When I think about the 2015-16 Lakers, the word which keeps coming back to me is balance. And, more specifically, how do they manage the competing agendas based on the team assembled.
On a roster with a mix of young prospects who need development and capable veterans who play the same positions, how do they balance playing time? When trying to win as many games as possible, but also needing for young players to be able to play through mistakes to learn — sometimes at the expense of wins — how do they balance the different priorties? On a team with at least seven rotation players who do their best work with the ball in their hands, how do they balance touches?
This plays out with a team that is undoubtedly more talented than the 21-win outfit from last season or the 27-win one from two seasons ago. The gambles on former lottery picks who hadn’t lived up to their potential with other organizations have stopped. The roster filling veterans who didn’t quite fit what the coach at the time needed are no more. There are issues to sort through — especially on the defensive side of the ball — but, overall, it’s difficult to not see upgrades all over the roster.
Of course, talent is only one piece to the puzzle. The man tasked with shepherding these players forward and molding them into cohesive units must walk a fine line. Whatever you think of his X’s and O’s acumen or his ability as a leader, how Byron Scott handles the balancing acts mentioned above will be his biggest challenge. Can he keep the veterans happy, develop the young players, and win games all at the same time? Could any coach?
I am sympathetic to his plight. Walking the middle ground laid out in front of him while improving the prospects of the organization to the point where they can be a free agent destination after the season isn’t an enviable position. Regardless of the history and prestige of coaching the Lakers, a rebuilding situation where no one really wants to rebuild comes with too many pitfalls for anyone look at this coach and not have at least a little compassion for the situation he’s in.
On the other hand, this is the job he signed up for. And, in that regard, it’s time for him to find a way to make it work as best he can.
He does have some tools to work with. First, are the kids.
Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson return from last year’s team, the latter coming off an accomplished rookie campaign and the former looking primed to live up to the promise which had him a top prospect in his class since before he could legally drive a car. And then, of course, there’s this year’s draft class of D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance Jr., and Anthony Brown.
Clarkson and Randle have a chance to be impact rotation players. Clarkson’s game is a polished aggressiveness. Every pick and roll or isolation offers another chance for his quickness, improving change of pace, and strength to athletically bully same sized players to get to the paint. His already refined mid-range game gives him an added advantage when his defender starts to sag off. While he can stand to improve his three point shot, his playmaking, and his feel as a passer, his offensive gifts are real. And while he is explosive, his movements are sleek, like a cat who darts into the crevices of the defense to get where he wants to go.
Randle, meanwhile is a bull who makes his own space. His combination of strength and quickness are further aided by his handle and ability to keep his head up as a passer when attacking. The range on his jumper is lacking. As is his right hand. He makes up for these weaknesses with an incredible first step, passing skill, and an unorthodox yet soft shooting touch in the paint. Last year was lost to a broken leg, so instead of physical learning he settled for sharpening the mental side of the game. He seems to better know how to get to spots on the floor and what to do when he does. There is much to learn still, but you can tell he wants to be great. Getting there, well…that’s why we watch.
The rookies are headlined by Russell, whose smooth game and advanced passing skill hint at a maturity beyond his 19 years. The release on his jumper is compact and quick. His understanding of space and movement within an offense are advanced. Despite being ahead of the game in certain areas, the learning curve is still steep. Areas to improve include how to better manage the pace he plays with and look for more angles to attack with the ball in his hands.
It’s rare you want a young player to speed up, but Russell is the rare case where he’s taking the mantra “letting the game come to him” a bit too far. Making mistakes can be the hallmark of a player whose thought process is advanced, but his ability in adjusting to the speed of the game is not as far along. Russell, to these eyes, has that understanding but has decided to translate that knowledge into fewer risks rather than pushing the envelope. In the long run it would serve him well to attack more, consequences be damned.
Beyond the core of young players, Scott also has a stable of veterans he can lean on. Roy Hibbert will anchor the middle as the first line of help defense and has shown he’s a better passer and offensive rebounder than given credit for. Lou Williams offers scoring punch and enough playmaking to keep defenses honest when they overplay him for the shot. Brandon Bass is as steady as they come, a hardhat wearing, lunch-pail toting PF who does his job on nearly every possession. Nick Young can be a huge scoring threat with a knack for tough shot making. Marcelo Huertas is proving to be a playmaking threat whose passing acumen lends itself to the nickname the “Brazilian Nash”.
These veterans, though, are not without their faults. Hibbert’s scoring ability lags well behind the rest of his game. Williams’ usage can be high and must be reined in to ensure he’s not monopolizing too many possessions. Bass, though solid, is also unspectacular and lacks great size. He will compete, but cannot outwork his physical limitations when facing bigger/stronger/quicker players. Young, well, he’s Nick Young. And Huertas isn’t a strong defensive player nor a great shooter. These weaknesses are real and must be compensated for or they will be picked apart.
Beyond these veterans, though, is the one who matters most: Kobe Bryant. There is no bigger question on the roster in terms of knowing what is needed while wondering if it can be provided than Kobe. After three straight years of season ending injuries, the talk of him being totally washed up has turned from whispers to loud proclamations. He’s not been doubted this much since the airballs in Utah during his rookie season. And it is all set against the backdrop of this (potentially) being his last season.
Can he prove people wrong one last time? Can a role where he is asked to invert his style of play from on-ball creator to off-ball worker come easily this far into his career? Can he stay healthy and be productive? Will he have the patience to deal with a team so far removed from contention?
The answers to these questions aren’t known, though we all have an opinion. I happen to think Kobe can be an approximation of the player he once was. While the automatic 25-5-5 lines are a thing of the past, a 20-3-3 on (close to) 45% shooting seems possible even if it means squinting really hard to see it. Do I expect some horrid shooting nights where too many pump-fakes turn into turnaround contested jumpers while his teammates watch on? Of course. I also expect to see some sharp shooting nights where his jumper is falling and the resulting tilted defense opens up passing angles where he burns teams with his playmaking. How these nights are divided and tallied across the season will be why Kobe remains one of the most intriguing players in the league.
These are individual pieces, though. The strength of a team isn’t necessarily how good your players are as separate entities, but how they mesh to become units that outperform their opponents. And while the Lakers have shown they have some ability to do this on offense, where the problems arise are on the other side of the ball.
If there is a single deficiency which limits the Lakers’ ceiling it is that they will again be a poor defensive team. Heading into his first year with the Lakers, Byron Scott was the only coach to lead three straight teams to bottom five defensive efficiency rankings. Last year’s Lakers made it four straight. And this team has a real chance to make it five (during the preseason, the Lakers were 28th in defensive efficiency).
Part of this is the Lakers simply not having the horses. Of their top 10 rotation players, only Hibbert projects as a plus defender. If you want to be somewhat generous, you can include Brandon Bass here too. (But as a reserve forward who is likely to top out at 20 minutes a night, will it even matter?) But even with those two, none of their perimeter players are close to being stoppers. In fact, with Kobe, Lou Williams, Nick Young, and Marcelo Huertas all playing rotation level minutes, the argument could be made the team will boast the worst perimeter defensive players in the entire league.
Further exacerbating these issues is the Lakers depending on young players as key contributors. Regardless of the talent level, young players consistently come into the league as poor defenders. They simply do not grasp the help schemes, the deeper three point line creates longer and more complex rotations, and the speed of the game is just too much to process. Young players need time to learn proper positioning, how to consistently help the helper, and to learn the intricacies of their own and their opponent’s schemes.
On top of this, the Lakers’ young players aren’t particularly strong defenders anyway. Julius Randle projects to be a solid P&R defender and, with his quickness, can cover ground on defensive rotations from the paint to the perimeter and back to the paint. But he’s not a shot blocker and likely never will be. His defensive motor also doesn’t yet rev as high as his offensive one. Russell, meanwhile, can get lost off the ball while Clarkson can be prone to over-helping or giving up driving angles too easily. Both also have a tendency to die on screens. These are things that can be cleaned up over time, but that time is not going to be now. It may not even be by the end of this season. Remember, some of these guys we’re talking about aren’t even 21 years old.
All of this brings us back to Scott and how he manages these deficiencies. Whether you want to be sympathetic to his cause or not (again, this is the job he was hired to do), there are still serious questions about how good he is at coaching and if he aids in raising or diminishing the team’s ceiling. Depending on who you ask, you’ll get different answers to that question, but I can guarantee you there are few (if any) who think he’s in the upper half of the league as either a tactician or motivator.
Is he flexible enough to shift his coaching philosophies towards more of what works in today’s NBA? Will he cut out some of the harsh critiques in the press, stop deflecting all the blame when things go wrong, and lay off on some of the hard practices? Will he help grow the young players’ games and extract all he can from the veterans all while keeping everyone motivated to play hard and smart basketball? Will a “defensive mindset” be anything more than lip-service paid in post practice/game interviews?
These are open ended questions, but the answers will determine what this team looks like at the end of the season and whether, when it’s all said and done, the front office joins some of the more critical fans and analysts in wondering if Scott is the right man for the job.
None of this sounds promising and, in a way, I don’t expect it to be. I think this team tops out at 38 wins and that’s with everything going right. When was the last time any NBA team had everything go right? When was the last time the Lakers did? That said, if this team wins over 30 games, they will simultaneously improve on last season’s win total by 10 wins and beat their over for Las Vegas. And, simply by the personnel they have at their disposal, they will be fun. Much more than in recent memory.
And that really is the point here. Despite all the tough times that are ahead, this team looks to be on the right path towards regaining relevancy and have a batch of players who we will want to tune in to see. The young players are all capable of wow moments. The veterans all know how to play. Kobe, knock on wood, can stay healthy long enough to give us just a few more moments that remind us that he’s Kobe freaking Bryant.
Realistically, it’s hard to ask for too much more than that. Let’s get to it.
Lakafan says
If Lakers start 2-8 vs this perceived soft schedule, I think BS will be Mike Browned outta here! Can’t believe Luke Walton will be coaching the champs (even on an interim basis) and he’s not on the Laker coaching staff being groomed to be the next great Laker coach.
The Dane says
A strong start could go a long way to get this season rolling in the right direction. At the end of the days the actual number of wins might never get us playoffs, but the positivity of winning is good for development too. For this season’s roster a spin in the eastern conference would have been good.
Anonymous says
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-preview-20151027-story.html
Ed says
Great post Darius! Just let the team play hard,smart,and exciting BB. Then there is hope that this plus a new coach will attract the FA`s needed to compete at the highest level.
D. Peterson says
Great post to get us started. Way to lay it all out. Thanks Darius. Go Lakers!
teamn says
Fabulous post, the kind of thing I like this site for.
I personally hope Byron grows as a coach along with the young guys. I think he has the opportunity and has probably learned from some past mistakes with both veteran and younger players. I have not been a big supporter of the original decision to hire him, but I would love to see him progress and grow with this group. I don’t want to see even more management turmoil over the next couple of years, although I know many will tell me that’s inevitable…
Let’s go Lakers!
T. Rogers says
Excellent as always, Darius. This season I’m hoping to see some real development for the young guns. The win/ loss record won’t be as important as those guys taking leaps forward this year. I hope Bryon can keep the young guys coming along while still keeping a watchful eye on Kobe’s health. Anxious to see what they do against the T-Wolves tomorrow night!
KevTheBold says
Balance in all things is essential; however in this case, I suspect chasing wins fueled by fear of being sacked, or trying to look pretty for next summer’s free agents may end up being Scott’s downfall.
Sometimes it’s best to keep, and polish the stones you’ve been blessed with, using patience and care.
As time in time, their value to you, could prove priceless.
Craig W. says
Good write-up Darius.
Balance is truly the watchword this year, and that goes for us fans as well. We are going to see some plays/games that make us want to wring someone’s neck. We are going to see some plays/games that make us want to break out bottles of champaign and plan for the post season. I’m just hoping there are a few more of the latter.
Robert Fisher says
Great article Darius. And I agree with KevTheBold that Scott needs to not worry about wins and concentrate on “Kobe going out standing” and developing the kids. As Darius pointed out, the kids are going to need a lot of time to learn defense, so another low D rating shouldn’t be a worry either for this year. Also that the vets collectively don’t have a high D rating is almost a blessing in that there won’t be that pressure to play the vets just to win games at the expense of developing the kids. All we want to see is improvement, not perfection. Also, a low win count gives the Lakers a shot at the top 3 protected first round draft choice.
Anonymous says
I think Byron (at the request of the FO) is going to play the vets a lot early in the hopes of winning games. Not to be a party pooper but many of us already know that our vets are only average at best so such a strategy won’t produce more than a middling record.
By February it will become obvious that the year is lost (in terms of making the playoffs) and the kids will get increasing floor time — especially at the end of games as a result.
Chearn says
Darius here’s to hoping the Lakers start the season with similar panache, excellent analysis.
My deepest concern as it regards to D’Angelo is his laissez-faire manner of play at the start of games. He just doesn’t seem to understand how to compete on this level, at least, not until the game is decided. Only then does he display some of the skills that made the Lakers choose him in this year’s draft. I get that he’s only 19-years-old but playing the position of point guard his entire career, he should understand the ebbs and flows of a game on any level from pick-up basketball, to travel team, to high school, to Ohio State, to the Los Angeles Lakers. In effect, winning is winning on any level. As a point guard, he’s neither fast nor is he quick. NBA athletes are one or the other, or both as in Russell Westbrook. Or, their skills in dribbling the basketball to get anywhere they want to go on the court is undisputable and unstoppable, as in reigning NBA champion Stephen Curry. Or, the player is a prolific scorer with a knack for putting the ball in the peach basket at inopportune moments, as in Kobe Bean Bryant. Or, the player is an imposing specimen capable of scoring on drives, stopping on a dime for fluid jumpers, catching and shooting out to the three-point line, with court vision along with basketball IQ to determine the outcome of a game even with inferior teammates, as in Lebron James. For Los Angeles Lakers 2015 draft pick to attain any measure of these levels he has to endure at a minimum 3-4 years of year around workouts and film watching.
D’Angelo should start the season as a point guard off the bench so he can get acclimated to the NBA game. The last thing the Lakers want is for their lottery player to lose confidence. The starting lineup should consist of Huertas, Clarkson, Kobe, Randle, and Hibbert. This will force Russell to play the point guard position that is unless he allows Lou Williams to control the ball. As a point guard, Russell’s first inclination should be, get the ball in my hands, and everybody else run the offense or get to your sweet spot and I’ll make the decisions that provide the team the best opportunity to win.
Starting on Wednesday, my hopes are that D’Angelo turns the corner and plays with the conviction and assertiveness that he spoke with during interviews and in tweets before the start of the season.
These are exciting times for Lakers Nation! Let’s Go!
BigCitySid says
-Apparently I was ahead of the curve yesterday, so:
-Only one team in the Lakers 1st nine games appears to be a shoe in to make the post-season:
#1: vs. T-Wolves
#2: @ Kings
#3: vs Mavs
#4: vs Nuggets
#5: @ Nets
#6: @ Knicks
#7: @ Heat
#8: @ Magic
#9: @ Mavs
– Sure, only three homes games vs six on the road (including one back to back), but those are all games the Lakers can walk away from with a “W”.
– I believe these guys have a shot of being over .500 in their 1st nine games.
– Let’s go Lakers
Mitch says
Please just change your name to forum purple and gold. It’s embarrassing
Geoff says
fyi – some good news predicted by NBA 2k16
“Other things the 2K season simulation predicted: Oklahoma City winning the West in the regular season; Chicago and Miami finishing second and third in the East; Kevin Durant winning MVP; Anthony Davis winning Defensive Player of the Year; D’Angelo Russell winning Rookie of the Year.”
http://allball.blogs.nba.com/2015/10/27/nba-2k16-simulation-predicts-warriors-repeat/?ls=nbahpsplit2
Clay Bertrand says
“Is he flexible enough to shift his coaching philosophies towards more of what works in today’s NBA? Will he cut out some of the harsh critiques in the press, stop deflecting all the blame when things go wrong, and lay off on some of the hard practices? Will he help grow the young players’ games and extract all he can from the veterans all while keeping everyone motivated to play hard and smart basketball? Will a “defensive mindset” be anything more than lip-service paid in post practice/game interviews?
These are open ended questions, but the answers will determine what this team looks like at the end of the season and whether, when it’s all said and done, the front office joins some of the more critical fans and analysts in wondering if Scott is the right man for the job.”
Darius, this is so succinct and lucidly on point I had to cut and paste it for emphasis!!! I agree with every syllable of every word you said here. Great post!!!!
For all Byron advertises his “defensive mindset” and is advertised for “developing great point guards”, the factual truth is quite the opposite (I give him ZERO credit for “developing” CP3 and Kyrie Irving, and Jason Kidd hates him). I do feel he will have a hard time with the differing agendas and I don’t think those agendas are of his making. In that sense, I have some sympathy for Byron’s plight.
It’s just I don’t like the way he goes about things with the snipey criticisms and the apparent lack of personal accountablity for anything. He comes off arrogant like he’s Phil Jackson but his arrogance stems from his success AS A PLAYER IN THE 80s where Phil’s comes from years coaching and winning (not saying Phil is perfect). Coach K has a humble professionalism and so does Popovich. Kerr is self deprecating and quick to credit others for his team’s success. The days of the total HARDASS coach are in the past. Even Thibs got canned. Byron needs to wise up and maybe EASE UP too.
I agree with Lakafan, Ed, Teamn, KevTheBold, Robert Fisher, and Anonymous with their takes and predictions.
I don’t want further Coaching turnover and will be rooting for Byron to change his ways and adapt to the modern game and the modern young players. I think its an extremely tall order and that he won’t be able to pull it off due to his personality. IF he can turn this season into something positive going forward, that’s all we can ask for.
IMO we are stuck in Neutral until Kobe retires and Byron is replaced. But let’s see how it goes!! I’m excited!!
Go Lakers!!
Craig W. says
BigCitySid,
I think our schedule will support playing the veterans more in the beginning of the year. Even if they are just average, they give us a good possibility of winning more of those early games. This will give Laker fans a better feeling, but this may be tempered by consecutive games against contenders, where we get destroyed.
I think this is not only the most likely approach, but the correct approach. Give the youngsters some early success and fewer minutes to learn the NBA schedule, then give them more fire.
As to Russell, I don’t know how you don’t start the 2nd pick in the draft. He may play fewer minutes and he may not finish games, but I think he will start them.
Clay Bertrand says
Craig W.
I agree that Russell will end up starting. He hasn’t earned it. But I just have a gut feeling today that he will start if for no other reason than that it seems to be the only place he fits position wise 1st or 2nd unit AND because it may help maintain his confidence. Neither of these is the right reason for a player to be starting so we shall see.
rubenowski says
Great preview Darius!
We may not make the playoffs, but this team will have A LOT of highlights.
R says
I’m thinking it would be the height of folly not to start him and see what he’s made of. He’s “earned” it by being picked #2.
BigCitySid says
-Darius asking the question we all would like answered (paraphrasing) “what will Kobe’s role be?”
There’s only a handful of players still active in the NBA who were drafted in the ’90’s:
Kobe Bryant (’96), Paul Pierce (’98), Tim Duncan (’97), Kevin Garnett (’95), Dirk Nowitzki (’98), Vince Carter (’98), Jason Terry (’99), Metta World Peace (’99), & Andre Miller (’99). May be one or two more, but I believe these are the biggest names. All except Carter and Miller have won at least one NBA title. All who won were instrumental in their teams’ title quest. Most: Kobe, Pierce, Duncan, K. G., & Nowitzki are shoe ins to make the Hall of Fame. Carter has a good chance.
Of the future HOF’s: three of them know their roles and are very comfortable with them. This season Duncan & Pierce will be competing on title contending teams in supporting roles. Garnett will be mentoring young talent in a supporting role. Dirk & Kobe’s roles are more of a question. However if last season is any indication (Dirk was 2nd to teammate Monte Ellis in fga per game by 3), Dirk is, at the very least, willing to modify his game for the good of the team.
Do the Lakers really need/want Kobe to average 20 ppg? Is that best for the Lakers? Is that best for Kobe? Something to ponder: Kobe averaging 20 ppg for 55 games, or 16 ppg for 70?
-In the immortal words of William Shakespear’s younger and less well known brother LeRoy:
“To Kobe or Not To Kobe…That, is the Question!”
– Let’s go Lakers!
KevTheBold says
With regards concern over D’Angelo’s contemplative play of late, I view it as a new car break-in period.
I have seen his brilliance, so I know it exist.
Would hate to see him damage his body like Rose or Westbrook by caving into pressure of Los Angeles impatience.
Yes, its been a while since we’ve won, but top draft picks are rare and precious.
We should think long term, because the future is where our triumps reside.
The present is a time for forging, hardening and sharpening our weapons, not jumping into the war zone.
R says
I’m also expecting us fans to tear our hair out over the teams play, especially in the first half. Even really talented teams – remember Miami’s big three – typically struggle early on before melding. Uh, the Lakers don’t have nearly that talent level … it’s gonna be ugly for a while at the very least.
Fern says
I expect the Lakers to be in the low 30s in the win column, anything above that would be an incredible achievement, i take solace on the fact that this team should be better than last years. Darius broke it down for us so I don’t have a lot to add lol. About D’angelo, i see people “panicking” already he is going to be fine, he has what? 10 exhibition games under his belt? I believe a pg takes more time to sync with the pro game, he is not ready to start as this moment, Byron could throw him to the wolves and start him right away and i would not be upset about that but i would prefer Huertas to start alongside Clarkson, he is a veteran even though he is a “rookie” in the NBA, he is a steady pass first pg, let Rusell get his feet wet with the second unit and when he is ready then put him in the starting lineup, the kid has it, he just need to put it togheter…
Dj says
Russell should start as a PG, if not Lakers made a mistake to draft him as number 2 pick, you can’t hide your mistake, the NBA will laugh at us, oh yeah, another version of Magic Johnson must sit on the bench. About Randlle and Clarkson,we should not forget they did not prove to us that they can play in 82 games season yet, so everything is hoping.
AusPhil says
Thanks for the write-up Darius. Top shelf as always.
Looking forward to the season!
Fern says
I haven’t hear anyone anywhere say that Russell is another version of Magic Johnson he is not Magic and will never be Magic and nobody is asking him to be Magic 2.0, besides, if he starts the season in the bench so what? He is not the first nor it will be the last top pick to start a season in the bench, starting the season in the bench doesn’t mean he will end the season in the bench, he is going to be here for a while i see no reason to rush him an put unnecessary pressure on him. About Randle and Clarkson, they are really young and if they stay healthy they should handle the schedule easily and be productive, Randle looks like he is going to be really good right away and Clarkson is going to be better. It might take some time but it would be nice to have a homegrown “Big Three”, can’t wait for the season to start!!!GO LAKERS!!!!!
Tim says
Great write-up Darius. Ready for the season and looking forward to the progress the Lakers young players will make this season. The journey begins.
Craig W. says
My reason for starting Russell has nothing to do with his ‘having earned it’. It is because he will have an easier time running the offense with the first unit. The second unit has wings that are gunners – pretty much period (Williams and Young). That will require more pure PG skills from Russell. With the first unit both Clarkson and Kobe have shown very high ability to pass the rock. That means all three wing players can initiate the offense and Russell can both be more selective and under less pressure to be 100% ready to take over all the PG duties.
KenOak says
My god Steph Curry. He’s my favorite non-Laker.
J C says
Agree Ken
Curry has been my fave for awhile.
Wonderful player.
Great for the league.
Bring on the Wolves.
RIP Flip.
Too soon.
matt says
Some earlier mentioned the hole at small forward here’s a list of small forward free agents last two years.
E. Turner, l. Deng, ariza, t.j. warren, aminu, gay, pierce, _hayward and c. Parsons restricted_, t.harris, carroll, afflalo, josh smith, harkless, danny green, dray green restricted, and oh yeah mello anthony
Joel says
During the waning weeks of the 2013/14 season, I wanted the Lakers to do poorly enough down the stretch to be in a position to draft Andrew Wiggins — who I believed to be a franchise changing player. Last season, I wanted the Lakers to finish with a decent chance to select KAT — as I think he truly is a franchise cornerstone.
Each of those players ended up with the T-Wolves, who have assembled a wonderful young core to build on. I can’t help but think tonight’s meeting is a showcase of two franchise’s going in different directions. While their records may be similar this year I think the Wolves are better prepared for the future.
There is just so much more uncertainty about the Lakers, our FO, the coach, Kobe playing again (I hope not) and playing the kids vs veterans. Maybe it’s just me but the nothing about the Lakers feels like its falling into place. Shouldn’t there be more clarity by the 3rd year of a rebuild?
Craig W. says
Joel, not always – not even frequently.
Warren Wee Lim says
My concern for this team, which I haven’t said out loud enough is Byron Scott. Loved him as a Laker but as coach? He is not the right coach attitude-wise and neither is he the right one moving forward. However, his ways (and employment) might be set in stone due to the turnover of coaches we’ve had in recent years. I believe we’re still paying some till this day, not sure.
My pick moving forward would be Mark Jackson. JB might be hesitant to hire yet another Jackson as the one calling the shots but this guy isn’t dating his sister. Instead, he’s a pastor whose discipline and organization set-up a chaotic Warriors team into last season’s champions. Much was done before Steve Kerr took over, and granting he had the command of his team from Day 1, much of the (ugly) preparation was done during MJ’s time.
Unlike most posters here during the D’Antoni days, I don’t come to post a blame on Scott for every wrong thing he does, or for every error for that matter. I express my disbelief in his hard-nosed ways (in today’s society and culture) that the kids need to be trained like hardened criminals if they want to become champions. We need someone that would hone their personalities on and off the court, someone who’d maximize the talents they have. All that potential to be unleashed.
On another note…
I think the Lakers are still out to trade Nick Young, only because the roster needs to be balanced some more. The guard positions are filled, and I believe the plan to start Kobe at SF while starting Clarkson and Russell will eventually change (or will not happen at all) after seeing Kobe not being comfortable at that position. Not that he won’t be able to adapt, but that he would be better off playing the position he’s played for 20 years.
At the end of the day, I am hopeful the Lakers can go 5-1 or 4-2 within the 1st six games. This dreads me, however, because it might give the idea that Scott is doing a good job.
On this note, I do hope I am wrong about Scott and his ways.
BigCitySid says
-@ Joel, I’m in agreement w/ you. Previously, the Laker front office was always ahead of the curve, even with rule changes in the past they were able to not only built contender teams, but also rebuilt better than any other franchise. Unfortunately, this current ownership is not as adaptive to climate change.
BigCitySid says
-@ WWL, Scott is strictly a “transition” coach. Once Kobe’s era w/ the Lakers end so will Scotts’.
tankyou says
RE: The article. I think most people that closely follow basketball certainly agree with Darius that this team won’t be able to play much defense. It’s highly likely we are bottom 3 this year for defense. That alone is enough reason to suggest winning 30 games is really the best to hope for.
Clearly we have some offensive talent, but so much of it is unformed yet it’s hard to imagine that our offensive prowess somehow wins us that many games.
Additionally, we don’t seem like a particularly strong 3 point shooting team, and as noted many times, Scott doesn’t have an offense that works to open up corner 3 pointers. Young honestly just seems like s straight up streak shooter at this point, his goofy form just isn’t going to get it done with any consistency. Clearly that one shooting year from 3ptland was an anomaly.
So who are our best 3 point shooters then? Clarkson, maybe he has risen to the level of average–hopefully. Lou Williams? His career suggests he’s nothing special from 3 point land. So we will be a team that slashes to the hoop with some success and shoots mid-range shots.
At least we get to start off with the Timberwolves, who most definitely should beat us, but at least they are very young and untested as well–so hopefully we don’t get spanked. I really am not looking forward to watching other teams break points per quarter records on us, but oh well, its more rebuilding. Hope the FO is seriously thinking about possible Coaching candidates to go after when this season ends and they don’t continue this Coach Scott debacle.
Clay Bertrand says
Warren Wee Lim, while he (Mark Jackson) or rather, his MEGA TALENTED TEAM OF PLAYERS had success in Golden State, I think I’d I’d rather the Lakers hired Jermaine Jackson than Mark Jackson. Mark is a known control freak who is so full of himself its nauseating.
T. Rogers says
I agree with Sid on Scott. He’s gone once Kobe walks out the door. My concern is the FO’s coaching track record post Phil Jackson hasn’t been great. Ideally you want a situation like Boston’s. Their young guys are being developed by the guy who (most likely) will coach them for the next several years. And he’s an excellent coach at that. That’s going to pay real dividends for the Celtics.
rr says
Joel,
Nice post, but I think on one level, the situation is very clear: the FO needs/wants Russell/Randle/Clarkson to be 3/5 of the next high-level Lakers’ starting line-up, and then to leverage the market and the brand to get 1-2 big-time FAs, likely, as noted by many and as suggested by Jim Buss himself in his last interview, in the summer of 2017. So the first big question is simply whether those three guys will be good enough. That is the unclear part, I think, as well as who the FAs will be. So, the plan/hope is clear enough but as always the execution will be tough and will require luck, timing, and brains.
There are three factors working against the team in the rebuild:
1. Almost every team will have cap space over the next 2-3 years.
2. Other teams, especially Boston, Philadelphia, and Phoenix, are better-positioned to leverage stuff they have into a trade for a star.
3. The team is still down a couple of draft picks from the Nash and Howard deals.
As to this year, as I said in August, I think some people are conflating having a team that has enough interesting stuff going on to be worth watching with having a team that is actually significantly improved. Short-term, I don’t think the roster changes will help as much as some people think, and, as always, I think some people are too focused on the coach and not focused enough on talent deficiencies. This was also true when D’Antoni was here and that is why I defended him some. Between injuries, age, guys who didn’t fit his system, guys not getting along, the Phil thing, and having to use guys who didn’t belong on an NBA roster (Duhon, Morris, Ebanks), MDA in some ways had a rough go. In Scott’s case, between Mitch talking playoffs, Jim and Jeanie’s issues, a serious lack of defensive talent, dealing with a 19-year-old and a 37-year-old as his two most high-profile guys, the competitive ecology of the West, and roster redundancy at some positions, Scott does as well.
david h says
Darius: clarkson’ self assuredness and skill set
at the point guard position presents the best chance lakers have at being competitive this season. Huertas can provide back up duties as well as Russell until the latter develops a rounded game, possibly as a two guard.
Let the projected 38 win season begin.
Go lakers
Andres Garcia says
As a 19 year old second year player, Kobe went for 15/3/3. 43% FG and 34% 3FG in 26 mins. If DAR can play 26 and go for 10/5/3 with similar % and show some strides on D throughout the season I’ll be really happy. Also, would like him to come off screens with a head of steam more and just play with more pace generally. At OSU, he played with a nice pace and it opened up a lot of early O/secondary break opportunities. I think we’ll see it soon.
matt says
At least we don’t have d.fish as coach trying to run the triangle offense
We shall wait to see if three 6’6 200 lbs guards starting and rotating on defense works
tankyou says
@rr, regarding “improvements” I think we agree there in that the team has improved its TALENT level, but not really improved much at all in the short term.
I think last years team was easily a 30 win team no problem IF they wouldn’t have had epic levels of injuries. IF Kobe, Young, Kelly, Hill and all the other support guys who ended up missing large chunks of the season due to injuries were able to play–we easily could have won 10 more games last season. Last season had some established talent, not the type that wins you anything in the playoffs anymore, but clearly last years record was so horrible due to Injuries, then the goal moving toward tanking for a draft pick (AKA “Experimenting”). That experimenting stuff was freaking hilarious, sure Kelly will start at the 3, Lin apparently should sit out games sometimes healthy, we should start 3rd stringers, and let a healthy Hill be benched>>for SACRE! Clearly they gave up on winning games at least the last quarter of the season, if not the second half of the season.
IF last years team could somehow magically lace them up against this years squad, last years starting squad would win. This year’s team though is like having raffle tickets to a large payoff, there is a fair chance we win something, or maybe even something big? I still don’t see our guys moving to be true stars, but again maybe 3rd team type guys within a few years? IF we need a superstar type player to make it to the big show again, I think there is a good chance that player isn’t on our roster yet. But let’s hope the 3 youngings develop enough to get a star interested.
Chris J says
The Lakers offense is hard to watch. And I like Hibbert, but dude had been on the floor more than the paint tonight. A guy that big shouldn’t be falling over that often.