Seeing that we're halfway through the season now, I think it's time for us to give the team a bit of a midseason review! The Starters PG - D'Angelo Russell - B This year isn't really a season for a "breakout year" for anyone while everyone learns a new system. Especially for a player that is supposed to learn to run the offense. Luckily, having Luke as a coach made the transition a little easier. I think D'Angelo is developing, and that's all we can ask for right now. He limped out the gate, literally, and wasn't quite himself the first quarter of the season. He's not shooting as efficiently as he did last year, but he's picking it up the last few games as he's beginning to look a lot more comfortable running the offense. He still shows signs of his age, poor turnovers and odd decision making, and still needs to pick up the effort on the defensive end. But what's encouraging is that he's starting to understand his role and that he's a multi-skilled guard whether it's his passing, his outside shooting, or even in the post. He's got all the potential to be the star of this team. SG - Nick Young - A- Nick has been exceptional this year. Both shooting from outside and the effort on the defensive end. He's not taking wild shots, he's not making boneheaded plays, and most importantly, he's bought into the team. Got to give him props for giving the team (ahem, Russell) a chance, and even giving 110%. SF - Luol Deng- C- His age is showing. He's not as productive as he used to be, but he's a crafty veteran that glues to the team together. He's a great presence on the court for the young fellas, but he's sometimes a step slow or inconsistent on his efficiency, but not for a lack of effort. PF - Julius Randle - A- I got to give it up for Juju. In preseason, I didn't think he'd show up at all. Now he's our most dynamic player on the team, the one to make big plays down the stretch, and the one the team feeds off his energy the most. I love the swagger he carries onto the court and it oozes a young confidence that becomes contagious around the team. His shot has improved, but it could be better, and he needs to develop better defensive instincts off the ball, but he's made some tremendous chase down blocks this year that are very...Lebron-esque. He's been quite consistent this year and he's beginning to build an identity for this team. One that doesn't back down from no one. C - Timofey Mozgov - C- Timo is Timo. He plays hard, he makes the right plays, and he's a great teammate. His biggest downfall is protecting the paint and rebounding. For a player his size and mobility, he should be better. At the same time, he needs help from his team when he rotates off his man to help, but even he said he needs to be a little more physical around the paint. He's stayed healthy and provided some valuable minutes at times. Bench PG Lou Williams - A- Where would we be in some games without the hot hand Lou? This guyis just a scoring machine with those fading jumpers around screens, drawing And 1's and 3 point fouls, and hitting big, big shots. However, what Lou does on the offensive end, is most like equaled or more on the defensive end. He doesn't put much effort on defense which is kind of frustrating at times, but the guy goes down and makes a shot when we need it. He's cooled down the last few games, but he's been invaluable to this team thus far. SG Jordan Clarkson - B Jordan has assumed his role off the bench and brought an energy that really electrifies the team. Although he's improved some areas of his game, including defensively, he's had a slight drop off with consistency. He wasn't shooting so well from outside for most of the season, but has recently picked up the efficiency with everyone getting back healthy. The 1-2 punch of Lou and Jordan really carries the bench offensive though. SF Brandon Ingram - B- I'm going to give BI the benefit of the doubt. He's still adjusting to the NBA level and learning the system, but I would've thought his shots would be a little less broken than it currently is. But not to worry, this kid has show some much promise in almost every other facet of the game, specifically the defensive end. He's a beast with his length, and his instincts are top notch. What kinda surprised me, but not really, was his Point abilities. I knew he played PG in High School before his growth spurt, and had skills, but his handling is solid for his size. Very Lamar Odom-esque with his ability to grab a board, and with 2 steps from the 3 point line, he's already at the rim. Such a high IQ player with a bright future ahead of him. PF - Larry Nance Jr. - B+ Larry is the Swiss Army Knife of the bench. He does almost everything out there on the court with 100% effort. His hyper athletic plays are so entertaining and his hustle is second to none on this team. It's unfortunately he's been so oft injured this season, otherwise he'd be an A. C - Tarik Black - B Boom Boom provides a presensce inside that no one other than Randle can provide. His rebounding ability, especially on the offense end, really stands out. Although his range is limited to the paint, he's a fantastic finisher. And while undersized, he provides a lot of hustle to make up for it. Deep Bench Thomas Robinson - B- TRob definitely surprised me. He stepped in well when both Nance and Tarik were out. He's got an edge to his game that really shows when he plays. He's a strong rebounder and can put it on the floor surprisingly well. Not really a PF/C, doesn't really do much of anything else, but he filled in his role nicely while we had injuries. Ivica Zubac - B This kid is promising. He looks so fluid for a player his age and size, while only playing in the D-League, he still is developing. He's got a good jumper, a nice hook shot, and a solid foundation for to be a legitimate center in a league where they are extinct, he could be a the few that breaks the mold and dominates inside if he puts the work in. Metta/Jose/Marcelo - INC Coach Luke Walton - B Luke's ability to get the team to rally around each other really got this team off to a hot start. The offense is coming along and starting to form an identity. Unfortunately, the lack of defense hurts this team badly and I'm starting to question his decision making when we start giving up leads or he's not recognizing mismatches that kill us. Is he trying to teach the team to be self aware on those things or is he just not seeing it? I'm hoping it's the first, but his Player Coach philosophy has buy in from all of the players to compete, and it's a nice start for our young core. Overall Team - B- There's no question this team has the talent and edge to a bright future. With wins over Houston, Golden State, and twice over Atlanta, competing in games instead of getting blown out, it's promising. They're a young core, and making mistakes you would expect from that type of team, but the defensive needs a lot of work and the team needs to learn how to play through adversity, keep leads, and execute. The biggest concern for me so far have been the injuries. We really shouldn't have so many players out for such a young team. It killed the early hot start we had, and it's throwing off the chemistry between units. The last few games have shown signs of maturation from the young players though, and it's a welcome development as they carve their role into the team. Seems like there are a few people who want this team to tank and try to land another lottery pick for assets. I'd rather this team to continue competing, develop more chemistry, and start to play like they trying to get that 8th spot. Only then will this team be able to again attract quality free agents to speed up the rebuilding process and get back into contention.
I'd give Walton an A or A- at worst. He had us overachieving big time before the injury bug decimated us. And now that our health is getting better he has us winning again. The guys trust him and he's got us playing some of the most watchable Laker ball in years. Otherwise I'd basically agree with you across the board. Even given the injuries in December we're on pace to nearly double our wins from last year. That's in the A category for me.
I still got Luke in "A" range too. Having 4-5 critically important players down during easily the worst month of the season took Luke's toolbox and game plan away. Our record was going to take a hit in Dec without the injuries period. Now everyone is coming back except Nance (soon) and even losing Nance and Tarik had a bright side to it in seeing Robinson board like Rodman. It's turning around, hopefully at the end of this home stretch we have now, we'll have everyone back for the Grammy's road trip, then we'll see what we're about. Quite a few winnable games on that trip if we're healthy. The rest of the season after that is home-heavy vs less playoff teams. Were are on a 30 pace exactly and there is no way our pace doesn't improve with the schedule as is if we stay mostly healthy. I see Luke getting 35 out of them and that's more than double last year.
Nice writup @lakerfan2 . You should have made this a Blog I agree with most of your rankings, but I would also give Luke an A at this point. He's changed the whole culture of this team, and I feel we're a long way from where we were last season.
Russell A- (He's l33t) Young B Deng C- or D+ Randle B- (the assists blow my mind; the FG% is a massive surprise; his defense is f***ing awful) Mozgov C Lou B+ (I hate how he plays the game, but he's effective on offense) Clarkson C (Defense is gone) Ingram B Nance A (he was our best player) Black B-/C+ Robinson B (really a surprise; not a good player, but he doesn't suck; eats up minutes well) Zubac C Walton C Team C
I think you're a little harsh on everyone besides Russ, and I'm a big Russ supporter. You lost me when you gave Walton a C. Harsh man. Harsh.
I was going to make it a blog. As for Luke, the defense is atrocious, and he needs to make the team accountable. So that was my main reason, everything else was above average for him.
We got 15 wins, man. About what I expected, and not much better than Byron did. It's not all bad, but that's what Cs are for. Cs get degrees.
he Starters PG - D'Angelo Russell - B- The advanced stats have been nice to Russell, but he has only very, very recently shown consistency. I was hoping for more growth in an offense that is a natural fit for him. The ability is still there, but I expect more in the 2nd half. SG - Nick Young - A Went from a guy I wanted cut to a legitimate 3 and D player that is extremely valuable. Still not sure what I want to do with his future, but you cannot deny his fantastic start. SF - Luol Deng- C- Almost a D. His late rise keeps him from being lower. When you pay that much, expect much more. Hopefully he continues this recent run. His presence is still a positive at least as a professional veteran. PF - Julius Randle - B+ As good as he's been, he can be more. He still can't shoot consistently. He still can't use his right consistently. He still can't defend much. I hold him to a higher standard because he can be so much more. C - Timofey Mozgov - C He is what he is and does what he does. Anyone expecting more than what we've gotten doesn't know anything about him. Unlike Luol, Mozgov has been what he is since the season started. Bench PG Lou Williams - A One of the best statistical guards in the league. Can't deny what he's done. He's gone above and beyond. SG Jordan Clarkson - C+ I've been utterly disappointed. His shooting isn't vastly improved, his playmaking has greatly regressed, and his defense hasn't improved as much as it needs to. I expect much more from him. SF Brandon Ingram - B I've seen everything I need to know he's going to be a great basketball player for us. He needs to continue to knock down jumpers. PF - Larry Nance Jr. - B+ Undeniably better than anyone expected. I fear for his long-term viability. C - Tarik Black - B- Not much there, but what's there is positive. I had hoped he'd grow more as a player. Injuries didn't help. Deep Bench Thomas Robinson - B+ A camp invite that makes the team? A camp invite that becomes a rotation player? Got to love it. Ivica Zubac - C Miles and miles and miles to go. He's disappointed every time he's seen the floor. He may never make it. Metta World Peace- D+ Only redeeming quality is his veteran presence. His court presence is exceedingly horrendous. Marcelo Huertas- D+ No improvement, not a good player. At least a professional though and ready when his number is called Jose Calderon- D Barely viable backup. I was expected more from him, enough to earn a few minutes. Injuries hurt, but he was forgettable on the floor. Coach Luke Walton - A- There's no doubt he's been a great asset. He's made some rookie mistakes, but he's the greenest head coach imaginable. He's done amazing things for Nick Young, Tarik Black, and Thomas Robinson. He's starting to show an imprint on Russell and Julius. I think his biggest failings have been rotation issues and sometimes he's been outmaneuvered late in games by veteran coaches. He'll learn just like the players will. Overall Team - A- Who would have thought we'd be in a position to challenge for the 8th seed before the season started? Despite the horrid stretch there with injuries and losing, this team is still overachieving by any justifiable standard.
i mainly just disagree on Walton's grade. I would say I expected between 15-20 wins by midseason, but I also expected and believed that would require Walton to do an outstanding job. Different scales. All good.
Coffee is for closers! Nobody deserves grades on this roster until they start winning more. NI (Needs Improvement)
Russell - B/B- Started off the season as a C but lately a A-/B+. Needs to be more consistent in his effort but more importantly his focus. Those late game turnovers will cost us games eventually. Seems his midrange game has regressed slightly. Hoping that he finishes the season strong. Young - A Realistically it's hard to expect more from him. Deng - C+ Started off very slow (D/D+) but now playing at a level (B) I expected when we signed him. Seems he can stay productive for at least a couple more years. Randle - B Offensively he's made huge strides. Playmaking, setting screens, control in the paint, midrange jumpshot, right hand finishes. Needs to work on defensive awareness and consistency with energy. Mozgov - B Same as Deng. He's giving us what we expected. Williams - B+ A++ on offense but C- on defense. Clarkson - C/C+ Seems to have regressed in all areas. And his defense has disappeared. Most disappointing player thus far. Hope he turns it around in the second half of season. Ingram - A-/B+ No one expected him to be so advanced as a defender and playmaker. Given his age, he gets a A+ in both departments. He gives consistent energy and usually makes the correct play. If his shots were falling I'd probably give him the highest grade on this team. Nance - A-/B+ He's been great but I think his impact is a bit overrated. He needs to develop offensively. Black - B- Another good player, but he hasn't really developed his game since 2015. Robinson - B+ Love his energy off the bench. Huertas/MWP/Calderon - D Zubac Haven't seen enough to give him a grade. Luke - A+ Completely changed the culture of this team and all our players have bought in. He's correctly utilizing our most important assets (Russell, BI, Julius, Nance) and developing their game accordingly. His in-game decisions aren't perfect and our defense sucks, but as a rookie coach he's overachieving. Laker games are watchable again and for that Luke gets a A+. Team - B/B+ If it weren't for those injuries we'd have at least 5 more wins. The thing that hurt us the most during that period is not the temporary talent loss but it's our defense. We were playing good defense to start the season which is really disappointing. We still have 40 more games and I'm hopeful that we make the playoffs.
A: none. As are for teams that are better. B: russell-not as much growth as hoped, but still the most talented player on the team by a good margin young-like his effort on d this year randle-don't like his effort on d this year, but all other aspects have improved, which is cool. walton--good job managing culture, a few headscratching decisions in winnable games, growing pains lou-i actually like how he plays on offense, helps that the team seems to have developed a role for him and young nance-not a ton of improvement from last year, but already a very solid nba bench player, good hoop iq, one of the few competent team defenders ingram-better than expected on d, worse than expected on offense, long term looks good, though, and trajectory is right C: moz-pretty much what i expected, struggled catching as the roll man some, which is annoying; isn't deterring at the basket as i'd hoped deng-the first month of the season makes the baby jesus cry, since then, about what i expected. trob-love the energy, but this isn't a clever basketball player; good in his role, though black-i'd like to give him a B, but he's been out some and doesn't consistently impact the games clarkson-regression in most aspects of the game, imo, and the d is yucky. D: calderon/huertas-ugggghhhh. honestly, at least one needs to be traded or cut to make room to develop another backup guard. Incomplete: zubac-just haven't seen enough, which is to be expected given his age and position.
