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spursfan is so adorable at praying for Eliancitos injury aggravation
Eliancito will be fine and will go supernova in the WCFs.
What star? No real stars are available. Luke if he implements his system and we get the pick I think will get a little bit of patience from the fanbase for a couple reasons ...
1. Luke was cult hero for Lakers fans
2. IF we keep the pick you can argue that fans would prefer watching Simmons than trading for a flawed (insert) star
3. After the byron fiasco as long as we approach 32-35 wins I am cool depending on we sign as FA. if we get whiteside and horford then I would expect 42 wins (talking max in both cases) if the young players develop.
I was strongly against Batum/Horford (at near max) but based on what Luke wants to run guys that can pass defend and shoot are high priorities ...we will see. But I am against trading the pick. Randle is the only player I am willing to trade base don the prospect of if we get Simmons and sign Horford Randle has no spot on the team ...
And I was not a huge fan but Milsap seems to fit what Luke wants to do as well ...
Eliancito will be fine and will go supernova in the WCFs.
See. This is exactly what I'm talking about. This is Laker Nation. This, like LkrFan, is what they spout. We are LA! We have money and we always get our man and the best free agents! You are kidding yourself if you think the past 3 years of whiffing on every target we wanted is indicative of the future!
LA wants stars. They are going to pursue stars. Like Durant/Lebron/etc.... If they try to get those guys and whiff again, even with Kobe gone, you will now know that LA is no longer a destination for top free agents and that should both terrify & excite Laker fans.
It should terrify them because your front office/ownership have proven to be inept and money hungry while their fans suffer.
It should terrify them because LA doesn't know how to build teams if they don't have built in Free Agency advantages that no one else can compete with. What happened when FA's started saying no? They turned into Philly.
It should also excite them because through pure dumb luck it will force LA's ownership team to face the facts and learn how to be an actual basketball operation. It will force them to be smart and think about what they do vs just getting to sign every big free agent or rob teams of their stars.
But again, this off season is so huge for LA. They are at rock bottom and if they whiff on their targets again, regardless if it ends up being a blessing in disguise it forever buries LA as you knew them as a free agent draw.
They have a new coach. They have LA. They have more money than just about anyone. They have young "talent". They have a lottery pick. If they try (which they shouldn't) and fail? It's over for LA as a big free agent draw.
Is it a guarantee that luke wants to run the same system as the Dubs? He might have a mind of his own, maybe he loved the triangle. The warriors offense fits their personel, and the lakers clearly don't have the shooters to play like the warriors. I like luke, but are the lakers ready to be patient with him as a coach? The lakers are at least 3 to 4 years away from competing for the playoffs, and that all depends on hitting it big in the draft, and not just with their #1 picks. I honestly think that anyone on the warriors staff could have won games as the acting head coach with this team, just hand the ball to curry and you got a good chance of looking like a genius. I am also of the mindset that LA is not really a big FA destination anymore, players used to think they need to be in a big market to be stars, but that is not the case anymore. Big names are fine with playing in smaller markets now a days, and they actually can still be stars. Just look at how hard it has been for the lakers/knicks lately.
What's funny about LkrFan's quote I responded too is he misses the point entirely like usual. No, GS didn't build through FA, but they drafted great. THAT WAS THEIR PLAN.
Has LA drafted great? Do they have a Curry/Klay level player due to their great draft? No. They have not drafted well despite missing 3 damn playoffs in a row.
GS didn't fail because they didn't chase big Free Agents. They had a plan of good drafting, smart deals & getting good fit FA's.
LA is chasing big names and whiffing. If you have a plan and don't achieve your plan, then you fail. GS had a plan, built a le team like good franchises do, so why would they have failed?
It's not the results that are key right now, but the process. If LA keeps acting like they are the LA of old and chasing big time FA's they will fail. But if they succeed in that it will prove people wrong about the power LA still holds over free agency. Will it work out? Not sure, but they seem to want to prove they are the "premier" franchise for attracting big names.
I feel LA needs to rebuild the way did they during the early to mid 90's after Magic retired which was like you said drafting good players and signing solid FA's. I remember during that time period the Lakers had two solid players in Campbell and Divac's along with drafting Van Exel and Eddie Jones. They also managed to sign a good FA in Ceballos. After that core was assembled they instantly became a middle of the pack playoff team in the West. I feel it was those moves they had made to be a legit playoff team that allowed them to lure a super FA in Shaq. LA back then built a good roster to lure super FA's but now they feel they can get the super FA without having a good roster.
I think everyone knows what they should do, but their fans are pretty dumb (see the ticket prices they paid for the past 3 years. Coach called them dumb. Kobe called them dumb. They fought about how they were a playoff team even up until this season).
They "demand" to be the "premier" free agent and super start hot spot. The management brainwashed them to be this way. Kobe did it too.
For Laker fan, they should hope 1 of 2 things happen IMO. 1 (most likely). LA goes after Durant and Lebron and strikes out. That's what will most likely happen. They will have to sign FA option C, D, E or F and it will be a major ego blow now that the Kobe excuse is gone.
2. LA doesn't go for those top guys, drafts a good player & signs some younger but talented FA's to grow with their core and take their time building toward a playoff like UTA (hopefully with better results).
Either way, La is probably going to back door their way into the right way of doing things because the best FA will turn them down. It's a good thing, but it's not for a lack of effort towards failure.
But, LA could once again prove they are still a huge FA draw when they have equal money and that "everyone wants to play in La for the Lakers".
Thats the big question. Was Kobe that big of a drain on the franchise? Or was it a combo of Kobe and inept management and they have lost their "magic".
I love Magic the player and business man but hate Magic the Laker fan (and talkshow host/TV analyst) ...
Instead of looking for a magical (ha!) fix.
We should sign young players (whiteside/Barnes) to hopefully less than max deals.
Deeps you bring up some good points but I dont think star chasing is the issue. Chasing the WROING stars is the problem ...
Aldridge was good call as was trying to retain Pau.
Monroe, Melo and Dwight were dumb calls same as the max extension for Kobe.
Magic, is a moron but of course if we could get Lebron or Durant that would help.
But since neither is happening stop with the pie in the sky dreams and sign some good young players to mesh with your recent and hopefully future top draft picks.
But all this doom and gloom makes no sense. The last few years of free agency were and that's not all on Kobe ... we have whiffed in FA for a variety of reasons but even if this is the first year without him I dont think you can say all the you are saying is proven true after one year. We still have Jim buss and Jeannie fighting over control of the team a young unproven coach. To say that it means LA is n longer a draw is bull . It depends on the strength of the team our coach the individual player etc.
for example I doubt Kiwi would have came to the Lakers even if Kobe was gone and we have a great coach like RC ...does that mean if he turned us down LA is no longer a draw?
The Lakers demise isnt about L.A., or Kobe or even Jim buss alone. There are multiple factors including management unrest, lack of talent and poor coaching decisions.
IF all things are equal I think a lot of players still choose Los Angeles ...we have not made things equal.
didnt see this one ...this more in line with my thoughts ...
You just take it to far ...you have some good points otherwise old "friend" ...
This also ...
Been yelling that for 3 years but because of a spoiled fanbase and/or TWC deal they don't listen ...
What other "equal" is there? You have the same money. That's all it used to take. People "want to play in LA". If you give them that chance + the same money? Used to be lights out for everyone else.
The point of this was there is a massive black eye on the Lakers org. They have become losers. They have been mocked. Kobe drug them through the mud (and it's their fault). They need this "splash" from a PR perspective.
And yes, with Kobe gone, that was the last crutch Laker management and fans had to hold onto. "Who wants to play with Kobe when we are tanking, etc..".
Well, he's gone. LA isn't tanking. They have "young talent" & money and no Kobe anchor weighing them down. Time to see if LA is still the premier FA destination like they say they are.
And when I say losers, I mean it in the context of them not only missing the playoffs, but being ok with being a complete joke in team building, player developement and drafting.
It's one thing to be like UTA and miss the playoffs for many years, but to be like Philly where you flat out tank and suck and are mocked? Then really have nothing to show for it? No progress. Just straight embarrassing franchise lows for 3 years. That's why they are losers.
If they had missed the playoffs because of Kobe and the deal ok, but be smart. Build towards something. They just cashed in on the fans and became a bottom 3 franchise in the league. That is unacceptable for a franchise with this much clout and history.
Damn the Warriors are beasting it even without curry, it just tells you how good this squad is. They should save Curry for the spurs, they are gonna need him for that.
I already said the others:
Coaching
Front-office
Other talented players
You already said the Lakers dont have any "special" young players ...so then how can you say everything is equal? That doesnt make any sense.
If the money is equal and I am Kevin Durant would I choose to go play for former Kerr protege gentry and play with Unibrow
or
Former protege Luke and D'angelo russell?!
Even before the leaked video any sane person would choose Anthony Davis because a chance to play with another great player has more draw than just a potential young star ...
As Biggie said ...i am going back to Cali stritly for the weather, women and the weed ...sticky green.
You the order he placed those in ...
I have lived in NY, SA, DAL and LA ... visited SF, SEA, PHO, LV, Philly Chicago on weeks long biz trips and vacation.
IF all things are equal I choose Cali but the public schools and housing in DFW are the reasons I say in Frisco, TX.
IF make it truly rich ... I am going, going, back, back to Cali, cali ...
and sticking my kids in private school.
It's not about me. I am speaking the truth and agree with you. This is about what the Front Office is telling fans, what the majority of Laker fans spout (see Magic's tweets, LkrFans posts, etc..) & what pundits seem to spout.
I agree LA is not on equal footing any longer and "LA" can't make up for the massive damage Kobe/FO did to the franchise in 3 years.
But is that going to stop LA from spinning their wheels on Durant/Lebron? Nope. I guess they have to talk to them, but they should cool it with the false bravado because it's turning them into a laughing stock when they strike out and go "duerrrr we don't get why they don't want to come here".
Golden State had a tremendous amount of luck, it was the perfect storm, so to speak. Curry and Green should be the text book definition of winning an NBA lottery. While most if not all players have an absurd amount of potential prior to the draft, no one expected these two to be Superstars. Just read all the draft camp analysis of Curry and no one pegged him becoming this outrageous.
agreed on both accounts.
But I dont care what the fans want or think at least not the short-sighted ones ...
That is 95% of your fan base and how your leadership is though.
I was the same as a kid but the season's from 91-99 smacked and brought me back to reality.
this
just read some of the projections on curry and they are gold
"In some sites, I saw Curry to be compared to Mike Bibby"
"Best case for Curry is Mike Bibby, middle ground is Steve Blake, worst case is Daniel Gibson or Eddie House"
"Curry is Adam Morrison. A volume scorer who lacks the athleticism, quickness, and skill to be anything in the NBA other than a spot up, wide open shooter.
The difference of course is that Morrison actually had a defined position, Curry does not"
"Steph is stuck in between the 1 and 2, and does nothing good enough to be either one
"He's not athletic enough to be a scoring combo guard, and hes not a good enough playmaker/passer to be a true point on the nba level"
"Steph has no power. Terrel Brandon could blow by all defenders without the need of a series of crossovers. Steph needed to use advanced dribble moves against horrible college defenders. His first step is non existent for an NBA PG. Steph is just a perimeter shooter and perimeter scorer. He's a less athletic version of Ben Gordon with better floor vision. I'm not projecting him to be as good as Ben"
"Curry got a good skillset, especially for this draft, and his skills on the offensive end have high polish. But I really worry that he might lack the athleticism to do the same thing in the pros. I mean, he'll knock down open jumpers, and even some non-open jumpers, but what sort of offense will he generate inside? He's so very unexplosive, I saw him have trouble beating defenders consistently, taking and making a lot of contested floaters fading to either side with his man stuck to him. In the NBA, that man will be larger, quicker, and I'm not sure Curry will be able to get the separation he needs for his shot"
"Mo Williams/Jason Terry.....he should be an important "piece" for teams moving forward...but not the main piece for sure"
and this "analysis" and "observations" were before the summer league where curry struggled shooting 30% all summer
No one gives a about this series. Warriors in 4.
Blazers coming in fired up
Hope we get a good one tonight.
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