Lakers Aren’t Mortgaging Their Future; They’re Finally Building One
After the Los Angeles Lakers traded away D’Angelo Russell on Tuesday, one question surfaced repeatedly among Lakers fans on Twitter: Is Magic Johnson mortgaging the future for the present, and if so, what makes this any different than the disastrous approach that got Johnson’s predecessor, Jim Buss, fired?
Russell is two years removed from being the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Only 21, he showed substantial improvement in his second season, yet was sacrificed merely so the Lakers could move the calamitous contract of Timofey Mozgov (a Buss signee) in an effort to create salary cap room for what could be a big summer in 2018.
Sound familiar?
Yeah, on the surface, this indeed sounds, looks and smells the same. It feels a lot like trading away a mass of draft picks in 2012 for a broken down Steve Nash and one year of Dwight Howard, then striking out with LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and every other major free agent since.
Here’s the thing, though: it is different this time, and it’s not merely because Magic is the one calling the shots.
It’s different because it’s no longer Kobe Bryant’s team. Guys aren’t looking at the prospect of playing second-fiddle to an aging player infamously known for alienating just about every other star who played alongside him.
It’s different because in spite of the Russell trade, the Lakers have, for the first time in years, a solid young cast of players who are likely to not only listen to a veteran presence, but are also talented enough to do some of the heavy lifting when the time calls.
It’s also different because, hey, if they Lakers are able to land Paul George then they’ll have a franchise player under 30 who has said he wants to be in Los Angeles, enough cap space for another max-level salary player, and at least a couple supremely talented youngsters on affordable contracts in one of the NBA’s glamour markets. For good measure, toss in Magic’s pearly white grin making the pitch to free agents and it’s a scenario that sets the Lakers up very nicely for next summer, when LeBron and Russell Westbrook, a SoCal native, are likely to be on the market.
The Lakers are reportedly working on a deal to acquire George in a trade, after he informed the Indiana Pacers that he does not intend to re-sign with the team when he becomes a free agent next summer. A trade would provide the Lakers with George’s Bird rights, which would allow them to offer him a five-year, $178 million extension next summer, which is close to $50 million more than any other team can offer. It’d also give George a year in Los Angeles to work with head coach Luke Walton and the current roster, and a year to recruit other players to join him.
George, 27, may be the ideal guy to help the Lakers turn the page on the franchise’s longest playoff drought. He’s an elite two-way player, who has never clashed with teammates publicly, doesn’t need the ball in his hands to have an influence on the game, and plays perhaps the most important position in the league. It’s a point guard’s league and protecting the rim is as important as ever, yet take a look at the best players in the game. LeBron, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard all play the same position. It’s the same position played by Jimmy Butler, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Carmelo Anthony and Gordon Hayward. If you don’t have a guy who can match up with those guys, do you really have a shot to win a title?
Of course, there will be other suitors for George this summer. With the Golden State Warriors winning their second NBA title in three years with a roster that includes four all-stars under the age of 30, both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics are expected to make moves this summer that better position themselves to complete with the Warriors. George should certainly be a target for both teams, assuming the Pacers don’t mind trading their best player to a conference rival. Indiana will, and absolutely should, seek the trade that offers the best return for its franchise player.
So, George to the Lakers is not a done deal, though a deal that includes either Jordan Clarkson or Julius Randle and either the 27th or 28th pick in the draft should be enough to get it done, considering no haul is likely to be substantial after George expressed his desire to play in Los Angeles. I mean, would the Pacers want Iman Shumpert for two years at $21 million, J.R. Smith three years and $44 million or Kevin Love at three years and $72 million? If you’re Indiana, you would almost prefer letting him walk over taking on those deals.
Bring in Paul George, and the pitch to LeBron, Westbrook and others becomes much easier. LeBron owns a home in Brentwood, and some believe he would seriously consider a move, and Westbrook, though loyal for now, may be looking for a new home if his Oklahoma City Thunder don’t take a major step toward championship contention next season.
This is all premature, of course. A lot has to happen for the Lakers to be in that position, but the fact that they have now created some cap room and are likely to end up with an elite player, wither via trade or free agency next summer, opens the door for them to be a player in free agency. After what they’ve been through, that’s about all you can ask.
Instead of looking at the D’Angelo Russell trade as mortgaging the future, Lakers fans should appreciate that it’s only through slashing salary, and pursuing stars who want to be there, that they have a future at all.
And it appears it could be a bright one.
