Paul George Plus (cough) LeBron Or Russell Westbrook Or (?) With Our Roster In 2018

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by LTLakerFan, Jun 24, 2017.

?

Who would you want in Purple and Gold to pair with Paul George and our Young Talent?

  1. LeBron James

    12 vote(s)
    34.3%

  2. Russell Westbrook

    14 vote(s)
    40.0%

  3. Another Star and will mention the name

    9 vote(s)
    25.7%
Page 2 of 5
  1. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    36,399
    Likes Received:
    60,566
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    So Cal
    Offline
    I don't think you can say that with certainty. I think Kobe would have loved playing with Steve Nash if things had gone as planned. Would have made his life much easier. Still would have been Kobe and when it came to needing to create an ISO shot in crunch time sure. But when Kobe trusted guys he hit them with passes. Westbrook did average the triple double.
     
    LTLakerFan, Jun 24, 2017
    #21
    Barnstable and LaVarBallsDad like this.
  2. Khmrp

    Khmrp - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2016
    Messages:
    12,084
    Likes Received:
    13,820
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Have to agree, id prefer lebron as crazy ad that sounds. Yes i realize westbrook avg 10+asst but thats cause ball is ALWAYS in his hand
     
    Khmrp, Jun 24, 2017
    #22
  3. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    36,399
    Likes Received:
    60,566
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    So Cal
    Offline
    Hell yeah to Klay Thompson if he can be had in FA. Is he up or does he have an opt out in 2018? I'll add him to the list. Jerry West of course would be all over him too for the Clippers, but you see what we have building here, why the hell would you go to the Clippers? Logo or not.
     
    LTLakerFan, Jun 24, 2017
    #23
    Mitch likes this.
  4. gcclaker

    gcclaker Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    8,993
    Likes Received:
    20,464
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Wherever I am at the moment...
    Offline
    Westbrook could defer... He will not have the same cast as he does in OKC. Younger but albeit a bit more talented. Tough to gauge as a fit but he has intensity in droves and then some. Westbrook could be the difference when the game is on the balance. Now if George complained about not given the last shot, how will he fare with Westbrook's take over mentality?
     
    gcclaker, Jun 24, 2017
    #24
  5. Kingsama

    Kingsama - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2014
    Messages:
    738
    Likes Received:
    1,080
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Lost in thought...
    Offline
    Problem with Westbrook is he needs someone to reign him in. Dude has all the physical skills, but not a lot of bball iq. I am no fan of Bron and would prefer neither, but if I had to pick, an old Bron willing to differ to younger players is an easy choice to Westbrook.

    Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
     
    Kingsama, Jun 24, 2017
    #25
  6. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2014
    Messages:
    9,152
    Likes Received:
    22,367
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Every website I have been to has Klay being a free agent in 2 seasons, not next offseason. Klay is obviously ideal with his roots in LA and being such a great shooter. But we'd be talking another two seasons with him.
     
    Savory Griddles, Jun 24, 2017
    #26
    lakerjones and alam1108 like this.
  7. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    16,172
    Likes Received:
    31,056
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    I was referring to Russell being ball-dominant.

    Westbrook needs the ball in his hands; he's similar to how Kobe was back in his prime or the way CP3 is now; he plays a very selfish style of basketball when Luke is preaching playing a selfless style of basketball. It's one of the reasons why KD left and won a ring...

    Again, if Westbrook isn't deferring to Kevin Durant, why would he defer to Ball?
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jun 24, 2017
    #27
    JohnnyComeLately2k6 and therealdeal like this.
  8. gcclaker

    gcclaker Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    8,993
    Likes Received:
    20,464
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Wherever I am at the moment...
    Offline
    Of course... One thing about our new regime is that they will look at ALL options. I mean ALL even if it is a preening, stats conscious, self important prima donna.
     
    gcclaker, Jun 24, 2017
    #28
    ElginTheGreat likes this.
  9. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    16,172
    Likes Received:
    31,056
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Have you seen Russell's usage rate?
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jun 24, 2017
    #29
  10. John3:16

    John3:16 Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    6,590
    Likes Received:
    15,641
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    CEO - Big Baller Brand
    Offline
    Westbrook has that Mamba Mentality, but I'd rather have the ball in Ball's hands. Prefer Klay at 2 over Westbrook.
     
    John3:16, Jun 24, 2017
    #30
  11. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    36,399
    Likes Received:
    60,566
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    So Cal
    Offline
    Yeah well DUH I am assuming he could play quite a bit of a different game and enjoy it all the same. He does what he does because he was a one man show and when KD was there their offense was nothing like what Luke wants to have happen nor did they have the players for it.
     
    LTLakerFan, Jun 24, 2017
    #31
    LaVarBallsDad likes this.
  12. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    3,634
    Likes Received:
    6,103
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Kobe wasn't a selfish player. Not even close.
     
    Lakers2015, Jun 24, 2017
    #32
    JohnnyComeLately2k6 and LTLakerFan like this.
  13. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    16,172
    Likes Received:
    31,056
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    They fired Brooks and brought Donovan in to change the style of offense that Scott Brooks employed; it was more iso-ball. Donovan came in and wanted to run motion type system with more ball movement? It hasn't exactly worked out...

    Either way, I don't see a 30-year old superstar changing his game for a kid who's in his 2nd year...don't buy it.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jun 24, 2017
    #33
    LTLakerFan likes this.
  14. alam1108

    alam1108 - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    13,585
    Likes Received:
    37,190
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Laker Land
    Offline
    I like Klay too but he won't be avaible until summer of 2019
     
    alam1108, Jun 24, 2017
    #34
    lakerjones likes this.
  15. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    16,172
    Likes Received:
    31,056
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Kobe played a iso-dominated style of game, and I don't care what we 'categorize' it has; it won rings; I'm happy.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jun 24, 2017
    #35
    LTLakerFan likes this.
  16. Barnstable

    Barnstable Supreme Fuzzler of Lakersball.com Staff Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2014
    Messages:
    7,269
    Likes Received:
    18,611
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Offline
    Because Durrant plays a simmilar style of ball to Westbrook so they would but heads.

    Because the offense in OKC was never predicated on ball movement the way Luke wants it to be.

    Because he's never played with a point guard that sees the floor and gets him open easy shots before.

    Etc...

    Take your pick.

    No one know these what if scenarios for sure, but it's certainly not a definite Westbrook wouldn't fall in line in the right environment, with the right players and offense around him. I think he would fit in just fine.
     
    Barnstable, Jun 24, 2017
    #36
    LTLakerFan and LaVarBallsDad like this.
  17. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    I lean this way. I'm a big fan of what Ball brings, but Westbrook is going to need to massively change his playing style to fit with what we're doing here. Kobe once said that Russell was the only kid he could think of that was most like himself. That is both a positive and a negative. In this case, for this team, I think it's a negative. Others have brought up a great point: if Russell is standing on your doorstep, do you really turn him away? I don't know. I don't think so. I don't think you can look an MVP in the face and say, "this isn't for you". I don't think it's impossible for a guy like Westbrook to change late in his career, but he'd have to for sure.

    Ultimately, next year's FA crop is good, but other than LeBron, George, and Westbrook the other names are a step down. If I can add him, I do it, and I have to believe and trust in my infrastructure that he'll change if we need him to.

    But in the end LeBron and George are coming. ;)
     
    therealdeal, Jun 24, 2017
    #37
    JohnnyComeLately2k6 and LaVarBallsDad like this.
  18. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    16,172
    Likes Received:
    31,056
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Then we just fundamentally disagree. I don't see it.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jun 24, 2017
    #38
  19. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    36,399
    Likes Received:
    60,566
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    So Cal
    Offline
    Well bleep then we can't do that next year and shouldn't have been added.

    :DNO2:
     
    LTLakerFan, Jun 24, 2017
    #39
  20. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    16,172
    Likes Received:
    31,056
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    I don't see him changing his game, and judging from the article that Kevin Ding wrote; they want to stay away from the Kobe's and Russell's of the world, don't they?
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Jun 24, 2017
    #40
Page 2 of 5

Share This Page