Monday, July 13, 2015
SPL: Lakers vs. 76ers impressions (07/13/15)
The Lakers summer league team was back in action Saturday night. This time they faced off against the 76ers and a guy they were expected to draft, Jahlil Okafor. Julius Randle did not play as a precaution set by the training staff. He's completely healthy to play, but they don't want to rush him back. He will play tonight against the Knicks.
Here's what I saw from each player:
D'Angelo Russell
- In this game Russell had some struggles with turnovers. There were a few times where he dribbled into heavy traffic or tried a risky pass
- He tried to get in the lane more this game. He's got a euro step in his arsenal. Would love to see him work on his first step and get some more explosion out of it.
- His shooting looked good even on the misses. And he had threw a few beautiful passes that his teammates weren't expecting. They'll learn to be ready for anything when Russell is on the floor.
Julius Randle
- DNP
Jordan Clarkson
- There's almost no point to covering Clarkson here. His game is too advanced for the SPL level. He shook a defender out of his shoes at one point and just made him look silly. As I said previously he's playing to get reps with the rest of the Lakers young core.
Robert Upshaw
- This was another solid defensive effort by Upshaw. He's a guy who will be able to change the complexion of a game with his defense. He did it in this one as he stuffed Okafor several times.
- You can tell that he's still really rusty and is far behind in the strength training as compared to other rookies. But with time he'll get it together
- One very encouraging thing about him, he runs the floor pretty well for his size
Anthony Brown
- This game showed more of that fire from him that I wanted to see. He had a few blocks and locked up the opposing PG on one possession
- His outside shot looks pretty reliable to me
- I'm impressed with Anthony Brown thus far
Tarik Black
- Nothing new to report still on Tarik. He's doing a solid job.
Larry Nance Jr.
- "Larry!! Larry!! Larry!!" The crowd was chanting his name so I guess he was doing something right haha.
- This game shows why the Lakers drafted him. Larry was all over the floor. Pinning Okafor's shot against the glass and skying in for putback dunks got the crowd going wild. That's his game. Hustle plays, athleticism, and defense. If the other team doesn't box him out....look out below!!
- Good performance by Nance Jr.
The Lakers will play again tonight at 5:30pm PST against the Knicks summer league team. I'll have analysis up on that as soon as I can.
Also, coming up soon on July 23rd I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. We're at about 54% funded right now. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then hit the give to teams button to select "2015 - Kenya Team 1" and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Thanks for reading, go Lakers!!!
Saturday, July 11, 2015
First Impressions: Lakers Summer League (07/11/15)
They say first impressions are the most important. Well if that's true, then in this humble blogger's opinion the Lakers have a very bright future ahead. All of the Lakers rookies took the floor for the first time last night as professionals. The team ended up losing the game, but each player showed flashes of what they can be in this league, and that's pretty much what you want to see out of summer exhibition play.
Here's what I saw from each player:
D'Angelo Russell
- Cooler than the other side of the pillow, he came out calm and collected. The moment wasn't too big for him.
- He hit shots, showed his bball IQ with his passing, and looked more than comfortable running the offense
- He competed defensively.
- Russell made a few rookie mistakes like getting a backcourt violation when he didn't realize the NBA rules were different from college.
- Overall Russell will continue to adjust to the pace of the NBA and become one of the main offensive orchestrators on the team.
Julius Randle
- Got to whatever spot he wanted on the court when he wanted. He was by far the strongest player playing.
- Looked really rusty and missed easy shots he normally makes. He was out of rhythm until the end of the 4th
- He didn't let the game come to him and tried to force the issue a little bit
- His conditioning is much improved and he looked very athletic, getting a putback dunk and a driving dunk over Payne
- Overall this was promising for Randle. As he gets more time we'll see him back to the level he was at in the preseason last year. That was when he was mixing up the jumper with his driving game nicely.
Jordan Clarkson
- This dude was on a whole other level from everyone else on the court. He had a nice duel with Zach Lavine too.
- He looked poised, athletic, and his jumper is getting deadly
- Clarkson was just better than everyone last night. His experience and the work he has been putting in shows. Check out the highlights
- Overall he's mostly playing in SPL to gain chemistry with the rest of the Lakers young core. He's doing a great job
Robert Upshaw
- He looked awkward and out of shape at times, but above all else this kid competed. He went right at the number 1 overall pick in Karl Anthony Towns. They had a nice battle that got a little heated.
- Even out of shape he impacted the game defensively by getting 3 blocks
- He has a little bit of a nasty attitude when he competes. Like MWP did. The kind of dude you love on your team and hate when he's not.
- Overall I was impressed. And so were the Lakers because they signed him to a contract! Exactly what I wanted to happen. Bye Sacre.
Anthony Brown
- Played his role well. Hit open shots and played solid defense
- He made a few mistakes lie everyone else but he did what is asked of him.
- Overall I like him and his game. I want to see if he has that fire to compete or if he is laid back all the time
Tarik Black
- Overall he looks much the same as last year, which isn't a bad thing. He should be a solid backup center until Upshaw is ready or if the Lakers want to run small ball
Larry Nance Jr.
- A lot of what he did won't show up in the highlight reel unless they show his poster dunk attempt.
- Overall he hustled a lot and showed his tremendous motor. He'll get mor playing time tonight with Julius Randle held out as a precaution by the training staff
The Lakers will play again tonight at 5:30pm PST against the 76ers summer league team. I'll have analysis up on that as soon as I can.
Also, coming up soon on July 23rd I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. We're at about 48% funded right now. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then hit the give to teams button to select "2015 - Kenya Team 1" and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Thanks for reading, go Lakers!!!
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
What to look for in Summer League (07/08/15)
The first chance to see the Lakers play basketball this year will be in the Las Vegas Summer League. They'll tip-off at 5:30 PST against the Minnesota Timberwolves. You'll be able to catch the games on TWC Sportsnet or NBATV. The Lakers full summer league roster is posted below.
Some of these players don't have much of a shot of making the Lakers team during the regular season. They will be competing to make other rosters of find a job overseas. For the players that are expected to remain on the Lakers after the summer league ends, let's discuss three questions to watch for in their play.
D'Angelo Russell
1) Will his elite passing and shooting displayed in college translate, with more athletic defenders guarding him?
2) Will he be able to defend point guards and shooting guards without being a liability?
3) Can he lead a team at this level?
Julius Randle
1) Has his jumper become consistent?
2) Has he improved his conditioning, pick setting, and pace of play (knowing when to attack and when to hold back)?
3) Is he healthy?
Jordan Clarkson
1) Has his 3 point shooting improved?
2) Has his on ball defense improved?
3) How does he adjust to playing off ball with Russell?
Robert Upshaw
1) Can he be an elite defensive center as he was in college?
2) How does he gel with Randle, Russell, Clarkson?
3) Can he mature and not regress to drugs or breaking rules?
Anthony Brown
1) How well does he shoot from 3?
2) Can he defend other perimeter players well?
3) How good is he at picking up the offensive concepts?
Tarik Black
1) Has he added any outside range to his game?
2) Does he still have that high motor that makes him effective?
3) Is his defense improving?
Larry Nance Jr.
1) What does his jump shot look like?
2) Will he do all the dirty work to make the team more effective?
3) Can he posterize at least one person in summer league?
As a team
1) How does the young core gel on/off the court?
2) Do they play a brand of basketball that will equate to wins down the line?
3) Do they compete as hard as they can regardless of the outcome?
I plan on watching as much of summer league as I can. It should be a lot of fun. This is the most talented summer league team the Lakers have probably ever had. And while the end result doesn't matter much, expect the Lakers players to compete hard. These are all highly competitive guys who want to win no matter what the stakes. Next article will be a summary after the first game :)
Also, coming up soon on July 23rd I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then hit the give to teams button to select "2015 - Kenya Team 1" and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Thanks for reading, go Lakers!!!
Tarik Black, C, 6-9, 250, Kansas/USA
Anthony Brown, G/F, 6-7, 210, Stanford/USA
Jabari Brown, G, 6-4, 215, Missouri/USA (out with eye injury)
Dwight Buycks, G, 6-3, 190, Marquette/USA
Jordan Clarkson, G, 6-5, 185, Missouri/USA
Will Davis II, F, 6-8, 210, UC Irvine/USA
Tony Mitchell, F, 6-6, 216, Dolomiti Energia Trento (Italy)/USA
Xavier Munford, G, 6-2, 180, Rhode Island/USA
Larry Nance, Jr., F, 6-9, 230, Wyoming/USA
Julius Randle, F, 6-9, 250, Kentucky/USA
D'Angelo Russell, G, 6-5, 195, Ohio State/USA
Robert Upshaw, C, 7-0, 258, Washington/USA
HEAD COACH: Mark Madsen (Stanford)
ASSISTANT COACHES: Larry Lewis (Morehouse), Thomas Scott (Pasadena CC)
ATHLETIC TRAINERS: Marco Nunez (Cal Poly Pomona), Nina Hsieh (Cal State Fullerton)
Some of these players don't have much of a shot of making the Lakers team during the regular season. They will be competing to make other rosters of find a job overseas. For the players that are expected to remain on the Lakers after the summer league ends, let's discuss three questions to watch for in their play.
D'Angelo Russell
1) Will his elite passing and shooting displayed in college translate, with more athletic defenders guarding him?
2) Will he be able to defend point guards and shooting guards without being a liability?
3) Can he lead a team at this level?
Julius Randle
1) Has his jumper become consistent?
2) Has he improved his conditioning, pick setting, and pace of play (knowing when to attack and when to hold back)?
3) Is he healthy?
Jordan Clarkson
1) Has his 3 point shooting improved?
2) Has his on ball defense improved?
3) How does he adjust to playing off ball with Russell?
Robert Upshaw
1) Can he be an elite defensive center as he was in college?
2) How does he gel with Randle, Russell, Clarkson?
3) Can he mature and not regress to drugs or breaking rules?
Anthony Brown
1) How well does he shoot from 3?
2) Can he defend other perimeter players well?
3) How good is he at picking up the offensive concepts?
Tarik Black
1) Has he added any outside range to his game?
2) Does he still have that high motor that makes him effective?
3) Is his defense improving?
Larry Nance Jr.
1) What does his jump shot look like?
2) Will he do all the dirty work to make the team more effective?
3) Can he posterize at least one person in summer league?
As a team
1) How does the young core gel on/off the court?
2) Do they play a brand of basketball that will equate to wins down the line?
3) Do they compete as hard as they can regardless of the outcome?
I plan on watching as much of summer league as I can. It should be a lot of fun. This is the most talented summer league team the Lakers have probably ever had. And while the end result doesn't matter much, expect the Lakers players to compete hard. These are all highly competitive guys who want to win no matter what the stakes. Next article will be a summary after the first game :)
Also, coming up soon on July 23rd I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then hit the give to teams button to select "2015 - Kenya Team 1" and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Thanks for reading, go Lakers!!!
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
The Lakers select...who?? Larry Nance Jr. & Anthony Brown (07/07/15)
While much of the attention post draft has been drawn by the Lakers number 2 overall pick, D'Angelo Russell, the Lakers also selected two other players on June 25th. As first team all-NBA rookie Jordan Clarkson proved last year, sometimes it doesn't matter where you're drafted but how hard you work. Let's take a look at the Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown.
Larry Nance Jr. (Selected #27)
Position: Forward
Height: 6-8 ▪ Weight: 235
College: Wyoming
Career: 123 G, 11.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.4 APG
Nance is guy who is really athletic. He comes from a basketball background since his father played in the NBA for 13 seasons and was a 3 time all-star. He describes himself as a hustle player who will do all the dirty work necessary to secure a win. Once he matures and gets used to the NBA, I see him a high energy guy off of the bench who can change the momentum of the game with a big time dunk or a dive on the floor for a loose ball. Think of him as a much more coordinated and athletic Mark Madsen. He'll be the glue guy that keeps everyone together. Check out the videos below to see some of his dunks in college and get a feel for his personality. He has a decent jumper even if the release is a little awkward. I think his playing time will largely be dependent on if he becomes a liability on the offensive end.
Anthony Brown (Selected #34)
Position: Forward
Height: 6-6 ▪ Weight: 215
College: Stanford
Career: 145 G, 10.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.6 APG
Anthony Brown grew up as a life long Laker fan. Being from LA he saw all of the Kobe era championships. This kid was in awe even when he did the pre-draft workout for the Lakers. He worked out with other potential prospects on a day where Kobe happened to stop by the facility. In his interview afterwards he stated he could "feel Kobe's presence" LOL. That's a Laker fan through and through. On the court he wants to be a "3 & D" small forward. He wants to focus on taking opportunities as they come to him since this team has a lot of shot creators, and on defending the other teams' best perimeter players. Brown has been studying the games of players like Khris Middleton and Demare Carroll. Those are good guys for him to emulate. He has the talent to follow their game patterns. If Brown can be a dead eye shooter from 3 and a solid defender, the Lakers will have made an excellent pick. See the videos below.
The Lakers will start summer league play this Friday at 5:30pm PST. This will be our first look at all of the Lakers' young talent together. The roster has D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Robert Upshaw, Anthony Brown, Tarik Black, and Larry Nance Jr. Stay tuned. My next article will covering what we should look for and expect from each player in summer league. Should be very excited for the Lakers!
Also, coming up soon on July 23rd I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then hit the give to teams button to select "2015 - Kenya Team 1" and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Thanks for reading, go Lakers!!!
Larry Nance Jr. (Selected #27)
Position: Forward
Height: 6-8 ▪ Weight: 235
College: Wyoming
Career: 123 G, 11.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.4 APG
Nance is guy who is really athletic. He comes from a basketball background since his father played in the NBA for 13 seasons and was a 3 time all-star. He describes himself as a hustle player who will do all the dirty work necessary to secure a win. Once he matures and gets used to the NBA, I see him a high energy guy off of the bench who can change the momentum of the game with a big time dunk or a dive on the floor for a loose ball. Think of him as a much more coordinated and athletic Mark Madsen. He'll be the glue guy that keeps everyone together. Check out the videos below to see some of his dunks in college and get a feel for his personality. He has a decent jumper even if the release is a little awkward. I think his playing time will largely be dependent on if he becomes a liability on the offensive end.
Anthony Brown (Selected #34)
Position: Forward
Height: 6-6 ▪ Weight: 215
College: Stanford
Career: 145 G, 10.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.6 APG
Anthony Brown grew up as a life long Laker fan. Being from LA he saw all of the Kobe era championships. This kid was in awe even when he did the pre-draft workout for the Lakers. He worked out with other potential prospects on a day where Kobe happened to stop by the facility. In his interview afterwards he stated he could "feel Kobe's presence" LOL. That's a Laker fan through and through. On the court he wants to be a "3 & D" small forward. He wants to focus on taking opportunities as they come to him since this team has a lot of shot creators, and on defending the other teams' best perimeter players. Brown has been studying the games of players like Khris Middleton and Demare Carroll. Those are good guys for him to emulate. He has the talent to follow their game patterns. If Brown can be a dead eye shooter from 3 and a solid defender, the Lakers will have made an excellent pick. See the videos below.
The Lakers will start summer league play this Friday at 5:30pm PST. This will be our first look at all of the Lakers' young talent together. The roster has D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Robert Upshaw, Anthony Brown, Tarik Black, and Larry Nance Jr. Stay tuned. My next article will covering what we should look for and expect from each player in summer league. Should be very excited for the Lakers!
Also, coming up soon on July 23rd I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then hit the give to teams button to select "2015 - Kenya Team 1" and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Thanks for reading, go Lakers!!!
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Target Acquired, Permission to Fire - 2015 Free Agency (06/30/15)
Now that the draft is over the Lakers can focus their attention on NBA free agency. Free agency starts tomorrow, July 1st, and there's about a week moratorium when teams can officially sign players to contracts. So who is available and who should the Lakers target? That's probably a question best answered by first knowing how much spending money the Lakers have. LA should have about $23m in cap space this summer. There is a small chance that they could trade Nick Young and Ryan Kelly which could get them in the ball park of $29m to spend. However that is unlikely to occur. So assuming the Lakers will have about $23m in space (plus a small $2.8m exception), let's look at their roster and see where the needs are:
Roster as of 06/30/2015
Guards (PG or SG)
Jordan Clarkson
D'Angelo Russell
Kobe Bryant
Nick Young
Jabari Brown
Wings (SF)
Anthony Brown
Bigs (PF or C)
Julius Randle
Tarik Black
Ryan Kelly
Larry Nance Jr.
Robert Sacre
The Lakers have the most need at the wing position and at the center spot. At the moment they don't have starting quality NBA talent at those positions. It is possible for them to play other players in those spots, for example Kobe and Nick Young are capable of playing SF if need be, but it is less than ideal. Mitch Kupchak will look to fill these holes as best he can this summer. But he will go into free agency with the understanding that he may not be able to fill all the holes in one offseason, and that it's not possible to get an all star at every position either.
So let's a take a look at some of the names the Lakers have been linked to in rumors. Remember that rumors are worth about as much as we pay for them. In this case they're free so...take from that what you will lol :). I'll also include if I think that player would be good for this team or not and why. In the last section I'll discuss my top 2 hopes for this summer's FA signings.
Player Rumored to be signed by the Lakers
Kevin Love - Do not want - Most people would say why don't you want Love? My answer is simple. He's injury prone and doesn't play much defense. In addition to that he commands $19m in salary. We only have $23m to spend. I'll pass on him. 2 years ago I would have loved to have him.
Rajon Rondo - DO NOT WANT - Notice I put this one in all caps? It's for emphasis. He can't play effectively anymore, shoots free throws worse than Dwight Howard, has an attitude worse than Dwight Howard's, and would take playing time away from our young guards in Clarkson and Russell. Even if the league paid us to take him I still wouldn't sign him. Puke.
DeAndre Jordan - Yes please - He fills the gaping hole we have at center. He's a rim protector and he's athletic enough to run on the break. He's also an excellent rebounder. He finishes everything within reach of the basket at a high percentage. He'd take up nearly all of our $23m in cap space but he'd be worth it because he brings a lot of things we desperately need. The only downside is his free throw shooting. But it's been statistically proven that strategy actually works against the team using it. Would love to have DJ on this team.
LaMarcus Aldridge - I guess - I'm on the fence about this one. He's an all-star player with lots of experience. My reservation only comes from the fact that he doesn't have the rim protection that we need and in the past he's been hesitant to play at center. Like Love and DJ he would take up essentially all of the open space we have. It's worth noting that while I'm on the fence about this I don't think the Lakers are, they would sign him in a heart beat if given the opportunity.
Greg Monroe - No thanks - Monroe will likely wind up on the Knicks which is a good thing because I certainly don't want him here. He is too slow to be a good defender at the power forward or center position. And his offensive game is really inefficient.
Those are some of the more well known players rumored to be pursued by the Lakers. For a full list of 2015 NBA free agents go here: http://www.nba.com/freeagents/2015/
My plans for the Lakers free agency are very simple. Go after the best player available. If you don't get him, then get complimentary role players/pieces since Kevin Durant, Mike Conley, etc. will be free agents next year.
Plan A: Sign DeAndre Jordan ($19m), Sign a SF with the remainder Alfariq Aminu/Rudy Fernandez/Dorrell Wright ($4m)
Plan B: Sign Tyson Chandler ($12m), Sign Danny Green ($11m)
Let me explain Plan B a bit because I haven't talked about those players before. Tyson Chandler is pretty much the same style of player as DeAndre Jordan. He is much cheaper than Jordan because he is much older. He's 32. However he can still be a solid contributor, and he'd serve as the perfect mentor to a player like Robert Upshaw who is currently signed to the Lakers summer league team. Chandler would get a chance to finish off his career in his hometown and make one last decent contract. Danny Green would be able to play SF or SG. His specialty is shooting 3 pointers at a high percentage and playing pretty good defense. He is a solid veteran with championship experience from San Antonio. Adding another vet to the locker room helps Kobe and he'd also be a good mentor for Anthony Brown who the Lakers drafted at #34. To me there wouldn't be much of a drop off from Plan A to Plan B. Although Plan A makes a much bigger splash in marketing and ratings.
The next article will cover the Lakers other two draft picks this year, Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown, so stay tuned!
Also, on July 23rd I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then hit the give to teams button to select "2015 - Kenya Team 1" and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Thanks for reading, go Lakers!!!
Roster as of 06/30/2015
Guards (PG or SG)
Jordan Clarkson
D'Angelo Russell
Kobe Bryant
Nick Young
Jabari Brown
Wings (SF)
Anthony Brown
Bigs (PF or C)
Julius Randle
Tarik Black
Ryan Kelly
Larry Nance Jr.
Robert Sacre
The Lakers have the most need at the wing position and at the center spot. At the moment they don't have starting quality NBA talent at those positions. It is possible for them to play other players in those spots, for example Kobe and Nick Young are capable of playing SF if need be, but it is less than ideal. Mitch Kupchak will look to fill these holes as best he can this summer. But he will go into free agency with the understanding that he may not be able to fill all the holes in one offseason, and that it's not possible to get an all star at every position either.
So let's a take a look at some of the names the Lakers have been linked to in rumors. Remember that rumors are worth about as much as we pay for them. In this case they're free so...take from that what you will lol :). I'll also include if I think that player would be good for this team or not and why. In the last section I'll discuss my top 2 hopes for this summer's FA signings.
Player Rumored to be signed by the Lakers
Kevin Love - Do not want - Most people would say why don't you want Love? My answer is simple. He's injury prone and doesn't play much defense. In addition to that he commands $19m in salary. We only have $23m to spend. I'll pass on him. 2 years ago I would have loved to have him.
Rajon Rondo - DO NOT WANT - Notice I put this one in all caps? It's for emphasis. He can't play effectively anymore, shoots free throws worse than Dwight Howard, has an attitude worse than Dwight Howard's, and would take playing time away from our young guards in Clarkson and Russell. Even if the league paid us to take him I still wouldn't sign him. Puke.
DeAndre Jordan - Yes please - He fills the gaping hole we have at center. He's a rim protector and he's athletic enough to run on the break. He's also an excellent rebounder. He finishes everything within reach of the basket at a high percentage. He'd take up nearly all of our $23m in cap space but he'd be worth it because he brings a lot of things we desperately need. The only downside is his free throw shooting. But it's been statistically proven that strategy actually works against the team using it. Would love to have DJ on this team.
LaMarcus Aldridge - I guess - I'm on the fence about this one. He's an all-star player with lots of experience. My reservation only comes from the fact that he doesn't have the rim protection that we need and in the past he's been hesitant to play at center. Like Love and DJ he would take up essentially all of the open space we have. It's worth noting that while I'm on the fence about this I don't think the Lakers are, they would sign him in a heart beat if given the opportunity.
Greg Monroe - No thanks - Monroe will likely wind up on the Knicks which is a good thing because I certainly don't want him here. He is too slow to be a good defender at the power forward or center position. And his offensive game is really inefficient.
Those are some of the more well known players rumored to be pursued by the Lakers. For a full list of 2015 NBA free agents go here: http://www.nba.com/freeagents/2015/
My plans for the Lakers free agency are very simple. Go after the best player available. If you don't get him, then get complimentary role players/pieces since Kevin Durant, Mike Conley, etc. will be free agents next year.
Plan A: Sign DeAndre Jordan ($19m), Sign a SF with the remainder Alfariq Aminu/Rudy Fernandez/Dorrell Wright ($4m)
Plan B: Sign Tyson Chandler ($12m), Sign Danny Green ($11m)
Let me explain Plan B a bit because I haven't talked about those players before. Tyson Chandler is pretty much the same style of player as DeAndre Jordan. He is much cheaper than Jordan because he is much older. He's 32. However he can still be a solid contributor, and he'd serve as the perfect mentor to a player like Robert Upshaw who is currently signed to the Lakers summer league team. Chandler would get a chance to finish off his career in his hometown and make one last decent contract. Danny Green would be able to play SF or SG. His specialty is shooting 3 pointers at a high percentage and playing pretty good defense. He is a solid veteran with championship experience from San Antonio. Adding another vet to the locker room helps Kobe and he'd also be a good mentor for Anthony Brown who the Lakers drafted at #34. To me there wouldn't be much of a drop off from Plan A to Plan B. Although Plan A makes a much bigger splash in marketing and ratings.
The next article will cover the Lakers other two draft picks this year, Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown, so stay tuned!
Also, on July 23rd I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then hit the give to teams button to select "2015 - Kenya Team 1" and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Thanks for reading, go Lakers!!!
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Lakers #loading (06/28/15)
With the 2nd pick in the 2015 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select...D'Angelo Russell from The Ohio State University." NBA commissioner Adam Silver uttered these words Thursday night as the Lakers used their highest draft pick since James Worthy in 1982.
It's safe to say most Lakers fans were a bit surprised by the pick. Not because Russell was undeserving, but because it had almost been a forgone conclusion that the Lakers would simply select whichever big man prospect that was not picked at #1. This is because the Lakers have a rich history of talented big men who have helped them produce championships. Additionally the Lakers have a gaping hole at the center spot on their roster right now. I could actually start at center for the Lakers, and you wouldn't notice a drop off in performance from last season. Putting two and two together, most fans and sports writers believed the Lakers would select a center since we need one, and the two available were projected to be really good.
Enter D'Angelo Russell.
I'll admit I was surprised they picked him too. But not in a bad way. Like in the way you're surprised when you leave work on a Friday, and there's no traffic on the way home. It was a pleasant surprise! I didn't think the Lakers would go against conventional wisdom that says you should pick a big over a small. Ever since Russell was brought to my attention last year, it was clear this dude can play the game of basketball. But we'll get to that in the next section. Even better still for the business side of the house, D'Angelo has that LA personality. He has a ton of natural charisma and isn't afraid of the spotlight. In the end I think that, combined with his skills, made him a can't miss pick for the Lakers. One which I agree with. (I had him at #2 on my personal board after Towns).
The Lakers also had two other draft picks which they used on Larry Nance Jr (#27) and Anthony Brown (#34). They also offered summer league contracts to forward Branden Ashley and center Robert Upshaw. I will cover these players in a follow on post :). I'm really excited about Upshaw. We're desperate for a center and he's got all the skills we would need at that position. His only question mark is if he can get his head on straight. Much more or follow on that. He has the potential to be an even bigger steal than Jordan Clarskon...
So let's take a look at D'Angelo Russell and see what kind of player he was in college, and what type of player he can be in the NBA. Here are some of his strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
Passing ability/IQ
Shooting
Ball handling
Unselfish but not afraid to take over
Weaknesses
Doesn't have elite athleticism
Lacks strength
Needs better moves for finishing at the rim
NBA comparison (play style): Stephen Curry, James Harden, Manu Ginobli
Russell plays the game very smoothyly. What I mean by that is he's always in control. He controls the pace and tempo of the game. He's able to manipulate the defense with his high basketball IQ, and sees plays develop before they happen. He always makes the right pass at the right time. Whether it leads directly to he assist or it is the pass the leads to the assist he usually has his hand in it. Additionally, because he is a deadly shooter off the dribble or in catch and shoot situations it makes the defense have to respect him. They can't give him too much space so it opens up lanes for his passing game.
D'Angelo is equally adept at playing up tempo as he is at playing in a half court offense. With him, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle the Lakers have 3 promising younger players who can all initiate the offense by creating for themselves or others. It will make for EXCITING basketball a few years down the road. Without further ado, here's a great highlight video showing Russell's play style:
Laker fans should be excited about the future with D'Angelo Russell on board. They obviously saw enough talent in him to take a risk in drafting him against conventional wisdom over Jahlil Okafor. More posts to follow on his development. The next two articles will be on what moves the Lakers should make in free agency and a look at the other two draftees from Thursday night.
Also, in a month I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then select Kenya Team 1 and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Go LAKERS
It's safe to say most Lakers fans were a bit surprised by the pick. Not because Russell was undeserving, but because it had almost been a forgone conclusion that the Lakers would simply select whichever big man prospect that was not picked at #1. This is because the Lakers have a rich history of talented big men who have helped them produce championships. Additionally the Lakers have a gaping hole at the center spot on their roster right now. I could actually start at center for the Lakers, and you wouldn't notice a drop off in performance from last season. Putting two and two together, most fans and sports writers believed the Lakers would select a center since we need one, and the two available were projected to be really good.
Enter D'Angelo Russell.
I'll admit I was surprised they picked him too. But not in a bad way. Like in the way you're surprised when you leave work on a Friday, and there's no traffic on the way home. It was a pleasant surprise! I didn't think the Lakers would go against conventional wisdom that says you should pick a big over a small. Ever since Russell was brought to my attention last year, it was clear this dude can play the game of basketball. But we'll get to that in the next section. Even better still for the business side of the house, D'Angelo has that LA personality. He has a ton of natural charisma and isn't afraid of the spotlight. In the end I think that, combined with his skills, made him a can't miss pick for the Lakers. One which I agree with. (I had him at #2 on my personal board after Towns).
The Lakers also had two other draft picks which they used on Larry Nance Jr (#27) and Anthony Brown (#34). They also offered summer league contracts to forward Branden Ashley and center Robert Upshaw. I will cover these players in a follow on post :). I'm really excited about Upshaw. We're desperate for a center and he's got all the skills we would need at that position. His only question mark is if he can get his head on straight. Much more or follow on that. He has the potential to be an even bigger steal than Jordan Clarskon...
So let's take a look at D'Angelo Russell and see what kind of player he was in college, and what type of player he can be in the NBA. Here are some of his strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
Passing ability/IQ
Shooting
Ball handling
Unselfish but not afraid to take over
Weaknesses
Doesn't have elite athleticism
Lacks strength
Needs better moves for finishing at the rim
NBA comparison (play style): Stephen Curry, James Harden, Manu Ginobli
Russell plays the game very smoothyly. What I mean by that is he's always in control. He controls the pace and tempo of the game. He's able to manipulate the defense with his high basketball IQ, and sees plays develop before they happen. He always makes the right pass at the right time. Whether it leads directly to he assist or it is the pass the leads to the assist he usually has his hand in it. Additionally, because he is a deadly shooter off the dribble or in catch and shoot situations it makes the defense have to respect him. They can't give him too much space so it opens up lanes for his passing game.
D'Angelo is equally adept at playing up tempo as he is at playing in a half court offense. With him, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle the Lakers have 3 promising younger players who can all initiate the offense by creating for themselves or others. It will make for EXCITING basketball a few years down the road. Without further ado, here's a great highlight video showing Russell's play style:
Laker fans should be excited about the future with D'Angelo Russell on board. They obviously saw enough talent in him to take a risk in drafting him against conventional wisdom over Jahlil Okafor. More posts to follow on his development. The next two articles will be on what moves the Lakers should make in free agency and a look at the other two draftees from Thursday night.
Also, in a month I'll be apart of a team doing missionary work in Kenya. We'll be working in Kibera Slums which is the largest slum in Africa and is home to over 2 million people. There is one toilet with plumbing for every 2000 people there. We are in need of prayers and financial assistance. If you'd like to give you can at the link below:
www.wateroflifecc.org/gorgive
Register and then select Kenya Team 1 and my name is Jason
Thank you SO MUCH for your help. Any amount counts :)
Go LAKERS
Friday, October 10, 2014
Pre-season Impressions (vs Nuggets & Warriors) 10/10/14
The dawn of another Lakers season is upon us and there is a lot to be excited about!! :) :)
The Lakers have a completely overhauled roster from last season. Which is good news for those who don't enjoy setting franchise records for losses. 2013-2014 was an injury filled year for our Lakers (led the league by a wide margin in that category). It's one that we'd all like to quickly forget.
So this year we have some new young talent, and a rejuvinated old guy named Kobe Bean Bryant. I'm really looking forward to watching the development of Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, and Jeremy Lin. They all are being put into a good position to succeed thanks to the mentorship of Kobe, Nash, and Carlos Boozer. Additonally the Lakers hired a new coach in Byron Scott who is looking to bring back the championship culture of the Laker brand which evaded the last two head coaches.
Impressions
For full game analysis check the one and only Dancing Barry threads over at Lakers Ground. I won't be doing more detailed anlaysis until the regular season starts. This is because the team is experimenting with different lineups, players, schemes, etc. instead of being focused on winning the game. Instead I'll focus on the impression I've gotten from each player through training camp and the pre-season games.
vs. Nuggets: http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=170280
vs. Warriors: http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=170325
Nash - Played well in his 20 minutes of action vs. Denver. They sat him out to rest against Golden State. He seemed to be moving well and was more agressive shooting the ball than he was last season. It appears to be a point of emphasis from coach Scott.
Bryant - He is operating from the free throw line extended just like he said he would. He's doing much less ball handling. He is running the offense from the post positions. His ability to score and draw fouls still exists despite his elevation on the jumper not being as high. I look to see him get in even better shape as the season progresses and start to test the waters with his slashing game. Defensively he's had good and bad spots. But he looks capable and I don't think he will get abused on that end.
Johnson - Still has minimal impact on the games. He'll do probably 2 things a game that make you notice him. Other than that you forget he is playing. Wesley needs to play better.
Boozer - His 15 footer has been automatic. His defense has been below average. And most of his drives to the basket have been blocked. Maybe it's just because of pre-season, but I'd like to see him play with more fire.
Hill - Looked good in the first game against Denver. Didn't do much in the second game. If this trend continues he will lose his starting spot to Ed Davis.
Lin - Looks a little shaky at times while trying to find his role in the offense, but overall I've liked his play. He is crticial to the Lakers making the playoffs. I think when he settles in he will have a good season. He has the talent.
Clarkson - He has made some rookie mistakes when it comes to shot selection and defense, but his effort is unquestionable and he's made some good things happen on the court in both games. He's looking to be the scorer of the 2nd unit with Swaggy P being out. Unfortunately he strained his calf in the last game and is expected to miss at least a week. Get well soon Jordan!
Ellington - Has been competing as the backup 3 even though he is a 2. I think he's demonstrated that he can shoot the basketball (which is why the Lakers signed him as a Jodie Meeks replacement). I think he's performed slightly above expectations so far.
Randle - Looked good in both games. He got off to a rocky start in the 2nd one though after taking forced shots and then hesitating on wide open jumpers. He cleaned up his mistakes toward the end of the game and showed flashes of the superstar caliber player that he can be. The best part about it is that he recognizes his weaknesses and he works on them.
Davis - He has impressed many with his play in the first two pre-season games. He had great pick and roll chemistry with Lin in game 1, then he continued to impress with his defense and effort in against the Warriors. If he keeps this up he will be starting.
Price - Did not play against the Nuggets. Showed some defensive hustle in the second game. He can shoot if open, but he can't really orchestrate an offense.
Sacre - Looks the same as last year except with a slightly improved jumper.
Tyler - Got a few mins to play in the Warriors' game, but did not show anything other than bricked jumpers. In his defense he was in the game with all 3rd stringers though.
Smith - See Tyler.
Swaggy - Injured (Wrist)
Kelly - Injured (Hamstring)
Henry - Injured (Back)
The next game will be Sunday against the Warriors again at 6:30pm.
The Lakers have a completely overhauled roster from last season. Which is good news for those who don't enjoy setting franchise records for losses. 2013-2014 was an injury filled year for our Lakers (led the league by a wide margin in that category). It's one that we'd all like to quickly forget.
So this year we have some new young talent, and a rejuvinated old guy named Kobe Bean Bryant. I'm really looking forward to watching the development of Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, and Jeremy Lin. They all are being put into a good position to succeed thanks to the mentorship of Kobe, Nash, and Carlos Boozer. Additonally the Lakers hired a new coach in Byron Scott who is looking to bring back the championship culture of the Laker brand which evaded the last two head coaches.
Impressions
For full game analysis check the one and only Dancing Barry threads over at Lakers Ground. I won't be doing more detailed anlaysis until the regular season starts. This is because the team is experimenting with different lineups, players, schemes, etc. instead of being focused on winning the game. Instead I'll focus on the impression I've gotten from each player through training camp and the pre-season games.
vs. Nuggets: http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=170280
vs. Warriors: http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=170325
Nash - Played well in his 20 minutes of action vs. Denver. They sat him out to rest against Golden State. He seemed to be moving well and was more agressive shooting the ball than he was last season. It appears to be a point of emphasis from coach Scott.
Bryant - He is operating from the free throw line extended just like he said he would. He's doing much less ball handling. He is running the offense from the post positions. His ability to score and draw fouls still exists despite his elevation on the jumper not being as high. I look to see him get in even better shape as the season progresses and start to test the waters with his slashing game. Defensively he's had good and bad spots. But he looks capable and I don't think he will get abused on that end.
Johnson - Still has minimal impact on the games. He'll do probably 2 things a game that make you notice him. Other than that you forget he is playing. Wesley needs to play better.
Boozer - His 15 footer has been automatic. His defense has been below average. And most of his drives to the basket have been blocked. Maybe it's just because of pre-season, but I'd like to see him play with more fire.
Hill - Looked good in the first game against Denver. Didn't do much in the second game. If this trend continues he will lose his starting spot to Ed Davis.
Lin - Looks a little shaky at times while trying to find his role in the offense, but overall I've liked his play. He is crticial to the Lakers making the playoffs. I think when he settles in he will have a good season. He has the talent.
Clarkson - He has made some rookie mistakes when it comes to shot selection and defense, but his effort is unquestionable and he's made some good things happen on the court in both games. He's looking to be the scorer of the 2nd unit with Swaggy P being out. Unfortunately he strained his calf in the last game and is expected to miss at least a week. Get well soon Jordan!
Ellington - Has been competing as the backup 3 even though he is a 2. I think he's demonstrated that he can shoot the basketball (which is why the Lakers signed him as a Jodie Meeks replacement). I think he's performed slightly above expectations so far.
Randle - Looked good in both games. He got off to a rocky start in the 2nd one though after taking forced shots and then hesitating on wide open jumpers. He cleaned up his mistakes toward the end of the game and showed flashes of the superstar caliber player that he can be. The best part about it is that he recognizes his weaknesses and he works on them.
Davis - He has impressed many with his play in the first two pre-season games. He had great pick and roll chemistry with Lin in game 1, then he continued to impress with his defense and effort in against the Warriors. If he keeps this up he will be starting.
Price - Did not play against the Nuggets. Showed some defensive hustle in the second game. He can shoot if open, but he can't really orchestrate an offense.
Sacre - Looks the same as last year except with a slightly improved jumper.
Tyler - Got a few mins to play in the Warriors' game, but did not show anything other than bricked jumpers. In his defense he was in the game with all 3rd stringers though.
Smith - See Tyler.
Swaggy - Injured (Wrist)
Kelly - Injured (Hamstring)
Henry - Injured (Back)
The next game will be Sunday against the Warriors again at 6:30pm.
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