Battle for L.A. 2019-20

Ranma · Post #41 » by **Ranma** » Sat Apr 6, 2019 4:10 am

Ranma · Post #42 » by **Ranma** » Sat Apr 6, 2019 5:55 pm

Ranma · Post #43 » by **Ranma** » Sun Apr 7, 2019 4:35 am

In a recent podcast with Chris Herring, Zach Lowe reiterated his point from last month's article about the Lakers' organization having a rotten culture. He had to refrain from going more in-depth into why but it's clear from his take and other reports that the Lakers are in turmoil. Despite that, there's still a chance for them to turn things around in the other direction if they can actually pull off the trade for Anthony Davis and/or sign a B-level star in free agency like Jimmy Butler.

You can tell it's a bad state of affairs for Jeanie's team when even myopic Lakers fans and the media are sick of talking about the Lakers. Of course, there's still some of the bandwagonners quick to espouse nonsense--after all, we still have Doc apologists trying to defend his GM performance--but the fact that the majority of Lakers Nation prefers to be silent is a deafening signal that the morale on the other side is at a rather low point in its history. Again, it's all the more important for the Clippers to seize and capitalize on this while doing whatever we can to maintain this shift in the balance of power.

In any case, both Lowe and Herring put Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on their respective All-Rookie first team just ahead of Marvin Bagley and Collin Sexton. Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Deandre Ayton and Jaren Jackson were named to the unofficial top squad.

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Zach Lowe, ESPN.com (3/12/19)

The Lakers tried to shoehorn a different offensive identity around LeBron with a series of nonsensical signings, and it is hilarious now to watch and listen as every branch of the organization deflects blame for those signings onto other parts of the organization. Pointing fingers is the surest sign of a rotten culture.

LeBron vs. MJ, This Lakers Season and a Great NBA What-If

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LakerClipperFan · Post #44 » by **LakerClipperFan** » Sun Apr 7, 2019 7:12 am

KD and KAWHI come to #LAC and dethrone King James and Lakers....perfect story line. i'm told that fans in Golden State do not embrace KD. Coming to the #Clippers would sure make them appreciate what they had in Kevin Durant.

Ranma · Post #45 » by **Ranma** » Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:02 am

He wants to openly tamper on behalf of the Lakers without being bound by NBA regulations even if it means not being paid to do so.

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Post #46 » by **mkwest** » Wed Apr 10, 2019 1:16 am

I thought Magic was doing a phenomenal job and It's a sad day to see him go.

Wammy Giveaway · Post #47 » by **Wammy Giveaway** » Wed Apr 10, 2019 2:38 am

Magic Johnson resigning could have reverberating effects around the league.

1. There's a rumor that Pat Riley may come home:

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2. Jerry West's consultant contract with Clippers is up:

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With the Lakers reportedly firing the coaching staff at the conclusion of Game 82 per Woj (whether it includes Luke Walton remains to be seen), the combination of a vacant coaching spot, president ops and general manager will make the Lakers the most desirable place in the NBA. But there may be a hidden agenda: stealing what the Clippers have. I wrote about that here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1825540#p74175229

So yeah, Clippers are in grave danger.

MartinToVaught · Post #48 » by **MartinToVaught** » Wed Apr 10, 2019 5:21 am

Jerry is 80 years old and called joining the Clippers "the last adventure of his life" when he was introduced. He also has no interest in being a president of basketball operations anymore, which is why he's been a consultant instead with the Warriors and the Clippers.

I think the Lakers will ultimately end up hiring someone like David Griffin who has history with LeBron in order to save face.

Ranma · Post #49 » by **Ranma** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:01 am

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Ranma · Post #50 » by **Ranma** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 4:59 am

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Clemenza · Post #51 » by **Clemenza** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:43 pm

Ranma wrote:

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They're going to have to make a trade or maybe Boogie Cousins will be healed by then. Its going to be extremely hard for the Lakers to get a star to play alongside Bron and his team controlling antics

Ranma · Post #52 » by **Ranma** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 5:44 am

Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com (4/17/19)

FOURTEEN MILLION DOLLARS. That's what Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, stars of the LA Clippers' comeback in Golden State on Monday night, are on the books for combined next season. Add Landry Shamet and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and it's $20 million total for those four core players.

That is why the Clippers have one of the most promising futures of any team in the league. Not just because of their cap space -- creating cap space isn't all that difficult if you're willing to lose -- but because of the quality players they have under contract along with that space.

Building a true team through free agency requires role players under reasonable deals and/or rookie contracts so a team doesn't have to totally clear the decks. As the people in the Clippers' front office geared toward a summer of chasing the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant, they worked incrementally to put themselves in this position while not bottoming out.

While the in-town rival Lakers were celebrating landing James last year, the Clippers were getting tremendous value in keeping Harrell. When there was a frenzy at the 2018 trade deadline, they kept Williams by getting him into a favorable contract extension. The previous season, when Chris Paul approached the front office saying he planned to leave, the trade the team made with Houston landed it Williams, Harrell and a first-round pick the Clippers flopped in a deal to get Danilo Gallinari.

None of these deals seemed impactful, but together they incrementally brought the Clippers to this advantageous situation. This is what rebuilding while competing looks like, and it's harder than it looks. There's no question the Clippers need to land a bona fide star to move from a team of potential to a team of expectation.

That's usually the hardest piece to find, but they're working on it.

Windhorst's Handbook for Coaching LeBron James

Ranma · Post #53 » by **Ranma** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 8:18 pm

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Ranma · Post #54 » by **Ranma** » Wed Apr 24, 2019 6:26 am

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Ranma · Post #55 » by **Ranma** » Thu Apr 25, 2019 8:53 pm

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MartinToVaught · Post #56 » by **MartinToVaught** » Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:05 pm

I wonder if LeBron regrets joining that dysfunctional mess of a franchise, especially with how vulnerable the Warriors look right now. He could have had all the Hollywood opportunities and a legit chance at more rings if he joined the Clippers instead.

Quake Griffin · Post #57 » by **Quake Griffin** » Thu Apr 25, 2019 10:01 pm

MartinToVaught wrote:I wonder if LeBron regrets joining that dysfunctional mess of a franchise, especially with how vulnerable the Warriors look right now. He could have had all the Hollywood opportunities and a legit chance at more rings if he joined the Clippers instead.

He’s too interested in control.

He would never have agreed to just put on our jersey and let West, Redden, and Winger work.

Clemenza · Post #58 » by **Clemenza** » Fri Apr 26, 2019 3:28 am

Quake Griffin wrote:
MartinToVaught wrote:I wonder if LeBron regrets joining that dysfunctional mess of a franchise, especially with how vulnerable the Warriors look right now. He could have had all the Hollywood opportunities and a legit chance at more rings if he joined the Clippers instead.

He’s too interested in control.

He would never have agreed to just put on our jersey and let West, Redden, and Winger work.

Yep, he would be in the Miami situation all over again where Pat Riley told him to back down, "I'm in charge here and this is my ship".

Ranma · Post #59 » by **Ranma** » Sat Apr 27, 2019 3:41 pm

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Ranma · Post #60 » by **Ranma** » Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:48 pm

See, it's insecure vocal Lakers stans like O'Shea Jackson, Sr. that start these absurd Clippers-to-Seattle rumors with their myopic wishful thinking that gets the uninformed and those lacking in credibility to run with that nonsense. It's been shown time and again that it makes no sense to leave the coveted Los Angeles market to go to Seattle where they're still having problems building a basketball arena unless you count the ongoing renovations in Key Arena as qualifying.

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