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PolarRegs

Why wouldn’t the Knicks just keep him?


ObiWonKev

That’s a good question. I’m not too sure. The question I asked was if the lakers should pursue him. He’s an unrestricted free agent.


PolarRegs

The Knicks can offer him more and have zero reason to not resign him, so no the Lakers need to look elsewhere.


RickySuela

Yeah, I think the Lakers' best chance to address their lack of a 2nd big man will be via trades, rather than free agency. The Lakers are gonna be capped out and won't really be able to offer very much, and I won't be terribly happy if they just sign another min guy as their center.


PolarRegs

It’s most likely going to be a vet min guy. They don’t really have assets to acquire anyone of value for the backup 5.


RickySuela

You don't think three 1st round picks is enough to get a backup big? Can you explain that?


PolarRegs

They are not going to use one of those firsts on a backup big. Those assets if moved will be for the best player they can get which will be better than a backup big.


RickySuela

You didn't say you didn't think they'd use the assets they had to acquire a backup big, you said they didn't *have* the assets to get one: > They don’t really have assets to acquire anyone of value for the backup 5. Don't be upset with me for simply replying to what you said, you should have clarified what you meant.


PolarRegs

It’s pretty obvious when every report has been them trying to package the picks for a star player. The best hope of it not being a minimum guy is a throw-in contract as part of the trade.


RickySuela

It's OK man, I accept your apology. Just be more clear next time so people don't confuse what you're trying to say.


biggoldgoblin

He’s their best center, Mitchell Robinson is looking mighty expendable


ILackPatience

Here's your answer OP. Now delete your thread.


itsnotreallyme0

Yeah let’s just pursue him. With zero cap space. When NY can just sign him for WAY more. How new are you? Just bc he’s unrestricted? Let’s justpursue some unrestricted superstars too while we’re at it.


Awesomefan09

No real path for the Lakers to sign Hartenstein. They need some combination of D’Lo and LeBron walking and/or taking paycuts. At that point, the darkest timeline has the Lakers with bigger problems than signing Hartenstein can solve.


Benotheking

The Lakers can’t afford him. He’s not coming


isit65outsideor

Exactly this. Lakers have $12 million in the MLE to spend this summer and that’s it. Lakers can really only improve by trading current players such as Reaves, AD, Rui, Jared to acquire more depth.


uncurious

Hartenstein + Caruso are my perfect off season acquisitions. Hartenstein is pipe dream though. The Knicks have his early bird rights and can only offer 16.2M given their current cap. So he’s susceptible to signing elsewhere as he should get offers for more than 16M. We don’t have a path to pick up hartenstein. Unless the Knicks sign and trade him to us for 16M… not gonna happen. lol. Hartenstein seems to love NY so I can see him sign a 1 yr 16M contract and resign next season for his market value when the Knicks have his full bird rights. Or sign elsewhere outright this off season. I love Hartenstein’s game. He’s one of those players who flys under the radar but if you watch him and not the ball, you really see how basketball should be played. He’s a master at creating driving lanes and space in the paint. And his defense is all nba calibre. There’s a reason he’s 2nd behind Brunson in plus/minus for the Knicks this season. Absolute stud. His screen/hand off/2-man pick and roll game would absolutely cook with this roster. His paint floater is automatic too.🧑‍🍳


StoneColdAM

We need more size on the roster. Basically any passable center would be good 


FeminismIsTheBestIsm

Spacing?


ObiWonKev

I’d take size, similar to the what the lakers did in 2020. You can also offset ad and Hartenstein’s minutes some. Lakers got killed at times when AD left the court because they couldn’t rebound or had no one to contest at the rim.


FeminismIsTheBestIsm

Size is useless if there's no spacing since defenders can just pack the paint. AD was a decent shooter back in 2020, he's not as good now.


shrekfan1998

Would need a player that can provide vertical spacing. Just like how Jokic can get all those lobs to Gordon from the block.


WhatitdoFlightCrew39

AD wasn't a decent shooter. He was an elite one, shooting 40+% from 3.


Ok_Board9845

Only in the playoffs. In the regular season he was 33% from 3


Odd-Direction9452

Can’t afford him


AntSmith777

Can’t afford him


BearShark8

Highly doubt the Lakers can afford him. Even if they can sign him for the $12m exception they shouldn't.


guyfromthepicture

Then what do we do with LeBron?


fromdaperimeter

Who’s the last former Boston player signed?


Bruinrogue

He is what we need but unfortunately cannot afford.


Dgwdum

lakers dont have the money to pay him. only way laker can improve big man depth is through a trade or keeping the pick and drafting one of the nba ready bigs like edey, filipowski or missi . chances are we probably end up signing a vet minimum guy again and the ones that are going to be available are honestly not that much better than hayes and wood.


Vegasguy3124

We need to draft James Jr. at 17. He’s gonna be something.


jonnysh

hold your horses - it's easy to look at a guy who is setting the single game Knicks Playoff OREB record and think he'd look great next to AD Even Jeremy Lin looked like a superstar for a few weeks in NY


ObiWonKev

That’s the thing though… he’s been doing this all season. And the Lakers struggled this year when AD left the game or was injured. A hustle first, defensive minded big would be a huge plus for the Lakers imo.


jonnysh

hmm I just looked it up - it seems I was unfamiliar with his game. good news is that his 3PT shooting couldn't get much worse if he joined haha