Let's put our heads together. Three things we can do to fix this, ASAP. All remotely reasonable suggestions will be heard 1. 1st unit: DAR/JC/KB/JR/RH; bench: Huertas/Williams/Young/Bass/Black 2. Hard 28 minute limit for Kobe. 3. Pick and roll the hell out of it on offense - with DAR and JC with the ball, Kobe in the post.
You guys are both right but I'm sure 99% of the true fans could have told you this. It's beyond me why the coaching staff can't see it.
1. Give Russell and Clarkson minutes without Kobe on the floor to provide them with time to gel. 2. Cut Kobe's minutes to help limit injury risk, cut MWP's minutes to spot duty. Give the resulting SF minutes to Brown, might as well let him get experience and grow. 3. Push for a trade using Roy/Bass/Young/Lou for future assets prior to the deadline. However, I think that what the Lakers will do is look for a trade at the deadline that involves obtaining a star in exchange for Roy's expiring and one or both of Russell/Clarkson. If they don't find one they will look again during the summer. Just a gut feeling considering how many years they have missed the playoffs and Buss' self-imposed deadline.
Honestly, if we could have the kind of "star" the Lakers have managed to land of late or Hibbert and JC and Russell and Randle, I want that foursome all day long.
This is the elephant in the room. The most glaring problem that is actually easily fixed if the FO would just grow a pair.
If we were competitive and losing, it would be one thing. We aren't even competitive. Firing Byron is priority #1 for me because I want a coach that can - as Byron would say - "man up" and bench Kobe like Phil Jackson did. Even a newbie coach like Fisher would be willing to do that. Play Kobe if he's playing well. Otherwise, bench him. Hold everyone accountable. I love Kobe and want to see him play well during his final season, but the way Byron is using him is making that impossible.
The losing has gotten to the point where it no longer matters. I was one of the "can't fire Byron because it tells other coaches there is ZERO job security here" But we are a f***ing embarrassment to the sport. We're performing so under par that there is no choice but to fire this guy. He's lost the team along with his mind. 1. Byron 2. Bench 3. System
1. Front Office: move Jim Buss out of decision making role / offer Jerry West small ownership share to return as team president / keep Mitch as GM / establish Ryan West as next GM 2. Coach: fire Byron / hire Luke Walton and live with his development for the next 10 years 3. Hard Limit Kobe minutes and install a shock collar on him for whenever he takes bad 3s
1. Fire Scott the second Kerr comes back so we can talk to Walton. 2. Play Kobe the first 8 minutes of each half. Nothing more. 3. Clean out the entire front office except for maybe Ryan West. The roster is what it is until the end of the season.
1. Retain Byron. He's an innocent bystander. 2. Kobe can shoot as many times as his heart desires; stomach issues, one leg falling off, etc. 3. Man up.
1.) Shake up the FO/Coaching - Fire Byron, get the petty Buss twins on the next bus out, retain Mitch and Ryan West, look for new blood that wants to win first and foremost and does not hold petty grudges, make hasty decisions and will spend to put a winner on the floor. Never satisfied with losing 2.) Stop the Vets - Limit Kobe to 6-7 minutes, Limit Lou from chucking, Move Bass to PF or to another team, MWP should be coaching, Roy/Young should be playing 3.) Let the rookies run wild - Give them all the minutes they can handle, let them control the offense and pick and rolls Russell (35) / JC (13) JC (22) / Lou (26) Kobe (28) / Young (20) Randle (35) / Nance (13) Hibbert (30) / Black (18) Brown, Upshaw - D-League experience call up with 25 games left in season to get some run Heurtas, Bass, Sacre, Kelly - Your services are no longer needed. Goodbye. MWP - Mentor of the Year
1. Replace Byron, with a bag of chips right now for all I care. 2. Give full reign to the Russ/Randle/JC, play Kobe 28 mins. 3. Shake up the FO. Bring in people that are looking forward instead of backwards.
1. Fire Byron 2. Fire Byron 3. Fire Byron Things will start to fall in place once that happens. I call it the Dumbino effect.
I'm sure that's what people thought after Brown and MDA were canned. The common denominator here is Jim Buss. He has got to go.
Fixing this requires talent. We've struck out on top tier FAs, so the draft is where we get raw talent. I know no one likes it, but tanking this season is the plan. 1. Tank Next, we need to develop our talent and that means a coaching staff that is capable of this. 2. New coaching staff And then we need a FA that recognizes the talent we have and is willing to sign for Kobe's expiring $$$. IMO, to do this, we need Jimmy Boy out of the picture and someone like Mr West or Phil talking to then and explaining the plan. 3. Sign top free agents There is no quick fix, but after this season, we're ripe for winning if Jeannie will do steps 1 - 3.
#3 isn't happening if #1 happens. Top tier free agents don't want to play for crap teams. Mitch is going to have to pull off another Hibbert trade next year to bring in veteran talent.
