Roundtable: Recapping the Dwightmare
How should the Lakers handle the rest of the summer?
CC: Sign players? The Lakers only have eight players on the roster currently: Steve Nash, Metta World Peace, Kobe Bryant, Jodie Meeks, Robert Sacre, Jordan Hill, Pau Gasol, and Steve Blake. Add Ryan Kelly to that because he’s most likely to get signed, so nine. I would like to see the Lakers sign Lamar Odom to the veterans minimum and, if he perfoms well, to sign Michael Snaer, who is currently on the Summer League team. They need to sign players, but it also important to keep space for next season’s free agency, so giving out one year deals seems like the best option right now.
JR: Mitch Kupchak has stated that they had both a plan A – signing Dwight Howard – and a plan B, which he did not disclose. Well, simply, the Lakers need to execute plan B. There’s no reason not to have faith in Kupchak and the Buss family at this point. They have us set up for a historic summer next year, so maintain the course. I expect a lot of low risk, high reward one-year deals this summer to fill out the roster. We’ll have an average team at best, will have a decent pick and the draft, and be set up for 2014, just like we always planned.
FR: The Lakers need to field the best possible team for this coming season and still keep their flexibility for the free agent season of 2014. The Lakers need to acquire as much young talent, future draft picks and a huge trade exception from Houston in a sign and trade for Howard. The Lakers will need to pick up speed in the perimeter from the small forward and shooting guard position in free agency. Then, wait for that next big start to carry the torch after Kobe’s run ends.
November 20, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) and power forward Pau Gasol (16) during the game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Staples Center. Lakers won 95-90. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
BB: Stay cool, calm, and collect. Round out the roster however you may see fit, just as long as it doesn’t add any additional contracts or long-term money. Minimum contracts are exactly what LA should be looking at. Next summer’s potential free agent class far outweighs anything the Lakers can do this summer.
CL: Taking a page from the British, “Keep Calm and Carry On.” This is no doubt a setback to the Lakers plans, but it isn’t the end of the world. The Lakers are still one of the premiere destinations in the NBA, and next summer there will be plenty of free agents lining up to join the purple and gold. There are still plenty of free agents who could make the Lakers a better team, they just likely won’t make them into title contenders.