Optimism Discussion: The Laker's Sky Is Not Falling

i also think if we can just excise westbrook, THT will step into that role and play it similarly if not better. a hidden cost of the westbrook trade was really killing THT's utility, imo. this is part of why i think we'll have zero luck moving westbrook to any team with young guards they want to develop (which are the teams with cap space to absorb some salary).

forgot again: optimism. i think THT will have a better year next year, and people will remember why we paid him.

 

My optimism is the team is showing that if you just get true NBA caliber players that can get up and down the floor without making you wince at how labored their movements are we can still be competitive.

 

I'm quietly hoping that a solid run to end the season will allow us to sell Russ as still having it to some team out there.

 

i just don't see anyone simply ignoring what's happened for the most part here. his only value is as an expiring contract, and those don't get enticing until the trade deadline, historically.

 

Agreed, but optimism....

 

I agree with Marcus Morris and affirm his sentiments. I'm not acknowledging and respecting whatever the Lakers won in that Disney Resort AAU rec league setting

 

yeah, no.

and when you find yourself on morris's side, consider changing sides.

 

He can talk the big talk because his game on the court has backed it up since the Bubble. All wins vs the Lakers.

 

You agree with him whining about how tough it was for teams (well his Clippers team anyway) to have to play under those conditions? Reading comprehension? And you not acknowledging or respecting it still doesn't mean jack.

 

Did Houston really offer Wood? He's only got one more year as well. If they did I think you need to do that THT/Westbrook for Wall/Wood deal.
If you can somehow resign Monk/Dwight/Gabriel this team could go from undersized/old/unathletic to frighteningly tall and athletic quickly

AD/Wood/Dwight/Lebron/Stan/Gabriel/Monk/Reaves/Nunn? and that looks impressive. I mean the main issues is a combination of good shooters/bad defenders and just lack of size. I'm a THT fan but it's going to take a few years for him to develop into a consistent shooter. Wood OTOH gives you the stretch 4/5, mini-AD that this team has been lacking and Reaves/Monk/Stan kind of make THT expendable

 

i'm so proud of his regular season dominance of the lakers, which is completely relevant to the conversation in all ways.

he's an idiot, and he's wrong.

yeah, as has been discussed ad nauseum here, there many more arguments for valuing that title more rather than less. but let's just take marcus morris's word for it because he's an oracle of wisdom and not at all a biased loser.

i probably would have pulled the trigger on westbrook/THT for wall/wood, though there's a lot of danger signs to wood, imo. he, like marcus morris, seems like kind of a loser. houston fans want him gone despite him being their lone bright spot from the prior year and their objectively most productive player. it's weird because advanced stats like him to some degree...

anyway, yes, if they offered it again, i'd take it. one could argue we'd have been better off with wall in streetclothes than westbrook in uniform this year.

 

I don't want to derail the thread. You guys have your strong opinions and I respect it, and I have mine and I'll stick to it. I'm a Laker fan first and its fine if we don't see eye to eye, I don't need to convince anyone.

Anyways hope we can finish the season making the playoffs so the young guys can learn some valuable experience.

Russ' best career shooting month is March, he averages 23.6 points, 8.3 rebs, 7 assists on 45% FG, 33% 3 point shooting and 80% free throw shooting.

 

Lol..Westbrook isn't getting traded anywhere this offseason.

 

It would take a large miracle for sure, but he’s also a highly functional huge expiring contract, so you just never know.

 

If we can stay in top 5 in offensive rating then have a healthier Bron and AD boost those D #s then potentially there could be something there. This team has let us down too much to believe in them, but on paper you can at least see a path to success.

 

SA is a half game back with a schedule that should yield them more wins than us, and they have the tiebreaker. i think NO already has the tiebreaker, too, right? so, we're likely finishing 11th, which is better than finishing 9th or 10th. don't give the clippers the satisfaction of hanging the 9/10 play-in game championship banner.