Official 2013-14 Los Angeles Lakers Thread

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by 4ML:
Definitely replaceable...but it's the Warriors. They'll hire a worse coach lol

Anyway, what is your impression of Kerr? I didn't even know he could coach. Rumors came out that Phil wanted him in NY and now all of a sudden he is the most amazing thing since sliced bread. lol wtf just happened?

I don't have any basis for an opinion of Kerr as a coach, honestly. I've always enjoyed him as a commentator and I have the impression of him as a highly intelligent guy, but I don't know if he can lead a team. I think Phil's attraction to him is his familiarity with and presumed willingness to institute the Triangle.

Yea, he was a pretty good commentator. It sort of makes sense for Phil Jackson (puppet master) to be interested in him but I don't understand how he's the hottest commodity in the market.

FWIW, I think SVG would do very well with the current GSW roster.

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by DelCed2486:
Are you kidding? The man came in and said to the effect "we're not going to be the same old Warriors"...and they weren't. Look at the stats, the Warriors were perennially at or near the very bottom of defensive rankings, and then under Jackson they became a Top-10 caliber defense in just 3 years, and in fact this year were someting like #4 in defensive efficiency, and that was with long stretches of games without guys like O'Neal, Bogut, and Iguodala. And then on offense, both Curry and Thompson expanded their games...think perhaps a coach who was one of the all-time great PG's in the league might have had a hand in their development? Jackson surely has his faults, but I just do no understand this almost total dismissal of what he accomplished with the Warriors, as if he played a marginal role at best.

They weren't the same old Warriors because they added talent. Curry & Klay are on the upward arc of their careers, Lee's in his prime, and then they added three defensive studs in Bogut, Iggy, & Green. The next coach shouldn't have any problems with getting this roster to 50+ wins and a 1st round exit. You Warriors fans are really easily impressed. He's not awful or anything, but he's replaceable.

Definitely replaceable...but it's the Warriors. They'll hire a worse coach lol

Anyway, what is your impression of Kerr? I didn't even know he could coach. Rumors came out that Phil wanted him in NY and now all of a sudden he is the most amazing thing since sliced bread. lol wtf just happened?

No one knows if he will be a good coach just like it was an unknown with Jackson. What we do know is that he knows how a front office works after his years as GM with Phoenix and would probably be able to work better with management than Jackson.

Spols and Pat Riley clash all the time. Pat Riley said in an interview (I'm paraphrasing) - I bounce ideas off him and it gets pretty heated often during the playoffs - so we take time off from each other to cool down. He's the coach and he has the final say on those matters and I'm there to support him if he needs it.

If management is forcing their will on a coach as far as coaching is concerned - then IMO that management is in the wrong not the coach. You hired a coach to coach - you let him. Don't be an Al Davis or a Jerry Jones. A coach shouldn't have to deal with the management - he has enough on his plate. As far as Warriors are concerned - whoever extended Bogut should have been the first one to get fired.

IIRC - Steve Kerr was a lousy GM...below average at best.

We will have to agree to disagree on Bogut. 3 years for 36M was not a bad deal at all for the Warriors given that he is a top 5 defensive center in the league and was one of the biggest reasons that the Dubs turned it around on that end of the court. Sure, there is risk with the injuries but tell me where you are going to get a center with his talent? I think he is a better player than Tyson Chandler (for example who got 55M from the Knicks). I dont think the prospects of Festus Ezeli as a starting center was too appealing.

The Warriors didnt tell Jackson how to coach. No one is saying that. They gave him players, let him pick his assistants, and basically let him do his job. It was not that whcih cost him his job.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
We will have to agree to disagree on Bogut. 3 years for 36M was not a bad deal at all for the Warriors given that he is a top 5 defensive center in the league and was one of the biggest reasons that the Dubs turned it around on that end of the court. Sure, there is risk with the injuries but tell me where you are going to get a center with his talent? I think he is a better player than Tyson Chandler (for example who got 55M from the Knicks). I dont think the prospects of Festus Ezeli as a starting center was too appealing.

The Warriors didnt tell Jackson how to coach. No one is saying that. They gave him players, let him pick his assistants, and basically let him do his job. It was not that whcih cost him his job.

My problem was not with the money given to him but the time he was handed an extension. They could have waited to give him an extension. He has played just a little over 100 games over the last 3 seasons - I think giving him any money when he's under contract is way too risky. I strongly believe that when you're dealing with an injury prone player and he is in his last year of contract - you let him play it out. If you extend him - he has no extra motivation to work on his fitness and try to stay healthy. That's all.

I haven't really paid a LOT of attn when it comes to the firing of Jackson - just from reading the thread in the Warriors thread. Maybe I misunderstood the situation.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by 4ML:
Definitely replaceable...but it's the Warriors. They'll hire a worse coach lol

Anyway, what is your impression of Kerr? I didn't even know he could coach. Rumors came out that Phil wanted him in NY and now all of a sudden he is the most amazing thing since sliced bread. lol wtf just happened?

I don't have any basis for an opinion of Kerr as a coach, honestly. I've always enjoyed him as a commentator and I have the impression of him as a highly intelligent guy, but I don't know if he can lead a team. I think Phil's attraction to him is his familiarity with and presumed willingness to institute the Triangle.

Yea, he was a pretty good commentator. It sort of makes sense for Phil Jackson (puppet master) to be interested in him but I don't understand how he's the hottest commodity in the market.

FWIW, I think SVG would do very well with the current GSW roster.

I don't understand why he never got another shot after Orlando

Originally posted by 4ML:
I don't understand why he never got another shot after Orlando

I believe he's been waiting for the right opportunity. I believe a couple of teams have sent out feelers and he said no.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by 4ML:
Definitely replaceable...but it's the Warriors. They'll hire a worse coach lol

Anyway, what is your impression of Kerr? I didn't even know he could coach. Rumors came out that Phil wanted him in NY and now all of a sudden he is the most amazing thing since sliced bread. lol wtf just happened?

I don't have any basis for an opinion of Kerr as a coach, honestly. I've always enjoyed him as a commentator and I have the impression of him as a highly intelligent guy, but I don't know if he can lead a team. I think Phil's attraction to him is his familiarity with and presumed willingness to institute the Triangle.

Yea, he was a pretty good commentator. It sort of makes sense for Phil Jackson (puppet master) to be interested in him but I don't understand how he's the hottest commodity in the market.

FWIW, I think SVG would do very well with the current GSW roster.

Mentioned his name in the Warriors thread. I think he'd be a great fit.

Originally posted by 4ML:

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
We will have to agree to disagree on Bogut. 3 years for 36M was not a bad deal at all for the Warriors given that he is a top 5 defensive center in the league and was one of the biggest reasons that the Dubs turned it around on that end of the court. Sure, there is risk with the injuries but tell me where you are going to get a center with his talent? I think he is a better player than Tyson Chandler (for example who got 55M from the Knicks). I dont think the prospects of Festus Ezeli as a starting center was too appealing.

The Warriors didnt tell Jackson how to coach. No one is saying that. They gave him players, let him pick his assistants, and basically let him do his job. It was not that whcih cost him his job.

My problem was not with the money given to him but the time he was handed an extension. They could have waited to give him an extension. He has played just a little over 100 games over the last 3 seasons - I think giving him any money when he's under contract is way too risky. I strongly believe that when you're dealing with an injury prone player and he is in his last year of contract - you let him play it out. If you extend him - he has no extra motivation to work on his fitness and try to stay healthy. That's all.

I haven't really paid a LOT of attn when it comes to the firing of Jackson - just from reading the thread in the Warriors thread. Maybe I misunderstood the situation.

I get that but if you let Bogut play it out and he doesnt get hurt and comes up huge... well you know the possibilities. Lose him or pay him MUCH more money. Its always a calculated risk but I think it was worth it in this case. He was probably their 2nd most valuable player behind Steph for most of the year.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
I believe he's been waiting for the right opportunity. I believe a couple of teams have sent out feelers and he said no.

Gotcha.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:
I get that but if you let Bogut play it out and he doesnt get hurt and comes up huge... well you know the possibilities. Lose him or pay him MUCH more money. Its always a calculated risk but I think it was worth it in this case. He was probably their 2nd most valuable player behind Steph for most of the year.

100 games in 3 years and most of those games came after the extension. To me, the calculation is simple. He's likely to get injured sooner rather than later. So, you're better off paying him more after he proves that he can stay healthy for a year than giving him an ext. With the new CBA - teams have to be more picky.

Anyway, back to the Lakers...

Sam Amico: #Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak & George Karl were roommates in college. But Karl tells @SiriusXMNBA he has yet to hear from LAL. Expects to, tho.

Mark Medina: Contrary to what's out there, I've been told by those in the know that Lakers haven't contacted Kevin Ollie yet. No meeting yet is planned

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by DelCed2486:
Sorry, but that's just empty rhetoric to dismiss him with comments like that. He just finished up only his THIRD year as a coach at any level, let alone a head coach in the NBA...was he just supposed to waltz into the league and instantly be better than the likes of Popovich and Doc Rivers? I kinda think going from 21 to 47 to 51 wins and having strong showings in the playoffs, to include taking the Rivers-led Clips with 2 of the Top 10 players in the world to 7 games--WITHOUT your starting center the entire series and final 2 games without your 35-yr old backup center--is indicative of someone with some coaching chops and brings a little more than just "rah rah" to the table.

I think the Warriors improvement is commensurate with the talent that they had on the team. Of course they improved. They added guys and their existing talent got better. They won 36 games under Keith Smart in 2010-11. Steph got hurt in '12 and Jackson was a bit over his head, so they underachieved during that lockout season, but in a broader scope, they're right on track with where you'd expect them to be, considering their age and how much more talented/mature the roster is now compared to 2011.

There's plenty of skepticism about Jackson's X's & O's, even within the Warriors FO. Iguodala was criminally underused. His offensive contribution is as a PG, which gives you the opportunity to run perhaps the best shooting backcourt in NBA history off of screens. Instead, the ball was in Curry's hands way too much, minimizing Iggy's contribution and the overall offensive potential of the team. And the insistence on posting up against mismatches was puzzling, as it was very inefficient. The defensive improvement is great, but there's way too much offensive talent on the team to be the 11th most efficient offense in the league.

C'mon, if you watched the Warriors how can you possibly try to pin Iguodala on Jackson? The guy got hurt, missed a lot of games, and when he was in, he underperformed, not to mention the negative impact his acquisition had on Barnes, plus the money they're paying him + draft picks surrendered. I'm not disagreeing with every point you're trying to make, but some of what you're saying makes you come off as one of these fans who thinks all you need is a couple good players and then you just have to roll the basketball out on the court and they'll do fine. I'd think a fan of the Lakers would know that very recent history shows us this just isn't the case.

And you act like there's not a learning curve for coaches...sure Jackson made mistakes, pi***d me off a lot...but I've seen enough horrible with the Warriors over the past almost-40 years to know something special was being built, and as a fan was willing to be patient a little while longer. It's not every day that a coach gets almost universal buy-in from his players, but they bought what he sells and that fact should not be discounted.

Originally posted by DelCed2486:
C'mon, if you watched the Warriors how can you possibly try to pin Iguodala on Jackson? The guy got hurt, missed a lot of games, and when he was in, he underperformed, not to mention the negative impact his acquisition had on Barnes, plus the money they're paying him + draft picks surrendered. I'm not disagreeing with every point you're trying to make, but some of what you're saying makes you come off as one of these fans who thinks all you need is a couple good players and then you just have to roll the basketball out on the court and they'll do fine. I'd think a fan of the Lakers would know that very recent history shows us this just isn't the case.

And you act like there's not a learning curve for coaches...sure Jackson made mistakes, pi***d me off a lot...but I've seen enough horrible with the Warriors over the past almost-40 years to know something special was being built, and as a fan was willing to be patient a little while longer. It's not every day that a coach gets almost universal buy-in from his players, but they bought what he sells and that fact should not be discounted.

That is the reason why i am a little worried about the firing. im not sure how to players would react and if they will respect the next coach as much as they did with jackson.

Originally posted by gold49digger:
That is the reason why i am a little worried about the firing. im not sure how to players would react and if they will respect the next coach as much as they did with jackson.

They're pros - they'll adjust. It's the nature of the business. They've a whole off-season to adjust. It's one thing when this happens during the season but summer/fall gives them enough time to get over it and get on with the new system.

Rumor: Lakers, Chris Bosh Have Mutual Interest

The Mavs are apparently unwilling to shell out a premium for the Heat big man, as we noted earlier today, and while Amico suggests money may be a stumbling block for the purple-and-gold, it appears the two sides can see a path to a deal. Amico first wrote of L.A's interest in February.

Originally posted by 4ML:
Rumor: Lakers, Chris Bosh Have Mutual Interest

The Mavs are apparently unwilling to shell out a premium for the Heat big man, as we noted earlier today, and while Amico suggests money may be a stumbling block for the purple-and-gold, it appears the two sides can see a path to a deal. Amico first wrote of L.A's interest in February.

Me gusta. This is part of my offseason plan. Bring in El Bosh.

Bosh is an underrated player, but IMO it would greatly depend on money. He's not a supermax guy. (2nd max contract, or close to it)