Lakerholics

Kyle Kuzma is the Los Angeles Lakers’ version of the American TV series Survivor, the one player everybody thought for sure would end up being traded this offseason but somehow is miraculously still on the roster.

Since we know he had been included in trade offers for Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kuzma’s ultimate survival was not due to his having been declared touchable by the Lakers’ front office but simple serendipity. For some reason, the basketball gods seem to be determined to give Kyle one last opportunity to live up to the promising glimpses of potential that have tantalized the Lakers during his three years in purple and gold.

After Kuzma’s mediocre 2019-20 season and playoffs and Rob Pelinka’s spectacular upgrade of the Lakers’ roster this offseason, Twitter has now declared Kyle Kuzma to be just the 10th best player on the team’s roster. Unless you have forgotten, this is the same Kyle Kuzma whom LeBron James pronounced just three short months ago needed to be the third best player on the team if the Lakers were going to win their 17th championship.

So why is third year player Kyle Kuzma so disrespected and written off at this point by so many Lakers fans and basketball analysts? His coaches will tell you he’s matured as a player, is a better defender, and shares the ball. Kyle’s teammates like and respect him and he’s no longer the unrepentant gunner he once was when he was younger. As a matter of fact, he does everything the Lakers want him to do except shoot efficiently from three.

But what if Kyle Kuzma could fix his broken shot? While it was a small sample size, Kuz shot a team best 44.4% in the 8 regular season games the Lakers played in the bubble after having 4 months off to work on his shot. Unfortunately, Kyle struggled in the playoffs and reverted to shooting just 31.3% as his minutes dropped from 28.0 to 23.0 per game and his improved shot selection from in the bubble disappeared as he kept hoisting shots.

Imagine how differently the basketball world would view Kzma if he could suddenly start shooting 38% from deep? Pundits might have been talking about him as the next great young 3&D player to emerge as a big name star. Had Kuzma shot 38% from three and played 30 rather than 25 minutes per game this season, he would have averaged 16.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, better stats for the season than Bogdan Bogdanovic.

Considering the form and mechanics of his shot, Kuzma clearly should be a better 3-point shooter and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see a major improvement in his long range shot selection and percentage this season. Given another chance to live up to the hype created his rookie year when he was considered to be the steal of the draft as the 27th pick, Kyle may finally put it all together and become the budding star the Lakers envisioned.

Achieving that goal might not only dramatically transform Kuz’s career but also open the door for the Lakers to give him the rookie extension and opportunity to be a starter he’s been fighting to get the last two seasons. Since James and Davis are going to start at the three and four, Kuzma is going to have to show he can play the two to earn a future starting role on the Lakers, which is going to be a challenge considering the competition.

In the NBA, the positions you can defend are the positions you can play and Kyle Kuzma’s shown promise as a long wing defender who can guard elite wing scorers like Harden and Leonard who are too big for KCP and Caruso. While it’s a long shot, the opportunity is there for Kuzma if he can continue to grow as a wing defender, improve his shot selection and overall game, and somehow fix his broken 3-point shot and start shooting 38% from deep.

Even if a breakout season doesn’t win Kuzma a starting role and extension on the Lakers, it will open doors for a major role on another team and a chance to emerge from the cocoon he’s been trapped in for the last 2 years.

One of the benefits of the Lakers having a deeper and more versatile roster than last season is it gives head coach Frank Vogel and the Lakers’ coaching staff even more options to create nightmare matchups against opponents.

While training camp will finalize the Lakers’ starting and closing lineups and rotations to begin the season, we don’t have to be rocket scientists to figure out how Vogel and his staff are likely going to use their personnel.

STARTING LINEUP

The only question regarding the Lakers’ starting lineup is whether coach Frank Vogel will replicate last season’s starting lineup by substituting Wesley Matthews for traded Danny Green or start point guard Dennis Schroder.

While there was rumbling Schroder was not happy coming off the bench for the Thunder, starting Matthews gives Vogel and the Lakers a bigger, better, and more versatile defensive lineup and deeper and more potent bench. Alternating Matthews and Schroder as starters to optimize the matchups depending on whom the Lakers were playing might be a smart option but having clearly defined roles for everybody probably overrules that.

FIRST SUBSTITUTIONS

The reason for not starting Dennis Schroder is to be able to use his elite playmaking and scoring at the catalyst to unleash the awesome offensive firepower of Lakers second unit while resting LeBron and AD.

The Lakers not only want to fix the problem they had last year when LeBron or AD were not in the lineup. They want to win those minutes, which is a big reason for making the big trade for Schroder and big signing of Harrell. Schoder and Harrell averaged 18 points per game off the bench last year with Harrell winning 6MOY and Schroder runner-up. With Gasol anchoring the defense, the Lakers should dominate when LeBron and AD rest.

SECOND SUBSTITUTIONS

After starting the game with their best defensive lineup and following that with an elite offensive lineup, the Lakers should have the game in control and be able to continue to rest both LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

While the Lakers tried to always have James or Davis in the game, with the quick turnaround from last season and compressed schedule, the Lakers should deploy some load management to limit LeBron’s and AD’ minutes. This is the lineup where the Lakers really need a second modern center to protect the rim, stretch the floor, and allow Harrell to play four instead of five. That’s why the Lakers need to sign someone like Dewayne Dedmon.

CLOSING LINEUP

Like the starting lineup, the Lakers likely closing lineup is likely to resemble the lineup the Lakers ended games with during their championship run but with Wes Matthews replacing the traded Danny Green at shooting guard.

The beauty of this lineup is its balance at both ends of the court with five players who can stretch the floor shooting threes on offense and switch and rotate on defense. It’s the Lakers’ version of ‘small ball’ with a big lineup. Vogel can also add more offense or defense to this lineup depending on the situation and matchups as we saw during the playoffs. There are few teams in the league who have as deep and versatile roster as the Lakers.

The above ten man rotation is designed to spread playing time evenly among players to rely on the additions to the team to carry a bigger load and reduce minutes played by the players who just played in the Finals.

The duration or content of the four lineups can be adjusted depending on how the game is going and the players are playing. As a beginning template, the four lineups give each of the ten players two 6-minute runs each half. While that works out to 12 minutes per half or 24 minutes per game, the starting and closing lineups with LeBron and AD would likely run 7 minutes per quarter, which means 14 minutes per half or 28 minutes per game.

Again, this is just a template and actual minutes played would obviously vary depending on the score, matchups, foul problems, and who was playing well. But it’s a great blueprint for how the Lakers can optimize their roster. What it clearly shows is how the depth and versatility of the Lakers’ roster can be utilized to dramatically limit the total minutes that superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis and older veteran players have to play.

There’s no question this is a year none of us will forget and our prayers and best wishes to all of those who have lost a loved one or their livelihood to this terrible pandemic. Let’s hope a government that cares and prioritizes helping those in need and an arsenal of new vaccines and treatments will transform the world and make 2021 a better and happier year.

But amidst the anguish and tragedies that plague our country and world, there are always silver linings to celebrate: the heroic effort of our medical and public health professionals and support personnel, the workers who risk their lives every day keeping our essential businesses open, the millions of acts of kindness and generosity by people who care for those who need help, the millions of citizens who came out in historic numbers to vote and make our threatened democracy work, and the countless people who are doing everything they can to help and keep their neighbors and friends safe by wearing masks and following public health guidelines.

And last by not least, a special thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers for an unprecedented 18th championship season and masterful offseason that’s been a beacon of hope and cheer amidst the horrors of the last year. Sometimes it’s the little things that bring a smile to our faces and joy to our hearts and remind us that life is still a blessing and happiness possible. Together, we’ll get through this pandemic and come out on the other side stronger and better. Triumph out of tragedy has always been the human sprit so be careful, stay safe, and have a Happy Thanksgiving.

-LakerTom and the Lakerholics Team.

With the Detroit Pistons waiving Dewayne Dedmon, the Los Angeles Lakers suddenly have an opportunity to complete their transition from traditional back-to-the-basket centers by signing their second modern stretch center.

The biggest strategic move Rob Pelinka made during the offseason was the decision to dump traditional back-to-the-basket centers Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee and replace them with modern stretch five Marc Gasol. Signing Dedmon to backup Marc Gasol would be the pièce de résistance to Rob Pelinka’s masterpiece upgrade of the Lakers championship roster, completing the team’s transition from dinosaur bigs to modern centers.

The Lakers abandoning the Howard and McGee tandem that had been a trademark element in their championship run was a harsh reminder of how the value of traditional back-to-the-basket centers continues to plummet. The Lakers not only politely declined Howard’s embarrassing acceptance of a contract never offered but also gave the Cleveland Cavaliers one of their few remaining second round picks just to take McGee off their hands.

The Lakers still need another modern center who can stretch the floor on offense and protect the rim on defense and Dewayne Dedmon desperately needs an opportunity to resurrect his career after a disastrous last season. Backing up Gasol will give Dedmon a chance to showcase his abilities and bounce back after being waived and stretched by the Pistons. Dewayne is the perfect fit for the Lakers and they are the perfect fit for him at this time.

Right now, Marc Gasol is really the only true center on the Lakers’ roster because Anthony Davis prefers to play power forward most of the time and Montrezl Harrell is best suited to play power forward next to a stretch five. Pairing Gasol and Dedmon would let the Lakers replicate the center rotation that worked so well with McGee and Howard last season but this time with a tandem of modern stretch fives instead of traditional low post centers.

Adding Dedmon would also give the Lakers another stretch center who can protect the rim to unleash Montrezl Harrell, a high powered dynamic scorer who clearly needs to play next to a modern offensive and defensive center. The 31-year old Dedmon would also give the Lakers important depth to allow Anthony Davis to rest more during the grind of the regular season and protection in case the 35-year old Marc Gasol were to get injured.

At 7′ 0,” 245 lbs, Dewayne Dedmon averaged 10.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 25.1 minutes per game while shooting 49.2% from the field, 38.2% from deep, and 81.4% from the line two years ago with the Hawks. Dedmon’s exactly what the Lakers need to balance their roster and he’s healthy and available now for the veteran’s minimum salary. Rob should pick up the phone and offer Dewayne a chance to join the purple and gold.

Playing 18 to 20 minutes per game for the high profile champion Los Angeles Lakers is exactly the opportunity Dewayne Dedmon needs to erase the bad taste of getting waived and change the direction of his career.

Sometimes you have to wait until a masterpiece is complete to appreciate how great a job the artist did. That’s clearly the case with the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason rebuild by their VP of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka.

Pelinka launched the offseason by trading for talented 18.9 points per game point guard and 6MOY runner-up Dennis Schroder and followed that by signing 18.6 points per game forward and 6MOY winner Montrezl Harrell. Happy Lakers fans could be forgiven for thinking Pelinka was only making sure the Lakers had enough offensive firepower to take over games when LeBron was resting on the bench or taking a night off for load management.

After all, replacing Rondo and Green’s 15.1 points per game with Schroder and Harrell’s 37.5 points per game was a massive injection of high powered scoring into an offensive roster that was anemic aside from LeBron and AD. Those two moves alone represented a major upgrade on what was already a proven championship roster and would have been enough most offseasons to win Lakers’ VP of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka votes for EOY.

But that’s the problem with judging a work of art before it is completed because basketball pundits and junkies needed to wait until Pelinka was finished to truly appreciate what an incredible masterpiece he had created. Rob wasn’t going to be satisfied with juicing up the Lakers’ offense at the cost of weakening their defense and losing elite defenders like Green and Howard left holes that needed filling in the Lakers’ championship defense.

The missing pieces of the Pelinka’s defensive solution quickly fell into place as the Lakers’ signed veteran 3&D guard Wesley Matthews to replace Danny Green and former DPOY Marc Gasol to replace Dwight Howard at center. The Lakers not only turbocharged their offense by adding last year’s 6MOY winner and runner-up but also elevated their defense by adding two elite defenders who ranked second and third in NBA defensive rating last season.

The result is Pelinka has given head coach Vogel the most versatile roster in the league. Vogel will have the power to use his deep and diverse roster to create nightmare defensive and offensive matchups court at every position. He can play a dominant defensive starting lineup featuring Caldwell-Pope, Matthews, James, Davis, and Gasol or a juggernaut offensive lineup with high-octane scorers in Schroder, Caldwell-Pope, James, Davis, and Harrell.

Last offseason, Rob was hindered by waiting for Kawhi to make a decision. This season, he made sure not to make the same mistake and the result is a Lakers championship team dramatically better at both ends of the court.