You may be right. I've thought about this for a few minutes now and no one other than Kwame comes to mind. Those hands of Kwame's were just brutal though. Won't ever forget him getting booed loudly for a few minutes at home whenever he got the ball
When Ronnie Price was brought in for training camp, it seemed more like the idea of having an extra training camp body than a player with a viable chance at competing for significant playing time. 22 games into the season and Price is the Lakers starting point guard, and he’s doing a horrible job at it. Since being named starter three games ago, Price is shooting 15.4% from the field, 11.1% from the three-point line, averaging 3.7 assists, and has an atrocious 71 offensive rating. His true shooting percentage, which takes into account free throws and the added benefit of a three-point shot, is a blistering 19.2% in that three-game stretch. His defense, which was the reason he was brought in the starting line-up, has been deplorable. Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday finished with 22 points and 8 assists while Kings point guard Darren Collison finished with 26 points and 6 assists. Last night, the Spurs’ Cory Joseph, who saw the majority of the point guard minutes with Tony Parker nursing an injury, finished with 16 points and and 5 assists, nearly double his averages in both categories. So if he can’t stop a nose bleed and his offense is non-existent, what’s the point of keeping him in the game? And it’s not a rough stretch for him offensively. Over the last 15 games, he’s shooting 29.3% from the field and 25.9% from three-point land. He’s averaging just 3.3 assists and has an offensive rating of 86 and a defensive rating of 114. Are you getting the sense of his limited ability? Sorry but your “leadership” talk won’t work here. He may be a veteran, but he’s completely ineffective on the court. The bigger problem lies on Byron Scott‘s refusal to supplant him from the rotation, specifically with the youngster Jordan Clarkson. In his albeit limited playing time, Clarkson has showed promise. Over the only stretch of games where he had consistent playing time in mid-November, the rookie averaged 8.7 points on 50% shooting in 18 minutes over three games. Scott rewarded the youngster by playing him just three times over the last 13 games. During that 13-game stretch, Clarkson appeared with the LA D-Fenders, the Lakers D-League affiliate. In his first two appearances, he looked great, scoring 28 points in the first game and 19 points in the second. However, his most recent outing last Saturday, he looked rusty, going 4 of 11 from the field with 8 points and 5 turnovers. At this point, Clarkson needs consistent playing time. The only way for him to develop is with consistent playing times and growing pains. Considering the Lakers are starting Price, they are clearly capable of dealing with limitations. Clarkson is a better shooter, better at getting into the lane, and certainly has played as well defensively as Price has in recent games. It’s time to make the move, Scott. Out with the old, in with the new. http://lakeshowlife.com/2014/12/13/lakers-jordan-clarkson-needs-time-ronnie-price-doesnt/
^^^ That. I was for keeping Price early on, but he is invisible out there, he is pointless. We suck, we don't need a veteran to win games, this isn't a situation where rookies need to sit for better veterans in a championship run. We need to develop Clarkson or at least see what he's got. So either Byron is a stubborn a-hole, or he's starting Price to tank better, or maybe both.
Not developing Clarkson is a wasted opportunity. Even if he doesn't have it, then we find that out and have a better idea of what we're doing for next year.
Ronnie Price must have some compromising pictures of Byron. That has to be it since he's atrocious on the floor.
I don't doubt his heart for a second. He deserves to be tutoring a young, impressionable PG or playing 3rd string on a contender. He's played hard throughout his career, and I think he's a decent dude.
He doesn't make me miss Blake as limited as he is. At least I don't have to watch him guard SG's and take and miss 3's. He sucks on offense, but at least he has the courtesy to barely shoot.
Imo, Clarkson seemed to dropped off after his breakout Summer Camp. He struggled in preseason, he struggled with the minutes he had early on, and although he's head above the talent level in the D-league, that's not saying much. Clarkson is still a raw project, and he has more of a SG game than PG, something along the lines of Westbrook. At SG, there's no chance to play him there with Kobe/Ellington/Young taking up those minutes, and he'll have very little time behind Lin/Price.
Worst shooter at a guard position . . . ever. Please put him with the bench guys. He can run that offense and pass to Booz and Swaggy all day long, plus play that hustle D. But he should not be playing more than 18 minutes per game, period. He just isn't a balanced enough or good enough player to be a starter, regardless of Lin's ups and downs.
I disagree. Clarkson needs to be on the court. In his limited minutes, he has shown excellent scoring punch and good defense. He can absolutely be out there for the times that Price is out there. It's Price who doesn't really have a reason to see the floor right now.
Maybe they're trying to guard Clarkson's value so we can cut him this summer and get him back for cheap?
Agreed wholeheartedly, Trodgers. How else is he going to get the experience? He needs be out there for better or worse. If we were contending for the Finals or even the PO's, I would understand it; but we're not. We're a lottery team that needs to develop our young talent; what little we have of it. Price is what he is for his career...a third string backup PG...
Lin should be playing 30-34 minutes a game regardless if he starts or comes off the bench. JC should be playing instead of Price. Playing Price over JC is stupidity because: 1. This is a non-Playoff season. Time should be spent developing JC. 2. Price won't even be on the team next year. Again, time should be spent developing JC. 3. Even though JC is not a PG (Has a SG game) - JC replacing Price would be a positive swap, because Price doesn't even play as a "Point Guard," on offense anyway. Price's role on O is being is a spot up shooter (Who can't shoot), and JC could easily upgrade that position. 4. Price is active on defense but is badly undersized. JC is active on D, can guard Point Guards AND has great size. The only times JC has looked really bad on defense is when he's had to guard SGs who outmuscle him (Harden) - and that's the coaching staff's fault for putting him on 2's instead of 1's anyway. The worst case scenario in playing JC, is that it becomes apparent that he's a good hustle player, but is also a brick machine who shoots 30-34% from three. Of course, that means JC's floor is a better version of Ronnie Price's ceiling (hustle player who shoots 20% from three). So there is literally no downside to playing JC over Price, and potentially many good things to gain if JC proves to be a balla.
Just got home and checked the box score near the end of the 3rd and saw Price got 14 points!!! Is that career high?? lol....
