2018-2019 NBA Regular Season Thread

[dtgold88]

Year 2 missed ECF, while losing Bosh and his cap space.
Competitive every season.

Also-ran pretty much every year.....and still an also-ran 5 years later. Not looking like any different next year or even the year after. That's what you hoped for? To MAYBE be a real player in year 8 after he left?

 

[DJ]

 

[bksballer89]

 

[bksballer89]

Can't believe tonight is Dwade final game at AAA. Doesn't feel real at all.

To grow up with your favorite player and to see him retire is one of the most painful things fans can go through in sports

 

[WiggyRuss]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-lakers-president-magic-johnson-193202238.html

Lakers president Magic Johnson viewed as ‘absentee executive

Magic Johnson did a nice job setting up the Lakers to land a star free agent last summer. He even lured the biggest star free agent of all – LeBron James.

And then it all went downhill from there.

Johnson had terrible ideas of how to build a supporting cast around LeBron. The Lakers prioritized their notion of tough playmakers – Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Michael Beasley – over shooters. As if LeBron would truly be content playing off the ball. Of course, the player with the greatest combination of scoring and passing in NBA history wanted the ball in his hands. That left LeBron surrounded by ill-fitting, and just plain not-good-enough, teammates.

How did Johnson think this was a good plan?

Maybe by not working hard enough to come up with a better one.

Bill Oram of The Athletic:


Johnson is seen as an absentee executive

If Johnson isn’t putting in the work, that’d be a major problem for the Lakers. He wouldn’t be alone throughout the league, and the Lakers have other executives, including general manager Rob Pelinka. But Johnson is in charge of the front office. Running an NBA team’s basketball operations is a hard job that requires a lot of work to do well. It’s on him to move the Lakers forward – especially because he has so much job security.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss has repeatedly stated her faith in Johnson. She also defendedPhil Jackson after the Knicks firing him despite him being unprepared, out of touch, unavailable and low energy. Buss just might have too much patience for lackluster work ethics, especially by people she’s close with.

And no wonder Johnson’s comments after not trading for Anthony Davis went over so poorly within the Lakers. Executives who build strong connections with their players can get through those situations. It’s much more difficult when the team president isn’t around to establish a bond in the first place.

To be fair, the Lakers were right to pursue Davis. He’s a superstar. The opportunity to land him justified potential chemistry disruptions.

But that wasn’t the Lakers’ only discussed move that showcases the organization’s flaws.

Oram:


on the weekend of Jan. 25, the Lakers had a tentative deal in place to acquire Bulls forward Jabari Parker in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Michael Beasley, league sources told The Athletic.

Because he’s on a one-year contract and would have Early Bird Rights, Caldwell-Pope had the right to veto a trade. The Lakers also got into the mix for Davis, putting other deals on the backburner. So, the Parker trade never happened.

But it would have been awful for the Lakers. Parker would have been yet another player who doesn’t do enough without the ball.

 

[WiggyRuss]

What did James think of the Lakers’ grand experiment? How did he view the idea of prioritizing playmaking over shooting.

“That experiment?” James said of the roster construction for his first season in L.A.

James stared out onto the court for a moment, turned his attention back to the conversation, pursed his lips and stuck out his tongue as he trumpeted air out of his mouth, making a raspberry sound.

“THBPBPTHPT!”

Before signing with the Lakers, LeBron put out word he wanted to play off the ball more. Lakers president Magic Johnson said LeBron signed off on the team’s additions last summer.

And this is the response now that the plan (predictably) failed?

This is the difficulty of managing LeBron. He sometimes has roster input, but he’s not there to take blame when moves go wrong.

 

[WiggyRuss]

well, at least Arison is happy!

 

[dtgold88]

well, at least Arison is happy!

Hard to imagine Lebron chose to play for an owner who would spend whatever it took.

 

[dtgold88]

What did James think of the Lakers’ grand experiment? How did he view the idea of prioritizing playmaking over shooting.

“That experiment?” James said of the roster construction for his first season in L.A.

James stared out onto the court for a moment, turned his attention back to the conversation, pursed his lips and stuck out his tongue as he trumpeted air out of his mouth, making a raspberry sound.

“THBPBPTHPT!”

Before signing with the Lakers, LeBron put out word he wanted to play off the ball more. Lakers president Magic Johnson said LeBron signed off on the team’s additions last summer.

And this is the response now that the plan (predictably) failed?

This is the difficulty of managing LeBron. He sometimes has roster input, but he’s not there to take blame when moves go wrong.

Exactly.....and you know if it worked he'd have told anyone who would listen he was in on the plan.

 

[dtgold88]

Can't believe tonight is Dwade final game at AAA. Doesn't feel real at all.

To grow up with your favorite player and to see him retire is one of the most painful things fans can go through in sports

Enjoy it.....sincerely hope if it's what you want they perform a miracle and get to the playoffs.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Enjoy it.....sincerely hope if it's what you want they perform a miracle and get to the playoffs.

is there an NIT for the NBA?

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

DURANT + IRVING + ZION

Frozen ping pong balls and all, It seems better than even money now.

The East is going to be the power conference soon if it is not already the power conference.

 

[Hambombs]

View attachment 202045

Warner bros star in LA. AD To lakers confirmed

 

[Hambombs]

Jason Kidd new coach of lakers

 

[dtgold88]

DURANT + IRVING + ZION

Frozen ping pong balls and all, It seems better than even money now.

The East is going to be the power conference soon if it is not already the power conference.

Guessing you were kidding, but you know there are no ping pong balls anymore, right?

 

[Bolts]

Anybody have a good suggestion for DJ's avatar for the first round? I already have one picked out but if there's something better it could be changed.

 

[Shanemansj13]

DURANT + IRVING + ZION

Frozen ping pong balls and all, It seems better than even money now.

The East is going to be the power conference soon if it is not already the power conference.

Close. Knicks could get some bigtime guys but Zion isn't going to NY.

 

[bksballer89]

 

[tducey]

If the Knicks were to get Zion, Durant and Irving for next yr. they'd def be a playoff team and could even flirt with 50 wins.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

its gonna be funny not to see dirk in a mavs uniform next year. him in a mavs jersey is something you always expect to be there