I was minor key conflicted at the trade. I've always preferred the build from within approach. But I've learned to happily bend my personal preferences for a few big exceptions over the years of my Lakers' fandom. I was glad we went and got Wilt, which finally got us over the Championship hump. I was actually not conflicted at all when we got Kareem because I was a huge fan through his UCLA days. I was pumped when West got Shaq. I was relieved when Mitch acquired Pau to finally give mature Kobe a chance at another ring. On the AD trade, my hesitation was that I saw special qualities in BI and Zo that are hard to duplicate. But, I saw even more in AD and knew that the Bron + AD pairing would be explosive. Plus, this is a unique situation with a short championship window with LeBron that AD clearly fit better than BI + Zo. Easy transition for me. I'm enjoying sitting at 33-7, which we would not be if we had no AD.
Stinks but I think time's up with Kuzma. 3rd season is the make-or-break year and he's just not showing us he can be reliable. Tonight was the perfect opportunity to show off at home against a lousy team, and with a giant AD-sized void to fill. Instead he laid an egg and we lost to the frickin' Magic. It's just one game but it tells a pretty bleak story.
He's below average and I'm already tired of waiting for him to become a consistent player. Tried to stay hopeful for this guy but he sucks, he's more interested in looking like a clown than playing ball. He's all over the place with his game, he pushes it at the wrong times when the team needs to control tempo and slow things down. You can't fix low IQ players and he's definitely showing signs of being Corky.
Awful game from him...which is not acceptable without AD. He is supposed to come through or at least be a source of inspiration, a leader of any sort... He was going through the motions. The overreaction here will be calling for his head...but I don't think that he can't succeed here. Slim Shady just finally needs to put a string of solid games together.
I didn’t watch the game, but with 4pts looks like Kuz is not getting the point about slowing the game down. Unacceptable for your 3rd scorer who started. And the gold hair and fashion focus is not helping the image at this level of play.
Come on man, no need to act this way to anyone. Regardless if we agree or not. Use your block button or just skip the post. You have the option to read or not. But posting activity should always be welcome.
I have no problem with you saying the trade was an overpay. However, once you have that conversation what can you do? The trades down there isn’t any going back and I’m thrilled where we are at as a team. I’d much rather discuss on how to get the team better than living in the past on something that’s done.
I was always very high on Ingram if you go through my post history. I loved him and Hart. Never cared a ton about Lonzo or Kuzma. To me, Lonzo had some interesting intangibles, a positive impact on passing and strong defensive instincts but his hole on the offensive end was just too great. Kuzma to me is a bit better than Lonzo but he has his holes as well. He can’t handle the ball, create well and has poor defensive instincts. People keep looking for Kobe instincts in our players and give Kuzma the halo effect. But he is fools gold.
Decision on Kuzma comes down to two things: 1.) Are you going to pay him in two years? And by pay, match any contract another team throws at him since he’s a RFA. 2.) If the answer is no to 1, is he the best player available to you the next two years to help you win a championship? If the team feels Rose, Covington, Bogdan or someone else can have a bigger impact the next year and a half then I’d trade him. Otherwise it’s just dealing with him being a 6th man streak player, which isn’t a bad thing when the team is healthy, but games like tonight when you really need him and he puts up a stinker it will suck. I don’t want to trade him just to trade him but if it fits the bigger picture and improves the team. Trade him, especially if we don’t have plans to sign him long term in a year n a half. That’s a lost asset when that time comes.
Kid will have a depression in Utah or some other Detroit (his fancy clothes and hair will look even more stupid). He better get his s*** together asap. 4pts (or ZERO like he had few games back) are unacceptable.
Offense comes and goes, but figure out other ways to make an impact or sit your a** down. He's a flame thrower with a smooth J or unplayable. No in between. I think he can be a stud, but I don't think it can be here. If he's a first or second option and gets the touches that BI is getting, he'll kill it. That will never be his role in LA, especially since he doesn't fit with AD. He's a bargain on that contract, but I'm not paying him his next deal. So between now and next February, we need to move him. As I've said (and most know), it's very tough to make contacts match with what we can and should send out. It'll be much easier next season to move him. BUT here's the dilemma...if we can move him now and get someone who can help Bron keep a little extra tread on the tires (hypothetically Rose), is it worth holding on to Kuz for another year? That could shorten our contention window. I don't see trading for someone such as Rose as a rental, because I'm not extending Kuz regardless.
