Aloha,
Well we are half way through the season and we are no closer to knowing our potential then we were the first day of training camp. Of course our task has been challenging with a seemingly never ending revolving door of players, making any kind of continuity nearly impossible. And with our big 3 playing only a few games together, we really can’t begin to judge how that will look once we are healthy and have a chance to play a consistent rotation. I guess that’s where I find my optimism. We haven’t really been together enough to develop a rotation or an identity. But then again, finding hope in the unknown is kind of sad.
But yesterdays game was another example of why we have lost as many games as we have. We came out flat, with no energy. I had been encouraged lately because we had been playing with energy, even in the losses but last night pointed out one thing that can be corrected. Playing hard every night.
Of course we are seeing the annual click bait trade proposals popping up on the web, but without a high energy level it wouldn’t matter even if we landed one of those pipe dream trades.
As I’ve posted before I find swinging a trade for a star player highly unlikely. Many of the teams that are also listed have more to offer then we do. Our biggest issue is draft capital. You can grease the wheels more with draft picks. I will never say never to a weird trade, I remember Pau, but all things point to perhaps small trades at best. We have two small trade exceptions and some 2nd rounders that may come in handy. I don’t know if there will be much help on the buyout market as well. With the play in tournament, there are just to many teams with a chance to get in. Im not seeing them cutting vets that could help.
So what can we do besides playing with more energy. Get healthy of course. AD coming back is a must for us to have any chance. And he has to look more like bubble AD than what we have seen this year. His stat line has looked okay but he’s shooting has fallen way off and the eye test shows me that he’s just not the same. I remember that TWolves game where Cat destroyed him. He has to be much better then that.
Nunn coming back will in itself be huge. He was the talk of training camp with his defense. He also has a 3 level offensive game. I could see him replacing Avery in the starting line up and playing the point when Russ rests. It sounds like he’s close. The sooner the better.
While we are the oldest team in the league, our rotation could actually be fairly young . Monk, THT, Reeves, Nunn and Stanley gives us 5 sets of young legs to go with the Vets. So the big issue here will be consistency. Except for Nunn of course, all have shown us some real potential. With a healthy line up and time to know their roles and gel, I believe they could be an excellent supporting group. And if Malik proves to be real, he could take a lot of pressure off of Russ to score. He could in a sense be that star acquisition everyone yearns for.
We also need more consistency from vets like Melo, Trevor and Ellington. I will give Trevor a pass, this is still his training camp. But Wayne played himself out of the rotation. It was good to see him knock down some shots against the Griz even if it was against their Subs. Melo also needs to find some consistency. He’s either hot or cold but rarely in the middle. I would take more middle then his rollercoaster ride. And then there is Russ, volumes have been written about him, so I’ll just say he needs to find consistency more then any one else on the team. He was brought in to help carry the load to help LeBron and step up when there is an injury to another star. So far he’s done neither. Like AD he has to be better for us to have a chance.
One interesting thing for me and something that is encouraging is LeBron at the 5, even though like Jamie pointed out Stanley has been playing more 5 than LeBron. AD as a big ball line up and LeBron leading the small ball group, along with Dwight when a banger is called for gives us what might be the best center rotation in the league. Now if could solve our lack of size at forward that would be huge. Perhaps with some reps, Stanley can fill that role.
So if anyone is looking for any specific suggestions, well I have none and I won’t until we are healthy and have had time to play together. Then we can see how we look.
Mike Trudell
@LakersReporter
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3h
L.A.’s most-used starting lineup this season is already the current group of Westbrook, Bradley, Monk, Johnson (on 2nd 10-day deal) and LeBron, at 59 minutes.
To compare, Utah’s starters have played an NBA-high 446 minutes together; Phoenix, 396; and GSW (sans Klay) 347.
This is what I’m talking about.
Very good quality of a post, Michael, and I agree with you on everything you stated in this article. The stats you provided made a ton of sense and highlighted the importance of continuity, which the team didn’t have up to this point. Continuity is the one element every successful team has to have. We are just beginning to feel a taste of what that would be like now that we are gradually getting most of our players back. So, hopefully, having AD and Nunn back will change the dynamics of the team for good.
My biggest focus has been how we can maximize Russ in the rotation and make him feel comfortable doing what he excels at while committing fewer turnovers. I don’t think he is going to be traded this season, so we might as well find a way to maximize his production. This is going to be a delicate balancing act.
The way I am looking at Russ is that he is at his best when he is free to be himself. Not that he should be given carte blanche at the expense of the team. As it turns out to be the case in the last game, him having zero turnovers doesn’t necessarily translate into a win. He’s much more productive when he is aggressive than passive.
He is very valuable to the team than just being a problem. From what I am seeing, his aggressiveness has gone down with his turnovers down. We have to figure out a way to have a balance between his aggressiveness and the turnovers he commits. A lot of these turnovers have to do with the team having to go through a revolving door of injuries and Covid19, and the general lack of continuity as indicated in the statistics you provided. Just like Jamie indicated in his latest 5er, I will take a few more turnovers if
that can get us a win.
I never liked the team’s turnover rate but at the same time we have to value Russ’s style of play. It is more like picking your poison. Him being himself is the lesser of two.
I’ve noticed Russ’s production going down as his turnovers have as well Bubba. But who’ hands would you rather have ball in, Russ or LeBron? That’s the piece that needs to be figured out. My biggest problem is Russ hasn’t really been taking over when LeBron sits. That’s what he brought in for. That’s been the biggest disappointment.
Thanks for the response, Michael. As far as whose hands I would rather have the ball in between Russ and LeBron, my choice would be LeBron. He has a far superior ability to adapt to new personnel around him quicker than Russ who tends to adapt better as the season progresses. They will figure it out between themselves and it’s just a matter of time.
There was a game earlier in the season where the trio of AD, Russ, and LeBron played in. AD took over the first half, Russ took over the third quarter, and LeBron handled the fourth for a convincing win. I can’t remember which team it was but that was the first time we had a glimpse of how dangerous the trio could be.
Russ hasn’t taken over offensively in a while. As for him not doing enough when LeBron sits is a valid point. As it is right now, he is in a very bad slump offensively. Even his signature bank shot has disappeared. Here’s hoping he gets that back sooner than later.
Am going to pay very close attention to what happens when lebron sits. Not that I haven’t been paying any attention at all, it is just that the margin might be too small for me to notice. But that’s a valid point.
We are entering a stretch of both higher competitive pedigree and kind of make or break for the season.
We are every bit the .500-ish team we look like, porous paint defense because we have no useful size, porous perimeter defenders because we’re playing guys who are learning defense in prime roles (except Bradley who is no spring chicken at this point) and streaky shooting.
We’re also overly reliant on the greatness LBJ continues to deliver. Woe to all if that dries up. No good way to solve these issues except to keep working at them and hoping for enough improvement to stay competitive.
When AD gets back we’ll have a better defense. Same goes for Nunn, if he’s even on the team when he takes the court this season. With no timeline for his return it makes me think it won’t happen until after 1/15 so it’s also quite possible he may never see the floor in a Laker uni which is an odd thing to say about a guy we had pinned so much hope on.
Anyhow, the Nunn situation really, for me, sums up the Laker season: guy brought in to do something never plays for us and is the reason we get another guy who does a few other things and hopefully is better than the guys we shipped out? No guarantees so I’m more and more of the opinion to let it ride as-is unless a trade for a true difference maker in the paint materializes and doesn’t involve us mortgaging what future we have left in totality. Everything about this season has been a whackadoo tilt-a-whirl from the off-season cheap out, to the injuries, to COVID re-decimating the league to all of it being kind of predictable based on the players we brought in. The defense was always going to be a challenge, didn’t think it would be this challenging. The offense was always going to come and go, didn’t expect to see games where essentially the whole team other than a couple dudes no-showed, and so on.
Anyhow, I think we’re a .500-ish team right given that AD is out. What his WAR (wins above replacement)? That’s a big question. Same goes for Nunn. If they add a win or two over replacement, and I think they’re good for at least that, we have a shot at the 6…maybe 5 but I kinda doubt it…seed. All that really matters is avoiding the playin and hoping we get a good matchup early to find our sea legs against. If it’s the Suns I think they’ll run us off the floor. Better to face them later in the playoffs if at all possible. Would rather face any team but Phoenix right now. They’re on fire and they have the MiraclePlay trainging staff that adds length to anyone’s career, somehow.
Wish we had the same.
Aloha, Michael,
And Welcome to the Lakerholics.Com Team, our equivalent of Cryto.Com Arena. I was sorry to see Sean leave but thrilled at the opportunity to finally get you to join our team. For those who don’t know, I’ve been after Michael to become part of the team for years now. Big Plus/Minus for Lakerholics.Com
Anyway, great inaugural post as we completed the first 41 of our 82 game NBA season. I share your optimism despite the record and last night’s dispiriting loss to the very unappreciated and talented Memphis Grizzlies. My take at the halfway point is pretty much the same as yours. We are what we are until we prove differently, which we haven’t done. Nor are we the favorites.
But while we haven’t proven via wins that we’ve made progress, I do think the last stretch of games has finally given us a solid glimpse of what this team’s identity and possible ceiling are. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies game also showed us what our possible floor is even with the best player on the planet in LeBron. Some losses aren’t team losses. This one was for sure a team loss.
Where we differ is I’m a firm believer that we not only have to make a major move to have realistic shot at winning #18 this season but we also have the will and assets to pull off a major trade. THT, Nunn, and the 2027 pick have serious value. If needed, Monk and Reaves also have great value and we could give the Pelicans a second rounder to eliminate one of the pick swaps so we could offer two first round picks. The targets? Myles Turner or Jerami Grant.
What happened last night was hopefully one of those unexplainable anomalies that happen almost every night in the NBA: A team that’s been playing well and shooting lights out comes out and lays an egg and nobody on the team other than LeBron can make a basket. We saw this with flawed lineups earlier this season but this was different. I think a lot of the blame, if you can call it that, goes to the Memphis Grizzlies, who wanted to prove something and had the size, athleticism, and talent we hadn’t recently faced and schooled us. Nothing to do but file, flush, and take it out on the Kings.