D'Angelo Russell Discussion: Adopting A Professional Attitude

I think he knows basketball as it was taught to him, but he's far too rigid to stay in the flow of what basketball is today. He has fallen greatly out of touch with today's athlete in a way where he loses any respect they had for him. All of the ways he teaches are set in the 80s and 90s and don't hold up to scrutiny now.

I do believe the FO was tanking, but that just means they weren't adding the kind of talent they probably could have acquired. They never dropped Kelly when it was clear he wasn't an NBA player. So yeah in that way they were certainly tanking.

However, I very much doubt they had anything to do with Byron's decision making. For instance leaving guys in too long, playing certain players out of position, benching young players, not communicating with those same young players, or (and this to me actually is the absolute most important) I'm positive the FO did not consistently tell him to draw up failing plays. We were probably the worst team in the NBA coming out of timeouts. We were probably the worst team in the NBA at drawing up a play to win games. Our schemes were nonexistent and there was absolutely no direction on the floor. That will finally stop and that is all on Byron. The FO also was mad at him for not playing Tarik Black whic is something none of us could understand.

In the end after a couple years I'll do my damnedest to forget Byron coached us and just remember him for his playing days.

 

To GT:



:Mitchthumb:

 

I hope they didn't purposely tank Black's value, that's really unethical and wouldn't be very Laker-like. If the guy deserved a big raise, he should have gotten it. I very much doubt the Lakers were happy that Black didn't play. That just doesn't make much sense to me. They needed to see him to see if he had the kind of value they thought he did and Byron refused to play him because he was "small". Well that's what a backup Center looks like in today's NBA so... Thanks Byron. I think that's part of why he's gone (not just Black, but others who were played out of position or not enough or too much etc).

I think if Westbrook decided to sign here (which I doubt very much) he and D'Angelo COULD fit next to each other, but it wouldn't be ideal. Westbrook hasn't shown to be a smart or effective player off the ball. I think Russell could be fine off the ball though. He can be a catch-and-shoot guy or a cutter.

 

^Nah, Russell wants to lead and have the ball in his hands to determine the outcome of the game his way. IF [a big IF] Westbrook comes aboard...Russell will go. He already went through the 24 Experience waiting for his chance...doubt he'd go through that again. Interesting scenario...I too doubt it will happen not that stranger things haven't before.

 

Absolutely I think Russell would get traded, I just didn't want to be the one to say it.

 

It's rare that an MVP candidate player would choose a rebuilding team in his prime. That would be extremely unusual.

 

Comparing Russell's game to Westbrook's would be the same as Conley's to a prime Derrick Rose. Russell's game is lower to the ground and cerebral while Westbrook has an attacking, aggressive, high fly act. The former style isn't susceptible to injury while the latter is. Russell can score AND can get his teammates involved. Westbrook tries to do both but can be a mixed bag. Russell will be very good in his prime as Westbrook already is in his but more electrifying. History is the Lakers are always about having that star power to draw fans in the seats. If they trade for Westbrook, it would have to be Russell and Randle just to even give us a look. After that swing for the fence again and try lure Paul George with the other max slot[?].

2016
PG - Westbrook
SG - Clarkson
SF - Deng
PF - Nance
C - Mozgov

2017
PG - Westbrook
SG - Ingram [?]
SF - George
PF - Deng/Nance
C - Mozgov/Zubac

We stay pat for now and offer the max slot to George in summer 2017:

2017
PG - Russell
SG - Ingram/Clarkson
SF - George/Deng
PF - Randle/Deng
C - Mozgov/Zubac

No George:

2017
PG - Russell
SG - Clarkson
SF - Ingram
PF - Randle/Deng
C - Mozgov/Zubac

Tough call here for me... After three bad seasons, I would like for us to be back in the hunt. Neither Ingram and Zubac will do much this season IMO. Their contributions possibly will be more significant in 2017. I am on the George train instead of Westbrook to be honest. Unfortunately, Indiana though has indicated it will match offers.