RealGM

Puzzling to see many of us Lakers fans hate on our top 5 player, AD, so hard. Talking like he wasnt a huge part - maybe the biggest, otherwise close to that - of last years title, act as if he isnt key to a repetition. Why the disrespect? Did people forget how the season before AD's arrival went down???

Nobody really hates on him that much though? He’s just not as good as people say. He’s an excellent player who had a great PS, but it’s pretty clear that he’s not capable of doing what actual 1st options like LeBron and Curry and Kawhi and Durant and Harden can do for their teams. He’s an awesome defender, but I think he’s a bit of empty stats on offense who really needs LeBron to be truly effective, otherwise he’ll score a bunch of points but the offense will struggle.

therealbig3 wrote:Nobody really hates on him that much though? He’s just not as good as people say. He’s an excellent player who had a great PS, but it’s pretty clear that he’s not capable of doing what actual 1st options like LeBron and Curry and Kawhi and Durant and Harden can do for their teams. He’s an awesome defender, but I think he’s a bit of empty stats on offense who really needs LeBron to be truly effective, otherwise he’ll score a bunch of points but the offense will struggle.

Thats is the sort of hating / disrespecting i was referring to tho lol. He has been 1st team all NBA only last season, do you understand what that means?

LesGrossman wrote:

therealbig3 wrote:Nobody really hates on him that much though? He’s just not as good as people say. He’s an excellent player who had a great PS, but it’s pretty clear that he’s not capable of doing what actual 1st options like LeBron and Curry and Kawhi and Durant and Harden can do for their teams. He’s an awesome defender, but I think he’s a bit of empty stats on offense who really needs LeBron to be truly effective, otherwise he’ll score a bunch of points but the offense will struggle.

Thats is the sort of hating / disrespecting i was referring to tho lol. He has been 1st team all NBA only last season, do you understand what that means?

A lot of hype?


But A.D. is a guy who has always been great at putting up pretty numbers. But there is kind of a KAT angle to them. Soft as tissue, no leadership, seems to suck up the easy points and boards rather than the contested things that change games. The numbers will always be there to give him high honors when things are going great, but when they're not he's not the guy to lead you out of it and it all begins to feel hollow.

This is more like Celts fans back in the 80s seeing Bird go down and being disappointed to discover that McHale wasn't a #1 in waiting, but rather a #2 who fed off Bird's greatness.

If AD’s numbers mean nothing to the team, since he puts them up on good or bad teams, the Lakers should just trade him for some role players.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

LesGrossman wrote:Puzzling to see many of us Lakers fans hate on our top 5 player, AD, so hard. Talking like he wasnt a huge part - maybe the biggest, otherwise close to that - of last years title, act as if he isnt key to a repetition. Why the disrespect? Did people forget how the season before AD's arrival went down???

He’s not a top 5 player. He did have a great playoffs last year, but he’s not a top 5 player. He cannot carry a team the way a top 5 player should be able to. Also, the “season before” was riddled with injuries; you continue to beat on that narrative’s drum.

As of 2021 April 29th [needs updating but the numbers look worse for AD]

LeBron On, AD off, 871 minutes: 112.2 ORtg, 105.2 DRtg, +7.0 [DRtg equivalent to best in the NBA, -7.0 rDRtg]

LeBron ON, AD and Gasol OFF, 635 minutes: 111.9 ORTg, 104.3 DRtg, +7.6 [DRtg equivalent to the best in the NBA]

AD ON, LeBron off, 346 minutes: 109.5 ORtg, 117.9, -8.4 [DRtg equivalent to 29th in the NBA]


2020 March 31st [before the bubble]:

LeBron On, AD off, 777 minutes: 113.5 ORtg, 103.0 DRtg, +10.3 [DRtg equivalent to 2nd best in the NBA]
AD ON, LeBron off, 572 minutes: 111.9 ORtg, 114.4 DRtg, -2.5 [DRtg equivalent to 28th in the NBA]

They do it to prop up Bron.

Large fanbase = lots of whiny fans

Comes with the territory

Partially because he's a Laker and the comparisons to Lebron and partially because he's not performing as well this season. AD forsure was a top 5 player last season. This season he's been very inconsistent and also missed half the games. He's shown that he can improve his play in the post season though and is capable of being a top 5 offensive & defensive player when healthy.

Hes not a top 5 player and everyone knows this. Edit your post and stop trolling lol.

Here I was thinking this was finally going to be a honest AD appreciation thread then the OP happened

AD's great and he does a lot of amazing chit on the court. He's polarizing because his numbers say (or at least used to say) he was a top 5ish player, but he cant really anchor an offense and while great, he's no Gobert on defense.

"us Lakers fans" ... lol

I think AD's impact on D is underappreciated, he shows up for the big games and while he isnt Rudy, he still is the type of big that makes guards change their mind when attacking. On Offense i think he has shown throughout his career that it doesnt take much skill to feed him bcause of his great hands and wingspan. Every point guard he played with ended up with career best assists...and also i am surprised people hold the lack of success in the west against him, when the same people excuse LeBron moving out of Cleveland (in the east) because they lacked success outside of one finals run. AD has developed and continues to do so and i think he deserves to move on from the Robin state he is labeled with. Yes he cant win it all without LeBron but its just as clear that LeBron wont do s*it without AD either, in fact he misesd the postseason without him - or is there anyone here who seriously wants to claim either of those can win it all without the other?

There's a lot of new LeBron/Lakers fans that are just waiting to blame everything on AD.

He is really playing lazy this year. Not getting involved as much and constantly settling for jump shots.

DaPessimist wrote:There's a lot of new LeBron/Lakers fans that are just waiting to blame everything on AD.

I dislike Lebron quite a bit but that doesnt preclude me from stating that AD is playing lazy basketball.

AD is a really nice player. His injury history and lack of floor leadership make him another really good baller that if healthy and had a different leadership gravity could have been a great one. Sadly, I think we have seen peak AD. So it goes, like so many guys before him.

LesGrossman wrote:I think AD's impact on D is underappreciated, he shows up for the big games and while he isnt Rudy, he still is the type of big that makes guards change their mind when attacking. On Offense i think he has shown throughout his career that it doesnt take much skill to feed him bcause of his great hands and wingspan. Every point guard he played with ended up with career best assists...and also i am surprised people hold the lack of success in the west against him, when the same people excuse LeBron moving out of Cleveland (in the east) because they lacked success outside of one finals run. AD has developed and continues to do so and i think he deserves to move on from the Robin state he is labeled with. Yes he cant win it all without LeBron but its just as clear that LeBron wont do s*it without AD either, in fact he misesd the postseason without him - or is there anyone here who seriously wants to claim either of those can win it all without the other?

The first bolded: he hasn’t had much of an impact on defense for the Lakers. On-off, DRPM, DRAPM, RAPTOR for two years now show that he’s not making an impact and in fact when , Lebron’s off the court, Davis isn’t anchoring anything.

Second bolded: LeBron has already won without ADavis. In the two seasons they’ve played together, LeBron has done well without Davis but the opposite cant be said.

As of 2021 April 29th
LeBron On, AD off, 871 minutes: 112.2 ORtg, 105.2 DRtg, +7.0 [DRtg equivalent to best in the NBA, -7.0 rDRtg]
LeBron ON, AD and Gasol OFF, 635 minutes: 111.9 ORTg, 104.3 DRtg, +7.6 [DRtg equivalent to the best in the NBA]

AD ON, LeBron off, 346 minutes: 109.5 ORtg, 117.9, -8.4 [DRtg equivalent to 29th in the NBA]

As of 2020 March 31st last year before the bubble
LeBron On, AD off, 777 minutes: 113.5 ORtg, 103.0 DRtg, +10.3 [DRtg equivalent to 2nd best in the NBA]
AD ON, LeBron off, 572 minutes: 111.9 ORtg, 114.4 DRtg, -2.5 [DRtg equivalent to 28th in the NBA]

Is game is fine but he might be the softest player in NBA history. Every game he holds his arm or his leg or back. I’ve never seen a player go to the locker room mid game more than him. Dude needs to grow some balls. Great player though