2015-16 NBA Western Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[trojanfan12]

It's all about which young guys you draft. That's the important part. The Sixers have shown no ability to draft well. The Lakers did well I believe with Randle. Clarkson looks decent, but not sold. Russell has tons of upside, but that's going to take time.

The Lakers may have the prestige to just build a team through Free Agency, but almost all the championship teams in the last 20 years has had at least one home grown star to build around. Not sure if the Lakers have that.

The Lakers would have to gut the entire team as they have no one to build around. Assembling a team through Free Agency would be incredibly difficult because you couldn't just go out and sign the best players, you would have to assemble a team around a style of play and a focal point. You would have to combine certain big names if you're able to get them in the first place.

What he was talking about, which I don't think I made clear in my post, is trading one or all of Clarkson, Russell and Nance and also going after a top FA. The example he used was trading for Bradley Beal and Al Horford to play alongside Randle and using that roster to attract a top level FA or 2.

It should also be noted that none of what he was told came directly from the Lakers. He made sure to say that it's the feeling he gets from what he's heard.

 

[trojanfan12]

It's all about which young guys you draft. That's the important part. The Sixers have shown no ability to draft well. The Lakers did well I believe with Randle. Clarkson looks decent, but not sold. Russell has tons of upside, but that's going to take time.

The Lakers may have the prestige to just build a team through Free Agency, but almost all the championship teams in the last 20 years has had at least one home grown star to build around. Not sure if the Lakers have that.

The Lakers would have to gut the entire team as they have no one to build around. Assembling a team through Free Agency would be incredibly difficult because you couldn't just go out and sign the best players, you would have to assemble a team around a style of play and a focal point. You would have to combine certain big names if you're able to get them in the first place.

Also, I agree re: depending on which guys you draft and the Lakers appear to have done a better job thus far than the Sixers.

 

[LAD]

Melo isn't playing and the Knicks are up by 13 at halftime.....something is very wrong with the Rockets.

Well at least they now know it wasn't their coach!

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Nice gutty win by the SPURS.
It aint easy winning at Memphis, and it is doubly so on a road back-to-back.

The offense is still a long ways off. The defense has to carry them for a while.
All the new faces are trying to figure out the offense.

They turned the keys over to Kawahi and Lamarcus. There is still some growing pains in this new midrange jumpshot/slash system after a few years of motion offense with 3 pointers..

 

[trojanfan12]

Nice gutty win by the SPURS.
It aint easy winning at Memphis, and it is doubly so on a road back-to-back.

The offense is still a long ways off. The defense has to carry them for a while.
All the new faces are trying to figure out the offense.

They turned the keys over to Kawahi and Lamarcus. There is still some growing pains in this new midrange jumpshot/slash system after a few years of motion offense with 3 pointers..

Spurs will get it figured out. They always do.

 

[WiggyRuss]

What he was talking about, which I don't think I made clear in my post, is trading one or all of Clarkson, Russell and Nance and also going after a top FA. The example he used was trading for Bradley Beal and Al Horford to play alongside Randle and using that roster to attract a top level FA or 2.

It should also be noted that none of what he was told came directly from the Lakers. He made sure to say that it's the feeling he gets from what he's heard.

I know you are just using thrown-out examples- but im just saying i dont see how either of those deals make sense.....Hawks love Teague- obviously the Wiz love Wall- no need for a PG on either team....Clarkson seems decent but ideally hes a bench guy i would think- not close to a Beale level player....Randle probably has value but its hard to get 90 cents on the dollar for a guy that has had the injuries issues he has had - even if right now he is 100 healthy....

Randle actually thus far- I think- looks to have the best long term potential on the whole Lakers team...but its awful hard as a slightly undersized power forward to become a high, high level player.

The most important question is- do the Lakers have a franchise guy on their team right now? And when i say "franchise guy" I mean a guy that can be an all star SOON- within a year or two- and a guy that within 3-4 years will be regarded as a fairly consensus top 20 guy.

If I were to have a gun put to my head and asked to guess- I would say right now they dont have that guy. Having siad that- of course there is a CHANCE Randle or Russell could develop into that guy- im just taking into consideration the probabilities.

Like the Cavs and Sixers have found out--- you need to have both preperation AND luck. adding additional first round picks is great- but at some point you have to hit big. The Cavs were lucky enough to get good luck in the lotto- but also skilled enough to add additionaal picks (one of which became Kyrie).....The Sixers- out of Noel, Saric, Embiid, Okafor---- Im not sure if they have gotten a franchise type player yet....If a guy where put to my head? DIFFICULT question...Embiid COULD be bt for the injuries, Okafor COULD be but he looks to be somewhat of an asshole, Saric COULD be but who really knows since hes been overseas...I think its a fair consensus tht Noel is a solid player but likely not ever going to be an all star level player.--id probably have to say THEY DONT have a franchise guy--- now Ben Simmons? That just might be your guy---- who knows- maybe the Lakers get him- maybe the Sixers get him....maybe the Sixers get EXTREMELY lucky and have the 1st and 4th picks in the draft- maybe the Lakers get lucky and win the lotto...

Its just SOOO difficult because you HAVE to tank and you HAVE to tank in the right year- and then you HAVE to have luck in the lotto. A LOT of things have to go right that you have control over- and you dont have control over.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I have to be hoenst- if right now you put a gun to my head and asked me what situation I would take....id PROBABLy have to take the 76'ers.

Saric, Embiid, Okafor, Noel, Stauskas, Covington, Lakers top 3 protected, Miami top 10 protected, OKC lotto protected, and own all their own picks

vs.

Randle, Russell, clarkson, Nance- no additional picks- and still owe very lightly protected First round picks to 76'ers an Magic. LAL obviously has an advantage in attracting free agents- but as we have seen- that is tied more and more towards abiliy to win than location.

each team should have oodles of cap room after this year.

which situation would u guys want to take over if you were a GM? fascinating question

 

[CitySushi]

I have to be hoenst- if right now you put a gun to my head and asked me what situation I would take....id PROBABLy have to take the 76'ers.

Saric, Embiid, Okafor, Noel, Stauskas, Covington, Lakers top 3 protected, Miami top 10 protected, OKC lotto protected, and own all their own picks

vs.

Randle, Russell, clarkson, Nance- no additional picks- and still owe very lightly protected First round picks to 76'ers an Magic. LAL obviously has an advantage in attracting free agents- but as we have seen- that is tied more and more towards abiliy to win than location.

each team should have oodles of cap room after this year.

which situation would u guys want to take over if you were a GM? fascinating question

First response was originally Lakers, but after more thought I think I'd opt Sixers. The biggest reason is that the Draft Picks and their potential hold more value than most players ever selected. Even though Russell is not even a year removed from being the #2 pick, he doesn't hold as much value as the Lakers protected pick to the Sixers.

I wrote in the Philly thread what I would try to do if I was GM. The Lakers have an edge in luring Free Agents, but the Sixers might have a chance to trump that by putting together a more competitive roster, by way of trades.

I would also make a coaching change. I think Brett Brown was given a shitty deal, but I think a fresh face would be needed. If some trades were able to be made to get a more competitive roster, I would do everything I could to hire Luke Walton. If the Sixers missed out on trades and used their actual draft picks, I would hire Mark Jackson.

I think overall Mark Jackson is a mediocre coach at best, but he excels at leadership and player communication. That would be much needed with a super young roster. He would be able to help turn around the culture, much as he did with the Warriors. Mark Jackson is definitely a stop gap coach, which is why I would opt for Walton with more NBA ready players to compete.

 

[trojanfan12]

The most important question is- do the Lakers have a franchise guy on their team right now? And when i say "franchise guy" I mean a guy that can be an all star SOON- within a year or two- and a guy that within 3-4 years will be regarded as a fairly consensus top 20 guy.

Russell is probably the most likely. The Lakers think he's going to be a special player in a couple of seasons. But, he's 19, so who knows?

Randle has the potential and attitude to be an all-star/top 20 player, but PF seems a fairly deep position. He's showing improvement already as far as being more controlled when driving to the hoop, but he needs to develop his off-hand and a reliable 15 foot jumper.

 

[trojanfan12]

Randle, Russell, clarkson, Nance- no additional picks- and still owe very lightly protected First round picks to 76'ers an Magic. LAL obviously has an advantage in attracting free agents- but as we have seen- that is tied more and more towards abiliy to win than location.

It's going to depend on the development of those young guys. If they look like they are going to be as good as folks believe, then the Lakers will have a great shot at a top FA or 2. If not for how good Kyrie is and the assets to get Love, Lebron is still in Miami and the Cavs are still rebuilding.

The Lakers were already comfortably under the cap last FA period and Kobe's contract comes off the books after this season, plus the cap goes up. So, they will have plenty of money to go after a couple of top FA's and even some mid-tier "role player" types if necessary. Gonna be another interesting off-season.

 

[ManuForever]

It's going to depend on the development of those young guys. If they look like they are going to be as good as folks believe, then the Lakers will have a great shot at a top FA or 2. If not for how good Kyrie is and the assets to get Love, Lebron is still in Miami and the Cavs are still rebuilding.

The Lakers were already comfortably under the cap last FA period and Kobe's contract comes off the books after this season, plus the cap goes up. So, they will have plenty of money to go after a couple of top FA's and even some mid-tier "role player" types if necessary. Gonna be another interesting off-season.

I'm not too smart when it comes to this cap/tax stuff....I hate reading up on it. But won't Kobe retiring give the Lakers a TON of cash to play with?

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm not too smart when it comes to this cap/tax stuff....I hate reading up on it. But won't Kobe retiring give the Lakers a TON of cash to play with?

Yep. He is making approx. $25 million this year, so that will come off the books, plus they have other contracts they can unload and the cap is going up significantly. They Lakers will have a ton of money to spend. They're just gonna need the right guys to take it.

 

[handicappers]

Something about James Harden bugs me.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

SPURS fell asleep at the wheel in the 4th

cruising along with another ho-hum 16 pt 4th quarter lead.
Thought it would be another blowout and defensive smothering.

Then Boston went crazy with 6 made 3-pointers from everywhere in the last few minutes to make them sweat.

Give Popovich something to yell about.

 

[trojanfan12]

SPURS fell asleep at the wheel in the 4th

cruising along with another ho-hum 16 pt 4th quarter lead.
Thought it would be another blowout and defensive smothering.

Then Boston went crazy with 6 made 3-pointers from everywhere in the last few minutes to make them sweat.

Give Popovich something to yell about.

You know Pop loves it when that stuff happens.

 

[Bolts]

Something about James Harden bugs me.

It's probably all of his stupid flopping and the calls that come with it. He shoots about 40% from the field and under 30% from the 3, but avgs 30ppg thanks to 11fts a game(16 tonight) that he gets because he flops. He also barely plays any defense.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

You know Pop loves it when that stuff happens.

The Spurs little unknown mini-streak had to end sooner or later
Spurs points allowed:
82, 84, 83, 88, 80, 89, 70, 83......105

Boston not only cracked 90.
They almost won the game despite trailing by 16 with minutes to go.

Popovich does love games like that one.
You get the "W" and still get to yell and scream at the team for getting lazy on defense in the 4th quarter.

 

[bksballer89]

Kings outscoring OKC 29-13 in the 4th to take a 4 point lead

 

[Bolts]

Kings outscoring OKC 29-13 in the 4th to take a 4 point lead

And then they went back to being the Kings and lost, but at least Rondo made a great play!


I really hate being a Kings fan most of the time.

 

[wildturkey]

OKC seriously needs to stick with the orange jerseys. They're so much better