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Monitoring Russell Westbrook’s Clippers tenure…

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Ha ha but Russ for Kyrie would be a MASSIVE win for the Lakers, don’t think there’s any way the Nets bail them out like that. I’m sure Durant wants no part of Westbrook LOL
I’m still trying to figure out why the Nets are even entertaining taking on Westbrook in a trade…I know his contract is expiring but aren’t they going to try and get something of value back except Russ and 2026 first rounder?
 
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It blows my mind how the Westbrook trade keeps revealing new levels of awfulness. If it’s not outright the worst trade in NBA history it’s really up there. Now the Lakers just blew all their open roster slots on mediocre vets who are far worse than the guys they gave away in the Westbrook trade, they lost their only good new player from last year (Monk) because Westbrook cost too much, and Westbrook is the highest paid player on their team despite being a net negative even if you didn’t have to pay him a dime. Plus he’s totally untradeable, Lakers are drowning and chained to a boat anchor. Phew.
It really is a horror show.

They also fired a perfectly good coach just because Westbrook didn't get along with him.
 
Russ has also been on alot of teams with poor rotational depth. Some of those OKC teams had like 6 rotational NBA players and nothing after that.

Not true, he had Durant and then PG3 as sidekicks. Isn’t it true that Russ has never been the best player on a team that won even a single playoff series? Not one playoff series? Every series he ever won has been with Durant I think. In 2018 and 2019 he had PG3, Jerami Grant, Carmelo, Steven Adams, and still got blown out in the first round two years in a row.

But his latest career iteration as a deep cover agent to utterly destroy the LA Lakers franchise forever redeems him. Making more history than he ever could have winning in the postseason. Guys win championships every year, it’s not so easy to obliterate one of the two greatest franchises in NBA history
 
Remember when the Rockets traded Chris Paul for Russ and thought they’d be better? :chuckle:
 
I hope people dont remember Russ for what he has been in the last 2-3 years and forget the first 12 years of his career. Young Russ was an absolutely electric athlete and throughout his career he has been an excellent playmaker and All-NBA caliber guy. And he had several MVP level seasons (even if he probably shouldn't have won the one he did). He will be in the HoF and probably first ballot.

I am not biggest fan of his playstyle or how he has refused to adjust his game at all as he has aged, but he is absolutely a top 75 player in NBA history (to this point).
 
Not true, he had Durant and then PG3 as sidekicks. Isn’t it true that Russ has never been the best player on a team that won even a single playoff series? Not one playoff series? Every series he ever won has been with Durant I think. In 2018 and 2019 he had PG3, Jerami Grant, Carmelo, Steven Adams, and still got blown out in the first round two years in a row.

But his latest career iteration as a deep cover agent to utterly destroy the LA Lakers franchise forever redeems him. Making more history than he ever could have winning in the postseason. Guys win championships every year, it’s not so easy to obliterate one of the two greatest franchises in NBA history

In 17/18 they had Melo but pretty poor 3pt shooting from their rotational players. Jerami Grant shots 29% from 3 in that year. Andre Robertson is getting 26 minutes a game and is shooting 22% from 3.

In 18/19, Melo is gone. Grant steps up alittle but Terrance Ferguson is literally their 6th most played player. They got Schroeder as their 4 or 5 best player.

I think those years changed Presti's thinking on how to build a team that we are seeing with how he drafts now. I think he is focus on ball handlers now. Then he had a couple ball handlers and was trying to develop 3&D players. I think he will develop his ball handlers now and whatever excess ball handlers will be traded for already developed 3&D players. I also think he is looking to create a system of more ball handlers vs ball dominate players.

I dont think Presti got the formula for Russ wrong in those years. He just wasn't able to get already developed 3&d players. They were too reliant on trying to develop 3&D players and I think it's a steep curve for those types of players.
 
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In 17/18 they had Melo but pretty poor 3pt shooting from their rotational players. Jerami Grant shots 29% from 3 in that year. Andre Robertson is getting 26 minutes a game and is shooting 22% from 3.

In 18/19, Melo is gone. Grant steps up alittle but Terrance Ferguson is literally their 6th most played player. They got Schroeder as their 4 or 5 best player.

I think those years changed Presti's thinking on how to build a team that we are seeing with how he drafts now. I think he is focus on ball handlers now. Then he had a couple ball handlers and was trying to develop 3&D players. I think he will develop his ball handlers now and whatever excess ball handlers will be traded for already developed 3&D players. I also think he is looking to create a system of more ball handlers vs ball dominate players.

I dont think Presti got the formula for Russ wrong in those years. He just wasn't able to get already developed 3&d players. They were too reliant on trying to develop 3&D players and I think it's a steep curve for those types of players.
Fuk, the Cavs are trying to develop 3 n d players (okoro)
 
Fuk, the Cavs are trying to develop 3 n d players (okoro)

I don't think it's a lost cause to develop 3&d players but I think when players have other things they can lean on, on the offensive side of the ball, they have a much easier time getting minutes to keep developing.

I think Okoro and Agbaji are going to be directly competing with each other for minutes. Someone like Jalen Williams probably would have gotten minutes with Okoro because he would have been able to be a secondary ball handler and we wouldn't have just been reliant on his 3pt shooting for offense. If Agbaji's 3pt shooting doesn't immediately translate, JBB is most likely going to give the minutes to Okoro because of his defense. If Agbaji's 3pt shooting does immediately translate and he looks decent on defense, Okoro probably doesn't get any minutes.

If you watch any of the OKC summer league games or even the highlights, it pretty easy to see how they are going to give minutes to all those guys they have recently drafted. They just have a ton of good passing, movement, and alot of open shots are created.
 
Just read that a Lakers-Pacers trade of Buddy Hield and Myles Turner for Westbrook and picks fell apart because the Lakers wouldn’t include their 2029 pick. If that’s true it’s CRAZY. Hield-Turner-AD-Nunn-Lebron could actually compete next year, who cares about 2029
 
Just read that a Lakers-Pacers trade of Buddy Hield and Myles Turner for Westbrook and picks fell apart because the Lakers wouldn’t include their 2029 pick. If that’s true it’s CRAZY. Hield-Turner-AD-Nunn-Lebron could actually compete next year, who cares about 2029

I think LeBron picked the wrong organization to go to. Lakers are one of the few team if not the only teams that the owners wealth is basically mainly tied to the team. The Buss family has to keep the team profitable to maintain their lifestyle. Alot of owners see their NBA teams as a business that they can not make money on or lose alittle bit. The money they lose can be justified to themselves for winning.

They are also competing locally for fans with the Clippers. They need avenues to rebuild outside of free agency. Taking on bad contracts to gain picks is money out their pockets. If LeBron has them use up all assets available, it can prolong how bad they are after. That can have long term implications for their business as "the team" in LA.

Also the Lakers probably haven't rolling in the amount of extra money from these years with LeBron that they expected. The championship year came in the bubble and they made one playoff appearance one other year. The longer they go the more likely AD gets an injury that severely hurts his value. I don't he is a piece you look to build around because of healthy. I remember they thought getting AD was worth it because they could build around him when LeBron left.

They might never say this out loud but they might hope LeBron wants to move on so they can move AD and try to build something sustainable.
 
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Great points. I think with Turner and Hield they could be a realistic contender for maybe two more years and that's it, then they have to rebuild with the cupboard bare (except they can trade AD for picks). Many owners would take that in a second, but maybe LA has to be more conservative.

Honestly, despite what you say I would take it too if I were LA. I mean, they would have their picks every other year plus whatever they can get for AD, that's not nothing. One first round pick in 2029 is very unlikely to make the difference. And in terms of competing with the Clippers, getting totally blown out by the Clips every game for the next two years won't help that either.
 
I just can't see turner and held as enough. I see no way Lakers with lebron compete in the near future.
 
Great points. I think with Turner and Hield they could be a realistic contender for maybe two more years and that's it, then they have to rebuild with the cupboard bare (except they can trade AD for picks). Many owners would take that in a second, but maybe LA has to be more conservative.

Honestly, despite what you say I would take it too if I were LA. I mean, they would have their picks every other year plus whatever they can get for AD, that's not nothing. One first round pick in 2029 is very unlikely to make the difference. And in terms of competing with the Clippers, getting totally blown out by the Clips every game for the next two years won't help that either.

I think it's questionable if Turner and Hield would be enough which just makes it a no go for the Lakers. I think they want something that will definitely help them which may just be Kyrie. I think if Kyrie starts involving more than one 1st round pick, they might also pass on him too.
 
Let's assume health here. Turner and AD together should be fantastic defensively and go far to erase flaws in the Lakers perimeter defense. Plus Turner at least cannot be left open on the perimeter. Hield is a three point marksman who should play great off Lebron. Kendrick Nunn is an excellent three point shooter if he stays healthy and a solid PG.

Much depends on whether Lebron still has an extra playoff gear. If he does, then that is a lineup that gives him a real fighting chance. When you count in Turner's defense I think I might take Turner + Hield over Kyrie.

Team would lack depth but it would be a major upgrade over last year.
 
Super spicy take, but LAL should try to turn AD into something as well and just try to go for it. Jeanie probably won't go for it for the reasons @inliner311 outlined, but it could be interesting. I would probably also do the Russ for Hield/Turner trade in that scenario
 

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