LakerTom @LakerTom

Lakers fanatic since team traded for Wilt Chamberlain in 1968. Founder, publisher, and driving force behind Lakerholics, a virtual community for Lakers fans. lakerholics.com Mill Valley, CA Joined March 2011

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Laker$ided @Lakersided310

15 hours ago

Just fyi to everyone, there are 61 players that will make more than Walker Kessler next szn. Here’s what the 62nd highest paid player will bring & what he brought his last healthy szn (2024-2025). I asked Chat to make a graphic so it wasn’t one long paragraph. I’ve said this before, but people are MASSIVELY underrating the Kessler addition. If we had tried to go the offer sheet route, it would’ve taken more than the $30M he’s about to make. So while the draft capital was large, it did save us cap space. DET is currently fighting against paying Duren 57.4m per year. His agents want to settle at 40m. Gobert was about to get paid 46.6m per year before taking a pay cut. IND sent 2 firsts (one being the 5th overall pick) + Mathurin & Isaiah Jackson + 2028 second for Zubac Centers are at a premium. There’s not a “contender” out there that doesn’t either have an all star/all NBA C, or an All DEF C. OKC, SAS, DEN, MIN, HOU, CLE, DET, NYK, IND, MIA, PHI all do. Kessler is that dude. He makes Luka better & Luka makes him better. BIG szn ahead 😤

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LakerTom @LakerTom

48 minutes ago

@IMClan6 Hardy is expiring while LaRavia ihas 2 years left and has proven he can be a rotation player.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

7 hours ago

MYLES TURNER TRADE GIVES LAKERS TWIN TOWERS & FIRST ROUND PICK!!! Lakers should seriously consider trading Vanderbilt, Hardy, and Knecht straight up for Myles Turner and the Buck's protected 2028 first round draft pick. Trading Vanderbilt, Hardy, and Knecht would save the Lakers $42.3M while trading for Turner would save the Bucks $86.4M in payroll. Saving $44.1M is why the Bucks would give the Lakers a first round pick to dump Turner and open up starting center job for Ware. Lakers not only get to keep their 2032 first round swap and 3 second round picks but also get to add the Bucks 2028 first round pick to their draft capital for the trade deadline and next summer.

Evan Sidery @esidery

9 hours ago

The Bucks are actively shopping Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma in trade talks, but they’ve received little interest. Turner is under contract through 2029, which also includes a 15% trade kicker. Kuzma’s $19.4 million expiring could become more appealing near February’s deadline.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

50 minutes ago

@ELITEorFED Turners bad contract is much worse than Vando’s. $44M and 1 year worse.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

52 minutes ago

@JjTitansfan That’s the biggest point vs. the trade but every team is facing same situation right now and have players who can be waived without hurting their cap.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

56 minutes ago

@the3xMAYOR We can easily take a later pick. It will be traded before it turns into a player.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

57 minutes ago

@Tutiodeportivo Any for modern center who could be quality backup and capable of playing alongside Kessler in a twin towers lineup. Problem is those centers will cost draft capital that we don’t have.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

60 minutes ago

@SamuelWilmer1 It will take $44M more for Bucks to get out of Myles’ contract than Lakers to get out of Vando.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

2 hours ago

@GlockOclockk I’d prefer Ware too but we don’t have draft capital to trade for him.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

2 hours ago

@DDBNaach @jjcortez256 Turner has good mobility and can defend in space very well.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

3 hours ago

@Itsjustpingu They’re getting a starting power forward AND a back up center for $27M per year for 3 years. Think of it as $14M for starting PF and $13M for a backup center.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

3 hours ago

@MilesEckert We have 3 players who never play who earn almost as much as Turner. We swap them for a quality defensive center who shoots 38.3% on over 5 threes per game. And we get rewarded with a pick because the trade saved Bucks $44M.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

5 hours ago

@BonyT48455127 They would save $44M on the trade but would have to waive multiple players as they are already over 15. But saving $44M is big time for a small market team like the Bucks.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

6 hours ago

I'm not afraid of that starting lineup. I like Mumu's offense in the starting lineup with Kessler's defense always having his back defensively. I like him better as a four than a five because he can't protect the rim at all. He needs to play alongside an elite front court defender. The way the league is getting bigger tells me that we not only desperately need a big minutes second center as backup and insurance for Kessler getting injured but also to play together with him. That requires that the backup be able to space the floor with 3-point shooting. Let's make our center rotation a legitimate strength. I think getting dumping 3 non-contributors, getting a draft pick, having an elite backup center, and the option to play or start two-bigs together is the best option..

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LakerTom @LakerTom

6 hours ago

The problem on offense was more the Bucks than Turner, which resulted in Myles posting near career low points and rebounds. Defensively, Myles was excellent, averaging 1.6 blocks and 0.7 steals per game in just 26.9 mpg over 72 games while shooting 38.3% from deep while playing in 72 of 82 games. Aside from having a twin towers option, Turner’s elite rim protection, floor spacing, and durability give the Lakers the best possible option as a backup or starter.

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LakerTom @LakerTom

7 hours ago

@bstonercpa Kuz is dog shit. We can get a first from Bucks and dump Vando, Hardy, and Knecht. We get twin towers starters and backup center. Legitimate shot at championship.

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Evan Sidery @esidery

9 hours ago

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Cranjis McBasketball @Tim_NBA

22 hours ago

Between impact on team defensive success suppressing opponent free throw rate and shot quality, here were the top defenders in our Defensive Impact on Possession Quality stat at BBall Index for 2024-25 (not this year): 1) Walker Kessler 2) Chet Holmgren 3) Rudy Gobert 4) Wemby This accounts for quality of teammates in lineups and quality of opponents in lineups faced to ID who's driving true impact in each area. Kessler's rating in 2024-25 is higher than any 2013-26 Lakers player, and ranks 16th overall of 6,804 players in that span.

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THEKNPROJECT🇵🇭 @thknprjctph

10 hours ago

Big Man Alliance

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D.O.C @DOC323123

a day ago

One of Luka’s strengths defensively is playing passing lanes so I do think the Lakers have a good shot with their other additions at playing up on the perimeter and throwing some zone in to force turnovers