Lakers OFF-SEASON IS A WRAP

[licensed to ball]

 

[pmatic]

Jim Buss and the Los Angeles Lakers: A look at the past, present and future

http://www.sportsoutwest.com/2015/07/24/jim-buss-los-angeles-lakers-magic-johnson-phil-jackson/

 

[had pants]

Have to show Kobe? He some kind of talent evaluator now?

And if they don't pan out, we can blame him for that, right?

 

[pmatic]

D'Angelo Russell
Lakers | PG
2015 NBA draft:
No. 2 pick

Key summer-league stats:
11.8 PPG, 3.2 APG, 5.2 TPG, 37.7 FG%

There's no hiding the fact that Russell is nowhere close to being an NBA player right now. In Vegas, he struggled to run his team and take care of the ball in half-court actions, made terrible decisions in the transition game and showed little ability to drive through creases and finish at the rim, especially with his weak (right) hand.

However, Russell has the look of a guy who can be special once he learns how to play, which is why he was drafted No. 2 overall. His length and feel for the game are going to be considerable assets, and he has the inner confidence to excel despite his early summer struggles.

 

[VinMillerHearn58]

D'Lo says his favorite sports broadcaster is Reggie Miller :x :x :x :x (at 1:17)

bust.

 

[CP1708]

Liked the Buss article, but learned, literally, nothing.

We knew all that already. Not sure why it was written now.

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Liked the Buss article, but learned, literally, nothing.

We knew all that already. Not sure why it was written now.

There are still a ton of fans who like to pin all the Lakers' problems these days on Jim... unfortunately an article like this is still much needed.

 

[CP1708]

I hear that, but none of this was new info. Quotes from 2005 interviews, 2012 newspaper articles, etc.

Nothing from Jim, or Mitch or anyone else present day.

We've dissected many of those quotes ourselves here on NT. So not sure what the author was goin for here. Clicks?

 

[mister friendly]

Jim Buss and the Los Angeles Lakers: A look at the past, present and future

http://www.sportsoutwest.com/2015/07/24/jim-buss-los-angeles-lakers-magic-johnson-phil-jackson/

Great article!

 

[noblekane]

Do we have enough money for both kd and lebron?

 

[noblekane]

yeah man, get off CP's lawn

View media item 1645525

 

[fayetnam]

can you post the whole thing?

David Thorpe, ESPN Staff Writer
Every year, we see NBA rookies have a tough time making any kind of positive impact in the regular season as it relates to winning games. The NBA game has grown so specialized and nuanced that it barely resembles the college game anymore. So it is unreasonable to expect newly drafted players to excel in summer league.

For many of them, this is their first taste of pro basketball. Factor in very few practices during the summer, no set rotations, inexperienced coaches and the drain on their brains and bodies from months of pre-draft training, and we get a collection of talented players who don't look quite like themselves in July.

Still, it's worth checking out the rookies to see what teams saw when they drafted these young men. Here are my early observations on the lottery picks from the 2015 draft:

Rookie Watch

Karl-Anthony Towns
Timberwolves | C
2015 NBA draft:
No. 1 pick

Key summer-league stats:
12.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 39.6 FG%

Towns' elite-level potential was on full display in Vegas. The big man out of Kentucky utilized a nice jump hook, showed good speed racing up and down the court and blocked some shots as a helper as the week progressed.

He is years away from being a dominant player, but reaching that status is in his wheelhouse for sure. Focusing on defense would be a good place for him to start during his rookie season, given Minnesota's need for rim protection.


D'Angelo Russell
Lakers | PG
2015 NBA draft:
No. 2 pick

Key summer-league stats:
11.8 PPG, 3.2 APG, 5.2 TPG, 37.7 FG%

There's no hiding the fact that Russell is nowhere close to being an NBA player right now. In Vegas, he struggled to run his team and take care of the ball in half-court actions, made terrible decisions in the transition game and showed little ability to drive through creases and finish at the rim, especially with his weak (right) hand.

However, Russell has the look of a guy who can be special once he learns how to play, which is why he was drafted No. 2 overall. His length and feel for the game are going to be considerable assets, and he has the inner confidence to excel despite his early summer struggles.

Jahlil Okafor
76ers | C
2015 NBA draft:
No. 3 pick

Key summer-league stats:
15.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG (18 ORB), 4.6 TPG

We knew Okafor's back-to-the-basket game was his strong suit, and it was on display throughout summer league. He looked more comfortable down low or in isolation than anywhere else on the offensive end, showing he has patience on the blocks and a bit of a plan once he catches the ball, too.

There's not much else to his offensive game yet, though. He struggled against help and double-teams like most young players do (and many older ones still do). He also jogged far too often as he changed ends. But he was competitive on defense, which is the first step toward being solid in an area that is considered a weakness for him.

Kristaps Porzingis
Knicks | PF
2015 NBA draft:
No. 4 pick

Key summer-league stats:
10.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 48.0 FG%

Porzingis showed a smooth offensive skill set that just needs nurturing, but it was his defensive playmaking that has people excited in New York. He did an excellent job denying his man the ball from important spots on the floor. Then he allowed the passer to think his man was open, inviting a pass so Porzingis could jump into the passing lane when the ball was delivered.

The 7-footer also displayed excellent agility in his half-court pick-and-roll defense, showing hard on ball handlers before swiftly moving back to his own man and getting squared up on him if he was a driver.

Mario Hezonja
Magic | SF
2015 NBA draft:
No. 5 pick

Key summer-league stats:
13 PPG, 37.5 FG%

Hezonja hit a game winner in his first game for Orlando back on July 4. Unfortunately, an injury limited him to just two games this summer.

Unlike Chicago's Nikola Mirotic, who found success as a 23-year-old rookie last season after playing in Europe for several years, Hezonja shouldn't be expected to make an immediate impact. He's just 20 years old.

Willie Cauley-Stein
Kings | C
2015 NBA draft:
No. 6 pick

Key summer-league stats:
11.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.8 BPG, 51.2 FG%

Cauley-Stein played like the Kings hoped he would -- as an athletic center who understood that he needed to run hard back and forth to the rim, from end to end, and then look to make a play from there. He didn't show any power forward skills, but that can come with time. Or perhaps the Kings hope to make DeMarcus Cousins the power forward and let WCS be the center.

There's hope WCS can grow into a DeAndre Jordan-type player. While he has lots of room to grow as a rebounder, his athleticism -- not just as a jumper but as a quick-footed big man who can cover a lot of ground laterally -- is at an elite level.

Emmanuel Mudiay
Nuggets | PG
2015 NBA draft:
No. 7 pick

Key summer-league stats:
12 PPG, 5.8 APG, 5 TPG, 35.8 FG%

There was some buzz about Mudiay after he played well in his first two games in Vegas, but overall it was apparent that he has some serious holes in his game to work on.

He did not show great quickness or athleticism with the ball in his hands (though he had an outstanding backdoor cut where he set up his man perfectly in a very tight space under the right block), and, as everyone watching could see, he's not at all a shooter.

The good news is Mudiay is crafty and strong at 6-foot-5, with a real desire to quarterback his team and share the ball at times.

Stanley Johnson
Pistons | SF
2015 NBA draft:
No. 8 pick

Key summer-league stats:
16.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 41.7 3PT%

Johnson was likely the most impressive guy during summer league from this draft class. As a wing, he looked polished with the ball in the open court and while playing/initiating pick-and-roll action.

Johnson also shot well from the perimeter -- a slight surprise (and awfully small sample size) -- and finished drives, helping him to make close to 60 percent of his shots overall, which is impressive during summer league. His power and aggressiveness helped him look comfortable on offense, a big challenge for most guys in this environment.


Frank Kaminsky
Hornets | C
2015 NBA draft:
No. 9 pick

Key summer-league stats:
15.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 38.9 3PT%

Summer league offenses are often far more grinding than what we see during the NBA season, but when a big man can shoot, attack with his dribble and compete with aggression, he will stand out among centers who can make only paint plays (unless, of course, that big man looks like Shaq).

Kaminsky came into the summer with those requisite skills and did not disappoint. His versatility fits the new NBA and, though he is going to have to be a system defender to be a good one (meaning he has to always be in the right spot), he can be a potent offensive player thanks to his unique set of skills as an agile big man.


Justise Winslow
Heat, SF
2015 NBA draft:
No. 10 pick

Key summer-league stats:
15.3 PPG (in 3 starts), 21-for-30 FTs

Winslow played only three full games before his team dialed back his minutes. In that time, it was evident that his talent is still largely unrefined. "Raw" is a word used too often to describe young players, but in this case it fits: Winslow has a lot of physical talent but does not yet know how to utilize it.

On the bright side, Winslow showed some ability to draw fouls, an area of potential strength for him. (Being tutored by D-Wade in this area can help even more.) And he looked somewhat comfortable playing with his back to the basket, which is excellent to see from a young guy with a powerful body.

Myles Turner
Pacers | PF
2015 NBA draft:
No. 11 pick

Key summer-league stats:
18.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 4.3 BPG, 60.5 FG%

Turner played in only three games, but that was more than enough for anyone to recognize that the Pacers have their future big man in Turner. The 19-year-old showed scoring skills in the low post and was a dominating paint presence with his long arms and excellent timing to block shots. Factor in that he's only going to get stronger and heavier, and the future is bright.

Though his perimeter shot looked flat in Orlando, he clearly is talented as a shooter, making him a versatile big man with huge upside.

Trey Lyles
Jazz | PF
2015 NBA draft:
No. 12 pick

Key summer-league stats:
11.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 31.3 FG% (6-23 from 3)

Lyles got plenty of minutes during summer league, so he was able to put up some decent box-score stats. But he is the classic guy who is very tall and skilled for a young college player but not yet ready to use those gifts against equally sized men who are stronger. He was able to find good shots but did not finish a lot of them.

He reminds me of Tobias Harris, though maybe not quite as skilled as a scorer. It took Harris a few years to catch up to the men he was facing in NBA games. The good news for Lyles, who is loaded with upside based on a strong skill set in an agile and coordinated body, is that Utah has proved to be a team that can develop young guys well.

Devin Booker
Suns | SG
2015 NBA draft:
No. 13 pick

Key summer-league stats:
15.3 PPG, 40.0 FG%, 40.0 3P%

Booker helped the Suns make it to the Vegas title game and has a chance to be an elite-level skill guy with some athleticism. He missed his first eight 3s in Vegas before hitting 12 of his final 22 attempts, but was aggressive in hunting shots overall. He also showed good explosiveness on his pull-up jumper in the paint, an excellent way to always get a good shot off.

With a shot as good as his, it was a smart plan for him to be aggressive this summer, though he'll likely be more cautious early in his career.

Cameron Payne
Thunder | PG
2015 NBA draft:
No. 14 pick

Payne did not play in summer league due to a fracture in his finger.

 

[ognikehead85]

JR Smith To Lakers how would you guys feel about that?
View media item 1646307

 

[moonman818]

JR Smith To Lakers
View media item 1646307

 

[pmatic]

I like the Lakers' chances of keeping that top three pick.

Edit:

 

[junglejim]

JR Smith To Lakers how would you guys feel about that?

It would be great if we got him and somehow got the league to allow us to play the game with four basketballs.  Lou, Swaggy P, Kobe, and JR on the same team

 We would definitely keep our pick.

 

[pmatic]

Trainer Gary Vitti, who's cared for Lakers legends, nears end of watch

The Mercedes-Benz had a navy blue exterior and tan exterior, Gary Vitti reminded himself as he walked out of an LAX terminal and toward a job he wasn't even sure he wanted.

He was happy being the head athletic trainer at the University of Portland, not to mention an adjunct professor, and had already tasted a bit of the NBA via two years as an assistant trainer with the Utah Jazz.

When he saw the Mercedes, Vitti jumped into it and was immediately negative, complaining about the traffic in Los Angeles.

The driver was Lakers General Manager Jerry West, who took Vitti a few miles east for a three-hour interview at the Forum. Then Vitti met Coach Pat Riley, who was direct, even a little intimidating, when he said, "You're not 'scarred' yet. I can mold you into being the best."

Vitti was 30 at the time and immediately drawn to West and Riley. It wasn't long before he became the Lakers' trainer, a job he will leave after next season, his 32nd with the team.

He's been part of 12 trips to the NBA Finals, eight of them successful, and the players he took care of were as legendary as the franchise itself: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant among the many.

When Vitti started with the Lakers in 1984, he was only slightly older than most players. "Now I'm old enough to be their fathers and some, I guess, even their grandfathers," he said.

Vitti, 61, remembered the good times and bad in an interview with The Times. He will remain with the team as a special consultant two more years after next season, but his traveling days will end, along with the team's round-the-clock reliance on the NBA's longest-tenured trainer.

He talks easily of the most memorable championships of his career, as well as Kobe Bryant's future and another player's injury last season that drove Vitti that much closer to retirement.

Many of Vitti's anecdotes could serve as salves for Lakers fans at a time the franchise has struggled mightily, missing playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since the 1970s and bottoming out with a 21-61 record last season.

"From a basketball standpoint, the greatest championship would be 1985, the first time we beat Boston," Vitti said as he slowly consumed an open-faced gyro at an upscale Manhattan Beach restaurant near his home. "We lost to the Celtics the year before and should have beat them. A lot of my interview with Riley was him talking about that. He said to me, 'We need to win.'

"The first day of training camp in 1984, they started talking about beating the Celtics in the Finals in June 1985. Riley was our GPS. He knew where we were. He knew where we needed to go.

"We went on to beat Boston in six games. On their floor. It broke the curse of the Celtics."

The only championship ring Vitti wears is the one from 1987, another victory against Boston, though his ring selection doesn't have anything to do with basketball. It was the year his first daughter, Rachel, was born.

His second daughter, Emilia, was born in 1991 but the Lakers lost to Chicago in the NBA Finals that year.

Vitti's ring choice actually riled a former Lakers player.

"Shaq gave me a lot of heat. He wanted me to wear one of the ones once in a while that I won with him," Vitti said, alluding to championship runs in 2000, 2001 and 2002. "I probably should have but I never did. It's not that I didn't appreciate what those teams did and what they were. It was just a different mentality. It wasn't who I was. I was forged as a Laker in the '80s, not in the millennium."

So much has happened the last few years, so little of it positive. Vitti even called it "a nightmare." Few would disagree, the Lakers continually losing Bryant and Steve Nash to injury, along with a slew of games.

"When somebody gets hurt, I blame myself. That's the Laker way — you've got a problem, you go in the bathroom, you look in the mirror, you start with that person," Vitti said. "The one that really affected me and maybe even affected this decision [to retire] was Julius Randle. All of his doctors and his surgeon are saying that nothing was missed, but the guy goes out there and breaks his leg the first game [last season]. That one really bothered me."

Vitti is often an emissary between players and management. He recently met up with Bryant, with whom he shares a longtime bond.

"He was asking about our young kids, and I said, 'You cannot believe how quick and athletic Jordan Clarkson is. He looks fantastic,'" Vitti said. "I said I personally thought D'Angelo Russell is going to be a star. He makes hard things look easy when he has the ball in his hands.

"Then Kobe said to me, 'Well, then who's going to play [small forward]?' I looked at him and I said, 'You.' And with absolute, 100% confidence, he said, 'I can do that.'"

Can Bryant, soon to turn 37, really do it? His last three seasons were cut short by injury and he became a part-time player last season, sitting out eight of his last 16 games for "rest" before sustaining a torn rotator cuff in January. He is under contract for one more season at $25 million.

"When Nash retired, that didn't mean he couldn't play in an NBA game. The problem was how much time did he need to get ready for the next game." Vitti said. "He had lots of issues that prevented him from playing an NBA schedule.

"That's going to be the big question with Kobe, and we're just going to have to feel it out. It's been a while since he's played. We just need to see."

Vitti has one more year to worry about bumps, bruises and otherwise the rest. Then they become someone else's headache.

He will spend more time with his wife, Martha, and two daughters, no longer logging 320 days a year of work.

"It's not like we're in the salt mine, making big rocks into little rocks, but we have to be there mentally and emotionally in my position. You can't check out at the end of the day," Vitti said. "You go home, your phone's on, you talk to players, you talk to management, coaches, agents, you talk to all of their families because if somebody's kid gets sick, they don't call the pediatrician, they call me.

"I don't know why, but they do. I've had athletes bring people over to my house unannounced — they got hurt playing volleyball on the beach or basketball at [nearby] Live Oak Park.

Then he smiles.

"This job," he says, "really was all-encompassing."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-vitti-kobe-20150727-story.html

 

[alfa]

Good read, @PMatic  . Thanks for that. I didn't actively think about Vitti's career, but it's not surprising he's retiring soon. Dude has been a staple on the Laker bench for as long as I've known. Hopefully, they go and tap some of those Phoenix PT's and trainers for some more injury prevention and physical maintenance philosophy magic.

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

Vitti

 

[mj 23]

So sad to see vitti go man

 

[had pants]

 

[MVP]

Finally our guys may be able to be healthy after this season. Need some new blood in the training staff and the methods they implement.

 

[Lizakers]

Vitro is a Laker through and through, gonna miss seeing that bald dome on the bench.

We're slowly losing all the old school peeps. Mitch, Bertka and Stu can't be too far behind.

Chick, then Rudy G lol, then Dr. Buss now Vitti

 

[JCMojica24]

Mason and Ireland filling in for Colin on ESPN Radio and ESPNU all week they are on right now

 

[kal-el-8]

Mason and Ireland filling in for Colin on ESPN Radio and ESPNU all week they are on right now

Happy for them tbh.

Cowherd's racist comments weekly being gone will be