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So, the Lakers dump Bryant to presumably make room for Paul George. I read that to mean that Thomas will be Most Improved Player in the NBA next season.

I did too -- i was pretty sure it would be a one and one. I like, though, that he's not just out there shopping for money and going to the Lakers. Screw the Lakers!

I dont think it was too much, though maybe too long. He can really shoot and we needed that off the bench. He is young and has been moved around a lot, maybe getting some continuity will help him establish himself as a solid double digit guy off the bench.

I was really only talking about Bryant staying as it would have related to his personal prospects for success in the NBA. As it would have related to IU as a team last season, I actually think Bryant staying would have been good for the team overall, including Juwan. Bryant really would have been the perfect frontcourt pairing with Juwan. Having Bryant at the 5 would have allowed Juwan to slide back to his more natural position at the 4. And at the same time, with Bryant’s ability to get up and down the court and play on the perimeter, Juwan would still have had plenty of room to operate in the paint. I guess in that scenario, Juwan might not have developed quite as much because he wouldn’t have been counted on to basically carry the entire team, but he still would have been a key player for us. And the team likely would have been a lot better, and probably makes the tournament. Now Davis would have been the odd man out in that scenario, but like you said, he might have also avoided injury. Smith would also have played a lot fewer minutes, but I don’t think bringing him along more slowly would have been a bad thing necessarily. Overall, Bryant staying would have been a good thing for all involved IMO.

I thought much the same, with only one counterpoint. How does Juwan's development change with Bryant in the lineup? With that comes the next question, does DD get hurt with a deeper front court? My opinion is that things have or will work themselves out to be favorable in the end making the questions needing no answer. It might be lazy of me, as speculation can be so much fun with this sort of topic.

Same happened in different ways to Troy and Yogi. He'll keep working and find another team. Bryant will be a NBA player soon enough. Just not the path he thought.

Agree, definitely unusual for a team to cut a guy coming off a rookie season in which he made the G League first team. I’m sure it does have to do with the Lakers clearing cap for Lebron/PG/Kawhi. But at the same time, whatever the reasoning behind it, this was why I thought Bryant would have been well served to come back. First round picks are much less likely to be cut (not to mention they make much more money). Out of all the players that left early under Crean, Bryant is really the only one that I think made a mistake. He could’ve played his way into the first round last season and been set up much better.

Clearing cap space for LeBron and P.George. Thomas will be fine, he had a good year in the G league.