**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins

[macheww]

No.

What's the point? Russell has performed, and performed well. You're crapshooting everything by trading him for another pick in the draft.

I ask cause it seems like the Lakers organization isnt high on Russell as he hasn't shown the significant growth projection they were anticipating. It seems like Russell is on the trading block.

I keep reading rumors of a package with Russell to get Jimmy Butler in return. Now that's a trade I can sign off on.

 

[macheww]

I'd do that in a heart beat, but Philly won't do it.

Why wouldn't Philly do it?

Russell is a shooter and can pass. Two things they are after. And Russell is very familiar with Ben Simmons - instant chemistry.

 

[purpnyellow]

Maybe there's a reason philly hasn't worked anyone out yet

 

[geno90221]

I need more than just the #3 for D'Lo

 

[mr j 858]

View media item 2464574

He thirsty and reachin so HARD

He don't want to end up in Sacramento or Philly

 

[lovehateself]

No.

What's the point? Russell has performed, and performed well. You're crapshooting everything by trading him for another pick in the draft.

I ask cause it seems like the Lakers organization isnt high on Russell as he hasn't shown the significant growth projection they were anticipating. It seems like Russell is on the trading block.

BI aside, which players on the team
Have shown significant growth ?

Again, aside from BI ( per magic ) , everyone is available but not being shopped

Welcome
Words of wisdom

Don't write in blue text

 

[Lizakers]

Why wouldn't Philly do it?

Russell is a shooter and can pass. Two things they are after. And Russell is very familiar with Ben Simmons - instant chemistry.

I just think teams fall in love with the unknown. Prospects that can potentially become great have more value to them than a player like Dlo they've seen for 2 years and may become a very good player just under the annual All-Star level (i.e. Mike Conley)


Edit: any possibility macheww could be Whip easing his way back into the thread with a subtle anti-Dlo post?

 

[ValarMorghulis]

What a great 30 for 30.


Magic stay with the quotables.


Sidebar: I think its easy to forget just how COLD Larry Bird was in his prime

 

[essential1]

No.

What's the point? Russell has performed, and performed well. You're crapshooting everything by trading him for another pick in the draft.

I ask cause it seems like the Lakers organization isnt high on Russell as he hasn't shown the significant growth projection they were anticipating. It seems like Russell is on the trading block.

I keep reading rumors of a package with Russell to get Jimmy Butler in return. Now that's a trade I can sign off on.

No it doesn't seem like that at all. The Lakers have asked him to grow more as a leader, you know something very few 19 & 20 year olds are. And play better defense, which is something said about every single one of them by Magic.

Right after saying Ingram was "untouchable," he said "I think that D'Angelo, he has it. It just has to come out of him. He can be really special if he pushes himself. Especially this offseason because he can score that ball, and we want him to be more of a leader now."

And who happens to be around the team more than anybody currently? D'Angelo.


As for Jimmy Butler, I do like him. That trade isn't there though. But you do know out of all of the characters, and bad personalities on that Bulls team last year, everything coming out of that team was Jimmy was the toughest to deal with, and he was the worst out of all the veteran when it came to working with the young guys. That includes Rajon who is a horrible teammate. Now there's more to that behind the scenes between him and the Front Office, but he's a guy who really wants nothing to do with a young team

 

[iceinmyveins2]

I think they are going to take Fox.

I want Ball though.

 

[essential1]

It honestly doesn't matter if they take Ball, Jackson or Fox...

It still would require intricate roster design from there out anyway.

And going about that with trading Russell would be a move backwards... You're not going to trade Russell for a better player, that's just not how it works. And trading him for a prospect severely discounts how good he actually was/is. And would be severely overestimating the talents of prospects.



Offensively Ball & Russell are a beautiful fit. Ball would make offense much easier for Russell, where he can just attack, and then pick his spots for distributing. And they compliment each other well, having strengths in areas of the other guys weakness. For example, Ball has more controlled vision, and can get the ball up in transition well. Russell is a more confident, and easy scorer, much better in the half court than Lonzo is, and does a better job getting the team to run sets. Defensively they will be okay, they will be average, to slightly above average on defense. There measurables, and basketball IQ will be what carries them. Not talent, not athleticism. Just being tall and long for their positions. Going Ball makes PG13 an absolute necessity in Free Agency. You then bank on Brandon Ingram being a lockdown defender. And need to get a legit 3 & D guy off the bench, and a great rim protector.

Jackson means Russell does what he's been doing. It gets a little clunky if Jackson can't shoot. But he is still decent on offense. It's just that he's not a good shooter. Jackson would make it so that you're banking on Ingram being a deadeye shooter. The plus is that the perimeter defense of JJ, BI & PG13 is what championship teams are made of. If you can match them with a competent rim protecting big, not great, just competent, then you're in great shape.

Fox is a good mixture of Ball & Jackson in terms of what they add. But the shooting aspect becomes an issue. And finding 3 point shooters all over the bench is what is needed.

 

[had pants]

Hey Lakeshow fam. New to this part of the forum. Don't know if this has been brought up yet, so here goes.

Would you trade D'Angelo Russell to the 76ers for the 3rd pick in this years draft?

It would give us the chance to get a stud PG in Lonzo Ball or Markelle Fultz and a multi-dimensional wing in Josh Jackson.

In turn, this would let D'Angelo Russell, who the 76ers were interested two years ago, play with his high school teammate Ben Simmons.

Thoughts?

Welcome.

 

[licensed to ball]

It honestly doesn't matter if they take Ball, Jackson or Fox...

It still would require intricate roster design from there out anyway.

And going about that with trading Russell would be a move backwards... You're not going to trade Russell for a better player, that's just not how it works. And trading him for a prospect severely discounts how good he actually was/is. And would be severely overestimating the talents of prospects.



Offensively Ball & Russell are a beautiful fit. Ball would make offense much easier for Russell, where he can just attack, and then pick his spots for distributing. And they compliment each other well, having strengths in areas of the other guys weakness. For example, Ball has more controlled vision, and can get the ball up in transition well. Russell is a more confident, and easy scorer, much better in the half court than Lonzo is, and does a better job getting the team to run sets. Defensively they will be okay, they will be average, to slightly above average on defense. There measurables, and basketball IQ will be what carries them. Not talent, not athleticism. Just being tall and long for their positions. Going Ball makes PG13 an absolute necessity in Free Agency. You then bank on Brandon Ingram being a lockdown defender. And need to get a legit 3 & D guy off the bench, and a great rim protector.

Jackson means Russell does what he's been doing. It gets a little clunky if Jackson can't shoot. But he is still decent on offense. It's just that he's not a good shooter. Jackson would make it so that you're banking on Ingram being a deadeye shooter. The plus is that the perimeter defense of JJ, BI & PG13 is what championship teams are made of. If you can match them with a competent rim protecting big, not great, just competent, then you're in great shape.

Fox is a good mixture of Ball & Jackson in terms of what they add. But the shooting aspect becomes an issue. And finding 3 point shooters all over the bench is what is needed.

I appreciate and respect your objective takes on all of them.
Foreals, well said and informative. I like that you can state who you prefer but still see the positives in the other selections as well.

At the end of the day we're getting a great young piece no matter who of the 3 we take and i will be happy.

Repped.

 

[junglejim]

I appreciate and respect your objective takes on all of them.
Foreals, well said and informative. I like that you can state who you prefer but still see the positives in the other selections as well.

At the end of the day we're getting a great young piece no matter who of the 3 we take and i will be happy.

Repped.

This x 1000

 

[essential1]

Fultz workout on Thursday... Lonzo has a second workout, no date for it yet.

 

[geno90221]

Fultz workout on Thursday... Lonzo has a second workout, no date for it yet.

It better be by Friday cause Players gotta be in NY early next week don't they?

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Edit: any possibility macheww could be Whip easing his way back into the thread with a subtle anti-Dlo post?

This is exactly what it smells like

 

[Zazz]

No doubt

 

[mr j 858]

Man so after watching that post workout interview with him

Dude says that he's been working on his weaknesses which is shooting & ball handling but think's he can grow into a 4 in the NBA. I mean look the guy is skinny right now and no not as skinny like BI. But man really say the Lakers do take him, how is he going to get playing time with Randle at the 4 and BI at the 3, without him taking important minutes from them? Now even if they tried playing him at the 2 that would be a even bigger mistake since everyone including him knows one of his biggest weakness in his game is shooting and having literally zero range from the 3 point range. But ok lets draft him and pass on a PG like Lonzo, Fox, or Fultz so the Lakers can take a step back and have him come off the bench instead.

I'm just seriously wondering why some people like LTB are so hyped about him.

Bottom line is dude is just a bad fit for the current young core of the team, is a tweener and has obvious big holes in his game.

 

[mr j 858]

 

[mr j 858]

 

[licensed to ball]

Dude says that he's been working on his weaknesses which is shooting & ball handling but think's he can grow into a 4 in the NBA. I mean look the guy is skinny right now and no not as skinny like BI. But man really say the Lakers do take him, how is he going to get playing time with Randle at the 4 and BI at the 3, without him taking important minutes from them? Now even if they tried playing him at the 2 that would be a even bigger mistake since everyone including him knows one of his biggest weakness in his game is shooting and having literally zero range from the 3 point range. But ok lets draft him and pass on a PG like Lonzo, Fox, or Fultz so the Lakers can take a step back and have him come off the bench instead.

I'm just seriously wondering why some people like LTB are so hyped about him.

Bottom line is dude is just a bad fit for the current young core of the team, is a tweener and has obvious big holes in his game.

I understand what you are saying and you're definitely not wrong. Lets be clear here, all of these prospects have big holes in their game. None of them are perfect, no basketball players are.

Also, as i've mentioned before if we get Lonzo, Fox OR Jackson I will be happy. I was just happy to get this pick, i thought it was extremely unlikely wed get it again this year so this is like playing with house money i don't think we can lose either way.

However, referring to why I want JJ so much more than the others, i just believe his skillset is needed in this league. I just personally believe his strengths outweigh his weaknesses far more than other prospects' after Fultz.

This is why I am hyped about him:



In the interest of objectivity, here is also his weaknesses:

Spoiler

I just personally believe his weaknesses are far more improvable than the other players weaknesses, and we can see early on that he's already self aware and not in denial about them. He's clearly working on them already and by all accounts based off his teammates, coaches and his own interviews seems like someone who won't stop working on them. Of course Fox and Lonzo are great prospects too and this isn't taking anything away from them, they seem like great kids with great work ethic as well so like i mentioned id be happy with any of them.

However, just to respectfully answer your question i think he will be at least Iggy and at best...well, ill just leave it there so im not laughed at

Regarding playing time, i don't believe Randle will be starting as a Laker long term, especially when all these rookie contracts end and we have to make tough contract decisions. Im not concerned about Randle's playing time. Playing time is earned not given, if Randle doesn't improve his own weaknesses significantly enough I don't see Magic just blindly staying loyal to him and allowing him to start for the Lakers. Clarkson got moved to the bench and I can see the same happening for Randle potentially.

All in all, where else can you get someone who can guard point guards and power forwards?
I know Lonzo and Fox are special, but if Ingram turns into what I believe he will and Dlo keeps improving his shot, I don't think we'll be shooting deficient so i don't think we NEED JJ to be an amazing shooter right off the bat.

If Iggy can eventually learn how to make a nice amount of open 3's I don't see why JJ can't, Iggy's jumper used to be broke AF.

 

[junglejim]

JJ is definitely going to take some time to develop and my biggest concern with him is his slight hitch in his jumper. It affects his release point consistency and timing.  He is going to have to work on it, but he is definitely going to struggle in year 1.  He will get burn though due to his defense.

 

[Arthur Shelby]

 

[sohi 23]

Y'all acting like JJ is Tony Allen in his prime. He's a good athlete, but his wingspan doesn't scream special/elite/can't miss athlete. And he shot free throws worse than BI did in college

I mean bruh shot like sub 50% from the free throw line in college and y'all wanna start him at the 2.