I like that he can provide us a different look, that's for sure. If Channing Frye can make a career in the league, then there's room for Yi I would think. The problem is consistency and minutes. How often is he going to play? Will he get enough time to find a rhythm? Are we now just doing to Black again what we did last season? I'm interested to see how Luke shuffles these cards around. In a video game we can just plug Yi into the lineup and he'll knockdown shots outside and space the floor some nights when we need that. In real life though I wonder what his minute breakdown is and whether or not he can be effective playing 10 minutes a night.
it's a valid concern, but I think Luke will play the guys that earn time and give us the best chance to win. One of the many problems with Byron is that it didn't appear that players were always earning time. It appeared to be just tough love and the vets automatically received PT just for being vets. Luke is also far more keen on matchups than Byron and we won't necessarily see a rotation that is set in concrete. Guys will know their roles, but Luke will adjust the rotation on any given night to match up, or force the opponent to match up with us.
This is why I think Luke's rotations are going to be entertainingly (for us fans, for one thing) deeper and less rigid than back in the day Phil having his 8-9 man rotation set by the end of camp and rarely veered from it if at all possible. Foul trouble and injuries of course upset the best laid plans. But this is going to be ..... I believe from everyone smart that has ever said anything about Luke .... ( Phil, Kobe, Kerr, etc. ) .... like watching Luke play chess against most other coaches aside from Pop and Kerr and a few others ...playing checkers. We've gone bonkers here for the last 3-4 years questioning or even hating what we saw in this area. I expect it to make so much more sense and be so much more fun to watch this year with the "rotations". Say all you want about the guy coaching Boston but Luke's life experiences with regard to coaching influences from Wooden channeled through Pops Walton and Lute Olsen thru Phil and plotting with and picking Kobe Bryant's brain, thru Jerry West, Kerr and by extension Popovich ...... are going to make it a treat to watch him grow along with our players.
Come on now. With what these two have put together this off season, I don't expect that on the losing end like the last 3 years. Of course I've been known to drink myself silly with my glass always "half full". But we may have a few "blowouts" on the win side every once in awhile which I'm sure you meant as well?
More on the structure of Yi's contract. http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/explaining-yi-jianlians-unconventional-contract-with-the-lakers/ Explaining Yi Jianlian's unconventional contract with the Lakers It's all about how many games he plays by James Herbert Yi Jianlian officially returned to the NBA this week, and it represented a bit of a risk on the part of the Los Angeles Lakers. The risk is small, though, because the Lakers have little to lose and the contract is structured unconventionally. While Yi signed for one year and $8 million, he needs to reach several benchmarks in games played in order to make that full amount. Basketball Insiders' Eric Pincus has the details: Only $250,000 of Yi's contract is fully guaranteed. Yi's base salary of $1,139,123 -- the minimum for a player with five years of NBA experience -- will become guaranteed if he is still on the roster on Jan. 10, 2017. Yi will make an additional $2,286,959 if/when he plays in his 20th game, his 40th game and 59th game. Yi Jianlian is now a Laker. USATSI Essentially, if it is clear that Yi can't help the Lakers in training camp, all they'll owe him is $250,000. If he plays in 20 games, he'll make $3.4 million. If he plays in 40 games, he'll make $5.7 million. If he plays in 60 games, he'll make the full $8 million. This is an extremely team-friendly deal, and Yi has made a bet on himself. Should he become a consistent contributor for Los Angeles, he will be able to find a guaranteed, multi-year deal after the season. Theoretically, this creative contract also benefits the Lakers because it is a trade chip. For the purposes of any potential deal, Yi counts as $8 million against the cap, but the team receiving him could acquire him and waive him immediately. With the salary cap rising again next summer, this is a less valuable asset than it used to be, but it's always possible that some team will want a little more financial flexibility.
Brilliant Contract! I personally don't think he'll get much playing time, but if he does, hopefully he's a difference maker.
It really is a stroke of genius. These are the types of contracts that help facilitate bigger moves. He's also easily cuttable if he turns out to be more problems than he's worth.
Say he does pan out, he's either an asset or a nice backup if say a Randle/Nance/Black are included in a trade we couldn't pass on.
fantastic use of dead cap space. this is the sort of thing i was suggesting prior to the offseason, though it is more creative than what i had in mind.
Still waiting on sirron for a Mitch and Jim bandwagon gif. Problem is finding a bandwagon image. LOL. I'm on it (the bandwagon). They have been on a roll with the draft and deals for a few years now, and hit the afterburner since firing this clown.