LA Lakers @ Cavaliers, Game #18, 1/25, 5:00 PM PT

[TJM217]

Kuz has 3 offense Reb this half. He's showing the most effort on the team right now

[TJM217]

Cavs not going away. Props to them for fighting

[politm]

LeBron ridiculous

[kblo247]

I've been resisting for quite some time, but I think I am more inclined to trade Kuz for an athletic big and a future pick or two. The guy needs volume and rhythm to be effective, and just can't be a hustle guy on a consistent basis. I think a trade is best for both his and the Lakers' sake.

3rd in threes made
3rd in blocks
3rd in offensive rebs
4th in defensive rebs
4th in total rebs
5th in mins
5th in points
5th in field goal attempts

I mean he’s been a consistent effort

[Beethoven]

Our team defense is currently defined by kuz (and AD).

[iamworthy]

I've been critical of kuz but you can see his defensive improvements. It's impressive.

[bellabiyel]

can kuz turn into defensive stopper ????

[EArl]

Since when did Lebron start shooting the Kobe fadeaways?

[Ballerhogger]

Kuzma came big on defense. Lebron was GOAT king , AD pretty lack of daysical night . harell made few key buckets for us. Everyone else was cold as ice

[BEazy]

Carushow made a pretty clutch 3 late in the game.

[Spanish_Laker]

LeGOAT was outstanding, he literally carried a team who wasn't producing at all on the offensive end. Very important to get Ws when your superstar #2 was beyond terrible and our best shooters were ice cold. Keep it up King!

[lazybatman]

I've been resisting for quite some time, but I think I am more inclined to trade Kuz for an athletic big and a future pick or two. The guy needs volume and rhythm to be effective, and just can't be a hustle guy on a consistent basis. I think a trade is best for both his and the Lakers' sake.

3rd in threes made
3rd in blocks
3rd in offensive rebs
4th in defensive rebs
4th in total rebs
5th in mins
5th in points
5th in field goal attempts

I mean he’s been a consistent effort

11/11 in +/- amongst our rotation players.

Not over a couple of games, but more than an year. It's not nothing.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

[tamaraw08]

I've been resisting for quite some time, but I think I am more inclined to trade Kuz for an athletic big and a future pick or two. The guy needs volume and rhythm to be effective, and just can't be a hustle guy on a consistent basis. I think a trade is best for both his and the Lakers' sake.

3rd in threes made
3rd in blocks
3rd in offensive rebs
4th in defensive rebs
4th in total rebs
5th in mins
5th in points
5th in field goal attempts

I mean he’s been a consistent effort

2 biggest knocks of his game before is that he makes dumb plays like bad shot selection & biting on shot fakes and lay bricks from the perimeter.
Well, he is actually shooting 38% from 3, hustling to block shots esp on breakaways AND reading the defense better and spotting open teammates. His minutes are a bit down bec Vogel is trying to play Harrell and Morris (up from last season)but he is contributing to their wins IMO. It kind of bothers me that once in every 4-5 games, he'll still bite on a perimeter shot fake and I read, "here we go again with Kuz's dumb move" like no other plays falls to that when it happens to other players INCLUDING stars.

[tamaraw08]

I've been resisting for quite some time, but I think I am more inclined to trade Kuz for an athletic big and a future pick or two. The guy needs volume and rhythm to be effective, and just can't be a hustle guy on a consistent basis. I think a trade is best for both his and the Lakers' sake.

3rd in threes made
3rd in blocks
3rd in offensive rebs
4th in defensive rebs
4th in total rebs
5th in mins
5th in points
5th in field goal attempts

I mean he’s been a consistent effort

11/11 in +/- amongst our rotation players.

Not over a couple of games, but more than an year. It's not nothing.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

Schroder ranks last in BPM, OBPM,TS% etc, should he be benched or get traded?
Last season, Avery Bradley ranked also at the bottom in BPM/OPBM and PER, you really think he wouldn't play much if he was available?
You really think Vogel pays too much attention on these stats too esp Rondo who ranked 11th in BPM at -1.3 in the regular season.
I get it, you hate this guy, but I think most fans here have now much respect on Rob and Vogel. Pelinka drafted him, chose not to include him in the AD trade which probably costed the team a draft pick or 2 and then Him and Jeannie choosing to extend his contract. Vogel is still playing him meaningful minutes too, I don't think it's just bec of an agenda aside from winning.
He's not great, he will not be that James Worthy 3rd option but sheesh, come on man. .

[Beethoven]

can kuz turn into defensive stopper ????

He's getting there.
I have been saying since near start of season, that his role has been evolved into a bona-fide 3nD player.
The role of "3rd star" last year was something that confused him and ended up with him being some sort of gypsy, transient, elusive team member that had given fans difficulty in accepting him,
but this year I think his role being defined like this and locking him into this specialization will make him huge.

[Hans1984]

Cavs are balling right now but they made too many mistakes in the crunchtime and we punished them for it. Oh, and there was this guy called Lebron James

[lazybatman]

Chill dude.. I didn't attack you personally. I just don't like what he brings to the Lakers, and would rather have someone else who fits better. I don't think he's over paid on the new contract either. Just think he's a waste of money an d rotation minutes for this Lakers team.

Danny Green was the +/- leader last year and I thought we waited too long to trade him.

It's my opinion and I guess that's what we're all here to express. Agree to disagree and move on mate. And thank God for your sake, I'm not the Lakers' GM..

I'm not mad at you for loving him and love your posts in general.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

[tamaraw08]

Chill dude.. I didn't attack you personally. I just don't like what he brings to the Lakers, and would rather have someone else who fits better. I don't think he's over paid on the new contract either. Just think he's a waste of money an d rotation minutes for this Lakers team.

Danny Green was the +/- leader last year and I thought we waited too long to trade him.

It's my opinion and I guess that's what we're all here to express. Agree to disagree and move on mate. And thank God for your sake, I'm not the Lakers' GM..

I'm not mad at you for loving him and love your posts in general.

Sent from my SM-G960W using RealGM mobile app

It’s cool dude I don’t feel attacked personally but I must admit I get annoyed with the unfair bashing but then maybe you’re doing that to irk his fans who overhyped him.
You like to use a certain metric or stat to support your point but now is saying that stat is meaningless with regards to players you prefer to trade like Green?
But again, were in some interesting discussions here, thanks for being respectful

[bb22]

I've been resisting for quite some time, but I think I am more inclined to trade Kuz for an athletic big and a future pick or two. The guy needs volume and rhythm to be effective, and just can't be a hustle guy on a consistent basis. I think a trade is best for both his and the Lakers' sake.

3rd in threes made
3rd in blocks
3rd in offensive rebs
4th in defensive rebs
4th in total rebs
5th in mins
5th in points
5th in field goal attempts

I mean he’s been a consistent effort

2 biggest knocks of his game before is that he makes dumb plays like bad shot selection & biting on shot fakes and lay bricks from the perimeter.
Well, he is actually shooting 38% from 3, hustling to block shots esp on breakaways AND reading the defense better and spotting open teammates. His minutes are a bit down bec Vogel is trying to play Harrell and Morris (up from last season)but he is contributing to their wins IMO. It kind of bothers me that once in every 4-5 games, he'll still bite on a perimeter shot fake and I read, "here we go again with Kuz's dumb move" like no other plays falls to that when it happens to other players INCLUDING stars.

I think the question is, 1) whether a reasonable replacement (THT) can do an equally as good job at the above, and 2) How will Kuz evolve. I think that this team doesnt necesaarily need Kuz to be successful, and could get some future picks from him.I also think it’s better for Kuz to go somewhere where he can be the second scorer, for his own sake.

[SashAlex]

Sexy game thread, iamworthy.