Something to think about is what kind of value could we get from someone like Lillard, CJ or Nurk? Could you be able to take a flier on Fultz being the guy he was at Washington, swapping CJ for Fultz and Philly's 2 extra first would be a good start to a rebuild but could we get that value or would we be hard pressed into taking pennies on the dollar like Sacramento got for Cousins. Remember we were so close to trusting the process and having it pay off years ago with Roy, LA, and Batum. Just missed taking Oden over Durant but the formula can work. The responses have been good so I will remain speculative for now but soon I will over a plan for each option.
I actually like Baldwin IV better than what I've seen of Fultz...and he's cheap. I think we'll dump salary for picks and see Baldwin and Swanigan playing before it's all said and done this season..CJ could bring in a real bona fide SF...even probably get you a Paul George rental and salary relief or maybe a Jimmy Butler or Anthony Davis....all worth considering moving forward. Kawhi Leonard for CJ...Greek Freak for CJ....in a heartbeat
I think those are in 3 separate categories. 1) Despite what Dame says, I don't think he's going anywhere. I think if CLE called up and offered LeBron we'd say no right now. They won't, so he'll stay. 2) CJ may bring back a lot, but not necessarily a King's Ransom. Probably much closer to what SAC got for Boogie than what LAC got for Griffin. I don't know that that's a good value for us, unless it was a 3-and-D guard who was on a relatively cheap deal and draft picks were coming back. So....probably not. 3) Nurk may go away, but it would likely only be for another rim-protecting big.
Nurkic and Collins will never be All-Stars. For example, tonight Collins was easily outplayed by Pascal Siakam, whoever that is. Siakam and the Toronto commentators were laughing. Blazer fans overrate our average talent.
I am going to steer this thing into the rebuild direction for now, because I honestly cannot see us bursting through the Warriors while they have Green, Thompson, Curry and Durant. The second reason is Olshey is terrifying, when he believes this team can contend, just see the massive overpay we gave Turner, Leonard etc. If you have Lebron and can get to the finals each year spend whatever to keep him happy and his core intact. We don't have that option so we need flexibility year in and year out. Olshey has made some good moves and some stupid ones but we are where we are now nothing will change that. However, we can put ourselves in a much worse positon with one stupid move. For example the trade talk about getting Jordan for a package led by Nurkic and a 1st would cripple this team. We have had a top 10 defense all year and yet our big playoff push plan involves trading our 23 year old Big with actual upside and a pick in what is consider a deep and loaded draft for a 29 year old 1 dimensional player. Come on guys. Its time to be creative for example Favors doesn't mesh will with Utah's front line could we get him and a first for Nurkic. He wouldn't handcuff our future flexibility like overpaying Nurkic as a free agent or the cost of adding DJ would and it would bring in a cheap asset in a 1st round pick. More ideas to follow after work. P.S. just to be clear Nurkic is not himself a handcuff the 20 million he might get this summer would be.
Here is a trade idea, I came up with this morning have not checked all the details but it is worth talking about at least. Would you trade, CJ and Ed Davis for Kuzma, Ingram, Clarkson and Deng plus picks? Everyone knows the Lakers are desperate to shed salary to make a run at PG13 and Lebron next summer. I say we help them out in exchange for 2 quality young players in Kuzma and Ingram and several picks. Due to the owed pick to Philly, I believe we would need a 3rd team to maybe take Randle for a 1st this year so that we can ask for 3 1sts to complete the deal. That is 5 quality assets for CJ and some bad contracts which we already have plenty of. I have a follow-up deal for Damian later but want to see thoughts on this first. Let the hating begin.
Why would the Lakers do this? They could easily dump Clarkson for nothing if it came down to it. Ingram and Kuzma are on cheap contracts and likely wouldn't be dealt unless someone better than CJ is coming back. CJ is also on a massive contract so it doesn't help them shed salary either. Plus they have to add 3 picks too? Let's put it this way: Even if cap space wasn't the issue the Lakers wouldn't trade Kuzma and Ingram for CJ. This should probably be in the crazy trade thread.
They save salary and it would cost them probably 2 picks to dump Dengs 17 million a year deal, another asset/s to trim of Clarksons 10 plus million. CJ would add a fringe all star ability and veteran presence that Lebron craves. That is the Lakers dream we absolutely must make them pay to help facilitate making it possible.
Nah, this belongs in the crazy trade thread. They have their sights set much higher than CJ. There are plenty of teams that would take Clarkson the Lakers are just trying to get something for him before just giving him away in a few days. If they can't they will trade him somewhere for an expiring contract. Deng's deal is a real problem for them but they will likely just use the stretch provision this summer on the remaining money so it isn't quite as bad. There is zero chance they give up either Ingram or Kuzma to get rid of him, let alone both of them and picks.
They gave up Russel who is better than either Ingram or Kuzma just to shed Mozgovs deal. This trade doesnt saddle them with nine million in dead money like stretching Deng would and CJ could easily be moved if it looks like they could sign Lebron. If the Lakers can move Clarkson and not give up a first in doing so then you can move this to fallacy. Until then at bare minimum we should be asking for Ingram Kuzma and picks from the Lakers.
An alternative to that CJ would be to deal him to Cleveland for JR Smith, Crowder, Nets pick and Cleveland 2019 pick. This isn't exactly ideal return but if Crowder remembers how to defend and Lebron leaves this summer then we land 2 likely top 10 picks and a cheap rotation guy in Crowder.
Cleveland doesn't have their pick in 2019. It belongs to Atlanta top-10 protected in 2019 and 2020 and then turns into two 2nds if not conveyed.
^I don't know why CLE would do that, but that's the type of deal that could reset the team going forward. BTW, CLE doesn't have their 2019. The soonest we could get one is "two years after the 2019 pick conveys", which would be 2021. Still that would be interesting. I still like CJ (when you get your hands on a 25ppg-potential scorer you don't give him up lightly, especially when he's a great fit for the city and franchise) and think we can do other things to upgrade. Sure, 1 year off the window may go away by waiting until this summer or next year to trade away some dead cap weight, but resetting like this means that 3-4 years are going to pass by before Dame/Nurk/Collins?/Lotto Pick1 are ready to compete highly.
If I was to trade CJ, I would not stop with him. Damian would also have to go. I would keep Nurkic since he is young enough and if he gets better then his value increases and if not his new deal would likely be running out by the time we would be ready to compete.
I think if you tried that a Vulcan would send you on a one-way trip to the bottom of Lake Union on PA's bidding. Rich Cho barely escaped, and he had to go to CHA.
