So, Who's the moron that said the Lakers are the better-operated franchise than the Cavs?

[dtgold88]

We already know that under Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak mismanaged the Lakers - No one is disputing that. Most people thought the Lakers had turned the page at the beginning of the season - but it is bullshit to pretend that this year is the same mismanagement when the team was destroyed by so many injuries UNLESS you are blaming the head coach and Magic Johnson for all of those injuries. Are You?

They had room for 2 max players, added Lebron for 60 games and might win less games.

 

[WiggyRuss]

That's called tanking, and neither of those players made the 2014 roster. The tanking got them Love via trade, Kyrie was already there as Lebron's departing gift from David Stern. The Eastern Conference was pretty weak then too. Take a look at that Hawks roster and explain to me how that results in 60 wins.

I mean, the Lakers had a bad year, because over the last 5 previous seasons they just did not make nearly enough good moves to acquire and store up assets.

They are now in season 7 without winning a playoff game, and they have Ball, Ingram, Kuzma, Hart, Deng still on the payroll for 5M this year AND next year and an aging LeBron to show for it.

The Cavs lost LeBron for a 4 year period- and did not even have a first round pick the year they lost LeBron, and in that time span they were able to load up their roster with lotto talent, extra picks, and a ton of good young players.


by far the biggest downfall of the Lakers has been the fact that over the 5 years that they sucked, they did not acquire nearly enough quality assets.

 

[dtgold88]

I mean, the Lakers had a bad year, because over the last 5 previous seasons they just did not make nearly enough good moves to acquire and store up assets.

They are now in season 7 without winning a playoff game, and they have Ball, Ingram, Kuzma, Hart, Deng still on the payroll for 5M this year AND next year and an aging LeBron to show for it.

The Cavs lost LeBron for a 4 year period- and did not even have a first round pick the year they lost LeBron, and in that time span they were able to load up their roster with lotto talent, extra picks, and a ton of good young players.


by far the biggest downfall of the Lakers has been the fact that over the 5 years that they sucked, they did not acquire nearly enough quality assets.

as just mentioned.....they had room for 2 max players, signed one in Lebron and might lose LESS games.

If that isn't a mic drop........

 

[WiggyRuss]

We already know that under Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak mismanaged the Lakers - No one is disputing that. Most people thought the Lakers had turned the page at the beginning of the season - but it is bullshit to pretend that this year is the same mismanagement when the team was destroyed by so many injuries UNLESS you are blaming the head coach and Magic Johnson for all of those injuries. Are You?

I think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for not trading the #2 pick for Paul George and having the arrogance that he would just join the Lakers

I think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for making terrible signings and decisions this season, for instance letting go of a guy like Lopez and giving the same (actually slightly more) money to a guy like Michael Beasley.

I think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for having no control of the narrative of what happened with the Davis trade talks, and then Jeanie Buss to have the audacity to say the media was to blame

I think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for drafting Lonzo Ball over Jayson Tatum and DeAron Fox.

i think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for having no better plan than to let a homegrown former lotto pick that they still had RFA rights to, to walk for nothing in order to get cap space for a 2nd guy they never even signed.

I think I am blaming Jeanie Buss for having an organization where Pelinka and Magic, two guys that have never been in charge of a team, where all of a sudden in charge of a team, and a first-time coach that was clearly in over his head.

I think I am blaming Pelinka and Magic for making no kind of effort to get in anyone better than wastes like Mike Muscala and Reggie Bullock at the trade/buyout deadline when every time in Cleveland, despite having little to no assets and being way over the cap, the Cavs always managed to pull off moves to help the roster and inject life and competiveness into the team.

I think I am blaming Magic for making stupid comments like "The Pelcians dealt in bad faith" and "I am going to hug the guys" and then 2 days later saying "we gotta stop babying the guys".

I think i am blaming Magic and Pelinka for bringing in guys like Rondo, Stephenson, Beasley, Mcgee, KCP and then being surprised when the team has no guts and no character and implodes when times got tough

I think I am blaming MAgic and Pelinka for relying on a guy like Brandon Ingram to be the 2nd beset player- when on the 2nd game of the season he loses his mind and punches someone and gets suspended becuase he was clearly not up for that type of pressure.

shall I go on?

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for not trading the #2 pick for Paul George and having the arrogance that he would just join the Lakers

I think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for making terrible signings and decisions this season, for instance letting go of a guy like Lopez and giving the same (actually slightly more) money to a guy like Michael Beasley.

I think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for having no control of the narrative of what happened with the Davis trade talks, and then Jeanie Buss to have the audacity to say the media was to blame

I think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for drafting Lonzo Ball over Jayson Tatum and DeAron Fox.

i think I am blaming Magic and Pelinka for having no better plan than to let a homegrown former lotto pick that they still had RFA rights to, to walk for nothing in order to get cap space for a 2nd guy they never even signed.

I think I am blaming Jeanie Buss for having an organization where Pelinka and Magic, two guys that have never been in charge of a team, where all of a sudden in charge of a team, and a first-time coach that was clearly in over his head.

I think I am blaming Pelinka and Magic for making no kind of effort to get in anyone better than wastes like Mike Muscala and Reggie Bullock at the trade/buyout deadline when every time in Cleveland, despite having little to no assets and being way over the cap, the Cavs always managed to pull off moves to help the roster and inject life and competiveness into the team.

I think I am blaming Magic for making stupid comments like "The Pelcians dealt in bad faith" and "I am going to hug the guys" and then 2 days later saying "we gotta stop babying the guys".

I think i am blaming Magic and Pelinka for bringing in guys like Rondo, Stephenson, Beasley, Mcgee, KCP and then being surprised when the team has no guts and no character and implodes when times got tough

I think I am blaming MAgic and Pelinka for relying on a guy like Brandon Ingram to be the 2nd beset player- when on the 2nd game of the season he loses his mind and punches someone and gets suspended becuase he was clearly not up for that type of pressure.

shall I go on?

Magic and Pelinka have made many mistakes - where Mitch under Jim Buss was a seasoned veteran. Bottom line, however you should be asking for your 50,000 v-cash as you won your bet, but I digress. The Lakers were winning and were contenders until the injuries and they never recovered from that - that's the only reason you won your bet.

Now on the injuries I do have a theory. I think it is possible for a team to play extra hard in every game as if it's a playoff game. Playing that hard, however in my opinion may have led to the injuries and that is where Luke Walton may have went wrong - No team should have that many injuries in one year - Some one developed the wrong style of plays on that score if I am right

 

[True Lakers Fan]

They had room for 2 max players, added Lebron for 60 games and might win less games.

No one was expecting the Lakers to win 60 games this season - at the best 50 games - Personally I think they should have signed Lopez and Randle who would have been the grit

 

[tlance]

Perhaps, but I think you are smart enough to understand - that teams with a lot of injuries seldom are contenders and generally miss the playoffs, so cut the crap and be mindful that the Lakers lost LeBron James, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball for a relatively large part of the season. I consider 21 games each to be significant considering Lonzo Ball and Ingram are out for the season. In addition Rondo was out 11 games or so. No team is going to recover from that in a season. This nonsense that the Lakers are a badly managed team by Magic Johnson is not yet a given even though I think he has made a good start in the direction.

Let's rephrase a bit and I think we can both agree.

An elite can absolutely survive that type of injury luck and still make the playoffs and even contend.

An average playoff team can't. And the Lakers had the roster of an average playoff team in the loaded West when completely healthy and before the drama.

And even though I agree that not using long term cap space to sign non stars was the correct play, the Laker decision makers are absolutely at fault for not putting better fitting pieces around LBJ that might have enabled them to get through the adversity they actually faced.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Let's rephrase a bit and I think we can both agree.

An elite can absolutely survive that type of injury luck and still make the playoffs and even contend.

An average playoff team can't. And the Lakers had the roster of an average playoff team in the loaded West when completely healthy and before the drama.

And even though I agree that not using long term cap space to sign non stars was the correct play, the Laker decision makers are absolutely at fault for not putting better fitting pieces around LBJ that might have enabled them to get through the adversity they actually faced.

I remember that the Sacramento Kings were just as good without Chris Webber back in 2001 or 2002 and he was huge, but this Lakers team lost three of their best players - and only of them comes even close to be Michael Jordan - but while the Bulls were good - they won NOTHING without Michael Jordan - Absolutely nothing. But take the Warriors and lose Klay Thompson, Kid Curry and Durant out for the same games - and it is doubtful they do any better other then making the playoffs, but they are a super-team - No one is beating them this year anyhow

 

[shopson67]

as just mentioned.....they had room for 2 max players, signed one in Lebron and might lose LESS games.

If that isn't a mic drop........

It's not. They're currently missing two other starters, including their 2nd option, on a team that was only supposed to contend for a playoff spot. They've been putting out lineups with 2 2-way players and a 10 day contract lately, not to mention a rarely played raw rookie.

 

[dtgold88]

No one was expecting the Lakers to win 60 games this season - at the best 50 games - Personally I think they should have signed Lopez and Randle who would have been the grit

who said anyone expected 60 wins?

 

[dtgold88]

I remember that the Sacramento Kings were just as good without Chris Webber back in 2001 or 2002 and he was huge, but this Lakers team lost three of their best players - and only of them comes even close to be Michael Jordan - but while the Bulls were good - they won NOTHING without Michael Jordan - Absolutely nothing. But take the Warriors and lose Klay Thompson, Kid Curry and Durant out for the same games - and it is doubtful they do any better other then making the playoffs, but they are a super-team - No one is beating them this year anyhow

You keep saying this and it's beyond foolish. The Bulls won 55 games without MJ. The Lakers WITH Lebron for 60 games will be a 10-11 seed.

 

[dtgold88]

It's not. They're currently missing two other starters, including their 2nd option, on a team that was only supposed to contend for a playoff spot. They've been putting out lineups with 2 2-way players and a 10 day contract lately, not to mention a rarely played raw rookie.

If Ball is a second option, that only supports my case.

 

[shopson67]

If Ball is a second option, that only supports my case.

Ingram obviously.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

You keep saying this and it's beyond foolish. The Bulls won 55 games without MJ. The Lakers WITH Lebron for 60 games will be a 10-11 seed.

The Bull lost one player. THE LAKERS LOST THREE STARTERS. HELL!!!!!????

Not to mention that the Bulls replaced Michael when he retired, which made it quite different. NO TEAM IS GOING TO WIN MANY GAMES WITHOUT THEIR THREE BEST STARTERS. NO ONE

 

[True Lakers Fan]

If Ball is a second option, that only supports my case.

BALL is not even a third option

 

[dtgold88]

BALL is not even a third option

Ingram as #2 supports my case, as well.

 

[dtgold88]

The Bull lost one player. THE LAKERS LOST THREE STARTERS. HELL!!!!!????

Not to mention that the Bulls replaced Michael when he retired, which made it quite different. NO TEAM IS GOING TO WIN MANY GAMES WITHOUT THEIR THREE BEST STARTERS. NO ONE

Yeah. MJ is just one player. Just like anyone losing a player for the season.

Never mind as you keep ignoring their top 2 centers missed 50 each and Kucoc, Pippen and Grant missed 7-10 each.

Ya gotta love this forum.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Yeah. MJ is just one player. Just like anyone losing a player for the season.

Never mind as you keep ignoring their top 2 centers missed 50 each and Kucoc, Pippen and Grant missed 7-10 each.

Ya gotta love this forum.

I didn't and I address that - 7-10 games is not 21 ands and skill climbing. If Lonzo Ball had missed only 7 games and Ingram only 7 games - I would be quite happy - but both of them have already missed 21 games and will missed the same. Any team should be able to find away to overcome a few injuries and sneak into the playoffs. That's a given - but not when everyone is injured - That's retarded

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Ingram as #2 supports my case, as well.

Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram need to be traded - both of them have small body frames and are too fragile

And I am going to add that the Bulls had a much deeper team in a much weaker conference - even though the Western Conference is highly over-rated and not nearly as good as many people think.

 

[dtgold88]

I didn't and I address that - 7-10 games is not 21 ands and skill climbing. If Lonzo Ball had missed only 7 games and Ingram only 7 games - I would be quite happy - but both of them have already missed 21 games and will missed the same. Any team should be able to find away to overcome a few injuries and sneak into the playoffs. That's a given - but not when everyone is injured - That's retarded

correct, and 21 is not 82.

wont go so far as to call it retarded, but calling MJ just "one player" seems a bit absurd, doesn't it?

You think LA wins more games if Lebron misses every game and Ingram/Ball miss 7-10 or they all miss 20 games?