Your new LA Laker: Julius Randle

[trojanfan12]

Your memory serves you well TJF12. Carmelo Anthony was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1984.

Don't tell my wife. I get out of all kinds of crap because "I forgot".

 

[Retroram52]

I know nothing!

 

[trojanfan12]

I know nothing!

 

[HizzleRocker]

What you've read and what's reality aren't necessarily the same thing. Be honest, did you even know who the Lakers scouts were before some writer decided to make a story out of it? Scouts are almost unnecessary. They don't pick or sign any players. They are sent places to look at players that are already on the teams radar. Every now and then, a scout will "discover" someone, but that's normally when they are there to see someone else.

And watch what you say about Chaz, that's my son's name.

Yes and no re: getting judged on results. Normally, a team gets slammed when they "take a flyer" and/or make what people think is a bad signing or trade. They don't normally get slammed for making a move that 100% of the other teams would have made if given the chance. Magic started that snowball when he acted like he was always against the move when it didn't work out. Think about it, why else would the Lakers basically tell a legend like that to stfu (and that came from Mitch, not Jim).

The Lakers did NOT strike out on every FA. There were only 2 that they were truly interested in and made any type of serious moves to get, Lebron and 'Melo. That's it. They sent feelers out to a couple of other guys like Stephenson and I think Deng, but never actively pursued them or anyone else.

I'm not even sure how seriously they pursued Pau. They offered him 2 years/$20 mil (which is more than he's getting in Chicago), but if they were truly serious, why not offer 2 years/$30 mil.?

'Melo is getting almost $30 million more than the Lakers could have paid him. California could have zero income tax and it won't make much of a difference. 'Melo loves NY, it's where he played in college and has always wanted to play there. If memory serves, he's actually from NY. That's why he forced his way there in the 1st place. He chose money and home over the Lakers, not Phil over Jimmy.

Conceded that scout's are of minor importance, but the do mean something. And Chaz is a cool name, I actually call my daughter Jazz. It's just indicative of how he is making decisions:

You hire a guy with no experience - because he is your buddy;
You refuse to even meet with a legend for coaching - because he's fucking your sister;
You fire the entire training/conditioning staff - because they were staffed by the guy fucking your sister;

Everything seems very personal with this guy. Oh, and we still don't have a coach.

 

[trojanfan12]

Conceded that scout's are of minor importance, but the do mean something. And Chaz is a cool name, I actually call my daughter Jazz. It's just indicative of how he is making decisions:

You hire a guy with no experience - because he is your buddy;
You refuse to even meet with a legend for coaching - because he's fucking your sister;
You fire the entire training/conditioning staff - because they were staffed by the guy fucking your sister;

Everything seems very personal with this guy. Oh, and we still don't have a coach.

I don't disagree that things got personal between Jim Buss and Phil. I'm not sure that his relationship with Jeanie has anything to do with it though.

Whatever happened between Jim and Phil is likely every bit as much Phil's fault as it is Jim's. Things ended badly between Phil and the FO in Chicago and twice with the Lakers.

The word that has come out over the past couple of season's from people a lot closer to the Lakers than you and I, is that Phil's ego is so big that it literally "sucks all of the air out of the room". He wants all eyes on him at all times and thinks he's bigger than the organization.

I'm not saying that he hasn't earned that ego. Hell, the guy has more rings than he does fingers, but I can see where it could get tiresome dealing with that every single day. Especially when the championships stop coming as happened over his final 2 seasons.

I don't really have a problem with them deciding that they didn't want Phil back. But I do have a problem with them allowing fans to think they were getting Phil and then not hiring him.

I also don't like that he let the strength and conditioning staff go without immediately replacing them. Hopefully, that was a lesson learned.

Also, the Lakers did meet with Phil and it was ultimately Dr. Buss who made the decision to hire D'Antoni over Phil. Perhaps Dr. Buss was as tired of dealing with Phil as Jim was?

 

[Retroram52]

I am not so sure on this in the respect it was like you stated ealier it was a little of both Phil and short buss: The word that has come out over the past couple of season's from people a lot closer to the Lakers than you and I, is that Phil's ego is so big that it literally "sucks all of the air out of the room". He wants all eyes on him at all times and thinks he's bigger than the organization.


Phil's complaint about not being hired was he was contacted by phone on a Saturday night by Jim and told he was being considered to be re-hired. Phil was told then that the Lakers were going to interview one more candidate and they would get back to Phil. A second call came on Sunday and short buss basically told Phil that they hired Don'tknowi. There was no interim negotiated conversations. That is when Phil had had enough of short buss.

Knowing the sort of out-there quality of short buss and the history of Phil's ego, the entire affair was not going to end well for somebody. And it didn't.

 

[trojanfan12]

I am not so sure on this in the respect it was like you stated ealier it was a little of both Phil and short buss: The word that has come out over the past couple of season's from people a lot closer to the Lakers than you and I, is that Phil's ego is so big that it literally "sucks all of the air out of the room". He wants all eyes on him at all times and thinks he's bigger than the organization.


Phil's complaint about not being hired was he was contacted by phone on a Saturday night by Jim and told he was being considered to be re-hired. Phil was told then that the Lakers were going to interview one more candidate and they would get back to Phil. A second call came on Sunday and short buss basically told Phil that they hired Don'tknowi. There was no interim negotiated conversations. That is when Phil had had enough of short buss.

Knowing the sort of out-there quality of short buss and the history of Phil's ego, the entire affair was not going to end well for somebody. And it didn't.

I agree. This was likely to end badly no matter what. That's just how it seems to go with Phil.

What I remember from that whole debacle was that Jim and Mitch met with Phil and discussed the possibility of Phil returning. Phil said he needed the weekend to think about it. Mitch told him that they were going to continue interviewing. Then Mitch, I assume under direction from Jim, called Phil late at night to say they went with D'Antoni.

 

[Retroram52]

Yep, that's pretty much how it went and that was the beginning of Phil looking elsewhere to set up shop.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Randle played a great 4th quarter in that last summer league game tonight vs Denver. With 1-on-1 moves like that, there aren't many big men that will be able to stop him.

 

[trojanfan12]

Randle played a great 4th quarter in that last summer league game tonight vs Denver. With 1-on-1 moves like that, there aren't many big men that will be able to stop him.

Saw that. The more he's played, the better he's looked.

 

[Retroram52]

Perhaps then they should shelve the thought of packaging Randle, Davis, and a draft pick for Love. Go with Randle and Davis this year and keep the pick and develop Randle would serve us better. Let Love come to us next year as a FA.

 

[trojanfight]

Perhaps then they should shelve the thought of packaging Randle, Davis, and a draft pick for Love. Go with Randle and Davis this year and keep the pick and develop Randle would serve us better. Let Love come to us next year as a FA.

even IF love made it through the trade deadline that seems like a tough sell on keeping them both on team. playing same position. neither IMO are enough for a center...maybe you POSSIBLY could slide love to the SF not sure I see that either. have to think randle would be traded if they got love.

 

[trojanfan12]

even IF love made it through the trade deadline that seems like a tough sell on keeping them both on team. playing same position. neither IMO are enough for a center...maybe you POSSIBLY could slide love to the SF not sure I see that either. have to think randle would be traded if they got love.

Randle is a little undersized for a PF and has shown himself to be pretty quick. Perhaps he could run some SF as well?

Depending on what he shows this year, he may bring some good trade value if the Lakers were to be able to get Love. He may also play well enough that the Lakers decide to move on from Love and go after someone else.

There's a long way to go between now and the end of next season. No telling what might happen.

 

[HizzleRocker]

Honestly I'm not crazy impressed with Randle thus far. During summer league, our 2nd Round pick at PG averaged more rebounds per game than Randle did at PF. I would like him if he could play SF. But he has to develop an outside shot, which he doesn't have.

Now on another hand, I am loving Clarkson. This kid could be a beast at PG if he keeps improving.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Honestly I'm not crazy impressed with Randle thus far. During summer league, our 2nd Round pick at PG averaged more rebounds per game than Randle did at PF. I would like him if he could play SF. But he has to develop an outside shot, which he doesn't have.

Now on another hand, I am loving Clarkson. This kid could be a beast at PG if he keeps improving.

You have to remember, Randle was a bit rusty during those summer league games. Came off an injury and then he couldn't even train until he got signed.

He was a beast during the 4th quarter in the last game though.

I agree with Clarkson. He looks to be an absolute steal for us.

 

[HizzleRocker]

You have to remember, Randle was a bit rusty during those summer league games. Came off an injury and then he couldn't even train until he got signed.

He was a beast during the 4th quarter in the last game though.

I agree with Clarkson. He looks to be an absolute steal for us.

He was terrific in the 4th. He was 0-7 through first 3 quarters though. But, quarters like that 4th can really breed confidence in a young player. Hope so.

 

[Black Adam]

Honestly I'm not crazy impressed with Randle thus far. During summer league, our 2nd Round pick at PG averaged more rebounds per game than Randle did at PF. I would like him if he could play SF. But he has to develop an outside shot, which he doesn't have.

Now on another hand, I am loving Clarkson. This kid could be a beast at PG if he keeps improving.

on Clarkson, we'll see if he can produce against REAL NBA competition, but if so you guys are right. it'd be a steal in a major way...

 

[lakersrule]

on Clarkson, we'll see if he can produce against REAL NBA competition, but if so you guys are right. it'd be a steal in a major way...

I think he can. He showed his athleticism in the summer league. I think the form on his jumpshot looks good. With the amount of repetitions he can up at the training facility now as a pro, the jumpshot should improve. I like his aggressiveness to the basket. You are right though. It's a big step up in competition.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

What's taking so long to officially sign Clarkson? Does anybody know?

 

[HammerDown]