Besides continuing to bring in free agents to fill out the roster heading into training camp, the only thing left for Byron Scott to do this off-season is to finalize his coaching staff. While Scott hinted that one of those hires may be his son, it looks like the first name to be added may end up being someone different:
Hearing new Lakers coach Byron Scott is closing on the addition of Igor Kokoskov, one of Europe's finest coaching exports, to his LA staff
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 7, 2014
For those unfamiliar with Kokoskov, Stein offers a bit of background too:
Kokoskov, of Serbia, was on Mike Brown's staff in Cleveland last season and just led Georgia to qualification for next summer's EuroBasket
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 7, 2014
Besides serving on Brown’s staff last season, Kokoskov has 15 years of NBA experience, serving as an assistant on some very good teams. From his bio on NBA.com:
During his tenure on an NBA bench, Kokoskov’s teams have made six conference finals appearances, two NBA Finals trips and have earned one NBA championship.
Kokoskov joined the Suns after five seasons with the Detroit Pistons (2003-2008), reaching the conference finals in each campaign and earning the 2004 NBA title. Prior to joining the Pistons, Kokoskov served as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2000-03 under then-head coach Alvin Gentry, becoming the first full-time, non-American assistant coach in NBA history. Kokoskov later became the first non-American assistant to win an NBA championship and also the first to serve on an NBA All-Star Game coaching staff.
He also has a background at the NCAA level and is well regarded internationally:
He owns the distinction of being the first European coach to hold a full-time position with an NCAA Division I-A school when he served as an assistant at the University of Missouri during the 1999-00 season under Quinn Snyder and with current Milwaukee Bucks General Manager John Hammond. A native of Belgrade, Serbia, Kokoskov owns extensive international experience as a head coach and assistant coach. He was an assistant with the Serbian national team at the 2004 Athens Olympics under renowned European coach Zeljko Obradovic. Kokoskov has enjoyed six successful summers (2008-13) as the national team head coach for the Republic of Georgia. His team has twice qualified for the European Championships during his tenure, something the nation had never done previously. In 2012, his work with the national team earned him the Order of Honour, Georgia’s highest civilian honor.
While I cannot speak to Kokoskov’s coaching philosophy or what type of schemes he like, I can say that he has been a part of some very good teams while serving on the staffs of some very good coaches. When you add that to his success as a head coach internationally, this looks to be a good hire by Scott, should it be finalized.
Renato Afonso says
As someone who saw Georgia beat his own country in the European Championship qualifiers, I can say that the Georgia team was very well prepared. Serbian coaches tend to have a bit of a temper (right Ko?) but they know their X’s and O’s and are generally fair.
I’m not checking any highlights but what I remember of Georgia is this:
– they played a lot of man defense and everyone was really aggressive on the ball handler and that’s a good thing in the NBA.
– maybe because of that aggressiveness, they were fairly vulnerable to screen and roll action from the top of the key. I remember that their big men (Pachulia the most famous) usually stepped back and trailed their man, leaving some open lanes to the opposing ball handler. That’s a problem at NBA level.
– their offense was a bit flat. With this I mean that their big men often came out to set some screens for the ball handler but weren’t fast enough to be a threat as roll man. More often than not, the screen and roll led to a three point shot from the opposite side of the floor. Also, their big men didn’t move that much or even switch sides on offense, so it was rather predictable what they were going to do.
– when they played zone, they played some matchup zone. This kind of zone works well when the opponent is not very physical and doesn’t have an imposing center but can be a problem in the NBA. I hope the Lakers don’t deploy that type of zone defense unless they’re facing an opponent playing small ball. If that happens, then by all means play some matchup zone defense.
That being said, Georgia had some really good results in the recent past and this could be a great hire, if the coach listens to him. Also, he actually outcoached David Blatt when they met a couple of years ago despite losing the game (Russia was way more talented than Georgia and a couple of turnovers late in the game made the difference).
Todd says
Nice to see the thread return to a topic about the team and not the FO. (Although, I admit to being guilty of changing the topic in the past).
While practice time is at a premium during the season, the lengthy NBA training camp allows coaches to hopefully form a team’s offensive and defensive identities.
I have cautious expectations for the Lakers — I think the talent is still too thin to make the playoffs. However, I do expect the team to be competitive and play hard especially on the defensive end.
Let’s face it the Lakers on the court have not looked good since Phil was last here. Hiring the wrong coaches can dampen the magic that can be created in a team sport. While I am not a huge Scott supporter I think he is a better fit than either Brown or MDA. I am willing to give Byron the benefit of the doubt.
BigCitySid says
Todd, “Let’s face it the Lakers on the court have not looked good since Phil was last here”.
That was the 2010-2011 season. I would say the Lakers have not looked good on the court since Kobe, Gasol, & Bynum were all healthy (2011-12) under Brown.
Both years the team lost in the 2nd round (conf semi’s).
JohnnyP says
Darius, (much love to you) in the thread on Kobe’s potential as a mentor, you said,
“The way I watch games is that I enjoy winning, hate losing, but, mostly, just love basketball. So I can watch a team that will never challenge for a title and enjoy the product if they are playing hard and maximizing their potential.”
YES, YES, and YES. Do you guys remember, early last season, our Lakers made a run and were having fun doing it and it was a gas! (was it two seasons ago)? Their playing hard and defying expectations, and joy, made it fun. And, under Scott, we will have a team that tries!
To Kobe’s mentoring . . . the best Kobe has to offer is a work ethic. Nick Young was central to the run mentioned above. Kobe and Scott will take him from good to great. We are watching greatness bloom. It will be a joy to see.
With the addition of Kokoskov’s Xs and Os and the Scott / Bryant work ethic, I think we will rise above expectations. Regardless, watching this team compete – and they will or not play – will be fun.
GOOOOoooooooOOOOOOO LAKERS !!!!!!!
Warren Wee Lim says
Igor Kokoskov.
Igor Kokoskov.
Igor Kokoskov.
I need to practice pronouncing his name.
Ed says
Don`t Igor and Nash have a history together in Phoenix? Looks like Byron is planning to use some Phoenix along with the modified Princeton he has used in the past. Waiting to see plans on the defensive side,along with the asst coaches.on that side.
Chearn says
Darius and Renato, great information on Igor!
Am I just Clipper hating, or am I the only way that despises getting a coach or player that previously was on the team down the hall? In the past, it was the other way around when the Clippers took the Lakers leftovers.
Parrothead Phil says
@Chearn
Lamar was a Clippers leftover from about the same vintage as Kokoskov. That worked out pretty well for the Lakers.
Dave says
Does anyone have an inside source on what Boozer has left in the tank? I was not high on the acquisition as I assumed he was done. I know he got very little playing time in the 4th quarter of Bulls playoff games. However, I checked out his stats from that last season and he nearly averaged a double double in 28 minutes a game.
My guess is that he has lost a step or two. So, is he still a power forward or is he now a center? If he’s a center does that mean the Lakers are going small ball all the time (because Hill is our only other center and he’s 6′ 9′ 235)? Does he start at center and Hill moves to the 4? Does he and Hill play the 4/5 interchangeably depending on the opposition?
Lastly, if Boozer and Hill get significant front court minutes what does that do to Randle’s playing time? Or, once Randle gets in shape does he slide to the 3 and the Lakers play a Big small ball lineup with a front line of Hill, Boozer and Randle? Note, in this scenario Young becomes the 6th man.
Someone must have had a beer with Byron over Labor Day and knows what he is thinking…
Stuart says
Chearn: I wouldn’t hold anything against a Clipper player. Yes, Donald Sterling was horrible but the players and coaches couldn’t control that. There are a number of current players I’d love to have on the Lakers right now.
Robert says
“The way I watch games is that I enjoy winning, hate losing, but, mostly, just love basketball.” I do not think too many people here are going to argue with this. However as rr has pointed out many times, being a fan is different for everyone and there is no correct answer.
I hate losing too. I do not enjoy it. Did anyone here “enjoy” the 2004 finals? How about the 2008 finals? I did not. I also did not “enjoy” last year. So yes I guess “I enjoy winning, hate losing”. And “just love basketball”. Would I rather have a 35 win team that was trying or a 35 win team that could care less? Well – I would rather have them try – but this does not put a 35 win season into the “enjoyment” category. Now – if we are talking about the Lakers, would I still be compelled to watch? Yes – because I “just love basketball”, but mostly I love the Lakers.
“a team that will never challenge for a title and enjoy the product if they are playing hard and maximizing their potential.” This is like comparing a good steak to a good burger. Most people like steak (a winning team), better than a good burger (the team that tries but does not win). So – can we enjoy hamburger at times? Yes. However tell me that I will not eat steak for several years, and then ask me how that burger tastes. And the fact that I have eaten steak many times in the past – only makes it worse. In my case I am going to ask why the steak is no longer on the menu. Others may choose to go to a different restaurant, but I am stuck with this one for life.
But all is not lost. At least it is a Kobe Burger : )
Brian says
Dave: That’s a lot of questions and they are the type that usually gets answered in training camp. My assumption is that there is no reason why Byron wouldn’t put his best players on the court as often as possible.
So in my view if the best front court players are Boozer, Hill and Randle then the Lakers will make sure that they get the lion’s share of the minutes. Now, they may or may not start depending upon how well they defend their positions. Ideally, you’d want Randle as a 4 only because you already have Young/Henry/Johnson as 3s. And if Kobe is healthy there’s limited minutes backing up the 2. Plus if Lin/Nash split the 1 then Clarkson’s only playing time comes from backing up Kobe.
My feeling is that things will work out, we tend to get all worked up over these issues. The reality is Randle may be our only elite talent now that Kobe is in his twilight. However, he’s a rookie with a lot to learn.
Mid-Wilshire says
Dave,
Carlos Boozer turns 33 on November 20th. So, obviously, he has probably lost a step. However, to imply that he is “done” is a bit of an exagerration. Below are his stats per the 28 minutes that he played last year on average plus those same numbers extrapolated over 36 minutes (had he played in the 4th quarters of most games which he did not):
13.7 ppg (28 minutes) 17.6 ppg (36 minutes)
8.3 rebounds per game 10.6 rpg
1.6 apg 2.1 apg
These are hardly horrible stats. In fact, they seem to indicate, if anything, that Boozer really hasn’t lost that much…at least, on offense.
Where he falls down, of course, is on defense. And Tom Thibodeau, being a defensive-oriented coach, preferred to play Taj Gibson in his place during the 4th quarters of most games.
I, personally, don’t think that Boozer will be a liability…except on defense. Instead, he’ll probably help out in 2 ways: 1) by providing solid offensive production and 2) by helping tutor Julius Randle. He will, however, continue to be a liability on defense. There seems little debate on that.
I don’t see Boozer as a 5. His position is PF. I see Hill and Davis as playing the 5 position (with an occasional Sacre sighting).
So…when and how often will Randle play? This is a question (at this point) without a definitive answer. Time will tell. I’m thinking that Randle’s playing time might increase toward the 2nd half of the year as he learns the nuances of the NBA game and gains confidence. It will help, of course, if he becomes a defensive stalwart. But most 19-20 year olds prefer to focus on offense. This will be a year of growth for Randle. If he matures quickly, it will undoubtedly come at the expense of Boozer’s minutes, but probably not until later in the year.
Finally, Randle is a 4, not a 3. I don’t see him playing the small forward position at all.
mud says
Ron Harper was another ex-Clipper that helped the Lakers win a championship…
didn’t Stu Lantz play down in San Diego for a season or two?
T. Rogers says
Dave,
Boozer is not playing center. He’s listed at 6’9″ and that’s a generous listing. He’s too small to play in the middle. Plus, I am not sure his feet are quick enough to recover in what will by many high screen and rolls used against the Lakers. I don’t expect much from him. I do hope he proves me wrong.
George says
Dave:
The only advantage the Lakers have in the front court are the young legs of Randle, Hill and Davis. Boozer doesn’t add to that – he negates it. Boozer may see a lot of action early in the year because none of the above have seen anything above part time minutes in the NBA. However, I don’t envision him beyond a backup during the last half of the season.
Vasheed says
Boozer is a fine addition. He has had trouble living up to his huge contract as of late but, at the fraction the Lakers picked him up for he is a bargain.
Terri says
ESPN crushes Lakers – specifically the FO in their Futures Rankings:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/FuturePowerRankings-1-140908/nba-future-power-rankings
Al says
Mid-Wilshire:
I think if Randle gets in great shape he could play the three. He was called Baby Lebron as a high school senior – that was just a year ago. Lebron is a 6’8″ 250 pound small forward. In shape Randle is a 6’8″ 240 small forward.
J C says
Looking forward to USA facing Spain.
After that, bring on the NBA season.
I’m pretty much hoping for a miracle this season, Laker-wise:
Byron gets his guys to play D,
Kobe is healthy, Nash contributes,
Hill and Davis and Boozer perform well,
Randle adapts to the NBA quickly,
and Lin rises to the occasion.
I wanna see the new Cavs,
the remnants of Riley’s Heat,
Steph Curry and the Warriors,
The ageless Spurs, and of course…
my Lakers, for better or worse.
(probably the latter)
Warren Wee Lim says
I love the NBA but this is one tourney where I would like Spain to win it. Why? Because I see the lack of passion and contempt from the team USA crew. The few I like in there are: Curry, Rose, Faried, and Anthony Davis. The rest I don’t fancy as the best players in the world. Paul George would’ve made it to my list too.
JohnnyP says
Robert,
LOL !! Good points! Yes, I would love to back a steak rather than a burger.
On a related tangent, burgers aside, . . . The lives and personalities of the players add to my basketball enjoyment. For example, D-Fish was a great guy. I got all mushy when he moved back to LA for his daughter. OTOH, there have been players, (M Barnes), for whom I did not celebrate as hard.
Byron and Kobe are two of my favorite people. Like Fish, I have known them for decades. So, even in his twilight, I will enjoy watching Kobe try. I also like Nick Young a great deal – he seems like a very likable fellow. So, win or lose, I can take some solace in the “soap opera” style fanaticism of rooting for nice guys.
That said, I don’t know much about Randle as a person or others on this squad. I look forward to meeting them.
By training, I am also a bit of a social scientist. And, I am really hoping that the work ethic gets vindicated by this team. I believe that Kobe would not be the player he is without his awesome work ethic. And, I believe that Young and Randle will either die or flower under the Scott-Bryant regiment. In fact, I believe that Young has the potential for greatness. So, seeing my (shared by the Lakers) philosophy being put to the test will also increase the fervor of my rooting.
And maybe, just maybe, we might watch this Kobe burger turn into a porter house deluxe!!
GOOOoooOOOOOO LAKERS (individually and collectively) !!!!
mo says
Finally I see some true Lakers fans looking towards a good season, let’s remember that we have been exposed to winning championships over the last two decades n others n as we will always said we love to win n hate to loose. So as I see it let’s enjoy what we have been able to witness in the past n hope that as one of the greatest Lakers player walks into the sunset, we begging another day of hope that we will someday return to our championship glory. I will always be a Lakers fan for life……….
BigCitySid says
@ Terri, “ESPN crushes Lakers – specifically the FO in their Futures Rankings”. That’s as expected. Future rankings of a franchise should rely heavily on the strength of it’s front office. And when a front office, at the very least, “appears” dysfunctional and error prone compared to many of their counterparts…
George says
Regarding ESPN’s Future Rankings: The Analysts were pretty harsh on the Lakers. Basically they said that our wounds are the worst kind – self inflicted. So, I’m just curious from those that know: Is Jimmy, Mitch and Jeannie saying to themselves:
1. “OK, they are right – we have made a lot of dumb moves to go along with the good moves that did not turn out as planned. We’ve learned our lessons.”
OR
2. “ESPN is full of it – we’ve got everything under control. We wouldn’t change a thing.”
I know its an over simplification but I just want to know what their frame of mind is?
Aaron says
Spain had its best player (Ibaka) on the bench in the fourth quarter. This is overt racism and it cost them a trip to the WC Final.
Renato Afonso says
Aaron, that comment is preposterous. Overt racism? Ibaka was 1 for 7 from the field (including 0-3 from 3pt land???), like Marc Gasol was. And Pau certainly was not going to leave the game. When a team like Spain scores 9 points in the last quarter, you can’t blame the coach for not subbing in one specific player. It goes way beyond that. And regarding the trip to the WC final, don’t forget that there’s still a semifinal to be played and France is the reigning European Champion. Racism… smh
Chearn says
All true statements regarding the Clippers. We also netted Byron Scott in the trade for Norm Nixon. I just don’t like the Clippers…not one player on that team.
Rubenowski says
Let’s hope Igor is the beginning of good things to come in regards to scouting European players.
Fern says
Lol @ overt racism, Ibaka stunk today, bad he earned that ride in the pine why in the hell he was chucking 3s? international 3 point line or not, and the best player on that team is still Pau Gasol.
KO says
Here is something more preposterous then Aaron.
Scott says he is starting Nash and Boozer! I hope he was referring to the retired players game during all-star week. Or if he also is starting Kelly and Sacre with Kobe to create a optical illusion and make Kobe appear lightning fast.
New name for our team! The LA Turtles. Yea a shell of our old teams!
Renato Afonso says
Rubenowski,
Anyone would be better than Jim’s bartender friend who’s now a scout (or was). If they want, I can be their european scout. Pay me travel expenses and 40k USD a year and I’ll do better than what they have now… Really, the only thing that really makes me cringe about the Lakers and Jim Buss is the strength and conditioning staff, the scouts and team doctors. You know, that part where the TW deal should help us hire the best… Ugh!
BigCitySid says
@ Chern, I always preferred Norm Nixon to Byron Scott.
Parrothead Phil says
Nash and Boozer in the starting lineup is a nod to their HOF (Nash) and veteran (Boozer) status. Hopefully, they’ll be subbed out early in the first. More important is the overall mpg each plays. That needs to be kept low.
On the bright side, when the substitutions are made, there will be a definite change of pace to the game.
Abe says
George: Regarding ESPN’s Future Rankings: The Analysts were pretty harsh on the Lakers. Basically they said that our wounds are the worst kind – self inflicted.
___
The previous thread had some good discussion about the unique ‘qualities’ of our FO. The reality is that we have to live with what we have (Jim) and hope he:
1) improves over time
2) Defers more to Mitch
3) Is serious about stepping down in 3 years if the Lakers aren’t championship quality.
As ESPN noted, the Lakers aren’t dead but it will take 2 or 3 years to unwind from the setbacks and bad decisions we’ve made.
Stuart says
Scott announcing that Nash and Boozer will be starting does not surprise me. I’m hoping that Scott is initially deferring to the veterans on the team so as to not alienate them out of the gate. However, I hope he plays his best players the most minutes.
So this means that the starting front court is Hill/Boozer and the back court is Kobe/Nash — who starts at the 3? Scott is already on record as saying he likes Young off the bench.
Shaun says
Nash should not be starting …. hes 40 ….. no other player maybe ever has started at that age …. closest is maybe duncun/kobe … but nash is a complete liability on defense …. really hoping Lin starts
mud says
Shaun-i believe Robert Parrish started at 40.
Renato Afonso- Bill Bertka is the director of scouting for the Los Angeles Lakers. please forgive me, but i’m getting sick and tired of the Jim’s bartender joke. Bertka is about as respected a basketball mind as exists in the NBA. yes, the Lakers fired a good head of scouting, but they have real scouts doing the job, still.
BigCitySid says
-Shaun, Kareem started every game he played at ages 40 & 41 for the Lakers.
FYI:
-Laker seniority: Kobe has played in 1245 games. Next two: Hill (107 games) & Sacre (97).
lil pau says
Lakers’ innovative strategy for perimeter defense just revealed…
http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2014/9/10/6131857/jeremy-lix-prank-wax-figure-madame-tussauds
Won’t Parker, Rose and Westbrook be surprised! Shhh….
bryan S. says
Mud: You are right; Renato, dead wrong. As I’ve said before, Bertka is revered among scouts in the NBA. He essentially invented modern scouting. He is sharp as ever. The Lakers have gotten great value from their picks in recent years–the problem is they gave picks away in the Nash fiasco and teams that win like the Lakers have–don’t get low round picks often.
As far as the medical/physical therapy/ nutrition team, Renato is wrong here as well. Letting Alex McKechnie go was stupid beyond measure (a casualty Jim Buss’ Jackson purge); but other than that, they have an excellent group. The team nutritional program is as good as anything in the League (emphasis on Omega 3 rich diet to reduce inflammation etc). Dr. Judy Seto is a great, cutting edge physical therapist by any measure. The team doctors are among in the best in Southern California, with great resumes.
Maybe Renato would improve our European scouting, but take a look: what percentage of European draft picks make a dent in the NBA? Very small. How many are two-way players? Very small number. And don’t forget: we drafted Vlade Divac and Marc Gasol.
The Chaz bartender deal is as tired and dumb as Jim Buss and his cap–sorry Robert!
Chearn says
BigCitySid, I too preferred Norm, but Byron turned out okay.
Ko-“Or if he also is starting Kelly and Sacre with Kobe to create a optical illusion and make Kobe appear lightning fast.”
Now I’ve had my laugh for today.
Lakers will surprise…I believe.
the other Stephen says
@lil pau, that’s called the Fish in Troubled Waters stratagem. Sow seeds of confusion with four wax Jeremy Lin statues on the court, and pick the enemy’s pocket using the one real Jeremy Lin when they’re not looking.
Oldtimer says
I wish Igor could convince a tall and good Euro Center taller than 6’10” to join the Lakers. Secondly, an SF whose expertise is 3 pt shooting as a replacement of still injured Xavier Henry and an unpredictable Steve Nash. If that happens, mission accomplish as an asst. coach-scout for Lakers from the Euro League.
Btw, Coach Scott was quoted on Basketball Insiders about Steve Nash: “He’s in the gym every morning, says he feels better than he’s ever felt over the last two years. Unsure if Nash starts.”
Which is which on news that Boozer and Nash will start?
.
G says
@bryan s.
I always get a nice laugh when hearing about jim buss’ wardrobe.
Robert says
Scouting Staff: The scouting department is a very interesting discussion indeed (thanks for bringing it up Renato). While Bertka is involved, he does not run the department. His title is “Special Asistant to the General Manager/Basketball Consultant. They had to give him an office with two doors just to fit all that in. His title confuses me in that I do not know if he reports to Mitch or Jim.
The entire scouting staff was fired in 2011 (inclusive of Ronnie Lester) however somehow the team decided to rehire Kevin Grevey and Irving Thomas. Word has it they were put through a series of mental exercises to purge Phil Jackson from their minds, and then they were allowed to return. Also, we actually do have an International Scout. His name is Antonio Maceiras who resides in Spain. We also have a couple of guys (Moser + Kuester) who perform NBA level scouting. The department is run by Jesse Buss and the second in command is Ryan West. Also involved is Jordan Wilkes (son of Jamaal). If anyone is unclear how all these guys got their jobs, Ko will explain it to you. And lastly we have a one Charles Osbourne – AKA Chaz. He did not just serve as a bartender, he has extensive experience in the horseracing business (as does Jim – who went to jockey school in spite of being 6-2)..
bryan s: No need for apology. I agree – Jim’s cap and jeans look is extremely “tired”.
T. Rogers says
Kareem and Parrish were centers. They didn’t have to worry about chasing fast guys like Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, and Chris Paul around. Having old legs up front is one thing. Having old legs in the back court is a different animal altogether.
Boozer and Hill up front. The reality of all this really setting in for me. Two guys under 6’10” and one of them has lost most of his athleticism. Its going to be a long season. But I’ll take whatever comes if Kobe can last the entire year and have a productive season.
Mid-Wilshire says
Folks, let’s not get carried away with a discussion on who starts and who doesn’t. Bear in mind that Kurt Rambis used to start. But he only played 12 mpg.
The question isn’t who starts but who finishes and who plays the most important minutes. Nash could start, say, and, in those games in which he does play, average only 15 mpg. The starting nod, then, would be largely symbolic.
I wouldn’t get too upset over Nash and Boozer starting. Let’s wait and see how the rotations pan out. Then we’ll have something to talk about.
BigCitySid says
@ Shaun & T. Rodgers, “Kareem and Parrish were centers. They didn’t have to worry about chasing fast guys like Russell Westbrook, Steph Curry, and Chris Paul around. Having old legs up front is one thing. Having old legs in the back court is a different animal altogether.”
I agree, however Nash wouldn’t be breaking ground as a 40 year old starting guard. John Stockton holds that honor. In ’02-’03, 40 year old Stockton started all 82 games he played in.
That said, I would prefer to have Lin start over Nash. Will be interesting to see which backcourt combination, Kobe-Nash or Kobe-Lin, will be most effective in the 4th quarter.
rr says
The team doctors are among in the best in Southern California, with great resumes.
—
Perhaps, but there was a long article at ESPN.com last year, which I linked, detailing some of the supposedly newer methodologies being used for injury prevention, which are
a) Used by several teams, including San Antonio and Dallas, who have had some notable success recently in keeping older players healthy
b) Connected to a company for which Alex McKechnie plays a prominent role
c) Not being used by the Lakers
And, of course, Nash has not been able to play much at all since coming here and suffering the leg injury–after getting away from Aaron Nelson and the PHX staff, which is supposedly very innovative.
I have heard good things about Seto. As to the nutritional program, here is a long Grantland piece by Danny Chau on the subject:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/butter-bacon-and-bone-broth-a-week-on-the-lakers-diet/
Ken Berger has written about it as well.
But, ultimately , as we see with most of the arguments surrounding Jim Buss’s regime, we see a mix of bad luck, unclear information, gray areas, some positive statements and reports…and negative results.
Anonymous says
TRogers – Boozer and Hill up front. The reality of all this really setting in for me. Two guys under 6’10? and one of them has lost most of his athleticism. Its going to be a long season.
—-
A lot of teams have small forwards taller/heavier than Hill. While Boozer is a solid 250+ I hear he is a short 6’9″. So yes, it’s going to be a long year.
Renato Afonso says
Woah, my attempt at humour totally backfired. Not trying it again, sorry…
On a serious note, when I mention strength and conditioning I wasn’t talking about nutrition. It’s obvious that my main concern is injury prevention and we seem to be lacking in that department or it’s a great coincidence that all this happened after parting ways with Alex McKechnie. You can have a great nutrition system (which I believe we actually do) and still be weak at strength and conditioning.
On the scouting front I want to make one thing clear: I do believe that Bertka is very competent at his job. However, more important than being a great head scout is actually having good scouts assigned to the correct places. Having one international scout is simply not enough (unless Maceiras runs some sort of scouting organization) even if you’re only scouting in Europe. Scouting in Western Europe is way easier than scouting in Eastern Europe and those who live here will understand what I’m talking about. Even if the spanish league is the strongest european league (and that’s debatable) you can’t simply scout the spanish league and the euro league and assume it’s enough. There are plenty of Ryan Kelly’s throughout eastern europe and plenty of non-televised games to be seen where 17 y.o. are actually showing some NBA potential. And I’m not talking about superstars in the making, I’m talking about solid rotation players. And the lack of defense… it’s not like every american player is good on both side of the court (see team USA). Some are better than others in a specific area.
And the Vlade Divac and Marc Gasol picks were no-brainers for those who’ve seen them play while they were young. Marc surpassed his expectations but everyone knew he was going to be a solid player. I’m talking about our scouting ability since 2011 and I think that mr. Maceiras either needs help or people are simply ignoring his scouting reports because of some sort of bias. There are plenty of european players that would be useful to our team in its current shape. Obviously in the PJ’s years that wasn’t a problem because we are actually drafting useful players and contending so I couldn’t care less about who’s our 11th rotation player. But as we are now? Yes, those rotation players matter way more.
Sorry about the Chaz joke, folks.
G says
Renato I think those jokes are hilarious. Please, as long as we don’t take them seriously, it should be okay to joke about chaz as a bartender and buss’ s cap.