dont think this roster is fixable to be honest I'd try to go back to the Lebron + Ad + THT + shooters formula before the deadline, but doubt it can be done.
Fish talking post-game about how we’ve slowly given away our defense the last couple years. Danny Green, Caruso, KCP. Then someone mentioned Kuz, someone else kinda chuckled at the thought of him being a good defender, but Fish pointed out he had become a very good rebounder, which we miss, and that’s true he had, very good. I’m not wishing we had last year’s team, but I am wishing we hadn’t sold our entire defensive identity.
Defense will ALWAYS win Championships. I think Rob has out thunk himself again. I wonder if he really was okay with bringing in Russ or he just went along with it because that’s what AD and LeGM wanted.
The Russ trade was LeGM and AD. Its almost feels arrogant of them to where they thought they were the only things on the team that mattered and led to a ring to where they thought dumping EVERYONE was fine and it didn't matter who filled out the roster.
I’m going to repeat it again, and will keep repeating that this season falls at the feet of Lebron, AD and Rob. They gutted this roster for a square peg in a round hole Westbrook. We have ZERO guys outside of a 37 year old Lebron that is capable of guarding any wing taller than 6’7. THT put up a fight but has no business having to be our primary defender on 6’8 Tatum. We’re lucky Brown was out or it would’ve been an even worse loss.
nobody here said that during off season and the offense was bottom 3 last yr, this isnt all on team makeup thing
Last years team has maybe 5 wins right now with LeBron missing games. making moves was fine. For some reason our guys convinced themselves that Russ was the right move. Early returns say they were wrong. and there’s plenty of blame from the top down here. Vogel needed an offense guy on the staff and brought in Fizdale for some reason. Also, Whatever the staff is doing at halftime is simply not working. We’re the worst third quarter I can think of. so no. I’ve got issues with Frank too. whole team is a mess right now and I see play in games in our future.
The only way this team can be redeemed is if Lebron goes '12/'13 Kobe mode and plays PG with like a 35 -40% usage rate. That salvaged the regular season but pushed Kobe towards a career threatening injury in April. AD has declined like Pau and is simply not making the impact you want from your sidekick superstar so your Alpha has to dig even deeper physically. Two main issues 1) Not keeping AD/Lebron accountable for their less-than- stellar, below-par play during vast stretches of 2020-2021 season. Covering for them with short offseason and injury excuse. Both did not play like superstars quite often. 2) Compounding Mistake 1 by letting those 2 dictate our roster moves. AND again not keeping stars and team accountable for piss poor preseason and opening slate of games. The management needs to put Lebron in check. They have give him an excessive and inappropriate amount of power over the roster moves and its costing them dearly. Let the front office manage and players should focus on the court instead. The franchise is too Lebron- centric. No awareness of history, tradition, reputation at all. They are not focused on winning. Faulty way of thinking that keeping Lebron happy = best chance to win a ring. Since he arrived in 2018, Lebron has been the longest tenured Laker. You need to build chemistry and keep continuity and we have not done that because franchise is too enamored with keep Lebron happy
I wish we had last years team before the Drummond addition. It was very very good when healthy. Reminds of Hakeems' Rockets blew up the identity of that team; tough defense with just enough playmakers around Hakeem and then added Barkley when Hakeem was aging. Feels like this with this squad but the sad part I think Lebron is still very good and they had the right pieces and mentality: defense and high basketball Iq with good athleticism from top to bottom
Just don't understand gutting a core that proved it could win when healthy and then on top of that making the one weakness they had - KCP and Caruso couldn't guard big wings by getting rid of the only average defender in Kuz for a bunch of guys who can't shoot and a "superstar" who is about the worst fit with Lebron was dumbfounding
You know who got a ton of tough boards last year and we traded for Mr. "triple double" I like to let my guy get an open look so I can try to get rebound without boxing out: Kuzma. Heart of a champion is a stupid cliche most of the time but they traded guys who fought even when they missed shots: KCP, AC, Kuzma were guys who fought. Fought three screens, boxed out, etc.
To me it's a bit of both. Bad roster construction (I was optimistic, but the critics are right so far) and crappy rotations (took way too long to bench DJ, playing WB and Rondo together, not having one of AD or Lebron on the floor at all times, etc). The coaching is compounding the issues created by the former IMO.
the guys they got can shoot, melo/monk/nunn/Ellington all shot 36% or better from 3s the season before and the offense sucked last yr too so its not all personnel issue
