Ex-Coach Luke Walton Discussion

I hope you're kidding.

 

I agree with this. Thibs is definitely not the guy. I think he's done. He has the same pattern everywhere he's been.

We really need another star that can help shoulder the load. That is the issue. I think Magic and Rob thought the kiddies would take another step where the Lakers as an organization could be patient on selecting that next star. But, looking at the issues we have now, there is no doubt that the kiddies haven't progressed enough. Moreover, the injuries are exacerbating the situation... I think we look worse than we actually are but unfortunately it is what it is.

I think if us armchair GMs can just admit that the front office whiffed on the BI pick and the Lonzo pick, then we can feel better about our situation. I said this in the game time thread but I think Lonzo will be out of the league in a couple of years. His issues are more than just shooting... they run far deeper... he doesn't have the mental fortitude to make it. BI in the right situation can be a serviceable starter but he isn't an all-star.

 

zo pop on top of his gm pretty much gives him no value anywhere

 

I think the answer to the development is that they got it in college during those extra years.

Completely agree with everything else.

 

Unfortunately, Thibs was born a little too late for this era. He would have been great in the 80s. Players now are giant twats and cant handle discipline or hard coaches. Only way he could have gotten away with it is if he had a Tim Duncan on the team. That's about it.

 

Lack of passion I think is actually them completely feeling defeated and unsure of themselves. It's not apathy, imo. Give the ball to lebron and go stand in the corner, lack of development behind the scenes (as alluded to by LFR), plus mind boggling roles they're being asked to play...resulting in repeated failure, has sucked their self confidence (free throw misses) and love of the game.

 

And?

 

I'll take Rondo's evaluation of loving to play for Walton and his style of coaching over now supposing the kids might not want to play for him. Sounds like LaVar last year.

 

Seriously, bring in MWP's gal for a general talk to the team. They bring in all other types and she did wonders for his issues.

 

I dont care about luke ability to manage a locker room...simply put the offense is crap even when everyone was healthy. It basically just James taking majority of the attention away from youth and role players but nothing was easy for these guys. Thus the loses early to the likes of Orl, Bk, mem, etc. with James healthy. The offense doesn't work well period when they dont get out in transition and thats clearly a system problem, a problem that luke has not solved in all 3 of his yrs here so far.

 

James is going to play LBJ ball and they have to fit in including every coach he's ever had. Need to figure out how and when and where to move and be when he goes into ISO mode. Which of course we need too often. Agree with Cranjis completely above. Bring in and pay better assistents. The positives Luke brings are extremely important. And it's not like he too can't continue to get better.

 

I remember Del Harris, who had injured players after injured players but got the reserves playing great in the early mid 90s, Eddie went down Peeler played well in his place etc etc, they still played well...I was hoping Luke can do that but losing to the Knicks ripped apart that fantasy lol

 

Hire Thibs as defensive coordinator.

 

A lot of this is on Lonzo not walking his talk and the old man's hype ..... consistently. 4 shots and zero points are you kidding me. 1-10 run on FT's are you kidding. I still think he's going to be a hell of a player and is in flashes now. The completions consistently at the rim will come and he's already coming up with more variety, if not actual floaters in close range. The FTs too. I think Magic himself ought to rip the team as a whole on those so they're worried enough to shoot hundreds or a thousand or whatever on their own time.