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Los Angeles Lakers Are Playing Chess While the Rest of NBA Plays Checkers!

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Whether it’s the game to win on the hardwood or behind the scenes to land talent, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Rob Pelinka and Klutch Sport’s Rich Paul are veritable chessmasters while the rest of the league are still playing checkers.

In a series of visionary moves, Pelinka and Paul engineered a truly dramatic rebuilding of the Lakers’ championship team and transformed a makeshift and flawed roster into a dynamic juggernaut poised to dominate the future. They not only secured the future of the franchise by signing Klutch clients LeBron James and Anthony Davis to long term deals but also upgraded the supporting cast into a deeper and more talented and versatile roster.

There’s no question Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers and Rich Paul of Klutch Sports were working in concert this offseason to solve the team’s personnel needs and negotiate perfect landing spots for the agency’s clients. The Lakers/Klutch partnership that brought LeBron and AD to the Lakers continued to reap benefits as the team re-signed Klutch client KCP to a team friendly deal and stole Klutch client Montrezl Harrell from the Clippers.

While the rest of the NBA was trying to copy and catch up with the Lakers, Pelinka and Paul shocked everybody with one masterful move after another as they zigged through an offseason while their competition was zagging. The moves they made not only established the purple and gold as odds on favorites to repeat as champions but also set the stage for the eventual transition of the Lakers from LeBron James’ team to Anthony Davis’ team.

The biggest grandmaster moves Pelinka and Paul made this offseason were the new two-year $85 million contract extension for 35-year old LeBron James and five-year $190 million contract for 27-year old Anthony Davis. While everybody debated whether AD would sign a 1+1 or 2+1 contract, the Lakers and Klutch Sports surprised the league by locking up superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis for three and four years respectively.

In a league where superstars wield the power and control teams with short term deals and player options, Pelinka and Paul opted to go in the other direction with James and Davis committing long term to being Lakers. Knowing the league’s two best players will be wearing purple and gold for the foreseeable future gives the Lakers’ franchise a major advantage over every other team in terms of stability and appeal as a player destination.

While the Clippers’ and Bucks’ futures are being held captive by superstars with free agency options, the Lakers with the help of Klutch Sports have been able to secure the future of the franchise by extending LeBron and AD.

The next grandmaster move by Pelinka and Paul was stealing Klutch client Montrezl Harrell from the crosstown rival Los Angeles Clippers for the $10.3 million non-taxpayer MLE for two years with a player option on second year. The only thing better than signing a talented young player at a significant discount is stealing that player from one of your major competitors. The move not only made the Lakers better but also weakened the Clippers.

The Lakers essentially did the same thing to the Milwaukee Bucks, stealing elite 3&D starting wing defender Wesley Matthews with their $3.6 million Bi-Annual Exception for two years to replace Danny Green who was traded. What’s interesting about the Matthews signing is Wes is represented by Jeff Austin, who is also the agent for Dennis Schroder, the point guard for whom the Lakers traded Danny Green and their 2020 first round draft pick.

Once again, we see Rob Pelinka and the Lakers use their close relationship with prominent player agents to steal two valuable players from their two main competitors, savvy moves that transformed the Lakers’ back court.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and Talen Horton-Tucker give the Lakers 5 Klutch clients. Dennis Schroder, Wesley Matthews, and Kostas Antetokounmpo give them 3 Octagon clients. Building a close relationship with Jeff Austin and Alex Saratsis of Octagon could give Rob Pelinka the opportunity to recruit Giannis Antetokounmpo much like his signing of KCP gave him the chance to recruit LeBron and AD.

Giannis Antetokounmpo grew up idolizing LeBron James and recently said that winning is his primary goal, he would be happy playing with LeBron and AD, and being the number 2 or 3 option on the team would not bother him. While the Lakers may have abandoned their plans to chase Giannis in free agency, they still seem to be pursuing a plan to build a Superstar Big Three with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Unlike Kawhi, Giannis seems open to the possibility of joining LeBron and AD on the Lakers and Pelinka appears to be following the same agency game plan to acquire Antetokounmpo he deployed to land James and Davis.

The partnership Rob Pelinka built with Rich Paul has benefited both the Lakers and Klutch Sports so it’s only natural Rob would be open to creating a similar symbiotic relationship with Jeff Austin and Alex Saratsis of Octagon. There’s also no doubt Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers are targeting Giannis. The difference is the Lakers may have a secret weapon via their budding partnership with Octagon to help them land Antetokounmpo.

It may take Giannis demanding to be traded to the Lakers like Anthony Davis did and vowing not to re-sign if traded to any other team but there’s no question Pelinka is working to set the stage for Giannis to join the Lakers. From signing Kostas to a two-way contract, trading for Schroder, and then signing Matthews, Rob Pelinka has been following the same successful game plan that brought LeBron James and Anthony Davis to the Lakers.

While the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, and Golden State Warriors are also strategizing how to land Giannis, they’re still playing checkers when compared to grandmaster Rob Pelinka, who’s playing world class chess.

Three Reasons Lakers Should Extend Kyle Kuzma Before NBA Season Starts

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Now that Kyle Kuzma has survived another offseason filled with trade rumors and will become a restricted free agent next season, it’s time for the Lakers to reopen discussions about extending his rookie contract.

It’s obvious the Lakers still think highly of Kuzma and were only willing to give him up in a mega trade for a proven All-Star player like Jrue Holiday so the smart move now would be to invest in his future by extending him. Signing Kyle to an extension before the season starts would accomplish three important objectives: bolster his confidence as a player, increase his value as a trading chip, and reinforce the team’s chemistry and culture.

1. Bolster His Confidence as a Player.

While Kyle Kuzma always seems to play with confidence, it can’t be easy trying to find a role on a team where two of the league’s top five players play your same positions and you’re the constant subject of trade rumors. Watching former Laker teammates who were traded like Brandon Ingram enjoy breakout seasons and receive contract extensions from their new teams has to try Kyle’s patience and start to undermine his self-assurance.

Signing Kuzma to a 3-year extension for $12 to $15 million per year could bolster his confidence and enable Kyle to turn himself into the third star LeBron James said the Lakers needed to win the championship last season. Knowing the Lakers believed in him could be the key to giving Kuzma the confidence to improve his subpar 3-point shooting percentage to the level he needs to enjoy the breakout season everyone’s been eagerly awaiting.

Kuzma has steadily improved his overall game as a Laker, especially his defense against elite wing scorers like Harden. Signing him to an extension would bolster his confidence and be a smart investment by the Lakers.

2. Increase His Value as a Trading Chip

Signing Kuzma to a 3-year extension would immediately increase his value as a trading chip and enable the Lakers to receive fair value in a straight trade for a comparable player or in an aggregate trade for a third superstar. Receiving fair value for a talented player on a rookie contract a year from free agency is a challenge. Signing Kuzma to an extension would eliminate those concerns and give the Lakers another valuable mid-priced contract.

The extension alone would not only confirm the Lakers’ belief in Kuzma but also establish a solid floor to his value and remove the stigma the team did not truly value him and was trying to trade him instead of re-signing him. Perception is reality when it comes to valuing players in trade talks and the act of extending Kuzma by itself would increase his value as a trading chip and give the Lakers a valuable future contract for matching salaries.

For a young player with Kuzma’s potential to have trade value, the Lakers need to show confidence in him by extending him. Investing in him is the best way to increase his value as player and creating future flexibility.

3. Reinforce Team Chemistry and Culture.

One of the strengths of the Lakers as a team and big reason they won the 2020 NBA championship was the strong chemistry and culture Rob Pelinka and the front office and Frank Vogel and coaching staff were able to build. Frankly, that’s an amazing accomplishment that defies reality considering LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the only players on the team assured of a long term future while almost every other player is on a short term deal.

The key to the Lakers’ great chemistry and culture is how they treat and respect their players. That’s why even players who are traded have nothing but positive things to say about the Lakers’ management and organization. The Los Angeles Lakers do the right thing when it comes to their players and always consider them to be part of the family. They understand that’s how smart teams build true championship caliber chemistry and culture

Kyle Kuzma has listened to his coaches and subjugated his personal game for the team and deserves to be rewarded for it. Investing in him by signing him to a fair extension would reinforce the Lakers’ chemistry and culture.

The financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic has halted the rapid annual salary cap increases many teams, like the Lakers, had embraced as their core strategy to pursue superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo. Suddenly, trades and sign-and-trades have emerged as the better strategies for building championship rosters and chasing superstars as the league struggles to find a way to succeed in an era where arenas are still empty.

Collecting multiple talented young and veteran players on tradable contracts has suddenly become the smart team building strategy. The Lakers should sign Kyle Kuzma to a $12 to $15 million extension before the season starts.

How Fixing His Broken 3-Point Shot Could Transform Kyle Kuzma’s Future!

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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.

Now the Lakers Have Twelve Players, Who’s Going to Start & Close Games?

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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

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PG Caldwell-Pope, SG Matthews, SF LeBron, PF Davis, CE Gasol

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

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PG Schroder, SG Caldwell-Pope, SF Kuzma, PF Harrell, CE Gasol

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

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PG Schroder, SG Caruso, SF Kuzma, PF Morris, CE Harrell

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

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PG Caruso, SG Matthews, SF James, PF Morris, CE Davis

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.