Coaching and GM Changes - Update: Vogel fired, Pelinka next?

[Ball so hard]

Randy Mims, also part of the LeBron "posse (Phil's description)," is already working in the Laker front office.

Instead of fighting and resisting against Klutch, Jeanie may want to open up the vault, roll out the Brink's truck, and sign a huge check to Rich Paul and hope that he would agree to take over an ossified Laker front office. A bold move like this gives Jeanie and Laker nation a once-in-a-lifetime chance to upgrade-and-modernize; it would be a last ditch effort to stave off the Balmer-Clipper already-happening marketing onslaught.

We have to believe that the league would allow for the Lakers, one of the flagship legacy franchises of the NBA, to name LeBron player-coach. The national media buzz would be huge, and LeBron could do the job better than the candidates whom the Lakers are currently interviewing. What better alignment could the Lakers ask for than Rich Paul running the front office and LeBron coaching the team? Having a LeBron-Paul tandem would prevent the disconnect that had happened between the Laker front office and Frank Vogel from ever happening again. Jeanie could show all of her sewing group friends that she is beyond-woke with her now having embraced the "new school" approach to running a NBA franchise.

Think about it...Lebron and Mims are already working for the Lakers. Bringing in Rich Paul to both fix as well as modernize the front office just makes too much sense not to do it.

Also, if the Lakers are serious about capturing the hearts and minds of the next generation of Southern California basketball fans, the fourth member of LeBron's crew, Maverick Carter, could be brought into the Laker fold as its new Chief Marketing Officer.

Lastly, I agree; nobody wants to see the Lakers move the franchise to Las Vegas. Yet, if it becomes inevitable, what better group to do it than LeBron, Rich Paul, Randy Mims and Maverick Carter in a management-led LBO?

Lakers 1.0 - Minneapolis => Lakers 2.0 - Los Angeles => Lakers 3.0 - Las Vegas

Really not sure why you continue to push the Lebron as a player-coach narrative. IMO Lebron as a player-coach would be quite awful. I strongly disagree he'd do a better job than any of the coaches we're interviewing. Besides the fact he has no coaching experience, players of his caliber rarely ever make good coaches. You also continue to speak of modernizing our front office—while I agree, I disagree with the manner in which it should be done—can you name the front offices that have been modernized? From reading your posts it seems as if you think that currying favors with powerful agents, presumably one with many connections, is the way to modernize a team. Lebron-Klutch operation (utterly corrupt I might add) is one of its kind.

[sonnyhill]

Randy Mims, also part of the LeBron "posse (Phil's description)," is already working in the Laker front office.

Instead of fighting and resisting against Klutch, Jeanie may want to open up the vault, roll out the Brink's truck, and sign a huge check to Rich Paul and hope that he would agree to take over an ossified Laker front office. A bold move like this gives Jeanie and Laker nation a once-in-a-lifetime chance to upgrade-and-modernize; it would be a last ditch effort to stave off the Balmer-Clipper already-happening marketing onslaught.

We have to believe that the league would allow for the Lakers, one of the flagship legacy franchises of the NBA, to name LeBron player-coach. The national media buzz would be huge, and LeBron could do the job better than the candidates whom the Lakers are currently interviewing. What better alignment could the Lakers ask for than Rich Paul running the front office and LeBron coaching the team? Having a LeBron-Paul tandem would prevent the disconnect that had happened between the Laker front office and Frank Vogel from ever happening again. Jeanie could show all of her sewing group friends that she is beyond-woke with her now having embraced the "new school" approach to running a NBA franchise.

Think about it...Lebron and Mims are already working for the Lakers. Bringing in Rich Paul to both fix as well as modernize the front office just makes too much sense not to do it.

Also, if the Lakers are serious about capturing the hearts and minds of the next generation of Southern California basketball fans, the fourth member of LeBron's crew, Maverick Carter, could be brought into the Laker fold as its new Chief Marketing Officer.

Lastly, I agree; nobody wants to see the Lakers move the franchise to Las Vegas. Yet, if it becomes inevitable, what better group to do it than LeBron, Rich Paul, Randy Mims and Maverick Carter in a management-led LBO?

Lakers 1.0 - Minneapolis => Lakers 2.0 - Los Angeles => Lakers 3.0 - Las Vegas

Really not sure why you continue to push the Lebron as a player-coach narrative. IMO Lebron as a player-coach would be quite awful. I strongly disagree he'd do a better job than any of the coaches we're interviewing. Besides the fact he has no coaching experience, players of his caliber rarely ever make good coaches. You also continue to speak of modernizing our front office—while I agree, I disagree with the manner in which it should be done—can you name the front offices that have been modernized? From reading your posts it seems as if you think that currying favors with powerful agents, presumably one with many connections, is the way to modernize a team. Lebron-Klutch operation (utterly corrupt I might add) is one of its kind.

I have to respectfully disagree with you on your thoughts on how "Lebron as a player-coach would be quite awful." To be effective as the coach of the Lakers, it is going to require someone with the gravitas, presence, and leadership skills to lead stars. "Made Guys" like Kerr, Pop, Doc, Spo are not leaving Golden State, San Antonio, Philadelphia, nor Miami to take the Lakers' coaching job. LeBron is already here, knows the ecosystem, and is the leader of the franchise.

Bill Russell won two championships as a player-coach.

LeBron is still competing for legitimacy as both the GOAT and for the hearts and minds of Laker nation.

What better way for LeBron to differentiate himself from MJ than to actually coach a team either deep into the playoffs, compete for a championship, or actually win a NBA title?

What better way for LeBron to win the adulation of Laker nation than for him to coach the team back to relevance?
Mikan, West, Baylor, Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Shaq, Kobe earned their places in Laker lore through their accomplishments on the floor as players (West also as coach and front office exec); LeBron, by coaching the Lakers, would earn his place amongst the Laker icons. Riley and Phil, venerable coaches with Laker legacies, are also part of the Laker pantheon.

Fully embracing and incorporating the LeBron-Klutch ecosystem is the only way that Jeanie, short of selling the team, can modernize and compete in today's NBA. Yes, the "new school way" may, indeed, be corrupt (I would even go so far as to say "distasteful."). However, given the landscape of how the uber-smart and uber-wealthy now are owners of NBA franchises, this approach may be the only way for the Lakers to again be able to compete.

Lastly, think how bad it would be for Jeanie and the Lakers if Balmer and the Clippers decided to hire Rich Paul to come into their organization. Balmer's deep pockets and aggressive mindset combined with Rich Paul's strategic acumen would be the ultimate checkmate move.

[Kilroy]

As you've pointed out very clearly, the Lakers HAVE embraced "the Klutch Ecosystem" as much as any team not actually run by Klutch, can... And it's netted us exactly 1 fluke championship, and 3 disaster years... And a future as bleak as any I've experienced in Lakers history, going back to '79...

Ballmer's 'deep pockets' and 'aggressive mindset' has the Clippers in pretty much the same position... Keep in mind that Uncle Dennis is basically Klutch-lite...

"New School" is broke-school if we take those examples...

Just how long after LeBron retires, will 'Klutch' still exist as a viable force in the NBA? If you think managing the most powerful player, by far, in the league doesn't have something to do with the clients they have and the influence they wield, you're delusional... And having watched better players than LeBron come and go, I can say for an absolute fact that the second he hangs up his sneakers, his relevance and influence around the league will be halved at best... Meaning "Klutch's" influence will diminish proportionally... Because in the NBA, having a bunch of good clients isn't nearly as influential as having the best player...

[Ball so hard]

^^^

[stan francisco]

Phil’s GM instincts suck. Magic’s coaching know-how stinks.

LeBron’s coaching instincts seem better than his GM instincts. I think he should stay away from GMing, probably both.

Edit: the player/coach idea is terrible.

[sonnyhill]

Phil’s GM instincts suck. Magic’s coaching know-how stinks.

LeBron’s coaching instincts seem better than his GM instincts. I think he should stay away from GMing, probably both.

Edit: the player/coach idea is terrible.

I don't disagree with much of what you have posted.

However, given the current state of the franchise combined with how the quickly evolving competitive environment where the current top franchises in the NBA build around drafting and developing homegrown talent (Golden State, Boston) and how the other, similar to the Lakers, mercenary "sign free agents" franchises which are located in geographically desirable (where many players want to play) cities (Brooklyn, Miami, Clippers) have owners with deeper pockets than the Buss clan (and in Miami's case a much stronger front office), Jeanie and her sewing group, because of the fatal combination of arrogance and fear, may be relying on Phil, Magic, and the Rambis couple because of not wanting to pay the going market rate to bring in top-notch basketball people.

Agreed on "LeBron’s coaching instincts seem better than his GM instincts," and that is why Rich Paul replace Pelinka. Rich Paul has the relationships with players, front offices, and coaches. Jeanie should stop with the nonsense of Phil's consulting and Magic's outside influence, fire Pelinka and just hand the control of the franchise to Rich Paul.

The reason why LeBron is the only person who could successfully coach this Laker team is because there are no "star coaches (Kerr, Doc, Spo, Pop, Nurse, Budenholzer)" available (nor would they want to come to the Lakers). LeBron has the gravitas to not wither under the bright spotlight which is placed upon anyone who coaches the Lakers.

The potential discomfort that some may have in hiring of both Rich Paul and LeBron to both fix the front office and head coaching positions is similar to how many felt when former President Donald Trump has asked while courting the African-American vote in 2016 the rhetorical question "what have you got to lose?"

A very sobering analysis of the current Laker coaching search in the below Doug Gottlieb Fox segment.

Depressing?

Comical?

Infuriating?

All of the above?

...sigh...

Watch on YouTube

[stan francisco]

Phil’s GM instincts suck. Magic’s coaching know-how stinks.

LeBron’s coaching instincts seem better than his GM instincts. I think he should stay away from GMing, probably both.

Edit: the player/coach idea is terrible.

I don't disagree with much of what you have posted.

However, given the current state of the franchise combined with how the quickly evolving competitive environment where the current top franchises in the NBA build around drafting and developing homegrown talent (Golden State, Boston) and how the other, similar to the Lakers, mercenary "sign free agents" franchises which are located in geographically desirable (where many players want to play) cities (Brooklyn, Miami, Clippers) have owners with deeper pockets than the Buss clan (and in Miami's case a much stronger front office), Jeanie and her sewing group, because of the fatal combination of arrogance and fear, may be relying on Phil, Magic, and the Rambis couple because of not wanting to pay the going market rate to bring in top-notch basketball people.

Agreed on "LeBron’s coaching instincts seem better than his GM instincts," and that is why Rich Paul replace Pelinka. Rich Paul has the relationships with players, front offices, and coaches. Jeanie should stop with the nonsense of Phil's consulting and Magic's outside influence, fire Pelinka and just hand the control of the franchise to Rich Paul.

The reason why LeBron is the only person who could successfully coach this Laker team is because there are no "star coaches (Kerr, Doc, Spo, Pop, Nurse, Budenholzer)" available (nor would they want to come to the Lakers). LeBron has the gravitas to not wither under the bright spotlight which is placed upon anyone who coaches the Lakers.

The potential discomfort that some may have in hiring of both Rich Paul and LeBron to both fix the front office and head coaching positions is similar to how many felt when former President Donald Trump has asked while courting the African-American vote in 2016 the rhetorical question "what have you got to lose?"

A very sobering analysis of the current Laker coaching search in the below Doug Gottlieb Fox segment.

Depressing?

Comical?

Infuriating?

All of the above?

...sigh...

Watch on YouTube

I respectfully disagree. The player-coach combo is imho idiotic at best. Sorry.

Who’s better? Anyone not on the court. Including you. Forget the idea.

LeBron needs to fall in line and get behind the next coach (who is the next Udoka?) and play defense and realize that he has to now be effective in different ways than before. If he doesn’t, we can forget more rings until after he retires. A house divided won’t win. He has to get behind the next coach and play team 100% which means changing how he plays, or we can forget it. He’s not dominant enough anymore to win playing 1 on 5.

Pelinka knows his **** when it comes to talent and the CBA. Let him do his thing. Rich Paul doesn’t. He only knows to kiss LBJ’s ass, give him the truth he wants. Let’s get real.

What we need is a President of all Basketball operations who can create a basketball culture less influenced by Linda Rambis. And, an on-court culture less dependent on LBJ-only.