It is pretty pathetic though. I mean, look at our roster for two years and the fact that we have stayed below the hard cap. Hard to do when you are paying two high salary guys like we do.
Last season, it was problematic when we lost two players because we had to play Cook or Dudley for extensive minutes. This season, AD and KCP can sit out and I feel confident that the Lakers can still win. The team Rob and the Lakers have created is built to handle the challenge of COVID. Bron can sit out, no problem. Kuzma can take his spot and then THT will get 20-25 minutes. AD is out? Kuzma comes in and Montrezl gets to unleash himself. KCP out... okay, Wesley+Caruso+THT, take his minutes. It's at a point where I would much rather the Lakers just sit their players out to heal up any injuries than to play because it's likely the Lakers will win the game without them anyways. Rob is just playing chess once again. He knew players would be in/out due to the shortened schedule and COVID restrictions so he stacked the roster from top-to-bottom. No team in the NBA is as prepared as the Lakers are.
He “might” have set last year’s squad up as well also if Lakers organization hadn’t gotten deliberately hampered in FA and played by Leonard.
Coulda done better if we waited another 3-4 weeks and facilitated some other team trades and gotten some of them assets back somehow that Magic was so eager to divest. Never could wrap my head around that one.
Sorry Rob .... that championship was so 4 months ago. From reading the Game Time thread last night it’s you now deserve a beating over this roster’s failures and do you even have a brain? .... again from a certain someone.
Can someone ask Rob why do shooters automatically have a 5% decrease in three point shooting once they sign with the Lakers?
He could just be giving blanket answers, but it sounds like he doesn't expect as much of an overhaul as last year. Even if true, guys leaving or a trade opportunity could arise and change all that. Sounds like a better facilitator is on the list though
Fans will be impatient and want the answers now but Rob can't really do anything until the offseason begins. I'm sure he will come up with a group of players that he is interested in with LeBron+AD+Vogel.
For next season: I don't want Schroder for sure. Nor Drummond. Nor Harrell. Nor Kuz. Gasol can stay as the 3rd center. Wes deserved more minutes. THT needs to be part of the rotation. Kieff is useful, though he said last year he wanted to be paid next year. If so, move on for someone else. I would keep McLemore as the 11th guy. All the others are locks and part of our core. I know we will probably try to keep most of them because we don't have cap space, but specially Schroder hurts us on and off the field. He thinks too much of himself and don't play for the team. Drummond is a very poor player. Harrell earns too much for someone who can't guard anyone. Kuz is way far from his ceiling, but we can't afford to have this Kuz that is completely useless. Hope we can pull some S&T, though most teams don't deal with LA. There are a bunch of low tier hustle guys we can target. We know what we need: either hard defenders or knockout shooters. Either way, anyone who comes needs to be gritty and play intense basketball. It's better to have someone that integrates well the chemistry of the group rather someone who wants to be a star like Schroder or Harrell. My roster next year with some affordable names to show the type of player I would like: McConnell/Mills | Caruso | McLaughlin KCP | Sterling Brown | Ellington/McLemore LeBron | THT | Wes AD | Green/Kieff/Theis | Hollis Jefferson Olynyk | Noel | Gasol There's really no market for PG. I really don't want Schroder. McConnell, Jeff Green and Olynyk would be the steals of the year if we could snatch them. Sterling Brown, Ellington and Hollis Jefferson would be my sleepers. A lot of work to do, Rob. I trust you
I remember when Staples was first built, people talked about it having a strange background behind the baskets that effected the perception of the shooters. Chick and Stu used to talk about it. Hasn't been mentioned in over a decade but perhaps they had a point?
We had 3 guys shooting 40% from 3 this season .. Was on low attempts for Alex and Marc but still ... Overall the pressure of being a Lakers seems to be too important for the majority . Lack of movement and touches can be a factor too but some Cavs were shooting lights out in a Bron centric offense so ....
