...but how many guys on this team are winners? We've been a middling franchise for the past four seasons. I know it's not long in the history of the franchise, but the loser mentality always starts somewhere. I'm concerned, honestly.
that's true. a loser mentality may be starting to develop, but I don't think it's set in yet... at least not with any players I hope we keep anyway. I say bottom out hard this year and as long as we trend upward quickly next few years, the ultra low we hit this year won't have been that impactful. besides, I'm suggesting going from bad to terrible, not mediocre to terrible. to me, being terrible instead of bad is well worth keeping our pick.
You play to win. Choosing to lose sets a bad precedent and culture. Some teams get stuck in that mentality for generations. I'll say it again. You play to win. Anyone in the Laker organization okay with losing is someone I don't want associated with the team (I'm not talking about the fans here who see it as a means to an end).
Well by bad karma in last season's case, I don't mean for the players, but rather for the ownership putting us in position not to win. Bringing in coaches to "get us by" while Kobe's contract runs out rather than having had paid Phil the big bucks. Like most, I don't think you can get players to tank.
I can think of chronic loser franchises that choose to lose and only end up perpetuating their losing by developing a loser mindset, but I can't think of a winning and proud franchise that has tanked to rebuild through the draft only to get stuck as a loser because of the losing mentality staying, can you? maybe the answer is that winning franchises don't do that. that's why there's no example. The thing is though that tanking has worked many times.
The only team I can think of was the Spurs. D Rob went down and, IMO, they tanked to get the top pick (Duncan). It worked. But they can blame a lot of it on injury. The time for us to do it, if we were, was last year when it was a strong draft and we had our #1 no matter what. This year it's gotta be top 5 or we lose it. I'd rather try to win every game and enjoy Kobe's last 2 years.
I want to have my cake and eat it too - Kobe d oes well but the team loses. can you think of an example of a winning franchise that tanked and got stuck losing? I can't. if there's no precedent, why are we worried?
I agree. You give the players and the fans an idea that it is ok to not play your best to win and you set a precedence for players who aren't going to try their best when it doesn't behoove them. Say we do tank and get the #1 pick. We pick the best player out there with no one claiming we screwed it up. That pick becomes a Greg Oden. Then what? Do we tank again in hopes to get that one piece? I don't like that mentality at all. We play every game to win. If we don't have the talent level to compete then fine but just "going through the motions" isn't a way to remember that we fight as Lakers. I'm for winning as many games as possible with the effort needed.
I don't expect the players to tank, that's not in their DNA. But I do expect management to recognize where we are and hopefully take the long view. If they want to put together another championship team sooner rather than later, it does us absolutely no good to win 25 games this season.
Not only that but how do you think it makes the guys out there wearing the uniform feel? Like they should be proud to play for a franchise who's HOF player wants them to lose? What a j****** thing to say. I'm so disappointed in Magic's inability to filter himself. I got to sit in a box next to his several years ago and he acknowledged us and everything, totally cool and made my night but geeze.
if we're concerned about a losing culture in the organization, then people should have been upset this summer (like i was). the message was crystal clear then: 20 million in cap space on hill, lin, and boozer, just to preserve cash for next year? that's tank mode. now that we're here in tankville, every win is a bad thing. it's terrible as a fan, which is why i was so upset with the summer moves. right now, the FO needs to be moving players with any value to teams that will give the lakers picks. i imagine that's what we'll see at the deadline. if they make good on what i thought was a fake promise to upgrade the roster this year and manage to win just enough to give away the 7th pick in the draft (totally plausible), i'll have completely lost faith in management. they should be doing what the lady owner did in "major league". this is the path they've chosen.
It doesn't really matter since there are 4-5 teams worse than ours ... I don't even know how it's possible but these Leastern teams DO exist. The worst thing is we may look back in several years and tell ourselves : "We did suck for some seasons and had little benefit from it "
I'm worried because we might not have the right talent behind the scenes, including Mitch to rebuild this team for another dynasty run. This is new territory for them without Jerry West and Dr. Buss. I t's more than just getting another star player. This org has literally had the best minds in the game behind the scenes in their creative and energetic primes. What we've seen over the last few years has made me wonder if our current behind the scenes talent is a bit outdated or overmatched. Look what the Dodgers are doing. Only using that as an example of fresh minds at work.
From a completely pragmatic perspective, Magic is 100% correct. But I do believe there is a difference in wanting the team to lose and knowing it's what's best for them. It's sort of like punishing a child when they do something wrong. You don't like to see your child upset, but you know the discipline will benefit them in the long run.
But you do not say that you hope they lose publicly whatever your reasoning is. He's 100% wrong on that move.
i must say i've had fun watching them win these past few games because that's what being a fan is about. but man, those lotto balls...
