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Links from the Forum: The Kids are Alright

February 22, 2016 by Myles Duve


Happy Monday, folks. I also want to extend my condolences to the Williams and Donaldson families. As always, here are your best Lakers-centric reads of the week:

  • ALTERNATE HISTORY: In a piece from Baxter Holmes, Kobe shares how he twice came near becoming a Chicago Bull and, while it never came to fruition, the idea of living up to Michael Jordan’s legacy was apparently never intimidating to him. Of course.
  • SPEAKING OF CHICAGO … last night’s loss to them was still quite an entertaining affair. Perhaps the primary reason for this is that D’Angelo Russell earned his first of 25 more starts on the season. As part of his excellent postgame breakdowns, Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll details how, against Chicago, Russell showed why his new starting role is well-deserved.
  • ALSO GOOD NEWS: Julius Randle is another player who shined on the national stage Sunday evening and, as Mark Medina writes, his starting role is all but secured as well —at least partially thanks to his emerging jumpshot.
  • IN THE INTEREST OF YOUNG PLAYERS … here is Ricky O’Donnell arguing the case for drafting Duke’s Brandon Ingram over LSU’s Ben Simmons.

  • THE PROCESS: Baxter Holmes details the fullest of full-time jobs that is keeping Kobe in tact this season.
  • HMM: Here is Sam Amick of USA Today with a piece full of Jeanie Buss quotes centered on her belief the Lakers can be seriously competitive next season.
  • WELL, ACTUALLY: And here is Jerry Khachoyan of Lakers Outsiders arguing that the Lakers’ free agency ventures should not be solely focused on adding talent, but rather acquiring pieces that best suit their young core.
  • OH HEY THERE: In a not-so-Lakers-related (but very well could’ve been) piece, Jonathan Tjarks breaks down both the substantial benefits and drawbacks that come with the “Jahlil Okafor Experience”. As a whole, the piece offers a greater examination at what skills should be valued from a big man in today’s NBA.

Lakers’ Schedule This Week:

  • LA is on the road to play the Bucks tonight (5 PM PT, TWCSN), then head to Memphis for Kobe’s final game in FedEx Forum on Wednesday, February 24th (5 PM PT, TWCSN). The team then closes out the week by heading home to play the Grizzlies again on Friday, February 26th (7:30 PM PT, ESPN and TWCSN). Following that one, the Lakers will be off until the following Tuesday.

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Comments

  1. BigCitySid says

    February 22, 2016 at 9:39 am

    -For those who missed it, I actually found this Baxter Holmes piece pertaining to the Laker kids more interesting:

    http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/42811/kobe-bryant-defends-lakers-coach-byron-scott

  2. Clay Bertrand says

    February 22, 2016 at 10:45 am

    Obviously there is so much to chance with ping pong balls but with the Kids getting more run, my gut feeling is that we will be hard pressed to keep our current standing and will therefore need some REAL luck to keep our pick.

    Compare the Lakers remaining schedule to the Suns and you see we have several winnable games against PHX(2), Denver(2), Sac, Brooklyn, NY, home games against the CrapCeltics and the Wizards over the next couple of months. The Suns schedule is a lot tougher than ours and they haven’t got many hungry players these days save for Booker and maybe Len who had a nice game last night.

    We Need Byron to do his thing!!!!
    Why the hell isn’t Ryan Kelly playing meaningful minutes!!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!?
    Huertas, Get in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. George Best says

    February 22, 2016 at 11:00 am

    Great information thank you Darius.

    Just have to get one of the top two picks. Simmons shooting ability is still a question.

  4. Fern says

    February 22, 2016 at 11:14 am

    @George Best, still a question as a” i guess he never shoot the ball more than 2 feet from the basket question”. I been saying it, Ingram is the best player and he would fit like a glove in the Lakers.

  5. Fern says

    February 22, 2016 at 11:21 am

    Also Jerry of Lakers Outsiders is pretty much spot on. I been saying more or less the same thing for a long time…

  6. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2016 at 11:40 am

    Also Jerry of Lakers Outsiders is pretty much spot on. I been saying more or less the same thing for a long time…
    __

    Many on this board have been saying that DeRozan and Whiteside should be the Lakers’ top candidates in free agency. I never thought they were particularly good fits and I don’t think they will be that interested in the Lakers since we are a few years away from even sniffing .500.

  7. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2016 at 12:07 pm

    Unless you plan on playing Simmons at the Five then Ingram is a better fit. Randle and Simmons can’t play together as forwards if they have no range. NBA SFs, in this day and age, have to hit the 3pt shot with regularity. Neither Simmons or Randle can and I doubt they ever will. Goodness Tracy Murray wants to re-construct Randle’s jumper and people are saying that Simmons is shooting with the wrong hand.

    This isn’t Magic Johnson adding distance to his mid-range jumper. Magic only had to shoot the deep jumper on occasion to keep defenses honest. Current NBA offenses are geared around your SF being able to hit a high percentage of their 3 pointers. You make it too easy for defenses if you can’t space the floor.

    If you take Simmons you may be ultimately trading either him or Randle

  8. rr says

    February 22, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    GIF up on Pau’s Instagram account of him and Kobe saying, well, goodbye:

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BCE7Klbn2J0/?taken-by=paugasol

  9. Clay Bertrand says

    February 22, 2016 at 1:14 pm

    Y’all presumptive types are JINXing the pick…. I recall all these types of comments and predictions and analyzing who would be a better pick for the KNICKS last year…… They ended up slipping (and luckily ending up with Porzingis) but still……I recall a full article on how DAR was an ideal Triangle Guard……………

    The Suns are legitimate crap AND they are injured w an interim HC!!!!!!
    Watch them win 1 of their next 25……..

  10. Vasheed says

    February 22, 2016 at 1:59 pm

    So any consensus on who is the 3rd best player in the draft?

  11. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2016 at 2:12 pm

    Y’all presumptive types are JINXing the pick
    __

    The only thing that would jinx the pick is that the FO gets cold feet and allows the team to go on a winning streak. Worthless year end wins cost us draft position each of the last two years (yes, I’d prefer to have Wiggins/KAT over Randle/Russell).

    The FO is 70% there they just need to see this through for the last 26 games. No time for weak knees or second thoughts — just lose baby!

  12. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2016 at 2:32 pm

    (yes, I’d prefer to have Wiggins/KAT over Randle/Russell).
    __

    KAT > Wiggins= Russell > Randle

    KAT is the best of the four. He’s averaging a double double this year at 17 – 10 with a 23 PER. He also shoots .36% from the three (19-53). Also averaging 1.8 blocks a game.

    I think Wiggins and Russell are even. They’ll each average 20 per game. Where Wiggins can stand out is by being a better defensive player at the wing — he’s an all star if he does that. Russell can be an all-star by being a great floor general.

    Randle would be 4th on my list because he’s not consistent, doesn’t play good defense and has limited range (only 8 – 25 threes this year). Averages .4 blocks a game.

  13. Gary says

    February 22, 2016 at 2:41 pm

    (yes, I’d prefer to have Wiggins/KAT over Randle/Russell).
    __

    I know they are from the same draft but I’d rather have KAT/Russell. Of the four those are the two best players.

  14. KevTheBold says

    February 22, 2016 at 4:15 pm

    Thanks Darius !

    We needed the brighter perspective on D’Angelo.

    This season is the first in 3 which does offer legitimate hope for our future !

  15. KO says

    February 22, 2016 at 6:38 pm

    Kobe and Roy is a free fast break 3 on 5.

    Kobe minus 20 Roy minus 22. Kobe 3 for 11 Roy 2 points.

    Only a completly blind or a tanker could allow that.

  16. LordMo says

    February 23, 2016 at 8:23 pm

    Draft all those others I’ll take Simmons… See me in 5 when he is killing the league!

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