D'Antoni: Politics Made Offense Prefer Dwight Over Gasol Last Season

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 3:47 am

Mike D'Antoni did not enjoy marginalizing Pau Gasol in an attempt to placate Dwight Howard last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"It was very uncomfortable," D'Antoni said. "I knew I was messing on (Gasol) last year. That's not fair to him. But that was the situation we were in. How do we make the best of it? I was just trying to make the best of it. But no, it wasn't fair to him.

"I think it was all (politics). It was all that. We wouldn't do that (normally). If nobody had names on their jerseys, and we were just playing? You go through Pau. There's not a question. No question."

With Kobe Bryant coming back from a torn Achilles, the Lakers will give Gasol a huge opportunity on offense.

"It was hard to be in that position," Gasol said. "I understood the politics of it, and why things were a certain way, but it didn't make it any easier during the process.

"But you learn and move on and you grow, and you go to the next chapter. I'm excited about my new position. It's a different situation, a different team. I'm happy and proud to continue to be here, despite everything. I'm ready to play and have a great year."

Via Sam Amick/USA Today

Imon · Post #2 » by **Imon** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 4:14 am

I don't get all this backpedaling/Dwight-bashing from the Lakers FO and D'Antoni.
From the fans I understand but from the the Busses and D'Antoni? :-?

Are they trying to pump Gasol up or what?
Do they want Gasol next year or not?
Will Gasol even be relevant this year?

Time for the Lakers to stop throwing spite darts at Howard and leave that to the fans.

Saig · Post #3 » by **Saig** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 4:24 am

I've never heard of a team winning a title because they played politically. Only good bball.

caronimo · Post #4 » by **caronimo** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 5:05 am

gasol receives too much crap for helping kobe win 2 championships. he deserves better.

BallerTalk · Post #5 » by **BallerTalk** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 5:06 am

It's kinda funny watching D'Antoni schmoozing Gasol time and time again now.
I can only guess he hoping to get a great year out of Pau thinking that may stave off his own eventual demise in LA.

Still none of this explains Kobe taking more shots than Dwight and Pau combined or D'Antoni slighting Gasol in favor of Earl Clark.

I blame Dwight.

flashstinson0 · Post #6 » by **flashstinson0** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 5:09 am

D'Antoni shutup

Wonder what the Lakers were thinking hiring this goof over Phil Jackson lol

Scase · Post #7 » by **Scase** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 5:34 am

Man dwight is a douche but, jeeze if they aren't trying to blame absolutely everything on him now that he's gone. Nothing but excuses from a team that waaaaaaaaaaaay underachieved.

Sam195 · Post #8 » by **Sam195** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:27 am

caronimo wrote:gasol receives too much crap for helping kobe win 2 championships. he deserves better.

I think pau definitely feels the same way. This past season for gasol reminds me a lot of ray allen's last season with boston. I don't think gasol enjoys constantly being tossed in trade rumors and having his offensive role diminished. Like Ray, Gasol was demoted to the bench for a good chunk of the season as well. I have a prediction that the lakers miss the playoffs and Gasol walks at the end of the season. I think the bulls will amnesty boozer and sign gasol to a deal similar o garnett/duncan at about 4 years 40 million.Rumors have been tossed around for years let alone the past few seasons that gasol wants to play for the bulls and that the feeling is mutual. Gasol is younger than garnett/duncan and when healthy he can generate the same impact to a game as those two. When the lakers won their two championships in 2009 and 2010, gasol was arguably the best pf in the league. Gasol will be 34 when his contract ends after the season. Garnett and Duncan are 37 with two years left on their deals. Gasol even at 34 and the rest of his late thirties will be a better player than boozer. Gasol is also a better defensive player and shot blocker.

twix2500 · Post #9 » by **twix2500** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:35 am

That just shows how sucky DAntoni is as a coach, if that was his scheme centered around Dwight lol. Yes the Lakers had a lot of injuries, but the coaching was so far behind and not compatible with the talent it really didnt matter, the Lakers were going to be a disappointment healthy or not.

10acious · Post #10 » by **10acious** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:15 am

This is just D'Antoni making excuses for last year. However, remember that Gasol was not healthy for a large part of the season. And, even the season before the last one, his effectiveness was declining. Whatever he did in the past to help win championships, it cannot be disputed that he is done as an elite player and will just be a lower-value role player for the rest of his career. Just what happens with age.

truthiness · Post #11 » by **truthiness** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:59 am

BallerTalk wrote:It's kinda funny watching D'Antoni schmoozing Gasol time and time again now.
I can only guess he hoping to get a great year out of Pau thinking that may stave off his own eventual demise in LA.

Still none of this explains Kobe taking more shots than Dwight and Pau combined or D'Antoni slighting Gasol in favor of Earl Clark.

I blame Dwight.

Apparently, so does D'Antoni.
Wonder who you and him will blame next summer while watching the lottery, hoping for a high pick.

BballFever1 · Post #12 » by **BballFever1** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:12 pm

Yes, blame the guy that left because hes not there anymore for everything that went wrong last year. :lol:

Wonder how many more days D'Antoni has left in LaLa land.

The59Sound · Post #13 » by **The59Sound** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:50 pm

I believe what D'Antoni's saying, but he doesn't seem to realize it's an indictment on him that he did it. Can you imagine Greg Popovich, Jerry Sloan, or -- hell, even a guy like Scott Skiles letting their coaching be held hostage by a player?

Post #14 » by **Slava** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 2:51 pm

Interesting that Sam Smith inserted the keywords "Politics" and "Normally" into D'Antoni's quotes. Great journalistic integrity there.

Ejshaq · Post #15 » by **Ejshaq** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 3:34 pm

The59Sound wrote:I believe what D'Antoni's saying, but he doesn't seem to realize it's an indictment on him that he did it. Can you imagine Greg Popovich, Jerry Sloan, or -- hell, even a guy like Scott Skiles letting their coaching be held hostage by a player?

Different situations my friend. I agree with you, but a big part of a coach having the same type of power that Popvich or Sloan have or had is a long standing relationship with the team. And don't forget about how Deron Williams eventually got Sloan removed.

JellosJigglin · Post #16 » by **JellosJigglin** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 3:42 pm

Everything Dantoni said is true. I don't see how it's an indictment on Dwight. The game tape is there for everyone to see. Pau is simply a better player to funnel the offense through. What's so controversial about that? You guys are seriously sensitive.

Mr MoJo Risin · Post #17 » by **Mr MoJo Risin** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 3:52 pm

I think the whole team knew this. One of the reasons why there was so much friction to the team last season

Mamba Venom · Post #18 » by **Mamba Venom** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 4:14 pm

Saig wrote:I've never heard of a team winning a title because they played politically. Only good bball.

2001-2002 Lakers -I'm sure there are others. When you have 2 great players, especially that share a position, there is usually politics involved. You have the insecure ego guy and the talented doormat guy that is going to be unselfish for the sake of winning.

Many 6th men of the year sacrifice for the sake of the team. Thats why that award was created. It takes a moment to recognize the great players that sacrifice and come off of the bench.

The59Sound · Post #19 » by **The59Sound** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 4:41 pm

Ejshaq wrote:
The59Sound wrote:I believe what D'Antoni's saying, but he doesn't seem to realize it's an indictment on him that he did it. Can you imagine Greg Popovich, Jerry Sloan, or -- hell, even a guy like Scott Skiles letting their coaching be held hostage by a player?

Different situations my friend. I agree with you, but a big part of a coach having the same type of power that Popvich or Sloan have or had is a long standing relationship with the team. And don't forget about how Deron Williams eventually got Sloan removed.

Well, the Scott Skiles suggestion still stands. Obviously it impacts his job security in that the FO could have blamed him for Dwight leaving if he hadn't designed his offense to accommodate "politics," so I suppose I can't blame a man for wanting to eat, but it's still a sad commentary.

Re: Sloan

Deron Williams indeed drove Sloan out, but he didn't get him "removed." He just frustrated his coach so badly that Sloan finally decided, "I don't have the energy to deal with these prima donnas anymore. It's time to hang it up." The FO wanted him to stay, and Deron was traded like two weeks later anyway.

BallerTalk · Post #20 » by **BallerTalk** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 5:52 pm

truthiness wrote:
BallerTalk wrote:It's kinda funny watching D'Antoni schmoozing Gasol time and time again now.
I can only guess he hoping to get a great year out of Pau thinking that may stave off his own eventual demise in LA.

Still none of this explains Kobe taking more shots than Dwight and Pau combined or D'Antoni slighting Gasol in favor of Earl Clark.

I blame Dwight.

Apparently, so does D'Antoni.
Wonder who you and him will blame next summer while watching the lottery, hoping for a high pick.

Recharge the batteries on your sarcasm detector.

For the record, I believe this is nothing but D'Antoni's attempt to prop up the one healthy star player he has left, being keenly aware that his own future in LA may soon be on the line.
And why not earn a few brownie points with Laker Nation by blaming public enemy number one.

It all rings hollow though, because anyone who watched the Lakers last season knows the offense did not run through Dwight but through Kobe as always. I mean he took more shots than Dwight and Pau combined.
And as I said before, it doesn't explain choosing Earl Clarke over Pau.
Were they that worried about losing Clarke too?