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Need the Clippers/Mavs to handle the T'Wolves/Suns.
**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by licensed to ball,
- Start date
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you know thats not happening
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I don't mind Luka resting that bum ankle until next season either.
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Why do so many of you want to trade Lonnie????
Literally makes 0 sense to me
Literally makes 0 sense to me
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I wanna resign Rui Lonnie TB Denis Wenyen and AR!! Get rid of the sorry players!
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Because Lonnie is more than likely gone this summer and the team has a big need for a shooter (he's been pretty good though). Combining him and Pat Bev gets you in the range of a Trent Jr, Hield or even Gordon.
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You trust AD to not miss any more games all the way til June? He's an injury away from missing another 20 games.
If the goal is to win a chip, LAL just went .500 without AD and the Lakers lack of Bigs was evident with AD out. That ain't gonna get it done in the playoffs.
Additionally guys like Bron can guard Tatum or Luka easily in a 7 game series if need be. And Walker/Christie/Brown can guard Jaylen by committee... should LAL face BOS in the Finals of course.
Rui is a natural SF who can play PF. His defense is average at best and he ain't holding down or protecting the paint, bottom line. He's a wing player.
We will see what happens tho. I personally believe Rob is looking to make a blockbuster for a 20 ppg guard like a Beal, Dame, Lavine, or Derozan AND add another big.
Either way we ain't winning a playoff series until we get rid of Westbrook
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He’s admittedly a good shooter and plays better defense than everyone mentioned and he can slash. Is Gordon even an upgrade at this point in his career?
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I think Lonnie will be back
I also thought we’d keep Caruso and monk
I also thought we’d keep Caruso and monk
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Package Jones in a trade, call up Huff in Feb, get him some valuable playing time so he can be ready when called upon in case AD goes down again.
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It’ll be option B: another team will sign him before we do
Hijo Del Promo
formerly xxhu5sl1npnoyxx
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If AD goes down then so does the ship, we can all agree to that… I’m all down dumping Jones and signing a scrap heap big body, someone with a big body who can defend the paint so I agree with you in theory there.
But on some of those other things, not so much… Lakers shouldn’t want nor need Lebron trying to guard the best opposing player for an entire series. None of the current guards can do anything with players like Brown…either not quick enough, strong enough, athletic enough or all of the above.
darthska
Staff member
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I didn't see the game the other night but did AD really hurt himself on a halfcourt shot attempt? 
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I didn't see the game the other night but did AD really hurt himself on a halfcourt shot attempt?
Just another freak play.
Lakers as a team have had real bad luck on those types of plays.
darthska
Staff member
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I don't know if you used the word luck literally or as hyperbole, but I don't believe in luck.
I do believe in precaution, caution, and recklessness.
That shot, by that guy, in that circumstance... is reckless. I've said for years that AD just throws himself out there and doesn't play careful enough. That's exactly what I'm talking about.
I do believe in precaution, caution, and recklessness.
That shot, by that guy, in that circumstance... is reckless. I've said for years that AD just throws himself out there and doesn't play careful enough. That's exactly what I'm talking about.
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If you are playing "careful" you might as well not play.
I don't know what level of ball you got to, but I'm sure at that level if you are thinking about playing careful, you aren't going to be as effective.
Stuff happens.
I don't know what level of ball you got to, but I'm sure at that level if you are thinking about playing careful, you aren't going to be as effective.
Stuff happens.
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Zach Lowe:
6. Rui Hachimura's passing
The Los Angeles Lakers dealing a deep bench player and three second-round picks for Hachimura is a good deal -- and about as well as the Washington Wizards could do. If there were a first-round pick out there for Hachimura, the Wizards would have it.
Hachimura is a big name, aglow with recent lottery pick sheen, but the league has seen his warts. He has missed a ton of games. The Lakers (or someone else) have to pay him now.
That said, the last five weeks have been the best of Hachimura's career. Over his last 15 games, Hachimura has averaged 15 points on 49% shooting. He has been more forceful and decisive.
The Lakers need big shooting wings next to LeBron and Anthony Davis. Hachimura is perhaps not quite that. He's more power forward than wing, probably best-suited to defend the same players as LeBron. He's shooting 34% from deep, and 35.6% for his career -- on middling volume.
But he's 6-8, and lineups featuring two guards, Hachimura, LeBron, and Davis are worth investigating. Hachimura can switch some on defense. LeBron will feed him open 3s. The fit might not be perfect, but proven 3-and-D wings are hard to acquire. Hachimura can shoulder some of the scoring load when LeBron rests, though it will be interesting to see how he meshes around the Russell Westbrook-Anthony Davis two-man game that rampaged before Davis's injury.
Hachimura has to improve his passing against good defenses. He's averaged 1.4 assists for his career. That's alarming, and appears to be a combination of will and vision. Hachimura is slow to see passes, and often makes them late -- without understanding how the defense will rotate:
The lob to Kyle Kuzma is there. It's not an easy pass, but it's one Hachimura has to make. To beat playoff defenses, you need everyone to be a good decision-maker with the game in motion.
Even if the Wiz got fair return for Hachimura, the deal still stings. It marks another miss in the lottery for a team that really needs some hits, and Washington didn't receive anyone who figures to help beyond this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers dealing a deep bench player and three second-round picks for Hachimura is a good deal -- and about as well as the Washington Wizards could do. If there were a first-round pick out there for Hachimura, the Wizards would have it.
Hachimura is a big name, aglow with recent lottery pick sheen, but the league has seen his warts. He has missed a ton of games. The Lakers (or someone else) have to pay him now.
That said, the last five weeks have been the best of Hachimura's career. Over his last 15 games, Hachimura has averaged 15 points on 49% shooting. He has been more forceful and decisive.
The Lakers need big shooting wings next to LeBron and Anthony Davis. Hachimura is perhaps not quite that. He's more power forward than wing, probably best-suited to defend the same players as LeBron. He's shooting 34% from deep, and 35.6% for his career -- on middling volume.
But he's 6-8, and lineups featuring two guards, Hachimura, LeBron, and Davis are worth investigating. Hachimura can switch some on defense. LeBron will feed him open 3s. The fit might not be perfect, but proven 3-and-D wings are hard to acquire. Hachimura can shoulder some of the scoring load when LeBron rests, though it will be interesting to see how he meshes around the Russell Westbrook-Anthony Davis two-man game that rampaged before Davis's injury.
Hachimura has to improve his passing against good defenses. He's averaged 1.4 assists for his career. That's alarming, and appears to be a combination of will and vision. Hachimura is slow to see passes, and often makes them late -- without understanding how the defense will rotate:
The lob to Kyle Kuzma is there. It's not an easy pass, but it's one Hachimura has to make. To beat playoff defenses, you need everyone to be a good decision-maker with the game in motion.
Even if the Wiz got fair return for Hachimura, the deal still stings. It marks another miss in the lottery for a team that really needs some hits, and Washington didn't receive anyone who figures to help beyond this season.
darthska
Staff member
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"Play more careful" and "Don't play careful; you aren't going to be as effective" are 2 different things.
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Playing 67 games as Kobe's backup to being left off the playoff roster is crazy looking back.
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Can’t wrap him bubble wrap. Seems like bad luck always strikes him. Landing on Gobert, Jokic mid air sprain, Zach Collins….
darthska
Staff member
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Again, there is a lot of gray area in between wrapping him in bubble wrap and asking that maybe he doesn't go for rebounds when his body is twisting one way and his feet are planted the other, which was one of his injuries earlier this year.
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Feel like a lot of what makes AD special is his size/athleticism, and the same type of plays he performs that makes him one of the best in the world are also the same type of plays that put him at risk for injury.
But for as much as everyone worries about him getting injured I hope he’s not thinking about that and just focuses on the game. Sure there’s some things he can do differently like concede some offensive board attempts and not crash or whatever but for the most part I think he just has to be who is and whatever happens happens.
But for as much as everyone worries about him getting injured I hope he’s not thinking about that and just focuses on the game. Sure there’s some things he can do differently like concede some offensive board attempts and not crash or whatever but for the most part I think he just has to be who is and whatever happens happens.
