Is this a reality show, a NBA team, or both?
Beasley, Lance, Javale, Rondo... that is quite the collection of personalities to surround Lebron with.
Is this a reality show, a NBA team, or both?
Beasley, Lance, Javale, Rondo... that is quite the collection of personalities to surround Lebron with.
He's like a lesser Kuzma. Kinda redundant but you can never have enough offense.I actually like Beasley for that roster. I am with the crowd that think the Lakers may still make a bold move before the season starts but until then, he gives them a bit more scoring and he has shown the ability to shoot around 40% from deep over the last few seasons, albeit on limited attempts. He is abysmal at defense but I doubt he will be asked to play meaningful minutes where he needs to do anything other than score.
With LaVar in the front room behind the bench screaming at Walton. I love this team lol.
Beasley, Lance, Javale, Rondo... that is quite the collection of personalities to surround Lebron with.
It’ll be entertaining af, but — barring a big move for another elite player — I’m still getting a strong whiff of “tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”I actually like Beasley for that roster. I am with the crowd that think the Lakers may still make a bold move before the season starts but until then, he gives them a bit more scoring and he has shown the ability to shoot around 40% from deep over the last few seasons, albeit on limited attempts. He is abysmal at defense but I doubt he will be asked to play meaningful minutes where he needs to do anything other than score.
I think you are spot on though I like Walton for this team so I wouldn't necessarily characterize him as in over his head. Given his pedigree, his low-key approach (which should minimize the chances of him butting heads with LeBron) and the fact that Magic/Pelinka appear to be fully supporting him, I think he has as good a chance as anyone to make lemonade out of lemons here.It’ll be entertaining af, but — barring a big move for another elite player — I’m still getting a strong whiff of “tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
One 34 y.o. superstar + no other Top 50 (100?) players + no chemistry + head coach in over his head + clueless GM who thinks Rondo is a better “uptempo PG” than Ball + inflated expectations = a wildly entertaining shitshow of a #4-6 seed?
Edit: I actually like Beasley (rich man’s Melo, imho) but I’m not sure how well he fits on that team.
LeBron doesn’t stand a chance against that lineup.Beasley, Lance, Javale, Rondo...
It may be a "fact" that it "appears" Magic is supporting Walton but let's not forget that Walton was NOT a Magic hire nor was he a LeBron hire. There are no championship aspirations for LeBron with this particular Lakers team and they all know this...….it will be next offseason when the Lakers begin compiling the necessary pieces to make their real runs. If ever there was a favorite for a coach to be one-and-done it is Luke Walton.I think you are spot on though I like Walton for this team so I wouldn't necessarily characterize him as in over his head. Given his pedigree, his low-key approach (which should minimize the chances of him butting heads with LeBron) and the fact that Magic/Pelinka appear to be fully supporting him, I think he has as good a chance as anyone to make lemonade out of lemons here.
The Lakers are truly relevant now just by having LeBron on their roster. They will once again be the most followed team in the NBA.
Both you and snomanny are correct too. They will likely be a wildly entertaining shitshow lower-seed and simultaneously meet or exceed the hopes of their front-office, fans and NBA watchers everywhere. Adam Silver's final phase transformation into C. Montgomery Burns is almost complete.
Actually "fact" wasn't the best choice of words there. And you are correct that Walton was neither a Magic nor LeBron chosen coach. However, he is a championship member of the Laker family, an NBA legacy and essentially a branch of the Phil Jackson, Kerr/Popovich coaching trees.It may be a "fact" that it "appears" Magic is supporting Walton but let's not forget that Walton was NOT a Magic hire nor was he a LeBron hire. There are no championship aspirations for LeBron with this particular Lakers team and they all know this...….it will be next offseason when the Lakers begin compiling the necessary pieces to make their real runs. If ever there was a favorite for a coach to be one-and-done it is Luke Walton.
That's pretty much spot on in re Walton. He's a really good coach for the reasons you state and the only thing I'd add is that Buss loves him, too....and she has power in this. He is not at all over his head -- he's a good combo of analytics and cred from having been a player as well as working quite well with young players. In re Randle's huge improvement last season, there was a lot of Phil in how Walton both supported and needled him....but it got results even if it pissed Randle off.Actually "fact" wasn't the best choice of words there. And you are correct that Walton was neither a Magic nor LeBron chosen coach. However, he is a championship member of the Laker family, an NBA legacy and essentially a branch of the Phil Jackson, Kerr/Popovich coaching trees.
Having watched Walton enough over the years, I feel confident that he is going to be a head coach in this league for as long as he wants. He has the street cred with the young players given his age and experience, generally makes sound coaching decisions and appears comfortable with analytics. Finally - and I think this is a huge asset of Walton's - he is comfortable enough with who he is that he is fairly low-key. Ty Lue gets a lot of grief in NBA circles but one of the reasons he "succeeded" in Cleveland was that he knew who the star of the show was. Walton has displayed a similar quiet approach to running his team and seemed to weather the LaVar Ball storm reasonably well.
I won't rule out one and done for Walton as the Lakers coach this year. But I don't have it as my base case.
If the entire Lakers' offseason were some sort of trial by fire plan to improve Walton's player management skills as fast as possible, everything would suddenly make sense.Anything could happen, but Walton is part of the Laker solution. Though god knows he'll be tested with some of the knuckleheads they've given him this year.
Meh. Nobody knows for sure, but the clock is ticking on the amount of time LeBron has left to be LeBron. I'm glad they are wasting a year of it.Maybe I'm the only one but I kind of like what the Lakers have created. Competition between Lance, Rondo, Javale and Beasley as oldsters and the youngsters Kuzma, Hart, Ball, Ingram, is healthy and appealing to me. It gives Lebron a bunch of players to see who he can get the most out of. They'll be competing for PT and with their length they can field a team that could be pretty good defensively if they are committed to defense. Even short man Rondo has a 6'9" wingspan. I figure their gameplan is to run and play D with a lot of guys who can handle the ball. Should be fun to watch for LA fans. The celebs will be back this year.
When you have limited options in setting up for next summer this is what you have to do. Who was available on cheap one-year deals this summer to make the Lakers true contenders this season? It was dreamland to think Pop and RC were going to assist them in building their dynasty this year.Meh. Nobody knows for sure, but the clock is ticking on the amount of time LeBron has left to be LeBron. I'm glad they are wasting a year of it.
Their moves strike me as filling out the roster on a team with a big 3 or 4, except they paid big money for those pieces and they are a big 1. They signed guys that would be good additions to an already established playoff team.Maybe I'm the only one but I kind of like what the Lakers have created. Competition between Lance, Rondo, Javale and Beasley as oldsters and the youngsters Kuzma, Hart, Ball, Ingram, is healthy and appealing to me. It gives Lebron a bunch of players to see who he can get the most out of. They'll be competing for PT and with their length they can field a team that could be pretty good defensively if they are committed to defense. Even short man Rondo has a 6'9" wingspan. I figure their gameplan is to run and play D with a lot of guys who can handle the ball. Should be fun to watch for LA fans. The celebs will be back this year.
Whether it could have happened or not, I'm just glad it didn't. Every summer it doesn't happen is another 3,000 minutes on the LeBrometer and no title.When you have limited options in setting up for next summer this is what you have to do. Who was available on cheap one-year deals this summer to make the Lakers true contenders this season? It was dreamland to think Pop and RC were going to assist them in building their dynasty this year.
They now have the potential to put a lethal team around him next summer.
Paid big money for who? Every signing post-LeBron has been a one-year deal in preparation of next summers free agent frenzy.Their moves strike me as filling out the roster on a team with a big 3 or 4, except they paid big money for those pieces and they are a big 1. They signed guys that would be good additions to an already established playoff team.
When teams have a big 3/big 4, there are usually vets willing to sign on for much cheaper than they did.Paid big money for who? Every signing post-LeBron has been a one-year deal in preparation of next summers free agent frenzy.
Agreed......what does this have to do with the Lakers who presently have a Big-1? The purpose of the 1-years is to CREATE a big3/big4 (big2 even) next summer while having an entire offseason for those vets to recognize the Lakers as a viable ring chasing opportunity. There were no avenues to creating such a team this year on short notice.When teams have a big 3/big 4, there are usually vets willing to sign on for much cheaper than they did.
They could have kept Randle - that he took 2, $19m, from the Hornets suggests that he could have been had for the right 1 year offer. I don't think it's reasonable to say that Javale McGee was indispensable to what they are trying to achieve in 2018-19. Maybe they could have gone after someone like Reddick who took a huge paycut and would have been able to hit those open 3s Lebron could get him. Some of the moves make sense but was it really necessary to sign Rondo AND Lance, AND Beasley AND Javale... or were there other options?For the people who hate the one year deals, who should the Lakers have spent their money on this summer? Was signing Jabari Parker or Marcus Smart at the expense of playing in next year's FA market a better path than this one?
Javale, Lance, Rondo and Beas are veteran's min guys at this point in their careers. KCP was a big overpay too, but that one makes some sense given his age and last year's modest improvements (and let's be honest, the agent thing). You've rightly pointed out that they didn't take on long-term money and that's good, but there is an opportunity cost to eating up all that cap room now rather than later. They could have used that space for an unbalanced trade at the deadline. They could have done the Faried deal with Denver and picked up a draft asset. Or they could have been bigger players on the buyout market later. You just never know what sorts of deals might come available and they bowed out on that to lock in a bunch of marginal talents.Paid big money for who? Every signing post-LeBron has been a one-year deal in preparation of next summers free agent frenzy.
To wit, the Warriors got Boogie Cousins, Jonas Jerebko, Kevon Looney and Quinn Cook — all on one year deals — for $12M total, or what the Lakers paid for KCP.When teams have a big 3/big 4, there are usually vets willing to sign on for much cheaper than they did.
The Kawhi ship hasn't sailed-- yet. But if the Lakers want him the package will have to start with Brandon Ingram and include plenty of other goodies.But of course, all of this is assuming the PG and Kawhi ships had to sail, and that Magic had no choice but to punt a full season of LeBron at age 34. I don't really buy that. To me the inability to unite the two LA-raised stars with LeBron while he was still in his late prime — the one grouping imho that could have posed an existential threat to the GSW hegemony — has to be seen as a pretty huge failure. (I mean, I guess you could give Magic brownie points for getting LeBron in the first place, but I always felt like his moving to LA was a given).
Agree with this. KCP I kind of get because it may have been a favor (or what not). McGee on a minimum is fine. But Rondo, Lance, and Beasley? You're absolutely correct - Jerebko, Mike Scott, and Luc Mbah A Moute I think would have worked out a ton better, particularly on the defensive end.To wit, the Warriors got Boogie Cousins, Jonas Jerebko, Kevon Looney and Quinn Cook — all on one year deals — for $12M total, or what the Lakers paid for KCP.
Cook may not be a fair inclusion, since he was locked up late in the season, but he is the type of sightly off-the-radar player that smart GMs target. I think you can easily make an case that his elite shooting (44% career from 3) makes for a better basketball fit than Rondo a team built around LeBron that also has Lonzo Ball. If not Cook, how about Sauce Castillo (1 year / $1.6M with BKN)?
I'm sure Magic would argue that Rondo is better than guys like that because he's a "savvy vet with playoff experience who can mentor the kids." I don't really buy the "good mentor" argument (that's what the coaches are for, including Coach LeBron); and I think the "playoff experience" part only makes sense to the extent you believe the Lakers with Rondo have a realistic chance at making a deep playoff run, which I don't, personally (though I don't doubt Magic does).
I'd also argue that less marquee guys like Jerebko, Looney, Mike Scott, Luc Mbah A Moute, Kyle O'Quinn, Anthony Tolliver et al. could have been cheaper and better-fitting than Lance and Beas.
Once the PG and Kawhi ships sailed, Magic basically shot his capspace wad on the biggest name-brands out there who were willing to sign one-year contracts (of the 18 highest-paid players signed to one-year deals, four are Lakers). Which I guess isn't the worst thing — they kept off long-term money, and without PG or Kawhi they likely weren't competing this year either way. But I think a good GM could have done a bit better, either through targeting less name-brand guys who fit the team better, or as Cheech notes, by keeping some powder dry for moves later in the season.
But of course, all of this is assuming the PG and Kawhi ships had to sail, and that Magic had no choice but to punt a full season of LeBron at age 34. I don't really buy that. To me the inability to unite the two LA-raised stars with LeBron while he was still in his late prime — the one grouping imho that could have posed an existential threat to the GSW hegemony — has to be seen as a pretty huge failure. (I mean, I guess you could give Magic brownie points for getting LeBron in the first place, but I always felt like his moving to LA was a given).
Wait....Jerebko, Scott, and Mbah a Moute are needle movers? C'mon this is getting a bit out of hand now......while I am chuckling with the rest of us on the characters LeBron will have joining him you are arguing that Mike Freakin Scott and Jonas Jerebko are the ones who would have lifted the Lakers to be contenders this year?Agree with this. KCP I kind of get because it may have been a favor (or what not). McGee on a minimum is fine. But Rondo, Lance, and Beasley? You're absolutely correct - Jerebko, Mike Scott, and Luc Mbah A Moute I think would have worked out a ton better, particularly on the defensive end.
Yeah, it's hard to believe he somehow left the Cavs for an even weaker roster. He should have done another 1+1 and waited for another star to sign on before he bounced. Who knows though, maybe their kids will all make a leap this year.I find the Laker offseason baffling and I find it hard to believe that LeBron would be ok with it unless he has little or no interest in competing for championships.
Cleveland will do that to you. Even Lebron doesn't live forever, and mortality is buzzing at his ear. Nobody wants to go up in the river.I find the Laker offseason baffling and I find it hard to believe that LeBron would be ok with it unless he has little or no interest in competing for championships.
Good point about the ship not having sailed. Toronto may prove just a port in the storm.The Kawhi ship hasn't sailed-- yet.
...snip...
If they win 45 games and lose in the first or second round-- a realistic scenario in my view-- Luke Walton's head will roll.
I don't know if you're serious but Davis kinda stinks and Ariza signed for $15m prior to LeBron becoming a Laker.What about Ariza and Ed Davis?
This exactly.I find the Laker offseason baffling and I find it hard to believe that LeBron would be ok with it unless he has little or no interest in competing for championships.
The argument is two fold. First, the personalities that Pelinka put together are so combustible that having experienced role players might work out a lot better than Rondo etc. Ingram could be really good with LBJ and if Kuzma plays more defense, these guys have some pieces. I wouldn't surprisedif people start complaining about playing time and who has the ball during the season, particularly given the personalities.Wait....Jerebko, Scott, and Mbah a Moute are needle movers? C'mon this is getting a bit out of hand now......while I am chuckling with the rest of us on the characters LeBron will have joining him you are arguing that Mike Freakin Scott and Jonas Jerebko are the ones who would have lifted the Lakers to be contenders this year?
First off, Jerebko wasn't really a get as he'd be unlikely to choose the Lakers over Golden State while Scott is his own walking character flaw. The Lakers were also reported to be in on Mbah a Moute who may have simply chosen the Clippers over them we don't know. Some people are acting like all the Lakers had to do was snap their fingers and hand pick their second unit. It feels more like they were left with scraps on 1-year deals no matter which way they went.