Optimism Discussion: The Laker's Sky Is Not Falling

Yes. Great Stuff. I especially love his commentary about Zu and his experience with Harry Giles and competing with others at the olympics...great stuff.

 

hmm, fran doesn't seem bullish on ingram, really. not down on him, but really trying to temper expectations, especially in the short term, but maybe even in the long term. seems concerned about his lateral quickness/athleticism, particularly on d.

 

ROFY, can you (or anyone else) please capsulize what he said about Zu for me? It's a long interview and I finally had to get out of it before it finished, and the buffering is really slow so you can't jump ahead very much at all if I were to go back in. Had just gotten a little way in on Zu. Who is Harry Giles and how'd it go with the competing with others at Olympics you mention?

Thanks

 

Don't think it's founded. I've seen many many instances where Ingram moved pretty well, laterally.

Even if he does lag behind, his length allows him to recover.

 

yeah, a la tayshaun prince. it was just the way fran talked about it, he seemed concerned. i liked what he had to say about yi, referring to him as a beast and saying that randle and nance are going to have a hard time going against him in practice. also seems like yi's personality may fit well with luke's coaching style (as I perceive it).

 

Wait. What? You mean I had to bail out of the audio clip yesterday before I was clear on his thoughts on Zu, plus he referred to Yi as a "beast"?

Please ...please, someone also recount bullet points on what this guy's interview said also about thoughts on Yi? My gut, but no real clips to compare against, says that maybe (why Luke and the Lakers wanted him) is that Yi is now stronger and more yoked (maybe looking more polished??) and like he might now be ready to do some bigger damage in the NBA under an exceptional coach ..... than he was a couple of years ago?

 

he just thinks he has filled out a bit and toughened up some. but i think you could see that in the olympics. what i'm still not seeing is the work on the defensive end and on the boards. plus, his three point shot isn't great.

 

Thanks. Yes from the few recent clips that J of Yi's IMO he does not possess the real clean stroke of a shooter. However hopefully it is now accurate enough and the guy has some Chinese athletic pride and really wants to be in the NBA now, especially playing under a coach that has motivationally talked him into wanting to come back. Luke can just keep rotating in and out reasonably high quality BIG men all damn game long to kick a** on the copied "new wave" around the league of smaller more mobile, but also more puny big men down low.

 

i think he'll be a good change of pace 5, and he's the only guy over 6'8" on the team that can hit consistently outside of the paint.

 

i'm just paraphrasing fran. it grabbed my attention that he thought d would be an issue because i really don't see it. i think adjusting to the nba three and dealing with physicality on offense are the more likely rookie growing pains.

 

Only four more weeks until preseason! Even though I think we will suck again, I am still excited for the season to begin and see how the young future develops. I have always liked watching a young core grow together even though none of them won a championship (the Baby Bulls, Blazers with Brandon Roy, Aldridge, and Oden, and OKC) lol. Anyways, can't wait to see our young core shine bright this season and bring the championship glory in the future.

Side note: LA has very promising talent in other sports, too. Dodgers have the already great Seager, Urias, and Jose de Leon. Rams have Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald, and maybe Jared Goff but he didn't look too good in preseason though haha. I guess I'm optimistic about LA sports in general.

 

Haha, NFL opener is tomorrow atleast! As much as I can't help but sometimes think about reeling in Cousins by the deadline, I think the best approach would be to truly see what we have in every player this season and re-evaluate things in the off season.

Westbrook had to be prideful&effed up a possible LA destination. I still believe he'll consider us in a couple years once the team is more established, especially the young bucks.

 

Is so much nicer to hear than...

 

the "putting up the dukes" gif is gold.