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

[licensed to ball]

Relax man. All we're doing is stating our preferences respectfully.

No one said he's Pippen in his prime defensively. No one said it would be a perfect pick.
He has a lot of improvements to make, as well as Fox and Lonzo.

All 3 options have their pros and cons, we know where you stand clearly, but no matter which route we go they all have flaws.

As I mentioned 18 times, I am happy no matter which one we take, just stating my opinion on JJ and the potential I see from him.
He wasn't a top 2 prospect at the beginning of the college basketball season last year for nothing, all of a sudden you are acting like he's just a straight bum.

 

[sohi 23]

Why you tell me to relax like I personally attacked you

I'm just really curious how you guys wanna start a sub 50% free throw shooter at the NBA SHOOTING guard position. You guys say he can come in the first year and play defense while he learns to shoot... news flash, first year players all suck at defense. Also, a rookie perimeter defender is not going to completely the change the outlook of the team defensively. There's only so much a perimeter defender can do to impact the game, it's not like we're taking a rim protecting defensive anchor at 2. Then I would see what you guys are saying in defense over shooting.

In addition, id like to know who it has JJ shut down in college. Yeah he's a good athlete, but is that all that's required to be a good defender? I saw you compare him to Iggy, he is no where near that level of defender (hand, instincts, etc)

 

[CP1708]

Why worry what he does as a rookie tho? We need to care about what they can do down the line, as they develop. Don't worry about 2017-18, worry about 2020 and beyond.

 

[sohi 23]

The Lakers need talent everywhere, so I won't hate any pick they make. I also think JJ is a top 3 player in the draft. I do not think he is a bum.

I just feel like shooting is the most premium skill in the NBA and I can not go into next season starting Dlo/JJ/BI/Randle. That might be fire in the 1990s, but not right now.

 

[sohi 23]

Why worry what he does as a rookie tho? We need to care about what they can do down the line, as they develop. Don't worry about 2017-18, worry about 2020 and beyond.

I'm not interested in handing Philly a top pick next year. Plus we want to look appealing ASAP for potential free agents no?

I wouldn't mind JJ as the pick, but I want to accelerate our growth process. Not wait around and see if JJ can turn into a serviceable shooter.

Let me be completely clear tho, if JJ ever shoots >38% on 5+ threes a game, he'll be the best player in the draft class. I just have SERIOUS doubts that ever happens. In addition, everyone says you can fall back on his athleticism/defense, but I feel like he's a little overrated as an athlete and I don't see the crazy defensive plays everyone is talking about. MKG was a better defender outta UK, I was a huge fan of his. My thinking was, man if he gets a shot he'll easily be the 2nd best player in the draft. He's often injured and never learned how to shoot. Makes me weary.

 

[junglejim]

The Lakers need talent everywhere, so I won't hate any pick they make. I also think JJ is a top 3 player in the draft. I do not think he is a bum.

I just feel like shooting is the most premium skill in the NBA and I can not go into next season starting Dlo/JJ/BI/Randle. That might be fire in the 1990s, but not right now.

But shooting is also one of the easiest skills to improve.  Practice, form, and repetitions.  I'm not sure what free throws percentages have to do with anything, but its not like any of the 3 players they are looking at shoots above average from the line.  There was only a 3% difference between Jackson and Ball from the 3pt line last year.  People are acting like the guy shot 10% when he shot 38% last year from 3.

 

[junglejim]

I'm not interested in handing Philly a top pick next year. Plus we want to look appealing ASAP for potential free agents no?
 

Do you really think this team is going to win more than 35 games next year regardless of who we pick?  Lonzo ball isn't bringing this team an extra 20 wins next year, its not happening.

 

[sohi 23]

When did I say Lonzo would bring em 20 extra wins? I think 35 would be the ceiling.

I do not think you would win many games with a starting lineup of Dlo/JJ/BI/JR.

You mention a 3% difference in three point shooting. I'd argue that Lonzo shot 100 more threes than JJ did, and that Lonzo routinely shot 3 feet behind the college 3 line. Lonzo is ready for the NBA three point range. JJ is not and will struggle.

 

[MVP]

I think 30-35 wins is reasonable but that's off the growth of BI moreso that whatever rookie we bring in. We won't be purposely tanking. We lose our pick regardless, so why does what Philly do with it matter?

 

[CP1708]

Why worry what he does as a rookie tho? We need to care about what they can do down the line, as they develop. Don't worry about 2017-18, worry about 2020 and beyond.

I'm not interested in handing Philly a top pick next year. Plus we want to look appealing ASAP for potential free agents no?

I wouldn't mind JJ as the pick, but I want to accelerate our growth process. Not wait around and see if JJ can turn into a serviceable shooter.

Let me be completely clear tho, if JJ ever shoots >38% on 5+ threes a game, he'll be the best player in the draft class. I just have SERIOUS doubts that ever happens. In addition, everyone says you can fall back on his athleticism/defense, but I feel like he's a little overrated as an athlete and I don't see the crazy defensive plays everyone is talking about. MKG was a better defender outta UK, I was a huge fan of his. My thinking was, man if he gets a shot he'll easily be the 2nd best player in the draft. He's often injured and never learned how to shoot. Makes me weary.

Aye man, we have no choice no matter what, we've dodged the pick bullet for 3 straight years, the payment was due eventually.

And attract Free Agents is kinda done, right? George wants to be here, he can be here, that simple. At that point, then we can add more.

And if Randle/DLo/Clarkson show more growth, and even a small uptick from BI, the team will look better, doesn't matter if Ball, Fox, or JJ is the rookie learnin on the job.


Again, we have to think long term gain with these investments, not short term. Maybe Jackson does suck as a rook, same as BI did, but in 3-4 years, how will their games grow and develop?

 

[Maximus Meridius]

I think 30-35 wins is reasonable but that's off the growth of BI moreso that whatever rookie we bring in. We won't be purposely tanking. We lose our pick regardless, so why does what Philly do with it matter?

Will Dlo contribute to those 30-35 wins?

 

[sohi 23]

Forget about the record then. My main point is that there's no incentive to tank anymore and it's time to start competing for the playoffs and building good habits. I am not interested in bringing back the 90s with a lineup devoid of shooting.

Did we watch the same finals? Yes, 2 way players that can switch everything and have elite length are always good to have, but shooting is THE PREMIUM skill.

If you can't shoot, you cannot play. Look at where the league is going, teams are trying to have their entire lineups shooting 3 pointers and we're gunna put a sub 50% free throw shooter at our shooting guard position? If we didn't already have BI on the team, and JJ would come in to be a 3 right away, I would understand it a little more.

 

[MVP]

Will Dlo contribute to those 30-35 wins?

If he's still here sure, at least I hope for his sake if he wants to remain a Laker long term. 

 

[MVP]

View media item 2465215

 

[lovehateself]

He wants to play with mr "ice in my veins"

 

[tonelow]

Forget about the record then. My main point is that there's no incentive to tank anymore and it's time to start competing for the playoffs and building good habits. I am not interested in bringing back the 90s with a lineup devoid of shooting.

Did we watch the same finals? Yes, 2 way players that can switch everything and have elite length are always good to have, but shooting is THE PREMIUM skill.

If you can't shoot, you cannot play. Look at where the league is going, teams are trying to have their entire lineups shooting 3 pointers and we're gunna put a sub 50% free throw shooter at our shooting guard position? If we didn't already have BI on the team, and JJ would come in to be a 3 right away, I would understand it a little more.

This is where I'm at also. 

If the league continues to trend smaller AND if both BI and JJ can hit 3s above 35% then I can def see it working. One of them has to be a 4 eventually. 

I just don't see how BI or JJ survives at the 2 for long stretches. They're both 3s and eventually small ball 4s.

I like Jackson, he definitely would add some toughness and athleticism that we need. But if he can't shoot....

 

[MVP]

How many teams outside of GS and CLE actually play small ball and excel at it? I think y'all are jumping the gun trying to model everything after those two teams. They have the personnel with unique skillets to play a Draymond at the 4 or Bron at the 4, KD at the 5. We're nowhere near that from a physical standpoint with our guys nor a mindset.

 

[licensed to ball]

Even if you guys are right and we say JJ does not develop into the best player from this class and it ends up being Lonzo or Fox, why are ya'll acting like he shoots 13% from the field?
You don't think that with play makers like DLo, Ingram, Clarkson, etc. that there will be plenty of open looks to take and make? Even if he were to brick a majority his first year just like the rest of our young talent has, you dont think its reasonable to expect him to get to Iggy's level of shooting at minimum?

Im just saying, lets say we dont draft him cool whatever. But as a player, you guys really think hes just Shaq at the free throw or 3 point line? Like the way you guys say he ABSOLUTELY CANNOT SHOOT! makes it seem like hes just James White or Shannon Brown and just a dunker and nothing else.

You guys realize its going to take 3-4 years for ANY of them to properly develop right? In 3 years they will all improve their flaws.
What makes you guys think that taking Fox or Lonzo speeds up our process for competing?

We wont be competing for a playoff spot for years no matter what.
So either way all 3 will slowly progress and develop. I dont get why his shooting and slow development is brought up with ALL of them will take time to adjust.

Lonzo and Fox aint going to start shooting like Klay and Steph in their rookie year

All 3 of them will need time, so I wish 'development' and 'speeding up the process of competing' werent brough into the equation in this debate.
We wont be competing for this for a minimum of 4-5 years no matter who we take.

 

[tonelow]

Even if you guys are right and we say JJ does not develop into the best player from this class and it ends up being Lonzo or Fox, why are ya'll acting like he shoots 13% from the field?
You don't think that with play makers like DLo, Ingram, Clarkson, etc. that there will be plenty of open looks to take and make? Even if he were to brick a majority his first year just like the rest of our young talent has, you dont think its reasonable to expect him to get to Iggy's level of shooting at minimum?

Im just saying, lets say we dont draft him cool whatever. But as a player, you guys really think hes just Shaq at the free throw or 3 point line? Like the way you guys say he ABSOLUTELY CANNOT SHOOT! makes it seem like hes just James White or Shannon Brown and just a dunker and nothing else.

You guys realize its going to take 3-4 years for ANY of them to properly develop right? In 3 years they will all improve their flaws.
What makes you guys think that taking Fox or Lonzo speeds up our process for competing?

We wont be competing for a playoff spot for years no matter what.
So either way all 3 will slowly progress and develop. I dont get why his shooting and slow development is brought up with ALL of them will take time to adjust.

Lonzo and Fox aint going to start shooting like Klay and Steph in their rookie year

All 3 of them will need time, so I wish 'development' and 'speeding up the process of competing' werent brough into the equation in this debate.
We wont be competing for this for a minimum of 4-5 years no matter who we take.

At this point, Lonzo projects to be a much better shooter and Jackson projects to be a much better and more versatile defender. Some think shooting is harder to develop (and more important), some think defense is.

And no, if Ingram or Jackson have to play the 2 there most definitely will not be enough space or playmakers.

If we feel like he or Ingram can play the 4 then I would feel much better about it.

 

[geno90221]

How many teams outside of GS and CLE actually play small ball and excel at it? I think y'all are jumping the gun trying to model everything after those two teams. They have the personnel with unique skillets to play a Draymond at the 4 or Bron at the 4, KD at the 5. We're nowhere near that from a physical standpoint with our guys nor a mindset.

Smartest thing You ever said....

 

[ValarMorghulis]

Ball over Jackson easilyyyyyyyy for me.

We had a huge debate in here about drafting Porzingis over Okafor and D'lo and I specifically remember dudes in here saying no because Porzingis was a duplicate of a position we just filled (Randle at the time)

Now, 2 years later we want to add Jackson, who is literally a downgraded version of the guy we just drafted in BI and a guy we want to get in free agency in PG


I don't get it.

 

[dceja]

Ball over Jackson easilyyyyyyyy for me.

We had a huge debate in here about drafting Porzingis over Okafor and D'lo and I specifically remember dudes in here saying no because Porzingis was a duplicate of a position we just filled (Randle at the time)

Now, 2 years later we want to add Jackson, who is literally a downgraded version of the guy we just drafted in BI and a guy we want to get in free agency in PG


I don't get it.

PERIOD. End of convo

 

[MVP]

Ball over Jackson easilyyyyyyyy for me.

We had a huge debate in here about drafting Porzingis over Okafor and D'lo and I specifically remember dudes in here saying no because Porzingis was a duplicate of a position we just filled (Randle at the time)

Now, 2 years later we want to add Jackson, who is literally a downgraded version of the guy we just drafted in BI and a guy we want to get in free agency in PG


I don't get it.

I know why some of them don't want Ball, for the simple fact the moment he gets drafted, the shine on Ratsull goes away. 

 

[licensed to ball]

Ball over Jackson easilyyyyyyyy for me.


We had a huge debate in here about drafting Porzingis over Okafor and D'lo and I specifically remember dudes in here saying no because Porzingis was a duplicate of a position we just filled (Randle at the time)


Now, 2 years later we want to add Jackson, who is literally a downgraded version of the guy we just drafted in BI and a guy we want to get in free agency in PG



I don't get it.

I know why some of them don't want Ball, for the simple fact the moment he gets drafted, the shine on Ratsull goes away. 

Idk if youre referring to me and i apologize if you werent, but many of us like CP and I have clearly stated NUMEROUS times we are happy with all 3.
Like literally, every post even in our debates we have mentioned in the middle of each paragraph either way... were happy with all 3.

So i dont know who you are referring to who said they didnt want Ball my dude

 

[Maximus Meridius]

Ball over Jackson easilyyyyyyyy for me.


We had a huge debate in here about drafting Porzingis over Okafor and D'lo and I specifically remember dudes in here saying no because Porzingis was a duplicate of a position we just filled (Randle at the time)


Now, 2 years later we want to add Jackson, who is literally a downgraded version of the guy we just drafted in BI and a guy we want to get in free agency in PG



I don't get it.

I know why some of them don't want Ball, for the simple fact the moment he gets drafted, the shine on Ratsull goes away. 

C'mon man who said that?