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I'm talking the role of a post injury Ron Harper — perimeter defender, initiator and shooter.

It seems as if nobody is talking about him here, this summer. In my opinion, he was one of the brightest shining surprises last year. I think he has a great future as a starting NBA role player.

The guy is a total baller. He understands the game, moves extremely well off the ball, is very quick, makes the right decisions with the ball, has great jumping ability, and has an intensity and swagger that's contagious. The guy is a total fighter, has dealt with great adversity (cancer x2) already in his young life and come out on top.

To me, he's a point guard, a conductor, a leader and game plan executioner. Not a shooting guard, not a small forward. If I were Phil, I would have put Shaw on molding him into a point guard, already last season. He has all the right qualities for becoming the perfect triangle point guard — the size, the mentality, the defense, the handles, the quickness and athletic ability.

From what I read, he's been shooting the three every day in the gym, this summer. Hopefully, he worked out hard to add bulk and quickness, and drilled perimeter defense, as well. If he plays his cards right, he could make Farmar expendable. Farmar is a great trading asset.

For next season's rotations, if I got to decide, I'd say,

Fisher[20], Farmar[20], Karl[8] (with a carte blanche to more mpg from Fisher and Farmar if he excels)
Sasha[24], Kobe[16], Karl[8]
Kobe[24], Ariza[12], Odom[12]
Gasol[20], Odom[24], Powell[4]
Bynum[28], Gasol[16], Mihm[4]

... should be our regular modus operandum. The rest is up for grabs in training camp. Luke is injured, Radman is a space cadet / trade asset. Crawford, Yue and the gang are all unproven. Sorry, I'm derailing my own thread, already in the first post. Yeah, I want Radman traded and Luke either fully healthy or gone. In return, I want a Maxiell or David Lee type utility big and I'd happily include Farmar to get it done (assuming that I'm right about Karl's point guard talents).

Seriously, though, I think Coby Karl is the best point guard prospect we have on this team. He could defend Deron Williams, Billups, Rondo much better than Farmar ever will, he's quick and smart enough to have a good shot at slowing down or at least bothering quicker players like CP3, he can shoot the lights out, and he's a great passer with great court vision. He's the exact prototypical size for a Phil Jackson style PG.

Last season, I found myself wondering why nobody in the media talks about him as a point guard prospect. To me, it's rather obvious that he should be a point guard on this team in the future. Has anyone else thought the same thing, or am I alone on this?

I feel almost as strongly about this as I did about drafting Bynum. And, for those of you that remember how hard I lobbied for Bynum before he started realizing his potential; no, I'm not excaggerating. I really do think he's the perfect guy for the job. Do it, Phil!

Your argument sounds good. But I have not really focused on him when played last season. I do remember one play where he had like a crazy dunk which was the last thing i expected from him. I do like his toughness in spite of my ignorance of his game.

I thought his handle was too suspect and he didn't seem to have that assured presence needed for a PG the very few minutes I've seen of him in the summer league as well as last season. He could be a very good back up SG prospect though, certainly has the range and can finish around the rim unlike Sasha.

This is one player that I have honestly thought about actually contributing. His summer league play was not that bad. One could tell that he worked on his defense in the offseason.

Even though it was it was D-League play he was ballin'. I can see him replacing Vlad. His head mos def got all the screws in it. Phil did say that he has the best shot or something like that last season. He wt is like 204 that's 1 pound lighter than Fish, so he aint a pushover.. 6'5" , so he would be the one of tallest pg's we have next to Crawford, who by the way had the better shooting% in the SL, and under Yue who the prospect obviously.

You make good point EE, hard for me to debate. But only time will tell if Coby can deliver. With Sasha closing the door and throwing away the key to a relentless workout all summer long we jst have to wait and see...

He's got a lot of improving to do before he gets anywhere near that level imo, but I guess it's possible. I haven't really seen enough from him to be that impressed, but you never know. He could turn out to be a decent role player, but color me as one of the skeptics about making Farmar expendable ( which basically is saying Karl would be a full time starter on the best team in the league very shortly).

First order of business for him is making the team and then breaking the rotation on a consistent basis and not just during garbage time.

I'm not feeling it. I was on the Bynum bandwagon from his first TC as a rookie. I just don't see it in Karl. I hope I'm wrong though.

Double E mentioned him as a perimeter defender, but unless he improves his foot speed dramatically I just don't see that happening. And despite what people think he is in perception, he is a SHOOTING GUARD........period.

You guys do realize he hasn't played a meaningful minute in the NBA yet, meaning he hasn't been in the game when it's hanging in the balance, or when the team is making a run in a comeback situation. Yes while he has shown flashes of athleticism that doesn't correlate into him becoming a A+ defender. I keep hearing how " smart " he is but that doesn't make up for the " fast twitch muscles " you need to have in your body to have speed which he lacks.Him making Farmar expendable is totally fictitious at best.

Karl at best will be a career back up probably for somebody else if he last in the league long enough. I've seen the Lakers come across guys like these for three decades, yeah they're a nice warm feel good story at first. Then when reality sets in...........poof just like that they're gone.

I'll give you a example. In 1986 the Lakers drafted this point guard named Andre Tuner from Memphis State. The guy was electrifying the crowd in the Lakers pre season games, had them chanting his name you would've thought he was a lock to make the team. Like I said...........poof he was gone right after training camp ended. His career lasted 170 games with Boston,Houston,Milwaukee the Clippers and Philadelphia and Washington. His last game was played in the 91-92 season, the only season he actually was in the league for a whole season playing in 70 games. 6 seasons and no NBA pension to go with him because he doesn't qualify for it.

Basically what I'm say is let's slow our roll here on hoping Karl is a Laker for many years, hell he has to make the team this season first and then start all over next year with no contract in hand. The one he has now is not fully guaranteed this season.

Agree with that very much -- he's a long way away from being even a rotation player, so it's a bit premature to be making any predictions and/or copmarisons. At the same time, I think he's a really promising prospect. I love his all-around game and his athleticism. I look forward to seeing how he develops over the next few years.

We need somebody to play some serious defense i dont know if coby karl can it bring like that, thats why we need to think about bringing in Q Ross from the clippers nobodys pick him up yet and he is cheap.

Future Bobby Hansen type I think. Role player who will hit an outside shot and be a pain in the neck on D.

I love this guy, I write about him all the time. He can shoot, play defense, finish, smart, crisp passer, long arms, good rebounder for a guard.

Not quick enough for the fast point guards, but Fish and Farmar have their own trouble anyways.

If Farmar doesn't make the leap this year, I would strongly consider trying Karl in the backcourt. Farmar's had more success as an uptempo guard off the bench anyways, and Fish is streaky, one-dimensional, and just not that quick.

Good looking out, EE.

In terms of player comparisons, I'd say he's like Bobby Sura with a better jumper.

Sedale Threatt wrote:Agree with that very much -- he's a long way away from being even a rotation player, so it's a bit premature to be making any predictions and/or copmarisons. At the same time, I think he's a really promising prospect. I love his all-around game and his athleticism. I look forward to seeing how he develops over the next few years.

Yeah, I look forward to it, as well.

Hopefully, we'll have reason to revisit this thread. I have high hopes for his future. He could even be a wildcard for the MIP race, next season.

But, more so than anything, I think he has the perfect make-up of a prototypical PJ style triangle point guard.

I'm feeling more SF/SG, mainly because I'm not sure if he can handle the defensive matchup at the 1. Time will tell. At any rate, he's a good, smart player, and you can always find a spot on the floor for guys like that. He's a very solid prospect and I'm glad we have him. Hopefully he'll have an arc like Sasha by continuing to pay his dues and eventually developing into a regular contributor.

i don't know about ron harper thing,because of what he did in cle before chi.he was the man in cle and did his part in chi w/jordan-i don't see a ron harper in him-member ron had those sick long arms i mean lo long.bobby s maybe but coby is taller i think-not a stretch to think that kid from chi now ohm hinrich-good head on his shoulders-but not as fast imo.

Good thread. +1

I'd like to see Coby Karl contribute productively for us this upcoming season.


Good luck.

DUde no way , Ron Harper was the smoothest guy in the NBA . That spin move and always under control . Man you're comparing a guy who would barely make an NBa roster to a man who even after he was injured was one of the smartest and most efficient players in the game. Nice try but no dice.

Oh vicious!

But you're right.

Ron Harper was an all-star (multi-allstar?) before his big-time knee injury.

That training never goes away..

Trust.