If we got the #1 pick in 15 and 16... KAT and Simmons... omfg but let's not get greedy. We could have easily lost both those picks as well.
Define "much better". Neither of them can really shoot the ball. Including free throws. The latter is a huge liability, especially for a perimeter player. Our bigs, especially Randle and Brook, need our perimeter players to hit shots. Both Simmons and Zo need to improve drastically in that area.
simmons is dominating games w/o being a perimiter player, Zo can go1-12 from 3s but keeps on chucking em n it sort effects his game n the team
I wouldn't describe 16ppg from Simmons as "dominating". When I think of "dominating", Shaq or Kobe come to mind. Not Simmons. Simmons is better than Zo right now. However, other than points, Zo is right near Simmons in terms of filling the stat sheet. Assists: Zo - 7.2 Simmons - 8.2 Turnovers: Zo - 2.6 Simmons - 3.4 Rebounds: Zo - 6.9 Simmons - 8.1 Steals: Zo - 1.7 Simmons - 1.7 I'll parrot what Magic said during the exit interview. Zo needs to improve his scoring. Everything else will take care of itself.
Simmons is likely to be better, but I don't care. I like Lonzo a lot. I think he has the most natural feel for the game that I've seen from a rookie in a long, long time. Simmons's talent is impressive and he's been a very good pro, but I'm happy with what we have. Lonzo will be a perfect fit next to some higher profile scorers. I'm not in the habit of looking such a gift horse in the mouth when we just had a kid put up the numbers he did while also affecting the game in the way he did. Lonzo is still just a baby really. This summer he's got the opportunity to really step into his gangly body and do something big next year. I'm also really not all that concerned about his shooting. I remember when Ingram was the most inefficient rookie of all time and therefore a bust. I'll wait until a little bit into next season before freaking out.
i know summer league dont mean much but if kuz/hart goes it just shows how much Zo cares in general, to me anyways
I look at it as more of a “why?”. I don’t think Kuz is going, Hart maybe. But bottom line, Zo couldn’t have a better connection/chemistry than he does with our other young guys than he does already, so why risk injury, there’s no benefit. This season he was a rookie, so of course he needed to play. Now, he knows Kuz and Hart, and Randle and Ingram won’t play if they’re here. LeBron and/or George won’t play if they’re here, and most likely we trade our first rounder to dump Deng so there won’t be a new rookie except maybe a 2nd rounder. Summer league this season doesn’t seem like a big deal, and if we do land 2 star free agents, it’s almost meaningless.
It was Magic and Rob's call, not Lonzo's, and Kuz as well was included in no Summer League. Plus everything Weezy said.
Playing or not playing the Summer League doesn't mean s*** to me after a rookie season like he and Kuzma had. Kuzma will also not be playing in SL according to Magic. Hart might, but that's not clear at this point. What will tell me most about Lonzo is if he gets here in the fall and he's not any stronger, still a poor FT shooter, and hasn't made any other significant steps forward.
kuzma season wouldnt require sl, ingram went back as his rookie season was rather poor. ball should go due to those lacking of gms played and those shooting deficiency...but of course his summer rap tour in some euro country is more important
Lonzo's season was two or three times greater than what Ingram did his rookie season. A concert in Lithuania could take maybe two weeks. Training camp for the Lakers starts in 6 months. Shaq made movies. Kobe made an album. These guys have lives outside of basketball and they are allowed to do that. Using Los Angeles's appeal as a multi-faceted location in which to grow, but then getting upset about a concert he puts on which lasts for one night makes absolutely zero sense. This is a poor take by you on the expectations of Lonzo's summer.
I'd like to see: 65+% fts, 35+% on 3s and getting strong enough to attack the rim and finish through contact rather than flipping up desperation floaters from midrange (which I think were largely due to a fear of fts). On a side note, I wonder if/when magic will have zo develop a post game? He's bigger than most Pgs and his passing would be deadly from the triple threat position. Much like magics was.
I feel like the floater was pretty helpful for him. He can easily get into that middle area and a Steve Nash-ish (I know rough comparison ) floater would be a great weapon. I think his post game can wait a couple years honestly. He could use some more weight in his back pocket first anyway.
You know about the "big head". Zo needs himself a bigger a** first and then oh hell yeah. All these guys with their length. The best in the history of the game arguably lives in town. What could you all learn in one afternoon for 3 hours over at Kob's house on his indoor court and then have a bar-be-cue afterward. Wow what fun!! This is so elemental it needs to happen. Sorry Vanessa for scheduling a party at your place without checking first.
counting stats were better but the fg% and shooting overall was just as poor if not worse than Ingram rookie yr
Ingram rookie stats: 9.4 points, 4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, 1.5 turnovers, 28.8 minutes, 40.2 FG%, 29.4 3PT%, 62.1 FT%, 47.3 TS%, -0.3 WS, -3.8 BPM, -1.1 VORP, PER 8.5, Ortg 96, Drtg 115 Lonzo rookie stats: 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.8 blocks, 2.6 turnovers, 34.2 minutes, 36 FG%, 30.5 3PT%, 45.1 FT%, 44.4 TS%, +2 WS, +1.7 BPM, +1.7 VORP, PER 12.5, Ortg 97, Drtg 106 Adjusted for Per36 Ingram vs. Lonzo: Points: Ingram Rebounds: Lonzo Assists: Lonzo Steals: Lonzo Blocks: Lonzo Assist to turnover ratio Lonzo: 2.77 Assist to turnover ratio Ingram: 1.43 Usage% Lonzo- 17.4% Usage% Ingram- 16.8% Lonzo was better in almost single every category except for FG% and FT%. There are three people in the history of the league that have put up 10 points, 6.5+ rebounds, 7+ assists, and 1.7 steals per game as rookies. Magic Johnson and Ben Simmons are the other two players. Go ahead and tell me you want Magic Johnson and Ben Simmons playing Summer League as sophomores. Lonzo has more important things to work on than what Summer League can provide and a little concert in Lithuania doesn't mean s*** to his development. You should let this one go.
Lonzo needs to be getting his body ready for the NBA grind not playing in the SL. He was the MVP for crying out loud. No need to do it again. I think Zo would have shot better in the regular season if he was in NBA shape. Legs are so important for jump shots. If you look at his shooting after a layoff where his legs had the opportunity to recover fully, his shooting was always pretty good (at least from the eye test). It seemed to decline the more he played where he was “muscling” the shot more with arms. I think he will be a force next season once he gets his body stronger. SL would not benefit him in my opinion.
Yeah i get it, he has a rap tour or whatever, but if you're shooting 45% from the free throw line....get your scrawny butt in the effing gym
