I would be absolutely shocked if he doesn't make the roster. I'm already very surprised he agreed to a non-guaranteed deal. I'm assuming he was given every assurance that he'll make it unless he wants out.
He's a pretty flashy guy in general, but I definitely hope he brings that every day with few ups and downs.
I expect there to be obvious reasons made apparent why he wasn't in the worlds best league before now, why I've never heard his name among elite foreign players/teams I've been exposed to, and why I've never heard his name period before now. There is also zero hoopla about how the Lakers stole some amazing talent from everyone's nose. He doesn't seem to be overly admired in the basketball world. At most I hope for a skilled, steady veteran presence for our youngins at a reasonable price. I would LOVE to be blown away by getting more, but truly expect nothing more than steady and completely unspectacular. I hope for a fairly well rounded player on both ends of the floor, and I'll actually be happy with that for now.
I think it's good your expectations are low, but he's held in generally high regard internationally. He's probably a better version of Pablo Prigioni who is also held in high regard internationally.
I'll agree with this; I wasn't looking for anything more than a steady, reliable, experienced player on the floor, and that's what I hope we'll get which is good enough for me.
See there you go. Glass half empty and he's just OK and that's a good thing, or glass half full with the reason he hasn't been all of that is just because his name is too complicated to say or think about and that's all that's holding him down. And he's really going to be Euro Steve Nash for us this year.....
Russell at 19 probably has no business playing more than 20mpg this year for his own benefit, but we'll see how it goes. Hopefully we are all pleasantly surprised with results of the team this year, including both guards. Not buying any jerseys yet, but the most interesting man in the world does have a custom eyebrow.
I don't know about that. What if Russell is this "prodigy" that Jerry West saw. Like he saw Kobe. In a very strong draft this year including multiple potential franchise big men, Logo was on record saying D'Angelo was the best player in the draft. Tough position to play in this league no doubt, but I believe the kid when he says he will figure it out. Because it really seems he has "IT". Sure better numbers to come as he matures and gets stronger and even more skilled in the years to come. But if he is who he says he is and who West thinks he is, I do expect many glimpses and moments of brilliance and a solid rookie year, along with all his lumps and bruises physically and experience wise. To me that translates to far more impact this season than Huertas' being just OK.
I know I'm late on the discussion from a couple pages back but I will agree with @LTLakerFan that this team can make the playoffs as an 8 seed. Yes there needs a lot to go right but it is very much possible...... just not likely. Continue with the Brazilian Steve Nash discussion as I stumble back into my cave...
Thanks Trevor Marcelo Huertas Takes Leap Of Faith To Join Lakers Posted by: Trevor Lane Posted date: September 10, 2015 In: Editorials | Comments : 114 SHARETWEET On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers officially announced the signing of Brazilian point guard, Marcelo Huertas. Surprisingly, the 32-year old veteran signed a minimum deal that is completely unguaranteed. This is an incredible risk for a player as accomplished as Huertas, as the Lakers can waive him at any time. This deal puts Huertas in the same situation as undrafted rookies Jonathan Holmes and Michael Frazier, but “Marcelinho” is no rookie. On the contrary, he spent the past four seasons playing in the Spanish League for FC Barcelona, one of the best teams in what is considered to be the second-best league in the world. During his four years there, Huertas helped lead Barcelona to two league championships and last season he averaged a solid 4.4 assists and 7.6 points per game in just 22.1 minutes. Huertas has also won two FIBA Americas Championships for Brazil’s National Team and represented his country at the 2012 Summer Olympics. – What will Kobe Bryant make this season? Find out here! — To leave one of the top clubs in the world in the midst of such an accomplished career for an unguaranteed deal in Los Angeles speaks volumes on how determined Huertas is to prove that he can contribute to an NBA club. It’s especially risky considering the fact that he is past his prime, which means that his days playing at a professional level are dwindling. Still, Pablo Prigioni successfully transitioned to the NBA on a minimum contract at 35 years old and just signed with the Clippers at 38, so while Huertas’ move is surprising it isn’t completely unprecedented. From the Lakers side of things, adding a player with the pedigree of Huertas on a no-risk deal is a home run. The team currently has rookie D’Angelo Russell slotted in at the starting point guard spot, and having a veteran like Huertas to run the second unit would be a luxury for Lakers Coach Byron Scott. Furthermore, Huertas is a master at running the pick and roll, which is something that Scott’s offense is going to need to implement consistently in order to get the most out of Russell. With a somewhat similar playing style to the Lakers prized second selection in the 2015 NBA Draft, Huertas promises to allow the offense to smoothly transition between the starting and bench units. The similarities between Huertas and Russell’s games also means that Marcelo can act as something of a mentor to D’Angelo, schooling him on the finer points of using angles and trickery to make up for a lack of athleticism while still effectively running an offense. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Huertas’ deal is that it sets up an even more competitive training camp for the Lakers, who currently sit at 12 guaranteed contracts. The NBA roster maximum is 15, which means that Huertas will be dueling with Holmes, Frazier, Tarik Black, Jabari Brown, Robert Upshaw, and potentially Metta World Peace for one of three remaining spots. With the team planning on adding at least a few more players before camp starts at the end of the month, the Lakers are going to have some very difficult decisions to make by October 26th when final cuts are due. However, in spite of Huertas’ unguaranteed deal, it would appear that his place on the team is somewhat secure. The Lakers currently have a bevy of combo guards (Russell, Lou Williams, Jordan Clarkson) who can all effectively play the point guard position, but are lacking a pure maestro who can instinctively set up and run an offense. It would also be quite surprising if the Lakers talked Huertas into coming over from Europe only to release him during training camp, as the team typically conducts itself with a measure of respectability and wouldn’t ask a pro’s pro like Huertas to give up his spot in Europe just to cut him before the start of the season. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak and Coach Scott obviously have seen things that they like about Huertas’ game and believe he can be an asset for them, otherwise they wouldn’t waste his time when he could be making guaranteed money in Spain. At the end of the day, the Lakers are making a minimal investment in a player who has a small fortune’s worth of experience, and in that way the signing of Marcelo Huertas is an absolute win. For Huertas himself, the move stateside is a monumental risk, one that requires a massive amount of confidence in the Lakers franchise and even more in his own abilities as a basketball player. He will have to prove he belongs in the NBA, but should he stick with the team Lakers fans should be excited to see a talented floor general suiting up for the purple and gold. http://www.lakersnation.com/marcelo-huertas-takes-leap-of-faith-to-join-lakers/2015/09/10/
