where do lakers end up in draft?

[OutlawImmortal]

I'm sure West"brick" wouldn't mind the Cali bud

 

[Black Adam]

I'm sure West"brick" wouldn't mind the Cali bud

considering he's FROM here in the first place that ain't much of a stretch...

 

[Retroram52]

TJF12. I think the Lakers have a team right now that doesn't know its identity under Don'tknowi and because of the flux with the injuries and the many starting line-ups, the ability to establish one is attenuated. I think there are a couple of players that might be let go, but with more stability and playing time together, they could be pretty damn good.

Yes we are losing but we are in the middle of the tier and towards the top in some league categories that we can build on with a KLove and a number one draft pick. But we don't need alot of additions because players that normally would not get to play as much such Rob Sacre, Kendall Marshall, Jordon Farmar, Jodie Meeks, and Ryan Kelly are gaining valuable NBA experience. Sure, they suck sometimes really badly like against the Clipjoint but we are in the top half of the league in three-point shooting as well as our bench scoring.

Are we as good as say a Miami or San Antonio? Hell no, not yet though. Right now we have the makings of a future great team. If we add a KLove and a number one, we may not need to add anymore players if a Sacre continues to improve or say Meeks, Ryan, Henry, Johnson, Farmar, and Swaggy. Right now on this roster we have three top 10 picks (if I am not mistaken). That being Marshall, Johnson, and Swaggy with our own Kelly, Farmar, and guys like Xavier Henry and Jodie Meeks who is fast becoming an excellent and consistent three-point sniper.

So, I am not really big on blowing this team up so much as adding a couple more pieces and then let Kobe's competitive intensity and some better play on the defensive side of the ball take care of the rest. In two years, this team could very well be pretty darn good.

 

[lakersrule]

With the way things are going, I can see the following happening.


Lakers get a solid draft pick, easily top 10 or most likely even top 5 and pick up a solid vet or 2 in the off-season. They have a solid, possible playoff team next year. They sign Kevin Love or other max level FA to pair with Kobe for a deeper playoff run in the final year of Kobe's 2 year deal. Kobe retires and the Lakers use the resultant cap space to add Russell Westbrook or another max level FA.


The Lakers have some young, athletic players who can make some nice pieces to put around a couple max FA's.

Top 10 is a given. The rate they are going, top 3 is looking good. I was watching Parker and Wiggins full game highlights last night. It's gonna take a few years, but a Love, Westbrook, Wiggins trio will look good in the purple and gold!

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Two max FAs, a healthy Kobe who might get us 15ppg or so and a top 5 draft pick and I say we might be good to go for a decent playoff run next season.

Get a good big man in the draft and we can dump Gasols salary and maybe get a couple of role players in return.

I still think it's important to keep hold of some of the guys we have now though: Young, X, Meeks and Marshall.

 

[Black Adam]

Two max FAs, a healthy Kobe who might get us 15ppg or so and a top 5 draft pick and I say we might be good to go for a decent playoff run next season.

Get a good big man in the draft and we can dump Gasols salary and maybe get a couple of role players in return.

I still think it's important to keep hold of some of the guys we have now though: Young, X, Meeks and Marshall.

Johnson imo could be a keeper IF there could be a way to tap the guy's potential. i keep saying this but as athletic as the guy is i wonder why he doesn't simply go by people and attack the basket...

 

[Retroram52]

I agree CL67. Meeks is beginning to attack the basket more and of course Farmar and Henry need no invitation. They are already doing that. Marshall is even taking shots. The timidity that Gasbag brings night in and night out has filtered into the team a little bit. It should go out the door with Gasbag and Nash.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Gasols future depends on how high our draft pick is. If we get lucky enough to get Joel Embiid or Julius Randle, I think Pau is outta here.

 

[trojanfan12]

TJF12. I think the Lakers have a team right now that doesn't know its identity under Don'tknowi and because of the flux with the injuries and the many starting line-ups, the ability to establish one is attenuated. I think there are a couple of players that might be let go, but with more stability and playing time together, they could be pretty damn good.

Yes we are losing but we are in the middle of the tier and towards the top in some league categories that we can build on with a KLove and a number one draft pick. But we don't need alot of additions because players that normally would not get to play as much such Rob Sacre, Kendall Marshall, Jordon Farmar, Jodie Meeks, and Ryan Kelly are gaining valuable NBA experience. Sure, they suck sometimes really badly like against the Clipjoint but we are in the top half of the league in three-point shooting as well as our bench scoring.

Are we as good as say a Miami or San Antonio? Hell no, not yet though. Right now we have the makings of a future great team. If we add a KLove and a number one, we may not need to add anymore players if a Sacre continues to improve or say Meeks, Ryan, Henry, Johnson, Farmar, and Swaggy. Right now on this roster we have three top 10 picks (if I am not mistaken). That being Marshall, Johnson, and Swaggy with our own Kelly, Farmar, and guys like Xavier Henry and Jodie Meeks who is fast becoming an excellent and consistent three-point sniper.

So, I am not really big on blowing this team up so much as adding a couple more pieces and then let Kobe's competitive intensity and some better play on the defensive side of the ball take care of the rest. In two years, this team could very well be pretty darn good.

What we are seeing, imo, is the beginnings of what the team will look like in the future. Some of the "role player" pieces are already in place in our young guys like Meeks, Swaggy P, Farmar, etc. The injuries are unfortunate because they are stunting the growth of the team. However, as you mentioned, some guys are gaining valuable game experience right now.

While the current team may not look good (even terrible at times) it's all part of the growing pains that the team has to go through right now and will pay dividends in the future.

Remember D'Antoni's offense in Phoenix? Imagine that offense with the likes of K. Love, Westbrook, Farmar, Swaggy P a high draft pick and maybe even some left over Kobe in a couple of years. Showtime 2.0?

 

[trojanfan12]

Johnson imo could be a keeper IF there could be a way to tap the guy's potential. i keep saying this but as athletic as the guy is i wonder why he doesn't simply go by people and attack the basket...

I think he just needs consistent playing time and will get it figured out. I can see him playing the same role that Shawn Marion did in Phoenix.

 

[trojanfan12]

I agree CL67. Meeks is beginning to attack the basket more and of course Farmar and Henry need no invitation. They are already doing that. Marshall is even taking shots. The timidity that Gasbag brings night in and night out has filtered into the team a little bit. It should go out the door with Gasbag and Nash.

Could not disagree more and people need to quit blaming Pau for what is happening. The guy played a huge role in 2 championships and has been fighting injuries and constant trade rumors for 3 years. He has handled it all with a professionalism and class that is largely missing from many of today's professional athletes.

Pau is not the problem and never has been. As he recovered from off-season surgery and then the bronchial infection or whatever it was that affected his breathing, he was starting to play well. He sucked it up and played last despite a foot injury, because without him, the Lakers would have only had 8 players in uniform.

Time to get off Pau's back and start appreciating what he has done for the Lakers, imo.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Could not disagree more and people need to quit blaming Pau for what is happening. The guy played a huge role in 2 championships and has been fighting injuries and constant trade rumors for 3 years. He has handled it all with a professionalism and class that is largely missing from many of today's professional athletes.

Pau is not the problem and never has been. As he recovered from off-season surgery and then the bronchial infection or whatever it was that affected his breathing, he was starting to play well. He sucked it up and played last despite a foot injury, because without him, the Lakers would have only had 8 players in uniform.

Time to get off Pau's back and start appreciating what he has done for the Lakers, imo.

 

[Retroram52]

Well fellas, you can disagree all you want and I get that Pau has been sick and has had some injuries but we have not fixed the sieve that is consistently a malady of the Lakers and that falls at the feet of Pau and the bigs.

Granted some of this has a coaching philosophy built into it but teams know they can score up the middle because due in part to Gasol's play. Now Pau has been out and some games things have improved and some have not. But why play the man if he has been injured and sick? Set him down until he is fully healed and quit running him to the ground because many times when he was sick or injured and was playing his defense was non-existent.

Yea, I get all of the things he has done but he also gets handsomely compensated for his troubles. Granted, the Lakers should not have jerked him around for three years. That was not very kosher as these things go. But, if you haven't noticed, this, as in all pro sports, is a young man's game and sooner rather later, Gasol will be done as will be Kobe.

Play him when he is healthy or trade the man and move along because it is not very business or professional like to keep jerking him around because his playing quality is declining because of it and that is not helping the rebuild that is obviously underway.

 

[trojanfan12]

Well fellas, you can disagree all you want and I get that Pau has been sick and has had some injuries but we have not fixed the sieve that is consistently a malady of the Lakers and that falls at the feet of Pau and the bigs.

Granted some of this has a coaching philosophy built into it but teams know they can score up the middle because due in part to Gasol's play. Now Pau has been out and some games things have improved and some have not. But why play the man if he has been injured and sick? Set him down until he is fully healed and quit running him to the ground because many times when he was sick or injured and was playing his defense was non-existent.

Yea, I get all of the things he has done but he also gets handsomely compensated for his troubles. Granted, the Lakers should not have jerked him around for three years. That was not very kosher as these things go. But, if you haven't noticed, this, as in all pro sports, is a young man's game and sooner rather later, Gasol will be done as will be Kobe.

Play him when he is healthy or trade the man and move along because it is not very business or professional like to keep jerking him around because his playing quality is declining because of it and that is not helping the rebuild that is obviously underway.

Pau is a finesse player. He always has been and always will be. It's not his fault that the middle is a sieve because being strong in the middle defensively has never been his role. That was Bynum's role and should be Jordan Hill's now. To expect different of Pau, especially at this stage of his career, just isn't realistic.

As for his playing through injury, I'm sure he'd rather rest the injuries, but his team needs him and he is doing his best to step up. How many times have we all praised Kobe for doing what Pau has been doing all season?

I understand that Pau is getting older and it's a young man's game. Pau was all but traded for CP3 and Stern overstepped his bounds and nixed the deal. It's like people blame Pau for that or something.

I just think it's time to show him some appreciation and respect for what he has meant to the team and the city. The Lakers would be stuck at 14 championships if not for Pau. It's time for Lakers fans to show the same class and dignity towards Pau, that he has shown Lakers fans since he arrived.

 

[Retroram52]

I hear you TJF12.

 

[trojanfan12]

I hear you TJF12. We have 16 championships there dude not 14.

I know. That's the point. If not for Pau, we'd be stuck on 14. Championships #15 and #16 are a direct result of Pau being a Laker.

 

[trojanfan12]

I know. That's the point. If not for Pau, we'd be stuck on 14. Championships #15 and #16 are a direct result of Pau being a Laker.

Oops!! Just saw that you edited your last post!!

 

[Retroram52]

Yea I was sort of kidding and then thought it wasn't fitting. So I edited it out.

 

[Silas]

Number 1 problem with the Lakers, right now, is Jim Buss. He's inept and way over his head. Assign this guy to selling programs and nothing else. The Lakers won't recover as long as this guy is slithering around the FO.

 

[Retroram52]

I think you are right Silas and I have been screaming this all along.