I don't think Spo and Lue should ever be compared. I consider Spo to be in a whole different league than Lue. Spo has been given some pretty weak rosters in Miami comprised of mostly role players and maximized their abilities. With Lue, all we saw was the drama with LeBron and inability to diagram anything without LeBron calling shots on and off the floor. Cavs quickly saw what he was without LeBron to start the season and kicked his ass to the curb. Coaching the Lakers/LeBron while having anxiety issues would be a nightmare for him. No thanks. I don't really know who is on the coaching market that would be a good fit in LA but Lue/Jackson would definitely be a disaster.
Only comparing Lue and Spoelstra in that they'll both be labeled " LeBron guys ". But at the same time, you're not giving Lue credit for the work he did coming up under Doc. That's where his opportunity came from, not LeBron. The reason Lue was fired was because he and the CLE FO disagreed on who should be playing, so let's be accurate there. As for his anxiety issues, that could be 1 reason why he's not at the top of the FO's list. But another good reason is that both Doc Rivers and Popovich will be done with their current contracts and there's no cap on what you can pay a coach. If Ballmer wants Rivers back, he obviously has the money. But the Spurs don't pack the financial punch to go toe to toe with LAL for Popovich. I would expect Popovich to be at the top of the list. Will they get him? They'll probably show him the money, but only time will tell.
The Popovich chase will be interesting because he'd probably want a good amount of control. But Magic has a lot of other interests, so I wouldn't rule out them coming to an understanding or agreement in that area. Pop really doesn't enjoy all the media responsibilities, so perhaps that's where Magic can take some of the load off Pop. We know Magic doesn't mind a presser or two, and going to the draft, etc. And for all the good Pop has done, he hasn't been a top notch " recruiter " of free agents, and guys would just rather meet with Magic more than likely because that's just who he is. They could very well have a solid working relationship, staying in their own lanes. Pelinka becomes the backseat driver, doing his big picture thing behind the scenes, and with his ear to the street for opportunities to improve on a day to day basis. If Pop makes it to the end of the year without an extension, the offers should be in between $75-100M. He can cash out like a player if wants to.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-rumors-lakers-pelicans-trade-114856125.html Might they have to wait until 2020 free agency for their next shot at the All-Star big man? "I have been told that there's no way Anthony Davis is coming here (to Los Angeles) through the Pelicans," Spears said. Co-host Michael Wilbon then chimed in with his confirmation: "They're just not going to do it. I've heard the same thing."
Ha! I can imagine Magic and Pelinka visiting Pops and Pops telling them to have Jeannie call him instead. Jeannie then offers him 10M a year for 4 years to coach the Lakers. That is one year more than LeBrons deal. Pop says... nice money. I will take the money on two conditions. Pelinka is completely gone and Magic basically becomes the teams PR/Mascot with zero control over basketball decisions. Jeannie says no. Pelinka cannot go. He is Kobe's proxy and Jeannie is a Kobestani. Instead Magic becomes the next manager. You know that has been Magic's evil plan from the start. To rewrite the history that says he is a failure as a coach. Magic believes he can easily win a few rings as an NBA coach riding LeBron, AD, etc... Then once he retires from coaching he will try to host a late night TV show on spectrum.
Now its rumored that Jeannie was pissed and blamed LeBron's camp for leaking the AD info. And that she contemplated the possibility of trading him. Let Boston try to take down the Warriors. Send LeBron to the Celtics for Tatum and their 1st round picks plus Jaylen Brown. Lakers come back next year as a the next young super team signing Kawhi. PG: Lonzo, Rozier SG: Ingram, Hart SF: Tatum, Brown PF: Kawhi, Kuzma C : Zion, Wagner
Just watching the 2nd half of the Duke v. North Carolina ACC tourney game and wow both teams well coached, both team hustled every play consummate teamwork everywhere tough offensive boards with gritty D clutch performances left and right by stars and subs alike on both teams sooooooooo unlike the Lakers and Duke got LUCKY to win it
That was a good loss this morning. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory against the worst team in the league shows true grit and commitment to the tank.
lol schizos trail by 11 after one put up a 36-22 second quarter to get back in it and then play down to the knicks level the rest of the way takes a special bunch to do that... emphasis on special
Off-season plan should be to send lbj to Brooklyn for Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen plus sign n trade D'Angelo Russell. Brooklyn could sign two more max players to make a superduper team. PG. Lonzo. Caruso SG. D'Angelo. Hart SF. Ingram. Harris PF. Zion. Kuzma C . Randle. Allen