Aloha,
I was very depressed when I found out LeBron wasn’t playing. Even though Steph was out, the Warriors have a lot of other weapons and are the best home team in the NBA. With LeBron out and all these new players to work in, I thought this was another lost opportunity when we have to win almost every game. Boy was I delightfully surprised. Our new additions played like they had been here for weeks.
First was our energy unit, spearheaded by Austin, Vanderbilt, Gabriel, Beasley and Lonnie. Their defense was intense as they built that 3rd quarter lead.
I was ecstatic but confused when Danny threw Vanderbilt into the trade. And reading the reaction from around the league, I wasn’t the only one who was confused. Danny gifted the Lakers a taller version of Dennis Rodman. All energy all the time on both sides of the ball. 12 points 8 boards 4 assists and a steal in 17 minutes. That’s getting it done. And the good news is we have him under contract for another year at just under 5 mil. I believe he will be a Laker a long time.
Many forget that Austin was a point guard in college but he displayed the ability to calmly run the offense while the other point guards rested. This guy might be the toughest guy on the teams as he routinely gets clobbered every game. His ability on both ends of the court is really solid. And we should be able to to hold onto him as well. Because of the Arinas rule the most any team can pay him is 11 mil, which he is more than worth. If Rob lets him walk the fans will burn down Crypto. I would light the match.
And then there is Gabriel. He is all hustle all the time. Playing with Vandy was amazing with those two flying all over the place. 6 points 3 boards and a steal in 12 minutes along with solid defense will also get it done. And with early bird right we can offer him a modest raise. He is definitely a guy I want on my bench.
While Beasley and Lonnie didn’t have a lot of impact on the offense they both defended their butts off. Lonnie is probably gone but we have a 16 mil team option on Beasley. A lot will depend on how he performs the rest of the way. We could let him walk or use him in a trade if we don’t keep him.
I liked the back court pairing of DLO and Dennis. DLO displayed a much more mature game. He is crafty with a good handle and seems to get inside at will where he gets his own or find another player. I think he will work very well with LeBron. He is one of the best pick and roll point guards in the league and he plays off the ball well. He should also see a lot of open looks from 3. While he is not a 31 mil guy, he is definitely a 20 to 25 mil guy and another guy we can keep.
I want to find a way to keep Dennis. Yes his offense is inconsistent but his defense never is. As coach Ham said, he is fearless on both ends of the ball. His scoring carried us but he was also impressive on the defensive end. DLO competed on defense but he’s not great. And while Austin is a very good defender, he does struggle some with very quick guards. I like Dennis defending guys like JA , Dame and Kyrie. While Pinnin Jr will probably be our 3rd PG next year, considering he is tearing up the G League and in the running for MVP, will will need a 2nd and I hope it can be Dennis.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Rui’s solid all around game. This was another example of why the Lakers were so excited to land him. He had a solid all around game on both sides of the ball, especially in the 4th quarter when he mad several big shots. He is another that we can keep on a reasonable contract.
While this is just one game I came away very optimistic. I don’t know if we make the playoffs. Overall health will of course be the most important factor. But we have a much better chance now then we did. And it’s a pleasure no longer being under sized. Moving forward we could have the pieces for a young very good squad next year. I have never been a fan of 3 stars without a proper supporting cast and my hope is that Robb doesn’t do that this summer. We have bird right on everyone so this team could come back together next year. We could even send out Beasley and Bamba and picks for a very good player. That’s 26 mil. Jamari Grant anyone? He just joined Klutch and while the Blazers would not want to lose him they won’t let him walk for nothing. Just a thought.
I had the exact same pregame emotions as you did, Michael, and came away with a comment to end the podcast last night that once again it was fun to be a Lakers fan. Excited to see how far this team can go and what we can turn it into this summer.
It’s always fun to be a Laker fan. It can be challenging to believe in the elements that players and coaches can’t control (GM’s foolishness, owners cheapness) but I go into every game hoping for a win and thinking we got a playoff shot until we don’t.
Had to watch the replay at 1 AM because I forgot they switched Sunday games to ABC. I was as surprised at how Ham used the new guys as Inwas at their quick adjustment. You saw Ham give hall handling duties mostly to players that have been here since camp, which makes sense: they are familiar with what he wants. I was stoked we got Jarred the most out of all the players’ we traded for. Love his game and I think he has upside yet to reveal.
When I can’t see a game, I go on NBA.COM Site and do Play by Play.
Don’t they require League Pass at NBA.COM?
I get NBA TV which gives me many games plus the National Games. What I meant by Play by Play was just a typed result of plays. I have to read like a live story, waaaah, but better than nuttin! Our ABC Channel is still negotiating to get back on DISH.
I just recently switched from Xfinity to Dish only to realize Dish doesn’t have ABC. So I go to streameast.xyz to watch for free. I no longer pay to watch Lakers games. When you use streameast.xyz you are going to see a bunch of pop up ads before you can access the game. Keep closing the ads windows until you are able to watch the complete game life.
Great post, Michael.