coordinator0 wrote:Alexander wrote:For a Lakers fan to outright dismiss him when they don't already have a stud C on the roster is foolish. About 80% of the league should be interested in Andre.
It's all relative, depending on age and whether a contract was signed before the salary cap boom, but it's a matter of fact that he does NOT have negative value. His salary is 14th highest in the league and he doesn't have to make a lot of adjustments to be a top 15 player.
Uh... hmm...
What's your definition of doesn't have to make a lot of adjustments?
He is one year removed from an All NBA slot, which *roughly* places him in the top 15.
His stats from this season are virtually identical to those from 15-16. Per 36 he's 16.5 pts/16.7 reb/1.3 blk/1.9 stl compared to 17.7/16.2/1.5/1.6. DeAndre Jordan, his closest analog, had 14.4/15.6/1.9/.7 per 36 this year (third team all NBA, All Star) and 13.6/14.7/2.5/.7 the year before (first team all NBA).
I saw the same games as you; I'm unhappy about the same things you are. They don't warrant a detailed breakdown while I'm typing on my phone. The eye test changed, the results in the W-L column changed, our happiness with Andre and the team from top to bottom changed alongside that.
He needs work, he needs a more defined role, he needs to give a **** more often, he needs to be in better shape, and yes, of course, free throws.
The things that make him a liability can be addressed and I'm not writing him off from making another All NBA team/matching or exceeding DeAndre Jordan's on court value/ever reaching another level. He's not far from DeAndre Jordan, he makes very similar money to DeAndre Jordan, and he can be better than DeAndre Jordan.
If he does make improvements he can contend for all star games and regular season honors, will belongs in the top 15 conversation again, and his contract is justified (and it will continue to be as other players cash in), and he's not with negative value, as this Lakers fan asserted.
