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Zach woulda been gone just like everyone else too lol
**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins
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I wasn't crazy about Randle when the pick was made until I saw him in summer league. Yall know the rest
Devastated when dude got hurt that Houston game.
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Lakers’ trade targets, Talen Horton-Tucker’s upside, seeding concerns, and more: New mailbag
By Jovan Buha Mar 8, 2021
7
The All-Star break is upon us. For the Lakers, the intermission couldn’t have come soon enough.
Los Angeles limped into the midway point, losing seven of their last 10 games, nine of which have been without Anthony Davis. Halfway through the season, Los Angeles is 24-13 and the No. 3 seed in the West — a game behind the Suns and a half-game ahead of the Clippers.
In our second mailbag of the season, we touch on Lakers trade targets, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s starting spot, Talen Horton-Tucker, positive trends and habits from the regular season, the importance of seeding and my All-Star break plans.
Here we go.
Is it time to take KCP out of the starting lineup? — @ImDahDude_23
I’ve gotten this question after seemingly every game over the past month or so. Here’s my counterpoint to all of the frustrated Caldwell-Pope observers: Who’s the reasonable replacement to start over him?
If Wesley Matthews were playing better, he’d be a solid candidate given the overlap of their skill set. But that’s obviously not the case. I don’t think Talen Horton-Tucker is ready for the role yet. He still has to grow as a 3-point shooter and off-ball defender. Alfonzo McKinnie isn’t about to leapfrog everyone to become a starter. He’s not a starting-level shooter.
One could entertain arguments for Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso, but I think that could mess with the bench rotation and the second unit’s synergy in those LeBron-centric lineups.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel has said he likes to stagger his ballhandlers and keep Caruso or Dennis Schröder on the floor whenever James is on the bench. Therefore, Caruso, who’s essentially the backup ballhandler to both James and Schröder, is unlikely to start.
Which brings us to Kuzma. I think Kuzma makes some sense if you really want to bench Caldwell-Pope. The primary concern is that, even with his improved defense, Kuzma is best defending bigger wings and forwards. If the Lakers are facing a good shooting guard, a player in the 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-6 range, they won’t have an ideal option in that starting group.
The Lakers need a floor-spacer and effective perimeter defender in the lineup at that spot; Caldwell-Pope is probably the best 3-and-D option the Lakers have in spite of his half-season shooting slump. I think he’s going to remain the starter. But there’s certainly an argument that he should be playing fewer minutes and potentially not closing games.
Why does Talen Horton Tucker remind me of a small Giannis with a jump shot? — @idontlikedodger
Something about this question made me laugh out loud. I think it was the “small Giannis” part.
If you squint, there are some stylistic similarities between the two in their offensive approach: They are perimeter players with shaky jump shots that prefer to attack the paint. They are both good at getting to the rim. But it’s a stretch to say Horton-Tucker has a better jump shot than Giannis Antetokounmpo (not to mention them just being on completely different stratospheres as players at this point).
Antetokounmpo is shooting better than Horton-Tucker from 0-3 feet, 3-10 feet, 10-16 feet and 16 feet to the 3-point line. Horton-Tucker is shooting 28.6 percent on 3s, just 0.1 percent better than Antetokounmpo (28.5 percent). Long term, there’s a reasonable chance Horton-Tucker is the better shooter — his shot is more mechanically sound — but that isn’t the case currently.
I’m guessing you were saying this in jest, but it is impressive how effortless Horton-Tucker can get to the rim, regardless of the defense or defender. Once he’s there, it’s an adventure. But it’s an exciting and important part of the Lakers’ offense whenever James is off the floor.
The player I keep coming back to with Horton-Tucker is Eric Gordon with a worse shot (they have similar body dimensions). But even that’s an imperfect comparison. Horton-Tucker is unique. There isn’t another player with his physical attributes — he’s the longest and heaviest 6-foot-4 player in the league. It’s still too early to determine the 20-year-old’s potential, but I’m fascinated by it.
Who would be some trade targets that the Lakers should go after. — @LALPrime
I answered this question on the last postgame edition of The Forum Club, but I’ll answer it here, too. I’m of the opinion that the Lakers could benefit from two archetype additions with their final two roster spots:
1. An athletic, defensive-minded center that can back up Marc Gasol, Montrezl Harrell and Anthony Davis, playing spot minutes if needed. That could be Damian Jones. I’m not fully sold on him yet, but I think he’s a solid option.
2. A big wing that is an above-average 3-pointer (better than most of the Lakers’ shooters). This player preferably is an above-average defender, too, though that narrows down the potential list of viable options. The Lakers could use another floor-spacer in instances in which they need to punish defenses for doubling Davis or shading over to James too much.
Now, I don’t think they find either of these additions via trade. The Lakers would have to give up Caruso, Horton-Tucker, Caldwell-Pope and/or Harrell. That’s about all they can trade of value at this point (I doubt Matthews, Markieff Morris or McKinnie currently have trade value). The Lakers can technically trade their 2027 first-round pick, but I’m not sure what that nets them.
But the four aforementioned players are all important rotation pieces. If the Lakers can find an upgrade that helps their championship odds this season, they’ll surely explore the opportunity. But no team is going to be looking to do the defending champs any favors.
The buyout market is probably the Lakers’ best bet. I think they could be the No. 1 destination for a player at one of the aforementioned positions. Potential targets would likely include Andre Drummond, P.J. Tucker, Trevor Ariza and JaVale McGee (he’d have to be traded to another team and then waived to be eligible to re-sign).
I think a trade is possible but unrealistic. The most likely avenue is a free-agency upgrade.
If everyone is assuming that you can’t judge this team until the playoffs if all are healthy, can you point to any growth or positive habits established so far that could carry into the playoffs? Or is it all irrelevant? — @m1kk0_
This regular season is not all irrelevant. I reject that premise.
I think there is positive growth in the defense, which remains the best in the NBA, despite the various absences, including, most notably, Davis. The Lakers continue to defend at a high level, particularly late in games. They have the eighth-best defense in clutch time, per NBA.com. (They have the third-best offense and fifth-best net rating in clutch time.)
There also is positive growth with the young players. Caruso and Kuzma have shown that last season wasn’t a fluke. They’re both high-level role players. Horton-Tucker is a backend rotation player with the upside for more every night. Schröder and Harrell, while not necessarily “young” by NBA standards, have proven to be valuable offensive pieces (and, in Schröder’s case, a valuable defensive one, too).
In terms of judging this team, it’s tricky because I don’t think the Lakers are always locked in and giving their maximum effort. What’s odd is that attitude has affected their offense more than defense. When considering the context of their short offseason, and this largely being a veteran group, it’s reasonable to cut them some slack.
I still think seeding matters. It doesn’t matter as much for them as for other teams, but it’s not meaningless. Depending on when arenas fully reopen, that could swing a game in a series, which, in turn, could swing a series. But as long as the Lakers are healthy — particularly James and Davis — and a top-four seed, I don’t think there’s too much to worry about.
With the Lakers most likely ending up as the 4th seed (by Saturday,) what’s your level of concern and what would you like to see from them moving forward? — @LakerTherapy
With the Clippers’ loss, the Lakers enter the All-Star break as the West’s No. 3-seeded team. I don’t think there’s too much concern to be concerned about other than Davis’ health, but there is no indication — yet — that we should treat it as anything more than a calf strain in the short term (the Achilles tendonosis diagnosis could be troubling long term).
As for any notable statistical deficiencies, I think the Lakers still have room to progress to the mean. For example, the Lakers don’t have the 17th-best offense in the NBA. When James and Davis are playing 40-plus minutes a game in the postseason, they’re going to score at a higher rate.
I also think players like Schröder, Harrell and Gasol will become more comfortable as more time passes and the team is able to get in more practices and film sessions.
Moving forward, I’d like to see the Lakers experiment with different lineups, including more minutes with Davis at center. (One I’d like to see more: Davis, James, Kuzma, Caruso and Schröder.) I’d also like to see them take a few more 3s per game — I think their shooting will improve in the second half of the season. Otherwise, it’s all about managing minutes, workload and egos.
You’re still a young man, but does your back hurt from carrying (beat partner Bill Oram?) — @KamBrothers
You’re far too kind, Brian. But Bill and I won’t be pitted against each other by the media. We share the workload — I have the quiff and he has the mustache. We’re a real one-two punch. The modern-day Kobe and Shaq … of the hair on the Lakers beat.
Any big plans for the break? — @wadleigh_matt24
I went to Nevada to spend the weekend with my son, who lives there. Now, I’m going to dig into some Lakers film and stats and write a few pieces for you guys this week. Might take a day off, but like LeBron, I don’t like to rest.
(Photo by Alex Goodlett
By Jovan Buha Mar 8, 2021
The All-Star break is upon us. For the Lakers, the intermission couldn’t have come soon enough.
Los Angeles limped into the midway point, losing seven of their last 10 games, nine of which have been without Anthony Davis. Halfway through the season, Los Angeles is 24-13 and the No. 3 seed in the West — a game behind the Suns and a half-game ahead of the Clippers.
In our second mailbag of the season, we touch on Lakers trade targets, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s starting spot, Talen Horton-Tucker, positive trends and habits from the regular season, the importance of seeding and my All-Star break plans.
Here we go.
Is it time to take KCP out of the starting lineup? — @ImDahDude_23
I’ve gotten this question after seemingly every game over the past month or so. Here’s my counterpoint to all of the frustrated Caldwell-Pope observers: Who’s the reasonable replacement to start over him?
If Wesley Matthews were playing better, he’d be a solid candidate given the overlap of their skill set. But that’s obviously not the case. I don’t think Talen Horton-Tucker is ready for the role yet. He still has to grow as a 3-point shooter and off-ball defender. Alfonzo McKinnie isn’t about to leapfrog everyone to become a starter. He’s not a starting-level shooter.
One could entertain arguments for Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso, but I think that could mess with the bench rotation and the second unit’s synergy in those LeBron-centric lineups.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel has said he likes to stagger his ballhandlers and keep Caruso or Dennis Schröder on the floor whenever James is on the bench. Therefore, Caruso, who’s essentially the backup ballhandler to both James and Schröder, is unlikely to start.
Which brings us to Kuzma. I think Kuzma makes some sense if you really want to bench Caldwell-Pope. The primary concern is that, even with his improved defense, Kuzma is best defending bigger wings and forwards. If the Lakers are facing a good shooting guard, a player in the 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-6 range, they won’t have an ideal option in that starting group.
The Lakers need a floor-spacer and effective perimeter defender in the lineup at that spot; Caldwell-Pope is probably the best 3-and-D option the Lakers have in spite of his half-season shooting slump. I think he’s going to remain the starter. But there’s certainly an argument that he should be playing fewer minutes and potentially not closing games.
Why does Talen Horton Tucker remind me of a small Giannis with a jump shot? — @idontlikedodger
Something about this question made me laugh out loud. I think it was the “small Giannis” part.
If you squint, there are some stylistic similarities between the two in their offensive approach: They are perimeter players with shaky jump shots that prefer to attack the paint. They are both good at getting to the rim. But it’s a stretch to say Horton-Tucker has a better jump shot than Giannis Antetokounmpo (not to mention them just being on completely different stratospheres as players at this point).
Antetokounmpo is shooting better than Horton-Tucker from 0-3 feet, 3-10 feet, 10-16 feet and 16 feet to the 3-point line. Horton-Tucker is shooting 28.6 percent on 3s, just 0.1 percent better than Antetokounmpo (28.5 percent). Long term, there’s a reasonable chance Horton-Tucker is the better shooter — his shot is more mechanically sound — but that isn’t the case currently.
I’m guessing you were saying this in jest, but it is impressive how effortless Horton-Tucker can get to the rim, regardless of the defense or defender. Once he’s there, it’s an adventure. But it’s an exciting and important part of the Lakers’ offense whenever James is off the floor.
The player I keep coming back to with Horton-Tucker is Eric Gordon with a worse shot (they have similar body dimensions). But even that’s an imperfect comparison. Horton-Tucker is unique. There isn’t another player with his physical attributes — he’s the longest and heaviest 6-foot-4 player in the league. It’s still too early to determine the 20-year-old’s potential, but I’m fascinated by it.
Who would be some trade targets that the Lakers should go after. — @LALPrime
I answered this question on the last postgame edition of The Forum Club, but I’ll answer it here, too. I’m of the opinion that the Lakers could benefit from two archetype additions with their final two roster spots:
1. An athletic, defensive-minded center that can back up Marc Gasol, Montrezl Harrell and Anthony Davis, playing spot minutes if needed. That could be Damian Jones. I’m not fully sold on him yet, but I think he’s a solid option.
2. A big wing that is an above-average 3-pointer (better than most of the Lakers’ shooters). This player preferably is an above-average defender, too, though that narrows down the potential list of viable options. The Lakers could use another floor-spacer in instances in which they need to punish defenses for doubling Davis or shading over to James too much.
Now, I don’t think they find either of these additions via trade. The Lakers would have to give up Caruso, Horton-Tucker, Caldwell-Pope and/or Harrell. That’s about all they can trade of value at this point (I doubt Matthews, Markieff Morris or McKinnie currently have trade value). The Lakers can technically trade their 2027 first-round pick, but I’m not sure what that nets them.
But the four aforementioned players are all important rotation pieces. If the Lakers can find an upgrade that helps their championship odds this season, they’ll surely explore the opportunity. But no team is going to be looking to do the defending champs any favors.
The buyout market is probably the Lakers’ best bet. I think they could be the No. 1 destination for a player at one of the aforementioned positions. Potential targets would likely include Andre Drummond, P.J. Tucker, Trevor Ariza and JaVale McGee (he’d have to be traded to another team and then waived to be eligible to re-sign).
I think a trade is possible but unrealistic. The most likely avenue is a free-agency upgrade.
If everyone is assuming that you can’t judge this team until the playoffs if all are healthy, can you point to any growth or positive habits established so far that could carry into the playoffs? Or is it all irrelevant? — @m1kk0_
This regular season is not all irrelevant. I reject that premise.
I think there is positive growth in the defense, which remains the best in the NBA, despite the various absences, including, most notably, Davis. The Lakers continue to defend at a high level, particularly late in games. They have the eighth-best defense in clutch time, per NBA.com. (They have the third-best offense and fifth-best net rating in clutch time.)
There also is positive growth with the young players. Caruso and Kuzma have shown that last season wasn’t a fluke. They’re both high-level role players. Horton-Tucker is a backend rotation player with the upside for more every night. Schröder and Harrell, while not necessarily “young” by NBA standards, have proven to be valuable offensive pieces (and, in Schröder’s case, a valuable defensive one, too).
In terms of judging this team, it’s tricky because I don’t think the Lakers are always locked in and giving their maximum effort. What’s odd is that attitude has affected their offense more than defense. When considering the context of their short offseason, and this largely being a veteran group, it’s reasonable to cut them some slack.
I still think seeding matters. It doesn’t matter as much for them as for other teams, but it’s not meaningless. Depending on when arenas fully reopen, that could swing a game in a series, which, in turn, could swing a series. But as long as the Lakers are healthy — particularly James and Davis — and a top-four seed, I don’t think there’s too much to worry about.
With the Lakers most likely ending up as the 4th seed (by Saturday,) what’s your level of concern and what would you like to see from them moving forward? — @LakerTherapy
With the Clippers’ loss, the Lakers enter the All-Star break as the West’s No. 3-seeded team. I don’t think there’s too much concern to be concerned about other than Davis’ health, but there is no indication — yet — that we should treat it as anything more than a calf strain in the short term (the Achilles tendonosis diagnosis could be troubling long term).
As for any notable statistical deficiencies, I think the Lakers still have room to progress to the mean. For example, the Lakers don’t have the 17th-best offense in the NBA. When James and Davis are playing 40-plus minutes a game in the postseason, they’re going to score at a higher rate.
I also think players like Schröder, Harrell and Gasol will become more comfortable as more time passes and the team is able to get in more practices and film sessions.
Moving forward, I’d like to see the Lakers experiment with different lineups, including more minutes with Davis at center. (One I’d like to see more: Davis, James, Kuzma, Caruso and Schröder.) I’d also like to see them take a few more 3s per game — I think their shooting will improve in the second half of the season. Otherwise, it’s all about managing minutes, workload and egos.
You’re still a young man, but does your back hurt from carrying (beat partner Bill Oram?) — @KamBrothers
You’re far too kind, Brian. But Bill and I won’t be pitted against each other by the media. We share the workload — I have the quiff and he has the mustache. We’re a real one-two punch. The modern-day Kobe and Shaq … of the hair on the Lakers beat.
Any big plans for the break? — @wadleigh_matt24
I went to Nevada to spend the weekend with my son, who lives there. Now, I’m going to dig into some Lakers film and stats and write a few pieces for you guys this week. Might take a day off, but like LeBron, I don’t like to rest.
(Photo by Alex Goodlett
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Did Drummond get bought out and I missed it?
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Why are you even listening to what an NFL wide receiver is saying about NBA free agency and buyouts?
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Photoshopping Blake on that is nasty
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Los Angeles
formerly bright nikes
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trez good?
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Lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
We went from Arye to now a random guy in Germany for rumors
Harrell makes 9 mill a year. He’s still great at that price. We literally won’t get anyone close to his production at that price.
He’s probably talking about something else
what would all star break have to do with them trading him?
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For the record, I like Trez. Feel like they can add a big man if they want off the buyout market, but if they are looking to upgrade at other positions or needs then Trez would be the likeliest candidate to be moved. He can and probably will opt out, Lakers are limited as far as what they can offer him next year so he’s looking like a one and done situation regardless.
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I like Trez...but him being undersized is a problem.
If Rob has a move that makes sense for Trez, then ok. Gotta stand by Rob.
If Rob has a move that makes sense for Trez, then ok. Gotta stand by Rob.
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Def true but he won’t bc of what’s out there. Plus Marc is so limited that we almost need Trez this year, especially with AD about for possible a few more weeks. If Vogel uses him correctly, we would get so much more out of Trez (see Kings game before the break)
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Agreed. Vogel has misused Trez.
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If Trez is getting traded he's not the only one
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If so then I was right saying team is flawed and needs tweaking (mostly by coaching and strategy but maybe they see bigger flaws in roster make up). Nets are for freaking real.
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We don't have to do this
No team is perfect, so I understand wanting to tweak some things but as long as AD and Lebron are healthy there is no team in the league that's going to beat these guys 4 out of 7 games.
I'll take the closing lineup of Schroeder, Caruso, KCP (or maybe Kuz), Lebron and AD over the best 5 of any other team. My only concern is if the 1st 3 are going to hit their outside shots, but as long as 1 of them does that should be more than enough
No team is perfect, so I understand wanting to tweak some things but as long as AD and Lebron are healthy there is no team in the league that's going to beat these guys 4 out of 7 games.
I'll take the closing lineup of Schroeder, Caruso, KCP (or maybe Kuz), Lebron and AD over the best 5 of any other team. My only concern is if the 1st 3 are going to hit their outside shots, but as long as 1 of them does that should be more than enough
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I can’t be fooled by these regular season Nash/Dantoni/Harden parlor tricks 
What’s their closing lineup looking like... Kyrie, Harden, Harris, KD and Jeff Green? I’m not bothered
Lakers in 6
What’s their closing lineup looking like... Kyrie, Harden, Harris, KD and Jeff Green? I’m not bothered
Lakers in 6
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Idk about any trade rumors but that tweet is worrying. Apparently he’s been going through stuff this season hope dude is ok mentally/emotionally
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