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These games technically mean nothing. But it is a great culture builder, and we are trying to build a winning culture

We have gotten to the finals. Should we push to win it all?
Reestablish the franchise as winners?

Or is this good enough? Hold out ball/Ingram and be satisfied any way?

Or do we go for it?
Lonzo plays
Maybe Ingram plays!(cramps)

Just establish that winning is what the lakers are about.

Or this just doesn't really matter

If you've played with your team and gotten to the finals, you're obviously going to want to play in it, so i'd be surprised if Lonzo doesn't play. Especially when he's said he was going to summer league to win the whole thing. Also risk is minimal when you don't play another NBA game for 3 months afterwards.

As far as Ingram, he's simply been shut down from summer league.

Lonzo should play as well as all the other guys who have been playing the past few games. I doubt Ingram will come back. Besides, bringing back Ingram will create a chemistry problem with this team and won't really do much for Ingram's development.

If his calf is still sore, I say sit out. If he's feeling good, go for it. Summer league champ is great and everything but we don't hang those at Staples Center.

winning a tinpot championship is still winning a tinpot championship. Why not get them used to winning, lord knows we haven't won anything since our last title.

I just love to watch Ball and can't get enough of that. I just want to watch him forever.

It's very important. We are setting the culture and tone of the future.

We are finally embracing Laker values again. Let's keep it going! Ball and Kuzma are special.

Yes because no more basketball until preseason!

Just the narrative of Lonzo bringing back winning culture to LA is huge. This is the kind of buzz you want surrounding the franchise going into next summer's free agency. If we follow it up by exceeding our expected win total by a few games, we'd be right in the thick of it for every free agent looking for a change.

Paul George losing in the playoffs because Westbrook shoots a lot? Well, come here and run with Lonzo and take all the shots you want in a fun city.

the winning culture! why not?

absolutely, yes, they worked for it and got this far. you can't pull the plug on that, let them lose or win however they want.

Easily yes! We haven't won anything in how long?

I'd lean towards shutting Ball down , specially if he had the slightest bit of tenderness.
They'd have played something like 5 games in 6 or 7 nights.
Playing one more game will not bring that much more value, and it may set him back further.
I understand and love the cultural transformation that Ball has brought to us. This is exactly why I wanted us to draft him over anyone else.
But I want to be smart about it and not risk him getting injured any further.
He has proven that he can compete with this level of competition, that is summer league type players.
Nothing else to prove. Nothing else to gain.
Let's shut him down for tonight.
And let's focus on him being ready to go for camp and pre-season.

Yes only title we'll sniff

If Lonzo has leg-hair that doesn't feel right....he needs to sit.

I almost wish they'd sit him on principle. To prove a point: 5 games in 6 nights is ridiculous. I get it's the summer league, and we wanna keep things moving, but we sit around and wait till like sept30th for preseason. There's no reason we can't have 2 additional rest days. Sit him out....tell the networks we're not about to risk our future over some meaningless game. Let the NBA suffer the ratings, and disappointment, and go back to the drawing board.

A win tmrw would be nice, but I'm not about to risk something serious (or recurring) for that stupid game. If Lozno notices a new freckle on his leg.....that aughta be grounds for sitting him.

They need to win. As already mentioned, our next generation needs to develop a culture of winning, and deveoip it as a team, making winning the default state of being. Even if Kuzma and Ball are the only ones staying long term, that's still huge. They are the generation's Kobe and Fisher, leadership wise. Winning is what they do.

I agree that Lonzo's long term health is key but I'd be very surprised if he doesn't play tonight. I want them to win it. I want he and Kuzma to win it. I think Lonzo wants exactly the same thing and Magic, too.

Unless med staff says it could worsen things, I'd say he's playing.

I personally want to see him play but I'd rather they sit him out...

We can possibly still win it without him... just means the others have to step up. Portland plays 2 Bigs a lot (Swanigan & Stokes, I don't think Zach Collins is playing) so I'd expect Zubac and Bryant to get significant minutes....

It'd be great to see Lonzo play but it would be just as great to see which one of our guys steps up and proves that he deserves to have a shot at making the team.


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The CarusGOAT got this.

Yes, but not at the expense of going "all-in" with Lonzo. Just rest him, he's proven his worth.

As long as we're not risking anything injury wise outside of the normal everyday risk, I'd say play him. If med staff says he's better off sitting out, sit him out.

He has proven enough, but winning it gives him and the rest an actual dominance claim over this whole class, winning swag.