Yup. the only good thing about their 2018 offseason was the amount of 1 year deals, so they can be aggressive this offseason.
I feel Magic doesn't want to be bent over in a deal, but not going hard enough after George and Kwahi the past two offseason hurts. AD I felt Demps was going to spite AD and the Lakers to not send him there because of LBJ talking about wanting to acquire him months before AD went public.
I think going after Lance and Blunt Bease was dumb too. Talented dudes but never cared enough to be better.
Definitely will be watching them this offseason as a curious bystander.
And then I'll cringe as Pat Riley will swing and miss with the Heat again.
I hated that kick the can, 1 year deal decision because I had seen the Mavs do it and man it sucks bad.
Magic might be the only person in the NBA who overvalues both LBJ AND all these kids LBJ doesn't wanna play with.
I get he didn't wanna make a bad trade but standing pat doesn't really help.
They lost Randle for zero all because they have been playing this cap space game.
At some point the losses outweigh the gains.
Had they traded for Kawhi Leonard they'd have had their best defender by far and a guy who can shoot it. Career 38% 3PT.
NO ONE in the NBA has any pity for the Lakers.
No one wants to trade them anything shaded in LAL's favor.
They will have to make moves anyway and knowing all these kids they have the info to move the ones with the least desire and foreseeable upside.
Many of these kids will lose value as the team moves to better players and they near FA.
Magic's on court decision-making was A1, but his GM decision-making has been D-.
He landed LBJ but the kid idolized him and that's been really his only feather in the cap.