Passing The Torch

[warrenpeace]

Kobe is on record saying that no one on the team has what it takes to lead the franchise and Byron agrees.

I have long believed that Jordan Clarkson is he best and most consistent player on the team. I also find this believe very troubling. You can't be a good team, when Clarkson is arguably your best and most consistent player. If Clarkson is arguably your best and most consistent player, you should not be surprised if you are the worst or the second worst team in the NBA.

Is Kobe and Byron correct that no one currently on the team can carry the torch? Do we get that player through free agency or through the draft?

[Dr Aki]

well, what more do you expect from a team replete with rookies?

magics and kobes don't grow on trees

[warrenpeace]

magics and kobes don't grow on trees

That's for sure.

[iamworthy]

Last time I checked Kobe wasnt carrying a torch at age 20 either.

[Kilroy]

well, what more do you expect from a team replete with rookies?

magics and kobes don't grow on trees

Agreed and think about this for a minute... Are there any Magic's or Kobe's in the league today even? I mean there's LeBron and Durant, but they're heading into the twilight of their careers. It's pretty much just Curry, but is Curry the kind of player that if you swapped Kobe for him on this team, would instantly make us contenders? IDK...

Our best bet seems to be just to keep throwing talent at the roster and prey for a mix that works. I don't really see Simmons or Ingram as the future leaders of this franchise either to be honest...

Maybe with a summer to mature, Russell will be that guy, but it doesn't seem like it.

Of all the guys that have been drafted in the last few seasons, who are the future mega stars?... Towns maybe? Who else?

It's a tough time to rebuild.

[Kilroy]

Last time I checked Kobe wasnt carrying a torch at age 20 either.

True... But you could tell he had IT... He was clearly going to be a very special player, if not from day one, at least by the end of his first season, you could see it.
Just like Magic... Moreso for Magic actually... You pretty much had no doubt about him by very early in his first season, but he was already an accomplished College player.

IMO, by this time in the season, you'll know if you have a franchise guy on your team.

[PKABOOICU]

Last time I checked Kobe wasnt carrying a torch at age 20 either.

True... But you could tell he had IT... He was clearly going to be a very special player, if not from day one, at least by the end of his first season, you could see it.
Just like Magic... Moreso for Magic actually... You pretty much had no doubt about him by very early in his first season, but he was already an accomplished College player.

IMO, by this time in the season, you'll know if you have a franchise guy on your team.

agree

at this time, nobody on the team is a franchise player. D'angelo Russell will probably be an all-star in a few seasons but none of these guys are good enough to turn around a franchise.
Ben Simmons has the potential even with a messed up jumper. Randle will just be a consistent double-double type PF for the rest of his career-nothing ground breaking there.
The only true YOUNG franchise players are Towns and Davis right now...and maybe Simmons next year....the rest of them are older or not skilled enough to be that guy

[iamworthy]

“When you look at our young corps, I don't look at none of those guys as being that next Kobe,” the Lakers coach said Monday before the Lakers got crushed by the Utah Jazz, 123-75. “I think they could be a piece of it, a part of it, but not to get to that level he's gotten to.

“If there is one that can do that, it's going to take a whole hell of a lot of work to get there, a lot of dedication to be able to get to that pinnacle as far as basketball is concerned.”

“All three of those guys have talent, no doubt about it,” Scott said. “All three of those guys are athletic. They all can do some things with that basketball, but they've got to spend a whole lot of time this summer on that end of the floor [and] a whole lot of time in the film room and on the court on the defensive end of the floor.”

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-report-20160329-story.html

Thanks for the update Byron.

[DTouch]

Kobe is right but im sure none of the youngsters appreciated his comments

[RingsDontLie]

Last time I checked Kobe wasnt carrying a torch at age 20 either.

True. And that torch was lying on the ground for quite some time when Magic first left in 91. 1988 is when he last won, so we didn't get another ring until 2000 with Kobe and Shaq. That's a nice 12 year span. We just won in 2010. It's been 6 years since we won. You can't really fast track a championship. I think we are tracking right now. A few good moves by Mitch to get us into a playoff team has to be the short term goal. That's the goal I think, becoming a playoff team, get our youth that playoff experience, and keep building on that. Once we get into the playoffs, then maybe we attract more stars, and make a championship run.

[Jakay]

Well, Dlo's the only one with the skill to do it, but time will tell if he can get himself figured out enough to actually do it. I'm really surprised at how selfish he is since he was sold as a point guard, which he most definitely is not at this point.

[SlimShady83]

I think a lot of these guys can grow into being good roll players and maybe 1 or 2 of them could be an all star - but the first thing that needs to be done is finding the right coach 2nd thing is finding the right players 3rd is to stop hoping for the likes of KD, LBJ's of the league and start building an actual team and win some games - have our young 3 core along with top 3 pic and yes even my boy lou will help even the odds a little - but those things we need to work on first.

We need a real PG on this team -I don't count D'lo as one he works best off the ball

[warrenpeace]

D'Angelo is not a real point guard, he is a basketball player (a very talented one). Both he and Clarkson frankly suck at playing point guard. I think D'Angelo even sucks more at it than Clarkson. Clarkson did better at it last season than D'Angelo is doing it this season. D'Angelo would be an excellent point guard in a Phil Jackson system. He would be a great triangle point guard. He is tall, can shoot, can pass, moves well without the ball. He doesn't have to know how to play point guard, because the triangle does not use a point guard.

[gts1]

Kobe is right but im sure none of the youngsters appreciated his comments

It's not for them to appreciate or not.. it's a gauntlet thrown down, it's for them to to take the challenge, to prove Kobe wrong...

If they view it as a slight and don't appreciate what he's saying, then Kobe's right, there are no franchise players on this team.

[rzzzzz]

It's pretty much just Curry, but is Curry the kind of player that if you swapped Kobe for him on this team, would instantly make us contenders? IDK..

Curry carried the team on his back to get to the elite 8. he's got talent to burn, plus it don't hurt having Jerry West in your corner, just like he was for Magic and Kobe.

[stan francisco]

D'Angelo is not a real point guard, he is a basketball player (a very talented one). Both he and Clarkson frankly suck at playing point guard. I think D'Angelo even sucks more at it than Clarkson. Clarkson did better at it last season than D'Angelo is doing it this season. D'Angelo would be an excellent point guard in a Phil Jackson system. He would be a great triangle point guard. He is tall, can shoot, can pass, moves well without the ball. He doesn't have to know how to play point guard, because the triangle does not use a point guard.

He would make an excellent tri PG. Let's get Luke to coach. And yes, the triangle uses a point guard, just not the typical way.

[tugs]

Kobe doesn't pass.

[Gek]

“When you look at our young corps, I don't look at none of those guys as being that next Kobe,” the Lakers coach said Monday before the Lakers got crushed by the Utah Jazz, 123-75. “I think they could be a piece of it, a part of it, but not to get to that level he's gotten to.

“If there is one that can do that, it's going to take a whole hell of a lot of work to get there, a lot of dedication to be able to get to that pinnacle as far as basketball is concerned.”

“All three of those guys have talent, no doubt about it,” Scott said. “All three of those guys are athletic. They all can do some things with that basketball, but they've got to spend a whole lot of time this summer on that end of the floor [and] a whole lot of time in the film room and on the court on the defensive end of the floor.”

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-report-20160329-story.html

Thanks for the update Byron.

"Yeah I think we have some NBA caliber athletes on the team, they'll just need to work to get better"

Solid advice, indeed.

[warrenpeace]

Kobe doesn't pass.

LOL.

[Leor_77]

Kobe doesn't pass.

Reminds me of...