2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers

[tomodach10]

Saw Chris Mannix on Dan Patrick this morning. He's not Woj, but he's pretty solid (for a Ricky Rubio fanboy lol), imo. He thinks that Byron is gone at the end of the season (cue @wildturkey with a Wiggyesque Byron rant ). He says it makes no sense to fire Byron now because of the losing, since that's kind of what they need to be doing.

He said that if the Lakers keep that top 3 pick, they would have a young core that would have guys like Thibs, becoming very, very interested in coaching the Lakers. He thinks that a young core of Russell, Randle, Clarkson, Nance Jr. and Simmons/Ingram with a coach like Thibs/Luke, makes for a team that FA's will come running to join.

Solid young core, a ton of cap space and a potential huge upgrade at HC could make for a very, very interesting off-season.

I agree that would be great if it happens.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

When does Byrons contract expire? Is it at the end of the season?

 

[lakersrule]

When does Byrons contract expire? Is it at the end of the season?

Two more seasons after this one. The last one has a team option though.

 

[wildturkey]

When does Byrons contract expire? Is it at the end of the season?

Whenever Jeanie decides to get the lighter out of her desk and set that sucker ablaze.

 

[Retroram52]

Now the Lakers are having second thoughts about whether B. Scott might achieve the desired results with a better roster. Geez. Frikin media. Better roster? The Lakers have one of the best young corp groups going in recent memory outside of GS. The tanking is what they need to add even more. Flippin' media just stirring the pot again. I wish they'd just STHU sometimes.

 

[trojanfan12]

Now the Lakers are having second thoughts about whether B. Scott might achieve the desired results with a better roster. Geez. Frikin media. Better roster? The Lakers have one of the best young corp groups going in recent memory outside of GS. The tanking is what they need to add even more. Flippin' media just stirring the pot again. I wish they'd just STHU sometimes.

Yeah, some sportstalk guy out here (I forget who) was suggesting that the Lakers might look to improve the roster with that top 3 pick, add a top FA or 2 and give Byron a season to see what he can do with better players.

Given the fact that no coach was going to win with the rosters he's been handed, I can understand the desire to at least give him a fair shot with a competitive roster. The problem is, do we know what FA's think of Byron? I haven't read or heard anything that suggests that FA's wouldn't come to the Lakers because of Byron. But I have to wonder if all of the negative things, fair or not, that have been said might cause top guys to want to stay away.

I guess it will come down to whether or not the Lakers, specifically Jeanie and Mitch, believe the problem is Byron or the rosters he's been handed.

 

[tomodach10]

Yeah, some sportstalk guy out here (I forget who) was suggesting that the Lakers might look to improve the roster with that top 3 pick, add a top FA or 2 and give Byron a season to see what he can do with better players.

Given the fact that no coach was going to win with the rosters he's been handed, I can understand the desire to at least give him a fair shot with a competitive roster. The problem is, do we know what FA's think of Byron? I haven't read or heard anything that suggests that FA's wouldn't come to the Lakers because of Byron. But I have to wonder if all of the negative things, fair or not, that have been said might cause top guys to want to stay away.

I guess it will come down to whether or not the Lakers, specifically Jeanie and Mitch, believe the problem is Byron or the rosters he's been handed.

Past history has shown what he can do with a good roster, get fired

 

[Retroram52]

If the Lakers have a rebuild plan in place, and supposedly they do, then let them continue and the media can STHU!

 

[trojanfan12]

Past history has shown what he can do with a good roster, get fired

Well, he did get the Nets to the finals. So, we also know that if he has a roster that's good enough, he can get them that far. What I don't think he can do, which only elite coaches can, is take a team that is close to good enough and get them there ahead of schedule (for lack of a better term). End of the day, no matter how good a coach is, if you give him a crappy roster, you're going to have a crappy team.

 

[trojanfan12]

If the Lakers have a rebuild plan in place, and supposedly they do, then let them continue and the media can STHU!

Yeah, I agree, Problem is, people listen to the media and no one believes in patience anymore.

 

[wildturkey]

Now the Lakers are having second thoughts about whether B. Scott might achieve the desired results with a better roster. Geez. Frikin media. Better roster? The Lakers have one of the best young corp groups going in recent memory outside of GS. The tanking is what they need to add even more. Flippin' media just stirring the pot again. I wish they'd just STHU sometimes.

Take a step back and view the whole picture. Chris Mannix, a pretty plugged in reporter who is now working for the most plugged in reporter (Adrian Wojnarowski), went on a national radio show yesterday and essentially said all his sources say Byron Scott is a dead man walking. Half a day later, a LA newspaper (Bresnahan is with the Times I think) says some people in the organization may be willing to keep Scott.

Now think about it for a second and its obvious what's happening here. Mannix spilled the beans and someone in the organization who is a friend of Scott called up the LA Times and fed them that story to not totally embarrass Byron Scott by saying he's already done.

 

[Retroram52]

I was listening to ESPN radio here in Phoenix on the way home from work tonight and they were discussing the FACT that Houston has not received one phone call about the possibility of obtaining Dwight Howard. Houston wants to get rid of this guy so badly they are willing to eat some of Howard's salary but no one in the league wants to even entertain the notion of trading for Howard. Apparently Houston has discovered what the Lakers found out. Howard is a complete waste of a basketball player and way over-paid. He is a narcissistic ego-maniacal asshole that does nothing but destroy locker rooms with his bullshit. Suddenly I felt so vindicated as a fan. The Dwightmare is alive and well and somebody else is getting the shaft besides us this time!!

 

[trojanfan12]

Half a day later, a LA newspaper (Bresnahan is with the Times I think) says some people in the organization may be willing to keep Scott.

Now think about it for a second and its obvious what's happening here. Mannix spilled the beans and someone in the organization who is a friend of Scott called up the LA Times and fed them that story to not totally embarrass Byron Scott by saying he's already done.

That seems pretty reasonable. I just read an article in this mornings paper titled "Kupchak Tight-Lipped About Scott's Future." The main point of the article was that Kupchak has been steadfast in his support of Byron up through January of this year when he praised his tough love style with the young players.

Yesterday, when asked about Byron's future he said: "Byron is under contract and until that changes, or if that changes, we'll let you know." When pressed on the matter he said: "I don't want to get into a Byron discussion right now. I'm not going to answer any more questions about Byron. My concern is one question will lead to another. If his status changes, I'll let you know."

Not exactly a "vote of confidence."

 

[trojanfan12]

I was listening to ESPN radio here in Phoenix on the way home from work tonight and they were discussing the FACT that Houston has not received one phone call about the possibility of obtaining Dwight Howard. Houston wants to get rid of this guy so badly they are willing to eat some of Howard's salary but no one in the league wants to even entertain the notion of trading for Howard. Apparently Houston has discovered what the Lakers found out. Howard is a complete waste of a basketball player and way over-paid. He is a narcissistic ego-maniacal asshole that does nothing but destroy locker rooms with his bullshit. Suddenly I felt so vindicated as a fan. The Dwightmare is alive and well and somebody else is getting the shaft besides us this time!!

Remember when us Lakers fans were predicting that this very thing would happen and were told we were just bitter and butthurt because he left?

No one says that anymore (but that doesn't mean I haven't reminded them a time or 2. lol).

 

[Retroram52]

LOL! Damn straight TJF12. A continual reminder is definitely in order. Revenge is a dish best served cold!

 

[tomodach10]

I was listening to ESPN radio here in Phoenix on the way home from work tonight and they were discussing the FACT that Houston has not received one phone call about the possibility of obtaining Dwight Howard. Houston wants to get rid of this guy so badly they are willing to eat some of Howard's salary but no one in the league wants to even entertain the notion of trading for Howard. Apparently Houston has discovered what the Lakers found out. Howard is a complete waste of a basketball player and way over-paid. He is a narcissistic ego-maniacal asshole that does nothing but destroy locker rooms with his bullshit. Suddenly I felt so vindicated as a fan. The Dwightmare is alive and well and somebody else is getting the shaft besides us this time!!

Me too. I just cringe at those billboards that treid to recruit him to sign back here. And ESPN looks even more foolish, if that is posdible, saying how Houston was the best situation for him and they would win a championship

 

[tomodach10]

Remember when us Lakers fans were predicting that this very thing would happen and were told we were just bitter and butthurt because he left?

No one says that anymore (but that doesn't mean I haven't reminded them a time or 2. lol).

You are so right

 

[Retroram52]

Six teams finally showed up yesterday at the final hour. Milwaukee came the closest to making a deal but Dwightmare effed it up as usual. The talks disintegrated and Dwightmare is going to FA this summer which ought to be laughable to say the least.

 

[lakersrule]

I'm not too disappointed with the Lakers standing pat. They weren't really going to get anything of significance for Hibbert, Bass, or Young. Maybe they could have for Williams, but I think the front office likes him a lot and wants to keep him around. Much better to keep the cap space for the summer.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm not too disappointed with the Lakers standing pat. They weren't really going to get anything of significance for Hibbert, Bass, or Young. Maybe they could have for Williams, but I think the front office likes him a lot and wants to keep him around. Much better to keep the cap space for the summer.

Yeah, I have no issue with it either. The only way they were going to get anything that would actually improve the team would be to trade Russell, Randle or Clarkson. Better to keep them, collect more ping pong balls and work on improving the roster in the off-season.