A lot of people are talking about how the Lakers should have held onto Julius Randle. I totally agree. One point that a lot of people are forgetting about is that we totally overpaid kcp to suck up to Rich Paul in hopes that would influence LeBron to come here when all reports were that LeBron was coming here no matter what for his business endeavors. Is that team building or is that just a former agent doing a current agent a favor? And LeBron is smart enough to know that any extra money to pay to kcp this year is less money for the Lakers to build a team with but obviously he's not going to speak up on this one.
The overpay to kcp was wasted money.
18 million dollars last year
12 million dollars this year
For a guy worth nowhere near that
Instead of signing one of our own, Julius Randle
As far as I can tell kcp was worth 6 to 7 million, which would leave an additional 5 to 7 million to spend this year, which would have been half of Julius' salary. Subtract Beasley, tinker a little. If those numbers don't work then you simply don't sign kcp, sign Julius and get another guard with the money.
If you're going to give 12 to kcp why aren't you giving 12-15 to a guy who's been a Laker his whole career, who has worked his butt off and done everything he has been asked to, who by some reports suffered a broken leg as a result of negligence by the Lakers trainers, a player the coaching staff really wants to retain and who was a very important member of the team, who we obviously have not been able to replace.
Julius left feeling really badly treated. If you're trying to get players to buy in to the idea of being a LAKER! how does showing no loyalty to one of your own who (see above) encourage that? It hurts it.
A lot of people including myself think if Julius had been on this team this year they would have been a much stronger team . Julius, Lopez and Zubac; wouldn't you rather have them than McGee and Tyson?
Yes Julius wanted a long-term contract BUT if he'd been offered 12 to 15 for a one-year contract I strongly suspect he would have taken it IF the whole thing has been handled in a more personable manner. We've all been crucifying magic for the way he handled talking to the team after the AD situation. This is another egregious example of really bad people skills costing the Lakers.
BIG mistake
