Ex-Coach Luke Walton Discussion

Discussion in 'NBA Discussion' started by YoungThundercat, Apr 29, 2016.

  1. karacha

    karacha Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    8,373
    Likes Received:
    27,247
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Let's be honest Barns: Luke was a promising young player in Phil's system. He was smart, had great basketball body (although he was never athletic, but he was strong, for sure) and at one point he even led the league in 3pt %. But his back problems make him extremely slow and when jumping to grab a rebound, he looked like he was wearing cement shoes. At the end of his career he was so slow that he would take awkward shots and would consistently hit the side of the backboard. All in all - he was god-awful.

    But his basketball smarts are top notch and he has the ability to be one of the best young coaches in this league. I think he's perfect for this team.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2016
    Barnstable, lakerjones and LTLakerFan like this.
  2. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    34,631
    Likes Received:
    58,133
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    So Cal
    Offline
    [​IMG]
     
  3. alam1108

    alam1108 - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    13,498
    Likes Received:
    37,006
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Laker Land
    Offline
    Wonder if we'll get any news on coaching staff soon or is that business for after playoffs.
     
    Chillbongo likes this.
  4. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2014
    Messages:
    10,173
    Likes Received:
    28,308
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Not sure why anyone would be against Luke to be honest. None of the candidates were proven in the NBA. He has tons of potential and has always possessed a high hoops IQ. He had a great team with Golden State but he absolutely showed coaching ability in those games.

    We're in good hands folks. Step away from the ledge...
     
  5. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2014
    Messages:
    10,173
    Likes Received:
    28,308
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    The whole thing is clear now. They waited to fire Byron because they weren't sure Luke would take the offer. Once they knew he would, that was a wrap.

    So if nothing else everyone should be happy because had he not been willing to come we would probably still have Byron.
     
  6. shoe

    shoe - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2014
    Messages:
    439
    Likes Received:
    960
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Offline
    Haven't been this excited about a head coaching hire since Phil came back.
     
  7. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    3,634
    Likes Received:
    6,103
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Man I still cannot believe this s***.

    I was scared to death we were gonna bring back Byron another season.

    Just thrilled we've stopped hiring retreads and are actually hiring a young, modern day basketball coach.

    Shows me they're committed to building a winner and getting with the times as well. No more old school guys. Get a guy who will be able to identify with the kids, but also will actually work with them and know how to reach them.

    Luke is a brilliant basketball mind. He obviously has taken after Phil to some extent, but he also is his own coach. Truly believe that. He's influenced by the greatest coach ever and will take some things he learned like how important man movement is, but he'll still install his own system and own principles when it comes to the game.

    I've said all along this was destiny. Luke is that guy for this franchise. He understands what it means to be a Laker. He's gonna lead us back to the promise land. It'll take some time, but I believe he's committed, determined, and it's a dream come true for him.

    Just a great day to be a Lakers fan. Optimism has returned. No doubt about it. We already had a great young core that progressed despite an awful coach. Now they have a real coach who is gonna develop them and put them in position to reach their potential. From what we've seen of Julius and D'Angelo with Byron imagine how scary they'll be in a few years with Luke. He's gonna teach them how to really play at this level. He's gonna mold all that talent, skill, athleticism into unselfish players who will also become leaders.

    Free agents will wanna play with Luke. They'll wanna play with a guy who already has proven he can coach. Don't care what anyone says to coach such a great team and for most guys it would be overwhelming and do such an excellent job was impressive. 39-4. I mean cmon you can't discount that. Watching those games you rarely ever saw Golden State get out of character, almost always stellar defensively and playing so unselfishly and having such a crisp well executing offense. Luke had something to do with that.

    This is a great hire. I really believe we'll look at this day much the same we look at the day we hired Phil Jackson.
     
    revgen, JSM, alam1108 and 4 others like this.
  8. CaCHooKa Man

    CaCHooKa Man Administrator: Media Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2014
    Messages:
    1,050
    Likes Received:
    4,126
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Offline
    Hopefully he's closer to Pat Riley than to the other guy that also wore number 4

     
  9. Chillbongo

    Chillbongo - Lakers 6th Man -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    1,087
    Likes Received:
    1,331
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Offline
    There is a God

    and this thread title.....it's real?

    and we finally got a coach hire right?

    pinch me
     
  10. CaCHooKa Man

    CaCHooKa Man Administrator: Media Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 13, 2014
    Messages:
    1,050
    Likes Received:
    4,126
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Offline
  11. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    17,869
    Likes Received:
    72,563
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Anaheim
    Offline
    I'm going to guess that the Lakers knew B0ron was a goner by the middle of this season. With that in mind, I would also guess they did some pretty extensive homework on him for a while. You don't hire a coach after one interview without interviewing anyone else unless that is the #1 guy you wanted for a while and you have faith in him. He has nothing but praise from his players, from Kerr, Lute Olsen, his father, he learned under Phil and Tex, there is great potential here. I understand being upset not getting the coaching hire you wanted, but I think we need to have a little faith and patience here. The Lakers had Luke here as a player more recently than B0ron, they had him here as an analyst, they know the guy well.

    If Luke turns into another B0ron situation I will gladly eat my words, but I just don't see it. B0ron would not have taken the Warriors to a 39-4 record or whatever it was, he would have found ways to sabotage that well oiled machine and f*** it up. Luke is adaptable, he's not rigid like B0ron. I even read the other day that he was the one that listened to his request and gave Draymond Green more freedom to be a playmaker and have the ball more, something Kerr was reluctant to do, and that one move alone seems to have paid off quite a bit for the Warriors. We need to relax and let this play out. We are in a complete rebuild, hiring Luke is a low risk, high reward situation, because we have nowhere to go but up right now. If we win less than 17 games next season I'll be shocked as hell.
     
  12. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2014
    Messages:
    10,173
    Likes Received:
    28,308
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    It was Luke or another year of Byron folks. This one was easy. Walton all the way.
     
    Jazzygirl205 and LTLakerFan like this.
  13. Kentucky Laker

    Kentucky Laker - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2016
    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    699
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Offline
    I was at the local Mexican restaurant in my hometown and when I saw the news come across the TV screen, I threw my arms up in celebration and let out a big "LUUUUUUUKE" right then and there. I don't care how many folks thought I was an idiot lol

    Finally, we get the hire right. Luke is the guy I wanted all along. Young coach, young team, and they can grow together. Throw in his Laker legacy and basketball pedigree and you have a perfect storm.

    This is just what we needed, the future looks so much brighter now. Who knew a week could make so much difference?

    LUUUUUUUUKE!
     
  14. Aonex08

    Aonex08 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2016
    Messages:
    14
    Likes Received:
    30
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Offline
    Yup, none of this let's interview him 3 times just to make sure.
     
  15. Chillbongo

    Chillbongo - Lakers 6th Man -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    1,087
    Likes Received:
    1,331
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Offline
    Dammit @CaCHooKa Man

    In all honesty if any of us are expecting the playoffs this year just temper those expectations. This is going to be a work in progress.

    I just want growth. I want 30-35 wins next season. I want a real basketball product. I want us to develop a culture. We need to change our basketball philosophy. This doesn't happen over time. It took the Warriors 3-4 years.

    Please be patient with Luke, Lakersball. As long as we see progress, be happy. He's not going to be perfect. He's going to make mistakes. And he's going to improve. We will not turn around overnight.

    He's 36 and coaching the most glorified franchise in sports. Kobe was 37 when he retired from playing the game. Just some context. Patience is a virtue.

    NB4 "Fluke"
     
  16. TheGreatOneKobe

    TheGreatOneKobe - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2015
    Messages:
    353
    Likes Received:
    431
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Offline
  17. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    3,634
    Likes Received:
    6,103
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    It's just mind boggling how people refuse to give Luke credit for Golden State. All their best players give Luke credit. He clearly earned their respect. He clearly did a good job managing that team. I mean do people not know how hard it is? Such a young guy having to coach a team coming off a championship and to be able to keep them engaged each and every night was really impressive to me. Hearing a lot of his timeouts he wasn't just sitting there saying good job guys he was instructing them, getting on them, pushing them, and making sure they would continue to move the ball, execute, and make good decisions.
     
    Jazzygirl205, ElginTheGreat and Weezy like this.
  18. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    3,634
    Likes Received:
    6,103
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    All depends on what we do in the summer.

    Lots of money to spend. A hell of a lot more attractive then we were before firing Byron.

    Keep the pick. Using it to acquire an All Star. Then we're back in business.

    Even if not I'm perfectly fine with rebuilding.
     
  19. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

    Top Poster Of Month

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    25,703
    Likes Received:
    69,914
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    I'm with revgen: important to go get some veteran x and o guys to fill out the staff.
     
    lakerjones, revgen and Chillbongo like this.
  20. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2014
    Messages:
    10,173
    Likes Received:
    28,308
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Like I always say, I promise someone on here would be upset if we signed Jordan in his prime. No pleasing some of you guys.
     

Share This Page