Lakers to start Smush Parker?

[Kori Ellis]

If Smush Parker is your starter, there's a problem.
:lmao

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_3102744

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

By process of elimination, journeyman Smush Parker appears as if he will have the chance to start for the Lakers.

Last week, coach Phil Jackson said he had four starters penciled in - Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. He said he would like 33-year-old veteran Aaron McKie to play a 28-minute role and be on the floor at the end of games, and he all but ruled out starting Devean George in the backcourt.

Parker came into training camp without even a fully guaranteed contract, but he might be Jackson's best option, especially with the Lakers working so much on a high-pressure defense.

''I came into the situation knowing that there's a starting spot open,'' Parker said. ''That's what I'm working toward. But they haven't given me any indication.''

Parker averaged 10.8 points and 3.4 assists for the Lakers' summer-league team and shot better than 50 percent.

[freemeat]

hey, I now live in LA....I get to hear this shit on a nightly basis via the local sporting news. In the Spurs off-season, I got to hear them whine about the dodgers, while I get to cheer the 'stros. Then, we sign Finley, Van Exel, and Oberto while the Laker fans get to hear that they've traded for Kwame Brown and that Smush Parker is gonna start.

Those Tards are providing for some great SoCal entertainment.

Here's an idea: add Scottie Pippen, with no coaching experience, to your coaching staff to teach a triangle offense to Lamar Odom who will later get pissed that Kobe is playing an isolation strategy run by....Smush Parker. GO SOAP OPERA!

[Horry For 3!]

Smush Parker the starting PG? :lmao

[Spurminator]

Even more scary for Laker fans is that Parker will start AT CENTER...

:lol

[Pistons < Spurs]

I think you all may be pretty damn suprised at how well Smush can play. This may be a very good fit for him and for L.A.

[Kori Ellis]

I think you all may be pretty damn suprised at how well Smush can play. This may be a very good fit for him and for L.A.

He's a scrub.
I've seen him play. I'm not even sure that he belongs in the league.

[Sportcamper]

Have fun *purs Fans...It won’t last.... :smokin

[Sportcamper]

I know this...With Pippen...Magic...Worthy...Kareem...and Rambis....Our coaches could kick your coaches collective azz’s... :lol

[Sense]

I know this...With Pippen...Magic...Worthy...Kareem...and Rambis....Our coaches could kick your coaches collective azz’s... :lol

Magic is a coach?

[freemeat]

There was a hilarious moment on the sporting news here in LA the other day when the reporters actually asked, "Could the Lakers coaching staff actually beat the players in a pick-up game?" The response from the players, out of respect, was that the coaches would win. And then, the coaches agreed. HAHAHA!

So, yeah...the Lakers coaching staff has more playing experience, but the team can still lick Phil Jackson's nut sac. And you can't EVER deny that.

[freemeat]

http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/lala/RambisLA.jpg

And Kurt Rambis? You're actually on the bandwagon of a guy who now does accident injury commercials that air on daytime TV?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

* lol

Smush Parker?

TPark could take Smush Parker. :lol

[CavsSuperFan]

Andrew Bynum follows in Shaqs footsteps...Sits out pre season with strained abdominal muscle.... :smokin

[cecil collins]

Have fun *purs Fans...It won’t last.... :smokin

It's already lasted pretty long, and doesn't look to end soon so...do you mean in like 10 years or something? I'd be okay with that.

[baseline bum]

Wow. Looks like LA will once again have the worst PG play in the league. On a related note, did anyone see that nasty ass block Adonal Foyle put on Medvedenko last night? Medvedenko went up for a 17-footer and Foyle went back and shoved that shit back in his face before he even let go of the shot. :lmao

[JamStone]

Smush Parker is by no means the Laker's desired point guard, but they could do much worse in my opinion. When you are on a team with Kobe Bryant who dominates the ball and often brings up the ball on offense, a player like Lamar Odom with great point guard instincts and skills for his position, and the triangle offense, you don't need a great ball-handling point guard or one who needs to know how to direct an offense. Derek Fisher wasn't a great point guard, but gave the Lakers what they needed, a good spot up shooter who played gritty defense. The Lakers' systen requires a point guard who can hit an open jumpshot, defend the point guard position well. Now, Smush hasn't shown that he's the greatest jump-shooter, but perhaps he has improved in that area, and he is a natural scorer, if not a pure shooter. But, what he does offer is great size, athleticism, and length a the point guard position. He's very quick and athletic and should be a good defender on both small, quick point guards, and bigger, stronger point guards.


I would be willing to bet that he will prove to be better than Luke Ridnour, Damon Jones, Mike James, Damon Stoudamire, Brevin Knight, and Dan Dickau.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Smush Parker is by no means the Laker's desired point guard, but they could do much worse in my opinion. When you are on a team with Kobe Bryant who dominates the ball and often brings up the ball on offense, a player like Lamar Odom with great point guard instincts and skills for his position, and the triangle offense, you don't need a great ball-handling point guard or one who needs to know how to direct an offense. Derek Fisher wasn't a great point guard, but gave the Lakers what they needed, a good spot up shooter who played gritty defense. The Lakers' systen requires a point guard who can hit an open jumpshot, defend the point guard position well. Now, Smush hasn't shown that he's the greatest jump-shooter, but perhaps he has improved in that area, and he is a natural scorer, if not a pure shooter. But, what he does offer is great size, athleticism, and length a the point guard position. He's very quick and athletic and should be a good defender on both small, quick point guards, and bigger, stronger point guards.


I would be willing to bet that he will prove to be better than Luke Ridnour, Damon Jones, Mike James, Damon Stoudamire, Brevin Knight, and Dan Dickau.

Good analysis.

I think he'll fit in nicely.

[Kori Ellis]

I think he'll suck. Odom will play point forward, so they don't need a real PG, but Smush Parker is horrible. It's like a waste of a starting spot to me.

We'll see.

[Obstructed_View]

The guy has started 19 games in the NBA and has a 1.1 to 1 assist to turnover ratio. His natural scoring talent has amassed him a whopping 5.6 points per game, most of that playing for the 17-65 Cavs.

Seriously, Laker fans, how much worse could they do? It's sad, bordering on pathetic, the way people are projecting greatness from Smush and Kwame.

[AI-square]

Smush Parker is by no means the Laker's desired point guard, but they could do much worse in my opinion. When you are on a team with Kobe Bryant who dominates the ball and often brings up the ball on offense, a player like Lamar Odom with great point guard instincts and skills for his position, and the triangle offense, you don't need a great ball-handling point guard or one who needs to know how to direct an offense. Derek Fisher wasn't a great point guard, but gave the Lakers what they needed, a good spot up shooter who played gritty defense. The Lakers' systen requires a point guard who can hit an open jumpshot, defend the point guard position well. Now, Smush hasn't shown that he's the greatest jump-shooter, but perhaps he has improved in that area, and he is a natural scorer, if not a pure shooter. But, what he does offer is great size, athleticism, and length a the point guard position. He's very quick and athletic and should be a good defender on both small, quick point guards, and bigger, stronger point guards.


I would be willing to bet that he will prove to be better than Luke Ridnour, Damon Jones, Mike James, Damon Stoudamire, Brevin Knight, and Dan Dickau.

I'd agree apart from the Damon Jones bit.

[baseline bum]

I've heard Jackson would rather use Kobe in a more SF role and use him as a scorer and not the distributor he was asked to be when Shaq was there. Scrubs are never good fits in starting lineups.

[baseline bum]

Smush Parker is by no means the Laker's desired point guard, but they could do much worse in my opinion.

How much worse? By starting Vujacic? The only thing Smush has going for him is a cool first name.

[JamStone]

I think he'll suck. Odom will play point forward, so they don't need a real PG, but Smush Parker is horrible. It's like a waste of a starting spot to me.


Kori, I'm not trying to change your mind about Smush Parker. But, when exactly did you see Smush play? For one or two games, for a few minutes? We had Smush here last year for Pistons training camp and for the beginning of the season. And, we saw that he's extremely athletic and can score. Not a great shooter, but he does have a knack for scoring. I'm not saying he'll be great or even good, but it's just my opinion that he won't be a scrub, or the worst point guard in the league.



The guy has started 19 games in the NBA and has a 1.1 to 1 assist to turnover ratio. His natural scoring talent has amassed him a whopping 5.6 points per game, most of that playing for the 17-65 Cavs.


First, when you play very few minutes, statistics are not as accurate a barometer of how good or bad a player actually is if given regular minutes. Secondly, when Smush played for Cleveland, where he accumulated most of the stats in his NBA career, he played off the ball a lot, not true point. Milt Palacio and either the Dajuan Wagner or Darius Miles point guard experiments ran the offense. Plus that team was horrible. Considering those two factors, it's hard to gauge his asssists-to-turnover ratio.

As to his point production, 5.6 ppg is not that bad considering he did it in 15.2 minutes per game. In other words, his ppg stats per 48 minutes would be 17.7 ppg/48m or if you wanted to gauge it better in starters minutes, say 35 minutes per game, Smush would average 12.9 ppg/35m. For Smush as the fifth option on that Lakers' starting unit, 13 points per game and (if you do the same to his assists per game/35 minutes per game) 5.0 assists doesn't sound too bad at all. It's better than say Bruce Bowen's statistics as the fourth or fifth option on offense for his team's starting unit.



Seriously, Laker fans, how much worse could they do? It's sad, bordering on pathetic, the way people are projecting greatness from Smush and Kwame

Let's see ... how worse could they have done? Start Von Wafer. Start Sasha Vujacic. Start Will Conroy. Start no point guard and let Odom run the point. Acquire guys like Howard Eisley, Troy Bell, Anthony Carter, or Darryl Armstrong and ask them to run the point. Ask Brian Shaw to come out of retirement to take another stab at it. Acquire Latrell Sprewell and wait for the implosion. I think they could have done a lot worse.



Now, I'm not saying Smush is the best option at point guard for the Lakers. Not even close. They should have gone after Antonio Daniels or Earl Watson, or at least a guy like Steve Blake. But, Smush is not the worst they could have done. He's a very athletic player who will score some points but will be mostly asked to hound the opposing point guards. If he's given steady minutes, he might even put up 8-10 points and 3 assists a game. And, with Kobe, Lamar, and Kwame on his team, those stats would probably be just fine for the team.

[JamStone]

Scrubs are never good fits in starting lineups.


Spurs fans can argue to the death with what I'm about to write, but before his 2000-01 season in Miami, BRUCE BOWEN was a "SCRUB" his first four seasons in the league.

Sometimes, it's about a player given an opportunity or finding the right fit with a certain team. Players who even get a whiff at the NBA are most certainly not scrubs, especially ones who aren't 7-feet, 250+. Now, a player may not make it in the league, but sometimes a "scrub" can find the right situation and prosper. Bruce Bowen, Ben Wallace, John Starks, Brad Miller, Marquis Daniels, Troy Hudson among others know all about it.

So, "scrubs" can turn into fine starters if given the chance.

[Kori Ellis]

Kori, I'm not trying to change your mind about Smush Parker. But, when exactly did you see Smush play? For one or two games, for a few minutes? We had Smush here last year for Pistons training camp and for the beginning of the season. And, we saw that he's extremely athletic and can score. Not a great shooter, but he does have a knack for scoring. I'm not saying he'll be great or even good, but it's just my opinion that he won't be a scrub, or the worst point guard in the league.

When he played for Cleveland I saw him a lot .. maybe 20 - 30 games of his games. I also saw him in a handful of the 16 games he played last year between Detroit and Phoenix. I just think that he's one of the guys that are barely NBA talent. He could do really well overseas or just teeter on barely being an NBA player IMO -- that's scrub to me. A lot of people freak out over the word "scrub" - to me it's a term for guys who are 10th man on up .. and that's what I think he is.

[Kori Ellis]

but sometimes a "scrub" can find the right situation and prosper. Bruce Bowen, Ben Wallace, John Starks, Brad Miller, Marquis Daniels, Troy Hudson among others know all about it.

So, "scrubs" can turn into fine starters if given the chance.

Of course. The Spurs 1999 Championship Team was loaded with former scrubs.

[ChumpDumper]

Start no point guard and let Odom run the point.Yeah, do this with McKie out there until Sasha can handle the minutes. Of course that begs the question whether McKie can handle the minutes, but it kind of makes more sense to start him and platoon the backups until someone emerges.

[JamStone]

When he played for Cleveland I saw him a lot .. maybe 20 - 30 games of his games. I also saw him in a handful of the 16 games he played last year between Detroit and Phoenix. I just think that he's one of the guys that are barely NBA talent. He could do really well overseas or just teeter on barely being an NBA player IMO -- that's scrub to me. A lot of people freak out over the word "scrub" - to me it's a term for guys who are 10th man on up .. and that's what I think he is.

Kori,

Be honest. Couldn't you say the same thing about Bruce Bowen after his first four years in the league? He barely had NBA talent. He would make a very good European player at best. Put in the right situation, given the opportunity, you may find a player to be better than you initially thought. Smush is obviously talented enough to get multiple chances in the NBA. He's obviously done enough to earn playing time, possibly a starting role with the Lakers over McKie, Conroy, Vujacic or another veteran point guard the Lakers could have brought in. With your thinking, the Spurs would not have Bruce Bowen and my Pistons would not have Ben Wallace.

[Kori Ellis]

He's the Lakers starting point guard by default. And Bowen, of course, was a scrub until he started to play D and found his niche, even though he scored 30 ppg in France. I just don't think Smush has a niche to find. Maybe somewhere in him (if he has enough drive) he can find a place in the league. But I don't think so. Hopefully for him (and the Lakers I guess) I'm wrong.

I just think some people don't like the word "scrub". I have a close friend who is trying to make the NBA right now (he's one of the Sonics training camp players) and I use the word scrub when I talk to him about the players who are trying to make it. He doesn't get offended, yet fans on the internet do.

[JamStone]

Kori,

I'm not offended at all by the word "scrub." I'm not even a Lakers fan. I'm not even a Smush Parker fan. The reason I even posted on this topic was to give some perspective. I saw him play with the Pistons and he showed some real promise to me, and I thought if he kept working on his game, he could be a player in this league. I wouldn't count out any player who at least gets a look at multiple NBA teams. You have to have some talent in order to get those chances.

But, Kori, it was not only your use of the word "scrub" but the other things you stated in your assessment of Smush that made me question your opinion a little bit ...



I think he'll suck. Odom will play point forward, so they don't need a real PG, but Smush Parker is horrible. It's like a waste of a starting spot to me.


Now calling him a "scrub" by itself is fine. But, you also think he'll suck and that he's horrible. My argument is only that he can't be that bad to earn the position he's in now, and he can definitely improve to the point of becoming a legitimate NBA player just like others who walked a similar path as he is walking now. That's why I mentioned Bruce and Ben. Only to counter the notion that it's a guarantee he will suck and be horrible.

[AFE7FATMAN]

... Scrubs are never good fits in starting lineups.

Disagree- Avery Johnson did all right

[Kori Ellis]

Shane Heal had to play PG for the Spurs in a pinch two years ago. Sometimes teams get desperate.

I don't think he'll last very long in the starting PG role for the Lakers. Like I said, anything can happen, but I haven't seen anything special in the guy that would show he will be able to hang in the league for very long.

Hopefully, he has worked hard and drastically improved so that he can find a place for himself though.

[CavsSuperFan]

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread....The Lakers are trying to "not run a traditional PG as a ball handler."...That is why Magic & Pippen have been working with Walton & Odom on their ball handling abilities...(This is old news)...

[Obstructed_View]

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread....The Lakers are trying to "not run a traditional PG as a ball handler."...That is why Magic & Pippen have been working with Walton & Odom on their ball handling abilities...(This is old news)...
The only reason they are doing that is because they don't have a decent point guard to play.

Didn't I read that Lloyd Daniels is making a comeback? :)

[reader]

Last year, when the Suns had both Nash and Barbosa out, they got Smush in on a 10 day. When Nash came back they cut him. This is a team that had no true back-up PG, that is when they really started to use Joe Johnson at PG when Nash rested. Not really a stirring endorsement for Smush, that he wasn't at least kept on until Barbosa returned.

[Sportcamper]

http://www.celebritysportstalk.com/press/photos/stu_headshot.jpg

The Lakers really are not expecting a whole lot out of Smush Parker...Protect the ball, play a little defense, hit the open jumper when it presents itself....Smush won’t have to worry about double teams as long as Kobe & Lamar are on the court....(Stu Lantz)

[ChumpDumper]

Would Smush ever have to worry about double teams?

[Bloodline666]

Even more scary for Laker fans is that Parker will start AT CENTER...

:lol

Are you sure Smush Parker's gonna be starting at CENTER? If so, then I don't really see how it makes a lot of sense. And, just when you think the Lakers already went on a downward spiral after losing Shaq to the Miami Heat last season, then if this whole thing about Parker starting at Center is true, then you can pretty much bet that no triangle offense Phil Jackson cooks up can save the Lakers from falling even further.

And, if this whole thing about Smush Parker starting at center is true, then imagine what Charles Barkley would be saying about Phil Jackson. (and Spurs fans know damn well that when Sir Charles speaks, people LISTEN!)

[Spurminator]

I know right, it's almost too crazy to be true!

[Purple & Gold]

Thank God the Smush experiment is over.

[timvp]

Damn, the wife took fools to the woodshed in this thread, tbh.

[Venti Quattro]

The only thing Smush has going for him is a cool first name.

Really, bb?

[whitemamba]

Thank God the Smush experiment is over.

worst days ever

[baseline bum]

LOL Piston fans not coming out looking too good in this thread.

[Clipper Nation]

:lol Smush Parker
:lol Still in Food Stamps' head

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

This thread is a shining example of retarded Pistonfan opinions.

[LkrFan]

He's a scrub.
I've seen him play. I'm not even sure that he belongs in the league.

^ Truth Bomb right here. It amazes me to this day that the Lakers put a major scare in the heavily favored Suns with Smush at PG. We blew a 3-1 lead, but still. We also started Kwame Brown around that time. Lamar Odom was inconsistent at best back then too. And that's not to mention Luke Walton, and Brian Cook.

No wonder we either never made the playoffs or were one and done A.S. (after Shaq) until the Lakers brought in some competent players. We were a lucky Tim Thomas 3ptr away from making some noise that year (thanks to Lamar Odom taking a mental break and not blocking out). We would have had a good shot at knocking off the Clippers that year in rout to the WCF (I believe we split the season series that year despite our putrid roster IIRC). Speaks to Kobe's Legend tbh.

[Kori Ellis]

:lol funny thread from when I used to post about basketball

[LkrFan]

Just read through this thread. One word: Jamst:lolne

[Clipper Nation]

LkrFag with pitiful takes per par.... the Clippers would have swept the Lakers that year, it took a fluke Raja Bell three for the same Suns team that whooped your ass to beat us, tbh...

I'll never forgive Dumbleavy for putting in Daniel fucking Ewing to guard Raja Bell, we were gonna ring that year until Dumbleavy fucked it up tbh....

[LkrFan]

LkrFag with pitiful takes per par.... the Clippers would have swept the Lakers that year, it took a fluke Raja Bell three for the same Suns team that whooped your ass to beat us, tbh...

I'll never forgive Dumbleavy for putting in Daniel fucking Ewing to guard Raja Bell, we were gonna ring that year until Dumbleavy fucked it up tbh....

2-2 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=260107012) :lol

[LkrFan]

LkrFag with pitiful takes per par.... the Clippers would have swept the Lakers that year, it took a fluke Raja Bell three for the same Suns team that whooped your ass to beat us, tbh...

I'll never forgive Dumbleavy for putting in Daniel fucking Ewing to guard Raja Bell, we were gonna ring that year until Dumbleavy fucked it up tbh....

2-2 (http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=241117013) (even in 2005) :lol

[Clipper Nation]

:lol Regular season chucking from Food Stamps

[LkrFan]

:lol Regular season chucking from Food Stamps

Ahh, I see you've moved on from "The Clippers would have swept the Lakers that year..." Who's the fag now shithead? :lol

[Clipper Nation]

Son, the tough Clipper defense would have exposed and humiliated Food Stamps come playoff time just like the Pistons did, tbh....

:lol Smush trying to guard Sam I Am
:lol Brand and Kaman shitting on the Laker bigs
:lol QRoss playing the role of Tayshaun Prince

[LkrFan]

^ :lmao

[Clipper Nation]

This would be the story of Food Stamps' life that series...

http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/images/11/2007/04/maggette.jpg

[DMC]

Just read through this thread. One word: Jamst:lolne

:lol

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I still have no idea how the Suns managed to win that series in 06. They needed a heroic shot from Raja Bell among other things. The 06 Clippers woulda def. beaten the 06 Lakers, but being able to beat the 06 Lakers doesn't mean much at all.

[scanry]

I still have no idea how the Suns managed to win that series in 06. They needed a heroic shot from Raja Bell among other things. The 06 Clippers woulda def. beaten the 06 Lakers, but being able to beat the 06 Lakers doesn't mean much at all.

Didn't matter that year. TBH Spurs - Mavs series was the finals. I still can't take that finals seriously. The Mavs were the much better team and should've overcome the refs imo.

After that finals, AJ was never the same. Riley practically killed his career. I could be wrong, but i don't see AJ lasting in Jersey.

[Venti Quattro]

What I still am wondering now about that season is how Dallas lost to Miami. I've accepted the fact that Phoenix just beat LA in 2006.

[scanry]

What I still am wondering now about that season is how Dallas lost to Miami. I've accepted the fact that Phoenix just beat LA in 2006.

Could say the same about the Spurs though. We were up 3, Game 7, Duncan having played some heavy minutes the previous 12 playoff games and Manu ends the season with that foul. That was basically it for Duncan. He went downhill from that year on (he was only 30 back then).

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Not sure how the Spurs, Mavs or Heat was relevant to my post, but OK man! Whatever you say!