2014-15 Lakers Season Thread (21-61) KAT

[MVP]

with the looming raise of the salary cap in the 2016-2017 season (i think), how does this affect players coming off their rookie deals who haven't signed an extension yet. for example, kawhi leonard and jimmy butler. would they stand to make more money if they take the qualifying offer, thus making them an unrestricted free agent and signing a larger deal when the cap raises? or does the rookie scale not really change and it would it be in their best interest to get an extension now?

It won't be that big of an increase because of their short tenure, I'm sure the Spurs will designate Kawhi as their 5 year max guy, hell probably get that Rose-Westbrook type deal which he be crazy to turn down. All indicators are that Jimmy will get the full allowable max from Chicago and if Thibs is still the coach, that'd serve as a nice life insurance policy in case he actually does get murked on the court from playing too many minutes.

KD, Bron, Love, etc are the ones that'll get a big salary bump.

 

[denni5themenace]

thanks for the insight, just one of those random thoughts while on the can

 

[noblekane]

hmmmmm

 

[CP1708]

Signing Pau Gasol Was a Mistake
By Kevin Ferrigan

Offensively, the Bulls routinely force-feed Gasol isolations on the block, allowing him to post-up while everyone else mostly stands around watching him, not cutting, not moving, nothing, just watching. Pau goes to work down low and if he has a mismatch, he scores with relative ease. Put someone with some defensive skill in the post on Pau, though, and he is almost entirely neutralized. This has happened over and over this season. It happened recently against the Heat in Miami, as Gasol (along with Taj Gibson) was dominated inside by Hassan Whiteside, scoring just 13 points on 16 shots. In the Bulls' last game against the Cavs, with the defensively stout Timofey Mozgov as his primary matchup, Gasol went 4 of 14 from the field and scored just 11 points. In the Bulls' last game against the Washington Wizards' beastly frontcourt Gasol went 4 of 11 from the field and scored just 13 points in 33 minutes. Simply put, too often, Gasol's offense, the place where he actually provides some value, disappears when confronted with a tough matchup. Sure, put Pau on the floor with a depleted Bucks front line and he might drop 46, but against legitimate post defense, Pau does not shine the way a 7 footer with his size and skill should. He gets bullied.

Defensively, Gasol is an absolute trainwreck. Despite his heavy rebound totals, Gasol almost never boxes out anyone. His rebounding totals are primarily the result of his being around the rim for the vast majority of the game and catching whatever misses come off in his immediate vicinity. Pau's gaudy block totals result similarly. Gasol hardly ever leaves the immediate basket area to get out help contain penetration or to properly help rotate. Instead, Gasol hovers near the basket and, due to his height and reach, blocks a few shots here and there at the basket. Sure, there is some value in blocking those shots, but mostly Gasol hurts the defense in the same ways that Carlos Boozer once did (poor rotations, slow feet), without the value that Boozer provided in boxing people out and / or securing defensive rebounds.

http://www.blogabull.com/2015/1/31/7956711/signing-pau-gasol-was-a-mistake

Gasol played like the Tin Man on a rainy day, seemingly stuck in place on several defensive possessions where they Bulls desperately needed him to rotate into position. Whether it was on plays where he was directly responsible for slowing down the ball handler, or he was guarding the big not involved in the pick and roll action, Gasol was a step slow and a second late on pretty much everything.

http://drosesandthorns.com/tag/pau-gasol-bad-defense/



Zach Lowe

Pau Gasol — Chicago Bulls

Gasol has been fabulous, but count me among those who sense at least a slight dissonance between his killer numbers and actual level of play. Something just feels off. Gasol creates a ton of shots, but a lot of them return a middling bang for the buck. The Bulls have used him as a high-volume hub on the block, but Gasol is shooting just 40 percent on post-ups — including a ton of midrange jumpers, per Synergy.

That understates the value of Gasol’s inside game, since he draws help and tosses brilliant passes all over the court. Still, it’s unclear how much of a hit Chicago’s offense would really take if you gave all of Gasol’s minutes and touches to other players.

Even Gasol’s career-best rebounding numbers feel a bit inflated. Gasol is hoarding uncontested boards and snatching relatively fewer up-for-grabs rebounds, per NBA.com. The Bulls manage much better on the defensive glass when Gasol sits. He can’t jump, but Gasol has long arms, and he’s done a nice job protecting the basket. Gasol has struggled with the parts of defense that require more mobility, but he has owned the restricted area.

That’s in part because Chicago’s drop-back scheme1 plants him there. That used to be Joakim Noah’s territory. A lot of Gasol’s discrete skills, save for his passing, seem replaceable to at least some degree.

The sum total of Gasol’s skills — having one player capable of doing all this stuff — is not replaceable. That’s why Gasol is on this list. He might not be having the type of no-brainer All-Star season his surface numbers would suggest, but he’s been damn good for a Bulls team in need of an offensive stabilizer as Rose regains his feel.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-all-star-team-eastern-western-conference/


Pau Gasol, dominant rebounder? Not so fast…


https://www.bsports.com/statsinsights/nba/pau-gasol-dominant-rebounder-fast#.VRGT4uEYExI

Yet despite the fact Gasol is stuffing the box score and turning into a double-double machine (he had 29 in 60 games last season), he hasn’t exactly transformed himself into as great of a rebounder as his stats may indicate. Of the NBA’s top 15 rebounders, Gasol ranks 14th in contested rebounding percentage – the percentage of rebounds the player collects where an opponent is within 3.5 feet.


It’s clear Gasol isn’t quite fighting off the opposition to clean the glass. That dirty work is left for fellow big man and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah, the only top-15 rebounder who averages more contested rebounds than uncontested boards. Gasol is getting a majority of his rebounds by simply grabbing the ball when no one else is around, averaging 7.7 uncontested rebounds.

7.7 rebounds a game when no one is within 3.5 feet..


Further

Across the board for the top 15 rebounders, a missed long shot is where the big men get their most uncontested rebounds. Gasol, however, is getting an unusual number of uncontested rebounds close to the hoop, off shots from 6 feet and in.

Part of the reason Gasol gets more uncontested rebounds near the basket than his contemporaries is because isn’t exactly an intimidating defender. Opposing teams are taking plenty of shots at Gasol near the rim, giving him plenty of opportunities to grab gimmies. Sure, rebounds come from missed shots and missed shots can come from good defense, but in the case of Gasol, the number of shots opponents take at the rim against him is so much greater than those taken against any of the other top rebounders that some freebies are inevitable.

He's still good.... BUT amazing, great, superb.... He's been none of that. And his numbers are not eye popping on the Bulls in comparison to his stats last year.

Excellent work, but please let them continue to pound their chests about how "great" Pau has been this year like 2011-2014 never happened.

 

[MVP]

I'm more concerned about how the impending 2017 lockout is going to affect Russ's FA.

 

[tupac003]

Kevin Love Plans On Remaining With Cavaliers 'Either Way'

Kevin Love said his relationship with LeBron James is "evolving" and admitted that the two are not close during two interviews on Monday.

"I plan on being a Cavalier either way," said Love when asked about his potential free agency in the offseason.

Love told Mike & Mike that his relationship James is "fine."

"You know, we're not best friends, we're not hanging out every day, but we see each other every day, whether we're at the practice facility, whether we're on the road or going to a game," Love said. "I think our relationship is also evolving. I could say the same with each and every coach, coach Blatt, and each and every player on the team. But, that's part of the NBA."

Love picked Russell Westbrook, his teammate at UCLA, for MVP over James.

"They're both having an MVP-type season, but I'm going to go with Russell Westbrook because he's, every single night you're looking at his stat sheet, they're fighting for a playoff spot, with Serge Ibaka going down now, Kevin Durant potentially being out the rest of the year and him still going out there and fighting for his team, and winning, and fighting for that seventh or eighth spot in the playoffs," Love said. "I think Russ is arguably having the better season."


http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/237157/Kevin-Love-Plans-On-Remaining-With-Cavaliers-Either-Way

Please oh please oh please be true!!!!

 

[MVP]

I hope so...Mitch is going to throw a max deal at him though, I feel it in bones.

 

[tupac003]

I believe that too. They are gonna throw money at anybody and everybody.

 

[CP1708]

I believe that too. They are gonna throw money at anybody and everybody.

Don't say such hurtful things.

 

[MVP]

Midas whale have Oprah as the acting GM this summer

 

[kal-el-8]

.

 

[mosk33toe]

Signing Pau Gasol Was a Mistake
By Kevin Ferrigan
http://www.blogabull.com/2015/1/31/7956711/signing-pau-gasol-was-a-mistake




http://drosesandthorns.com/tag/pau-gasol-bad-defense/



Zach Lowe

Pau Gasol — Chicago Bulls
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-all-star-team-eastern-western-conference/


Pau Gasol, dominant rebounder? Not so fast…


https://www.bsports.com/statsinsights/nba/pau-gasol-dominant-rebounder-fast#.VRGT4uEYExI
7.7 rebounds a game when no one is within 3.5 feet..


Further
He's still good.... BUT amazing, great, superb.... He's been none of that. And his numbers are not eye popping on the Bulls in comparison to his stats last year.

I appreciate all the hard work and effort you put into this.

I'm just saying, he's played great this season, got an all star appearance and has been a vital part of the Bulls offense.

Is he Prime Gasol from our early years, no.

Is he washed up like many thought he was? I don't think so.

I'm just saying, he wasn't used correctly under MDA, and he had a lot more to give. I'm not arguing he's top 5 player at his position or anything, just that he had more in the tank, and he's showing it.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

People saying they didn't want him back on the Lakers =/= saying he's washed.

He had more to give and most people knew that. But his contributions wouldn't have done anything significant for the Lakers. For a team like the Bulls, yes.

 

[mosk33toe]

People saying they didn't want him back on the Lakers =/= saying he's washed.

He had more to give and most people knew that. But his contributions wouldn't have done anything significant for the Lakers. For a team like the Bulls, yes.

I agree.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Nash's retirement presser if anyone cares: http://www.nba.com/lakers/live_stream

He didn't do anything with the Lakers obviously, but it's still a great player announcing his retirement in front of Lakers logos. Feels weird.

 

[essential1]

I kind of like Caris Levert better than Rondae Hollis-Jefferson as our 2nd pick.... The defense RHJ brings is great off the bench, but if he can't ever develop a respectable jump shot, it could make him completely ineffective on offense.

Cliff Alexander is currently 31st in DX mock draft, we have 34th pick. Would be awesome if he slipped to us, but I don't see it happening, so I'd trade up to try and secure Levert or RHJ

 

[MVP]

Nash's retirement presser if anyone cares: http://www.nba.com/lakers/live_stream

He didn't do anything with the Lakers obviously, but it's still a great player announcing his retirement in front of Lakers logos. Feels weird.

Just never felt right. Same as when Malone was here. He fleeced us good though. We need to be throwing the Time Warner money at the Suns training staff.

 

[pmatic]

I have a theory much like D'Antoni's SSOL, Belien's offense makes players look better than they really are. Word to Burke, Hardaway, Stauskas. McGary looks pretty good though.

 

[essential1]

I have a theory much like D'Antoni's SSOL, Belien's offense makes players look better than they really are. Word to Burke, Hardaway, Stauskas. McGary looks pretty good though.

In the 20s it's all a crap shoot anyway.

If it's RHJ that's fine, if it's Caris that's fine.. But it has to be one of the 2 IMO they are further along than any of the other guys there.

 

[pmatic]

I can agree to that.

If the Lakers go big with the lottery pick, I would like a swingman like RHJ or LeVert with the Rockets pick.

 

[MVP]

Can't remember right now but does the Rockets pick go by their regular season record or where they finish in the playoffs?

 

[pmatic]

Regular.

You're thinking NFL in regards to the latter way of draft order.

 

[essential1]

Can't remember right now but does the Rockets pick go by their regular season record or where they finish in the playoffs?

Record. It's 27th right now.


Need Clippers, Cavs & Spurs to pass them up closer we can get to 20.

 

[MVP]

Kudos, I don't think RHJ lasts that late. The could pass Memphis this week with Dwert coming back and the Grizz's schedule

 

[sea manup]

have faith in drwert being terrible