OFFICIAL 2018 NBA Off-Season Thread

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by mayo49:

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by IT21:

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:

Originally posted by Knowledge:
Rumors coming out that Lebrons sons are committed to schools in the LA area

Awww s**t he's going to the Clippers!

Power of Jerry West

I'm 75% sure Lebron will come to Lakers. I think he'll trust Magic in doing whatever he needs to win. With what happened with Sixers this summer - imo it's hard to trust them. Unless Brett Brown can sell him on stability - then maybe Sixers can get him. I just think having Magic will seal the deal for Lebron. Just my gut feeling.

I think Boston can throw a wrench in all this if they are willing to trade Kyrie. Otherwise, Lakers will most likely get Lebron + another star.
Philly has an outside chance.

Why would LeBron go LAL? They have like zero talent on that team. Would take a least 3 years for them to compete if LeBron joined.

You dont think Ingram, Randle, Kuzma, and Ball are talented? Plus, no way would Lebron go there alone without Paul or George joining him,

Come on Man!

I was assuming he'd come alone. I forgot about the George possibility.

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:
Lebron is going to Houston. Sorry Laker fans

But, but.. arent you the guy who predicted Cleveland would beat the Warriors in the finals?

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:
Lebron is going to Houston. Sorry Laker fans

It's a lot of cap room they have to clear, that's the only issue, but if any team can / will do it, it's the Rockets and their GM.

Without resigning Paul and Capela, they are at 80 mil cap, and have another 45-55 mil to play with next year (depending on much luxury tax they wanna pay). So if Paul wants a max, and Lebron takes around 20 mil, you are at max cap, and can only give out vet contracts. So the team would look a lot like the Heat team where you had the big 3 and a bunch of vets. If they trade Gordon, they might be able to resign Capela, but they lose Gordon.

Their other option would be to go all out, send a couple 1st round pick to some team to take Anderson and his giant contract. That would put them at 60 mil, with 60-70 mil to spend, if they can talk Paul / Bron into taking 25 mil each, they can resign Capela as well, and then that team would have a good chance at winning it all.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/HOU.html

Originally posted by TheGore49er:
It's a lot of cap room they have to clear, that's the only issue, but if any team can / will do it, it's the Rockets and their GM.

Without resigning Paul and Capela, they are at 80 mil cap, and have another 45-55 mil to play with next year (depending on much luxury tax they wanna pay). So if Paul wants a max, and Lebron takes around 20 mil, you are at max cap, and can only give out vet contracts. So the team would look a lot like the Heat team where you had the big 3 and a bunch of vets. If they trade Gordon, they might be able to resign Capela, but they lose Gordon.

Their other option would be to go all out, send a couple 1st round pick to some team to take Anderson and his giant contract. That would put them at 60 mil, with 60-70 mil to spend, if they can talk Paul / Bron into taking 25 mil each, they can resign Capela as well, and then that team would have a good chance at winning it all.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/HOU.html

I think it is a must that Houston holds on to Harden, Paul and Capela, whatever that takes, if they are going to pursue LeBron. You can always find some ring-chasing depth and this draft will have plenty of 3&D types that the Rockets could utilize as well but they need those core guys to stick around, which likely means that Anderson and Gordon both have to go elsewhere.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
I think it is a must that Houston holds on to Harden, Paul and Capela, whatever that takes, if they are going to pursue LeBron. You can always find some ring-chasing depth and this draft will have plenty of 3&D types that the Rockets could utilize as well but they need those core guys to stick around, which likely means that Anderson and Gordon both have to go elsewhere.

Moving Anderson's contract is going to be VERY difficult

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Moving Anderson's contract is going to be VERY difficult

This is where the kings, or another team, should use their salary cap and get the rockets 2020 and 2022 1st round draft picks.

Originally posted by pdizo916:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
Moving Anderson's contract is going to be VERY difficult

This is where the kings, or another team, should use their salary cap and get the rockets 2020 and 2022 1st round draft picks.

Yep. That is what it will take similar to when the Warriors gave up 1st rd picks to dump Biedrins on Utah and get the cap space to sign Iggy.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
Moving Anderson's contract is going to be VERY difficult

They are giving it their best shot.

https://rocketswire.usatoday.com/2018/06/10/houston-rockets-ryan-anderson-contract-trade-buyout-free-agency/

https://www.slamonline.com/nba/rockets-aggressively-pursuing-ryan-anderson-trade/

Originally posted by TheGore49er:

It's a lot of cap room they have to clear, that's the only issue, but if any team can / will do it, it's the Rockets and their GM.

Without resigning Paul and Capela, they are at 80 mil cap, and have another 45-55 mil to play with next year (depending on much luxury tax they wanna pay). So if Paul wants a max, and Lebron takes around 20 mil, you are at max cap, and can only give out vet contracts. So the team would look a lot like the Heat team where you had the big 3 and a bunch of vets. If they trade Gordon, they might be able to resign Capela, but they lose Gordon.

Their other option would be to go all out, send a couple 1st round pick to some team to take Anderson and his giant contract. That would put them at 60 mil, with 60-70 mil to spend, if they can talk Paul / Bron into taking 25 mil each, they can resign Capela as well, and then that team would have a good chance at winning it all.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/HOU.html

Uh, teams can resign players to max contracts even if over the cap. They have to move Anderson plus another 15 to get the room for LeBron. They can then resign Paul and Capela to however big of a contract as necessary. The new owner is very wealthy and has already gone on record that he is willing to pay a record luxury tax to improve the team.

It has to be that order though. Sign LeBron, then resign. You can sign a new player unless you have the available cap room.

If they do a sign and trade to get LeBron they keep the MLE. That's the ideal way but extremely unlikely.

LeBron to the Lakers makes total sense.

Good coach. A GM that will do whatever he wants.

Center of Hollywood and outside of NBA career and his overall star power would soar. Kids go to LA schools. It makes sense.

He would make LA attractive for most pending free agents. I would imagine Paul George signs there as well. Maybe they trade Lonzo for a solid veteran of LeBrons choosing... It's very doable.

Originally posted by 4ML:

I think Hart can be a pretty decent back-up point too.

Tough part will be to keep Randle. Lakers either need to find a sucker for Deng...or there was an innovative idea I read...where they can give Deng an extension of 3 years for 3M guaranteed and then stretch it out for 11 years (5 x 2 + 1). So, right now he has 37M guaranteed left on his 2 years...extension will make it 5 years 40M guaranteed. Stretch out for 11 years will make it about 3.6M a year for 11 years in dead cap.

Then you have enough space for two max and Randle's 12M hold.

Other way is to convince PG to force a trade with OKC. OKC gets a 1st round pick for their trouble and Lakers get him for 19M rather than the 4 year max they'll have to offer him. Next summer - PG can get the 5 year max he wants and make up the 10M he loses this summer.

So, 3 ways Lakers can keep Randle and sign two max deals.

I feel like PG might want to get paid now and not risk a serious injury since he's suffered one before

Idk

Lebron to lakers means the warriors have to try in the regular season then too

Y'all really want to watch that? Since we already ruined the post-season?

Originally posted by IT21:

Originally posted by 4ML:
I think Hart can be a pretty decent back-up point too.

Tough part will be to keep Randle. Lakers either need to find a sucker for Deng...or there was an innovative idea I read...where they can give Deng an extension of 3 years for 3M guaranteed and then stretch it out for 11 years (5 x 2 + 1). So, right now he has 37M guaranteed left on his 2 years...extension will make it 5 years 40M guaranteed. Stretch out for 11 years will make it about 3.6M a year for 11 years in dead cap.

Then you have enough space for two max and Randle's 12M hold.

Other way is to convince PG to force a trade with OKC. OKC gets a 1st round pick for their trouble and Lakers get him for 19M rather than the 4 year max they'll have to offer him. Next summer - PG can get the 5 year max he wants and make up the 10M he loses this summer.

So, 3 ways Lakers can keep Randle and sign two max deals.

I feel like PG might want to get paid now and not risk a serious injury since he's suffered one before

Yea...that is very possible.

But, he did say that he wants to win above everything else and according to the reports - was willing to opt in if he was traded to a team that he believed could win a championship.

Lakers should stretch out Deng's contract to 11 years anyway if they fail in trading him. Saves them almost 15m in cap space in 2018 and 2019.

Originally posted by ads_2006:
Idk

Lebron to lakers means the warriors have to try in the regular season then too

Y'all really want to watch that? Since we already ruined the post-season?

Originally posted by ads_2006:

Idk

Lebron to lakers means the warriors have to try in the regular season then too

Y'all really want to watch that? Since we already ruined the post-season?

The LABrons and Dubs 4 times a year? In the same division? Yes please.