Elfrid Payton

[wcd35]

He really hasnt been a great NBA defender though. Hopefully moving here helps that area of his play

[BrockMeaux]

He hasn't played with anywhere near the talent at any point in his career that he will play with in New Orleans. He'll get plenty of minutes splitting time with Rondo (assuming we bring him back), and Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis will make anyone look better defensively. We're going to be very well equipped for his style as a slash/penetrate and pass-first point guard, especially if we can add another outside shooter.

[CajunT]

He really hasnt been a great NBA defender though. Hopefully moving here helps that area of his play

That's because he is not an elite athlete. There are too many quards that are quicker off the dribble than he is and he has trouble against them on any given night.

[CajunEXPRESS]

For whatever it's worth:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/orlando...s-defense/amp/

[wcd35]

Rondo signed with the Lakers

[BrockMeaux]

Rondo signed with the Lakers

Yep, just breaking. So Payton's going to get LOTS of minutes.

[CajunEXPRESS]

Pelicans just got a lot worse, Lakers can now trade with SanAntonio and still be loaded.

[CajunT]

Yep, just breaking. So Payton's going to get LOTS of minutes.

It also means there is more money to sign Boogie Cousins. I will be shocked if Cousins signs with LA now because of McGee joining LeBron.

[BrockMeaux]

It also means there is more money to sign Boogie Cousins. I will be shocked if Cousins signs with LA now because of McGee joining LeBron.

Pelicans just signed Julius Randle, who the Lakers renounced to have money to sign Rondo, and both players are making $9 million this year, so it was basically an even trade salary-wise. I'm in the opposite boat; after this move, I'd be surprised if Cousins went anywhere other than LA, because it looks like the Pelicans are moving on and I don't know that there's a ton of market for him anywhere else. He could be waiting to see if Golden State is interested, but word is they're waiting for New Jersey to reach a buyout with Dwight Howard. So we'll see.

Also, can we talk about how crazy the NBA's salary cap is? Because he's our own free agent, we can afford to pay Cousins almost a max deal, but if he leaves, we get no extra cap room. Then there are bird rights, options, hard caps, soft caps, luxury tax, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

[BrockMeaux]

Pelicans just got a lot worse, Lakers can now trade with SanAntonio and still be loaded.

I think LeBron signing with LA weakened San Antonio's market position because Kawhi Leonard won't give any other team a commitment, and LeBron getting to LA only strengthens his resolve to get there one way or the other. Nobody's parting with a ton of good young players and high picks for what they know will be a one-year rental. The Lakers can pretty much just sit pat and wait for him to come as a free agent next year, which they now have the room to do outright because they renounced Julius Randle and most of the guys they've signed outside of LeBron so far are only 1-year deals, and they can do so without gutting their young core of Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Lonzo Ball. Ingram and Kuzma, in particular, are going to be important for them offensively because guys they've just added around LeBron like Lance Stephenson and Rondo aren't exactly known for filling up buckets every night. The Lakers could still end up offering something like Lonzo and a couple 1st round picks for Leonard just to try and skip the wait, but with LeBron making them now a destination for other players, and them with the salary cap to go sign those players, the pressure to part with assets for the future is way down.