February 21st, 2017

Nothing much is happening with the Lakers these days right? I guess just a complete change in leadership and a trade of their leading scorer on Tuesday.  Other than that, nothing much.

We knew it was coming, but just didn’t know when or how.  It happened on Tuesday.  Magic Johnson replaced Jim Buss as head of Basketball Operations, and fired Mitch Kupchak as General Manager.  They also let go of long time publicist John Black.  It was all orchestrated by Jeanie Buss, who didn’t hide behind Magic.  The moves didn’t stop there.  The Lakers acted swiftly, hiring NBA player agent, Rob Pelinka as their new General Manager.  They also traded leading scorer Lou Williams to Houston for Corey Brewer and a 1st round pick in 2017.

Let’s start with the leadership change.  You have to give Magic credit.  He has guts.  He had a good relationship with Mitch Kupchak, yet concurred with Jeanie that it was time for a new vision.  It was time to stop reaching into their past to try and fix the future.  You all thought that’s what was going to happen with Magic, but he ended up making a completely out of the box hire in Rob Pelinka.

I feel terrible for Kupchak.  He has been part of the Lakers organization for the last 30 years, and spent the last 17 years as their General Manager.  He also helped assemble the last five Laker Championship teams.  He probably lost his job because Jim Buss proclaimed that the Lakers would be competitive within three years.  That never happened.  Kupchak has made some sensational trades over the last 15 years.  Trading for Pau Gasol, finding gems like Trevor Ariza before anybody knew who he was, and signing Metta World Peace to a below market contract.  He traded for Chris Paul and saved the Lakers $20 million along the way before the league vetoed it.  Contrary to the nonsense you might hear, he’s draft well over the last three years too.  However, his downfall was letting Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol walk away without compensation.

Then there’s Jim Buss.  Nobody really feels bad for Jimbo.  Even though he gets removed from Basketball Operations, he still retains his piece of ownership of a franchise that is worth over $3 billion.  Still, Buss isn’t the buffoon that most of you think he is.  His basketball acumen is actually very good, but he let his ego get in the way.  Most notably when he didn’t re-hire Phil Jackson as head coach in 2012, and instead went through a series of poor coaching choices: Mike Brown, Mike D’Antoni, and Byron Scott.  He also naively believed that the top free agents of the last few years would just sign with the Lakers simply because of their history and location.  Buss had the resources around him to succeed, but refused to leverage them because of his ego.

The tension between Jim and Jeanie heightened after the Phil Jackson debacle, and has remained.  The communication between Jeanie and the Basketball Operations department has only gotten worse.  They never even told her about the Byron Scott hire a few years ago.  Nor did they mention to Magic or Jeanie their recent attempts to acquire DeMarcus Cousins.  No organization can succeed without communication between its top leaders, and a unified vision from them.  The Lakers have that now with a new regime in the front office.

On one hand, had the Lakers waited to hire a GM, they might have had a number of options from existing executives around the league, and some good ones.  It’s also a little disappointing to know that Jerry West isn’t going to be coming back, even as an advisor.  However, Rob Pelinka is a forward-thinking hire, who understands the complex new CBA.  He has a number of relationships with players around the league.  That’s going to help when it comes to free agency.  Drafting and scouting is going to be critical however, so he’ll have to rely on what remains of the Laker front office for that.  Nevertheless, you have to appreciate the decisiveness the Lakers acted with in hiring Pelinka, in the same forward thinking way they hired Luke Walton.

In addition to all this chaos, Magic somehow kept things together and the team even managed to pull off a good trade today.  Lou Williams needed to be traded, and the 1st round pick was much needed.  I’m nit picking here, but I would have rather seen a much higher first round pick in this years draft from a team like Charlotte or Indiana.  I would also have rather seen a few expiring contracts like KJ McDaniels and Nene Hilario come back in the trade instead of Corey Brewer, who is due $7 million next year.  Still, the most important aspect of the trade is that the Lakers improved their chances of keeping their top 3 protected pick, and opened up more playing time for D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson.

Hopefully the Lakers aren’t done yet and can find a way to trade Nick Young as well before Thursdays trade deadline.  Either way, the Lakers new leadership is bold and exciting.  Let’s just hope it brings them back where they belong.

 

February 15th, 2017

Well that went badly.  The Lakers skidded into the All-Star break, losing to the Suns 137-101 on Wednesday night in Phoenix.  Eric Bledsoe led the way for the Suns with his third career triple double, and Devin Booker added 23 points of his own.

Bledsoe finished with 25 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds, as the Suns set season highs in points and in field goal percentage, shooting 55% from the floor.  Bledsoe hit a half court shot at the buzzer at the end of the 1st half.  It was also the Suns 11th straight victory at home against LA.

The Lakers got 21 points each from D’Angelo Russell and Lou Williams, but nothing else went right for them.  They lacked energy from start to finish, they shot 37% from the field, and they were crushed on the glass by a margin of 59-36.

LA heads into the All-Star break losing 3 of it’s last 4.  The only good news is that they moved closer to the Suns in the standings, with the Lakers only a half game in front of the Suns in the Western Conference.  Phoenix has the second worst record in the NBA, and the Lakers 1st round pick in 2017 is top 3 protected, so finishing in the bottom 3 wouldn’t hurt.

The Lakers next game isn’t until February 24th, one day after the NBA’s trade deadline.  The leads to the question of whether or not Lou Williams and/or Nick Young have played their last game with LA.  Both veteran guards are generating interest around the league, and one General Manager even confirmed to Basketball Insiders’ Alex Kennedy that the Lakers have been discussing Williams in trade talks.

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak also confirmed that there has been a lot more activity lately.  “We are active, yes.  We’re active every year. … Quite frankly compared to the last three or four years, we have a lot of talent on this roster that I think a lot of people have interest in — varying levels of interest. I would think there’s more meaningful discussions this year than there have been the last two or three years,” Kupchak said.

Whether that activity leads to any trades remains to be seen.  However, the Lakers would benefit a great deal from moving veteran players from their roster, especially if it means adding future 1st round picks, and opening up more playing time for their young players to develop.

February 15th, 2017

Lou Williams led a fierce fourth quarter rally, but the Lakers came up short against the Kings at Staples Center on Tuesday night, losing 97-96.

 

Williams scored 19 of his 29 points in the 4^th, including two game-tying baskets in the final two minutes. However, DeMarcus Cousins had 40 points and 12 rebounds, including the Kings final 10 points.

 

Cousins made 1 of 2 free throws with 9 seconds left in the game, after being fouled by Larry Nance Jr. That put the Kings up by 1 point. Williams attempted a potential game-winning three, which sailed wide right of the basket at the buzzer.

 

The Lakers outscored the Kings 18-10 in the paint and 12-0 on fast-break points in the 4^th quarter. LA was trailing 70-64 after three quarters. They got as close as two at one point in the 3^rd, but Sacramento went on a 9-0 run to extend the lead to 11 points.

 

Other than Williams, Julius Randle and Nick Young were the only Lakers in double figures. Young scored 10 points and Randle had 11. However, Randle and D’Angelo Russell didn’t play in the 4^th quarter.

 

“They earn that chance”, said Lakers coach Luke Walton. Walton also felt like he had to ride the hot hand with Williams. “When Lou is having the type of game he was having, we weren’t gonna take him out,” he explained.

 

The Lakers have lost 4 of their last 6 games, and have just 1 game left tonight before the All-Star break. The Lakers will be visiting the Phoenix Suns, in a game that is critical for both teams potential draft lottery positioning.

February 11th, 2017

Magic is back with the Lakers, but only Jeanie Buss really knows what’s going to happen.  However,   since Magic has been named an advisor, he’s been making noise by telling the media that he wants to be the one “calling the shots”.

Since he was named an advisor, all I’ve heard are the Colin Cowherd’s of the world criticize the Lakers for being unable to turn the page from the past, and that it would be silly to let Magic be the one in charge of the Lakers Basketball Operations Department.  For those people that think that, you are missing the point.

Magic Johnson has made nearly half a billion dollars since retiring from the NBA.  He’s one of the most successful business men in the country.  The man currently has too many successful businesses to count, yet it feels like he jumps from one business to the other in a very short amount of time.  How is this possible? The answer is that he knows how to delegate, and how to surround himself with smart people that will make him successful.  That’s why his businesses continue to run while he moves on to his next venture.

When Magic Johnson says he hopes he will be “calling the shots” with the Lakers Basketball Operations Department, most of you are envisioning that he’s going to be the teams’ Scout, General Manager, and Capologist all in one.  That’s not the case.  All Magic is saying is that just like with his businesses, he wants to have the final say.  He’s smart enough to know that only by adding more smart people in the room, he will make these smarter final decisions.

Some of the smartest executives in the NBA (R.C. Buford, Travis Schlenk, Masai Ujiri, etc) are guys you’ve never heard of.  However, if Magic is put in charge, his success will be determined by whether or not he can pluck those kinds of executives from other teams.   Based on his track record of success, it seems like a pretty good bet he can pull something like this off.  That’s not to say that Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss won’t be with the Lakers anymore.  They’ve done enough to prove their worth.  They might just need more help given the challenges of the new collective bargaining agreement.

Just don’t doubt Magic Johnson.  The man knows his strengths and his limitations.  That self-awareness is actually what really makes everything he works on a success.  That’s exactly why Jeanie Buss brought him back into the picture.

February 10th, 2017

The Lakers started fast and held on in Milwaukee on Friday for a 122-114 win over the Bucks.  Nick Young scored 26 points while Lou Williams poured in 21 off the bench, to overcome a career-high from Bucks All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.  Antetokounmpo scored 41 points but it wasn’t enough, as the Bucks played their first game without Jabari Parker since losing him to a torn ACL.

LA scored 47 points in the 1st quarter, which was the most by any team in the league this season.  They led 76-55 at the half, setting their season high in points in any half this season, while shooting a blazing 69% from the field.

The Lakers led by as many 27 points, and 19 going into the 4th quarter, but the Bucks wouldn’t go away.  Greg Monroe’s layup with a minute left brought Milwaukee within 5 points, but they would get no closer.  LA knocked down 8 straight free throws to put the game away.  It was their 2nd victory in the last 3 games.

The win wraps up a 5 game trip for LA, in which they went 2-3.  It also comes just one day after Coach Luke Walton put the team through one of their toughest practices of the season.  That practice was filled with tons of running, which was unusual for the team at the end of a long trip.  With seven players in double figures and 25 assists, it looks like they benefitted from it.

The Lakers return home to play Sacramento on Tuesday night, followed by a trip to Phoenix for their last game before the All-Star break.  LA is now 19-37, which is already two more wins than the team had all of last season.  And some of you thought the Lakers wouldn’t be better.

April 13th, 2016

We’ve all done it.  You go to a party, and you say goodbye.  Except after you say goodbye, you take your conversations all the way to the door and you say goodbye again. Only to continue your conversation on a walk to the car and you say goodbye once more.  Finally, you get the car, roll down your window, continue the conversation a little more, but then you realize, it’s time to drive down the road and really say goodbye.  This has been the Kobe Bryant farewell tour.  It’s been a long goodbye, but rightfully earned.  Tonight at Staples Center, Kobe will give that final goodbye against the Utah Jazz.  Are you ready? I know I’m ready for it to end.  Kobe is definitely ready for it to end as well.

It’s not a sad moment.  It’s a celebration, and one that is so big, I felt that it would have truly been minimized by slamming it into my usual Monday Morning Coffee column.  If anything, the farewell tour has been therapeutic, because it’s helped distract you a little from the fact that the Lakers stink.  The only thing sad about it is the fact that when it’s over, you will have to face the reality that the Lake Show has some serious work to do.  More than anything though, the lengthy farewell tour has really put into perspective just why Kobe Bryant is so special.

Yesterday, Karl Malone appeared with Dr J on SportCenter to talk about his memories of Kobe.  The same Malone that was irritated when Kobe called him off when he tried to set a pick for him in the 1998 All Star Game.  The same Karl Malone that had beef with Kobe when the Mamba claimed he was hitting on his wife in 2005.  After all that, Malone explained that despite playing 19 years in Utah,  Kobe was somebody that he wished he could have played with longer than the one season he did.  He had deep respect for the fact that after every game, Kobe was feverishly studying what he did wrong, even in the games he played exceptionally well.  Malone even called Kobe a friend.  That’s how much respect Kobe commands.

That’s exactly what the Kobe farewell tour is all about.  Kobe has plenty of die hard supporters.  He also has plenty of haters.  The last few months have given even those haters the chance to show him respect for everything he’s done, and how he’s approached the game.  NBA fans all over the country are flocking to arenas like Geese, chanting his name, just to get one last glimpse of his greatness.  They also want to show him respect because he commands it with his approach, if nothing else.  You may not agree with that approach, but that dedication to greatness deserves the celebration.

When great talent meets great work ethic, you get Kobe Bryant.  My favorite thing about The Black Mamba is his accountability.  For twenty years, he has accepted the responsibilities that go with being an NBA superstar for the most successful franchise in the modern era.  That has meant dedicating himself to improving as a player, a leader, and a man since he came into the league as a teenager.  That also has meant playing through injuries with regularity, because Kobe appreciates the fan that works hard and pays big money for a ticket to see him play once a year.  You can’t ask for anything more if you are a Laker fan, since most of them have the expectation of winning championships.

I don’t know about you, but not only do I watch sports because it’s a therapeutic escape from reality, but I also watch in hopes of witnessing those unbelievable moments of history and greatness.  Whether it was his 81 point game, five championships, his streak of 9 straight 40+ point games, his streak of 4 straight 50+ point games, or numerous shots that made you drop your jaw because of the degree of difficulty, Kobe gave us countless moments of greatness.

For many Laker fans in Southern California, Kobe feels like part of their family.  For the last twenty years, he has been the Los Angeles Lakers.  He’s had ups and downs like your kids do, but it’s all just part of the journey.  However, more than anything, Kobe is an inspiration to us all.  He not only knew that he wanted to be an NBA player, but he set out to be one of the greatest of all time, and he accomplished that.  That drive and dedication to greatness is something that everyone should admire, and take with them in whatever endeavors they pursue.  So after twenty years, thank you Kobe, for being an inspiration to us all.  It’s been a long goodbye, but it’s been well worth it.

 

 

 

January 1st, 2014

The Lakers are sinking faster than the Titanic.  Half their roster is injured, the other half is barely talented enough to play in the NBA.  Their coach is a terrible fit for the roster, the team can’t play defense, and Jim Buss looks like the Tommy Boy of the NBA right now.

The news isn’t all bad though.  The Lakers should have at least $30 million in cap space this summer, and probably a lottery pick in the 2014 draft, which is expected to be the best in the last decade.  They also have one of the most savvy general managers in the NBA, in Mitch Kupchak, who has already shown he can rebuild a championship team very quickly.

The question the Lakers need to ask themselves is this: how determined are they to build a championship contender in the next two years, with Kobe still under contract?  The Lakers can either surround Kobe with some veteran players this summer,  or take a little bit slower process in hopes of building a team that can contend for a longer period of time.  Here are a few ideas:

Plan 1: Trade Pau Gasol, Steve Blake, and Chris Kaman to Chicago for Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng, and a 2015 1st round pick.

Explanation:  This trade would take the Lakers out of the running for any big 2014 free agents like Lebron or Carmelo, but it keeps them competitive in the West for the next season.  LA would probably re-sign Deng, and have a core of Kobe, Deng, Boozer, and their 2014 lottery pick.  The Bulls do this to save money, and begin a rebuild.  Boozer’s deal expires after next season, so LA could potentially still try to sign Kevin Love in the summer of 2015, and have even more flexibility in 2016 when Kobe’s contract expires.  This doesn’t make the Lakers a championship contender, but puts them back in the playoffs in the West.  The only issue here is that Boozer would probably struggle a lot in Mike D’Antoni’s system, since he isn’t the typical “stretch 4” D’Antoni likes.

Plan 2: Trade Pau Gasol to Cleveland for Andrew Bynum, Dion Waiters, and a 2015 1st round pick.    Sign Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitski in the summer of 2014.

Explanation: The Lakers would acquire Bynum to waive him and get themselves under the luxury tax this season, and they also get two assets out of it.  Carmelo could get close to a max deal in LA, with an early opt out in his contract to make up what he lost by leaving NY.  If the Mavs miss the playoffs, Dirk could strongly consider leaving Dallas, and take a paycut to play in LA with Kobe and Carmelo for his final year or two.  LA would have a core of Kobe, Carmelo, Dirk, Dion Waiters, and their 2014 lottery pick.  This would be an interesting team that would score a lot of points, but could have some problems defending.  The Lakers also take themselves out of the running for any 2015 free agents going this route, and ‘Melo probably wouldn’t be amenable to playing in LA if Mike D’Antoni were still the head coach.

Plan 3 – Trade Chris Kaman, Jordan Hill, and Shawne Williams to Oklahoma City for Kendrick Perkins, a 2014 1st round pick(from Dallas) , and a 2015 1st round pick.  Trade Pau Gasol and Steve Blake to Cleveland for Andrew Bynum, Dion Waiters, Anderson Varajeo, a 1st round pick in 2014, and a 1st round pick in 2015.  Sign Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo in the summer of 2015, and sign Kevin Durant in the summer of 2016.

Explanation – This is a much more long term plan.  The Lakers take on the Perkins and Varejao contracts, which takes them out of the running for any major 2014 free agents.  However, they get a good young player in Waiters, and four 1st round picks over the next two seasons.  Waiving Bynum also gives the Lakers some luxury tax savings as well.  The Thunder and Cavs would be interested in these deals because they need to win now.  This trade also gives LA a shot at really bottoming out this year, for a low 2014 lottery pick.  The Lakers would then have four more 1st rounders (including two in 2015),  a young asset in Waiters, and the expiring contracts of Perkins and Varejeo to dangle in a trade for Love or Rondo, while signing the other as a free agent.  By the 2015-2016 season, LA could have a core of Rondo, Love, Kobe, their 2014 lottery stud, and their two more 1st round picks.  Once Kobe comes off the books in 2016, they can go after Durant or even Russell Westbrook.  The challenge to this plan will be convincing Kobe and the Laker fans to be patient through a rebuild.

Notice how each of these plans involves trading Pau Gasol.  Although he has been instrumental in the last two Laker championships, it’s clear he has mentally checked out and is unhappy.  It’s unlikely the Lakers will be able to re-sign Pau this summer at the discounted rate they would hope for, so LA should get something for him.

Another major issue with the Lakers plan moving forward, is what to do with Mike D’Antoni.  It’s very obvious that D’Antoni needs very specific type of players in his system to be effective.  If LA plans to stick with D’Antoni, it eliminates the possibility of Carmelo Anthony coming to the Lakers, and would force them to build their team around an elite point guard moving forward.  Buss and Kupchak need to figure out what the identity of their roster is before moving forward.

You might have noticed that none of the options listed include Lebron James signing with the Lakers this summer, or LA signing restricted free agents Eric Bledsoe or Greg Monroe.  None of those options are realistic.  One way or another, the fans need to be patient.  In most NBA cities, a 2-3 year rebuild is fantastic.  In LA, it fees like an eternity.  A quick fix will likely lead to many years of futility.  However, if LA starts a rebuild now that is similar to plan 3, they might even be contending again before Kobe retires.

December 1st, 2013

I’m all for loyalty in sports, but the Lakers made a very poor choice earlier this week.  They gave Kobe Bryant, 35 years old and coming off surgery to repair a torn achilles tendon, a 2 year contract extension for $48.5 million.  Kobe will earn $23.5 million next year, and $25 million the season after that.  That’s roughly one-third of the Lakers entire salary cap number, and definitely leaves the Lakers with limited flexibility for the remainder of the Kobe era.

Look, I get it.  Kobe is one of the greatest players in NBA history, and is probably the greatest Laker of all-time.  He’s also worth a lot more to the Lakers brand, and the value of the franchise, than the $48.5 million he’ll be getting paid over the next two years.  I even get that Kobe is taking a pay cut from the $30 million he made last season, and that can’t be easy to deal with when you are married to the demanding Vanessa.  Still, the Lakers usually make decisions based on winning, not based on business, and I’m not so sure winning had anything to do with this.  Kobe and the Lakers both know better than this.

First, Kobe has yet to play a game since tearing his achilles tendon last spring.  He may return next week, but who knows what level he will be playing at when he returns. Will he be the player that averaged 27 point per game last season?  Or will he be a shell of The Black Mamba?  If he can’t be The Black Mamba as we know him, then where does that leave the Lakers and their $48.5 million dollar investment?  And what other free agents would want to play with Kobe when he is no longer the player we’ve known him as?

Even if Kobe does return to form, the Lakers can now only afford 1 more max salary player.  Try as they might, that player won’t be Lebron James.  So let’s say they are able to sign the next best player on the market next summer, which is Carmelo Anthony.  Do we really think that a core of Carmelo, Kobe, and a bunch of role players will contend for an NBA championship?  Probably not.  The Lakers probably won’t even be able to re-sign Pau Gasol anymore, after giving Kobe this huge deal.  Pau will probably command at least $10 million per year, which will make the Lakers hard pressed to do so if they pair Carmelo with Kobe.  Don’t forget the Lakers will probably have to pay Steve Nash at least $3 million if they waive him.

The Lakers could have really pulled a fast one on the NBA here.  Kobe could have taken a two year deal for $20 million, and they would have had chance to pair Kobe with ‘Melo and Lebron, or ‘Melo, Rajon Rondo, and Kevin Love.  Even if Kobe had taken between $10-15 million a year, LA would have had the ability re-load with a powerhouse team very quickly.  Now, their best chance to acquire more talent is to trade for some of these younger studs who will be free agents in 2015.  The problem is, they lack the assets to do so.  Sure they have a roster full of expiring contracts, but they don’t have many draft picks, since they sent out a few of those for Steve Nash, who is older than the bible.

The decision to do this seems so dumb, you almost have to wonder if the Lakers were given some kind of indication that they weren’t going to get Lebron or Carmelo this summer.  Knowing Jim Buss, he probably realized that the only way he was going to get those guys to sign in LA, was if Phil Jackson was helping him recruit, and he’d probably not want to recruit anybody at all than work with his soon to be brother-in-law.

When you listen to Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss talk about this decision, they mention how much Kobe has meant to this franchise, and how great it is having him play 20 years with the Lakers.  However, there was no mention of winning championships from either of them.  Maybe they realize  that it probably won’t happen in the next two years.  Kobe was never going to leave the Lakers, and I’m sure he believes that with just one more max player, they can win another championship.  It’s a great attitude to have from your franchise player, but that doesn’t make it realistic.  The Lakers have signed up for two more years of mediocrity.

 

 

October 27th, 2013

At this very moment last year, Laker fans were sure their team was going beat the crap out of the entire league.  Instead, their team ended up being a total bust, and the season was a nightmare.  Now, just the thought of the NBA season starting up has me rolling my eyes.  The Lakers are still coached by the same dumb schmuck that ruined their season last year, Mike D’Antoni, and their lineup is a mess.  I’m sure many of you are thrilled that Dwight Howard is gone, but in the short-term,  things are going to much much worse.

Let’s start with the biggest problem: health.  Kobe Bryant still has no idea when he will be returning.  Earlier this week, Kobe said he had to scale back his conditioning activity to give his surgically repaired achilles tendon more time to recover.  There’s no doubt that Kobe will be back on the floor at some point this season, but the question is what type of player he will be.  If he’s anything less than the Kobe we saw last season, that won’t be good enough for the Lakers, or for Kobe.

Then there’s Steve Nash, who’s teammates are very concerned about his health.  Nash was plagued by injuries last season.  He’s now 40 years old, and he’s been suffering from ankle and neck soreness in the preseason.  D’Antoni said that Nash will be starting the season opener against the Clippers on Tuesday, but may sit out the following night against Golden State, to preserve his aging star.  Nash’s injuries are making him look more and more ineffective by the day, and with another two seasons and $18 million left on his contract, he’s quickly becoming a horrible deal.

Even if the Lakers can overcome their health issues, they’ll have to rely on some very questionable role players to say the least.  Shawne Williams will likely be the starting power forward, Nick Young will be the starting small forward, and Wesley Johnson will playing major minutes as well.  All of them are NBA journeyman, who cannot be relied upon to play 30 minutes a night in the NBA.  Chris Kaman has shown some decent chemistry with Pau Gasol during the pre-season, but you can guarantee he’s going to get hurt like he usually does.  Jordan Farmar has shown some promise as well, but he’ll likely be the same up and down player he was in his last stint with the team.

Ok, I’ll try to be positive here.  Pau Gasol will finally get moved back to center, where he’ll be in his natural position, and should see more post up opportunities.  That’s about the only good thing going on the floor for the Lakers.  Off the floor, the team will have plenty of salary cap space heading into next summer, as nearly every player comes off the books.  The Lakers will be chasing Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, and other big name free agents.  Whether or not they will land them is another story,

The irony of it all is that the Lakers put together a nice 28-12 run at the end of last season to make the playoffs.  This was done by slowing the pace of the game down, pounding it into the post, which ultimately led to playing better defense.  For some reason, Mike D’Antoni decided it would be a good idea to go back to his run-and-gun, who-gives-a-crap about defense style of play, which will doom the Lakers this season.  Yes, the team is finally younger and more athletic with the likes of Farmar, Young, and Williams.  However, they are also far less talented, and even worse defensively.

Don’t expect a fast start either folks.  The Lakers first 10 games are against the Clippers, Warriors, Spurs, Hawks, Mavericks, Rockets, Minnesota, New Orleans twice, and Denver.  Without Kobe, they’ll be lucky to win 5 of those 10.

It’s going to be bad.  Far worse than most of us think.  Unless Kobe comes back soon, and starts tearing it up, this team is lottery bound.  That may not be such a bad thing, with an amazing draft class coming out next year.  Here are my predictions:

West:

1. San Antonio Spurs – They are old, but they’ll still be in the mix for the top spot.  Coach Greg Popovich knows how to get his aging stars enough rest, while pushing them hard enough at the right moments.

2. LA Clippers – The Clipps will be better coached this year, and have some better role players around CP3.  They’ll also benefit from a few teams in the West who have taken a step back.  The big question: how much has Blake Griffin improved?  The Clipps will go as far as he takes them.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder – These guys still have two of the most dynamic players in the game in Durant and Westbrook.  However, they lost Kevin Martin, and their cheapskate owner, Clay Bennett, is preventing them from retaining key pieces that could put them over the top.

4. Houston Rockets – Led by the dynamic duo of Dwight Howard and James Harden, the Rockets have vaulted themselves into the upper half of the Western Conference.  The question is, will Dwight fit in with the Rockets pick and roll heavy offense?  Will he make free throws?  Will be cry like a little girl if things don’t go his way?

5. Golden State Warriors – Adding Andre Iguodola will help the Warriors perimeter defense, and also help their already great outside shooting.  If Steph Curry and Andrew Bogut can stay healthy, they’ll be right back in the thick of the West playoff race.

6. Memphis Grizzlies – The loss of Lionel Hollins is big.  The Grizz also got exposed by the Spurs last year.

7. Denver Nuggets – New coach.  Loss of Iguodola.  Temporary set back.

8.  Dallas Mavericks – They settled for a lot of 2nd tier free agents, but Monta Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki might be enough fire power to get back to the playoffs.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves – Lots of talent, but they’ve never been able to stay healthy long enough to make the playoffs.

10. LA Lakers – No Kobe for an extended period, and this team is lottery bound.

11. New Orleans Pelicans – Good young talent, but how will the mesh?

12. Portland Trailblazers- Still can’t win on the road

13. Sacramento Kings – Will all these lottery picks eventually pay off?

14. Utah Jazz – Too many off-season losses

15. Phoenix Suns – They are ready for the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes

Eastern Conference:

1. Miami Heat – Lebron and the Heat still own the world until somebody knocks them off.  But 4 straight trips to the NBA finals is tough for any team.

2. Indiana Pacers- They are knocking on the door.

3. Chicago Bulls – Rose is back and looking great, but do they have enough talent around him to come out of the East?

4. Brooklyn Nets – Could be a playoff sleeper.  How much do Garnett and Pierce have left in the tank?

5. New York Knicks – Big year for Carmelo, especially if he plans on staying in NY after this year.

6. Detroit Pistons – Much improved with Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings.

7. Washington Wizards – Playoff team if they stay healthy.

8. Boston Celtics – They aren’t quite as bad as they think.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers – If Kyrie Irving could stay healthy, along with Andrew Bynum, maybe they finally live up to the hype.

10. Toronto Raptors – Strong finish to last season, but can they build on it?

11. Atlanta Hawks – They lost their best player in Josh Smith, and didn’t add much else.

12. Milwaukee Bucks – They lose Ellis and Jennings. Does this team even know what direction they are going in?

13.  Charlotte Bobcats – I suppose the addition of Al Jefferson will move them up a few spots from the basement

14. Orlando Magic – These guys are aiming for another high lottery pick

15. Philadelphia 76ers – Strong favorites to win the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes.

 

NBA Finals Prediction :    Indiana Pacers over the San Antonio Spurs in 6 games.

 

 

August 6th, 2013

When we look back at the 2013-2014 NBA season for the Lakers, and we try to remember when their season was over, the answer will emphatically be when the schedule came out.  The NBA released the schedule for the upcoming season, and it’s practically a mine field for the Lake Show.

LA opens the season on Tuesday, October 29th against the Clippers, followed by a trip to face the Warriors in Oakland the following night.  That will be the first set of 19 back-to-back games for the purple and gold.  To make matters worse, the Spurs will be rolling into Staples Center on Friday, November 1st, so the Lakers could easily be 0-3.

If you think the beginning is bad, wait until you hear about March and April.  Over an 8 day stretch in March, the Lakers will play the Clippers, Denver Oklahoma City twice, and San Antonio twice!  That’s a beat down down in a dark ally just waiting to happen.  Oh yea….and 5 of their last 6 games of the season are against playoff teams from last year, including a trip to San Antonio to finish the regular season.

Some of the other highlights (or maybe low-lights?) on the schedule include a trip to Houston on Thursday November 7th, where they’ll face former Laker Dwight Howard for the first time since his departure.  Howard and the Rockets will visit Staples Center for the first time on Wednesday February 19th.  I expect the boo birds to be in full effect for Dwight.

Then there’s also the annual Christmas day game, where this year, the Lakers will host the 2-time defending NBA Champion Miami Heat at Staples.  This year’s grammy trip will run from January 15th to January 26th, which will feature visits to Phoenix, Boston, Toronto, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, and New York.

I guess David Stern is so excited to see the Lakers get crushed this year that he will be putting them on national TV 29 times, which is more than any other team.  The real question though is if the team gets off to a rough start, will Mike D’Antoni be fired before the season ends?  Laker fans can only hope.