The 2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers thread

Brian in Mesa

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The 2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers thread

Lakers will keenly follow the bouncing balls in NBA lottery Tuesday

The Lakers will see if six months of angst and ruin was worth it shortly after hearing the sound of 14 ping-pong balls dropped into a plastic hopper Tuesday.

The Day has arrived for the Lakers, the one they've been anticipating — or dreading? — since the end of their worst season ever.

The NBA draft lottery in New York will reveal if they move up from their current No. 4 spot into prime top-three territory. Or they could fall two spots and cough up the top-five-protected pick they owe for the Steve Nash trade in 2012, in what would be a devastating turn for the Lakers after going 21-61 last season.

"That is a huge, huge piece of this lottery on Tuesday night — what becomes of the Lakers' pick?" Orlando Magic executive Pat Williams said.

No matter what, the Lakers have the 27th overall pick after Houston gave it to them to take Jeremy Lin last summer. But make no mistake — all eyes are on the other pick in a draft that's very strong up top.

There is a 17.2% chance two teams pass the Lakers in the lottery, forcing them to forfeit the pick to the Philadelphia 76ers, who acquired it from Phoenix in February.

On the other hand, there's a 37.8% chance the Lakers move into one of the top three picks for the June 25 draft.

"We can get better quickly. We can be in the hunt quickly," Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said last month after players cleaned out their lockers. "A lot depends on May 19.

Since the basic framework for the present-day lottery was installed in 1996, the No. 4 spot has not been kind to lottery teams. Teams have moved up from the position five times, moved down 13 times and stayed in the same spot only once.

:stick:
 

Cheesebeef

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i really hope KAT goes to Minny... and he should if they have a brain in their heads... which they likely don't.

I'd much rather see Okafor on the Lakers. I think he'll be a solid player, but much more in the limited impact of an Al Jefferson then the all around beast that KAT could end up being.
 

Ronin

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Being told that the Lakers will be pursuing Tom Thibodeau. Byron Scott has just the one year left. Lakers would be paying four head coaches.
:bang:
 

D-Dogg

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i really hope KAT goes to Minny... and he should if they have a brain in their heads... which they likely don't.

I'd much rather see Okafor on the Lakers. I think he'll be a solid player, but much more in the limited impact of an Al Jefferson then the all around beast that KAT could end up being.

I'm great with either...but please KAT...PLEASE!
 

Cheesebeef

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LOVE this pick for you guys... because I don't see this kid being a superstar in any way shape or form. think he'll be a good player, but he doesn't have mega-star in his DNA, IMO.
 

D-Dogg

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Disagree...dude has elite court vision and ball IQ.

This pick makes me drool. 4 years downstream he will be beasting. I will be so pissed if he's a trade asset.

I assumed we'd go big and am happy we didn't.

Go get LMA.
 
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Brian in Mesa

Brian in Mesa

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Solid draft, IMHO.

2 D'Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State
27 Larry Nance, Jr., F, Wyoming
34 Anthony Brown, SF, Stanford
 

Cheesebeef

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Disagree...dude has elite court vision and ball IQ.

This pick makes me drool. 4 years downstream he will be beasting. I will be so pissed if he's a trade asset.

I assumed we'd go big and am happy we didn't.

Go get LMA.

wha? three weeks ago you were all over the Towns/Okafor bandwaggon.
 

D-Dogg

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Clarity cheese, I was on the KAT bandwagon. Still am..love that guy. I like Okafor despite him being a Dukie and that says a lot. He would have been a great, safe pick and I thought a forgone conclusion and was good with that. But I love guards. Love love guards. Especially legit points. DR will be infinitely more enjoyable to watch and his ceiling is so high. Legit rookie of the year candidate, IMO. Mitch swung for the fences rather than playing it safe and I'm ecstatic. I still wish KAT would have fell to 2 and I'd want him regardless as a 2 way player who, IMO hasn't remotely tapped his potential. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the top 3, but Russell is my kind of player...great vision point. He ain't Magic, my GOAT, but he will give me shades of him.
 

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Solid draft, IMHO.

2 D'Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State
27 Larry Nance, Jr., F, Wyoming
34 Anthony Brown, SF, Stanford

Brown is a very nice pick in the second... Shooter with d length.

Nance must have impressed in workouts. The tweet is funny #awkward but he also has a bunch of tweets praising Kobe too. Haven't seen much of him but seems to be a hard working do everything kind of guy.
 

D-Dogg

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Lakes also sign INFINITY ceiling, low-risk C Robert Upshaw to their D league.

Dude has massive, massive talent...but a headcase for days.

Shot blocking machine...mutumbo 2.0. Do NOT test the middle with this guy. Good O game too. Truly has the talent to be a top C and player in the league. MONSTER on defense...just lockdown.

However, so many personal demons and addictions. This to me is the story of the team right now...IF, and a huge friggin IF, but IF they can ground this kid he will be a perennial all-star. They have him at low risk, but man...his potential is staggering (both ways...great or tragic). There isn't an in-between with him, IMO. He chose the Lakers...live up to it Upshaw....
 

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it'll be interesting to see if this is the summer the Lakers can actually lure a top-tier FA to come there. I can see Love going there, but is that what y'all really want?

and I think the Russell pick ends the dreaming is free idea that Westbrook will don Purple and Gold once his contract runs out. No way he's ever going to play with a guy who full time runs the point.
 

D-Dogg

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it'll be interesting to see if this is the summer the Lakers can actually lure a top-tier FA to come there. I can see Love going there, but is that what y'all really want?

and I think the Russell pick ends the dreaming is free idea that Westbrook will don Purple and Gold once his contract runs out. No way he's ever going to play with a guy who full time runs the point.

No, not Love. I'd take Jordan though. Marc is pipe but oh such good pipe.

I'm fine with no Westbrook .
 

Cheesebeef

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No, not Love. I'd take Jordan though. Marc is pipe but oh such good pipe.

I'm fine with no Westbrook .

Marc... Gasol? There's no way he comes to the Lakers considering they're not only a lotto team, while he's on a contender, but especially after they treated his brother like trash.

I could see Jordan possibly making the move though. That said, I don't think he moves the needle for you guys next year. But he'd be a good piece to add to a long-term puzzle.
 

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