NBA 2K14 News Post

Sound off: Who Should LA Surround Kobe With the Next Two Years?

04:04 PM - November 25, 2013 by RaychelSnr

Kobe Bryant signed a two year deal worth $48.5 million, which means he will remain the highest paid player in the NBA over the next two seasons. One has to figure this is LA's last chance to get in on winning an NBA Championship with Kobe as part of the mix.

Big name free agents are coming onto the market, plus plenty of second tier talent. If you were playing as the Lakers GM, would you go after a superstar like LeBron to join Kobe or would you seek to upgrade the overall talent of the team with smaller signings with the limited cap space you have going into next year?

Sound off in the comments below!

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# 101 tril @ 12/02/13 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melbournelad


	Huh? No the Lakers can pursue him all they want. What I'm telling you is there is no way the Suns wouldn't match. Put yourself in the Suns GM's shoes, would you?

understood!!!

# 102 DamnYanks2 @ 12/02/13 10:57 PM

Can you imagine where the Lakers might be if Stern didn't kick the Lakers front office in the nuts and nix that Paul trade. Paul makes everything and everyone better. LA would be in good shape, and their likely wouldn't be any tension with Kobe.

On Melo, hell no. Melo just does not make teams better, I've seen enough. He literally brings his team down. A phenomenal scorer and talent. Sadly that's all he'll ever be.

# 103 ClutchCity @ 12/02/13 11:10 PM

Melo will be in Los Angeles wearing a Laker uniform next season. I don't doubt it. Carmelo's options are futile. Think about it for a minute. Melo doesn't have a chance to win against Indiana or Miami down the line for the next few years. Last year id say was his best chance to at least show up in the ECF and it didn't happen.Teams like those 2 only get better. I mean look at how this year is playing out, 3 wins so far lol. I mean I know its early, and im not counting them out to make the playoffs just yet, but from what I see its obvious the Knicks aren't as good as last year's. Or the year before last.

Now im sure at this point Melo wants to make a title run and what other team not to do it with than the Lakers? Just Sayin...

# 104 ProfessaPackMan @ 12/02/13 11:51 PM

I don't see Melo leaving NY at all. Don't really see why he would give up everything he has there.

And it's not like his chances of winning a title will increase much by going out West, especially looking at some of those teams out there as is.

# 105 ClutchCity @ 12/03/13 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfessaPackMan


	I don't see Melo leaving NY at all. Don't really see why he would give up everything he has there. And it's not like his chances of winning a title will increase much by going out West, especially looking at some of those teams out there as is.

What has Melo gained in NY a scoring title ? I agree with your second half of the statement a little. I don't think his chances will increase either, I just think he would have a better shot. Especially if Kobe comes back playing at the same rate before he was hurt. I think his time in NY is up after this year the progress on that team is declining.

# 106 MarvinOida @ 12/03/13 12:55 AM

Even though I don't like the Lakers, if they really are considering MELO, then I believe that they will not get a championship. Melo & Kobe don't feel right to me. We've learned over the past couple years that team basketball is still superior over superior scoring.

The Lakers are going to be a mess if they bring in Melo, who I believe isn't going to mesh correctly with their system.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 107 ClutchCity @ 12/03/13 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarvinOida


	Even though I don't like the Lakers, if they really are considering MELO, then I believe that they will not get a championship. Melo & Kobe don't feel right to me. We've learned over the past couple years that team basketball is still superior over superior scoring. The Lakers are going to be a mess if they bring in Melo, who I believe isn't going to mesh correctly with their system. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Melo would be fine. I think the system would adapt or transition to Melo and Kobe's tendencies offensively. I think that Lakers would have to add another scrappy big who could give them second chances. Its not a matter of superior scoring it's really all about putting pieces around these 2 that could make them into a superior team. I honestly would just get rid of Gasol and sign a guy like Varejo or a Larry Sanders. Jordan Hill is exactly the perfect player for a sytem based of those 2 superstar.

Its funny because no one knew how Lebron,Wade, and Bosh would even work on offense, and look at them now. 2 championships. Prior to that Wade was the scoring champ, and Bosh was avg at least 20 and 10 in Toronto.

Its simple if your playing a pickup game outside your going to pick the best player's. And the player is going to want to be on the team with the best player's. If im Melo im tanking. Instead of leaving my legacy in NY and possibly not winning a ring at all, im going to go and play on a team with the best SG this past decade. He's got nothing more to prove in NY. STAT is no longer standing tall, JR Smith is ridiculously a fluke comes big games, and you don't have a PG or anyone who can really distribute the ball to you for easy points. I say the system he's in now is ridiculous and would do a lot better in Danphonies.

# 108 JazzMan @ 12/03/13 03:01 AM

You can't just throw two superstars together and call it good.

What makes Miami work is that D-Wade's accepted the sidekick role. LeBron is an all-around facilitator while D-Wade is a slasher and a scorer. Both are great defenders.

Kobe and Melo are average defenders and are both scorers. Their egos won't let them be a sidekick to the other. It'd just be both guys going out there jacking up 25 shots a game each.

# 109 ClutchCity @ 12/03/13 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazzMan


	You can't just throw two superstars together and call it good. What makes Miami work is that D-Wade's accepted the sidekick role. LeBron is an all-around facilitator while D-Wade is a slasher and a scorer. Both are great defenders. Kobe and Melo are average defenders and are both scorers. Their egos won't let them be a sidekick to the other. It'd just be both guys going out there jacking up 25 shots a game each.

How would you know that both players are going to jack 25 shots a night? How would you know that one of them wouldn't become humble of the other. Nobody knows, Melo situation in NY is overdue It's a fact that he isn't getting any younger and he's in his prime. Nothing is going to come out of Melo being in NY anymore, last year was his chance.And yes you can throw 2 superstars together and make a playoff run. It's happenend plenty of times. Its just a bunch of other formulas that come into play for a team to win a championship. Melo and Kobe would do fine.

In fact Kobe has said that Melo is his guy and they were close when they played on team USA. I don't see why people don't want to see Melo in a Laker uniform. I like the Lakers without Dwight, but they're just not going to be championship caliber without another superstar on that team.

# 110 ProfessaPackMan @ 12/03/13 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClutchCity


	What has Melo gained in NY a scoring title ? I agree with your second half of the statement a little. I don't think his chances will increase either, I just think he would have a better shot. Especially if Kobe comes back playing at the same rate before he was hurt. I think his time in NY is up after this year the progress on that team is declining.

1. Money, especially the amount we're talking about.
2. He's already tight with the Owner meaning he can basically choose his next coach there.(If you're a player, why give those 2 up?)
3. Why would he go play for the same Coach he got fired and play in the same system that he openly fussed about?

I look at it like this: if Melo really wanted a title THAT bad(maybe he does, I don't know)he would've made the sacrifices that he needed to make to get a title long ago.

LA will shown interest(they'll be dumb NOT to)but in the end, I think he stays in NY.

# 111 MarvinOida @ 12/03/13 01:21 PM

Theoretically, how would they build the bench if they get Melo? More old players? Or cheap assets? If we're playing future, then what happens if one of them go down? How long would Melo stay with LA?

I think they would be in a Hole with Melo because unlike Miami, the pairing superstar was still in his prime and was willing, Kobe is 35 and is becoming older. And the bench was built off minimum vets, which is fine with LeBron and Wade under 30 at the time.

Best case scenario if they get Melo is that it becomes Melo and Allen Iverson 2.0 w/ a better supporting cast.

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# 112 EvilVendingMachine @ 12/09/13 12:37 AM

This lineup is reasonably the best the Lakers can hope for:
Lowry/blake
bryant/young/
Anthony/young
Gasol/Anthony/hill
Tyson Chandler/Hill/sacre

This mainly depends on the Lakers swapping Nash and their upcoming 1st rounder for lowry before the deadline(a stretch, but toronto was willing to give Nash a big contract last offseason). They then have only Kobe (23.5M), Nick young(player option 1.2M), and robert sacre(because why the **** not)at .9M. enough to offer Anthony the max(21.7M i believe) and barely absorb Chandlers 14.6M. Chandler at least makes up for obvious deficiencies defensively, but we're still not a championship team, even if we replace dantoni.

# 113 Majingir @ 12/09/13 02:39 AM

Unless the Lakers are willing to take on like half of Nashs salary(next year), don't see Raptors wanting Nashs 9M contract at this point. This season it won't be bad, but next year the Raptors might want to do something bigger.

I wouldn't mind getting 2014 1st round pick from Lakers though. Who knows, Raptors draft a PG, let Nash mentor him for a year, and see what happens from there.

# 114 JazzMan @ 12/09/13 02:58 AM

Realistically, I could see LA targeting a guy like Gordon Hayward in the offseason. Would it absolutely kill me to see him in a Laker uniform? Yes. But it's possible.

# 115 EvilVendingMachine @ 12/09/13 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Majingir


	Unless the Lakers are willing to take on like half of Nashs salary(next year), don't see Raptors wanting Nashs 9M contract at this point. This season it won't be bad, but next year the Raptors might want to do something bigger. I wouldn't mind getting 2014 1st round pick from Lakers though. Who knows, Raptors draft a PG, let Nash mentor him for a year, and see what happens from there.

Toronto might make us take Fields back, which would be a deal breaker, probably.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazzMan


	Realistically, I could see LA targeting a guy like Gordon Hayward in the offseason. Would it absolutely kill me to see him in a Laker uniform? Yes. But it's possible.

He's a RFA, i doubt the jazz let him walk.

# 116 ojandpizza @ 12/09/13 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvilVendingMachine


	He's a RFA, i doubt the jazz let him walk.

Depends. If they draft Parker or Wiggins they could use that money to bring in someone else.

They could just move Hayward to the SG spot, but I guess depends which free agents would come to them.

# 117 ProfessaPackMan @ 12/09/13 04:48 PM

For Hayward's sake, he'll stay in Utah or at least avoid LA(I'll throw NY in here as well)if he can.

# 118 Majingir @ 12/09/13 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvilVendingMachine


	Toronto might make us take Fields back, which would be a deal breaker, probably. He's a RFA, i doubt the jazz let him walk.

Lowry,Fields and MAYBE a 2nd round draft pick for Nash(and all of his contract) and a 2014 first?

But based on what you said, that might not be what Lakers want.

# 119 KSOR24 @ 12/09/13 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Majingir


	Lowry,Fields and MAYBE a 2nd round draft pick for Nash(and all of his contract) and a 2014 first? But based on what you said, that might not be what Lakers want.

The Lakers can't trade their pick this year. And as much as I'd like to have Lowry, why would they take on Field's contract and on top of that give up a first in a loaded class to get a guy who they can just sign this summer? They can also use the stretch provision on Nash and pay a third of his salary. They're not that desperate.

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# 120 JazzMan @ 12/09/13 11:21 PM

Honestly, Hayward is a much better small forward than a shooting guard, in my opinion. His height is a big mismatch when he plays the 2, but these days, 2-guards are just too quick, with undersized guys in the West like Ellis, Bledsoe, etc.

If LA offers him enough money that the Jazz won't match the offer (which would probably be around the 4-Year, $40M-$50M range), then they can put him at the 3 next to Kobe.

But I hope to God that doesn't happen. I'd rather see a Hayward/Parker or Hayward/Wiggins pairing in Utah.

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Sound off: Who Should LA Surround Kobe With the Next Two Years?