DJ Strawberry

ALL HAIL · Post #1 » by **ALL HAIL** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 5:53 am

I'd just like to be the first (or second) guy to officially get on his bandwagon.

I've wanted this dude on this team for a long time and am very excited to see him on the Lakers summer league.

He's exactly what this team needs to replace Shannon Brown (minus some experience).

I think by the end of next season he will have beat out Vujachick for the fourth guard spot.

Good luck DJ ... we can use your skill set (defense, defense, defense on PGs and SGs).

laduane1 · Post #2 » by **laduane1** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 6:39 am

Listed at 6'5 and 200 pounds. He is kind of a in between player. Good on defense and not so good on offense. He best bet for a job will be over seas. He bounced around the NBDL last year for the Suns and did alright now in the minors. He is 25 and needs to get with a NBA club soon. So many young ones coming out all the time.

Magicontinues · Post #3 » by **Magicontinues** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 7:31 am

ALL HAIL wrote:I'd just like to be the first (or second) guy to officially get on his bandwagon.

I've wanted this dude on this team for a long time and am very excited to see him on the Lakers summer league.

He's exactly what this team needs to replace Shannon Brown (minus some experience).

I think by the end of next season he will have beat out Vujachick for the fourth guard spot.

Good luck DJ ... we can use your skill set (defense, defense, defense on PGs and SGs).

Bell's a better fit all around.

ChampagnePapa · Post #4 » by **ChampagnePapa** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 7:39 am

Strawberry was barely relevant in college and hasn't shown much. Gerald Green is on our summer roster and can dunk better than shannon and considering shannon can't do much else, and with green's upside, regardless of age considering expectations, he's a better fit than this guy

Gek · Post #5 » by **Gek** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 12:37 pm

ChampagnePapa wrote:Strawberry was barely relevant in college and hasn't shown much. Gerald Green is on our summer roster and can dunk better than shannon and considering shannon can't do much else, and with green's upside, regardless of age considering expectations, he's a better fit than this guy

Except Green has been in the league 5 years and hasn't done anything for anyone.

Tonyism74 · Post #6 » by **Tonyism74** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 1:09 pm

In the ACC Strawberry was very relevant...but im not too sure what he would bring to the table that we cannot get in-house. One thing that sticks out is DJ's tenacity on defense..but we kinda get that from signing Blake.

Gek · Post #7 » by **Gek** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 1:27 pm

I see us signing DJ - we need to fill out our roster and we need to get some guard depth outside of Blake/Vujacic. We're most likely going to use Minimum players to fill out that roster too.

Strawberry and Sims are both good options if they perform on the summer league team.

druggas · Post #8 » by **druggas** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 2:17 pm

It takes years to learn the triangle. How long do you want to wait on a player?

Gek · Post #9 » by **Gek** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 2:38 pm

druggas wrote:It takes years to learn the triangle. How long do you want to wait on a player?

It shouldn't take an intelligent player long to learn to cut and rotate around the post man... he may not know the subtleties of the Lakers system, but he should be good to go on the bench after a full summer.

He is known for his on the ball defense as a swing guard and, although this doesn't mean much, in 8 min per game as a rookie over 33 games he averaged half a steal an assist and a rebound and 2 points, that is pretty productive as a Rook in 8 minutes.

ALL HAIL · Post #10 » by **ALL HAIL** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 8:06 pm

G=K wrote:
druggas wrote:It takes years to learn the triangle. How long do you want to wait on a player?

It shouldn't take an intelligent player long to learn to cut and rotate around the post man... he may not know the subtleties of the Lakers system, but he should be good to go on the bench after a full summer.

He is known for his on the ball defense as a swing guard and, although this doesn't mean much, in 8 min per game as a rookie over 33 games he averaged half a steal an assist and a rebound and 2 points, that is pretty productive as a Rook in 8 minutes.

Exactly.

That's the biggest need with a Fisher/Blake PG platoon ... you have to have a stopper when you have two guys who could be a defensive liability on any given night ... Ebanks could fill this role but my bet is that Strawberry beats him out along with Vujacic.

Sorry, but anyone who can't see that Strawberry fills a distinct need is deaf, dumb, and blind or doesn't know his game.

Sedale Threatt · Post #11 » by **Sedale Threatt** » Tue Jul 6, 2010 10:47 pm

A homeless man's Shannon Brown. Think about that.

ALL HAIL · Post #12 » by **ALL HAIL** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 2:11 am

Waaaay better defensively on PGs and SGs alike.

Think about that.

The Lakers need a guy who is a pitbull on defense ... that my friend is Strawberry ... all day.

We'll see ...

fongie24 · Post #13 » by **fongie24** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 2:53 am

ALL HAIL wrote:Waaaay better defensively on PGs and SGs alike.

Think about that.

The Lakers need a guy who is a pitbull on defense ... that my friend is Strawberry ... all day.

We'll see ...

agree with you 100%, thats what the lakers need.. but if hes THAT good guarding the better point guards, why hasnt he been able to stick with a team in the NBA?

Gek · Post #14 » by **Gek** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 3:21 am

fongie24 wrote:
ALL HAIL wrote:Waaaay better defensively on PGs and SGs alike.

Think about that.

The Lakers need a guy who is a pitbull on defense ... that my friend is Strawberry ... all day.

We'll see ...

agree with you 100%, thats what the lakers need.. but if hes THAT good guarding the better point guards, why hasnt he been able to stick with a team in the NBA?

What the hell does it matter? We're going to sign two more minimum FA's at least assuming we sign both Ebanks and Caracter...

Lakers Roster:
Kobe
Pau
Drew
LO
Ron
Sasha
Luke
Blaker
Fish
Ebanks
Caracter
= 11

So that leaves two spots open... maybe a SF w/ that 1.8?
=12

Which leaves one spot, we clearly need another bigman so we would take Sims hopefully b/c Sanborn is undersized (assuming Kurt Thomas or a vet won't sign)... Then it's always better to have an extra SG in case Kobe takes some time off finally when he gets an injury... so Strawberry or Green.

=14 (1 over the league minimum size)

fongie24 · Post #15 » by **fongie24** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 3:37 am

G=K wrote:
What the hell does it matter?

not trying to bash the guy, and im not saying that i dont want him on the team.. just some people are trying to make him out to be this godlike defender.. i dont doubt his abilities.. im sure hes damn good.. but if hes as good as people are making him out to be i think he would already be signed to a team.. thats all

ALL HAIL · Post #16 » by **ALL HAIL** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 3:47 am

^That is a legitimate question but, to be honest with you, it is a weak arguement (no offense).

I for one believe their is a plethora of good NBA talent out there ...

... as most of us know, the thin line between being in and out of the league almost always boils down to opportunity and a particular team's needs.

Strawberry could already be a staple in our rotation if he'd played for us last summer and if Shannon Brown hadn't had a monster playoffs last year which led to him being resigned.

Hell, Shannon Brown illustrates my point perfectly --- noone wanted him either. He latched on with the Lakers because we had a need for a guy to play defense on guards (namely PGs). He got his opportunity on this team because of a team need and just like that he signed to a deal that would've payed him 4 million dollars (had he not opted out).

There are many great, servicable players that are not in the league. In order for these players to truly prove their worth they just need to be on teams in which their skill set is actually needed and where they actually have the opportunity to play within a defined role.

If a player has any moticum of determination, most times with the right opportunity and the ability to plug a team need, that player can be successful regardless of whether or not he's been been cut 50 times and/or has played in the Dubai Basketball League for the last seven years.

You cannot automatically assume that because a player has been out of the league that something is inherently wrong with him.

Strawberry has not been in the right situation; much like Shannon Brown and Ariza had not been in the right situations either ... until they got here.

Gerald Green (who is also on the summer league roster) is much more talented than Strawberry but Strawberry offers something that we need much more than dunking and shooting ... lockdown defense on any guard.

I, for one, see him filling a huge need for the Lakers and hope that he not only makes the team but gets the chance to prove his worth as a defender (his jumpshot will come along slowly).

Plus he's an LA boy and the son of an LA legend (Crenshaw standup).

Strawberry will be extra, extra motivated to showcase his defensive skills this summer. If he proves that he can shoot straight at all, he'll easily make this team and contribute.

Gek · Post #17 » by **Gek** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 3:50 am

Other teams wanted Shannon Brown last season, he turned down a larger contract from Indiana (like 4+ a season) to sign with the Lakers.

ALL HAIL · Post #18 » by **ALL HAIL** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 3:51 am

fongie24 wrote:If hes as good as people are making him out to be i think he would already be signed to a team.. thats all

That is a legitimate question but, to be honest with you, it is a weak arguement (no offense).

I for one believe their is a plethora of good NBA talent out there ...

... as most of us know, the thin line between being in and out of the league almost always boils down to opportunity and a particular team's needs.

Strawberry could already be a staple in our rotation if he'd played for us last summer and if Shannon Brown hadn't had a monster playoffs last year which led to him being resigned.

Hell, Shannon Brown illustrates my point perfectly --- noone wanted him either. He latched on with the Lakers because we had a need for a guy to play defense on guards (namely PGs). He got his opportunity on this team because of a team need and just like that he signed to a deal that would've payed him 4 million dollars (had he not opted out).

There are many great, servicable players that are not in the league. In order for these players to truly prove their worth they just need to be on teams in which their skill set is actually needed and where they actually have the opportunity to play within a defined role.

If a player has any moticum of determination, most times with the right opportunity and the ability to plug a team need, that player can be successful regardless of whether or not he's been been cut 50 times and/or has played in the Dubai Basketball League for the last seven years.

You cannot automatically assume that because a player has been out of the league that something is inherently wrong with him.

Strawberry has not been in the right situation; much like Shannon Brown and Ariza had not been in the right situations either ... until they got here.

Gerald Green (who is also on the summer league roster) is much more talented than Strawberry but Strawberry offers something that we need much more than dunking and shooting ... lockdown defense on any guard.

I, for one, see him filling a huge need for the Lakers and hope that he not only makes the team but gets the chance to prove his worth as a defender (his jumpshot will come along slowly).

Plus he's an LA boy and the son of an LA legend (Crenshaw standup).

Strawberry will be extra, extra motivated to showcase his defensive skills this summer. If he proves that he can shoot straight at all, he'll easily make this team and contribute.

ALL HAIL · Post #19 » by **ALL HAIL** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 3:53 am

My bad for the double post.

ALL HAIL · Post #20 » by **ALL HAIL** » Wed Jul 7, 2010 4:01 am

G=K wrote:Other teams wanted Shannon Brown last season, he turned down a larger contract from Indiana (like 4+ a season) to sign with the Lakers.

You are missing the point.

Noone wanted Shannon Brown until he was the given the opportunity to play on a team that needed his skill set (athleticsm, guard defense, and shooting).

If he had not been given the opportunity to play on a particular team (the Lakers) that needed his skillset the Pacers would not have wanted him last summer. Believe that.