Godfather13 wrote:PedroFlu wrote:
Agree with basically everything. I'll add a big worry: Vincent. Schroeder was a dog defensively, and I think it's clear the starting team is in dire lack of perimeter defense - I don't think Prince can do it. I thought it would improve with Vincent, but it didn't look like it at all. Offensively, he was very tentatively.
All in all, Gabe Vincent is key to this team alleged depth. If he's gonna be a shy average player, Lakers will be in big problem. They actually need him a lot both on perimeter defense and offensive production from the bench.
I'd also like to emphasize the worry with Rui. Guy sleepwalks to a lot of games, and should be another integral part of the team nucleus. He actually played like this during last RS, not sure he can sustain stg similar to his playoff intensity after getting the bag.
DLO is what he is. I expect him to play better vs worse teams. He is the clearest point of improvement in a trade, if possible.
All in all, Denver is clear cut the best team on talent alone. I hope guys can develop during the season, but the fact is DLO is who he always has been, Vincent is unknown quantity, Rui has been nonchalant for most of his career. Maybe this is simply a 3-10 team in a very strong West, and improvement may happen only upon trading.
I've enjoyed DLo adding the wrinkle of defense this season, and don't wanna jump on his ass so soon, but I'm basically in agreement about your thoughts to consolidate some of the lower end talent for a high level post season role player.
I mean all the depth talk is great, but you're just not fielding a 12-14 man rotation in the playoffs, and if Lebron indeed leaves to follow Bronny, this might be our last real shot at a chip, till some other star/s roll into LA.
I'd love to get my hands on guys like Kuz or Caruso - who get the system > can play elite defense and passable offense.
PedroFlu wrote:LBJ is great news. BTW, AD is not a 30 ppg player. Also cant be the defensive cornerstone of the team while carrying main offensive duties. He just doesn't have the motor - actually no player has it. Let him excert his power on the defensive end (specially with so many slow players in the starting lineup, with poor perimeter defense) and be a 17-18ppg guy. That's when the Lakers REALLY need their guards to step up and put up points on the borad.
That's fair about AD, but if he's on the floor, he can't just stand in one corner at the perimeter. He has very little gravity there & mucks up the lane for everyone else. It's essential that he keeps cutting and rolling at all times so the offense doesn't grind to a halt, since his defender is actively helping opposing teams to go 5 on 4.
PedroFlu wrote:Finally, I like the idea of benching DLO and starting LeBron on point with Reaves, Prince, Vanderbilt and AD. Really improves defense on the starting unit, takes Vincent away from PG duties on the second team and gives a scoring punch to the bench (Rui probably cant be relied upon that).
Oh, and I just imagine if we could have kept Schroder instead of Vincent (they make almost the same salary) and retaining Walker as the go-to scorer from the bench (making 2M only with the Nets - probably didnt stay because of Ham's lack of trust in him).
Schroeder - Skywalker - Prince - Rui - Wood/Hayes - that would be a deep team.
That's interesting. I love the idea of a flexible starting lineup and minutes overall for different players, based on matchups.
Dennis wasn't very good last year. Think a lot of us have his image imprinted in our mind from the 2020-21 season, when he was amazing at POA. I'm happy with Gabe - better playmaker and shooter, while being a reasonably decent POA. He's not stopping elite guards, but neither was Dennis, when we got burnt alive by all 3 primary guards we faced in the playoffs.
