Realistically, Best Thing Lakers Could Do

[Mamba Venom]

Someone said that talent + being a Laker doesnt equal the best players

Look at EVERY top pick the Lakers have ever had (top 10 or higher) from the start and look at a list of hall of famers

West
Magic
Worthy
Kobes talent is top 10
Bynum

The Lakers dont get many top 10 picks but when they do this organization does the best job in the NBA of investing in talented leaders to help young Laker players come along.

Players get jaded from other clubs and its harder to get through to them unless they are self motivated.

If Odom or Brown were drafted a Laker aka a winner they would be different players. Odom got passive because he was a Clipper. Its hard to develop a winningatmosphere after these players sign the big paycheck. They arent as hungry after getting 30mil +

[PatrickBateman]

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Perhaps you would like to debute?

Perhaps you should learn how to spell.

Comparing Ariza to Pippen is like comparing a Honda Civic to a Rolls Royce Phantom.

[MAMBAEMD]

Someone said that talent + being a Laker doesnt equal the best players

Look at EVERY top pick the Lakers have ever had (top 10 or higher) from the start and look at a list of hall of famers

West
Magic
Worthy
Kobes talent is top 10
Bynum

The Lakers dont get many top 10 picks but when they do this organization does the best job in the NBA of investing in talented leaders to help young Laker players come along.

Players get jaded from other clubs and its harder to get through to them unless they are self motivated.

If Odom or Brown were drafted a Laker aka a winner they would be different players. Odom got passive because he was a Clipper. Its hard to develop a winningatmosphere after these players sign the big paycheck. They arent as hungry after getting 30mil +

I'm not sure I fully understand your argument but I respect your opinion.
I don't agree with the point that if these players had been drafted by the Lakers that they would somehow be different players.
My point is that a player has to want to get better and would have to invest the time and energy i.e. offseason work to make it to the next level. That requires self-motivation regardless of what club you were drafted by and who was mentoring you.

[El Hardee]

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Perhaps you should learn how to spell.

Comparing Ariza to Pippen is like comparing a Honda Civic to a Rolls Royce Phantom.

Perhaps if you weren't so simple minded you could see the sarcasm. And perhaps if you used your brain a little more to comprehend what you read you would see I said Ariza's physical talent level, not skill level.

[LLcoleJ]

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Perhaps if you weren't so simple minded you could see the sarcasm. And perhaps if you used your brain a little more to comprehend what you read you would see I said Ariza's physical talent level, not skill level.

Dont mind him. He comes here everyone once in awhile and takes some shots and leaves. He has no idea that "debute" is a joke of the board, as he is not really part of this community.

[El Hardee]

Cool, thx for the heads up.

[J Rob]

mentor shmentor

+1

Mentoring someone only goes so far. Just having a HOF like Magic talk to Critt will not suddenly turn the kid into an all-star.

I mean, Kobe's biggest mentor early on was Byron Scott who was hardly a star player.

The only reason Kobe got to the level he's at is because he took it upon himself to work hard and develop his game.

Bynum's a bit of an exception cause Bynum hasn't played much basketball and post play is more technical and routine driven then guard play.

But all in all, Bynum's recent play has more do to getting in shape and commiting to working out.

Kareem did also work with Michael Olowakandi if you remember. That didn't work because he didn't commit to working on his own game.

As far as Critt, Ariza, Farmar, and Sasha go...the Laker's have enough mentors in D-Fish, Kobe, Jackson, Rambis (who works with everybody...including Ariza on their shot), Cleamons, and B-Shaw.

Too many voices is usually a bad thing.

I don't like Pippen.

+1

[J Rob]

Ariza may have the physical tools but not the overall talent or IQ. He still can't shoot let alone be mr.defense and be able to play 4 positions including pg. Pippen top 50 player. Ariza never started a whole season in his career. Perhaps were being bias?

Star, that may have been the smartest post I've ever read from you. Good job.

[Mamba Venom]

Wow it got heated???

I really think there is a different mindset on a newly drafted player who is hungry and more open to listen to advice then from vets who have already have their @$$ kissed by all their friends and have been in rap videos and made that huge paycheck.

Its harder to work when you're set. I bought a Corvette and my business is doing well and I ask people to do task I could easily do myself and think to myself I work really hard.

In reality I used to work a lot harder and have it easy now. Its perspective. When you are youst to going home to a small apartment and sleeping in a bed thats not so comfortable you dont mind getting up earlier to do what needs to be done.

When you sleep in a great bed with good stuff to cook in the morning and come home and can make perfect margarita in a $400 blender you dont stay up and obsess about how to get better.

I'm trying to get back to the old me and its harder to get hungrier. I'm thinking LO has the same problem. I dont think Brown ever new how to work hard. He wasnt guided enough. He thinks working out will make him a good basketball player. Hes an amazing athlete that needs to desperately learn how to put arc on a shot, fight for rebounds and develop some post moves.

I hope Brown gets better.