Luka a Laker
- Thread starter Tetsujin
- Start date
And of this situation, somehow Lakers fans remain immensely annoying.
And it’s not because of gloating. I’ve seen so much “I CANNOT BELIEVE THE DISRESPECT TO AD! This trade is FAIR! They're now elite and AD will make them Finals contenders!”
They’re acting like this wasn’t the stupidest more lopsided deal in NBA history. Acting like it’s reasonable.
Theyre so delusional it’s insane.
And it’s not because of gloating. I’ve seen so much “I CANNOT BELIEVE THE DISRESPECT TO AD! This trade is FAIR! They're now elite and AD will make them Finals contenders!”
They’re acting like this wasn’t the stupidest more lopsided deal in NBA history. Acting like it’s reasonable.
Theyre so delusional it’s insane.
No one fact check me on this, but I think 25 year old Luka legitimately is the best player ever to be available in a trade. There's not a single team that wouldn't have sent an offer for him, to at least check. Especially a team like OKC, with one of the greatest FRP warchests ever and an exciting young player like J-Dubb. Like what do they care to send 5-6 FRP and Jdub? The chance to pair SGA and Luka for the next decade would have been more than worth it.
I guess in a sense we should be glad Nico is an idiot. Any competent GM would have went to OKC first and sent him there.
I guess in a sense we should be glad Nico is an idiot. Any competent GM would have went to OKC first and sent him there.
I would say that you're wrong, IMO, but only technically, and only because free agency didn't exist in those days: In 1975, the Milwaukee Bucks traded a 28 year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Also, if we're counting the ABA, the Virginia Squires traded a 23 year-old Julius Erving to the New York Nets in 1973.
Also, if we're counting the ABA, the Virginia Squires traded a 23 year-old Julius Erving to the New York Nets in 1973.
Clip of Pelinka discussing Luka's trusted sports physicians who will become part of the family.
https://streamable.com/nqcmv4
Luka's face priceless.
More context here in the full presser but you don't get Luka's reaction during Pelinka.
https://www.youtube.com/live/_U_C-YTqP64?si=KNrD9Q-3gCxKPn4o&t=1597
https://streamable.com/nqcmv4
Luka's face priceless.
More context here in the full presser but you don't get Luka's reaction during Pelinka.
https://www.youtube.com/live/_U_C-YTqP64?si=KNrD9Q-3gCxKPn4o&t=1597
How does Nico go from getting elite role pieces in Naji Marshall, PJ Washington, Gafford for little/terrific value Caleb Martin now and to a lesser extent Klay Thompson he even resurrected the corpse of Exum and blow the whole thing by trading Luka. He drafted excellent in Lively and got Irving as well the man put together a elite team. There is no way this was his decision an invisible hand was at work.
The NBA forced the Mavericks into this for ratings and who knows maybe there was still more to the sexual allegations that came up recently where the NBA was going to punish them with unless LeBron and the Lakers got help or maybe promising the Mavericks #1 when they got into the lottery.
Think about the packages they could have got for Luka from e.g the Magic Paulo/Franz/assets. They probably could have got both Bam Herro plus young players and picks from the Heat.
The NBA forced the Mavericks into this for ratings and who knows maybe there was still more to the sexual allegations that came up recently where the NBA was going to punish them with unless LeBron and the Lakers got help or maybe promising the Mavericks #1 when they got into the lottery.
Think about the packages they could have got for Luka from e.g the Magic Paulo/Franz/assets. They probably could have got both Bam Herro plus young players and picks from the Heat.
For all the concern about Luka's conditioning, he's played in 422 of a possible 472 games since he entered the league. In those same seasons, AD has played in 313. He's been relatively healthy last season and this one until this recent injury, but to trade a not quite 26 year old superstar for a 31 year old with a long injury history just doesn't make sense on so many levels.
Yep. Weird that the Lakers didn't listen to either of their stars pleas for more help in the middle and then overpaid (IMO) for a big as soon as Luka hit town.
AD has always said his preference is to play the 4 vs the 5. So when AD and Lively are back from IR I think you'll still see a center rotation of primarily Lively and Gafford. Which also likely means fewer minutes for PJ Washington - somebody the Kings should definitely target for a trade in the off-season.
AD has always said his preference is to play the 4 vs the 5. So when AD and Lively are back from IR I think you'll still see a center rotation of primarily Lively and Gafford. Which also likely means fewer minutes for PJ Washington - somebody the Kings should definitely target for a trade in the off-season.
