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How much longer till Kobe starts making changes to the team?


Need4Sheed
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Right now, the focus will be to bring in Delonte West or Eddie House (no idea why they'd want House, but whatever), or make a trade for Calderon (ugh...probably means we get Bargnani). We are incredibly bad trying to run an offense with Chris Duhon and Darius Morris...it just doesn't work. Our two best PG's (Nash, who this offense is for, and Blake) are both out.

 

Once that is set, it depends on Nash's return.

 

I believe Gasol is already on the block...not necessarily what Kobe wants to hear, but he knows (like the rest of us, from players to fans) that shit like that has to happen if you want to win championships.

 

In addition to all of this, though, Dwight needs to heal up. He missed a wide-open dunk in the game tonight...horribly. He was predicted to come back late December or in January, so I'm not expecting him to be 100% yet.

 

But, with D'Antoni on the list...we need Nash. In fact, even without Mike coaching...we need a PG, period. We can't have two superstars in an offense that they have never played in before (uptempo) and a bunch of streaky shooters who struggle on the defensive end.

 

Kobe played 44 minutes tonight. He's really the only guy who isn't smiling...and that's a problem, but it's expected, because Kobe doesn't like to lose any game.

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Right now, the focus will be to bring in Delonte West or Eddie House (no idea why they'd want House, but whatever), or make a trade for Calderon (ugh...probably means we get Bargnani). We are incredibly bad trying to run an offense with Chris Duhon and Darius Morris...it just doesn't work. Our two best PG's (Nash, who this offense is for, and Blake) are both out.

 

Once that is set, it depends on Nash's return.

 

I believe Gasol is already on the block...not necessarily what Kobe wants to hear, but he knows (like the rest of us, from players to fans) that shit like that has to happen if you want to win championships.

 

In addition to all of this, though, Dwight needs to heal up. He missed a wide-open dunk in the game tonight...horribly. He was predicted to come back late December or in January, so I'm not expecting him to be 100% yet.

 

But, with D'Antoni on the list...we need Nash. In fact, even without Mike coaching...we need a PG, period. We can't have two superstars in an offense that they have never played in before (uptempo) and a bunch of streaky shooters who struggle on the defensive end.

 

Kobe played 44 minutes tonight. He's really the only guy who isn't smiling...and that's a problem, but it's expected, because Kobe doesn't like to lose any game.

 

What do you want for Gasol from the Sixers?

 

Bynum?

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We arent getting jack for Gasol. Firstly, nobody wants him. Hes not the player he once was, and hes not going to be a key piece to a contender (meaning top 2 option). I believe hes a big expiring next year so thats a plus. However I doubt wed get anyone of any sort of value for him, and NOBODY wants to help the Lakers. Rather keep the Lakers down while they can.

 

There isnt really much we can do with this roster, nobody wants our garbage. Our best bet is go dumpster diving in the FA pool, and hope we can find a nice fit. But other then that, this team just has to start playing defense and they are certainly capable of it. We cant guard a chair right now, any ball handler can go off on us.

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As long as Dwight gets back to 100% (Am I The only one thinking that may not happen? I know he was supposed to be out long but its been 20 games and i feel like he has made little to no progress) this team will be fine.

 

I don't get the whole "Nash will turn things around" though. Already 8th in offensive efficiency with a hurt Dwight, but their defense is below league average - teams like dallas, golden state, WASHINGTON are all allowing less points per 100. LA already has an offense bordering on elite, and sure Nash might push them into elite status, he isn't going to address their other issues. I think you have to look at this team when they are fully healthy before you evaluate them. A healthy Dwight can carry poor defenders to a top 5 defense, and that is what LA seems to need right now.

 

I question whether or not D'Antoni has the ability to hold this team accountable defensively, especially Dwight, the way that someone like SVG did in Orlando all those years.

 

The main thing I guess Nash will help is the turnovers. but still, the fact that they are 29th in opponent turnover % is just as concerning.

Edited by Check my Stats
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As long as Dwight gets back to 100% (Am I The only one thinking that may not happen? I know he was supposed to be out long but its been 20 games and i feel like he has made little to no progress) this team will be fine.

 

Eh...he ain't 100%, but per 36min his production is basically the same as the last few years, besides 1-3 less FGA's, a worse FT% and less rebounds (which is more a result of playing alongside Gasol than anything else). I understand numbers aren't everything, but it isn't like he's too far off what he usually does.

 

I don't get the whole "Nash will turn things around" though. Already 8th in offensive efficiency with a hurt Dwight, but their defense is below league average - teams like dallas, golden state, WASHINGTON are all allowing less points per 100. LA already has an offense bordering on elite, and sure Nash might push them into elite status, he isn't going to address their other issues. I think you have to look at this team when they are fully healthy before you evaluate them. A healthy Dwight can carry poor defenders to a top 5 defense, and that is what LA seems to need right now.

 

Nash will do a few things...take ballhandling duties away from Kobe, which will open things up to make the role players effective, cut turnovers and probably open things up for Dwight quite a bit. It also allows Kobe/Dwight to expend less energy on offense, and put it more towards the defensive end. A healthy Pau will do similar things.

 

And as great as Dwight is defensively, you also need a proper system around him. SVG is a very underrated defensive coach who knew how to get guys to properly funnel players into Dwight. Remember, most of KG's Minnesota teams were middle of the pack defensively during his prime years, and it wasn't until he got into the Thibs system did he lead the top defense in the league. Up until D'Antoni was hired, Dwight's Drtg was near the best in the league...it has dropped to over 100, a number which is his highest since 05-06.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again...no matter what system you put around these guys, they are slow and unexplosive. A healthy Nash and Pau will make that better, but a 1-3 rotation with Nash/Kobe/MWP/Duhon/Blake and whoever else will get circles ran around them by the likes of LAC, SA, Memphis and OKC. To make matters worse, Pau is a true C playing PF, and you got the corpse of Antawn Jamison as their key bench player. As skilled as this team is, physically they just aren't up to par, and they need to make a few trades/smart FA signing (Delonte, K-Mart for instance) to get enough youth/athleticism around their core.

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