Just how thin are the lakers.this year

[KqWIN]

I actually think the Lakers depth is similar or better to the Blazers. More of a statement about the Blazers than the Lakers though.

[MrSparkle]

IMO they really needed a PG. Hopefully for them Caruso and Cook play their asses off and have career years, cause Rondo’s lack of shooting and defense is going to kill them.

But that and their wing situation (Lebron’s backup) are the killers. They have nobody who can defend Kawhi or George — Lebron can simply outperform them offensively. Clippers are going to torch them.

They managed to add depth, but you look at the ages and advanced metrics for the roster. It’s plain bad news after Davis and Lebron. Being one of the best of all-time, you can ration that Lebron can play mvp superstar ball past 35 years of age, but it’s asking a lot. Jordan, Stockton and Malone kept their forms into 35+, but they played with the same teammates, role players and coaches. It’s more taxing when you have a new coach, new roster, and a tough conference.

Davis is great but he isn’t making plays and spacing for his teammates like a star creator.

[Jabroni Lames]

Danny Green played 28 mpg for the Champions last year, but we shouldn't expect him to be a good rotation player for the Lakers?

Green got benched a lot in the playoffs and sucked really, really bad except for 1 game vs. Orlando (who cares) and 1 game vs. the Warriors (with both Klay & KD out). That's 2 out of 24 playoff games where Green actually showed up. And it wasn't just with the Raptors. The last 3 playoffs, Green has had a PER of: 9.6, 2.7 & 7.6. Wowzers.

That said, even 28 MPG in the regular season isn't that great for a starter.

[Myth]

Already starting with the "LeBron needs more help" threads.

[tsirigoj]

While Clippers have some positional issues at Center they are definitely more talented outside the top 2 players.

Not by much.

And if LeBron/Rondo are playing facilitator, they are going to make some of the more average players look much more elite.

Lol who are Lebrun and Rondo gonna make look elite? Maybe avery? Greens not gonna get much easier looks than have got in Toronto or SAS, and they’ve already played with pretty much every other offensive threat on the roster.

And i think the talent gap is huge. Outside top 2 players:
Louis William is easily the best scorer out of the group, Beverly the best perimeter defender, the big man of Harrell/Zubac is better than Kuzma/Mcgee

Your post is perplexing, mostly because it is one that shows ignorance of the teams as they currently stand.

Our starting PF is Anthony Davis. You should look him up. He's pretty good. And defensively, AD + McGee >>>>>> Harrell/Zubac. Offensively, too.

LeBron has been known to make scrubs look VERY good in the past. Yes, the only thing you have right is that Lou Williams is the best scorer out of top 4 players. Won't argue with you there. But now that LeBron has knock down shooters (which he didn't last season), it's REALLY going to space out the offense and keep the defense honest.

And Pat Beverly the best perimeter defender? Please...HAHA who is he going to guard? Rondo?

[Johnny Bball]

[nickhx2]

What a funny thread.

Seriously, how thin do the Clippers (is that you're fav team) look in the frontcourt?

How badly are AD, Dwight, and LeBron gonna eat JaMychal Green and Zubac?

Will the Clippers even play interior defense? If you get past the three-point line with the ball, will it be an automatic 2?

the only thing funny is being so insecure about the clippers that, ironically, you're the first person to bring them up in the thread

[nikster]

Not by much.

And if LeBron/Rondo are playing facilitator, they are going to make some of the more average players look much more elite.

Lol who are Lebrun and Rondo gonna make look elite? Maybe avery? Greens not gonna get much easier looks than have got in Toronto or SAS, and they’ve already played with pretty much every other offensive threat on the roster.

And i think the talent gap is huge. Outside top 2 players:
Louis William is easily the best scorer out of the group, Beverly the best perimeter defender, the big man of Harrell/Zubac is better than Kuzma/Mcgee

Your post is perplexing, mostly because it is one that shows ignorance of the teams as they currently stand.

Our starting PF is Anthony Davis. You should look him up. He's pretty good. And defensively, AD + McGee >>>>>> Harrell/Zubac. Offensively, too.

LeBron has been known to make scrubs look VERY good in the past. Yes, the only thing you have right is that Lou Williams is the best scorer out of top 4 players. Won't argue with you there. But now that LeBron has knock down shooters (which he didn't last season), it's REALLY going to space out the offense and keep the defense honest.

And Pat Beverly the best perimeter defender? Please...HAHA who is he going to guard? Rondo?

I was clearly talking about players outside the topn2 for each team, hence no mention of AD.

Again, outside of Kawhi/PG and Lebron/AD the clippers are a lot more talented

[Pop Daddy]

They got some talent in the top 10. but lets face it, with Lebron and Davis you dont need much. If they dont end up as a top 3 team in the west it means Lebron s being over taken by father time (who is undefeated)

[tsirigoj]

Lol who are Lebrun and Rondo gonna make look elite? Maybe avery? Greens not gonna get much easier looks than have got in Toronto or SAS, and they’ve already played with pretty much every other offensive threat on the roster.

And i think the talent gap is huge. Outside top 2 players:
Louis William is easily the best scorer out of the group, Beverly the best perimeter defender, the big man of Harrell/Zubac is better than Kuzma/Mcgee

Your post is perplexing, mostly because it is one that shows ignorance of the teams as they currently stand.

Our starting PF is Anthony Davis. You should look him up. He's pretty good. And defensively, AD + McGee >>>>>> Harrell/Zubac. Offensively, too.

LeBron has been known to make scrubs look VERY good in the past. Yes, the only thing you have right is that Lou Williams is the best scorer out of top 4 players. Won't argue with you there. But now that LeBron has knock down shooters (which he didn't last season), it's REALLY going to space out the offense and keep the defense honest.

And Pat Beverly the best perimeter defender? Please...HAHA who is he going to guard? Rondo?

I was clearly talking about players outside the topn2 for each team, hence no mention of AD.

Again, outside of Kawhi/PG and Lebron/AD the clippers are a lot more talented

"Clearly?" When you're talking about interior defense, why does it matter if you ONLY consider people outside of big 2?

You are back-pedaling and making no sense.

[tsirigoj]

What a funny thread.

Seriously, how thin do the Clippers (is that you're fav team) look in the frontcourt?

How badly are AD, Dwight, and LeBron gonna eat JaMychal Green and Zubac?

Will the Clippers even play interior defense? If you get past the three-point line with the ball, will it be an automatic 2?

the only thing funny is being so insecure about the clippers that, ironically, you're the first person to bring them up in the thread

Because one with even half a brain neuron could deduce that someone who makes a thread "just how thin are the lakers this year," given context of times, is likely a Clippers fan.

If you don't realize that, you must have been living under a rock for quite some time now.

[picko]

They are a flawed squad but so is everyone else. The favourite in the East is the 76ers who have a giant shooting problem. The Clippers have great star point but lack size. The Lakers have tremendous size and lack point guard play.

Most teams, the Lakers included, will perform poorly if their best couple of players are injured. Luck with injuries will naturally play some role in how far the Lakers go. But if everyone is fit they have a great chance of winning a title.

[JB2]

As a Lakers fan, there are aspects I love and think we're incredibly strong and then there are some that have me seriously concerned.

Last year we were a team with greally good wing depth (LeBron, Ingram, Hart, Lance, Bullock/Svi) plenty of play makers (LeBron, Rondo, Lonzo, Lance) but mot enough high end talent and not nearly enough shooting

This year, we have that talent (AD, improved Kuz) good size (McGee, Dwight, AD, Cousins**), and far improved shooting (Green, Cook, Daniels, Dudley).

Where we lack, severely, is wing depth. We actually have no true SF as a backup. Here's where we stand:

McGee | Dwight | Cousins*
AD | Kuzma | Dudley
LeBron
Green | KCP | Daniels | THT
Bradley | Cook | Rondo | Caruso

So all in all, we're a strong team but also very thin at the wing which IMO will come back to bite us against the Clippers (potentially). Maybe they envision Kuzma/Dudley/KCP getting mins at the 3 but IMO none of those guys are SF's.

I have no idea why Klutch didn't target RHJ for the minimum but Iggy would help solve our biggest problem.

[zimpy27]

Lakers are pretty deep.

KCP----- | Caruso
Green-- | Bradley
LeBron | Kuzma
Davis--- | Kuzma
Howard | McGee

That's 9-deep. Then they have Rondo, Cook, Dudley, Cousins (replacement).

Don't think they need many more players, they have a spot they should use to fill for any injuries that occur.

[jehosafats]

I actually think the Lakers depth is similar or better to the Blazers. More of a statement about the Blazers than the Lakers though.

Seems its been like 20 years since Portland had depth of any kind. Back when they had Pippen, Schrempf, Wallace, Stoudemire, Steve Smith, Wells, etc. They've always had exceptional players, but depth not so much.

LAL are looking pretty deep on paper. What matters is their health going into the allstar break.

[JN61]

I honestly think Howard is their 3rf best asset. He brings so much more on the table than Hollywood Kuzma.

[zimpy27]

I honestly think Howard is their 3rf best asset. He brings so much more on the table than Hollywood Kuzma.

Green is their third best asset.

Who knows what Howard will be, complete unknown. He was declining badly but apparently his back is fixed now.

[OkcSinceSGA]

I honestly think Howard is their 3rf best asset. He brings so much more on the table than Hollywood Kuzma.

Green is their third best asset.

Who knows what Howard will be, complete unknown. He was declining badly but apparently his back is fixed now.

I think Howard bounces back strong and is more vital. Green is a very streaky player. He has good metrics that make you think he's consistently really good, but he isn't. He sometimes goes months without a big game. He literally vanishes the entire playoffs, then has one big series etc. Dwight has everything to lose and is in the best shape of his life. His back seems really healthy right now. So in my opinion Dwight will be the 3rd most important, but not best asset like that poster said. Kuzma is a pretty one dimensional volume scorer, so I'm expecting more of the same. Dwight will be the difference between the Lakers defense being really good or sucking probably.

Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using RealGM mobile app

[GiannisAnte34]

Already starting with the "LeBron needs more help" threads.

its been an annual tradition for a decade now

[MGB8]

The answer is: not any thinner then most every other team is when you get past their top 2 players.

Avery Bradley put up 16 pts, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in just under 32 minutes per game for the Grizz last season at 46% and 38%. Yeah, it was 14 games and after a horrid run... but take out the two half seasons on the Clippers and the 28 year old doesn't look like he's fallen off a cliff. His last partial season in Detroit he put up 15/2.5/2 on 41%/38%.

KCP has been steadily, if incrementally, improving and counts as a passable starter, maybe even into a solid starter.

Danny Green gives you a high level 3&D wing, even if he's probably declining and can't handle a lot of dependence on him (especially at playoff intensity).

Not sure how much "playoff Rondo" Rajon has left in him, but he's a fine depth player on most teams. Not sure if Caruso, Cook and Daniels bring anything besides high level 3 point shooting --- but high level 3 point shooting has value.

McGee played well last season and it's very possible that Dwight plays very well for them, too - he's not a strong starter any more, but don't forget that Dwight put up over 16/12 in 30 mpg at 55% for the Hornets (in 81 games) just 2 seasons ago. If he can handle being a role player, he may be absolutely huge on the Lakers.

The biggest issue is depth at forward, where beyond Kuzma, they have very old man Dudley and very young THT. But playing Lebron some at the 4 with Danny Green at the 5 reduces the need to rely on those two very much.