Is There a Point in Kobe?

[ALL HAIL]

Kobe Bryant looked his absolute best this year when he ran the offense.

I believe that Kobe's best role for the Lakers next year is as a 28 minute per game point guard.

Do you think he'd be successful and efficient in that role?

Can he carry the workload that comes with being the primary facilitator?

[Danny Darko]

point forward maybe, but you still need him guarding a 2 or 3. 1's would blow by him especially considering his limited interest in lock down D over the last few years.

Definitely might be a good thing if Clarkson starts at a guard spot and Kobe is at the other. Clarkson can obviously score and is ok, but not all the way there, in the facilitation phase.

[TylersLakers]

Yeah, you could "start" him at PG, but he would have to guard 2's. I actually think his best role would be playing SF but being the "PG" on offence.

Surround him with a couple bigs (Randle and Okafor/Towns/Jordan/Gasol) and some shooters at the guard spots. Really hoping Julius works hard on his mid range game this off-season so we can have the ability to grab a C and bang them both down low. The key is Julius having a mid-range jump shot, similar to how Pau/Bynum operated.

[ALL HAIL]

Yeah, obviously Kobe wouldn't be chasing PGs around.

Ideally, he would be the primary facilitator on offense while guarding the weakest of the two opposing wings.

In order to do that, your shooting guard (w/Kobe playing point) must be able to guard PGs and SGs, and your small forward must be able to guard, at minimum, SGs and SFs.

On offense though, I think this is Kobe's ideal role right now. He needs to get his "Jason Kidd" on for 90% of the game, then go in attack mode, if neccessary, in the final few minutes.

People keep talking of aqpuiring big time PGs, but, in my opinion, it's just not as crucial as it seems.

[kblo247]

I think 99-00 Kobe is still in there and attainable numbers wise and as a facilitator but not the 27/6/6 guy. I think he could run the team ala Pippen if you got a Marc Gasol, no pick, and signed own of Danny Green/Demare Carol/Wes Matthews to chase guys with every Penny left

[Asianiac_24]

I honestly think it would be best to have Kobe in the post. At this point of his career, he's not enough of a threat offensively to be a great facilitator IMO, and he's not fast enough to get by people on the perimeter.

[Laker_Kid]

I honestly think it would be best to have Kobe in the post. At this point of his career, he's not enough of a threat offensively to be a great facilitator IMO, and he's not fast enough to get by people on the perimeter.

this. kobe playing sg/sf at the post or triple threat from the perimeter to draw defenders and then kicking it out or driving in to drop pass to the bigs. i think kobe can still facilitate - the key would be ball movement and finding the open guy.

sent from my LG-G2 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[Fresh360Waves]

I honestly think it would be best to have Kobe in the post. At this point of his career, he's not enough of a threat offensively to be a great facilitator IMO, and he's not fast enough to get by people on the perimeter.

Isn't that what the Lakers were doing w/ Kobe in preseason but then ever since they went away from it? I recall Kobe going off in a game against Phoenix in the 4th quarter and Kobe just couldn't miss.

[ALL HAIL]

I honestly think it would be best to have Kobe in the post. At this point of his career, he's not enough of a threat offensively to be a great facilitator IMO, and he's not fast enough to get by people on the perimeter.

I agree that he should be in the post.

I think that he can be in the post as a facilitator though.

He's at a stage of his career where he is smarter than everyone on the court. As opposed to him being in all out attack mode trying to score at will, I think it would really help him and the team to reprogram his Jordan mindset into more of a Magic mindset--being overly unselfish while really picking his spots to back guys down and score more efficiently.

We saw him have really unselfish games this year with good results, and I think this type of transformation from attacker to passer (who posts up a lot) will be a good challenge for a guy who thrives on them.

As far as being enough of a threat offensively to be a lead guard, I disagree with that premise. I believe you don't have to be an offensive threat to be a lead guard, and, at the same time, I believe Kobe still does have his offensive capablities, although I wouldn't want him to think as "singularly" as he once did.

You're right about lacking penetration from the point if Kobe were to take over the reigns at PG, but you can compensate for that in other ways by running more of a post up offense and encouraging more capable guys, like Randle, to break down the defense in that way.

The simple fact is that Kobe has to change his game. I'm afraid that if he plays offense off ball, in the post or otherwise, that when he does get the ball (probably often), he'll shoot way too much like an old man trying to prove he's still got it.

Having the ball in his hands as a point guard, I think will satisfy him. Knowing that he is running the offense, getting triple doubles, picking his spots, and being unselfish, I believe will make him happy while also serving as a counterpoint to critics, proving that he so much more than a John Starks-like gunner.

It's the popular opinion that playing with the ball requires more energy, but in Kobe's case, because he is such a mad man when the ball eventually comes his way, I think playing the role of a pass first point guard will actually conserve energy for him, allowing him to be constantly involved in practically every play while at the same time giving him the freedom to judiciously decide when and where to be aggressive offensively.

[crazyeights]

Yeah, obviously Kobe wouldn't be chasing PGs around.

Ideally, he would be the primary facilitator on offense while guarding the weakest of the two opposing wings.

In order to do that, your shooting guard (w/Kobe playing point) must be able to guard PGs and SGs, and your small forward must be able to guard, at minimum, SGs and SFs.

On offense though, I think this is Kobe's ideal role right now. He needs to get his "Jason Kidd" on for 90% of the game, then go in attack mode, if neccessary, in the final few minutes.

People keep talking of aqpuiring big time PGs, but, in my opinion, it's just not as crucial as it seems.

I agree with the premise of this post, but isn't the catch that it's very likely Kobe doesn't return after next year? To not acquire a PG to help carry the load, develop young bigs, be the torch bearer would be silly just for one year of Kobe.

That said, Clarkson might be enough if Kobe's healthy.

Regardless we either need to draft a center and use cap space on a PG or SF. Or draft a wing and use cap on a C or PG.

Gotta improve at 3 positions next season. But having Kobe play PG offensively might be enough to save money for improving at SF/C...depends on if we keep the pick.

[spaceballer]

I honestly think it would be best to have Kobe in the post. At this point of his career, he's not enough of a threat offensively to be a great facilitator IMO, and he's not fast enough to get by people on the perimeter.

I agree that he should be in the post.

I think that he can be in the post as a facilitator though.

He's at a stage of his career where he is smarter than everyone on the court. As opposed to him being in all out attack mode trying to score at will, I think it would really help him and the team to reprogram his Jordan mindset into more of a Magic mindset--being overly unselfish while really picking his spots to back guys down and score more efficiently.

We saw him have really unselfish games this year with good results, and I think this type of transformation from attacker to passer (who posts up a lot) will be a good challenge for a guy who thrives on them.

As far as being enough of a threat offensively to be a lead guard, I disagree with that premise. I believe you don't have to be an offensive threat to be a lead guard, and, at the same time, I believe Kobe still does have his offensive capablities, although I wouldn't want him to think as "singularly" as he once did.

You're right about lacking penetration from the point if Kobe were to take over the reigns at PG, but you can compensate for that in other ways by running more of a post up offense and encouraging more capable guys, like Randle, to break down the defense in that way.

The simple fact is that Kobe has to change his game. I'm afraid that if he plays offense off ball, in the post or otherwise, that when he does get the ball (probably often), he'll shoot way too much like an old man trying to prove he's still got it.

Having the ball in his hands as a point guard, I think will satisfy him. Knowing that he is running the offense, getting triple doubles, picking his spots, and being unselfish, I believe will make him happy while also serving as a counterpoint to critics, proving that he so much more than a John Starks-like gunner.

It's the popular opinion that playing with the ball requires more energy, but in Kobe's case, because he is such a mad man when the ball eventually comes his way, I think playing the role of a pass first point guard will actually conserve energy for him, allowing him to be constantly involved in practically every play while at the same time giving him the freedom to judiciously decide when and where to be aggressive offensively.

I agree with this. It's the right transition, since it lets him compensate for his aging body with his skill and court vision. Better than having him chuck long 2's inefficiently. There's more than one way he can run the offense or contribute.

[ALL HAIL]

Lock it if you wish, but I still think Kobe should be the starting point guard while Russell backs him up -- they'd almost never play together, virtually splitting the minutes there.

This nurtures Russell by giving him a legit vet to compete with and it corrals Kobe's selfishness.

Win-win.

[Kilroy]

Kobe has lost another step. I don't think him bringing the ball up is a good idea... He can run the offense in the half court, but he's not as effective as he was before his injuries... I think that's why he's taking so many contested shots... Because he simply can't get away from defenders anymore.

He also can't guard 1 or even 2s at this point and only the perfect 3 here and there... Basically, the only need we have that I think he could fill would be a 3 that moves without the ball and hits open jumpers... But he ain't that into that...

He has the skills to be a point forward... He no longer has the athletecism IMO, and I think it's more important to get Russell/Clarkson the burn together...

So to sum up... Kobe could do it, I think he'd be only marginally effective in the long run, and I think Russell needs that experience more.

[One Love]

Two words that ended this post "next year"... Kobe is done fellas... Dude can't walk after playing 36 minutes... It is time to bow out and move on to the next chapter... Let the puppies grow on the court... We have won two games boys... This year is about development of the young players, period... Hopefully KD & the other free agents see something they like and take the challenge...

Lake show...

[Tee212]

lol its always back and forth with kobe being a sf/sg/pg, when he does well at any of those positions ppl would always say "i think hes better there" due to recent success, then when he sucks there "hes better at the his natural position" sf or sg

[Beethoven]

I believe that Kobe's best role for the Lakers next year is as a 28 minute per game point guard.

wait..whaaa?? my brain does not compute.
Kobe is playing next year?

[Michael Lucky]

There isn't. If you're looking to make Russell your future PG (nvm the fact that he is our PG now), it would be a horrible idea to have Kobe play the role for his first two years in the league and delay his development even further by giving him even less minutes at the point. Kobe's best role would be on the bench where we could maximize our young guys usage rates and playing court experience.

This isn't even taking into account how TO prone Kobe already is. He has been pretty horrendous at times being a pass first player in games before when it comes to this. I can't even imagine how it would be now that he's lost a few steps.

[dockingsched]

Lock it if you wish, but I still think Kobe should be the starting point guard while Russell backs him up -- they'd almost never play together, virtually splitting the minutes there.

This nurtures Russell by giving him a legit vet to compete with and it corrals Kobe's selfishness.

Win-win.

kobe can't and most importantly shouldn't defend points, so you can't really have him play as the pg. if you wanted him to initiate the offense, you'd have to keep him slotted at SF. if that meant that you still wanted to bench Russell, you'd probably need to switch him with Lou Williams.

[ALL HAIL]

This ain't football.

In football, quarterbacks don't share minutes.

In basketball, point guards can share.

Kobe and Russell can share minutes, and both can be given ample time to make an impact.

I've always theorized that the best way to truly nurture young talent, especially talent of the teenage variety, is to give them substantial minutes and opportunities but to give them these minutes and opportunities while playing behind a veteran/mentor.

I've seen it work with, an up to that point, bumbling Chauncey Billups as he backed up an aging Terrrell Brandon, Travis Best while backing up a geriatric Mark Jackson, Gary Payton had Nate McMillan, there are a multitude of examples.

Teenagers need older guys to copy.

When it comes to the idea of Kobe as a point, (1) offensively, that's where he's best served, and (2) Russell would learn a great deal as a strict backup to one of the best scoring facilitators of all-time.

The fact that Kobe is on his last leg makes this idea work even more. This is not some pigeonholing demotion for Russell. It's merely saying, if you want more than 24 minutes a game, you're gonna have to snatch them from an old man's clinched fist. This is the type of mettle that builds strong, strong character, character that will only serve to nurture Russell and make him a better player in the long run.

You see, in football, as a quarterback, you have to wait your turn, but even in football, it works. It works to play young talent behind geriatrics.

Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers are all-time greats because of this special type of nurturing.

It works people.

[Michael Lucky]

Wanting your PG copy one of the biggest volume shooters in the history of the game isn't something I'm on board with tbh.