LAKERS LAKERS Thread

Zu watch over.
Now the Lopez watch begins. 26 minutes, 1-5 FG, 3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls. Makes sense. He got $3M in free agency
C's look smart enough to run him out of the series too. We'll see

 

Also a report about a week ago that said Kawhi's teammates in Toronto believe he's leaving for LA after the season.

All pretty much adding up at this point. That report, this report, hints from Kawhi's sister on IG, LeBron's words to Kawhi after the game weeks ago, etc.

Personal prediction: Lakers land Kawhi and Danny Green in free agency. The media's narrative, that Kawhi doesn't want drama, has never made much sense to me given that one of the theories behind his departure from SA is actually the size of their market and their irrelevance. Kawhi and his people reportedly complained about Jordan's sig shoe offer, but he's quiet and was with a weak brand in San Antonio, so how does he move shoes in that setting? And the Clippers are just another weak brand, as are the Raptors. Irrelevant franchises. What they do in one season or over the next 5 seasons..frankly the shit doesn't matter. Not in comparison to what the Lakers mean in terms of exposure.

Lakers are always here for the drama, but they're also a stalwart as the top brand and bring bags of the green stuff. Will it be a challenge for his personality type? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, that's why LAL titles are worth more and why their legends last longer. Clippers aren't even certain to be in LA for good, could be playing elsewhere in 10 or so years, and then where does a great Clipper's legacy live on? Look at Gary Payton for example..no team in Seattle, so he has nowhere that honors his contributions on the NBA level. Things to think about if you're on Kawhi's level and legitimate greatness awaits. Easy argument for LeBron to make..more than likely one of the reasons why LeBron said he'd never wear a Clipper uniform. We know those Laker statues in front of Staples aren't going anywhere.

 

I hate the NBA.

I know I've been caught groveling for the likes of Bryce Harper and other stars to join the Dodgers, but basketball is the only sport where the solution is always poaching or luring a player away from another team.

"All we need to do is replace the entire roster with player x, y, and z".

The front office and players are more focused on players from other teams than the ones already on the roster. No other sport, man.

So gross. Unwatchable.

Same goes with head coaching. the next guy is always the savior.

Lakers arent winning anything for a long long time. Couldn't care less.

 

Sounds like Juwan Howard aced his interview. Wish he was open to leaving Miami, anyway, for an assistant's gig at least

 

" Just got a chance to read some of these articles about Rob Pelinka supposedly promising me I'd stay in LA. Wanted to clear the air and say that is not the case. This league is a business and we all know it. Rob and I had and still have a great relationship. " - Larry Nance Jr. 4/30/19



Seems more realistic. Even if Pelinka had told him as much, would've been dumb or naive of Nance to buy it. Good to see he's not whining about it all. He never really seemed like a snowflake, but you can never be too sure. The business isn't cut out for everyone.

 

give me millions and millions to play a game and I'll go every year to a different city.

 

Of course, many of them do just that and not by their own choice. And then some guys actually do get promised and that doesn't mean anything either. Look at Derozan. The 1st star to agree to stay in Toronto long term..was promised he wasn't going to be traded and a couple weeks later he was gone. From a great city like Toronto to shitsville San Antonio. He was all about the Raptors and it didn't mean a damn thing. That's the business. This guy's a villain..that org's a villain..nah. All business. Snowflakes need not apply.

 

Lopez came to play tonight. Nothing too crazy, but 3-8 from 3pt land is better than nothing.
Although, he was -12

 

Linda Rambis.." shadow owner of the Lakers " was the topic today on the circuit. Smh Can't get over it. Can there be anything worse? Dr. Buss is doing backflips in his grave. Pelinka's 110% fine in comparison to this Linda Rambis BS. So long as Pelinka does whatever he has to do over the next year to not end up like the Dodgers, he's good.

We cannot look back 20 years from now and have 2010 be the last time the Lakers have won a world championship. 30 world championship-less years in a row is just flat out death. Dr. Buss would be ashamed of that too. Not sure which would be worse for Doc..Lakers going down the path of the Dodgers post '88, or to actually have Linda Rambis pulling strings. This Rambis shit K.O.'s any of the negative reports that have surfaced this year. It's the young Mike Tyson of negative leaks. 1st round TKO

 

I think this is much to do about nothing. Linda Rambis has been an executive with the Lakers a long time, and with literally everyone in the Lakers playing past now gone, I'm not shocked that Jeannie is turning to a familiar face for advice. I think a lot of people would do that under the circumstances. I also get the feeling that because Jeannie is turning to another woman instead of some guy also factors into it.

At the end of the day, Jeannie will be on the hot seat no matter the situation or circumstance. There is almost literally no one else to point to.

This off season is the most crucial in Laker history....I don't think anyone thinks otherwise.

 

Jeanie hasn't even had complete power over the Lakers for a long time, so whatever Linda Rambis' role was before..it's now reportedly at the level of " shadow owner " because Jeanie's own power has increased. And that's flat out ridiculous. These are the Lakers. The top brand global basketball factory. Shit is unacceptable. Jeanie has to have better contacts or she's just ill-prepared to succeed. There are better options out there..don't give a damn if she feels she can't trust them. Jeanie could easily be a shadow owner herself with a lesser role, hand power over to an experienced exec and sit back and watch the show.

Sarver is currently circling Monty Williams for HC of the Suns. If it turns out that Jeanie truly had plans for Williams to coach LAL, but is going to lose out to the 2nd worst owner in the sport, she should just pack it in and sell. A hot seat isn't enough. Owners do what they want..know how long Dolan's been on a hot seat? What's been going on with that NYK franchise for so long in that particular market can absolutely happen to the Lakers. I don't know if this offseason is the most crucial in the team's history because AD will likely still be plenty interested in joining in the summer of 2020, but from a macro-perspective it could be. Jeanie has to get her house in order.

 

Pop staying with the Spurs, new extension, will go ahead and lay in the shit Aldridge/Derozan bed that he's made there in S.A. They've got nothing unless they win the lottery one of these years like they did with Duncan.

And Jeanie probably didn't even reach out with a major $ offer. Smh

 

Murray's coming off a pretty significant knee injury, so I doubt he'll be back to normal next season. And they're still stuck with long 2 dinosaurs Aldridge and Derozan anyway. They need another lottery win to get back to the O'Brien trophy.

But I'd like to know if Jeanie even tried to buy Pop before I start trying to figure out why he didn't want to work with the Lakers. For all we know, it could be well known behind the scenes that Kawhi's not interested in playing for Pop anymore and Kawhi is reportedly Jeanie's #1 target this summer. We'll probably find out since the gossip girls are running the org.

 

D'angebusted. Dummy tried to bring dope on a plane in a bottle of Arizona Iced Tea. Bum shit. He must have thought he was boarding the Soul Plane

 

Good series here between Philly and Toronto. Could go 7, but it definitely feels like Kawhi is outnumbered
Simmons gives Lowry a nutshot

 

Brown doing a solid job staggering Embiid and Simmons
Yeah, Philly has too many all star caliber guys. Too much top end talent
Lol Embiid windmill

 

Pop wasn't going anywhere. Would run counter 200 percent to everything that has ever been written about him if he went to Los Angeles.