Why is this team being written off?

[Thethirdguy]

I keep seeing people saying Dwight to Houston gives him the best chance at winning now. Lakers basically being completely written off and I don't get it. Last I checked these teams had the same record last year. When you factor inThe horrible start we had, with coaching & system changes, and how well we were playing towards the end after they started gelling I don't see how you can argue for Houston at all. We basically tanked the first half of the season and still made the playoffs.

Granted the team is old and the injury problem last year was ridiculous, but I can't imagine it could ever be that bad again. Add in the fact that the Lakers organizations history of greatness and that they seem to be trying to put checks in place for Dantonis system (Phil as a consultant and Rambis in staff) I don't see how anyone could argue Lin, Harden andOsik > kobe, nash and Gasol. This seems like a no Brainer to me yet everything I'm hearing says the opposite. How am I wrong?

[ak7]

1) This country loves to align themselves with the flavor of the month, especially when it isn't LAL.
2) Everyone is on Harden's jock (I still laugh at his playoff performances).
3) Chandler Parsons is somehow a top tier player all of a sudden per the media because of his potential skillset.
4) They apparently have a bigger market in China because of Yao/Lin, yet do a google images search of "Kobe in China."
5) Refer back to #1.

[stunnar0b]

I honestly believe that la gives Howard the best chance at winning a title within the next five years. I can't say that about Houston Dallas or any other place, yeah Houston has some attractive pieces but who knows how its going to turn out. La has shown a history at doing whatever it takes to put forth a winning product out there. I just hope Dwight realizes it and stays put.

[tlifeset]

Totally agree with this post. Not to mention that this team has way more options to improve with a potential pau trade and/or cap space next year. Plus, lakers have highest payroll in league... Houston wouldn't and couldn't even remotely afford the lakers roster this year. Doesn't make any sense... Kobe w one ankle is still better than the beard

[crazyeights]

Personally I welcome it. Nothing will motivate Kobe and Nash more. There was way too much hype last season.

[FrobeBean]

if dwight leaves, i believe lakers can be top 3 next season. pau is still one of the best big men in the league. we just need to improve our bench

[stunnar0b]

if dwight leaves, i believe lakers can be top 3 next season. pau is still one of the best big men in the league. we just need to improve our bench

I think your reaching with this post. Offensively we'll be alright but defensively we won't stop jack ****. This reason alone I see us losing a lot of games, and quite possibly being out of the playoffs

[RamonSessions7]

if dwight leaves, i believe lakers can be top 3 next season. pau is still one of the best big men in the league. we just need to improve our bench

Yeah, ain't no one need defense in basketball

[ngcoolman]

Actually, the team may perform better than we expect with/wo Dwight. Last season, our biggest problem were too many tovs and sucking at transitions defense. Kobe/Dwight/Nash were all turnover prone which exaggerated the problem. If we are more careful with the ball, we will play much better.

[dockingsched]

this fan base hates their coach, thinks the management is inept, trashes nash at every opportunity, has been down on pau since his playoffs against dallas, thinks everyone else kinda sucks, and kobe just had a very serious injury....if someone was looking at the lakers from the outside, why shouldn't they be down on the lakers?

[ArC_man]

if dwight leaves, i believe lakers can be top 3 next season. pau is still one of the best big men in the league. we just need to improve our bench

Yeah, ain't no one need defense in basketball

Defense is actually less than 1/2 of the game. If you let the opponents score within 6 seconds on a fast break and take all 24 seconds on offense, defense constitutes only 20% of the game and is therefore overrated .

[Sedale Threatt]

this fan base hates their coach, thinks the management is inept, trashes nash at every opportunity, has been down on pau since his playoffs against dallas, thinks everyone else kinda sucks, and kobe just had a very serious injury....if someone was looking at the lakers from the outside, why shouldn't they be down on the lakers?

That's the thing -- outside observers aren't coming to these conclusions based on the opinions of the fan base. They can figure it out on their own.

[dAdo dA dEvil]

if d12 decides to leave i think we will be just fine ...

move pau to C because that's the position he should be playing now and let him operate in the painted area because that is where he is most effective and i think he will be able to decently guard the opposing Cs as they will not be too fast for him unlike if guard PFs...

move MWP to PF and plant him in the post as he is stronger than most of the players in NBA and mainly to avoid him from shooting silly 3s ... just ask him to defend and grab the boards ...

sign a PG or a SF who can hit open shots and defend the perimeter as we all know nash is slow on D and kobe likes to gamble on D very much ...

if it's a SF that we get then kobe and nash man the back court ...

if it's a PG then kobe needs to be the SF and i would like to see him operate more on the post because i think he is more efficient with his back on the basket plus he has a good foot work ... and of course he could still take his perimeter fade aways as i trust on them especially if the game is on the line ...

nash can play the PG or the SG spot ... depends on who we get as another guard ... but i prefer nash plays PG on offense and SG on defense ...

but i don't think MDA would like this ...

he would rather want the 5 players on the court shoot the ball from the outside every time they get a chance than to capitalize in the painted area for a shot with a higher FG% ...

[Showtime3242]

I keep seeing people saying Dwight to Houston gives him the best chance at winning now. Lakers basically being completely written off and I don't get it. Last I checked these teams had the same record last year. When you factor inThe horrible start we had, with coaching & system changes, and how well we were playing towards the end after they started gelling I don't see how you can argue for Houston at all. We basically tanked the first half of the season and still made the playoffs.

Granted the team is old and the injury problem last year was ridiculous, but I can't imagine it could ever be that bad again. Add in the fact that the Lakers organizations history of greatness and that they seem to be trying to put checks in place for Dantonis system (Phil as a consultant and Rambis in staff) I don't see how anyone could argue Lin, Harden andOsik > kobe, nash and Gasol. This seems like a no Brainer to me yet everything I'm hearing says the opposite. How am I wrong?

I totally agree. With good health - the Lakers could contend this season - even without Howard. I think we need a good combo guard with or without Howard and the MMLE could land that.

A vet three and a vet four via the veterans minimum and we're good to go.

As far as long term, after this upcoming season, how could the Lakers with cap space not be the best place to be? The league's glam team, living in LA, etc., it's a no-brainer. If Houston and/or Dallas are factors this year with cap space, how could the Lakers not be that much more enticing just one season later in a five - year deal? Dumbfounding IMO.

[Sedale Threatt]

Is it really that hard to understand?

Houston went 45-37 with seven of their top eight rotation players at 26 or younger, with a borderline top 10 player in Harden. The Lakers went 45-37 with five of their top six rotations players at 32 or older, with their best player coming off a catastrophic injury, zero depth and no opportunity to add any meaningful difference makers.

Plus, he's got the negative history of last season leaving a pretty foul taste in his mouth.

This team has ZERO chance of contending next season, even if Howard comes back. Next year's cap situation looks fantastic, and that's a great place to start. But that's never a given, especially with what's looking like a fairly weak free agent class. Unless Kyrie Irving leaves Cleveland, what major players are a legitimate option?

Dwight isn't getting any younger, and Houston presents a bright opportunity. Bright enough to win a title? They'd probably need one more big-time player. But that's a hell of a lot closer than where the Lakers currently stand today.

[Gek]

I keep seeing people saying Dwight to Houston gives him the best chance at winning now. Lakers basically being completely written off and I don't get it. Last I checked these teams had the same record last year. When you factor inThe horrible start we had, with coaching & system changes, and how well we were playing towards the end after they started gelling I don't see how you can argue for Houston at all. We basically tanked the first half of the season and still made the playoffs.

Granted the team is old and the injury problem last year was ridiculous, but I can't imagine it could ever be that bad again. Add in the fact that the Lakers organizations history of greatness and that they seem to be trying to put checks in place for Dantonis system (Phil as a consultant and Rambis in staff) I don't see how anyone could argue Lin, Harden andOsik > kobe, nash and Gasol. This seems like a no Brainer to me yet everything I'm hearing says the opposite. How am I wrong?

The grass is always greener man.

[dAdo dA dEvil]

if that achilles didn't tore i like our chances in the playoffs ...

[BlackFalconGSW]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/DrakeIrvine/status/351799603613548545[/tweet]

[Michael Lucky]

what are you talking about? we don't even use our PG, we just use Kobe. lol

[BlackFalconGSW]

Kobe is coming off Achilles surgery, Nash is like 40, and D'Antoni is the coach. I don't see it. Unless I can borrow your eyes lol!