I'm not worried about the roster imploding as much as the FO being a sideshow. If Jeannie and crew can stay out of the headlines then we'll be fine.
FO is a concern but I’m as worried about the fiasco that James/ Paul/ Klutch can contribute.
Last season the “implosion” can just as easily be attributed to thinly veiled comments concerning coaching, trades and commitment by James and Co as the multiple injuries.
Now Paul needs to make comments undermining the Lakers to a NewYork writer. For what purpose?
Just more of the circus? The very circus that contributes to a team imploding. Like a dog chasing its tail. Sad that it doesn’t surprise me.
This is not good.The Lakers mortgaged their whole future to get AD as the Pels pretty much owns their draft in the near future not mentioning what we gave up to get him.Not commiting was a red flag for me.Telling coach I'm not playing center was another.So in reality the team gave up everything for a rental.Who may or may not resign.It's getting harder to be a fan these days.
Since when does anyone take the NY Post serious? _________________ It was reminiscent of one of those Most Interesting Man in the World advertisements: "I don't always shoot 6-for-28 from the field, but when I do, I become the youngest player in league history to score 28,000 career points."
I agree, when this came out I said why would Rich Paul be creating such negativity when his top two clients are where they want to be. I figured this had to be fake news, I can't imagine AD wanting to play for that mess called New York.
I agree, when this came out I said why would Rich Paul be creating such negativity when his top two clients are where they want to be. I figured this had to be fake news, I can't imagine AD wanting to play for that mess called New York.
I am so happy that we got AD and 100% looking forward to next season, but I cannot believe we gave up that package in a trade with ZERO guarantee of having AD beyond the 2019-20 season. I'm not trying to be in a "sky is falling" moment after Boogie went down, but that's one more piece off the board of high upside players that give us some cushion and flexibility to deal with injuries/load management of AD & LBJ. Now we're down to Kuzma (I like Caruso and THT, but what are the odds either becomes even a solid starter next year?). Barring a massive step-forward from Kuzma, we're an LBJ injury away from this team imploding. With AD & LBJ healthy, I love this team with a decent amount of scoring, defense and shooting around two legit top-7 players. But, damn, it's a lot to risk the entire franchise on the health of LBJ, who turns 35 at the end of the year.
If LBJ misses even 20-30 games next year and Kuzma's star stalls, we could struggle to make the playoffs in this crazy west. If AD flinches and bails, we are in rough shape for the next five years.
Again, I'm all in on and pulling for this team to succeed this year and I am super hopeful. But damn was this not an insane, very scary gamble.
AD is gonna be the greatest Lakers Power Forward in history.
James Worthy: hey epak. Am I considered a "Power Forward?" If not, my vote is Kurt Rambis. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 11197 Location: The Other Perspective
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 9:52 am Post subject:
epak wrote:
AD is gonna be the greatest Lakers Power Forward in history.
I'm kinda hoping he surpasses TD and Malone as the greatest power forward in NBA history. He has the talent to do it imo. _________________ "Chick lived and breathed Lakers basketball…but he was also fair and objective and called every game the way it was played."
-from Chick: His Unpublished Memoirs and the Memories of Those Who Knew Him
The semantics or lack thereof is kind of weird here.
If the Lakers are to be successful, Davis is going to have to be the closing 5 anyway.
Outside of Jokic, Goebert and Nurkic no western conference team is going to be playing your powerhouse traditional 5.
The closing lineup needs AD at the 5 so that we can have our best shooting and defense lineups to seal games.
I think almost no one is arguing that AD at the 5 is not optimal. Even with Boogie healthy, the best closing lineup still probably had AD and LBJ in the frontcourt with Kuz, Green or Dudley, and in that scenario, AD is guarding 5s. I think the focus on getting another big man is to help with AD's preference that he be perceived as a four playing as a "small-ball 5" a la Draymond, rather than just a full-time 5. It's silly, but it obviously means a lot to AD and he's a FA at the end of the season. Still, I don't think we ask more than 10-15 of AD as the C, so we still have 33-38 minutes to fill at the position and I don't want to count on Dudley and JaVale exclusively for those minutes. Another big body makes sense.
Last edited by Chick's Magic Johnson on Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:12 am; edited 1 time in total
Our closing lineup hopefully has LBJ at "PF", AD at "C."
That's the true death lineup.
Kuz at the three is just as bad defensively as Kuz at the four. This is my biggest issue with having Kuz. I know I’ve seen the talk of his defensive improvement but I heard about it last year too. So u til he proves me wrong I’m seeing him on the floor as a negative defensively as a closer.
The semantics or lack thereof is kind of weird here.
If the Lakers are to be successful, Davis is going to have to be the closing 5 anyway.
Outside of Jokic, Goebert and Nurkic no western conference team is going to be playing your powerhouse traditional 5.
The closing lineup needs AD at the 5 so that we can have our best shooting and defense lineups to seal games.
I think almost no one is arguing that AD at the 5 is not optimal. Even with Boogie healthy, the best closing lineup still probably had AD and LBJ in the frontcourt with Kuz, Green or Dudley, and in that scenario, AD is guarding 5s. I think the focus on getting another big man is to help with AD's preference that he be perceived as a four playing as a "small-ball 5" a la Draymond, rather than just a full-time 5. It's silly, but it obviously means a lot to AD and he's a FA at the end of the season. Still, I don't think we ask more than 10-15 of AD as the C, so we still have 33-38 minutes to fill at the position and I don't want to count on Dudley and JaVale exclusively for those minutes. Another big body makes sense.
No doubt, still need another big body for minutes at the 5.
Just saying AD needs to play the 5 for small ball and late in games. It’s not asking a lot tbh. This isn’t the days of all these huge, traditional centers from the past.
Our closing lineup hopefully has LBJ at "PF", AD at "C."
That's the true death lineup.
Kuz at the three is just as bad defensively as Kuz at the four. This is my biggest issue with having Kuz. I know I’ve seen the talk of his defensive improvement but I heard about it last year too. So u til he proves me wrong I’m seeing him on the floor as a negative defensively as a closer.
Yeah. Ball is in Kuz's court to show us he can be in a true closing lineup against playoff caliber teams. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
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