crazyeights wrote:sonic the laker wrote:crazyeights wrote:As far as Beas goes, I love guys saying "it's just his brain"....Michael Beasley is not talented enough to be a drop in the bucket for this team. We're not beating anyone off of sheer talent--we just don't have it.
SO what's the best chance at winning? Intelligence, team work, and effort.
Kobe Bryant, Jeremy Lin, Steve Nash, Carlos Boozer, Julius Randle, Ryan Kelly...these are all smart guys.
Jordan Hill, Swaggy, X, Wes, Davis, Sacre, Clarkson...these guys are great teammates, hard workers.
That's our identity. To add some turdbucket who was talented for his age 6 years ago and whose career has been stalling...the dude just doesn't fit. We don't need another chucker, we've got Nick Young and Kobe to put up points. We need glue guys, defenders, specialists--a great team.
Next year's likely to be a wash anyways, so yeah, why not go for a homerun, but at the same time, why ruin cohesion for such a pointless risk. We've already hit rock bottom here, it's time to create a winning culture here, not just pick a name out of the trash.
This year isn't just some nothing year. Odds are we won't get keep our pick. So we've got to audition for the upcoming classes of FAs and really decipher who we want to commit to long-term.
I like all your points, crazyeights. All well articulated. But, I have to disagree with the idea that Beasley would ruin chemistry. I think this team has too many vet leaders, and strong minds, to let any one player bring the team down.
And, if the situation did become too toxic with Beasley, it would be a simple move to just waive him.
Having said that, I'm not starry-eyed at the prospect of the Lakers possibly signing Beasley. But, if I were the Lakers, and I was giving serious consideration to bringing him on board, then I would let him know under no uncertain terms, that he has no leeway for causing problems, or not being fully dedicated to the team. Screw up...you're gone. And, when you screw up on the big stage in L.A....that doesn't bode well for future prospects. And, that's in addition to how things played out in Miami.
If for no other reason, Beasley should give his all, just so he can extend his career. That, or find other work, outside being an NBA player.
ZOOM!
Thanks Sonic, and I get you, my point isn't so much that he'll do something stupid and thus ruin all the chemistry.
My point is: he isn't needed. He isn't the right piece.
If we didn't have Nick Young, then yeah, we would need another guy who could potentially put up 40 points every so often, or 20 on a nightly basis...but we do have Swaggy P...and Kobe...and Lin...I don't think we need much in the way of wing scoring.
What we need are high character guys who all have a role and fill specific needs to help us win. He himself isn't going to be enough talent to add much of anything, yet his weaknesses do not match our needs, IMO. In fact, I'd say they are the exact opposite of the kind of player we should be taking on.
My greater point is this needs to be different from last season. This isn't a bunch of individuals going around, putting up numbers for themselves. This needs to be about the team, forming an identity. Does Beasley really do anything to that effect?
To me, he reeks of last year's MDA funhouse where everyone gets a ride. We need to be much more purposeful going forward, and as much as being a GM is about projecting growth, snatching up potential, it's also about restraint and putting together a cohesive group of men that when added together create something much stronger than their individual talents.
Yeah, I see where you're coming from, crazy. And, yeah, Beasley would have fit in better with last season's Lakers, and MDA's style of play. Not to mention, the absolute depletion of our roster, due to injury.
And, I'd have to concur with your analysis of the situation regarding Beasley fitting the current needs of the Lakers. With the players we have now, I don't believe scoring will be a problem. It's the defense that will be a question. And, your'e right, Beas is definitely not known as a defense/glue player.
But, I think what makes Beas intriguing is his ability to be a mismatch problem for the opposing team, on the offensive end. Consider...Kobe(in his prime) would no question be a mismatch for opposing teams any night. But, with his past injuries, it's a question if that is still the case. And, if it is, to what degree. Certainly not to the degree it was, in years past. Then you look at other guys...Swaggy, Nash, Lin, Boozer, Xavier,...maybe Randle. Those guys can create for themselves, and sometimes for others, offensively. But, not consistently, since they don't have the skill/size to be a decided mismatch, night in and night out.
Beasley, for all his drawbacks, does. He's a big, strong tweener forward. At SF, he's bigger/stronger than most other wing players, and can bully them in the post. At PF, he's quicker, so he can take slower PF's off the dribble, and attack the basket, or pull up for jump shots if they lay off.
Now, seeing my posts, it may seem like I'm coming off as some sort of Beasley apologist, or fan boy, lol. Nothing could be further from the truth. As stated earlier, I'm not sold on Beasley, and would neither be elated, or dejected, if he were to make the team, or not.
But, I'm all in for the Lakers this season, and I'm pulling for them to have a successful season, that goes into the post-season. And, if that means giving a critical look at potential players that may...stress,
MAY...help us. Then, look away. No harm, right?
ZOOM!
