Los Angeles Lakers will be better in five years

The Los Angeles Lakers were recently predicted to be worse in five years, but that couldn’t be further from what will actually happen.

Boy, there is a nasty rumor going around about the Los Angeles Lakers. No, the LeBron James signing was not an April Fool’s joke. He was signed to his free agent deal. No, the Lakers are not basing their future on JaVale McGee. This is a ridiculous rumor, even as a joke to prove my point.

The rumor is about an article from Bleacher Report that states the Los Angeles Lakers will be worse in five years despite the LeBron James signing.

If Lakers fans believe this, they have no more confidence in Jeanie Buss than they did in her father, Dr. Jerry Buss, who ran the team basically up until his death.

Even more troubling is they have no more confidence in Magic Johnson as head of basketball operations as they did when he ran the point during the original “Showtime” years. With Rob Pelinka, these three have earned the right for the media, the fans, more importantly, the world to be patient, back off and see what happens.

I think, in my humble opinion, fans seem to forget the most important ingredient in championship teams, the front office. The Golden State Warriors know it with Joe Lacob and his ownership group and with a competent Bob Myers making the basketball decisions building up the roster.

I’m sure Lake Show Lifers remember some guy named Jerry West…you know the guy that brought in the Kobe/Shaq era and was in the front office during the glory days of Kareem, Magic, Worthy and Cooper Lakers of the 80’s.

You see, he was brought in as a special consultant for the Warriors during the construction of the team. Remember when the Warriors were bad at the beginning of the decade? No one saw the dominance that is going on today. The ownership group had a vision and a plan to execute for the future. They realized it would take time.

NBA fans may have forgotten that Klay Thompson was close to being traded to Minnesota for Kevin Love. It looked good on paper and would have been a mistake based on the style of play and the personnel the Warriors had. It was Jerry West who threatened to resign if the deal went through. The trade never happens and the rest is history.

The point…have a plan and stick to it! Can the Lakers live right now?

More from Lake Show Life

The Los Angeles Lakers will be better in five years not because of LeBron James, but because of the front office. LeBron James may be the alleged best player in the world but in the world of business, he is…

A high paid employee.

This might sound like the spirit of Jerry Krause rising out of the grave to enter this writer to type out this article and the spirit of Michael Jordan may enter the readers’ comments below but bear with me.

The Lakers front office had to do some major overhauling and move contracts to be in the position to GET LeBron James. Plus there’s something to be said about the future…it hasn’t happened yet!

Let’s forget the five years in the future for a second. Let’s talk five years BEFORE…

The fans had Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss making the decisions. How did that work out? Bad contracts…no cap space…oh and one more important Jerry Buss Lakers trait…

NO BIG NAME FREE AGENTS!

Did you forget that the Lakers couldn’t get free agents for meetings? How about when they got them in? Forget the Paul George thing, that discussion will be coming very soon, trust me.

Remember Dwight Howard turning down a long-term deal (Scary looking at it now huh?) How about Carmelo Anthony? The rumors around the league that no one wanted to play with Kobe Bryant? Remember those days?

Let me remind you.

2013-

Dwight Howard bolts and goes to the Houston Rockets to feud with another All-Star guard in James Harden. The Lakers front office bring it together enough to sign free agents Jordan Farmar, Nick Young, Chris Kaman and Wesley Johnson.

If you don’t remember Johnson, he was the dude that James Harden crossed over so badly, the highlight was on ESPN for what seemed like three months. Search for it on YouTube…the guy on the ground was what the Lakers wanted.

2014-

People forget that the Lakers tried to get LeBron James before. James went to Cleveland. Aforementioned Carmelo Anthony went back to New York. How about Kyle Lowry? Umm…no. He stayed in Toronto.

The Lakers LOST Pau Gasol, who won two championships with the team’s post-Shaq era, who decided to go to the Windy City. But guess what? The Lakers re-signed Jordan Hill and Nick Young.

Oh, Lake Show Lifers, it gets much better from here…keep reading.

2015-

If this story doesn’t get people off the front office’s back, nothing will. Remember the LaMarcus Aldridge fiasco? The meeting leaked to the press that caused more embarrassment than the weekly LaVar Ball rants about Lonzo.

Insiders report that Kobe Bryant showed up to the meeting in sweatpants (really dude?) and the Lakers were totally unprepared to pitch the direction of the franchise basketball wise to Aldridge. LaMarcus was reportedly underwhelmed (being extremely kind here!) and signed with San Antonio.

The Lakers pursued Greg Monroe and were rebuffed when Monroe went to the Bucks. The Lakers trade for the “Iceberg” Roy Hibbert and his “unfriendly” contract and signs Lou Williams and Brandon Bass.

2016-

Want to talk about Luol Deng‘s contract? I know Magic Johnson doesn’t. Four years, $72 million dollars. Timofey Mozgov? $64 million dollar contract.

2017-

The Lakers wanted George Hill, but he signed with the Sacramento Kings. Let me say that again. George Hill signed with the Kings over the Los Angeles Lakers.

How about that Brook Lopez deal? Does he remind you more of Shaq or Rony Seikaly? That was the smartest deal in the summer. Lopez’s salary comes off the books and the Lakers get rid of D’Angelo Russell, another Kupchak/Jim Buss mistake.

Kenneth Teape broke down the Bleacher Report article in his piece earlier, check it out. It’s an entertaining read.

I’ll take the other side of the equation of the Bleacher Report article…

"LeBron James won’t embrace the long view forever. The Lakers will have to go for it at some point. That all-in play could entail nothing more than a Kawhi Leonard or Kevin Durant signing. It could involve consolidating some combination of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma into another star."

As for James embracing the long view…WHO CARES?!

I’m going to assume that Magic Johnson had a discussion with LeBron before the signing. That’s number one. Number two, James signed for three years with a fourth-year option. That’s embracing it, folks. If he didn’t he would have signed the usual two-year with a player option on the second year like he did in Cleveland. Obviously, there is a plan in the works.

Kevin Durant is not coming to LA, folks, in my estimation. That is unless the Warriors come to the Staples Center for a road game. Kawhi Leonard is the big prize in the offseason based on how long the Lakers want to wait. If the Lakers get Leonard in the off-season, they do not have to offload all of the young talent stated in the article.

If Leonard returns to form, the Lakers do not NEED LeBron to fight “Father Time” and carry the franchise. Leonard will be the engine to drive the franchise. This will take some adapting from James but it will show if but does LeBron really want help?

Plus, if LeBron’s production falls off the cliff in a couple of years like the article says or he changes his mind on the direction of the franchise…here’s a thought. Trade LeBron James. Remember, he does not have a no-trade provision in his contract. Something he took advantage of in Cleveland.

You get assets, in draft picks or a few good players that want out. Think Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul or Paul George. More importantly, you get cap space to continue to make moves for free agents.

Finally, if you are not sold on Magic Johnson and his vision…have you seen the Dodgers play the last FIVE YEARS?!