meet with Lakers. ESP after all the reports of people who know him intimately that he wouldn't consider Lakers it was Raptors and Clippers. LOL

Originally posted by StOnEy333:
Oh gee. What do you know? They did what a lot of haters said couldn't/wouldn't get done. lol

A lot of people should be in here eating crow.

Good luck with that, bro. Prepare for pivots, misdirection, and NO U!

Fact that AD already waived his kicker gives me little more hope about Kawhi. I think Raptors are favorites but Lakers have a decent chance. AD could have waited till July 6th to see if Lakers were getting a max and then waive it. But, he did it before meeting with Kawhi.

With a Lebron recruiting Kawhi...I feel better and better. Let's see if Lakers can pry him away from Canada.

Originally posted by 4ML:
Fact that AD already waived his kicker gives me little more hope about Kawhi. I think Raptors are favorites but Lakers have a decent chance. AD could have waited till July 6th to see if Lakers were getting a max and then waive it. But, he did it before meeting with Kawhi.

With a Lebron recruiting Kawhi...I feel better and better. Let's see if Lakers can pry him away from Canada.

Even if the Lakers miss on Kawhi that cap room is going to be precious for signing FA's to fill out the roster. Like you have said previously I actually think the Lakers best chances of winning the Championship next year would be to get 2-3 mid-tier FA's over 1 max guy. But in 2 years having Kawhi would be better when they get another mid-level to get a role player.

Originally posted by 9erReign:

Originally posted by 4ML:

Fact that AD already waived his kicker gives me little more hope about Kawhi. I think Raptors are favorites but Lakers have a decent chance. AD could have waited till July 6th to see if Lakers were getting a max and then waive it. But, he did it before meeting with Kawhi.

With a Lebron recruiting Kawhi...I feel better and better. Let's see if Lakers can pry him away from Canada.

Even if the Lakers miss on Kawhi that cap room is going to be precious for signing FA's to fill out the roster. Like you have said previously I actually think the Lakers best chances of winning the Championship next year would be to get 2-3 mid-tier FA's over 1 max guy. But in 2 years having Kawhi would be better when they get another mid-level to get a role player.

Yup. Its a win win for us. I rather get Beverly, Lopez, and some good bench players. If not, i wont be pissed at getting another max guy either. Good situation to be in

Sus, get back on the wagon.

But ill say this. Lets not pretend like this was the plan. FO f**ked up the salary cap. You dont go back and redo a trade if everything was perfect. They saved face though, but we don't have a Paraag in our FO.

Originally posted by TheGore49er:

But ill say this. Lets not pretend like this was the plan. FO f**ked up the salary cap. You dont go back and redo a trade if everything was perfect. They saved face though, but we don't have a Paraag in our FO.

Pelinka forgot about the cap hold the traded players hold against the cap because they're under the league minimum for roster spots. The lakers truly only have 29 million now but have 9 roster spots to fill.

Originally posted by TheGore49er:

But ill say this. Lets not pretend like this was the plan. FO f**ked up the salary cap. You dont go back and redo a trade if everything was perfect. They saved face though, but we don't have a Paraag in our FO.

I have to disagree with you on this. From everything reported about the trade and looking back - it seems this deal was always fluid bc Griffin had told Lakers that they'll be trading the no 4 pick from the start. That means - more teams could be added to the deal and both Pelinka and Griffin has to be on board for that to happen.

Also, Lakers were adamant about keeping Kuzma. That was for a reason. Not because they think Kuzma is the best player among the 3 - it's bc his cap number is the lowest and they'd be able to keep him and create max cap if move all the other players. This was done quite intentionally and I've to say quite intelligently.

Whatever espn and woj was reporting was trash.

Originally posted by est1985:

Originally posted by TheGore49er:

But ill say this. Lets not pretend like this was the plan. FO f**ked up the salary cap. You dont go back and redo a trade if everything was perfect. They saved face though, but we don't have a Paraag in our FO.

Pelinka forgot about the cap hold the traded players hold against the cap because they're under the league minimum for roster spots. The lakers truly only have 29 million now but have 9 roster spots to fill.

Umm no. If ESPN is reporting this - they're f**king morons. This is basic cap stuff and this is not how this works. They should hire someone who can help them.

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by est1985:

Originally posted by TheGore49er:

But ill say this. Lets not pretend like this was the plan. FO f**ked up the salary cap. You dont go back and redo a trade if everything was perfect. They saved face though, but we don't have a Paraag in our FO.

Pelinka forgot about the cap hold the traded players hold against the cap because they're under the league minimum for roster spots. The lakers truly only have 29 million now but have 9 roster spots to fill.

Umm no. If ESPN is reporting this - they're f**king morons. I know basic cap stuff and this is not how this works.

ESPN isn't reporting this. A cap wiz on another forum did. Someone I trust who does their homework.

Originally posted by est1985:

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by est1985:

Originally posted by TheGore49er:

But ill say this. Lets not pretend like this was the plan. FO f**ked up the salary cap. You dont go back and redo a trade if everything was perfect. They saved face though, but we don't have a Paraag in our FO.

Pelinka forgot about the cap hold the traded players hold against the cap because they're under the league minimum for roster spots. The lakers truly only have 29 million now but have 9 roster spots to fill.

Umm no. If ESPN is reporting this - they're f**king morons. I know basic cap stuff and this is not how this works.

ESPN isn't reporting this. A cap wiz on another forum did. Someone I trust who does their homework.

Well hate to tell you....the cap wiz you trust isn't factoring in all the stuff. I'm pretty good with nba cap stuff too and I know that Lakers have max slot.

I'll do the breakdown for you soon. On my phone right now.

Lakers will execute this AD trade on July 6th as an over the cap team. They will first sign the max player they have agreed to the deal with (or 2-3 players who will take up most of the 32M) and then execute the AD trade.

Lakers salary sheet as of July 6th (before trade with Pelicans, Hawks, Washington)

Players on roster:
Lebron James $37.4M
Lonzo Ball $8.7M
Brandon Ingram $7.2M
Mo Wagner $2.0M
Kyle Kuzma $1.9M
Josh Hart $1.9M
Bonga $1.4M
Jemerrio Jones $1.4M

Draft picks:
#4 Pick - $7M

Roster Charge:
Roster needs to be at 12...it's at 9 (including the 1st round pick). So 3 * 897K = $2.6M

Dead Cap:
Luol Deng $5.00M

Total Salaries including roster charge and Dead cap = $76.5

Salary Cap: $109M

Cap Room: 109M - 76.5M = $32.5M

^^^

So, what the Lakers will do - agree deals in advance with a max player or 2-3 players who will make around 32M. So, only on July 6th - they sign the players first with their 32M cap room. Then they execute the AD trade later that day.

Now, to execute a trade as a team without cap space - they have to send matching salaries. It doesn't have to match dollar to dollar. Lakers can take on 125% plus $100k of the outgoing salaries.

So, that means - to take AD's salary of 27M...Lakers need to send out about 21M in trade. Add up the salaries of Lonzo, BI, Wagner, Hart, Bonga, and Jones and it's over 21M.

Big bada boom...Lakers get AD and possibly Kawhi or another max player or 32M to spend on FAs. Apparently, Pelinka is not an idiot. He was a high profile player agent - you don't become that if you aren't well prepared.

Now, I don't know if he's good at putting a team together...we will see how he does this summer. But, this narrative that he doesn't know what he is doing as far as salary cap is concerned - I find that hilarious.