Optimism Discussion: The Laker's Sky Is Not Falling

This popped up on Reddit today. Apparently this was from 15 years ago. Summer of 2007, Kobe demanded a trade in a very public and tense fashion, calling for his teammates to get traded. We already had this perception of having a terrible roster around Kobe that he had to drag to the playoffs in the previous years, but still didn’t really make any big moves other than bringing back Fisher. I don’t think any of us had high hopes for that season going into it.

Yet the next year they make it to the Finals. And don’t get it twisted, we were already at the top of the west (or at least very close to it) before trading for Pau. Basically that same team we had no hopes for before training camp somehow found their groove and were playing very well, and then bolstered to the next level with some great mid-season moves.

Am I crazy for seeing some potential parallels there to our current situation?

Sorry if this is blasphemous, but maybe Beverley plays the Fisher role. Someone whose not super talented, but able to scrap and set the tone for the team, help bring some competitive energy to the team culture while also being one of the few players who might be able to command the respect of the team’s superstar.

Reaves can play the Bynum role, the young prospect who finally finds his footing in the league and starts to develop into a star (okay this is a reach, but a man can dream )

And of course Russ is the Kwame. The disappointing player who the fans are fed up with … but with an expiring contract. If you can manage to stay afloat into January/February despite the clunky fit of Russ, maybe some other team has developed a situation that his expiring contract is a very valuable get out of jail free card and we pull off a Pau-esque heist that raises us from “good team” to “championship contender”

I’m not putting my money on it, but hey stranger things have happened. Gonna keep my expectations low while still trying to cultivate some hope. No point spending too much energy frustrated and pessimistic about this team.

 

AD should still be in his prime, though. AD has a full return to form, one or two young guys surprise, russ fits in enough to make it work...crazier stuff has happened. unlikely, but not impossible.

 

AD career is in Dog Years tho

 

i don't think we know that yet. if he has another half season, then yes, it's safe to say he's done as a top-tier star.

 

Hey that’s not very optimistic of you!

 

Laker fans in unison right now



Pretty crazy to feel that way with (3) future HOF'ers on the roster. And how many last year? 6?

I would think we are all leBron hardened by now enough to just let it play out. He's 40. He can't play forever, and then soon we'll get back to normal.

 

ahhh....success is inversely proportional to # of future hofers on the team. so we can expect dramatic improvement!

 

For anyone that wants to see a chokejob of a decade, go and watch last minute of Turkey - France geme (regular time) LOL. Good thing this isn't soccer, otherwise Osman wouldn't dare to show his face back home.

 

Great tip! I can do one better though. After following those steps, I got it for $19.92 for the year.

 

Uh oh ..... warning for our most hazardous location member(?) @Toklat . In addition to having to coach and teach know it all teenagers the great game of basketball, after growing up playing the game outdoors on ice skates surviving 3 too close encounters with grizzlies and staying clear of moose mean enough to "carry grudges" and unbelievably cold winters ..... while doing all that and finding time to post here on LB ..... now this s*** is rolling your way. Hope you're not by the coast buddy and weather this OK.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/alaska-storm-could-bring-worst-140424218.html

 

Thanks for the heads up. Those storms are actually fun but I'm on the east coast, NC, right now visiting my oldest daughter and grandkids. Might just stay here another month...lol Picked up a rescue German Shepherd to take home when I go to keep me safe. Two year old named Lola. Going to visit my other daughter in San Francisco before going home. I better through in a go Lakers!!!

 

Lol... I have seen some nasty spots there but I usually stay in Mountain View about a 45 min drive from Santa Cruz. Somehow I have to relate that pic to basketball. Some type of defensive drill?

 

Let me interject another optimistic viewpoint. I normally avoid the Lakeshowlife, because Jason Reed the editor, usually writes most of the articles, and he's terrible at it IMO. LOL..Looks like they've hired a few writers to counterbalance his takes just in case things go better than expected.


https://lakeshowlife.com/2022/09/22/lakers-season-end-title-2022-23/

 

How is he just now getting a Jersey Retirement? Is that right?

 

With all of our retired jersey banners we've probably missed out on some FAs that simply liked their long time numbers too much to give up.