**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins

[grittyman]

Probably should have slighted AR as well.

Well I said he’s a turnstile on defense and can’t be the 3rd best player on a championship team… mostly because he’s a one way player, and his offense isn’t THAT great.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

Austin been avg 17, 5 and 5 this month on 49 and 41%. I can give him a pass for the defense. Dudes like DLo, Vando, Rui, Gabe when he played, Cam are the problems. They don't do NOTHING.

 

[essential1]

Well I said he’s a turnstile on defense and can’t be the 3rd best player on a championship team… mostly because he’s a one way player, and his offense isn’t THAT great.

I honestly think they could win it with AD / Bron / AR / DLo. Not lying, not being overly optimistic.

They are just making some dumb decisions elsewhere. Honestly, everywhere, and it’s clear that Ham has lost everybody at this point. But it started on draft night and has continued since.

 

[essential1]

Austin been avg 17, 5 and 5 this month on 49 and 41%. I can give him a pass for the defense. Dudes like DLo, Vando, Rui, Gabe when he played, Cam are the problems. They don't do NOTHING.

Austin is the worst +/- on the team.
Has a negative rating playing with Bron and AD, separately and together.
DLo did that through November. And is still a + on the year, and that’s with DLo having as bad a few weeks as he’s ever had.

As much as I think the main 4 could get it done with a roster that is properly built, AR shouldn’t get a pass if everybody else is doing “nothing”.

 

[grittyman]

Austin been avg 17, 5 and 5 this month on 49 and 41%. I can give him a pass for the defense. Dudes like DLo, Vando, Rui, Gabe when he played, Cam are the problems. They don't do NOTHING.

How many championship level teams can you give your 3rd best player a pass for being a liability on defense?

You could argue that KCP was the 3rd best Laker during their championship playoff run… last year Gordon arguably was Denver’s 3rd best player.

I think people like the shooting and big shots that Austin has had in the past, but the defense can not be overlooked. Let’s say Chi called and offered Caruso straight up for AR, who says no?

 

[grittyman]

I honestly think they could win it with AD / Bron / AR / DLo. Not lying, not being overly optimistic.

They are just making some dumb decisions elsewhere. Honestly, everywhere, and it’s clear that Ham has lost everybody at this point. But it started on draft night and has continued since.

I think they could win with that combination of 4 players but would need to completely overhaul the supporting cast around them. And AR/DLo isn’t a playable postseason combination.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

How many championship level teams can you give your 3rd best player a pass for being a liability on defense?

You could argue that KCP was the 3rd best Laker during their championship playoff run… last year Gordon arguably was Denver’s 3rd best player.

I think people like the shooting and big shots that Austin has had in the past, but the defense can not be overlooked. Let’s say Chi called and offered Caruso straight up for AR, who says no?

Look at the top teams how many of their guards are really playing defense? Across the league these guards are horrible on defense. A lot of these games come down to who's hot and who's not. I personally hate it cuz I love defense but that's the era we in.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

I think people like the shooting and big shots that Austin has had in the past, but the defense can not be overlooked. Let’s say Chi called and offered Caruso straight up for AR, who says no?

That's a easy no. He's our most consistent scorer and playmaker after Bron and AD. Bron would have to initiate all the offense like he did in Cleveland.

 

[grittyman]

Look at the top teams how many of their guards are really playing defense? Across the league these guards are horrible on defense. A lot of these games come down to who's hot and who's not. I personally hate it cuz I love defense but that's the era we in.

Boston - Holiday and White both strap up (pause)
Den - KCP and Murray at least competes
Minn - Conley solid and Ant straps

Not sure how many teams we putting at the top but even if we include other squads like Mil (Dame is a cone but one of the best offensive players in the league) and Phi (Maxey and Oubre compete).

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

Caruso, Dejounte, Mills, Vucevic for DLo, AR, Rui, Reddish, Gabe, a first rounder and a 2nd rounder

Who says no?

 

[grittyman]

Even if you feel that Austin is the 3rd best player on a championship team… who’s the 4th best player on this roster? DLo, Prince, Vando? What are we even talking about at this point

 

[tupac003]

I don't know why we are arguing.

This roster isn't it.

A trade has to be made.

I hope there is something cooking that isn't being reported because all the trades being reported aren't going to push us over either.

Need the Cavs to give up on mitchell.

 

[grittyman]

Hassan

 

[MIKE LOWERY]

While he continues to develop, the same issues that existed from the beginning continue to show with AR.

#3 has been by committee, but DLo/AR/Rui just haven't been good enough (Ham certainly hasn't helped). I've been going back and forth on it, but a true #3 has become a necessity. Bron/AD accelerates everyone's timeline.

Definitely not doing AR for AC straight up. But something around DDR/AC? Not my favorite trade, but something has to happen after Jan 15th.

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

The opposition:

Giannis, BLopez, RLopez, Portis, Embiid, Harris, Morris, KAT, Gobert, Reid, Porzingis, Horford, Queta, Kornet, Jokic, MPJ, Gordon

The options:

Vucevic
Valanciunas
Turner
Capela
Poeltl
Grant
Ayton

Take your pick

 

[MIKE LOWERY]

Drummond or Kelly O solves alot of issues.

 

[darthska]

Austin is a solid role player… but if he’s your 3rd best player, then your team isn’t very good.

That's it, man. Love the guy, but that's it.

 

[BRONBROW2020]

This team ain't it.

Happy new year.

yessssir pathetic

 

[Maximus Meridius]

AR takes so much weight off Brons shoulders but ya'll got it.

 

[CHAOSE57]

I love AR but I do agree that he cannot be the 3rd star on a contender, atleast at this point of his career. I see him more as a nice spark off the bench, steadying the game while the big boys are resting. Itd be a luxury to be able to keep him after retooling our roster.

 

[grittyman]

It’s often brought up that the 2020 had true centers like that’s the ONLY reason why they won the title… lol

No how about they had plus defenders all across the board…
Guards: KCP, Caruso, Bradley, even Rondo was no liability on that end
Forwards: Bron, AD, Kuz, Morris - no real weak links there
Centers: Dwight, Javale

The weakest links were Cook and THT, who were at the end of the rotation.

Too many leaks, and basically they’ve been counting on AD to fix them all like that’s some kind of sustainable solution.

 

[pdino]

HAM been garbage. Another lineup change after a couple games. Has most lineup changes iirc across the league last year and looks like similar this year. Just throwing **** at wall and trying to see what sticks.

Crazy inconsistencies in rotations and what he says:
After first game “Lebron will be playing around 29 minutes/ game”— yet playing 34 mpg
this last week: “like AR at 29 minutes, keeps him fresh” — played 36 minutes tonight

lineups, rotations, timeouts have been bad and those inconsistencies effect the rotation players negatively (don’t know when or how much your playing on a given night)

 

[grittyman]

I love AR but I do agree that he cannot be the 3rd star on a contender, atleast at this point of his career. I see him more as a nice spark off the bench, steadying the game while the big boys are resting. Itd be a luxury to be able to keep him after retooling our roster.

I think that’s the reasoning behind bringing him off the bench… let him have his own unit to run, establish some type of rhythm and then of course close the game with the starters.

In the beginning of the game have the offense run explicitly through Bron and AD…get them going and after a few minutes bring some of the bench guys in to switch up the pace. Feel like ever since the lineup switch we haven’t seen as many games where AD goes through super long stretches without any touches.

 

[grittyman]

lineups, rotations, timeouts have been bad and those inconsistencies effect the rotation players negatively (don’t know when or how much your playing on a given night)

Name 1 role player on this team known for their consistent play… Wood, Cam, and Hayes are all basically minimum contract players. And in an era where being a legit 3 & D wing can pretty much earn you a max contract, Prince signed for what? A few mil over the min? Vando how many teams in x number of years? And the Wizards basically gave Rui away instead of giving him a second contract.

 

[pdino]

Name 1 role player on this team known for their consistent play… Wood, Cam, and Hayes are all basically minimum contract players. And in an era where being a legit 3 & D wing can pretty much earn you a max contract, Prince signed for what? A few mil over the min? Vando how many teams in x number of years? And the Wizards basically gave Rui away instead of giving him a second contract.

So since players are inconsistent, just change their role and lineup every week?

Have most of the same pieces as last year when climbed out of a hole using: AD, Bron, Vando, AR, DLo

Like you said, signed guys who were discarded from other teams like Cam, now he’s starting and playing a big role? Prince is the only one who has a consistent role and everyone else is musical chairs on any given night