The Lakers face the Clippers (again) on Wednesday, a night after getting crushed by them to the point the entire 4th quarter of the game was garbage time. While the Lakers have had a few successful games against their Staples Center co-tenants in the last few seasons, most games have mirrored Tuesday’s onslaught. The Clippers get up to play the Lakers and when you have a difference in quality between teams that’s been present the last few years, it’s not hard to predict the results.
After the game, Byron Scott offered similar critiques to ones he has leveled for most of the season — and especially recently. He lamented the lack of his young players’ intensity in comparison to Kobe and Metta World Peace, mentioned when you play “soft” and are not the aggressor games like this happen, and said they will need to learn to play with the appropriate level of intensity every night if they are going to “survive in this league”.
Another thing Scott mentioned was that he has run out of tactics and approaches to jumpstart his team. This was an interesting admission, since it not only implicates his players as (seemingly) non-responsive to his attempts to get them to play better, but also himself since he’s essentially admitting he’s no longer reaching his team (or at least a part of them). Whether he meant it that way or not, it’s also how that statement can be interpreted.
There could be a variety of reasons for this, but it’s a worthwhile discussion that is worrisome on multiple fronts.
One, it ties into the broader questions about player readiness — especially the young players. Randle’s motor is almost always running high, so on some levels he can be excused from his conversation. Ditto for Nance. But Clarkson and Russell have been playing quite lax lately and it’s showing not only in their statistics, but in their body language and inconsistent effort on both ends of the floor.
On the other end of the spectrum, one has to truly question if Scott’s (public) approach of leveling sharp critiques, his rotation management, and his general message delivery has simply worn thin to the point it’s affecting player effort. This wouldn’t be the first time this has happened to Scott, so it wouldn’t necessarily surprise if this were the case. I don’t expect anyone to go on record and admit as much — at least not while Scott is still the coach — but it is something worth monitoring.
This could also simply be the product of a simple equation: young players + a long season they are not used to (even Clarkson only really played half a year last season) + all the losing = a certain level of indifference and half-spirited play. Young players can be especially susceptible to this type of late season burnout, but veterans can also start to go through the motions when the losses pile up and the games are nearly over.
As for what this means for the remaining games, your guess is as good as mine. I’d imagine there’s still a game or two where things click, guys play well, and the Lakers win. Despite all the issues, the Lakers have some talent, have Kobe’s final games as a potential rallying point, and have shown they can play well. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it’s more of the same and they lose out, as disappointing as it would be to end the season with a whimper.
With that, here’s hoping for a competitive game that is worth watching through the end of the game. Tuesday’s stinker certainly did not provide that, but hopefully today’s will. If it doesn’t though, you can at least watch this clip of some of Kobe’s best plays against the Clippers over the course of his career.
As @KobeBryant visits the @LAClippers for the final time, we look back at his memorable moments as visitor! #KB20https://t.co/DsCH3AHkIW
— NBA (@NBA) April 6, 2016
Where you can watch: 7:30pm start time on TWC Sportsnet. Also listen on ESPN Radio 710AM Los Angeles.
R says
If Scott has lost the team that specific problem is readily correctable. Wouldn’t hurt my feelings one bit if him and Swaggy for that matter are mustered out in the off season. But hey, it’s not my money.
Clay Bertrand says
Who has any reasonable expectation that Byron Scott opens training camp NEXT SEASON with a vibrant new message of motivation and some new approaches to how to use and support the players he has??????
Just imagine the enthusiasm among this young group to return under his leadership.
The underlying locker room/chemistry poison of the DAR-Swaggy situation notwithstanding, I just cannot envision a scenario where Byron returns, the players (ESPECIALLY the returning guys) really buy in and everything clicks improving the chemistry and overall performance/record.
Do we need more talent? Of course.
Do we need better teaching and leadership from the bench? Of course.
Do we need a better front office in order to get more talent and hire a better coach? Not Necessarily.
Jim Buss aside, I feel like Mitch finally will have the Kobe handcuffs (part Kobe’s dominant presence, part Kobe’s crippling contract) off this off season and we will see if it makes a difference with the types of moves that are made and whether any semblance of stability and strategy going forward is established.
Its a very dangerous time indeed to have a desperate front office with loads of money to blow when the greatest increase in the salary cap ever is also occuring. As some have touched on, this HUGE TV deal ends up really severely watering down our perceived plan to hoard cap space until 2016-17 when we would then have tons more to spend than the rest of the league. Now EVERYONE has tons to spend AND better teams in place. I can’t say if this big cap jump was in any way foreseeable, but it remains terrible timing for the Lakers to say the least.
Jim Buss will likely always be an owner of the Lakers. But Mitch is the GM…..the Employee. This offseason will potentially define his future with the Lakers and will be his most critical off season in a long time if not EVER. Let’s see if he can work some old magic!
Robert says
“But Clarkson and Russell have been playing quite lax lately ”
Did we ever here that about Magic? About Kobe?
Fans and writers can blame it all on Scott if that what makes them feel better, but we have issues beyond that.
The previous thread talked about a 3 year nightmare and a 3 year downward spiral. The lottery and the off season moves will determine if can “start” to end the nightmare. However getting to 30 wins is not ending the nightmare.
Mid-Wilshire says
I’m not sure the fans are blaming it “all on Scott.” The Lakers’ downward trajectory is a complex matter and, as a result, requires a thoughtful, multi-faceted solution.
But make no mistake, when it comes to the performance on the court, the buck always stops with the Head Coach. The players may share in the guilt. They may be too young, exhausted, dispirited by the losses, and just simply sick of the season (not that that’s any excuse for their half-hearted play). But The Head Coach must be held ultimately responsible for the team’s record. Any Head Coach who feels that that’s unfair is in the wrong business.
I am not one who believes that Scott is simply a victim of circumstances. A better coach would, I believe, have gotten a more sustained effort from the kids. A better coach would have gotten more ball-movement (notice the low number of assists each game) and more alert and intense defense.
But what we have (for a few more games, at least) is Byron Scott as our Head Coach.
To fire Scott will not solve all ills. But it’s definitely a start.
I truly believe that finding a new Head Coach — an outstanding Head Coach who knows how to mentor and motivate young players, teach team play, and establish a sense of tough-minded, pesky, heads-up team defense — is the best place for the Lakers to begin.
I hope that process begins bright and early Thursday morning, April 14.
KevTheBold says
Robert
“But Clarkson and Russell have been playing quite lax lately ”
“Did we ever here that about Magic? About Kobe?
Fans and writers can blame it all on Scott if that what makes them feel better, but we have issues beyond that.”
————-
Every season is unique, with unique factors for outcome.
Lump them all together and your conclusions can’t possibly be accurate.
Same goes for for Kobe’s rookie season, and especially Magic’s, in comparison to our current core’s season.
Even if you choose to discount the coach, the team composition, and the farewell tour, you can’t possibly ignore the negative affect all those losses would have on anyone, especially rookies.
R says
I’m not blaming it “all” on Scott nor have I read any such claims
TempleOfJamesWorthy says
Headline that should have been…
Laker players on Coach Scott: “He’s not here with us, mentally.”
OTOH, I don’t think the Lakers players, even the young ones, are dumb (at least about basketball). When Coach Scott waits three-fourths of the season to introduce a new play set to get more ball movement/player movement, they recognize there was no reason to wait that long. It was simply Scott’s stubborness at work.
When they see no logic to the rotations or the offensive philosophy other than “What Kobe wants, Kobe gets”, it’s not surprising the players don’t stay fully invested in the process.
And while Kobe and Metta probably do have a point about playing with intensity and aggession (which they claim the younger Lakers lack), no one is going to listen to the Grumpy Old Men whose intensity and aggression produce below-replacement-player results. It’s like a 2-pack-a-day smoker with no obvious health problems telling everyone that cigarettes are bad. How much are his words going to impact anyone’s decisions?
Hopefully the Lakers will come back next year with a roster that fits together better and a coach who understands how to maximize the strengths of that roster. Almost certainly that won’t be Byron Scott (and won’t include Nick Young). It will be interesting to see who it does include.
matt says
Russell looks like he’s forcing shots, because he rarely gets the ball back, usually he watches kobe do his thing.
matt says
3 worst lakers seasons all coached by byron
J C says
Matt
What I see in Russell is a willing deference to Kobe more often than not. That’s not a bad thing and he knows that scenario is almost behind us. Russell, like many others, is playing out the string.
But not Randle. Great effort tonight with 20 boards.
This guy is growing on me.
Mid W and TOJW
Well said about Byron.
I really hope the FO has enough vision to turn the page as far as their head coaching position. No amount of excuses justifies consecutive record-setting worsts.
Retaining Byron will IMO portend another depressing season. It doesn’t have to be like this.
matt says
Can tarik black be a great backup center
dxmanners says
D’Angelo keeps showing us the ice water in his veins. I’m hopeful he develops, but not optimistic. If someone offered me a high pick for him, I’d listen. Lots of guards out there in the big world.
KevTheBold says
What you are seeing is fatigue, combined with the aftermath of the swaggy fiasco.
Russell will be fine, and shine as team captain.
. Bert on it!
Renato Afonso says
This roster does need an overhaul. To me, the only players that I really want to see coming back next year are Randle (as the starting PF), Bass (making Randle fight for every minute), Black (backup C) and Huertas (backup PG). Everyone else we can keep or not, but I won’t be thinking twice about them as long as what we get in return is of equal or better value.
On Scott, my opinion on him is known.
On the FO, there’s really nothing that can defend their choices since the veto.
That being said, as a guy who once said (trade him to Chicago) when Kobe was trying to get traded, the only thing I can say now is: we can start missing him on court now…
DieTryin' says
Mid-Wilshire- preach. Share your sentiments and have said as much repeatedly.
TOJW – agreed.
Byron said recently after this season ends he wants to “focus on the offseason”. I trust this will soon prove true. As in focusing on where he wants to vacation after getting his “thanks for playing” contract buyout.
And no doubt replacing Byron does not fix everything. But it does fix ONE thing that is long overdue for attention.
Stats says
According to LA Times, the FO must notify BS of retention by June 1, as per contract. My hope is that he is long gone before then, but at least it won’t play out over the summer. Part of me feels bad for the guy – he’s had a crappy roster – but like other posters I don’t see him as part of the solution. Plus, he knew what he was in for.
Randle with 20 boards. There’s our next alpha. I’m with Renato on retentions.
J C says
Things to look forward to:
April 13
Kobe’s last hurrah. Should be a truly moving evening.
I’m really looking forward to it. Despite any flaws, he will be sorely, truly missed. I also look forward to seeing what Kobe does next. I think he’ll make a huge splash in any endeavor he chooses.
May 17th
A) WCF between GS & SA
B) Ping pong balls!
June/July
A) Thibs/Kevin Ollie press conference, introduced as new Laker coach
B) Harrison Barnes & H. Whiteside signed
C) Draft Day: Simmons or Ingram becomes a Laker and changes our fortunes forever 🙂
KO says
2 worst nit 3 worst.
Funny but I felt this year would be better then last. But:
Roy was much worse then Davis/Hill
Young was useless
Kelly again useless
Sacre again useless
And based on plus/ minus minus and 34% shooting team was worse with Kobe this year.
But I hear team will make close to $40 million more then the $100 million of last year!
Good by tour was clearly a
GOOD BUY TOUR!
R says
Ko – I have a nasty hunch the bottom line matters far more to the Buss kids than winning.
stats says
R – Long term, they’ll have to right the ship to keep funds incoming. But Kobe’s extension paid off in the short term.
Darius Soriano says
I disagree with Renato in not having Russell as a player to surely bring back next year. Players with his combination of size/length + skill don’t just come around often at PG. Clarkson is 4 years older than Russell and Russell is already the superior player in pretty much every way (including defense). He has to improve, of course, but I’m of the mind he will make major strides in the coming seasons.
R says
Stats – could be.
However.
The Knicks have been terrible forever and are the most valuable team in the league.
Maybe all the Lakers need to do is sign a star or two and paper over everything else.
Anonymous says
The Lakers lost 61 games last season and 55 games in 2013-14. Their most losses before that came in 1957-58, when the team was based in Minneapolis and lost 53 games.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time a team set a franchise record for losses in three consecutive seasons was the Detroit Pistons from 1957 to 1960.
T. Rogers says
So the Lakers have set a franchise record with 62 losses. When the team loses 55, 61, and 62 games in successive seasons the entire brain trust needs to be escorted off the premises. They could squeeze a win out of New Orleans. The will surely lose those last three. So we are looking at 65 or 66 losses this season.
That’s unacceptable. I get there is money and family politics going on behind the scenes. I’m sure that’s always been the case to some degree. But where is the pride? Above all Dr. Buss and Jerry West were/are proud men. Sixty plus losses? A nearly 50 point blowout? To the Jazz no less. Not the Warriors or Spurs. The Utah Jazz! They may not even make the playoffs.
Forget any ridiculous timelines. The guys steering this team should have the decency to step forward, take responsibility for this debacle and then voluntarily step aside. The Lakers have definitely had down years in under Dr. Buss and Jerry West. But those years were never this embarrassingly bad. When it’s this bad this long there is no confidence that the same group can turn it around. Out of respect for the great Dr. Buss the current leadership group needs to give someone else a try. It’s no guarantee. But staying this course is pure insanity.
Sorry for the rant. I can take the Lakers rebuilding. But the team doesn’t have to be an absolute embarrassment in the process.
BigCitySid says
-Lakers set franchise mark with season’s 62nd loss
-J.A. Adande, ESPN Senior Writer on Clippers/Lakers:
– An easy enough quote in piece to understand: “One example of what the future held in store sat to Leinart’s left. His son Cole had a purple Kobe Bryant jersey and a blue Clippers “Lob City” hat. Kobe is his favorite player, but “I love the Clippers way more.”
Full article:
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15151878/kobe-bryant-gone-clippers-loosen-lakers-grip-los-angeles
– One thing for sure…Clippers have superior ownership.
lil pau says
The Lakers have tough coaching decisions to make based on incomplete information, but ultimately, I think they are less likely to choose a Brad Stevens like up-and-coming coach (Ollie) than they are a name-brand (thibs, etc). Why? Because that’s what they’ve always done. But that said, you ideally want to offer prospective FAs the chance to choose their coach. So… how to proceed and in what order?
If the FO thinks they have no real chance at a big ’16 FA signing, but are front-runners for Westbrook in a year, you might as well keep Scott and offer RW the ability to choose his coach. If, however, they think they can get a big FA this year, then by all means fire Scott and dangle that carrot (chose your guy) in the summer. Where things can go horribly wrong is if they fire Scott, don’t get a FA, and have to choose whether to hire a 1 year interim guy or cross their fingers and hire the kind of person you HOPE would appear to the FAs you want next season. There’s an obvious risk there.
If you DO fire Scott, and you DONT bring in a FA this season, and choose a Stevens like guy because you think he is the most likely kind of back to develop the kids the best, does a superstar really want to play for a coach like that, or does he want to see someone he grew up watching on TV? I hope (and assume) Mitch is asking players’ agents every question he can to get the lay of the land….
Clay Bertrand says
Mid and TOJW, Yes. Exactly.
Renato, Say WHAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT?????
My Retention List for Next Season:
D’Angelo
Clarkson
Randle
Nance, Jr.
Bass
Huertas
**Try to Trade Lou and Saggy but would be open to keeping Lou if no sensible deals out there.
Coaching Possibilities to include, Brooks, Messina, Thibs (under the right circumstances), Ollie, Mark Few (personal favorite–total long shot), Walton (w/a STRONG supporting cast), David Fizdale, among others.
I really HOPE that Ramona Shelburne is wrong, that the Lakers are not keeping Scott and that they have already begun looking into these other coaching options and gauging interest through back channels. Byron may not be the ONLY problem, but he’s one of the big ones and he IS the only one that can be easily corrected/replaced.
To echo what some have mentioned, there are valid excuses that COULD be made in Byron’s defense. Just not enough of them to outweigh the poor job he has done as a teacher and leader, or his stubbornly clung to, archaic Xs and Os.
Clay Bertrand says
BCS, I don’t know about “superior ownership.” The Clippers do have WEALTHIER ownership.
I haven’t seen BALMER do anything brilliant as an owner other than plunk down $2 Billion on a smart investment prior to a huge TV deal after a key player was hand delivered to his team under highly questionable circumstances and the previous owner forced a desperation sale with his big racist mouth. Unless you are just a HUGE FAN of his courtside dancing and trampoline dunks, I don’t see much of a body of work as a team owner to suggest superiority at all. He DID green light that LAME Chuck the Condor mascot though and gave everyone a pair of Converse.
I’ll pass on the Converse and keep the 16 banners/trophies.
Ballmer may be loaded, but he’s got some catching up to do.
LT Mitchell says
Ballmer versus Jimbo?
One of them attended Harvard and Stanford, and is one of the most successful businessmen in the world. The other has failed at everything he’s put his hands on (despite the help of his wealthy father).
One of them allows the basketball professionals to do their jobs. The other thinks he’s a basketball professional and as a result, has turned the gold standard of the NBA into a laughingstock.
Someone has some catching up to do, but it ain’t Ballmer.
Clay Bertrand says
lil pau, I fear you are very correct in your assessment that the FO isn’t known for hiring untested coaches. Even Mike “Mouth Breather” Brown and D’Antoni had good track records.
I wonder about the wisdom of letting an incoming FA “choose” his coach. I think that only a small handful of guys would have that kind of clout and even then, I don’t see many guys other maybe than Lebron forcing a team hire THEIR hand picked coach. It smacks of the team not being stable enough to do their own team building if you say, “Hey come play here and you can call ALL the shots!” Also, the majority of players don’t want it on THEM if their coach doesn’t work out.
On the other hand, it is an outward sign of respect to allow a veteran star player have input on coaching hires and potentially one little token that the Lakers job can offer that some others can’t to a FA.
Regarding Byron, its not just him who may have a problem reaching guys. That’s HALF the reason guys get fired it seems……they lose the locker room or the team tunes them out. Byron himself and others have been piling on the players for their immaturity and lack of NBA, PROFESSIONAL experience and insinuating that this immaturity is the problem with Byron’s message not getting through. Fair enough.
But in the case of Mike Brown, he was hired by the Lakers with a regular season record of 272-138. He then went 42-29 with the Lakers and was essentially forced to be fired not by immature young players who he couldn’t reach, but by a gang of former all star VETS that weren’t buying what he was sellin’.
Is it right/fair/just that the Coaches consistently take the fall for the breakdowns in their locker rooms??? No. Coaching is a tough gig……and that’s why NBA coaches are millionaires.
Clay Bertrand says
LT Mitchell,
While I do commend him for getting out of the way and allowing the basketball professionals to run basketball, how many rings came with Ballmer’s degrees??? How bout Paul Allen?? Is he a better owner too because he co founded Microsoft??? Mark Cuban is a really sharp rich guy who went to Indiana is he a better owner??? Oh yeah guys who inherit the team are crappy owners. Wait, is Mickey Arison a crappy owner then??
If we are judging by rings, its a TIE at this point technically. Ballmer has ONLY owned a winner as he came in during an UPSWING in team fortunes. For god’s sake the Doc River’s forcing his way out of Boston to come to LA fiasco even fell in his lap!!!!!! It wasn’t some shrewd business move by Ballmer!!!!!!!! Ballmer has only been an owner while his team is good AND HE BOUGHT IT THAT WAY!!! Crediting his ownership with this success and saddling the Lakers ownership with their only real down period is ridiculous IMO.
How are you judging ownership?? By where the owner went to school or where he used to work?? Let’s see what happens when the Clippers have to rebuild and are NOT riding the coattails of YEARS AND YEARS of consecutive Lottery Picks and are NOT getting the Best PG in the game GIFTED to them for Eric Gordon and some extra crap that was supposed to be a basketball reasons transaction.
Oddly, by the same measure of success you are using, Donald Sterling was also a better owner than Jim Buss because when he sold the team, it was a winning team versus Jim’s Lakers being a losing team. Oh but Donald didn’t go to Harvard or Stanford…….
Way too early to crown an owner who hasn’t won anything or been in the business long enough to even have a natural generation of players come and go wearing his team’s colors.
Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbors Owner…………
Anonymous says
Fans and writers can blame it all on Scott if that what makes them feel better, but we have issues beyond that.
——————————————
OMG. Who in the world is solely blaming Scott? Dude, you are the king of revisionist history to suit your argument. I dont understand how anyone who watches basketball even as a casual fan can defend B Scott at this point. His decision making, coaching style and leadership is unquestionably and veritably terrible. I know he is a former laker. I know he is well loved by fans *as a plaer* – but you got to separate the two my friend. You really do. Yes, the ownership made terrible choices. So has Byron. Both statements are true without invalidating the other.
T. Rogers says
Clay,
Sometimes not getting in your own way goes a long way.
Clay Bertrand says
T. Rogers,
Agreed. But it STILL doesn’t necessarily produce success. Again, I see the coronation of Ballmer as premature and a comparison of owners under the circumstances to be very lacking in evidence. Would I rather the Lakers were owned by a Billionaire who didn’t need to use the team as a money making venture?? ABSOLUTELY!! Would it make the team better??? MAYBE…MAYBE NOT. Money doesn’t buy success in the NBA anymore.
Jim is but ONE of the majority owners of the team. Is Jeanie a better owner than Jim because she only makes business decisions?? So if Jim steps down from Basketball OPs he automatically gets to be considered a better owner??? What if the team drafts well and improves next season?? Is Jim a better owner under THOSE circumstances?? How bout Johnny, a silent owner–is he inferior…..Is Phillip Anschutz a superior owner or inferior???
Our ownership is far from beyond reproach but just dropping comments on how other OWNERSHIP IS SUPERIOR without that team having any success AT ALL in their history before or since his ownership tenure began is just hot air.
The best owners are the ones who win and win consistently. Peter Holt is the best current NBA owner hands down. Don’t know where he went to school or where he used to work but his team has a sustained history of winning, the 2nd best record in the league and are strong contenders to win it all this year.
LT Mitchell says
Clay,
— Donald Sterling was known as a cheapskate… but in his final years of ownership, he changed his tune and started spending. He brought in Doc, and turned the Clippers into a contender. That alone gives him the edge over Jimbo, who is breaking 50 year old NBA records in futility.
— I’m not suggesting that success in education or other fields will automatically lead to success as an NBA owner… but all things being equal, I would choose someone who has a history of success over someone who has a history of failing.
— and finally, I am not suggesting that Ballmer is a great, or even a good owner. You are right, it is too early to make that claim. My point is that Ballmer is wise enough to let the basketball professionals do their thing, and that alone leapfrogs Ballmer over Jimbo.
Clay Bertrand says
LT Mitchell,
I get where you’re comin from. I do again agree that Ballmer is smart enough to let the experts do their jobs. I’d like that to be how our FO operates as well. I also think that his history in tech probably means that he is very progressive and thinks outside the box more so than other businessman owners might. This too is valuable especially going forward as the sport the goes into the future and everyone is looking for an edge.
Frankly, I have lamented the fact that our team IS A BUSINESS for the Buss’ while other wealthy owners don’t need to use their teams as their primary income source. Being cheap is not the way to go about being the best and maintaining the Laker legacy especially with the wealthy owners we will be competing against. My two biggest gripes with the FO are the Owners also being Employees, and the perception at least that the team is not willing to pay up for the best of everything because its a Family Business.
Ballmer could well turn out to be the best owner in pro sports!! At least he’s a fan’s fan and not afraid to show his enthusiasm. He seems very genuine and down to earth from what I have seen and read.
On Don Sterling, I beg to differ with you. I think you may be discounting how bad of an owner this guy was. He was almost FORCED/SHAMED INTO paying for Doc because his team was getting too good and his own glaring unwillingness to spend a dime was wearing thin on other owners. He was literally just cashing the checks for YEARS. He had no vision or respect for his GMs, Coaches, or players. The team just naturally improved in spite of Sterling and REALLY got a boost with the Chris Paul deal. I give him ZERO credit for bumbling into success after decades of mismanagement. Ballmer is so much better for the Clippers and the league its not even a question.
KEV, I agree that Russell has lost his SWAGGER since the Swaggy P incident. It seems like he’s back to playing like a tentative rookie who knows his teammates don’t trust him. Hope he snaps outta that in Summer League if not before!
BigCitySid says
@ Clay Bertrand, personally I consider current Laker ownership as a very dysfunctional group and I don’t have faith in their ability to right the ship. I’m HOPING they can, but wouldn’t bet $50 on them.
dxmanners says
The Clippers window is now, and will begin closing shortly. They don’t have a lot of flexibility, and don’t have many draft picks to look forward too. They will be coming back to earth in 2 or 3 seasons, max. Or, as soon as Blake and Chris Paul leave. Oh me oh my.
Clay Bertrand says
BCS,
While I agree that the Buss part of the ownership appears dysfunctional when it comes to Jim and Jeanie, I have faith in Mitch Kupchak. None of us really knows how much Jim Buss actually does behind the scenes anyway. I have to think its more Mitch, the basketball professional than Jim, the wannabe who will right the ship and I believe that Mitch can if given time.
Personally, like others have said, I am perfectly willing to wait out a slow, methodical rebuild so long as there is a direction and signs of improvement. Its the MASSES of unreasonably impatient fans out there, the pressure of the TV deal, and a reactionary Front Office that is a recipe for disaster.
Look at the Clipper fans. They LOVE their team and they’ve been crappy forever and never even been out of the second round.
Look at we Laker fans. 16 Championships; winning 3 in a row at one point and last winning the whole thing not even 6 years ago and all everyone can do is bitch and complain that we aren’t winning and that our ownership is inept (let that sink in for a second–Lakers 2010 Champs. Clippers Champs NEVER). “Woe is us”…….SMH. Where is the loyalty and belief?? Laker fans must be smokin the goods ALL the time because the short term memory of this fanbase is astounding. This is sports. We have no natural born rights to be good EVERY year.
So we have some work to do. It’s gonna take some time to get back on the upswing. Yes MORE than the BS 3 years Jim told us it would. By the way, we can’t say Jim Buss is crazy and doesn’t know what he’s doing and then at the same time seriously hold him to his own timeline. If he’s crazy and inept and doesn’t know what he’s talking about then how can anyone hold him to his word on the Timeline for success???!?!?!? (sorry to bring up THAT Rabbit Hole)….
I’ve said it before, this ain’t the Harlem Globetrotters or the WWE!!!!!!!! And this certainly isn’t the 80s or 90s with half the GMs and teams able to be easily fleeced by the smart GMs. The competition gap is no more.
To quote Axl Rose, “All we need is juuuuuuust a little patieeeennncee…” Cue the whistlers
Clay Bertrand says
Apologies for posting so much today. Rainy Day schedule……
Not piling on here but interesting comments today from Byron.
http://www.lakersnation.com/byron-scott-admits-he-could-have-done-better-with-young-players/2016/04/07/
Just an honest personal assessment OR attempt at proactive damage control?? Hard to say because the statements are not in context of a larger discussion we are privy to.
It’s just that Byron’s been so stubborn and belittling of the young players all year and now here, with 5 games left, he oddly acknowledges his shortcomings in the ONE AREA, where his mishandling cannot be merely explained away as being a result of catering to Kobe’s retirement. He has to know that the way the young guys was handled is going to be discussed in his exit meeting regarding his future employment. He is saying this NOW. Not after the season.
Maybe he’s just throwing his hands up in a sudden realization that he needs to rethink his approach. Maybe its another attempt to try to shake some life into the team to finish competing strong. Its possible. It would also be out of character for him and could appear to come at a self-servingly opportune time to let this message sink in for awhile with the FO who may be leaning toward making a change or torn as was reported earlier this year.
Note the end of the first quote where he says, “…I think I could have done better. I can do better.”
I may be looking too close but I see a message being sent.