It’s been nearly a week since the Lakers’ season ended with Kobe Bryant adding to his myth by scoring 60 points on 50 shots while also slaying a dragon and eating an entire extra-large pepperoni pizza at the same time. Okay, two of those things didn’t happen, but maybe in 50 years, and the story is retold they will have.
In the days since the performance, the focus of those who we look to for Lakers’ news has been undeniably and unabashedly Kobe. This was to be expected, of course. 20 years of playing the game at the heights he did with the approach he took requires, no, demands, a retelling. The good, the bad, and everything in-between.
If you’re looking for more of that, look no further than Ramona Shelburne’s latest for ESPN/The Undefeated. Shelburne used great access to give us a peek inside Kobe’s world, from the rehab table to his Kobe Inc. office to the training room to the diner breakfast table and so many other moments that have not been told to this point. The entire thing is a fantastic read and is worth your time.
It’s articles like that, though, that you need now. You need them because while the rest of the basketball world moves forward, the Lakers’ world has not. The playoffs are in full swing, teams are letting go of their current coaches, hiring new ones, and interviewing big names with aims of managing the sideline and running the front office all at the same time.
Meanwhile, we wait.
We wait to see if the Lakers make a coaching change at all. They have until June 1st to inform Byron Scott if he will be retained for next season. We wait until May 17th when the lottery order is determined to see if the Lakers keep their pick. Then we wait until June 23rd for the actual draft. Then on to July 1st for the beginning of free agency.
In a way, then, and like he did for most of this season, allow Kobe to serve as a nice distraction from the realities of the Lakers. Like how his farewell tour turned multiple losses into appreciative applause by fans just happy to see Kobe one last time, let the great writing and reflections on a career serve you well during this time of inactivity and pensive speculation on what will happen.
Because now all we can really do is wait. As we have been, we’ll be here to cover the next moves. Whenever they do happen. But, in the meantime, enjoy Shelburne’s piece or one of the other countless ones out there. Watch all the tribute videos from his farewell tour. Or just watch the playoffs and scout the players who are entering free agency. All of it is worth your time and time, for now at least, is all we have.
Tyler Abbott says
Great post. Our patience, over the last few years, was rewarded as the Kobe farewell game felt like a championship victory. There was enough positive buzz there to gently take us to impending dates that you mentioned. I am trying to detach myself from the lottery outcome and free agent speculation. I’m trying to be okay with striking out in the draft and in free agency. The prospect of a truly focused season on player development is enticing enough for me to be excited about the handful of ESPN/TNT Laker games I can catch here in Utah while I am a student. But I can’t help allowing my mind to wander to acquiring Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, and attracting big-name free agents. I was never a believer in the Durant-to-Lakers movement, but I’ve been noticing lately that he feels a bit overshadowed by the likes of Kawai, Steph, LeBron, Draymond, etc. Part of the reason may be due to non-OKC NBA fans growing weary of the same good-team-but-not-championship-team trend that has plagued Durant’s career. Might be time for a change, and an opportunity to be in the spotlight. Lakers can offer that. Not to mention the prospect of DeRozan returning to Los Angeles, and alluring Horford or Whiteside or Barnes or Parsons or anybody. The fact of the matter is that we have an exuberant amount of cap space coming this summer, and that money is going to need to go somewhere. It’s a very strange combination of nervousness and excitement that I’m just trying not to think about right now (especially with finals looming). Thanks for all your great work!
BigCitySid says
– Watching the playoffs like many, but like some, scouting possible free agent targets for our Lakers. Specifically Whiteside, Drummond, DeRozen, & Barnes. Durant will be available, I just feel if he decides to leave OKC, Boston has the inside track.
– Barnes & DeRozen playing rather shakey so far, wondering how the front office will view them if this continues:
– Barnes: 4-22 fg’s, 12 rebs, 18 points total for 1st two games vs Houston
– DeRozen: 10-37 fg’s, 6 asts, 24 points total for 1st two games vs Indy
bleedpurplegold says
Great post darius, thanks for putting in the time to keep us informed and entertained 🙂
Agree with BCS, Derozan and barnes showing they shouldnt be worth the price tag likely hanging on them this summer….but whiteside continues to impress…21 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in 26 minutes of action…
harold says
So many things that were synonymous and automatic for Laker fans will be missing that it will be like learning another language for most fans. I also wonder how Shaq will take it, no longer having that automatic relevance the association from Kobe – he will soon fall to Barkley-levels in broadcasting; he’s probably lobbying real hard to get Kobe to be a part of his crew.
60 points on 50 shots. That line is so perfectly imperfect as Kobe was. Still have a hard time not mentioning it every chance I get.
Gary says
OKC has made three major mistakes:
1) They traded Harden too soon. I don’t think they should have kept him as he plays zero defense but the Thunder moved him before he established himself as a premiere offensive player. As a result OKC did not get enough in return. Their continued struggles at SG are tied to that trade.
2) They stayed with Scot Brooks too long. Brooks is not a top tier coach. I actually think they should have tabbed PJ when he left the Lakers. Kerr would have been a nice fit there as well. Failing that Tibbs would have been a better choice than Donovan — BD will need a few years to get acclimated to the NBA. Time the franchise doesn’t have.
3) Resigning Kanter to that fat deal limits their flexibility going forward. He simply can’t play defense. (Whiteside would look great there so that’s an option. Yes, Lakers fans — there will be competition for Mr. Whiteside.)
I think KD re-ups for one more year mainly due to the fact that he’s loyal to the core. But I could see him leaving for GS or Boston. He either chooses between a ready made champion with a really good coach (GS) or an emerging team with a great coach (Boston).
Anonymous says
DeRozan could be in play should the Raptors stumble this post season. But he’s really a SG and we already have a youngster there in Clarkson. You could move Clarkson to 1st guard off the bench but Jordan is about to get a good size raise (real impact in years 3 and 4 of the deal) so you wonder if a $10 mil/year player is too pricey for a bench role.
You could keep Clarkson at the Two and move DeRozan to SF. But that negates DeMar’s size advantage over most SGs and gives the Lakers yet another position where they are smaller than the NBA average (SG, SF and PF). Plus, DeRozan doesn’t provide what the Lakers desperately need which is a drop dead deep shooter. Oh, and did someone say that $27 Mil/year for DeRozan was a bit steep?
Shaun says
If Durant goes anywhere than OKC it would be for Golden State – they could make it work by trading Barnes who will be a max guy anyway plus maybe add an ezelii to the mix and picks, or trade some salary somewhere else and then just sign him outright and have him, curry, , thompson and draymond be the ultimate small ball team
I think he stays in OKC though – he seems too close with Westbrook and the city but I would maybe angle the owner to change GMs – Presti has lost a lot of their window getting guys like waiters, kanter, foye etc… when they should have went after a true 3rd scorer .. I cant believe that roberson starts
and they messed up all their good guys trading jackson, harden, green, lamb … basically anytime anyone else was good they let them go
Anonymous says
Horford is a nice player but his age (30) makes him this year’s LA. His time horizon just doesn’t match the Lakers’ young core. The trouble is he’d come for a four year $100+ mil deal. Horford probably earns the first two years of that deal but likely not the last two. Plus, Horford has missed 2 of the last 5 years due to injury.
I think the FO should target players in the same general age range as the core: DeRozan is 27, Barnes is 23, Whiteside is 27.
Mid-Wilshire says
The Phoenix Suns have made Earl Watson their Head Coach. He had been their interim HC.
Gary says
Barnes will only be available if KD goes to the Warriors. Otherwise, he will resign with GS. Agreed, that his playoff numbers, this summer are underwhelming. But he’s young: 23, plays a position of need: SF and has the size necessary to play a small ball Four.
The question mark is whether he has the game to be a 1st or 2nd option on offense versus the 4th option in GS. Unfortunately, you’ll have to pay the $20 mil a year before you find out.
My dream summer: Keeping the pick, signing Barnes and Whiteside and getting Luke to be the coach. If that happens then Jim will be forgiven all of his failings. It will be true that he failed his way to success but no one will care. The key is keeping the pick — getting needed free agents and a good coach fall into place after keeping the pick.
A Horse With No Name says
The question mark is whether he has the game to be a 1st or 2nd option on offense versus the 4th option in GS. Unfortunately, you’ll have to pay the $20 mil a year before you find out.
No sir! Hold the 20 mil! Barnes offensive game is limited. He is a poor finisher, lacks touch and is most effective as a 3 and D role player. If you watch closely, you will notice that he isn’t particularly coordinated; taking wild shots, fumbling the ball on catches and so on. He is struggling right now because Curry hasn’t played and he has tried to do more than he is capable of. He is a good man and team defender, well suited to being a fourth option on a quality team. Nice dream; but I think you are overvaluing Barnes (like many do).
Laker uruguayo says
My crazy (but possible) dream: trade Cousins, acquire LeBron and KD. Probable (and interesting) reality: Barnes and Whiteside. I think Barnes can develop as an All Star .
Robert says
Darius: “While the rest of the basketball world moves forward, the Lakers’ world stands still.” Nice ! And this statement has been true for three years.
June 1: I think it would be odd if the Lakers are placing any significance on this date. Byron’s 3rd year is guaranteed. The clause in his contract which asks for notification by 6/1 is a formality that has no substance that I can see. They can fire him now, on 5/31, or on 6/2, or any other time. They should make the decision now. I think they basically have and that is to retain him. I think they are not announcing it, because they are retaining the possibility that a FA might want a particular coach or a similar scenario. The fact that those scenarios may not develop until well after 6/1 makes this more precarious. My thought is that they wait until something happens – an obvious long shot example would be Durant comes only if Brooks comes. If nothing happens, they officially tell Scott that he is retained on 6/1, but without fanfare. Then they wait and see if again – anything happens – during free agency. If it doesn’t then Byron is the guy. The Lakers hired Byron like this through a process of waiting and attrition. If you look at the last three summers, the Lakers have had little action of substance and the process took its course. They did not give MDA the guarantees he wanted – so he left. They stalled around and interviewed Byron 4 times, waited for everyone else to be picked over and then hired Byron, and let’s not even get into the FA process where we signed basically nobody of value while losing a couple all stars of our own. We have been the epitome of inaction. “While the rest of the basketball world moves forward, the Lakers’ world stands still. ” Bingo.
Fern says
That Ramona piece was excellent, otherwise im suffering “Laker fatigue” have step back for a little while. But i been pretty clear that the Lakers should offer Whiteside a max deal the moment July 1st comes around, Lebron/KD/ Cousins are pipe dreams.
Anonymous says
I think Barnes and Whiteside would be a home run. Add our pick and a good coach plus a few years for the kids to figure it out and we’re back in business. Well, at least we won’t be in the lottery.
R says
It doesn’t matter how we fans value Barnes or whoever. There’s squillions in cap space chasing relatively limited talent.
Prepare to be amazed by what FAs will be offered.
One thing in the Lakers favor is they – as previously discussed – can make two max offers simultaneously. Let’s pray they have the wit to do so, intelligently.
(Oh, and fire Byron too, please, while I’m dreaming).
Laker uruguayo says
Of course, Fern, was only a desire… that economically is possible. But Kutchap something is going to invent, because Russell, Clarkson, Randle, Nance, Whiteside, Barnes and pick sounds interesting, but not inmediately.
Clay Bertrand says
I realize I’m very likely alone in this sentiment:
Shelburne’s inside look at Kobe aside, and at the risk of drawing the ire of the worshippers of the Cult of Kobe, for good or for bad, I’m starting to get a little case of KOBE LASH (like the QB “CUSH” Cushman in Jerry Maguire when he sees WAYYY TOO MUCH OF HIMSELF EVERYYYYWHERE CONSTANTLY and he says, “I’m startin to get CUSH-LASH….”).
I understand that there’s perhaps not much to write about yet in our off season and I suppose as a writer, you strike while the iron is hot and the aura of Kobe’s last game is still aglow somewhat. I think Darius expressed some of this today……
Maybe I’m just chomping to get onto the next chapter and get to some real Lakers rebuilding. It just seems like the Lakers used Kobe to mask the rebuild and possibly the FO disharmony to a degree all season. Now we are in the off season, and the media is giving the FO the same KOBE COVER FIRE to appease the masses while we all wait for Jim and Mitch to have a sit down and casually talk about THE ONLY THING THAT THESE TWO GUYS DO FOR THEIR PROFESSION—The Lakers.
Haven’t these guys even talked AT ALL DURING THE YEAR about the future??? It’s not like they had to let the team fortunes play out before going to work. We have been bottom 3 ALL SEASON for MONTHS!!!!!!!!! SO now they all gotta take some time to gain some perspective before they talk about what they might want to do????? WTH!!!!!
As Darius posted, “….while the rest of the basketball world moves forward, the Lakers’ world has not.” Damn man!!!! We’re clearly ALREADY BEHIND!!!!! Can’t we at least expedite the MOVING FORWARD a little bit?????!?!!?
These guys are acting like they just stepped off the Championship Buses after riding down Figueroa in 87 degree heat!!!!!! NOW they gotta decompress…..take some time…….look back……have a nice sit down……have Chaz mix some martinis….watch the Suns hire a new coach, watch the Wolves hire a new coach, watch the Nets hire a new coach, watch the Knicks interview coaching options, watch the Kings interview guys, watch the Wizards make a change. I mean, since the Lakers did SO MUCH BETTER than these teams, there isn’t ANY urgency here at all. Sadly, this is completely in line with no coaching change being made.
We’d all like to dream and think that there is some stealth plan at play and that Mitch is just giving us the run around while they secretly are acting behind the scenes. The reality for me is that the inactivity is alarming. Are they using this time to get the Adam Levine Durant Laker jersey made for their grand pitch or is Jim taking a much needed VAYCAY after all of the hard work he’s been putting in at the office??? Maybe everyone is still reviewing the transcript from Sacre’s exit interview???
Hard to say. But what ISN’T hard to say is what Kobe is doing, or what he wants to do, or how he is going to do it, or how his parents are not involved, or what his next job will be, or who is the next Kobe, or if Lebron is now KOBE, or if Kobe falls in the forest but is not seen does he make a sound, how bout a little more Kobe for Kobe’s sake: Kobe actually worked out and then went to work at his office today and yesterday and he will tomorrow too………Really, its true!!
Ok ok ok!!!! Myself, I’m a Laker fan. I’m not a Lebron fan or a Kobe fan or a Shaq fan or a Magic fan. I liked Magic and Shaq and Kobe because they made the Lakers great. Kobe was great. He’s not on the team anymore. He will never be on the team again. I DVRd his last game. I’ll watch it again—-SOME DAY. Not tomorrow.
Wake me when we have a non Kobe headline and we are pointed in the FORWARD direction.
Scouting the guys in the playoffs as guys have stated—I agree with above posters: they are looking a little shaky to say the least.
Barnes looks like he’s a little better than Devean George.
Derozan is a one dimensional, iso slasher who mainly gets to the rim and to the line to score. He isn’t a shooter and if they don’t call fouls easy (like in the playoffs), he is pretty much neutralized. AND as stated, he’s more 2 than 3 as a wing player.
Batum?? Meh….
Chandler Parsons?? Sure. He hasn’t played most of the last 2 years due to injury but WHY NOT THE MAX???? Then we can trade for Derrick Rose, pick up Greg Oden, and sign Brandon Roy to come off the bench. Does Sam Bowie still have legs???
At this point, Whiteside is the only guy who seems move the needle for me. But in a league moving away from traditional Centers, is he the priority he would have been in the 90s??????
What would Kobe do?????????? Wait, please, don’t answer that. : /
R says
Clay, I feel your pain.
Fern says
Jesus Bertrand, calm down take a chill pill, you going to give yourself a heart attack. Season is over, until the Finals are over nothing is going to happen. At least me after a season lke this i need a break and enjoy other things…
A Horse with no name says
Clay B. : Fantastic post @ 819. Read it twice.
J C says
Lakers Off Season Primer:
1. Keep the pick. Freeze the envelope. Grease the wheels.
Do whatever it takes – BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.
We gotta keep this pick. (And hopefully it’s #1 or #2.)
2. Give BS his pink slip. Tell him to man up and then pack up.
The sooner we do this, the more seriously FAs will take us.
Even though they’re dragging their feet, I think saying bye-bye to Byron is still a possibility, because if Jim is trying to make a dent this coming year to keep his job or his promise, I can’t imagine he’s clueless enough to stake his career on Byron’s shoulders.
3. Enjoy watching the Real Season – the NBA playoffs – and seeing the Warriors and Spurs put on clinics. Hope that Steph’s ankles recover so we can see more dazzling 3-point exploits.
Oh, and watch out for the Clips this year. I think they may actually make some noise.
4. Hope that OKC flames out in the second round again and KD starts toying with the idea of playing in LA and being The Man here, instead of sharing the marquee with RW.
5. Hope that the Spurs or Warriors beat the Cavs because I still can’t stand Lebron for some reason.
KO says
Gee Clay you figured this out by yourself?
Not exactly breaking news!
We all know franchuse is a mess.
We all know Kobe was s diversion.
Each of last 3 years they got worse yet made more profit.
Dodgers have 6 GMs and 3 times Laker front office people.
But then what would you like them to talk about? Rysn Kelly missing his last 23. 3 pointers?
Hibbert leading league in fall downs?
Scare being top cheerleader.
Team bresking all time loss record.
Bryon Scott being 197 gsmes under .500 yo hold worst record for any coach?
Give FO credit they just pulled off one of the great cons in NBA history. And foolish Laker fans paid to watch the worst team of all time.
Buss family should run for office. Smarter then clowns running. Problem is how are they gonna fool us next year without the year long Kobe show/circus.
Shame on us not them. But thanks for being Mr. Obvious
Renato Afonso says
Gary has a point there: if the Lakers keep their pick, sign Whiteside and Barnes (regardless of any possible trades involving the youngsters) and hire Luke as coach, is the FO forgiven for these past three years? What if they do all that and our record at the end of the year still has the Lakers too far to compete for a playoff spot? Will we still “trust” that same FO?
Very interesting idea, indeed.
BigCitySid says
– @ Clay, regarding “Kobe-overdose”, I agree. Many Laker fans did what some do in very difficult times. Instead of facing and dealing with reality, they turned to an escape. In this case it wasn’t alcohol, drugs, or sex, it was Kobe. Fans are going thru withdrawal, all on their own schedule. Some are already on the mend, for others it may take years. And some may never fully recover. It is what it is.
Fern says
Can’t stay away damn you guys!! Whiteside, my feelings are known, about Barnes, for me thats a pipe dream because he is just a restricted FA and only would be available IF Durant signs with the Dubs massive IF. In theory? it would be a tremendous adquisition, and one would hope that he would blossom in an environment where he would have a whole lot of more responsability that in GS. He could he a glue kind of guy. But even if we get Whiteside and Barnes we still be a fringe playoff team unless the kids make a gigantic leap foward in their growth next season. Unless there is a coup like the Celtics in ’07, the Heat in ’10 or Cleveland in ’14, moving the needle towards a playoff spot is what we should expect. We are in a hole and we need to start crawling out of it…
R says
Renato, what you described would be a coup beyond amazing and would earn everybody involved fulsome praise regardless of the year end standings! All would be forgiven …
david h says
hey fern: that was clay’s chill pill…lol. honestly, a lot of us feel the way clay does when it comes to laker front office having the appearance of sitting on their hands while the rest of the nba world moves on. And front office also has the appearance of frozen in fear; hence the derision to marching in place when it comes to coach scott still being the incumbent as if to say one more year; when in fact moving behind the scenes has been their method since the dr buss regime; so it pretty much runs in the family tradition. thus, we continue to wait for the buss hoping for an eventual change. I hate waiting for the buss. sadly, we have little choice but to wait.
time for my chill pill.
Go lakers
PurpleBlood says
Clay, hilarious post – to paraphrase Fern´s reply: take `er easy fella, you might bust a nut!
Fern says
David all im saying is that the season ended what? a week ago? and there are like hysterics because the Lakers haven’t done any sweeping changes already? What the Lakers can do right now? Do they know if they keep the pick? Can they sign free agents?They could fire Byron and that’s it. The Lakers can’t do anything at least until May 17 and if we don’t keep the pick until July 1st so yeah people need a chill pill. I endured the season and all that came with it same as anyone. Things are going to happen when they happen. Certainly not in April…
Mid-Wilshire says
In 1953, Samuel Beckett wrote a play called Waiting for Godot in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, are waiting for someone named Godot. The problem is that they’ve been waiting so long that they’ve forgotten what they’re waiting for. They’ve even forgotten who Godot is.
Sometimes life imitates art.
Fern says
My feeling is that Byron’s fate is tied up to the teams fortunes during the lottery and the summer. The crapiest we do the highest the chances he stays. If we lose the pick and don’t sign any FA of real significance he stays, count on it.
david h says
fern: see what we did? sadly, that’s all we’re hoping for, fire coach scott. that’s the one thing the front office can do right now. like you, I too am fine with waiting for the other changes to happen.
it has been a long, long season.
Go lakers
Josh says
Whoa. Has someone checked on Clay? lol I just want Byron fired. Luke can only interview between rounds according to Kerr. So I can be patient and watch the playoffs. I expect we know around that time.If Byron stays then I boycott watching/attending my first Lakers season more than likely. In my mind they have one job and one job only. Introduce Byron to Felicia.
Parrothead Phil says
I know this site is ESPN affiliated nowadays and I generally dislike most of what ESPN produces, but that Ramona piece was simply excellent. It also revealed that the Kobe Farewell Tour was an even bigger distraction than I thought. Having a full camera crew going everywhere with Kobe all day/night is just ridiculous. There is no way any team could gel with that going on, let alone a team full of rookies/ 2nd year players. Having camera crews following the team everywhere has also been one of my biggest complaints about the TWCSportsnet deal. For a veteran team that has played together for years, the camera crews would not be a big deal. For a young team trying to develop and grow into a real team, it’s a colossally bad idea.
BigCitySid says
– Bad news pertaining to Bass:
http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-brandon-bass-will-decline-player-option-become-free-agent/2016/04/20/
– I can understand it, he had to live thru this dysfunctional group.
Drrayeye says
There are things that the Lakers could do right now that would be very interesting–but they won’t.
JJ says
Agreed, it is frustrating to see the inactivity by the FO. With the team experiencing another franchise setting number of losses the status quo can’t be acceptable, can it? But as was mentioned there’s not much they can do right now.
Some thoughts:
1) I’m sure that Jim and Jeanie are in new territory — they’ve never faced the task of rebuilding without an established young star to build around (ie: Kobe after Shaq) or had to do it themselves(ie: JW or their dad were always there previously).
2) In the past management was always on the same page in terms of getting the needed talent on the floor. Yes, JW and Dr. Buss had a falling out — but that was after JW delivered Shaq. What we are experiencing here is something different – Jeanie and Jim appear to be on different pages with different agendas and that could complicate decisions and furthers the perception that things are not good in Lakersland.
3) The most obvious move is to replace the coach and pulling the trigger on that may require the Lakers to keep their pick. It could be that the Lakers are not quite there talent wise to attract a top tier coach. Sure they could hire a retread right now but that doesn’t necessarily help the team improve. Keeping the pick makes the team more attractive to a good coach and to free agents (if not this year then in the summer of 2017).
Its been said before and I’ll repeat it. The Lakers lack a consistent vision. BS is a perfect example. The FO hired him to close out an expiring era – the Kobe era. What organization puts the future on hold to tread water for two years catering to a star that statistically was among the worst players in the league?
I hate to use the Celtics as an example. They really aren’t much more talented than our Lakers but Ainge had a vision and hired a coach to jump start a new Celtics era. Brad Stevens has guided the Celtics into the playoffs again. Stevens was under no pressure not to win, because Ainge had secured multiple lottery picks by being a really good GM.
T. Rogers says
The Lakers should know what their general direction is draft pick or not. Even if they lose the pick they still need continued development of their current young players. They still need a different coach. Byron is not attracting free agents nor is he a developer of young talent.
I get the impression the Lakers don’t want seem desperate. But when you lose 65 games you better show some real aggressiveness. Clay is right.
Philly has already made a FO change. Brooklyn has a new coach. This after cleaning the FO not long ago. Phoenix made their new coach permanent. But the Lakers are waiting.
D. Peterson says
What Clay said.
Lack of urgency is a sign of dying organizations. With all due respect, those of you counciling patience just don’t get it.
The FO office is moving with all the briskness of a Byron offensive set and we can expect the same kind of results.
Anonymous says
If the Lakers don’t sign a big free agent is that an indictment of Jeanie’s rationale for resigning Kobe — that the Lakers take care of their own? She indicated that this act of good will would attract free agents to the team. Well, what if no one comes? The last two years, 38-126, are as much on her as Jim.
Adds more fuel to the fire that the Buss kids are bad for business (wins/losses) and should hire basketball people to run the Lakers. I mean the leak that Lakers’ management was divided on whether to retain the worst coach (statistically) in NBA history is evidence that there are agendas in place that don’t include maximizing the Lakers chances of winning on the floor.
What a mess.
LT Mitchell says
Forgive the front office?
It’s going to take more than Barnes, draft pick and Whiteside.
Jimbo chose MDA over Phil. In player terms, that’s no different than choosing Wesley Johnson over Lebron….simply unforgivable. Choosing MDA over Phil led to the alienation of both Pau and Dwight, and also led to Kobe playing a ridiculous amount of minutes, which IMO, had a direct impact on his string of season ending injuries.
It would take Durant, Whiteside, Simmons and Thibs for me to even consider forgiving Jimbo.
KevTheBold says
Solid post from Clay !
With that one all the way, all day,..
KevTheBold says
Oh and lest I forget, a hearty thanks to Darius for hosting the most intelligent, immersing, Lakers forum in existence !
May you remain our neighborhood sports bar for a long, long, while.
Ceartas says
Thibodeau signs with TWolves.
Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
Lakers in ashes and the Buss kids still fiddlin’.
53 years a Laker fan. It’s never been this bad. Permission to vomit?
Dom says
I am sure the FO has no idea what they are doing. Seriously they own a billion dollar franchise and have no clue. Does anyone remember the re Pau days? Kwame Brown Kobe demanding a trade. Smuch Parker. it wasnt that long ago. Mitch managed to work through that. Granted most of us here have far more basketball acumen than the people who run and own the Lakers and clearly they are all on vacation sitting there wringing their hands reading FB&G trying to figure out what to do. Can we pump the brakes a minute. It was a stroke of genius to use Kobe’s farewell to mask an obvious tank job. We need young talent. A nucleus of not just starters but a decent bench. That takes time and smart drafting. Given the mess that was made trying to squeeze a championship out of Howard/Nash blew up in everyone’s face. Now we dig out of the rubble. BScott wasnt expected to win and wont be expected to win next year. We have one more year of this, the only difference is we wont have Kobe to mask it. All of the ranting and raving and pie in the sky wishes isnt changing the obvious. This is going to take time. I suspect the FO has a plan and damn them for not sharing it with us.