2020-21 Roster: Thoughts & Predictions

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by LakerFanIam, Nov 21, 2020.

  1. KB24

    KB24 Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    3,159
    Likes Received:
    8,286
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Certified Tax Advisor
    Location:
    Germany
    Offline
    The Lakers are being praised as a winner in this off-season. I say lets wait and see.

    Schröder and Harrell are sure extraordinary bench players without question.

    But overall our D has taken some serious hit.

    Dwight was a monster defensively and I hate to see him gone for the vet min...WTF were the Lakers thinking here? He was a role model as far as I'm concerned and wanted to stay.

    Losing Bradley hurts too as he was an established defender.

    Whether Wes is better than Green remains to be seen. Green was erratic last year but his personality and leadership cannot be understated, just like playoff Rondo.

    Are we more talented? yes but is that going to make us a better overall team? Hopefully but it remains to be seen how we will defend. With McGee and Dwight we have lost all our interior blocking and above the rim lob party.

    I feel good about next year with the moves made, but I'm not 100% convinced that this team will outplay the one last year in terms of D and chemistry.

    KCP got overpaid but Markieff was definitely a steal for the vet min. We are still sorely lacking a tall 3 and D wing. Thats a major issue on this team. I'd look to trade Kuz for one if I can find one.

    With Harrell and Schröder, Kuz and his scoring will be even less relevant.
     
    Wino, D-Fish Man, abeer3 and 4 others like this.
  2. Kou

    Kou - Lakers 6th Man -

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2015
    Messages:
    1,149
    Likes Received:
    2,475
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Thought Dwight received the bi-annual, who is the only real blow to our roster in my opinion.

    We won a championship without Bradley in the bubble.

    Would like to pick up Dedmon and another 3/D player if possible.
     
  3. BangBoomPow

    BangBoomPow - Lakers Starter -

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2019
    Messages:
    2,027
    Likes Received:
    4,647
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Let's give Trezz a chance and see if he can play better defense. Trezz might surprise us all defensively. Lakers knows that losing Dwight means losing some of that interior defense. Trezz might not be the rim protector but there are areas he can improve defensively that he is very capable of.
     
    TIME likes this.
  4. jbiggs

    jbiggs - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    939
    Likes Received:
    2,423
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Occupation:
    Event Operations for the San Diego Padres
    Location:
    San Diego
    Offline
    This is what has me worried too. Javale and Dwights ability to get above the rim both on O and D shouldnt be understated. Right now we have AD and maybe a 6'8 Montrezz
     
  5. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    30,447
    Likes Received:
    74,877
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Your time is running out Ham
    Location:
    Laker Purgatory
    Online
    Gasol is still solid on D too
     
    abeer3, lakerjones and TIME like this.
  6. jbiggs

    jbiggs - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    939
    Likes Received:
    2,423
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Occupation:
    Event Operations for the San Diego Padres
    Location:
    San Diego
    Offline
    as a guy who can block shots and get above the rim though?

    i know he can still body guys up but im not too confident on his ability to alter shots at this point.

    his BPG last season arent bad, but that was a limited sample size.

    id love for him to be able to provide some of what we lost with dwight and javale but im skeptical
     
  7. wcsoldier81

    wcsoldier81 - Lakers All Star -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    4,990
    Likes Received:
    9,644
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Gasol is a way better (clever) defender and than McGee ( who wasn't a factor against good teams) .

    He's the master of the drop coverage .

    As for the offense , Lakers will put even more pressure on the rim with Schroder and Harrell in a different way .

    D12 wasn't going to play like this and stay focused for a 2nd consecutive season .

    Enjoy the fact we won't experience boredom in the regular season .

    If we stay healthy , a 2nd championship will be the outcome , I have no doubt about it
     
    JSM, lakerjones and TIME like this.
  8. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    30,447
    Likes Received:
    74,877
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Your time is running out Ham
    Location:
    Laker Purgatory
    Online
    Gasol was great on Jokic.

    Javale got owned. As long as are covered on matchups that matter, I think that’s most important.

    how many great centers will we face on the path to the Finals? AND Is their team good enough to derail us? I’m not seeing it yet.

    Phoenix could be interesting is Ayton makes a jump, but if we have suffocating perimeter D, that player would have to be Shaq-like to affect a series.
     
  9. SamsonMiodek

    SamsonMiodek - Lakers 6th Man -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    1,244
    Likes Received:
    3,282
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Family guy
    Location:
    Poland
    Offline
    There were serious question marks about our roster last year too, and the coaching staff made it work. I don't agree our D has taken a serious hit, we just have players with different skill sets on the team now. I trust in Vogel to make it work, especially on D.
     
  10. DeeZee

    DeeZee - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2015
    Messages:
    495
    Likes Received:
    1,150
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Offline
  11. LakerFanIam

    LakerFanIam - Lakers 6th Man -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    5,121
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    We sacrificed a bit of size & athleticism in our interior Defense, but we've become much more Versatile.
    Gasol/Trez/AD/Morris(?) is a great Defensive rotation, & best thing is... None of them are a liability on Offense.

    KCP/Matthews/Schroder/Caruso are more than capable perimeter Defenders
    & we all know what AD & LeBron can do..

    I'm not worried about our Defense at all.
     
  12. LakerFanIam

    LakerFanIam - Lakers 6th Man -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    5,121
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
  13. karacha

    karacha Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    8,418
    Likes Received:
    27,351
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
  14. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    34,791
    Likes Received:
    58,371
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    So Cal
    Offline
  15. LakerFanIam

    LakerFanIam - Lakers 6th Man -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    5,121
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    It is a bit negligent & thoughtless.. Especially if the intent is to lure his Brother... o_O
     
  16. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    30,447
    Likes Received:
    74,877
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Your time is running out Ham
    Location:
    Laker Purgatory
    Online
    Giannis: Nope!
     
  17. OmarE

    OmarE - Lakers Starter -

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2014
    Messages:
    2,752
    Likes Received:
    7,340
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Anaheim, CA
    Offline
  18. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    25,956
    Likes Received:
    70,596
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Online
    agree with general sentiment, but some specific arguments aren't compelling for me. data (and my eyes) suggest matthews is an upgrade on green, and his locker room presence has been a plus at every stop. only health stops that from being a huge win.

    also, i think folks focus too much on lobs and blocks from centers. they're fun and cute, but that's not where your centers make their cash. box outs, icing pick and rolls by deftly playing lanes, etc., is where it's at.

    and i agree that kuz as a bench scorer is undercut by trez/schroder, but i also think kuz has been miscast as an offensive focal point. how about he starts with gasol, lebron, matthews, and caruso, and is the dive guy on the weakside? then we just murder people with trez/schroder like the clips did with lou/trez.
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2020
  19. Punk-101

    Punk-101 - Lakers Starter -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    2,838
    Likes Received:
    7,792
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    I like Kuz with the starters and trez and schoder tearing up the bench, but I think you’re forgetting about someone in the starting lineup...
     
  20. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers MVP -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    11,075
    Likes Received:
    22,727
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Brow-beater
    Location:
    Las Islas Filipinas
    Offline
    Guy is not a Laker, why would abeer include him?:ADnaughty:
     
    abeer3, acetabulum7, TIME and 2 others like this.

Share This Page