00:00Hello and welcome to Just Basketball with Rabid Beaver. I'm your host, the Rabid Beaver.
00:05Hope everybody out there in the world of basketball or wherever you're at is doing wonderful today.
00:09We're going to be talking about the Los Angeles Lakers.
00:11Now, I'm not going to be talking about them losing to OKC and being put out of the playoffs,
00:16even though it is a big part of what just happened inside of the world of basketball.
00:21We're going to be talking about free agency and what could possibly happen or what needs to happen
00:26in order for the Lakers to be successful.
00:28And it begs the question, is the LeBron experiment over in Los Angeles?
00:34Do you all think that the LeBron experiment is completely over in Los Angeles?
00:39And the reason I'm bringing this up is because the Lakers could have some cap space,
00:44could have a lot of cap space with the exclusions of James, Harsham Moore and Kennard.
00:51And they could sign Reeves even if he takes just the bird deal that he's often or the
00:57player option that he's been offered for $14.9 million, they would still nearly have about
01:02$50 million to use in free agency to bring somebody back, whether it be James, Harsham Moore,
01:08Kennard, whoever they wanted to bring in from it.
01:10And the Lakers have probably, you know, one of the most valuable free agencies that's available
01:16this offseason correct.
01:17So the question becomes, if you're LeBron James, do you take a lower pay in order to stay in Los
01:26Angeles
01:26where the sunshine is, where you've kind of had it made, and you really have got the upside
01:33working with you with Luka?
01:34Or do you move on to another team?
01:37And see, the Lakers are kind of in a weird position here because in order to have a great
01:45team next season, the veterans are going to have to sign veteran minimum contracts in order
01:52for that to work for them.
01:53So LeBron James is going to have to take less pay if he wants to stay in Los Angeles.
01:59So the question is, are his days in Los Angeles numbered and are they over?
02:06Or do you think he's going to sign back with the Los Angeles Lakers and be LeBron James that
02:14he's always been?
02:15There is also an option running back the same team that won 53 games or signing free agents
02:21to one-year contracts.
02:23The Lakers would then have flexibility during this season to explore trades or wait until
02:28the 2027 offseason when they could have cap space available again.
02:32So those are the options that are on the table.
02:35You can sign Austin Reeves.
02:37He might take his player option for $14.9 million, or he could deny it because he did prove that
02:44he was one of the most valuable players that the Lakers had as a second option currently.
02:49Or you have to have your veterans take that minimum.
02:53So it's really an ironic position for them.
02:56And it's the first time that they've been in this position since 2019.
03:00So they obviously have a lot to think about.
03:04And if you're Rob Plinka, do you go into this next season and think, we've already got Luka.
03:10We should build around him and build a better team around him.
03:14Or do you go into this season thinking, we've already got the team that we need.
03:19We need to make sure that we are able to secure everybody and the chitter chatter has got to go
03:25away.
03:27I mean, we already saw it.
03:28This is the problem that you've got is during these playoffs, we've had a lot of call baiting.
03:34This team is currently on a call baiting spree.
03:38And you're spending a lot of money, if you're Los Angeles, to win.
03:42You are.
03:43You're spending a ton of money to win right now.
03:45And you're having trouble getting out of the playoffs the last few years.
03:48Or, you know, getting out of the first round, getting into the second round, and getting put out.
03:53You're having a lot of trouble the last few years of finding your way into the Leicester Conference Finals.
03:59Finding your way to a Finals.
04:01But you're still searching and you're in search for it.
04:04Do I think that they've got the pieces with Luka there?
04:07Yes, absolutely I do.
04:08But I also think that it's going to take Luka being healthy.
04:12It's going to take LeBron being healthy.
04:13And if they get rid of LeBron, who do they bring in?
04:17Because Giannis is on the board.
04:19I mean, he is on the board for free agency this coming year.
04:22And he's going to be a big free agency.
04:24Zion may be on the board.
04:26You know, so you've got to look and see who's available and what the best talent is.
04:31And are you done with LeBron James in Los Angeles?
04:35That's the question of the day right now with Just Basketball with Rabid Beaver.
04:39I want you guys to answer it and get back with me.
04:42Because it's going to be interesting to see in the offseason the moves that the Lakers organization makes.
04:47It's going to be interesting to see if the Lakers continue what they've put together.
04:52Or if they decide to move away from it.
04:55And LeBron right now may be ready to move away from it altogether because of all the chitter chatter.
05:00I mean, the organization basically told him, like, Stephen A said, I'm going to be quoting Stephen A here.
05:05You know, basically with all the chitter chatter saying, if you want to leave, fine.
05:09If you don't, that's fine.
05:11But we're going to be okay with or without you.
05:13It doesn't matter.
05:14And I don't think that's the right move to make with a veteran star player who is still got a
05:20little bit of value.
05:20I know I give LeBron a bunch of crap.
05:22He's a great player.
05:23I give him a bunch of crap, though.
05:25But I'm going to tell you, he's still got some value that's available to him.
05:28Is he the same player he was in 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015?
05:33Absolutely not.
05:34He has taken a little bit of a step back, but he still has that dog in him a little
05:38bit.
05:39It's just a matter of, are you going to find that dog?
05:42And is he going to be ready to bite when the time comes?
05:46I mean, that's really the big question.
05:48So the Lakers have a lot to think about this offseason.
05:51They have a lot, a lot to go over in free agency.
05:55Um, I mean, Luca signed that big, that big, uh, uh, extension that he got.
06:00He signed it for another year.
06:02Uh, DeAndre Ayton signed that extension, but I think Ayton may have a player option as well
06:06at the end of this year.
06:07So he might be able to move on if he does not extend that player option as well.
06:10So you've got to look and see what pieces are available to you.
06:15I don't think that DeAndre Ayton was the best move for the Lakers when, but they needed the center.
06:20I mean, you got to admit they needed somebody who could kind of stand there and play defense
06:24and run the post for them, but DeAndre Ayton does not produce the way that they've wanted
06:28him to produce in Los Angeles.
06:30And I don't know if it's because of the system he's in, the players he's working with, the
06:34conflicts of interest that are there in Los Angeles or all the chitter chatter that he's
06:38getting, or if he's just too distracted off the court, but you've got to find a piece,
06:43a centerpiece, a power forward piece that can work for you.
06:47That can be available to you that may be wanting to play your game and your style of basketball
06:55in Los Angeles, but is going to be a major factor for you.
07:00And I, and everybody saw it.
07:01I mean, DeAndre Ayton.
07:03Uh, so let's just, let's just call it what it is.
07:06Uh, the numbers increase to $67 million.
07:09If reads DeAndre Ayton and smart have until June 29th to opt out of their contracts for next
07:14season.
07:14So if they opt out of their contracts completely, uh, you have $67 million on the table.
07:21So, I mean, that goes from 50 to 67 million.
07:24So you may have that option.
07:26If all three decide to opt out of their contracts and do not decide to sign back with you.
07:30But I think the weak link here is DeAndre Ayton out of all of them.
07:33I do think he's a good player.
07:35I don't think he's what the Lakers are looking for in that center position.
07:38I do think that they made a mistake by getting rid of Anthony Davis in a way.
07:44This is my personal opinion.
07:45Now, I think that Anthony Davis, even though he was a little bit injury prone and he had
07:49some bad stuff, he brought fear and he brought defensive presence and he brought a rebounding
07:55consistency to the Los Angeles Lakers that they currently do not have.
07:59They currently do not have it.
08:01And as much as LeBron tried to do it last night, he can't do it alone.
08:04He's got to have other people help him on that side.
08:08And the position that LeBron is playing, he's playing like a point forward position.
08:12He's playing three, but he's also playing the one at times.
08:15The position that they've got him in is a third option for the Lakers, maybe bothering
08:20him a little bit for this offcoming season, for the offseason.
08:24I mean, it really may be because he's always been used to being the guy, the number one
08:29guy on any team he's ever played with, whether it was the Cavaliers, whether it was the Heat,
08:33and whether when he went to the Lakers, it was that way.
08:36I mean, you have to see he's been the number one option forever.
08:39And now he's having to take a roll back.
08:41So does he sign in this offseason is the question.
08:44And if you're LeBron James, what do you do?
08:48Do you make the best deal with the Lakers to stay in LA?
08:52You already got a comfortable life there.
08:53You're already set up there.
08:55Your kid's already there.
08:56You've already got everything ready for you in that front.
08:59Or do you move somewhere?
09:01Do you take your talents elsewhere this offseason?
09:04And do you become the number one option again for another team?
09:08Do I think that he has the ability to be a number one option for another team?
09:12Absolutely, I do.
09:14Do I think that he is going to be the player that he once was?
09:17Absolutely not.
09:18I think that he's learning that he's having to adjust his game for what's coming in the
09:24future.
09:25And then let's say he decides to retire because that's still up on the board too.
09:30LeBron could retire this offseason.
09:32What do you do then if he does decide to retire if you are the Los Angeles Lakers?
09:37Who do you put in his spot?
09:39Now, I've already mentioned Giannis is up on the board.
09:41Zion Williams could be up on the board.
09:43Zion Williamson could be up on the board.
09:44So you've got to look and see who your options are that may be able to fill that void for
09:50a
09:50short period of time.
09:52I mean, think about it, guys, and get back with me.
09:55And today, that's the hot take of the day with just basketball with Rabid Beaver.
10:00Bye, guys.
10:02Bye, guys.
10:02Bye, guys.
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