Lakers are DONE for a while

[TexasMan]

As long as Sternball rolls over to this new commish, the Lakers will always be contenders.

 

[Retroram52]

Well, it looks as though they are not going to be down for too long. Kaman signs, Odom is interested, and Metta gets amnestied. I guess they are not standing still.

 

[Retroram52]

Farmar signs, Maggette and Odom are very interested. Sounds like the Lakers are not tanking anything!

 

[sublime4eva]

Sounds like the makings of a lottery team too me..
Hopefully things change for the better in 2014.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The LAL have had a long, long run of success, but this won't be the 1st time they've been on a down tick which I agree with the OP is coming...people that remember the pre-Magic era saw it first hand as I did...the Lakers will be a competitive team @ home but probably woeful on the road...they will be back.

 

[Black Adam]

The LAL have had a long, long run of success, but this won't be the 1st time they've been on a down tick which I agree with the OP is coming...people that remember the pre-Magic era saw it first hand as I did...the Lakers will be a competitive team @ home but probably woeful on the road...they will be back.

 

[Silas]

Given the Lakers roster for next season, it seems the best thing for the Lakers would be to join the Lottery group and get a decent Draft pick, then bring on the FA's in 2014.

If little buss stays out of the kitchen the Lakers should be back on top in a couple years.

 

[Retroram52]

Excellent Silas and absolutely right on the money with Short Buss!

 

[bluepigpen]

Back from a short fly fishing vacation and all though the Lakers might be on a short vacation from the playoffs next season, now that the free throw wizard is in Houston we can come back quicker. Just my opinion Heat Lover even with Shorty in charge.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Guess the plan is to score 120 every night like D'Antoni said? Because we got no kinda defense right now.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea Outlaw. Got some younger legs. Run, run, run, and no D. Great!

 

[trojanfan12]

Guess the plan is to score 120 every night like D'Antoni said? Because we got no kinda defense right now.

Well, if nothing else, they should be fun to watch!!

 

[Retroram52]

I guess it is the reincarnation of Showtime. I guess here. I am not sure of anything at this point with the Lakers these days. We have gotten younger in a hurry. We have new younger guys, Kaman, Kelly, Johnson, Young, Farmar and then there are the summer league invites. SB nation through Yahoo Sports has a nice article on Don'tknowi's plan. We'll see how it all plays out.

 

[trojanfan12]

I guess it is the reincarnation of Showtime. I guess here. I am not sure of anything at this point with the Lakers these days. We have gotten younger in a hurry. We have new younger guys, Kaman, Kelly, Johnson, Young, Farmar and then there are the summer league invites. SB nation through Yahoo Sports has a nice article on Don'tknowi's plan. We'll see how it all plays out.

The one positive thing that I will say about Short Buss is that part of the reason that he didn't hire Phil or any coach likely to bring the triangle back, was because he wanted to bring Showtime back to the Lakers!! I loved Phil and the triangle for the championships that it brought!! However, I think that we can all agree that it could be pretty boring to watch at times!!

D'Antoni is a good pick if that is the goal, imo!! People talk about how free agents may not want to come play for the Lakers with no "anchor" star to attract them. However, I believe that players will want to go to a team that plays a style that is fun to watch and will give them lots of opportunities to score.

So, if D'Antoni's system works anywhere close to the way it did in Phoenix, this will be a fun team that FA's will want be a part of because of the system!! Remember, D'Antoni's system had the Suns basically one Robert Horry "cross check into the boards" on Steve Nash from making the finals!!

Having said that, the Showtime era Lakers were a better defensive team than they are given credit for. I think that for the Lakers to truly bring Showtime back, they will need an assistant coach to focus on a defense that can at least get stops when they need them like the Showtime era Lakers did!!

 

[Retroram52]

Well TrojanFan12. That appears to be the direction they are going with Don'tknowi's system. Mark MAdsen and Kurt Rambis are rumored to be two assistant coaches for Don'tknowi. Rambis knows both systems so, the Lakers probably have what they need to implement the up-tempo offense that Nash knows as well.

 

[trojanfan12]

Well TrojanFan12. That appears to be the direction they are going with Don'tknowi's system. Mark MAdsen and Kurt Rambis are rumored to be two assistant coaches for Don'tknowi. Rambis knows both systems so, the Lakers probably have what they need to implement the up-tempo offense that Nash knows as well.

Madsen and Rambis would be good hires, imo!! Particularly if they can concentrate on something resembling a defense!! I think that it'll take 2-3 seasons to get the players and fully implement the system!!

Obviously, that time frame speeds up a good bit if the Lakers were to land Lebron as I think that his skillset would make him perfect for the "Magic Johnson" role in that offense (sorry CL!!)!!

Not saying that the Lakers will get him, but we know that they will make a serious run at him and I think that's the approach I would take with him!!

 

[Black Adam]

Madsen and Rambis would be good hires, imo!! Particularly if they can concentrate on something resembling a defense!! I think that it'll take 2-3 seasons to get the players and fully implement the system!!

Obviously, that time frame speeds up a good bit if the Lakers were to land Lebron as I think that his skillset would make him perfect for the "Magic Johnson" role in that offense (sorry CL!!)!!

Not saying that the Lakers will get him, but we know that they will make a serious run at him and I think that's the approach I would take with him!!

yeah yeah lol...


i STILL think a team can win a 'ship without LeClown. unlike Turnip i know it takes a TEAM to win a title, so who needs him...?

 

[trojanfan12]

yeah yeah lol...


i STILL think a team can win a 'ship without LeClown. unlike Turnip i know it takes a TEAM to win a title, so who needs him...?

I agree that the Lakers could win a championship without him if they put the right pieces together. Heck, we saw the Spurs come within a rebound and miracle shot from Ray-Ray of taking the Heat out in 6!!

However, like it or not, Lebron is the best player in the game and having the best player in the game on your side, tends to make it a little easier!! As Laker fans, we should know this because we've seen it happen a time or 2, or 3, or 4, or 5, etc., etc.!!

 

[DimesD]

Dwight will not win a ring with the Rockets. I'm pretty sure of it. Right now, the Rockets are 4-5th best behind Spurs/OKC/Clipps. Memphis is still incomplete. They still have to ability to resign Allen.

Despite the Jim Factor, i still think the FA signings of 2014 & 2015 could change everything. And it doesn't have to be lebron. What needs to happen is Kobe must feel comfortable to give up something so that his team can have more. No need for ballhogging the cap space.

2014 - Carmello. Kobe and Pau can sign 1-year deal for 10-15 mil.
2015 - Love. He will come. No doubt in my mind. LA is taylor made for him and his on-court/off court ventures. Mitch doesn't need to sell Love about having a statue in front of Staples. It'll happen naturally the way he dominates the boards to add to his abiltiy to score. Love will be such a superstar with family lineage. Think Charles Barkley with better looks, brains and charisma.

The kill shot will be getting Rondo.

2015 - Love/Melo/Rondo Kobe and Pau return for peanuts (MLE). And if Nash has anything left he can be here for the vet min. Phil comes back 1 year to pass the torch to one of his generals (Rick Fox?) = Championships. Rondo sets up - melo does Kobeme - Love cleans up. Pau and Kobe save their energy for the playoffs.

The group he left will show Dwight where he went wrong. Of course, Kobe is stubborn and his salary demands may mean more than winning.

 

[Retroram52]

Good to see you DimesD. IDK about the FA you are considering in 2014. I think Love may be a definite but I also think the Lakers are returning to a mode of finding those special players through the draft as indicated by their recent willingness to find younger FA players who may not be the top tier talent but are players that the club can tweak the roster with and then add one to three top players.

I am not sure LeBron wants to come to LA either. WE all know what happens when a player does not want to be a Laker and I think the Lakers will not make that mistake again. SO, it'll be interesting to see what transpires in the coming year and what direction emerges as the Lakers continue the process of returning to championship prominence.