RealGM

I don't think it's set in stone at all. I'm leaning towards Kuzma starting with Lonzo. They got great chemistry together. My position is we have Randle come off the bench with Clarkson. It's a contract year for Randle anyways, he will have to play as hard as he can regardless if he starts or not. That might be a tough pill to swallow for them but gives us some nice bench depth. If Ingram doesn't show starter worthiness after 20 games, we swap Ingram to the bench, and have Randle start over him.

I just think it's a mistake to use Kuzma as an off the bench player. He's earned the starter role imo, don't care if he is a rookie. He definitely deserves to start more than Ingram, and I'm the biggest Ingram homer here.

Lonzo
KCP
Lopez
Kuzma
Ingram

2nd unit

Clarkson
Deng
Bogut
Randle
Nance

The starting thing for Kuzma is a little overblown. I couldn't give a **** if he comes from the bench but sees 30 mins a game.

The thing that would be a travesty is him playing less than Randle at this point. That can never happen.

We need to keep playing randle and hope to get a good trade going. I like him, but as a player he just isn't cutting it, but need to show case his skills.

I'd rather have Bogut starting if he isn't injured for the Defense. Lopez for the consistent scoring off the bench as we need some consistency off the bench

1st unit

C) Bogut
PF) Randle - to show case him for trade dead line
SF) Ingram
SG) KCP - starting to think we should have kept The Swag LOL
PG) Lonzo

Bogut/KCP for the so called Defense and the others can be used for Offense

2nd Unit
C) Lopez
PF) Nance
SF) Kuzma
SG) JC
PG) Ennis

Good mix of of everything with that 2nd unit, Lopez and Kuzma coming off the bench 15+ points a game

The Lakers need to maximize defense and shooting.

Starters: Ball, KCP, Ingram, Kuzma, Lopez. All 5 guys have range.

Bench: Ennis, Clarkson, Deng, Randle, Nance.

But since we do want to trade Randle and Deng, it might make sense to put Randle at the starting 4. Helps on the rebounding too.

I have to see Randle with Lopez before I make an official call, but I'm leaning towards Lopez/Kuzma/Ingram/KCP/Ball -- with Randle/Clarkson/Hart/Deng off the bench.

Nothing has changed... It will be clear when the season starts

Ball/Clarkson
KCP/Ennis
Ingram/Kuzma
Randle/Nance
Lopez/Bogut

Moving Kuzma to the SL now would make for short term highlights, at the expense of long term strength and cohesiveness. On top of that, there's no need to make that move now, because by this time next season we should have a vastly different team if things go to plan.

PG Lonzo Ball, Tyler Ennis, Briante Weber
SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jordan Clarkson, Josh Hart, Alex Caruso
SF Brandon Ingram, Corey Brewer
PF Kyle Kuzma, Luol Deng, Larry Nance Jr., Julius Randle
C Brook Lopez, Thomas Bryant, Ivica Zubac

In other words.... TRADE. A trade must be made.

https://basketball.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/6951788

I don't think Randle has the trade value you we need and I don't think Deng will ever be able to be traded on his own, so Randle best start and play really well.

Kuzma starting advocates... would you start Kuz if it meant 1 star instead of 2 in the offseason? To me there is plenty of time for Kuz to play either way.

To maximise showcasing Lonzo, you gotta give him shooters.

Lonzo
KCP for streaky shooting and defense
Ingram for streaky shooting and defense
Kuzma for shooting
Bropez for shooting and the occasional block

We'd get killed on the glass though, so it'd need be a 5 man effort to control the lose ball

And God help the bench

Having doubts about Ingram starting. I know it could just be rust. He did fine post all star break so figured he'd build on that. If anything start Ingram as a test to see how he performs for the first 15 games. If he cannot show consistency and pick up from his post all star break numbers from last season, Randle should definitely start over him. If I was being fair I'd say Kuzma and Randle should start over Ingram just based on their preseason play thus far. I don't think it would be bad for Ingram to come off the bench. Guy needs to physically develop like Giannis did before he starts showing real consistency. But I'd say give Ingram 15 games to clear out the cob webs.

Randle is one of our better players. Honestly with how bad Ingram is right now it should be Kuzma at SF and Randle at PF.

Either way, we need to find a way to maximize Lonzo's minutes with Lopez and Kuzma. Also keep Lonzo and Clarkson as far away from each other as possible.

randle's jumper looks more reliable than ingrams

but we also need ingrams good defense

this dilemma sucks

I don't know, I need to see a few more games from Ingram because I'm confused, he looks worse than last season. How is that possible? I have to chalk it up to preseason right now. Small three game sample isn't enough to convince me to not start him.

caruso > ennis

DS17 wrote:caruso > ennis

And Caruso might not start the season with us.

warren weel im wrote:The Lakers need to maximize defense and shooting.

Starters: Ball, KCP, Ingram, Kuzma, Lopez. All 5 guys have range.

Bench: Ennis, Clarkson, Deng, Randle, Nance.

But since we do want to trade Randle and Deng, it might make sense to put Randle at the starting 4. Helps on the rebounding too.

No Ingram does not have range yet.

Why is nobody talking about Brewer and Deng? From the preseason we have seen so far they are better than our young guys. If we want to play to win this season we must find them minutes.

One of Clarkson's best attribute is his ability to drive to the basket. He give us high scoring opportunity playing the point with the ball in his hands than playing of the ball where he has to shoot most of the time. He is not the best of shooters to be playing shooting guard. As a point guard he is better than Ennis. We won our last few games last year with him at the point. I think we under utilize him if we play him at SG. Let the guy use his quickness and athleticism to drive to the basket for easy point.

After all the system Luke is running does not need a super creative PG.

DS17 wrote:caruso > ennis

this! Caruso is a better fit. Kuz is a better fit with Caruso and Lonzo.

can Caruso's contract be changed so he doesn't have to play half the season in the G league?

With Kuzma starting, all Ingram would need to focus on is defense and corner three's. The Isaac Hamilton role. It would literally be UCLA on steroids.

Ball - Ball
Alford - KCP
Hamilton - Ingram
Leaf - Kuzma
Welsh - Lopez

Ball - Clarkson - Ennis
Pope - Brewer - Hart
Deng - Ingram
Kuzma - Nance
Lopez - Randle - Zubac

Caruso, Bryant to D-League.

I'd be so tempted to move one of our 4s and start Brewer at the 3, Deng at the 4 to showcase the hell out of our veterans until trade deadline.

All it takes is for one contender to lose a player to injury and you're suddenly in business to gain an asset.