Don’ be a Sabo while chasin’ 4 rings in LA: 2021-22 GOAT franchise Boss Angeles Lakers season thread

[ghostwriterx]

Just about everything in that article looks accurate.

Westbrook was one of the most predictable mistakes in recent NBA history.

Refusing to give up THT for Kyle Lowry was

Keeping THT over Caruso was also

Reggie Bullock, Mike Muscala, Dennis Schroder....



Only part I disagree with is the suggestion that signing Gasol was a mistake. I actually think the team often looked really good with Gasol in the middle. If Vogel had managed rotations better and AD/Bron hadn't gotten hurt last year, pretty sure we'd see Gasol as being a valuable signing.

I don't think Gasol was as good after covid and then the trade for Drummond and guaranteeing him the starter role completely demoralized him.

 

[Sinnerman]

Why is nobody talking about the Clippers on a 5 game losing streak? Their upcoming schedule looks as brutal as the Lakers too. Is it possible they drop out the 8th seed?

They have PG coming back soon right?

 

[HoldThisL]

What do you want people to say?

I'm saying that Lakers could potentially face the Clippers assuming that Lakers hold the 10th spot and Clippers drop to 9th.

 

[GreatestLaker]

Has this been posted yet?

Jesus christ... it's way worse than I've realized. if this doesn't show you how incompetent this front office is.

 

[CHERUB]

Has this been posted yet?

Mannn FUKK that article. How bout put Jeanie Buss and Pelinka picture instead of LBJ and AD. Whole time talking about what "The Lakers" did and "The Lakers" handed Vogel an old team.. say fukking names bytch. Mentioned the Front Office ONCE. And how does KURT RAMBIS continue to escape criticism??? This is the REAL STORY. the truth keep coming on out

 

[Professor Emeritus]

I don't think Gasol was as good after covid and then the trade for Drummond and guaranteeing him the starter role completely demoralized him.

Yeah, they should have mentioned Drummond rather than Gasol cause that was the real problem.

Drummond
Harrell
Westbrook
Schroeder
THT

I feel like so many of their major mistakes have the exact same problem. All of these high-energy offensively-focused players that put their heart into the game but can't shoot for shyt and don't play team defense.

 

[Regular_P]

Has this been posted yet?

Article is mid.

Lotta Captain Obvious notes and a lot of stuff that isn't pertinent to Pelinka:

• 2018: Waived Thomas Bryant, who became a productive starter after the Wizards claimed him off waivers. If a young, talented big who can shoot the ball doesn't fit your plans, why not trade him?
• 2018: Revoked future All-Star Julius Randle's qualifying offer to let him walk as an unrestricted free agent. Randle was the No. 7 pick in 2014.
• 2019: Traded Svi Mykhailiuk and a second-round pick to the Pistons for Reggie Bullock, who left as a free agent after the season. Two smaller assets gone to rent the services of a veteran shooter. L.A. didn't even make a playoff run.
• 2019: Traded Ivica Zubac (and Michael Beasley) to the Clippers for Mike Muscala, who left as a free agent after the season. The Lakers wasted another quality draft pick (No. 32 in 2016), gave the Clippers a starter and haven't had anyone as good at center.

All of this goofy shyt was Magic and exactly why he had to go. Dude was a complete train wreck besides sitting in the room to sign LeBron.

• 2020: Traded Danny Green and a first-round pick to get Dennis Schroder, who left as a free agent after the season. It was a significant step as L.A. broke apart its championship defensive identity, and it also threw away a first-rounder.
• 2020: Traded JaVale McGee and a second-rounder to the Cavaliers for Alfonzo McKinnie and Jordan Bell (waived immediately) to make salary-cap room for Marc Gasol. After the season, McKinnie was waived, and Gasol was traded with a second-round pick and $250,000 to the Grizzlies. McGee is playing a valuable supporting role for the first-place Suns. Neither Gasol nor McKinnie is in the NBA. That journey cost two second-round picks.

How can I take you serious when you're poo-pooing the Danny Green/Schroder trade. Number one, Green was shytty on both ends of the court. Number two, Schroder was really good defensively. Look at the drop-off from him to Westbrick this season.

Gasol played really well, then they destroyed it because AD and LeBron wanted Drummond and promised him starter minutes. Total bozo move that was the beginning of unraveling last year's team.

The Caruso/THT thing clearly turned into an either-or situation because of the luxury tax (which was bullshyt for this franchise to do). But obviously they prioritized signing LeBron's client over winning, which is pathetic.

And stop with the Lowry bullshyt again. You can't write in an article that last season was over as soon as AD went down and then complain about not trading for Lowry.

If Lowry was in LA right now making $30 million for three years to produce 13/7.5/4.5 on 43/37% shooting, this entire fanbase would be on his ass and shytting on the front office.

 

[threattonature]

If Bron and AD had played the entire season (just like Dwight and Kobe did) and Nunn had managed to play at least half the season (like Nash did) then I think the 2022 Lakers would have had at least as strong a record as the 2013 Lakers and would be more hopeful right now.

The reason morale is low is because until Kobe's season-ending injury those 2013 injury issues paled in comparison to the 2022 injury issues. Westbrook on top of that has been a real issue, but I think Westbrook's issues would have eventually been worked into the fold even if he was discontent (like Dwight was discontent in 2013), if they hadn't had all the other injuries and problems to deal with. Especially if the team had had Nunn there as a more viable option to Westbrook.

That 2013 team had bad injury issues too. Dwight despite the numbers wasnt all the right coming off back surgery. So he’d beast one night and could barely move the next. Pau and Nash both missed over 30 games and when Nash did play he too was slowed by injury. 2013 at least showed over a stretch that they could possibly be a top team. This year’s team is just poorly put together and hasn’t had any glimpses of being a top team.

 

[threattonature]

Why is nobody talking about the Clippers on a 5 game losing streak? Their upcoming schedule looks as brutal as the Lakers too. Is it possible they drop out the 8th seed?

fukk the Clippers. They need to worry about even holding on to the 10th spot

 

[ghostwriterx]

Yeah, they should have mentioned Drummond rather than Gasol cause that was the real problem.

Drummond
Harrell
Westbrook
Schroeder
THT

I feel like so many of their major mistakes have the exact same problem. All of these high-energy offensively-focused players that put their heart into the game but can't shoot for shyt and don't play team defense.

Schroeder was good defensively and would've been perfect if they kept him on the 2nd unit. LA coming off a chip and making promises to guys who don't deserve it was mind boggling.

 

[CantStop]

Schroeder was good defensively and would've been perfect if they kept him on the 2nd unit. LA coming off a chip and making promises to guys who don't deserve it was mind boggling.

Schroeder was actively saying before and during the season that he wasn't coming off the bench yet has no issue coming off the bench for every other team. not to mention him being anti-vax at the time and being a dikkhead cost us multiple games when he went into protocols 2 separate times. not to mention his offensive game was woat. dude had a 0 pt game in the playoffs. he wasn't as woat as russ is tho. he wasn't good either. he's a 6th man. it took him losing millions of $ to figure that out.

 

[Regular_P]

Schroeder was actively saying before and during the season that he wasn't coming off the bench yet has no issue coming off the bench for every other team. not to mention him being anti-vax at the time and being a dikkhead cost us two games when he went into protocols 2 separate times. not to mention his offensive game was woat. dude had a 0 pt game in the playoffs. he wasn't as woat as russ is tho. he wasn't good either. he's a 6th man. it took him losing millions of $ to figure that out.

I think they should try to bring him back this summer. He needs to rehab his value again.

As a sixth man though.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

If Lowry was in LA right now making $30 million for three years to produce 13/7.5/4.5 on 43/37% shooting, this entire fanbase would be on his ass and shytting on the front office.

Disagreed with other stuff too but just want to point out this misuse of stats.

You said those shooting #'s like they're bad when they're actually above-average for a PG who creates his own shot, they only look a little off because Lowry takes more 3pt than 2pt.

Lowry shoots 53% on 2pt and 37% on 3pt, his eFG% is 55%. Those #'s are great for a guy who creates the majority of his shots (over 2/3 of his threes are unassisted). For comparison, Tyler Herro's eFG% is 52% and Jimmy Butler's is 49%. Dennis Schroeder is career 47% eFG, he was at 48% for the Lakers which is a mile behind Lowry. Lowry even beats out Chris Paul, who has an eFG% of 54% this year on similar volume.



A veteran point guard with title experience who can give you an efficient 13 and 8 with tough defense while spreading the floor and creating his own shot is a HUGE asset. He addresses three Lakers needs simultaneously - he's a shooter, a perimeter defender, and the 2nd creator they were missing.

Lowry
Caruso/Monk
Bron
AD

All that team needs to win a title is a 3-and-D swingman and another rim protecting big. And you would have had Kuzma+Harrell+THT+picks as assets to trade for them. Think of how nice a look picking up Covington during the Blazers fire sale would have been.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Schroeder was good defensively and would've been perfect if they kept him on the 2nd unit. LA coming off a chip and making promises to guys who don't deserve it was mind boggling.

Notice I said he doesn't know how to play team defense. He's aggressive on individual defense, he makes tons of mistakes on team defense. No matter who he plays for they always give up more points when he's on the court but it's things you don't notice if you're not paying attention - missing assignments, not knowing where to be, losing attention, taking the wrong risks, guys beating him off-ball, etc. Net he's a wash on that end at his best. And offensively he's so inefficient due to his lack of shooting - last three postseasons he's shot 30%, 28%, and 31% from 3pt. Not to mention he gets tunnel vision and doesn't make the right pass. He's everything you don't want in a point guard for a title team.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

That 2013 team had bad injury issues too. Dwight despite the numbers wasnt all the right coming off back surgery. So he’d beast one night and could barely move the next. Pau and Nash both missed over 30 games and when Nash did play he too was slowed by injury. 2013 at least showed over a stretch that they could possibly be a top team. This year’s team is just poorly put together and hasn’t had any glimpses of being a top team.

Their injury issues weren't even close to this team.

Kobe (78 games) vs. Bron (56 games)
Dwight (76 games) vs. AD (37 games)
Pau (50 games) vs.....this team doesn't even have a Pau
Nash (50 games) vs. Nunn (0 games)
Artest (75 games) vs. Westbrook (75+ games)


Yeah Dwight was slowed in some games, but AD was slowed in a lot of the games he played in too. Dwight still was good enough for 2nd-team All-NBA that year while playing virtually every game while AD hasn't even been on the court half the season. Bron missed 20 games more than Kobe did, Nunn missed 50 games more than Nash did, and these Lakers didn't have another star big to compare to Pau. In 2013 the Lakers definitely felt like injury issues were part of what was holding them back all year, but in 2022 the Lakers ARE injury issues and there was absolutely zero chance for them to have a positive regular season when half their starters are out in half their games.