Lakers 2014 Off-Season Thread

[trojanfan12]

Sounds like Nash is setting the stage to jake another season.

I think he's just acknowledging the reality of his situation. Dude's 40 years old and has a bad back.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea TJF12. Then why doesn't he acknowledge that he's done so that the Lakers can use the stretch and be done with it. The dude is milking this for the money at this point. What's he going to do? Play what, 5 minutes a game until his back gets tweaked and then go to the locker room and watch the rest of the game? If I were he Buss family, I'd make the decision for him.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

 

[Vitamike]

Yea TJF12. Then why doesn't he acknowledge that he's done so that the Lakers can use the stretch and be done with it. The dude is milking this for the money at this point. What's he going to do? Play what, 5 minutes a game until his back gets tweaked and then go to the locker room and watch the rest of the game? If I were he Buss family, I'd make the decision for him.

Hey Retro, I think Nash is officially 'Luke Walton Incarnate'

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Yea TJF12. Then why doesn't he acknowledge that he's done so that the Lakers can use the stretch and be done with it. The dude is milking this for the money at this point. What's he going to do? Play what, 5 minutes a game until his back gets tweaked and then go to the locker room and watch the rest of the game? If I were he Buss family, I'd make the decision for him.

I can see what they're trying to do though. It's his last season and they want to give the guy a bit of respect. He won't do us any harm while on the floor and when he is out I'm more than confident in Lin and Clarkson.

 

[Vitamike]

I can see what they're trying to do though. It's his last season and they want to give the guy a bit of respect. He won't do us any harm while on the floor and when he is out I'm more than confident in Lin and Clarkson.

Maybe Scott and company run Nash just 10 to 15 minutes a night and WHEN we make the playoffs he will be ready in stead of injured again...

 

[trojanfan12]

Yea TJF12. Then why doesn't he acknowledge that he's done so that the Lakers can use the stretch and be done with it. The dude is milking this for the money at this point. What's he going to do? Play what, 5 minutes a game until his back gets tweaked and then go to the locker room and watch the rest of the game? If I were he Buss family, I'd make the decision for him.

I disagree. He's a player, he wants to play and he wants the opportunity to go out on his terms. Considering who he is and his status as a player, I'd say that he's earned that right.

If the Lakers were going to be contenders and stretching him could get them another player to help with that, then I would agree.

I'm actually glad that the Lakers are willing to show him the respect of seeing what, if anything, he can make of his final season.

Apparently, both Nash and Kobe looked good in the scrimmage yesterday:

Both Bryant and Nash participated in the full scrimmage, as Scott implemented basic offensive sets. Bryant and Nash, 40, were not expected to participate in Wednesday's second practice scheduled for the evening, Scott said.
Scott said the play of both Bryant and Nash were Wednesday's most significant developments.
"For not playing basketball that much last year," Scott said, "to be able to play the way they did today, to be able to get up and down the floor the way they did yesterday and today, I was impressed."

 

[trojanfan12]

I can see what they're trying to do though. It's his last season and they want to give the guy a bit of respect. He won't do us any harm while on the floor and when he is out I'm more than confident in Lin and Clarkson.

Even if all he is able to accomplish is being there to mentor Lin and Clarkson, that is still a good thing for the Lakers, imo.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Even if all he is able to accomplish is being there to mentor Lin and Clarkson, that is still a good thing for the Lakers, imo.

From what i've seen Lin and Clarkson are fantastic players and could be a deadly duo. If Nash, one of the best passers in the history of basketball, can teach those guys to be great and fast facilitators then we're golden.

 

[trojanfan12]

As of yesterday, it looks like Scott is going to have a starting 5 for Monday's first exhibition game of:


PG - Nash
SG - Kobe
SF - Johnson
PF - Boozer
C - Hill

 

[trojanfan12]

From what i've seen Lin and Clarkson are fantastic players and could be a deadly duo. If Nash, one of the best passers in the history of basketball, can teach those guys to be great and fast facilitators then we're golden.

That's my hope. Nash has said that he would consider it an honor to mentor the young guys. They both seem like they are willing to listen and learn.

Lin has obvious talent, but his game has been inconsistent. Sometimes he looks like one of the best PG's in the game, other times he looks like he's never seen a basketball. If Nash can help him to "steady" his game, that would be a big positive for the Lakers.

Clarkson looks like he has the talent to be a top 10 guard if he is willing to put in the work. If Nash can shorten his learning curve and teach him a little about being a professional basketball player, then it's another positive for the Lakers.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

As of yesterday, it looks like Scott is going to have a starting 5 for Monday's first exhibition game of:


PG - Nash
SG - Kobe
SF - Johnson
PF - Boozer
C - Hill

It would be interesting to see what these guys can do. I have no problem having Johnson at the 3. If he can indeed just stick to that position rather than play at the PF position like D'Antoni had him do, he can be a valuable player for us. Especially if he ups his defensive presence.

 

[lakersrule]

It would be interesting to see what these guys can do. I have no problem having Johnson at the 3. If he can indeed just stick to that position rather than play at the PF position like D'Antoni had him do, he can be a valuable player for us. Especially if he ups his defensive presence.

I don't see Byron playing him at the four. That was tough for Wes last season. SF is his ideal position.

I'm hoping this will finally be his breakout season. He was dedicated to working out with Kobe all summer long. It's now or never for this kid.

 

[Retroram52]

That's my hope. Nash has said that he would consider it an honor to mentor the young guys. They both seem like they are willing to listen and learn.

Lin has obvious talent, but his game has been inconsistent. Sometimes he looks like one of the best PG's in the game, other times he looks like he's never seen a basketball. If Nash can help him to "steady" his game, that would be a big positive for the Lakers.

Clarkson looks like he has the talent to be a top 10 guard if he is willing to put in the work. If Nash can shorten his learning curve and teach him a little about being a professional basketball player, then it's another positive for the Lakers.

I'll go with that explanation TJF12. If Nash is working on his coaching skills then so be it. I would rather for him to do that than to continue to take money just for the sake of completing a contract and not playing. If they are in total rebuild mold, then by all means another younger player would benefit us. Otherwise, Nash's presence is more about being a player/coach rather than just being a player. It's all good.

 

[DJ]

Even if all he is able to accomplish is being there to mentor Lin and Clarkson, that is still a good thing for the Lakers, imo.

Yeah, overpaid coach.

LOL.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't see Byron playing him at the four. That was tough for Wes last season. SF is his ideal position.

I'm hoping this will finally be his breakout season. He was dedicated to working out with Kobe all summer long. It's now or never for this kid.

He needs to quit being timid, imo. He is so quick and athletically gifted, but he looked like he was playing scared a lot last season. He'd get to the hoop and when challenged, instead of trying to throw down on the guy, he'd try to lay it in, would miss the shot and not even get a foul.

If he learned nothing else from working out with Kobe, I hope he learned to be more aggressive.

 

[Black Adam]

He needs to quit being timid, imo. He is so quick and athletically gifted, but he looked like he was playing scared a lot last season. He'd get to the hoop and when challenged, instead of trying to throw down on the guy, he'd try to lay it in, would miss the shot and not even get a foul.

If he learned nothing else from working out with Kobe, I hope he learned to be more aggressive.

agree with your point about this kid's lack of aggressiveness. change that, and everything else imo falls into place...

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

It would be interesting to see what these guys can do. I have no problem having Johnson at the 3. If he can indeed just stick to that position rather than play at the PF position like D'Antoni had him do, he can be a valuable player for us. Especially if he ups his defensive presence.

The key will be can he be consistent ?

 

[Retroram52]

Rave reviews coming in about Clarkson. Kobe, Mitch, and Scott have all chimed in. Even Nash has acknowledged this kid could be the steal of the last draft. I hope this is not a set-up for a crash for this guy!

 

[trojanfan12]

Apparently, Byron Scott is looking for Swaggy P to be in the running for 6th man of the year:

Even as Bryant and Nash participated in scrimmages for the second straight day, and Bryant displayed a more vast arsenal of scoring moves, Coach Byron Scott wanted to praise Swaggy P.
"I really believe Nick has a chance to be sixth man of the year," Scott said. "That's just my vision of the way he can play in the system we have."