The terribly mediocre Lakers
- Thread starter smastroyin
- Start date
He also doesn't know the difference between "loose" and "lose."
Lavar is like the infamous Hughes2.50, who cubically transformed Hughes/Wang /Sanchez/Joba/Betances into the following average ERA+: 175, 130, 140, 145, and 185, respectively. But unlike LaVar, at least Hughes2.50 had five guys in his "Royal Flush."
Yeah with RFA, isn't Lonzo staying with the Lakers another 4 years if they want him badly enough?
Or LeBron orders the Lakers to get rid of Ball as a precondition of his signing there. Which would be the absolute funniest outcome.
Unless he took the QO deal, which would make him unrestricted after year five.
I'm pretty sure Levar didn't put those words down on paper. It just might be the Lithuanian reporter looosing something in translation. Or transcription.
130 and 139 allowed and 0-2 since the trade. Although IT only played 4 minutes last night. March looks brutal for them but they are 5 wins clear of the “pack”.
I'm there already. I was shooting my mouth off early in this thread about the Lakers winning less than 30 and finishing behind Brooklyn. No one took my wager but since it was for charity anyway I'll make the donation at the end of the season.
Well they're not making the playoffs, so there's a chance of getting major ping pong ball luck.
Cuban was fined $600K for his tanking comments.
Some schedule commentary here: https://www.myajc.com/blog/atlanta-hawks/hawks-might-have-toughest-remaining-schedule-among-tanking-teams/xvgrtMPqK7hxPiDjWesKhJ/.
ATL has hardest schedule. Both DAL and PHO have a bunch of games against fellow tankers (tankees?) and should have a say on who ends up where.
Some schedule commentary here: https://www.myajc.com/blog/atlanta-hawks/hawks-might-have-toughest-remaining-schedule-among-tanking-teams/xvgrtMPqK7hxPiDjWesKhJ/.
ATL has hardest schedule. Both DAL and PHO have a bunch of games against fellow tankers (tankees?) and should have a say on who ends up where.
Yes. Even if they rise to the 14th worst team (right now they're 10th), and just miss the playoffs, there's a 1.3% chance of that pick conveying. A thin reed to grasp for sure, but remember, if the pick does convey it's for a #2 or #3. It can't be #4 or #5. Here's my inspiration:
They are imo getting locked into 9/10/11 and most likely 10th
The tankers are all way clear they are neck and neck with the Knicks, but post Porzingis injury and having nothing to play for they would be stupid not to embrace the tank.
Charlotte is the other but they are playing well and the Heat and Pistons are kind of shit and could be catchable, so I think they may try for that.
I don't think the Lakers are good enough to catch teams with a lead who are better and playing for a playoff spot (and in the Pistons case the job of SVG you'd have to think). The rest of the West teams are also better, with a decent lead and in a playoff battle royale.
Lakers find themselves in a narrow band above the tankers and out of the playoffs.
The tankers are all way clear they are neck and neck with the Knicks, but post Porzingis injury and having nothing to play for they would be stupid not to embrace the tank.
Charlotte is the other but they are playing well and the Heat and Pistons are kind of shit and could be catchable, so I think they may try for that.
I don't think the Lakers are good enough to catch teams with a lead who are better and playing for a playoff spot (and in the Pistons case the job of SVG you'd have to think). The rest of the West teams are also better, with a decent lead and in a playoff battle royale.
Lakers find themselves in a narrow band above the tankers and out of the playoffs.
That seems about right.
btw, Brandon Ingram looked like a star tonight -- just one game but he's been on the upswing all season. Lakers have to be happy with how things are turning. Randle and Ingram really developing. A great draft in Ball, Kuzma, and Hart. Trades to open up space. Now if only they had a solution to Deng...lol ...ah Jimmy Buss, you are missed!
I also wonder if, even with Ball's return, the Ingram as point experiment continues. He's really good at it. In a high ball movement offense could work with Ball et al.
btw, Brandon Ingram looked like a star tonight -- just one game but he's been on the upswing all season. Lakers have to be happy with how things are turning. Randle and Ingram really developing. A great draft in Ball, Kuzma, and Hart. Trades to open up space. Now if only they had a solution to Deng...lol ...ah Jimmy Buss, you are missed!
I also wonder if, even with Ball's return, the Ingram as point experiment continues. He's really good at it. In a high ball movement offense could work with Ball et al.
Nine Lakers in double figures tonight, three (Ingram, Randle, and KCP) had double-doubles. Even Zubac is contributing, Stop the madness.
It sucks that they are likely missing out on the Laker pick this year and "settle" for better of Kings/Sixers next year (unless #1 overall). This is a big man draft and they need to draft the Horford successor to make sure this expected run has longevity.
Have to think SAC 2019 is what Danny expected to get in the end. The outlook for that pick is brighter now than when Danny did the deal.
And this is just the kicker we got for trading Fultz for Tatum.
Josh Hart has a broken bone in his hand and Corey Brewer was sent packing (and headed to OKC). The Lakers have 22 games left and are now fairly thin. There is still a chance than they give up some ground to the true tankers.
Edit: Their next 12 games are against contending teams with only Orlando and Memphis amongst the dreck.
Edit: Their next 12 games are against contending teams with only Orlando and Memphis amongst the dreck.
If they don't win another game the likely end up in the 5-7 range. If they go 4-18 , they likely finish 9th pick
If my math is right, they currently have a 2.9% chance of the pick conveying. Sitting at 26 wins right now there is a decent shot they drop below the Knicks (at 24 wins), which would give a 4.4% chance of getting the pick. Beyond that is the bottom 8, which are basically unreachable since the Lakers have 6-8 more wins then all of them and all those teams will be trying to lose. If they lose their last 22 games (really not happening), I still don't give them below the 7th spot (the knicks and 2 teams at the bottom will somehow win about 1/3 of their remaining games), and finishing 7th would give the pick a 10.7% chance of conveying. Frankly it's more likely that Charlotte or Detroit sink lower (dropping the chance of receiving the pick down to around 2%) than it is the Lakers crashing the bottom 8.
If magic lottery luck ends up conveying this pick, DA has officially entered the spooky zone. Opposing GMs will block his number.
Best to direct our wishcasting efforts to the 2019 Draft thread.
Best to direct our wishcasting efforts to the 2019 Draft thread.
If it's #1, Sixers get it, Celtics get the Sixers' own 1st-round pick.
If it's 2-30, Celtics get the better of the Kings or Sixers' 1st-round picks.
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IIRC the '19 Philly #1 is also protected for the 1st pick.ie. Celts can't get the 1st pick in that draft.
Yes, I'm fairly certain that both the Sixers pick and Kings pick cannot both be #1 at the same time. 
I used "#1" to mean both "1st overall pick" and "1st round pick" there, apologies for the confusion.
I used "#1" to mean both "1st overall pick" and "1st round pick" there, apologies for the confusion.
I'm kind of there, too. Kuzma will never be a core player despite the love his hot start got him.
Btw, fun fact from i just saw on some video clip from Fox Sports: first 25 games Lonzo was at 24% from 3...last 15 games he's 42% from 3. He's not a 42% shooter from 3 (he's going to start getting contested more, that's for sure), but then he was never going to be a 24% shooter despite the hot takes that slow start elicited, either. I'll go further than what I mentioned on the game thread last night -- not only, contrary to common wisdom, is Lonzo not a disappointment, but he's actually better than could have been expected. Or, certainly, better than I expected and I thought he was an obvious pick at #2. What I didn't realize is how good he'd be defensively. There were a lot of hot takes here at the start of the season about how he'd be torched by NBA point guards. Not only is that not true, but he's quite clearly already a + defensive player. Add to that the rebounding, the passing and pace, the steals...the guy is the whole package; he is going to make his teammates seem better than they are for years to come.
Lonzo really seems to have benefitted from his injury break which allowed him time to take a step back to reflect. Most rookies don't get this opportunity until the offseason with many showing a great leap in their second season. It seems as though his time away accelerated this process as he's been flat out nasty upon return including having the game slow down for him which is crucial for a 3-point shooter.
Yup, my rooting has officially switched. I now want Philly's pick to be as poor as possible. Go Lakers. Make the playoffs. Make the Western Semis, for all I care.
Ingram has really impressed me with his play making ability. He could actually make the Simmons/Ingram thing a debate in a year or two.
Also, is there a lot of hype around Kuzma? I don't pay much attention to the talking heads. Seems like a Marcus Morris type.
Also, is there a lot of hype around Kuzma? I don't pay much attention to the talking heads. Seems like a Marcus Morris type.
Ingram made that standard sophomore leap that successful young players typically make in shooting the ball as well. Took his 3-point shooting from 29% to 38% after showing this ability at Duke shooting them at 41% including many from the NBA range.
Kuzma is a pure scorer who goes at it hard. I like the Morris comp/role for him. Not a star but he's going to be around for a long time scoring the ball.
I could go either way on Ingram v. Kuzma, but give me Ben Simmons every day and twice on Sunday over either of them (if that's even a discussion).
Kuzma is -129 and worst on his -1.7 team. Ingram is -109.
Both can score, and there's certainly some reason for optimism. But only IT and Kuzma are worse than Ingram on the Lakers, and most of that IT suck occurred in Cleveland.
Both are horrible by RPM as well, especially Kuzma (who's God-awful).
In a league where Tim Hardaway Jr. makes what he makes, someone will pay Kuzma to dump in empty points for a long time.
But if I could select any guy on that team in an expansion draft, it would be Ball. And that decision would take two seconds to make.
Both can score, and there's certainly some reason for optimism. But only IT and Kuzma are worse than Ingram on the Lakers, and most of that IT suck occurred in Cleveland.
Both are horrible by RPM as well, especially Kuzma (who's God-awful).
In a league where Tim Hardaway Jr. makes what he makes, someone will pay Kuzma to dump in empty points for a long time.
But if I could select any guy on that team in an expansion draft, it would be Ball. And that decision would take two seconds to make.
They just beat the Spurs in San Antonio without Ingram to make if 5 in a row and sweep a four game trip.
Ball hit 6 threes to go with 7 boards and 11 assists.
Ball hit 6 threes to go with 7 boards and 11 assists.
The Spurs without Kawhi and Aldridge are basically the Austin Toros but Lakers are clearly playing some good basketball. This team is absolutely on the right track.
Yup this. At this point Cs aren’t getting barring a miracle. I hope they win out
How do you define "empty points?" Kuzma isn't dropping 15 of his 18 in the 4th quarter of blowouts like a Nick Young, which is the very definition of that term, he's scoring throughout the game against both starters and reserves. We used to hear the same about Jamal Crawford and Jordan Clarkson when they scored against whatever defenses were thrown at them as well.......damn, we heard it about Isaiah when he was in Sacramento. Kuzma would be an optimal second unit option on a playoff team who struggles to create shots which is always a challenge and a role that these teams badly need.