2019 NBA Free Agency

[Handy Johnson]

Sounds like James will be “officially” handling the PG duties meaning Rondo will be coming off the bench. Would love to see a starting 5 of Boogie & the Brow on the block, with Kuzma & Caldwell-Pope outside with LBJ... Leonard/George are nice, but the Lakers frontline will crush them!

[khoock]

31 minutes ago, Handy Johnson said:

Sounds like James will be “officially” handling the PG duties meaning Rondo will be coming off the bench. Would love to see a starting 5 of Boogie & the Brow on the block, with Kuzma & Caldwell-Pope outside with LBJ... Leonard/George are nice, but the Lakers frontline will crush them!

A lot different lineups to play with.

 

So with what you mention, your second unit is Rondo, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Dudley, and JaVale McGee?? Good mix of shooting, defense, and vets. Id sub out Green or Bradley in place KCP to start. But a really good deep roster I think.

[OmahaHusker]

27 minutes ago, khoock said:

A lot different lineups to play with.

 

So with what you mention, your second unit is Rondo, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Dudley, and JaVale McGee?? Good mix of shooting, defense, and vets. Id sub out Green or Bradley in place KCP to start. But a really good deep roster I think.

 

And if the Lakers get Korver.....

[millerhusker]

1 hour ago, Handy Johnson said:

Sounds like James will be “officially” handling the PG duties meaning Rondo will be coming off the bench. Would love to see a starting 5 of Boogie & the Brow on the block, with Kuzma & Caldwell-Pope outside with LBJ... Leonard/George are nice, but the Lakers frontline will crush them!

Devil’s advocate... the Lakers frontline didn’t really “crush” anyone when they were the Pelicans frontline. They put up great numbers and are incredibly talented, but they both play soft at times and lack effort far too often. When AD gets bodied up by a physical defender, like Montrezl Harrell, he tends to back down.

 

With two bigs on the court, Lebron has no room to bull his way to the basket, which he needs to be able to do in order for the rest of his game to be effective. 

 

The Lakers only above average perimeter defender now is Bradley, who is 6’2”. Who’s gonna guard PG and Kawhi? Lebron only plays defense in transition, when he sees an opportunity for a chase down block. 

An unpopular opinion, but I don’t like how this Laker team fits together. They’ll win a boat load of games, but a championship is the only goal. I don’t think they make the Western conference finals.

[Handy Johnson]

I would guess Kuzma or Pope would “D” up on Leonard, and yes there are reasons to believe the pieces won’t “fit.” The key to their success & focal point of the offense should be Davis not LeBron. You could have Cousins come off the bench, freeing up the other two, along with (Rondo, Green, MaGee) veterans who are use to winning.

P.S. If Korver ever comes over after I’ve already dealt with LeBron/Rondo I might have to burn all my Lakers gear, even my Mike McGee jersey...

[khoock]

I would say their best line up is: LeBron James, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Kyle Kuzma, and Anthony Davis. Thats a great defender in the post and two good defenders on the wing. Allows for LeBron to be more of a play making defender than anything. Kuz is also solid.

 

That leaves Rondo, KCP, Jared Dudley, Boogie, and JaVale McGee off the bench which isn't a great fit as a second unit. But they dont necessarily have to play these 5 together.

Edited July 9, 2019 by khoock

[Handy Johnson]

And now Iguadola?... the plot thickens.

[khoock]

55 minutes ago, Handy Johnson said:

And now Iguadola?... the plot thickens.

Then replace Jared Dudley with Iggy in my above post. Coming from a non-Laker fan thats a solid 10.

[AuroranHusker]

5 hours ago, Handy Johnson said:

And now Iguadola?... the plot thickens.

 

Iguodala probably winds up with PG-13 & Kawhi, in my estimation.

[khoock]

My way too early playoff predictions for next year, since everything seems settled (unless Russell Westbrook or Kevin Love get dealt by their respected teams).

 

EAST

1. Philadelphia 76ers

2. Milwaukee Bucks

3. Boston Celtics

4. Brooklyn Nets

5. Indiana Pacers

6. Toronto Raptors

7. Miami Heat

8. Chicago Bulls

 

WEST

1. LA Clippers

2. Utah Jazz

3. LA Lakers 

4. Houston Rockets

5. Denver Nuggets

6. Golden State Warriors

7. Portland Trail Blazers

8. Sacramento Kings

 

I went for a somewhat of a reach with both of the 8 seeds but feel very confident about everything else... for now.

[Handy Johnson]

I laugh every time I hear the phrase “Super Team” like the powers that be got in room back around 2010 and said, “Hey let’s try to get as many good players as we can on the SAME team.” No one had EVER thought of that before.

Anyway, yer giving the Jazz as a #2 seed way too much love & don’t believe the Clipper hype, they’ll be like the Nuggets of the Melo/Iverson era, all sizzle, no steak  

[khoock]

2 minutes ago, Handy Johnson said:

I laugh every time I hear the phrase “Super Team” like the powers that be got in room back around 2010 and said, “Hey let’s try to get as many good players as we can on the SAME team.” No one had EVER thought of that before.

Anyway, yer giving the Jazz as a #2 seed way too much love & don’t believe the Clipper hype, they’ll be like the Nuggets of the Melo/Iverson era, all sizzle, no steak  

Jazz are gonna be sneaky good. Donovan Mitchell is a take over scorer, Mike Conley is a good on ball defender and can you buckets, Rudy Gobert is a rim running defensive stopper, and Bogdanovic is one of the better 3 pt shooters in the game. Plus they added some really good depth. Both of LA's teams two stars are injury prone so i expect each pair to miss a defent amount of games. With that being said i like the rest of the pieces from the Clips  (and Doc Rivers) better than the Lakers.

 

Btw this is just my prediction of the regular season standings, not the playoffs. Im leaning towards a Lakers-76ers final but still on the fence.

[Handy Johnson]

Here’s another laugher for you, over the next 3 years Chris Paul is owed I believe it is 38, 41, & 44 million $$. That last year he’ll be 36. Sounds like he MIGHT go the Heat, but that contract is absurd...

[Blindcheck]

The West is going to be a dog fight...my guess is the #1 seed in the West will be closer to 50 wins than 60 wins.

[Handy Johnson]

On 7/9/2019 at 8:02 AM, OmahaHusker said:

 

And if the Lakers get Korver.....

Korver officially signs with the Milwaukee Bucks. Now, per my previous Finals prediction, he will get to LOSE to the Lakers in 6 games & retire to Iowa/Omaha where he can bask in the warm glow of what passes for “Celebrity Status” or at least free beers at Barrets Barelycorn...

[OmahaHusker]

11 hours ago, Handy Johnson said:

Korver officially signs with the Milwaukee Bucks. Now, per my previous Finals prediction, he will get to LOSE to the Lakers in 6 games & retire to Iowa/Omaha where he can bask in the warm glow of what passes for “Celebrity Status” or at least free beers at Barrets Barelycorn...

Free beers at Barrets? Sounds like a pretty awesome retirement to me