2022-23 Team Developments: News / Trades / Free Agents / Rumors

They are a facing a dilemma right now to be sure. Ham seems a little overmatched in his decision making and not wanting to ruffle the ego of some players and it cost us last night. Granted, we should have won anyway if not for the bonehead play of Pat Beverly on fouling a 2-pt shot when we are up 3 in the final seconds and the non-call on James at the end that the Refs missed completely- but Ham really made it worse by folding like a lawn chair and inserting Westbrook in the game in OT after sitting him the entire 4th quarter.

Lonnie Walker, despite a bad turnover and being overmatched defensively at times did show his athleticism in his 18 minutes but barely played in the 2nd half and Patrick Beverley, the one guy who has to be traded for any meaningful return and saving our first round picks is playing his best basketball of late, including finally finding his outside shot.

After starting out 11 for 49 (.224) from 3 pt range and averaging only 4.13 points per in his first 16 games, Beverley has almost doubled that output (7.84 ppg) and has made 40 of his last 97 (.412) from distance, including 31 of his last 73 (.425) over the last 17 games.

So by default almost while Walker and Austin Reaves has been out, Beverley has quietly turned into our best 3-pt shooter. And this is someone who is a career 38% shooter, so there is hope it would continue...and yet he is the guy we would trade along with likely the beforementioned Walker, who is currently tops on our team in percentage (.383) and second only to James in makes (2.0).

Are the Lakers really going to be able to find an upgrade by trading those two??

No, the ideal guy to trade still remains Russell Westbrook; despite the advocates who think he has niched out his role and become an important bench piece. Truth is for every "great pass" or "dazzling show of his athleticism" there will be double and sometimes triple absolutely bonehead plays that wind up costing us.

I thought possibly he had turned a corner, registering a positive +/- in 10 of 11 games when AD was out (and we won 7 of them) but then his last 4 games he has returned to his normal frustrating self:

Lakers are (-44) when he is on the floor in those games, despite being 2-2 and only outscored by 4 total in those games
Despite playing only about 25 minutes a night, Westbrook has more fouls (11) plus turnovers (13) then he does assists (21)
He has shot a dismal 18 of 55 (.327) from the field
Shot an embarrassing 1 for 14 (.071) from distance

He is now 11 for his last 41 (.268) from 3 pt range
Even his FT shooting has been dreadful over that same time (.639)

WITHOUT A DOUBT he is the one who needs to be moved. Sadly, Pelinka seems to only want to trade first round picks "if it makes us a contending favorite" and I dont know what a Westbrook trade would look like to get a player who would do that....

Which leads to Ham again and the impending return of Austin Reaves. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to realize which player should be out of an 8-man rotation upon his return.

AD- needs to wake up (in)
LeBron- carrying us (in)
Hachimura- need his size (in)
Schroeder- only starting PG we have (in)
Beverley- need his shot and tenacity and he is playing much better, camera antics aside (in)
Walker- best 3 pt shooter currently and I would argue we need his athleticism (in)
Reaves- need his all-around game in the absolute worse way (in)
Bryant- has earned his rotation minutes (in)

RW needs to be the 9th man decision along with Christie (who I actually have FIRST), Brown Jr and Gabriel.....

Will Ham grow a pair???

 

NO. He will not …. seems per the evidence to date.

 

So much effort put into this but SO 1 SIDED THIS IS PIPE DREAM HERE also DeRozan doesn't fit with Bron and ad. Why you ask DeRozan needs the ball him and ad and LBJ all play around the same area lanes would be clogged

 

We got robbed on a non call. And stumbled, bungled, and fumbled the OT. s*** happens..on to the next game

 

FYI: I like Trent, Jr.

Not a fan of FVV.

 

Go away please. Seriously. This is the 4th f***ing time s*** happened. Enough is a f***ing enough.

 

Then fall back and stop watching, or not.

 

it shouldn't have come down to that play. bev for as much as he gave us, gave it right back with missing a ft and then giving up and an 1 to brown

 

Thank you.

Or just having Russ play in key moments when he was clearly off all game.

Bad teams do what bad teams do and put themselves in position to lose games.

Or Ham could have instructed the team to foul when they needed a 3. I mean, come on...

 

at this pt when up 3 this team should just foul, dall gm was another example, who didn't see a step back 3 by Luka coming and no double

 

Meant foul, but I agree

 

quickley, too?



still not sure i do it...

 

And we have salaries on the books past this year, that's significant for continuity or trade optionality in the summer or next season. So sick of the one year flush and repeat. I'd do the deal.

 

So the whole league is just not going to take this thing seriously until Feb 9th? Got it.

 

Trent and Thadd for Bev, Walker, Jones and a 1st? With current prices, they'd want two firsts and a swap. Maybe that's different by the 9th.

 

That's a good name to target.