Best Lakers PF ever?

[Point forward]

Who do you think is the best Lakers PF ever? LA has produced some of the greatest Cs, SFs, SGs and PGs ever, but is strangely light on PF. (IMHO, Elgin Baylor counts as a SF -- Rudy LaRusso was the PF)

Vern Mikkelsen? HOFer, but rarely called a PF.
Jim Pollard? Ditto.
Rudy LaRusso? Nice defender and banger, but also very mediocre.
Happy Hairston? See LaRusso, and not exactly vintage LA. (CIN, DET)
Bob McAdoo? HOFer and important, but also not really a vintage Laker. (BUF)
Kurt Rambis? Super hustler, but not game-altering in any way.
AC Green? See Rambis, and possibly more known as a PHX player.
Robert Horry? Very important role player, but also a Rocket and a Spur.
Karl Malone? Ultimate PF, but also played only for one year.
Lamar Odom? He played half his career elsewhere.
Pau Gasol? He just arrived.

Ultimate Lakers PF... Bob McAdoo?

[That Nicka]

By the end of this season, it will be Pau Gasol easily imo...

Sadly I think, right now, my vote would have to go to AC Green... btw I disagree with your assessment of AC being a PHX player.. He was a Laker for 9 years, a Sun for 3.5 (he also had an All Star appearance as a Laker)

McAdoo was good, he averaged about 12ppg, 49%, 20mpg for us during his 4 year tenure as a Laker but he never started and he only averaged 4 rpg... But he did step up big for us a play a huge role in the playoffs on the 82 championship team (16.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 27 mpg during the playoffs)

[phat_24]

AC Green today...Pau Gasol possibly by the end of the season. However, is longevity as a Lakers player are part of your criteria? If so, I'm going with AC. He was a nice compliment to the Lakers' 80s stars of Magic and KAJ.

Who was another PF from the Lakers to have a starting appearance as a LAKER? Seriously don't know.

[YiYaoYue]

in terms of which PF is the best that played for lakers Karl Malone

PF as a laker probably Gasol at the end.

[DEEP3CL]

Who do you think is the best Lakers PF ever? LA has produced some of the greatest Cs, SFs, SGs and PGs ever, but is strangely light on PF. (IMHO, Elgin Baylor counts as a SF -- Rudy LaRusso was the PF)

Vern Mikkelsen? HOFer, but rarely called a PF.
Jim Pollard? Ditto.
Rudy LaRusso? Nice defender and banger, but also very mediocre.
Happy Hairston? See LaRusso, and not exactly vintage LA. (CIN, DET)
Bob McAdoo? HOFer and important, but also not really a vintage Laker. (BUF)
Kurt Rambis? Super hustler, but not game-altering in any way.
AC Green? See Rambis, and possibly more known as a PHX player.
Robert Horry? Very important role player, but also a Rocket and a Spur.
Karl Malone? Ultimate PF, but also played only for one year.
Lamar Odom? He played half his career elsewhere.
Pau Gasol? He just arrived.

Ultimate Lakers PF... Bob McAdoo?

But he was drafted by the Lakers, won titles with the Lakers before he left then came back and won another title with the Lakers. So if you want to think of him as A Sun go ahead. But he played more seasons with us then anybody else.

And Kermit Washington was probably the greatest power forward we've had but the league made the Lakers get rid of him since they wasn't going to tolerate him and Kareem being on the same team, cracking faces and breaking jaws.

Whats your motive here man ? You know KG will probably be thought of as a T-Wolf more then a Celtic.....I'm just saying ya know.

[Squirrel Boy]

AC Green man.

By the end if all goes well, it will be Gasol.

Malone played his last year of his career as a Laker so it was a w/e season for him.

[B-Scott]

Put Lamar Odom on the 80s Lakers and they beat Boston much easier. I grew up in that era and AC is not even as good as Lamar. One of the reasons why we acquired Mychal Thompson the middle of 1987 was because he used to destroy AC in the post. Lamar is actually taller, bigger than AC. And a better rebounder. I think the hate for Lamar is so strong by fans that they overate players from the past. Lamar would actually give McHale a lot more problems than AC because McHale is not that quick laterally on defense. AC just didnt have the ball handling ability to expose it. I think Lamar has the same type of series against McHale as he did against Boozer.

1987 - Lakers best team from the 80s AC averaged 10.8 points and 7.8 rebounds. Put Lamar on that squad and he would get 10 points off Magic and the showtime fastbreak alone and he would average 17 and 10 easy. He wouldn't have to get his points in halfocourt sets. Just board and give it to Magic and fill the wings. Lamar and Worthy on the wings with Scott spotting up for 3.

C Kareem
PF Lamar
SF Worthy
SG Scott
PG Magic

Did you even watch Bob McCadoo with the Lakers? Solid role player off the bench, but he wasnt putting up 16 and 10. The same with Robert Horry. McCadoo's best year with the Lakers was 1983/1984 he averaged 13 points and 4 rebounds.

4 rebounds a game.

[That Nicka]

Actually B-Scott might be right for once... Lamar Odom may just be the best PF that has ever played for the Lakers.... He has better numbers than AC, however AC was

1) A Laker for longer
2) more durable (missed 3 games his entire career)
3) helped us win 3 championships

I'd give the slight advantage to AC, but it could go either way really

[Point forward]

In terms of being cult, Kurt Rambis may have a case. "Superman" had 750+ games and 400+ starts for the Lakers, 4 rings, much-needed hustle, the coolest nickname and the coolest safety glasses of them all. Move over Kareem and Worthy, Kurt's eyewear pwns yours.

[monk302]

Kermit Washington.But we all know what happened!

[salmahayek]

Any all - time Laker team, you would definitely put as many centers as you could in place of the PF position.

No doubt, Lamar would have to be in the conversation and you could not count Malone since he only played one season as a Laker.

Everyone has forgotten about Sam Perkins. He had a few nice years as a Laker, as well as, a Finals appearance.

He was not great at anyone thing, but was good at everything. Could post up, hit the three, rebound, and block shots.

[TylersLakers]

Right now? Best PF for the Lakers? Lamar.

Soon.. Gasol.

We've had GREAT SG's, C's, SF's and PG's.. PF has always lacked in star power for us.

[Slava]

The fact that we've had great Cs and guards is a reason why we always filled up the PF spot with a role player who'd hustle and play defense. Bynum and Gasol is the first time we might go with legit specialists at both positions starting at the same time.

[pdub15]

One of the reasons why we acquired Mychal Thompson the middle of 1987 was because he used to destroy AC in the post.

I really don't believe you grew up in that area because I was not only watching Laker games during the 80's but also attending the games being that my family is close with Bill Berka and we had season tickets. The sole reson for acquiring Thompson was because our lack of depth at PF. With that lack of depth Worthy was playing heavy minutes at both SF and PF. He would have been waisted of energy come playoffs and we needed that front court depth. Thompson was destroying a lot of PF's in the post around the league that year. Not great numbers but he was no doubt a force. The move made us a deeper team and was also key in getting Big Game James much needed rest instead of burning out one of our top 3 players before the playoffs. AC was the starting 5's 5th option and wasn't need for much except to keep teams honest which he did great job of. If you recall he was brought back during the Shaq-Kobe 3peat for the same reason.

[Hawaii]

Good call on Lamar Odom, but I think AC Green has a slight edge with his championships. Give Gasol a few more years in a Lakers jersey, and he'll beat out AC for the #1 spot.

If you put Karl Malone on the list, then I'd put Horace Grant on par with him. Didn't Robert Horry play PF too? Or Rodman, who at least pulled down 11 rpg for you in the 1/4 of a season he wore #73.

[Point forward]

The fact that we've had great Cs and guards is a reason why we always filled up the PF spot with a role player who'd hustle and play defense. Bynum and Gasol is the first time we might go with legit specialists at both positions starting at the same time.

You are probably right. With Wilt, Kareem and Shaq, guys like DeBusschere, McHale or Kemp are nice to have, but you rather have a dominant guard like West, Magic or Kobe first before you add a second big guy.

[B-Scott]

One of the reasons why we acquired Mychal Thompson the middle of 1987 was because he used to destroy AC in the post.

I really don't believe you grew up in that area because I was not only watching Laker games during the 80's but also attending the games being that my family is close with Bill Berka and we had season tickets. The sole reson for acquiring Thompson was because our lack of depth at PF. With that lack of depth Worthy was playing heavy minutes at both SF and PF. He would have been waisted of energy come playoffs and we needed that front court depth. Thompson was destroying a lot of PF's in the post around the league that year. Not great numbers but he was no doubt a force. The move made us a deeper team and was also key in getting Big Game James much needed rest instead of burning out one of our top 3 players before the playoffs. AC was the starting 5's 5th option and wasn't need for much except to keep teams honest which he did great job of. If you recall he was brought back during the Shaq-Kobe 3peat for the same reason.

I most definetely grew up in that era and remember Akem and Ralpm Sampson destroying our frontine in the 1986 playoffs. We were to small. Even though the 87 team was playing great basketball before the Mychal Thompson acquisition they still had to worry about how they matched up if they met the Rockets again. And if we had to match up with the Celtics in the Finals again. Mychal Thomson was one of the premiere low post defenders and gave McHale a lot of problems.

The 87 Team didnt have to face that Rocket team in the playoffs because of off the court problems for some of the Rocket players. Mainly Lewis Llloyd who averaged 17 points a game in 1985/1986.

Anyway, Mychal was needed to provide low post D had we faced them again.

[LLcoleJ]

Fun Fact: There was a player that was heavily lobbied to come over and join the Lakers by the leaders like, Magic. This player was a PF/C and was playing for the Bullets at the time. He was heavily pursued by the Lakers to be a missing piece in our frontline. Unfortunately, when we got him, he blew his knee out and was unable to contribute.


Who is this player ?

Clue:
Do it Mitch!

[Verbal]

"He goes from an F to an A-plus."

Cup-Check.

Mitch Kupchak.

[Verbal]

Good one, Phil.

I had to make sure though.