Lakerholics

A Lakers Fan Community

LeBron James

Has the NBA Forgotten How Good LeBron James & Anthony Davis Are?

By 2 Comments

Out of sight and out of mind seems to be how the pipe dream pundits view LeBron James and Anthony Davis as they pimp James Harden, Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert, Nikola Jokic, Paul George, and other wannabe champions.

The doubt and disrespect is rampant as it seems the NBA has forgotten just how good LeBron James and Anthony Davis are as they write off the Lakers’ chances of repeating as NBA champs and cheer on the same casts of losers. This has become the anybody-but-the-Lakers season as the media pushes the same perennial losers and underachievers like the Clippers, Jazz, Suns, 76ers, Bucks, and Nets while ignoring the defending champion Lakers.

Well, a rude wake up call is coming as Anthony Davis and LeBron James are nearing return. As this manic, injury filled season staggers to the finish line, the Lakers are preparing to unleash a healthy and rested LeBron and AD. Like last year, the Lakers will have to quickly come together and get ready for the playoffs but they will again have a defining competitive advantage because LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be fully rested and healthy.

How important are LeBron James and Anthony Davis and how will their rested and healthy return help the Lakers? Recall LeBron was the near unanimous leader in the MVP race before injuring his ankle a month ago. With the shortest offseason in pro sports history and a compressed 72-game schedule, LeBron getting a month and a half off could be a blessing in disguise like the 4 month layoff he got during last year’s suspension.

The story is much the same for Anthony Davis, who was struggling with a nagging calf issue after the 2020 NBA Finals and throughout the first few months of the season before the Lakers finally shut him down in February. With the memory of Kevin Durant’s calf injury turning into a torn Achilles, the Lakers opted to take a very conservative approach and gave AD over two months to recover to make sure he was 100% healthy before playing again.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have surprisingly adjusted and persevered, winning 7 of the 15 games without James and Davis, carried by double digit scoring from Schroder, Kuzma, Harrell, Drummond, Morris, and Caldwell-Pope. During the 15-game stretch without LeBron and AD, the Lakers’ defense still ranked 4th in the league and their bottom five 3-point shooting jumped into the top half of the league with 12.2 makes on 33.7 takes for 33.7%.

A Lakers roster learning how to win without LeBron James and Anthony Davis should be scary for the rest of the NBA, especially if they remember how well LeBron and AD played at both ends in last season’s playoffs. LeBron averaged 28.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.9 blocks shooting 55.4/34.5/71.0% while Davis averaged 27.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.3 blocks shooting 56.7/37.5/88.2%.

The Prospect of a fully rested and healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis as the Lakers head into the playoffs should strike fear in the hearts of the pretenders who’ve somehow forgotten how good their two superstars are. The silver lining to this injury plagued, Covid distorted, compressed season for the Lakers is LeBron and AD are going to be healthy and rested like they were last season after the league was suspended for four months.

Teams like the Clippers, Bucks, Jazz, and Nets who think they’ve got a good shot to win it all this season need to remember what LeBron said after the Lakers won the championship last season after being rudely disrespected. Pointing his finger, LeBron said: “We just want our respect. Rob wants his respect. Coach Vogel wants his respect. Organization want their respect. Lakers Nation wants their respect. And I want my damn respect too.”

So buckle your seat belts, Lakers fans, because LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going to fully rested and healthy and looking to remind the rest of the NBA who are still the best two players and best team in the NBA.

Could a Lonzo Ball S&T This Summer Be the Lakers’ Answer at Point Guard?

By 9 Comments

There are good reasons why a Lakers and Lonzo Ball reunion are unlikely this summer, including Ball preferring not to return to the team that traded him and the Lakers not wanting to be hardcapped due to a sign-and-trade.

But there are also compelling reasons why Lonzo Ball today could be the perfect point guard to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis and a better option as a playmaker, shooter, and defender than Dennis Schroder. Lonzo is also a better complement for 20-year old Talen Horton-Tucker, whom the Lakers project as part of their backcourt of the future who needs to be paired with a guard who can shoot the three and take care of the ball.

The 23-year old 6′ 6″ Ball shoots 38.4% on 8.1 threes and makes 5.7 assists to 2.0 turnovers per game whereas the 27-year old 6′ 3″ Schroder shoots 34.1% on just 3.3 threes and averages 5.4 assists to 2.8 turnovers per game. The younger and bigger Ball also has greater upside as a player and is more versatile as defender than the older and smaller Schroder. Ball averages 0.6 blocks and 1.4 steals per game vs. 0.2 blocks and 1.2 steals for Schroder.

Like Schroder, Ball is going to be looking for a big raise in free agency this summer. He knows his days in New Orleans are over and because he’ll be a restricted free agent, the Pelicans will be looking to sign-and-trade him. Spending more than $20 million for Lonzo Ball, even though it would hard cap them, would be a smarter move than spending that much for Dennis Schroder, who’s nowhere near as good a fit for what the Lakers need.

But there may be strong competition for Ball, who’s dramatically improved his shooting over the last two years. He’s not only become an elite high volume 3-point shooter but is now also shooting almost 80% from the line. With Zion dominating the ball for the Pelicans as a point forward, Lonzo has learned to thrive off the ball, becoming a true 3&D guard whom the Pelicans would like to keep but not at the cost of going into the luxury tax.

Should Lonzo be interested, the Lakers should jump at the opportunity. They could move some long term salary commitments to open up space under the hard cap to give Horton-Tucker and Caruso well deserved raises. The Pelicans might be receptive to receiving Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in return for Lonzo Ball. Kuzma and KCP are both young, proven, championship quality rotation players on team friendly contracts.

A sign-and-trade with the Pelicans for Lonzo Ball on a 4-year deal starting at $20 million for Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s combined $26 million per year would end up saving the Lakers $6 million salary per year. Lonzo Ball would become the starting point guard and Talen Horton-Tucker the starting shooting guard, giving the Los Angeles Lakers a dynamic young backcourt of the future to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

As for being hardcapped again, there’s a sense from writers following the Lakers like Eric Pincus the Lakers might welcome financial constraints to prevent them from overspending and incurring stratospheric luxury taxes. There was talk from Woj and other pundits that the Lakers were looking for ways to get out of some of their future commitments to create flexibility this summer to re-sign their own free agents Horton-Tucker and Caruso.

Another wrinkle of a Lonzo Ball and Lakers reunion is Ball’s agent is now Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. It’s no secret Rob Pelinka and Rich Paul have a history of making moves to mutually benefit the Lakers and Klutch clients. There’s something karmic about Lonzo signing with the player agent who engineered his trade to New Orleans. What better story than the prodigal son returning to lead the team that drafted him to more championships.

At 23, Lonzo has become his own man, no longer tethered to the whims and opinions of a dominant father. He’s put his career in the capable hands of Rich Paul and worked hard to become a better and more valuable player. While New York is tempting, Rich Paul surely knows the best landing spot for Lonzo Ball and his career would be back at Staples next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He’s the perfect point guard for the LA Lakers.

Temporarily overshadowed by his younger brother LaMelo’s sensational rookie season, Lonzo has an opportunity to return to Los Angeles, rejoin LeBron, and become the first Ball brother to win an NBA championship.

Why Ben McLemore Is Missing Piece in Lakers’ 3-Point Shooting Puzzle!

By 5 Comments

We’ve seen this movie before, haven’t we? But usually we’re the other team who just lost the game because some red hot 3-point shooter just shot lights out and sent the the Lakers home losers. Well, not tonight, baby.

Tonight, the team where 3-point shooters come to die got revenge as Ben McLemore, starting with a minute left in the 3rd, exploded for 5 threes and 17 points in 13 minutes to turn a 12 point lead into a 25 point Lakers’ win. Ben made 6 for 12 from the field and 5 for 10 from deep as the Lakers tied their season record with 19 made threes on 34 attempts while holding the Nets to just 5 made threes on 27 attempts, including a 0 for 15 second half.

The Lakers took an 8-point 1st quarter lead, lost it but still led by 3 at the half, and were holding a shaky 12-point lead with a minute left in the 3rd when Ben McLemore made what was the most important shot in the game. After missing his first four shots in the game, Ben’s corner three jumper off a pass from Caruso broke a 3-minute drought without a field goal and gave the Lakers confidence and a 15 point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

There were many Laker heroes last night — Dre, Dennis, Kenny, Talen, Keef — but it was Ben splashing two more threes to start the fourth that pushed the lead to 21 points and turned a competitive game into a Lakers’ blowout. The Lakers have struggled all season to win the 3-point battle without a volume 3-point shooter like McLemore who could shoot them back into games or catch fire and turn close games into blowouts like last night.

Ben McLemore may be the answer to the Lakers 3-point shooting woes. While Ben’s not going to take 10 threes every game, if he could take 7 or 8 threes per game, he could reverse the Lakers’ negative 3-point differential. Teams can’t increase their 3-point shot attempts by just having their existing shooters take more threes. The only way teams can realistically increase the threes taken is by adding high percentage, high volume 3-point shooters.

Volume 3-point shooting is specific skill and mind set the Lakers didn’t have on the roster until they added McLemore. It takes a player with a quick release and zero conscience or worry when it comes to letting the shot fly. That’s not Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dennis Schroder, Alex Caruso, Marc Gasol, or even Kyle Kuzma, Wesley Matthews, or Markieff Morris but it is Ben McLemore as we saw last night when he rained threes on the Nets.

How much difference can one volume 3-point shooter make for the Lakers? The math is simple. Each additional 3-point shot is potentially worth a point so if Ben can add 8 more threes per game, that could be worth 8 points. That’s assuming he shoots threes at 33.3%. If he can take 8 threes and make 3.2 or 40%, then he could add 9.6 points to the Lakers’ offense, which would elevate the Lakers from 23rd with 110.8 ppg to 1st with 120.4 ppg.

While some of those 8 additional threes by McLemore could be new shots, some will just replace 2-point or 3-point shots taken by other players so Ben taking 8 threes per game is not going to actually generate 9.6 more points. However, volume 3-point shooting by Ben could generate half of that or 4.8 more points per game which would increase the Lakers’ ppg to 115.0, which would make them a Top-5 NBA offense in points scored per game.

So while last night’s game was just one game, it shows why Ben McLemore and his high percentage, high volume 3-point shooting could be the missing piece in solving the puzzle of the Lakers’ negative 3-point differential.

Fans in Stands, LeBron & AD Return! How April 15 Could Resurrect Lakers

By 7 Comments

Life is always full of irony. April 15th has always been a day of infamy for most Americans as income taxes become due but, in this crazy Covid colored world, it could be a day of resurrection for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Not only has the IRS changed the due date for filing income taxes for this year to May 17 but the Lakers are working with California health officials to begin welcoming back live fans to Staples Center starting on April 15th. Meanwhile, Marc Stein of the New York Times has reported that there’s a good chance Anthony Davis may return to action after the team’s 7-gtame road trip when the Lakers play the Celtics at Staples Center on April 15.

Finally, to put the cherry on top of this pipe dream sundae, LeBron James has finally taken off the protective boot he’s been wearing while recovering from his high ankle sprain and could possibly be ready to return by April 15. So if the Lakers can survive another week and steal a few more wins over the next four games, they might be able start their resurrection and drive to the playoffs on April 15 in front of fans and maybe with both LeBron and AD.

Right now the Lakers are in 5th place in the West with a 32–19 record. If they can win three of the last four games on the road trip, they would head into the second half of April 35–20 with 17 games remaining before the playoffs. While the Jazz are seven and Suns five losses ahead of them, the Lakers could have a realistic chance of overtaking both the Clippers and Nuggets who are just one loss ahead of them and securing the 3rd seed in the West.

3rd seed is a lot better than being 7th through 10th and having to win in the Play-In Tournament just to get into the playoffs. It would also force the 4th and 5th seed Clippers and Nuggets to play each other in a first round series. The Lakers as 3rd seed would likely play the Blazers or or Mavericks in the first round, then the 2nd seed Suns in the second round, and then the 1st seed Jazz, or 4th or 5th seed Clippers or Nuggets in the conference finals.

While it’s not a sure thing that we’ll see fans in Staples and LeBron and AD in the lineup on April 15, there’s certainly a chance it could happen then or soon after. We know how much LeBron and the team have missed their fans. Suddenly, home court could once again become a major advantage and finishing 3rd would insure the Lakers home court in the first round of the playoffs and in the conference finals against any team but the Utah Jazz.

There’s also the possibility the Lakers may decide April 15 should be the day they hang the 2020 NBA Championship banner. If they do that, it’s hard for me imagine LeBron James not wanting to lace up his sneakers and play.

Does the Lakers’ Lack of a Third Star Make the ‘Next Man Up’ Impossible?

By 5 Comments

Frank Vogel declaring the Lakers’ top ranked defense or deep and talented roster is their third star makes for a great sound bite but the truth is none of the team’s role players have the skillset or mindset to be the ‘ Next Man Up.’

In the end, the Lakers’ opportunity to repeat as champs may fail due to their lack one or more players with star potential willing to accept a lessor role to win a ring but capable of taking their game to another level when needed. Robert Horry, Dennis Rodman, Tony Parker, Andre Iguodala, Rajon Rondo. Players who can step up and play like a star and save the day. Players who become stars given the opportunity. That’s what the Lakers are missing.

Playoff Rondo is now playing for the Clippers. Maybe Kenny will suddenly find his mojo again and we’ll see Playoff KCP or maybe Kuz will wake from his funk and finally deliver the promise he showed early. Maybe. Maybe.

The injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis have exposed the Lakers’ Achilles heel, which is they are overly reliant on their two superstars and don’t have any other players on the roster capable of rising to the occasion.

No disrespect but Dennis Schroder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Alex Caruso, Wesley Matthews, Markieff Morris, Marc Gasol, Talen Horton-Tucker, or Andre Drummond are not potential stars. They’re a collection of flawed role players whose skills and abilities are expanded and magnified playing with LeBron James and Anthony Davis but diminished and limited when forced to play outside their roles.

That was painfully obvious watching the Lakers lose to the Bucks last night. While they might be able to pull out a win here or there against a team like the Cavs or Magic, they have no chance of beating a team with a superstar. Unless one of their role players suddenly transforms into a star or the team miraculously clicks and synergy overpowers reality, the Lakers are headed for 7th or 8th in the West at best and a ticket to the Play-In Tournament.

Dennis Schroder and Montrezl Harrell can create energy and get you points but they’re not what the Lakers need at point guard offensively or center defensively. They’re short term solutions that will move on this summer. Kuzma and Caldwell-Pope were hoped to be long term parts of the puzzle but are looking more and more like trading chips the Lakers will be forced to cash in this summer to solve their problems at point guard and center.

Bench GOAT Caruso and budding star Horton-Tucker will be free agents looking for raises this summer. Both are fan favorites whom the Lakers have rights and are expected to go over the cap to retain on the roster. Then there are Gasol and Mathews, both of whom are older veterans who have struggled to live up expectations but have little value as trading chips and are likely to be odd men out come the stretch run and the playoffs.

The Lakers deep and talented roster is a mirage that disappears without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. There’s simply nobody on the roster who can be counted upon to take his game to the next level with needed.

Jeanie Buss, Rob Pelinka, Frank Vogel, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Laker players to a man still believe they can still win the championship regardless of where they’re seed or who the opposition turns out to be.

The Lakers hoped Andre Drummond might be third star they’ll need should they make it to the NBA Finals and get an opportunity to play the Nets and their Superstar Big Three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Based on what we saw last night against the Bucks, it looks like Drummond won’t be the third star the Lakers were hoping and praying would solve their rim protection and low post scoring woes until LeBron and AD return.

That’s disappointing but not unexpected. The Los Angeles Lakers’ front office apparently believes all the team needs to repeat is for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to be healthy and ready to play in time for the playoffs. The problem is this is not last year in the bubble where the Lakers luckily avoiding playing the Clippers and Bucks, their top two competitors. The Lakers will likely face a playoff quarter of the Suns, Clippers, Jazz, and Nets.

The Lakers had a chance to trade some of their role player depth and talent to add a second tier star like Kyle Lowry or Victor Oladipo to their roster but opted instead to gamble that Andre Drummond could be that third star. While the Lakers bet on Andre Drummond, the Nets added Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge, the Clippers Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins, the Heat Victor Oladipo and Trevor Ariza, and the Nuggets Aaron Gordon.

The Lakers have one roster spot left and would be smart to be patient and use it on a player who could be a difference maker, who could be that third star they need to run the playoff gauntlet and match up with Brooklyn.