While many purport that the Lakers are hurt the most from this fiasco of a week - there is a strong argument to be made that they will actually be better off (in the end) for this deal not going through right now.

The Lakers essentially offered the house - they would've grossly overpaid for AD for the luxury to get him right now - but a Laker team with Bron/AD but not other valuable moving parts (no BI, Lonzo, Hart, Kuz, Zu, Rondo & multiple picks) would've been an immense price to pay to land AD when there's a target-rich environment this Summer to explore (Kawhi, Kemba, Klay, KD, Kyrie etc...). The Lakers now get a chance to further develop their young core and head into the off-season with significant cap-space flexibility to land big fish.

Conversely - the Pels likely just balked at an offer that will likely turn out to be the best return value for AD. Sure, many speculate that opening up negotiations with other teams is the smart thing to do (and there's logic to that) - what will these other teams reasonably offer for AD without express interest in signing with them? The notion that Boston will offer Tatum, Rozier, Brown and multiple picks is naive. AD doesn't want to be there. What other package would be as compelling as the Lakers rich offer? Now, the Pels have to deal with a malcontent AD playing out the rest of the season with a dead-end mentality and no incentive for the team to grow. Had they dealt w/ the Lakers - they begin their resurgence right now with significant young talent to be excited about.

Sure, the Pels stuck it to the Lakers and it likely felt good (in the short term by "winning" this battle) to feel like they didn't bend to Rich Paul and superstar mobility/agency - but did they win the long-term war? I think as this season rolls along, summer comes & goes - and the Pels are in a situation of going into yet another season with the prospect of AD still on the roster - they will then have to make a move out of desperation and will likely take much lesser deal for AD.

They can feel good from an emo perspective of not dealing with the Lakers - but will their franchise be better off because of it?

Will be interesting to revisit this in several months to see how this plays out - but my money is on the Pels not being able to land nearly the return value that was just offered (rather recklessly) via the Lakers who were willing to grossly overpay.

Poll question: Who is in a worse position after the Trade Deadline

Poll result (19 votes) Pels (5 votes) Vote Lakers (14 votes) Vote I'm Chris Mannix (0 votes) Vote

The drag on the Lakers was temporary and while I don't get their one move it doesn't seem like a make-or-break kind of transaction. The the Pelicans tidied up their roster/cap with some moves but again nothing out of this world. The main thing they did was roll over the Davis saga into the summer, which was the prudent thing to do. All the other stuff was popcorn-worthy but insignificant in the long run

All of these dudes take it personally but forget they're playing a game that's also a business.

I'm not high on Ingram, and picks are iffy...but you can build with Kuz & Lonzo.


Anti-gentrification, cheap alcohol & trying to look pretty in our twilight posting years (c) Big Reg
http://Tupreme.com

If you can build with Kuzma & Ball then the Lakers shouldn’t have to make a trade. Right?

****Charlie Murphy voice****
WRONG.

I think Kuzma is an All-Star by season 4, and Lonzo is a solid starter. They won't get two better young guys than that.

I already said the Lakers shouldn't make ANY trades this season, lets see who's not trash, so far the only buster is Ingram.



>If you can build with Kuzma & Ball then the Lakers
>shouldn’t have to make a trade. Right?
>
>****Charlie Murphy voice****
>WRONG.
>


Anti-gentrification, cheap alcohol & trying to look pretty in our twilight posting years (c) Big Reg
http://Tupreme.com

He’s good.

is crazy. Kuz in particular has grown tremendously this year and really risen to the occasion in playing well w/ Bron. These guys are super young and are still 5 years away from entering their prime years - and already are solid starters in this league.

But it wasn't just that they offered Zo and Kuz - but B.I., Hart, Zu (some reports even throwing Rondo in there) and multiple draft picks.

That's *exceptional* trade value for a player that publicly wants out.

What did the T'Wolves get for Butler? Not that much.

S.A. got DeRozan - who is a poor man's Kawhi in every sense (still a fine player).

Pels had the opportunity to grab multiple young guys - all with the potential to break out and become all-stars at some point.

I think time will show that this idea that Tatum is *so* much better than Kuz is premature and silly. Boston won't offer the assets that L.A. just offered up on a platter.

But alas - lot of ppl stay in that #HurtLocker in this game - and that jilted feeling can greatly affect state-of-mind and one's ability to make the smart, long-term business decision that is healthy for an organization.
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We have seen what a team of BI, Kuz and Ball can be. A bottom team in the west. If NOLA were to accept they would be looking to build with those 3. If they have any incling that Taytum and Boston's picks are a possibility you have to wait it out and see what you can get out of them. Also the Laker's picks would probably be late first rounders so they would not receive any cornerstone pieces from the trade to build around with the exception of Kuz who is the only one i really see with all star potential.

The pels will have that offer and likely more.

Its fairly obvious.

And that same deal HAS to be there to compete with the other options that come from New York (if they win the lottery) and Boston.

Pels were smart to wait.

He’ll be a Laker.

I do not think the Lakers offer what they just offered. Technically - they can't (since Zubac is now gone) - and I don't think they will offer the extra moving pieces. They may still offer Kuz & Lonzo or Kuz & BI - but I don't see them offering *everything* like they just did.

But we shall see.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3Zy5-pTmII

Enjoy that for the rest of the season into the summer, N.O.

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That was cute while it lasted tho

or not at all.

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If they were still considering either as a possible FA signing

I doubt that will happen given their aversion to the social spotlight and how these negotiations seemed to have played out publicly in real time

Also, they've essentially put all of their eggs in the AD basket

How can any player feel confident going to LAL after they've made the entire roster available

Dat Cloak.

Yea it's working out real well for the Pels.
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loooooootta people loud and wrong about this situation.

Pels starting to realize their short term satisfaction in "sticking it" to the Lakers is not serving their long term interests.

This will be fun to watch unfold as Ainge offers Brown, Rozier and a draft pick lol.

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>loooooootta people loud and wrong about this situation.
>
>Pels starting to realize their short term satisfaction in
>"sticking it" to the Lakers is not serving their long term
>interests.
>
>This will be fun to watch unfold as Ainge offers Brown, Rozier
>and a draft pick lol.
>
>-->

You know Danny Ferry is tight with Pop, he may slide in there, getting Demps dumb ass fired might have been the plan all along

Demps would have been fired before the deadline and Gayle Benson and associates would have accepted the offer.

Laker fans should prepare to be disappointed this summer in getting AD. Good thing there is quite a bit of other talent out there to assemble around 'Bron before he gets too old.

>Demps would have been fired before the deadline and Gayle
>Benson and associates would have accepted the offer.
>
>Laker fans should prepare to be disappointed this summer in
>getting AD. Good thing there is quite a bit of other talent
>out there to assemble around 'Bron before he gets too old.

most people know that, getting AD was a long shot anyway

Demps would have been fired before the deadline and Gayle Benson and associates would have accepted the offer.

>Laker fans should prepare to be disappointed this summer in
>getting AD.

flip a coin.

Their skills literally complement each other's PERFECTLY. They'd be a genuine terror together.

I imagine the Pels, short of a brilliant offer from someone, would consider hanging on to AD for the year and trying to convince him through Zion that there's a future in New Orleans. That's a really big risk, though, obviously.

the pelicans can get a similar or better package (namely with a more blue chip centerpiece) from someone else. or it's slightly possible that zion's arrival convinces davis to stay.

the lakers seem to be reeling. not only did they sustain a temporary setback where their young guys moped around because of the trade leak, now they seem to be in a precarious state on other fronts. this whole lebron thing could dissolve on them and they be back to square one, only with no randle or lopez and a lot of internal turmoil

the lakers are a dumpster fire and the pels have AD and the #1 pick

Same with Dula.

top 3 Ball brother, & cap space.

*collects yet another 'Genda Rang*

boooooy were y'all wrong.

And Lakers get to keep Kuz?

LOL yikes. Pels could've had the house at the deadline - instead they don't even get the most coveted piece of the Lakers young core.

Dat Klutch Wave Tho.

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----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

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..they just wanted someone to troll.

We all knew the Lakers held the leverage as long as Davis wanted to be in LA.

Lol @ Boston.

Charlotte's on the clock.

TickTockTickTockTick!


*skatin' the rings of saturn*


..and miles to go before i sleep...

>..they just wanted someone to troll.
>
>We all knew the Lakers held the leverage as long as Davis
>wanted to be in LA.
>
>Lol @ Boston.

basically. So many people (including on here) were like "N.O. would be insane to deal now when Boston is going to offer such a great package!"

Woj been wrong about this whole thing for months. Many just followed suit.




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the Lakers came out of the previous trade talks looking terrible. That's not even up for debate, they whined and pouted because Pels wanted more than a song and a dance for AD.

LA finally got what they wanted and should be happy, but how are Lakers and Bron stans acting like they just gave up nothing to get him? Ridiculous. Pels made out in this deal.

that's not what's material here.

The commentary in February was that there were going to be several compelling offers for N.O. to look at this summer (which turned out to be false).

Also - Lakers were offering Kuzma along with the core and picks in February - which would've been too much - but would've been an unbelievable package for the Pels. People here were *still* saying that the Pels should've waited - which turned out to be unsound advice.

The Pels just didn't want to give in to the inevitable -and it cost them some trade value for sure. Lakers had way more leverage this summer to hold on to their most coveted young rising star (Kuz) than they did in February when they were willing to part ways.

That's a major W for the Lakers.

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