If Kobe decides to retire the lakers only have steve Nash signed and a shitload of money to spend in a loaded free agent class. They could land Melo, Nowitzki, Zbo, Danny granger, keep nick young and steve Blake, get a very high first round draft pick in a loaded draft class, sign a bunch of veterans and march straight into the finals.
-
-
The only scenario in which they can contend is if Kobe does play next year and plays at a high level.Comment -
Kobe walking away from 24MM is never going to happen. Even if it did, you really think they're signing any of those players. Dirk leaving Dallas? Get real. Maybe Melo, but he clearly can't do anything on his own. Lakers won't even be a playoff team next year.Comment -
Kobe will never walk away from that money or the control he exerts over the Laker organization.
he loves it.. they are all just his pawns..
the Lakers will be in the dumps for years,.. they still owe picks on Nash to PHX (what a trade)
and the salary they gave Kobe-tard is.. (what a joke)
by-bye Lakers
Comment -
If he comes back and plays like shit again it's a big possibility. The man is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and will keep making money in his retirement through endorsements. He may also want to not tarnish his career stats and his image/legacy by playing another futile season. He was talking about it yesterday, by no means a sure thing but there is a real chance this happens. If any team can build a championship team from scratch it's the lakers. They are consistent winners and the free agent class is loaded with seasoned veterans and role players. They can certainly build something very nice around melo in one offseason with 70 million cash to spend (melo could take less if they set it up right), and if they are planning ahead (it's the lakers so they will) they will structure everything according to the future and have enough expiring contracts to be able to sign another superstar come 2015.Comment -
Well I was pretty high when I originally made this thread but bear with me guys. The lakers are capable of spending as much as they want to in the offseason. Kobe retiring this offseason (possibly Nash as well) would make them a very huge threat in the NBA. Just think about it here. Carmelo Anthony is among the top 4 players in the league right now (I have him at 3 right behind lebron/Durant). He is peaking for at least this season to the next season. He has improved every part of his game and he has a certain drive and motivation to win games now. He might not be lebron james but a professional organization like the Lakers can build a championship team around him with all the cap space in the world. No doubt about it. What they can do this offseason is sign old guys like dirk and Ray Allen to cheap short term contracts, keep their young studs like Xavier Henry and nick young, and hold onto steve Blake. This way they would become instant championship contenders for next season, and next year when it's open season on guys like Kevin love and lamarcus Aldridge they can potentially sign one of them too and win multiple championships. The lakers are a organization who knows what to do in certain situations, and as bad as it looks for them they are in a near perfect one. They don't need draft picks. They are the most valuable and marketable franchise in the league with potentially all the cap space in the world. They are probably the only team that is capable of getting phil Jackson to coach again. Dare I say they sign lebron and melo this offseason because they are two guys that want to win championships and respect eachother, and two guys that are willing to take less money to give their team the edge they need to do so. Very very possible.
This all relies heavily on Kobe Bryant retiring but I truly believe that when this season ends the circumstances will put some pressure on him to do so and in some aspects it will be beneficial for him to call it quits. Not to mention that the lakers could give him any of a number of positions within the organization to make it worth his while. Perhaps an assistant coach, which I'm sure he'd oblige to if they were ready to sign the bombsquad I mentioned.Comment -
uhhhhh, kobe is not retiring .............
u think hes gonna have his career end with 2 consecutive injuries?
kobe is an egomaniac, he took a paycut and still remained the highest paid player in the nba by almost 10 mil !!!
and thats on top of an career threatening injury no less ..............
yea the lakers can do all of what u said, sign all the superstars
but nobody u mentioned plays defense, and nobody is going to take a paycut to play in LA
u think kevin love or aldride is gonna take a paycut? NO, they want max money
dirk is no way in hell going to the lakers, the same can almost be said about lebron as well
another problem is ownership, looks whos running the show now, its not Dr. Buss anymore
its his son, and its been a disaster since he took over
look at who the coach is, the guy is not a championship coach
ur scenario hits dallas just as well, and dallas is in a much much much much better situation than the lakers
they have a great owner and championship caliber coach
dirk is already willing to take a paycut to recruit other players
a team like the rockets are dam close to championship caliber
they are 1 piece away, think about it
if asik and lin were to be traded away u have enough to pick up lebron or melo
lebron+howard+harden is pretty scarey .............Comment
