Lakers Offseason Preview for RealGM

Post #1 » by **Smitty731** » Thu Apr 6, 2017 11:09 pm

Hey all!

The Lakers offseason preview is up for RealGM. Love to hear your thoughts!

http://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/245538/2017-NBA-Season-Preview-Los-Angeles-Lakers

Thanks!

Smitty

Post #2 » by **TyCobb** » Thu Apr 6, 2017 11:25 pm

Um, the word count was there. Cool.

Princeinrevolt · Post #3 » by **Princeinrevolt** » Thu Apr 6, 2017 11:44 pm

It's pretty good... But one thing you wrote was very wrong. You said Ivica Zubac is one of our best defenders, when he is actually one of our worst. But overall pretty accurate.

Post #4 » by **TyCobb** » Thu Apr 6, 2017 11:46 pm

Princeinrevolt wrote:It's pretty good... But one thing you wrote was very wrong. You said Ivica Zubac is one of our best defenders, when he is actually one of our worst. But overall pretty accurate.

Are you sure about that? He included your boy and Ingram as 'nice rotation players'.

Princeinrevolt · Post #5 » by **Princeinrevolt** » Thu Apr 6, 2017 11:54 pm

TyCobb wrote:
Princeinrevolt wrote:It's pretty good... But one thing you wrote was very wrong. You said Ivica Zubac is one of our best defenders, when he is actually one of our worst. But overall pretty accurate.

Are you sure about that? He included your boy and Ingram as 'nice rotation players'.

Actually true, I thought he meant they are nice rotation players for right now, and they will be great when they are older. Its not bad for someone who probably doesn't watch the Lakers, Usually they would just say Ingram is a bust, and D'angelo is a bigger bust.

Post #6 » by **TyCobb** » Thu Apr 6, 2017 11:58 pm

Princeinrevolt wrote:
TyCobb wrote:
Princeinrevolt wrote:It's pretty good... But one thing you wrote was very wrong. You said Ivica Zubac is one of our best defenders, when he is actually one of our worst. But overall pretty accurate.

Are you sure about that? He included your boy and Ingram as 'nice rotation players'.

Actually true, I thought he meant they are nice rotation players for right now, and they will be great when they are older. Its not bad for someone who probably doesn't watch the Lakers, Usually they would just say Ingram is a bust, and D'angelo is a bigger bust.

He could have meant that, but nobody thought the least NBA-ready body in the draft would be a superstar right away. His assessment on Ingram disturbs me the most.

Princeinrevolt · Post #7 » by **Princeinrevolt** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 12:12 am

TyCobb wrote:He could have meant that, but nobody thought the least NBA-ready body in the draft would be a superstar right away. His assessment on Ingram disturbs me the most.

He’s been better late in the year, but there is always the worry of “good stats, bad team” there.

This part annoyed me the most. That just shows he doesn't watch him play, he's just looking at the stats, and making assumptions about that.
Ingram no doubt in my mind is going to be a superstar in this league, the kid has the talent. Just needs to work on his shooting (3pt./free throws), and needs to gain a some weight each offseason until he is like Giannis Antetekounmpo's body. D'angelo Russell could be a superstar, but I wouldn't bet on it. I could definitely see him being an All-Star, but I want to see some good three point shooters around him and see what he does with that. If he starts averaging 7-8 assists with them on the team, then his chances of being a superstar, or close to it, becomes much better.

Michael Lucky · Post #8 » by **Michael Lucky** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 1:58 am

Yeah there's no reason to worry. I was really quite upset with Ingram earlier this year since he was ball watching way way too much. But now that he's been asserting himself, it's obvious to anyone who watches that scoring just comes easy to him. He just needs to keep focusing on adding weight little by little and he'll end up great.

DEEP3CL · Post #9 » by **DEEP3CL** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 6:16 am

Your cap info was way way off...Lakers can create up to $31.7 mil in cap space if it renounces some cap holds and not pick up team options.

RingsDontLie · Post #10 » by **RingsDontLie** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 6:30 am

The whole no cap thing made me scared for not having room to at least attempt to get Paul George. Whope Deep3CL is right.

Post #11 » by **Smitty731** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 2:34 pm

DEEP3CL wrote:Your cap info was way way off...Lakers can create up to $31.7 mil in cap space if it renounces some cap holds and not pick up team options.

Not off at all. They would need to dump everyone to get to the number you are suggesting. Even then, the max space they can create is $29.9 million. And that is before the latest projection lowered the cap number to $101 million.

Young is the key. If he opts out and is renounced, they can get space. To push the space higher, they will need to also waive Black and renounce the other FAs. It isn't impossible, but they aren't there now and aren't likely to get there.

Post #12 » by **Smitty731** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 2:34 pm

Princeinrevolt wrote:It's pretty good... But one thing you wrote was very wrong. You said Ivica Zubac is one of our best defenders, when he is actually one of our worst. But overall pretty accurate.

All of the stats show Zubac has been the most effective interior defender. That isn't saying much, as everyone else has been poor. And watching him, he's at least fairly active and trying.

Post #13 » by **Smitty731** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 2:36 pm

Princeinrevolt wrote:
TyCobb wrote:He could have meant that, but nobody thought the least NBA-ready body in the draft would be a superstar right away. His assessment on Ingram disturbs me the most.

He’s been better late in the year, but there is always the worry of “good stats, bad team” there.

This part annoyed me the most. That just shows he doesn't watch him play, he's just looking at the stats, and making assumptions about that.
Ingram no doubt in my mind is going to be a superstar in this league, the kid has the talent. Just needs to work on his shooting (3pt./free throws), and needs to gain a some weight each offseason until he is like Giannis Antetekounmpo's body. D'angelo Russell could be a superstar, but I wouldn't bet on it. I could definitely see him being an All-Star, but I want to see some good three point shooters around him and see what he does with that. If he starts averaging 7-8 assists with them on the team, then his chances of being a superstar, or close to it, becomes much better.

I think I have seen almost every game Ingram has played since the All-Star break. I'm on the East Coast and the 10:30 PM window afford lots of opportunities to watch the Lakers.

So, I'm not just looking at stats. I think Ingram can become a great player and I'm still pretty high on him. He definitely needs to add bulk. But the "good stats, bad team" argument is a real one and comes up with every single player who does this late in the year. Still better to see than not see!

J_LA · Post #14 » by **J_LA** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 2:50 pm

Can someone explain to me how Ingram shooting 52% from the field and almost 40% from 3 in his last ten has anything to do with "good stats on bad team". I'm just wondering how being on a bad team helps your shooting percentages.

Ballerhogger · Post #15 » by **Ballerhogger** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 4:13 pm

Overall good job, very fair analysis. Nick Young is probably is out of LA, his 3 point shooting is asset he can take somewhere else. See where that goes. If we do get 2-3 I WANT Fultz,. If Fultz is gone i want Monk, or Ball.

MrWaffles · Post #16 » by **MrWaffles** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 4:21 pm

I'd say Extending Randle is a big topic for us this summer, more importantly, it's what are we going to do with Mozgov and Deng.

Rob has already stated he's going to be aggressive moving forward, no one is untouchable and has also stated he doesn't know if this current core could win.

We will have around 29 million in cap space this summer at best as well.

One Love · Post #17 » by **One Love** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 5:26 pm

We have NO Untouchables on this team... NONE... We need to sit tight until May 16th than get ready to make a MOVE for a STUD... Magic & Pelinka will MAKE MOVES...

Michael Lucky · Post #18 » by **Michael Lucky** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 5:28 pm

What is a stud? lol Paul George who won't make the All NBA team? Can't wait until he leaves the team when he realizes that he's stuck with Deng and Mozgov and no way for us to acquire talent having given it all away for him.

DEEP3CL · Post #19 » by **DEEP3CL** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 9:00 pm

Smitty731 wrote:
DEEP3CL wrote:Your cap info was way way off...Lakers can create up to $31.7 mil in cap space if it renounces some cap holds and not pick up team options.

Not off at all. They would need to dump everyone to get to the number you are suggesting. Even then, the max space they can create is $29.9 million. And that is before the latest projection lowered the cap number to $101 million.

Young is the key. If he opts out and is renounced, they can get space. To push the space higher, they will need to also waive Black and renounce the other FAs. It isn't impossible, but they aren't there now and aren't likely to get there.

Well those are the scenarios that one guy that covers the Lakers here already laid out. Young as you stated is the key, my thinking is he opts out. He had a decent season and teams seem to be valuing any scoring they can find for their bench now.Black is also a tricky spot, unless they can find a third C/PF...I can see his option not being picked up.

I don't think they have to come close to the $31 mil and truthfully I see no reason to chase any free agents in this class any way. Next year is where it's at.

Wasn't trying to be overly critical but I searched a few sites that had how much the Lakers could get to that's all

DEEP3CL · Post #20 » by **DEEP3CL** » Fri Apr 7, 2017 9:13 pm

J_LA wrote:Can someone explain to me how Ingram shooting 52% from the field and almost 40% from 3 in his last ten has anything to do with "good stats on bad team". I'm just wondering how being on a bad team helps your shooting percentages.

It's a passive/aggressive term lots of media guys like to use. True the Lakers are bad, and that does lead to more opportunities to shoot more. But if anybody really looked at Brandon and not just what the stats say, the reason his percentages are up is because his style of attack now. He's reading defenses better, understands where to start his attack, not wasting a lot of movement to score. He struggled early in the year because he didn't understand any of what I stated.

Has nothing to do with what his numbers previously indicated. 99% of media guys don't understand this because they use the numbers to justify their explanation. His bad numbers where indicative of him not understanding defenses while his good numbers indicate him figuring it out.