WMC 20-21: Whine, Moan And Complain... You Know You Want To

yeah, that could potentially be an explosive situation....

 

.... I just got a long L.A. Times newsletter from Tania saying goodbye. Can’t copy/paste on my phone now or link it. Might be going back to college? Mentioned “academia”.

 

hey, I'm seeing embedded tweets again...

 

Good for you. Tania's still leaving.



By TANIA GANGULISTAFF WRITER
DEC. 1, 2020
12:03 PM
Hi, this is Tania Ganguli from the Los Angeles Times, with your Lakers newsletter. This will be my last one, but don’t worry, the newsletter is continuing, so you won’t miss out on any Lakers news..

I started writing these at the beginning of the 2017-18 season, my second year on the Lakers beat. Looking back through those old newsletters showed me that season was about preparing the nest for LeBron James. I wrote about James wishing Lonzo Ball happy birthday, James commenting on Ball’s first triple-double, James’ reaction to the billboards around Los Angeles recruiting him, and whether James’ brand needed Los Angeles.

In retrospect it was clear back then that James would soon be a Laker.

I’ll always have a soft spot for the young former Lakers who were shuttled off to create the super-team that won the 2020 championship. First, Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson who overlapped with Kobe Bryant. Then, Ball, Brandon Ingram, Ivica Zubac, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and Moe Wagner.

They were saddled with the weight of expectation, the pressure of sudden fame and fortune, and constant judgment on everything they did. There were times when I wish I’d done a better job of remembering that these men were so young, yet tasked with huge responsibilities. In the last couple of years I’ve enjoyed seeing them settle into new teams, earn respect around the league and, in some cases, big contracts — Clarkson and Ingram got big deals this fall. Most of them were on teams invited to the NBA’s restart bubble. Catching up or checking in with them was a treat.

I was a beat writer for 10 years, covering football before the Lakers. My last season on the beat was probably the most challenging and rewarding I had. From the tense beginning in China to the bizarre end in Orlando, Fla., few moments were without controversy off the court. In between, tragedy paralyzed the organization after Kobe Bryant’s sudden death and gave new meaning to the season. A national conversation about racism and police brutality fostered a mission for many players and coaches. Through it all, Lakers basketball operated nearly seamlessly on the court. Frank Vogel became exactly the coach they needed. The bond between James and Anthony Davis was fascinating to watch up close.

As I leave, I wonder if covering the NBA will ever be the same again. What’s most valuable to a beat writer is the ability to have a casual conversation with someone you cover. It helps you get to know them, which helps create good stories and relationships that can benefit the player, coach or executive as much as the reporter during trying times.

To avoid spreading a potentially deadly virus, that kind of casual interaction is gone. But will things go back to normal once it’s safe to do so? The players’ union has said they’d like locker rooms closed, and players were not shy to say they enjoyed having no reporters in their pregame locker room in March. Will this be their chance to do it permanently?

I also wonder about the safety of the NBA’s new plan, especially considering the problems that football — which has the benefit of being an outdoor sport — has had.

The bubble was successful in that nobody living on campus tested positive for COVID-19, according to Commissioner Adam Silver. He also said during the Finals that there were people who were not living on campus, but who did have access to campus, who tested positive for COVID-19 during the bubble.

Even the bubble was not impenetrable.

Our Broderick Turner and Dan Woike will keep you abreast of all of that as the Lakers navigate this season.
I am heading to academia to study this industry that’s gone through so much change and tumult.

Writing these newsletters and the interactions with you readers quickly became a highlight for me. Where Twitter and its commenters can be uncivil and cruel, the vast majority of my newsletter replies were from nice people thanking me for writing them. I appreciated that more than you’ll know.

One last time, allow me to catch you up on what’s been happening in Lakerland.

Enjoying this newsletter? Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times

Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Become a subscriber.



Since we last spoke ...

• The NBA and its players decided to start the season on Dec. 22 and free agency on Nov. 20.
• Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said the team would not be complacent post-championship, and that showed right away with a trade for Thunder guard Dennis Schröder.
• They added former Bucks guard Wesley Matthews (his father played for the Lakers as well) and former Clipper Montrezl Harrell in free agency.
• Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley departed. Howard offered a little bit of drama on his way out after going drama-free most of the season. Bradley, who skipped the bubble, signed with the Heat. Rondo landed with the Hawks.
• Another big upgrade came to the Lakers when they added center Marc Gasol, who’d won a championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. Gasol’s draft rights were once traded by the Lakers to Memphis for his brother, Pau. This time, the Lakers sent JaVale McGee as part of the deal for the younger Gasol brother.
• Returning to the team were Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, on a three-year-deal, and Markieff Morris, on a one-year deal.
• Matthews has a few personal connections to the Lakers. His father played for the team. He also relied on Kobe Bryant’s support when he tore an Achilles tendon in 2015.
• The biggest free agent on the market, though, is Anthony Davis. And while nobody thinks he’ll go elsewhere, his meeting with the Lakers didn’t happen until today.

Until next time...

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at tania.ganguli@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

 

stop thirsting

 

TLDR lol

bye Tanya

 

And half of these talking heads will be assigned to play the Lakers (with health even) troll thesis that they-aren't-really-as-good as-you-think-they-are-devil's-advocating role.

 

My WMC? Stu saying Kasol again. Goddamnit.

 

No complaints so far, we have wrinkles but no major flaws.

Feel we have all the cards and Vogel is capable of addressing them.

And think Ariza may yet arrive later in the year.

 

Still think we need a shot blocking big. Maybe JaVale or Dwight gets bought out.

 

Dwight possible, but Javale needs a year to be re-signed

 

No way Dwight gets released. He's on a playoff contender that needs a good backup. He's in a good spot.

 

Larry Sanders still wants back in the league n lives in SoCal i believe and only 32

 

Refs really do hate the lakers man.

Also I believe Marc should come off the bench as a part of the second unit, we need another facilitator.

Pg and kawhi really wanted that opening game champ banner.

Not too worried, just looked tired, and played lazy.

 

We need length.

 

Too big of a rotation right now
-need to cut this down playing 11 men means no one gets a rhythm
-I really didn't like Kuzma, Morris, Harell together: no rim protection at all
-odd that they don't actually use Harell in the PnR. Putting AD as the screener puts the Lakers in weird spots as he's not a great screener and then Harell can't stretch the floor

 

We might need to trade for one of these

 

Matthews was eaten alive by Kawhi in the 2nd and PG in the 3rd. I thought he would just slip in and replace Danny Green, but it might not be that simple... PG is a year healthier but I also think Danny had the size to deal with them.

So my WMC is realizing Kuzma has to successfully guard PG if we're gonna stand pat. Otherwise I think pieces might move.

 

Missing Dwight already. Harrell pus up big numbers but defense is a problem with him at the 5.

Last year Lakers always had a great time protector which made it easier on the guards. The AD less Lebron units may not be as as devastating as they can score but you're not stopping other teams consistently with Morris/ Harrell

Also both Kuzma and Matthews have to step up on D. It's weird but I think Kuz plays Kawhii a lot better the he play George. George quickness bothers him more then Kawhii brute strength