What the heck are the Lakers going to do? All this talk of Jermaine O'neal really is perplexing. Especially since they are talking about giving up Odom for him. I mean, I don't know if that really is a significant upgrade. I mean, if I remember correctly, everytime the Black Mamba didn't play, Odom put up all-star numbers. I will say that Odom does not appear to be as passionate as O'neal is, but that is just appearances.
Then there's the talk about JKidd. Another one that I don't think will help much. Kidd's a great point guard, but wouldn't his talents be wasted in LA? Who's he going to pass to besides Kobe?
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Awww Man. Was here to just post a little article I saw today on ESPN and saw this. Looks like you posted it almost 2 weeks ago. Normally, I’d apologize for not responding sooner but this summer I’ve been quite satisfied with my attempts to stay blissfully ignorant with regard to the Lakers so the delay probably kept my head above the clouds for a little longer.
Let me put a little thought into this and post something later this week...
Until then, maybe somebody can comment on my topic (though I'm not sure how often everyone is checking up during the summer).
As I’d mentioned above, This topic specifically, is one that, pitifully, actually stresses me out a little… enough so that I’ve been avoiding Laker rumors at all cost since Kobe decided to throw his latest tantrum. I was probably happier not having to think about this but I guess it’s inevitable. Since ignoring a problem isn’t supposed to make it any better, I guess what’s to follow may amount to my group therapy session?
My name is Jeremy [stands up], and I’m an NBA addict. My drug of choice? Well, when tie-die was still hip, terms like ‘the Logo’ and ‘the Stilt’ were thrown around; the 80’s called it ‘Showtime’; not long ago, there was ‘Batman & Robin’. It’s always been recognized by the ‘Purple & Gold’. I get high, and low, on the Lakers.
I had no idea how much I’d wanted KG until someone else got him. I kept telling myself that nobody had what it would take for McHale to give him up. In the real world, you’d have to give up so much that he’d essentially be playing for another TWolves type team. I didn’t predict that he just couldn’t stomach sending him to his hated, dominant :), rival. Crazy to think that Magic’s ‘Showtime’ created powerful, though creepy looking, enemies that would interfere this far down the road. A little like the U.S. presence in Saudi Arabia in the 70’s creating Bin Laden… sort of? No? Come on; A little huh? Whatever. Either way, I love KG (who doesn’t?), & Paul Pierce. I think I like Ray Allen too but I don’t know much about him. I just want to kick the overgrown leprechauns McHale & Ainge where the Rainbow don’t shine.
Truthfully though, most of my inner strife about the Lakers has been brewing for quite a while longer than last month. It all stems from the fact that there are only a couple of Lakers that I’ve been unhappy with the last few years. Like all homers, I’d like them all a whole lot more if they got a ring. Hell, at this point, I’d be pretty damn satisfied with winning a couple of games the WCFinals. Problem is, I have serious reservations about this crew’s ability to actually contend for a championship (i.e. beat SA, PHX, & probably DET/DAL too) in 7 games. That said, I think I’ve got more confidence in their abilities than most observers would give them. I think they’re very, understandably so, underestimated. Most analysts look at them like ‘Kobe w/ a class Z cast.’ I pride myself on trying to stay as objective as possible. Knowing my love of the Lakers (or my hate of X team in another situation) actually helps me to weigh my impressions of a team a bit. I’d like to think my belief of them is relatively objective so when I say that given a perfect storm (even discounting injuries to opponents), I think it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that they get to a finals. I know, I know, hear me out…
At the end of the 2006 season they went on a nice little run (11-3), were playing great defense, & then took PHX to 7 games… were even up 3 games to 1 (granted, they then managed to crumble like girl scout cookies – in fact, I’m not even sure that analogy does the situation justice – they didn’t even have the fortitude to crumble, more resembling girl scout cookies yuked up by an overindulgent, green sashed, 12 year old accosted by a sugar high/heat stroke combination). Even that though, I was ok with. If they’d won that 4th game, they had the Clippers ahead of them who I really believe they’d have beat (even in a regular 7 games I think they’d have won but the Clips would essentially never really get to play a ‘home’ game as all of the Lakers fans would pay more for the tickets) and then the Mavs. They played so phenomenal against SA that I doubt LA could have beat them but you never know. Kobe’s always killed Dallas in the past. Either way, they were young & most teams lose in the playoffs before they take the next major stride. I didn’t expect them to do so well to begin with & was very proud of their defense – it was great. Then came the ’06-’07 regular season… but that’s a bit further down.
First, let me examine the cast…
Kobe speaks for himself. I could write an entire entry on the psyche of Kobe. I think we hear more about him than is warranted already though so I’ll stick to a brief synopsis. He’s very cocky & very easy to dislike but he’s also reasonably intelligent, & an incredible talent. Over the past couple of seasons Phil has managed to help Kobe become a true leader (who’d a thunk?). He’s doing all of the things a veteran leader of youth needs to do (except for his little regression demanding a trade a couple months back – more on that later too…). Kobe’s far from the perfect player; I wish he’d matured into who he is now before Shaq left but oh well. I’ll take him on my team any day of the week.
I love Lamar Odom’s game. I really can’t say that enough. All of his strengths and his style of play appeal to my love of purist basketball. I’m really turned off by the prima donna personality, & he’s got none of it. He can be counted on to guard any 2, 3, or 4 on any given night. He’s even got the capability to guard some slower 1’s & thinner 5’s if need be. He’s got a sweet shot, solid moves around the basket, a team mentality, and the passing/court vision to go with it. If there’s one major knock on him, Jake hit on it a while back: his drive to compete is questionable. It’s not to say it’s not there; I have seen it. I just have a few memories of games in which I wonder if a swift kick in the ass would wake him up to move more, create others’ some shots, & take a couple more himself.
Phil. I’m probably going to get a lot of crap for this but… he’s uh… underrated. Maybe that sounds crazy about a guy w/ 9 rings as a head coach but I really think he’s one of the top 3 or 4 coaches in the league at being a leader. He somehow makes players on his teams impervious to pressure. Problem is, he’s much better with vets than with youth & the Lakers are full of youth & void of vets. I’d never be one to claim that Phil knows the X’s & O’s as much as some others (he leaves that to Tex, creator of the Triangle Offense) but I know he has an incredible ability to create team cohesiveness too. That, again, sounds crazy after all of the Kobe/Phil, & Kobe/Shaq drama, but you have to admit – the problems were there before Phil got there, while he was there even, and they still won 3 championships, & got to a 4 Finals before he lost control of it. Oprah & Dr. Phil couldn’t have done better with that runaway diesel train ([cough] [cough]… sorry). He’s also an adamant preacher of defense. He’s not known for it because he’s coached such big names. MJ & Scottie and Kobe & Shaq. But if you actually watch his teams at their best, they shut people down at the end of quarters and at the end of the game. This happened in Chicago & in LA. It happens with such regularity that I’m actually pretty sure he coaches it this way. “Play good D all of the time. Play Great D to close out the last 3 min. of each quarter. Play Suffocating D the final 5 minutes of the game.” He (or one of his assistant coaches) is very underrated defensively. Most of defense is actually convincing your team it’s worth playing. I wouldn’t be happy with 26 of the 30 other coaches in the league (Pop, Avery, & maybe Sloan would all make me quite comfortable as well though).
Which brings me to the other pieces. Or lack thereof.
I don’t like my options at Center very much at all. History will tell you that teams with quality Centers (and a game plan that understands how to use them… space the floor) win. They’re defensive anchors, always in proximity for a rebound, and offensive assist makers. Even if they can’t pass out of the post as good as some (Shaq), many times, the 2nd or 3rd pass can create an open jumper or a lane wide enough to drive through. The latter can be much more damaging to an opponent as, when the drive pulls your Center’s defender off of him, it opens the Center back up for a layup or dunk.
So when Shaq was traded, I was unhappy we lost that defense, that anchor – but he said some of the stupidest things, I almost didn’t care. We got another player that I really liked (w/ Lamar) in return: Caron Butler. He was an intelligent, selfless young man with a knack for defense. I wasn’t happy to see him go (and couldn’t have predicted his offensive explosion the following 2 seasons) but I was willing to take the gamble on Kwame… even after his miserable tenure in D.C. That’s how important Centers are. Because, even though the Wizards are probably a better team than the Lakers right now, they’re still no championship contender until they get some respectable post presence. And I knew that’s the best I could have hoped for w/ Caron, Kobe, & Lamar – what the Wizards are now. With a very talented Center that had yet to live up to his true potential, we at least had a chance. If Phil could work some mental magic & turn Kwame into a 15-10, w/ 1.5 blocks/gm (gimme Ben Wallace of a few years ago ANY day of the week), we had a chance against anyone except the Spurs & Pistons. I was ok w/ that gamble. And even though Kwame turned out to be just barely better than most anticipated, I still saw signs of his possible emergence last year against the Suns (& the 20-25 games prior). He wasn’t turning 15-10 regularly but was doing 10-8 and playing stellar defense. He still rushed his offensive possessions but that would come w/ maturity. I was pretty satisfied.
Then came the ‘06-‘07 season. The Lakers started out very solid. They hadn’t hit a stride like they did to close the 05-06 season but they were playing good basketball. In my experience watching teams like that is that they’re some of the few that could be worrisome come the stretch after the all-star break. I actually didn’t want them to start playing really well until late in the season so they could be that team (it was Golden State this year). Then they just kinda started sucking it up. There were a number of tough injuries (Mihm, Kwame, Odom) that started the skid but it never ended. I don’t know who to blame… I like to believe it was the childish chumps like Smush & Kwame that killed their motivation but I’d imagine it was probably a lot of things coming together (including Bynum’s disappearance when Kwame got hurt). All of those things culminated in Kobe busting him hump to end the season, barely landing them in the playoffs (at 42-40 after starting out a respectable 27-17). The season ended w/ youngster LeBron getting creamed by the Spurs & Kobe throwing his little hissy fit cuz I know he was thinking… ‘Our team could have been less creamed by Duncan’s crew’
Which finally brings me to here & now. I have conviction that I know what Kobe was thinking because, as confusing as it was to the rest of the world, he actually made perfect sense to me during his tantrum. I felt bad for him because he was actually expressing his frustration publicly & being ridiculed for it. I too love the Lakers. I too would love for Kobe to retire a Laker but I too understand why he wants out. He carried a crappy team that didn’t give a shit about winning for 2 months before getting into the playoffs & only being in ½ sync because a few players slouched off down the stretch rather than tried to find the rhythm they’d need to compete. I too am really damn tired of the front office (Kupchak) & their weak moves. I too want Jerry West back. I too regret that Kobe didn’t fight to keep Shaq when Buss told him he was going to trade O’neal. I too am more disappointed that Kupchak didn’t fight to keep them together like I know West would have. I too am spoiled with my basketball & am used to winning. I too want KG in L.A. I too think I’m God’s gift to humanity… uh wait.
Did I mention that I wanted Garnett? Anyhow, that realization makes me know that I’d love to get one more big piece. We already got rid of Smush so we’re half way through cleaning house. That final piece needs to supplant Kwame. We need a solid Center that can haul in rebounds, block shots, & defend other bigs well. Tyson Chandler seems to fit the bill but I’d love to have Jermaine (though he’s another mental question mark). We’d have to keep Bynum or Odom, but I’d actually be willing to get rid of the other... And after the Departed started to return their dues to the team they abandon 15 years ago, I know the Legend won’t give L.A. what it needs at fair market price – I think he’d only be satisfied crippling them (especially after Phil, Shaq, & Kobe beat the Bird coached Pacers in 2000). Back to the Celtic conspiracy for a moment though… did anyone see that McHale has traded the 2 most prominent players in Timberwolves history to his old team for 9, count’em 9, players of which only 3-4 will turn out to be starters!! After that, you expect me to believe that Larry is going to hand the Lakers a star Center? Not getting my hopes up. The best I can hope for is that With Fisher back, we need about 3 of the younger players to make some major leaps of maturity next year. A couple perimeter kids need to start hitting open shots & defending better & the biggest key is Bynum. If he can actually be depended upon, we may already have the solution Kobe’s looking for. I’ll just hope Kobe’s pressure doesn’t make the poor kid fold and take down the house of cards that I’m banking on getting me high again.
Dang Jeremy! That was the longest post in basketbloggers' history.
Sounds to me like you need Yao. But you can't have him!
yeah... definitely too long. I actually lost focus a few times & it doesn't read so well because of it. At least I got it out of my system.
And yes, Yao would be the perfect fit on the Lakers. And yes, there's no way LA is getting him, I already looked. :) He's signed through the 2010-11 season & I don't see us getting him in a trade. Thanks for the reminder though... bastard.
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