the fans, former players, and celebrities certainly thought this was the case ..
the hashtag was created and no sooner than seeing Adam Levine beg and plea, LA was out and not a peep even from a Flea.
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| Aldridge opted to play with a "different" HOF player and team primed NOW for another RING |
LOVE was not in the air either for LA.
love you more https://t.co/dDE9BvTZbK
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) July 20, 2015
This left people wondering.. questioning.. challenging the front office for the Lakers.
Soon, we had to be reminded that Jim Buss would step down in three years if the Lakers were not back into contention.
Why?
Why is it our business whether owner and executive of basketball operations, Jim Buss, steps down or not? It really ISN'T. Yet, we, fans have made it so.
The reality is simply that players like Love and Aldridge are good enough where EVERYONE wants them and their own team can offer the most amount of money to retain them. Cleveland gave the Champs a helluva good run in the finals and that was without Kyrie and Love. The CAVS stand the best chance of any team in the NBA of returning to the Finals. Aldridge? He said earlier in the season that he wanted to retire as the best Portland Trailblazer ever.
"I want to be the best Blazer- ever." _ Lamarcus Aldridge
(THAT's what "HE" said)
WE know that won't happen now. He COULD now end up the third, fourth or maybe seventh best SPUR ever but he will probably have a ring or two. Portland WAS right on the cusp of breaking through to the Finals but they were hit with some misfortune along the way. And, they have one of the best owners in sports today, Mr. Paul Allen.
Players like these are not likely to play for a team that is in desperate need for that next player to inherit the "throne," so-to-speak, from Kobe Bryant. Does anyone want THAT? Does a player like that want to hear Kobe Mouth?
And, does a player of that caliber want to come to a franchise that is re-building from pain, misfortune and bad mistakes.
The Lakers current fortune lay with Young talent found in the draft and the "D."
Time will tell how this young collection will pan out.
As long as there is a draft there will always be busts, and diamonds in the rough that go un-drafted or are buried deep into the second.
The Lakers have had a knack for finding those diamonds. The most recent being last year's second round pick, Jordan Clarkson.
Personally, I was ecstatic when that news was released on Draft Day. The only pick the Lakers had was the number 7 and they drafted Julius Randle. The franchise needed more so they send over 1.8M to the Wizards for the rights to Jordan Clarkson. They were so high on him they were willing to spend MORE than his first two year's worth of salary just to land him.
Clarkson played well his junior year of school at Missouri. He, along with now backcourt mate, Jabari Brown and Earnest Ross combined for about 60 points per game.
I was impressed by Clarkson, and Missouri, when they faced off in December (12/7/2013) against UCLA. UCLA was led by Kyle Anderson, Jordan Adams, Norman Powell and Zach LaVine all of whom have now been drafted into the NBA. The lowest selection for the Bruins? Norman Powell who went number "46" to Toronto this year (2015). Didn't Clarkson go 46 in 2014?
He (Powell) is having a stellar Summer (Vegas) averaging 18.3 ppg , 4.3 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.5 steals, and, uh, 1.5 blocks per game
He was available for the Lakers at 34. A four year player out of UCLA, Powell led his team in scoring on a team that divvied the ball between Bryce Alford, Kevon Looney, himself and the rest of the squad. Dude always kept himself in shape and became known as a tough minded defensive player. BScott 2.0 ? I can't believe they passed on him.
Looney, who was slated in most mock drafts all year somewhere between 9 and 20 was available at 27 for the Lakers they went instead with Nance. Looney averaged 11.6 ppg and 9.2 boards landing himself on the Freshman ALL Pac-12 team
AND , well ...
NOT Okafor was drafted at number 2.
My draft picks for 2015: Okafor, Looney, Powell
2014:
LaVine / Clarkson
I loved Randle. He was tearing it up for Kentucky and looked like a man amongst boys. Randle was a guy that was discussed in the top 4 for most of the NCAA season and was making a case at #1 there as the Tournament began. The other "top 3:" Wiggins, Parker and Embiid. Embiid and Randle slipped a bit due to injury issues. Embiid dropped from number 1 to number 3 and Randle fell into the hands of the Lakers. Good player. And, I was high on him.
But..
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| SpaceJam's Ceiling seemed to be HIGHER than most
The Lakers kept it "somewhat" safe choosing the 6-9 forward from Kentucky in spite of the fact that LaVine's stock was climbing higher and faster than anyone in the NBA Combine and his workouts for the Lakers were off the charts. I thought they should have gone with the guard from UC- LA and wrote about it here.
LaVine went 13, just like young Kobe. And, he (now) wears jersey number 8. Just like young Kobe. And when the T-Wolves faced off against the Lakers in Staples Center on November 28, 2014?
Career high 28 points for LaVine in 26 Minutes. 11-14 FGs, 2-2 3pt, 4-4 Ft, 1 board, 5 assists
This year, the Lakers DID go with the Guard when MOST probably would have gone with the 7-0 footer from Duke. D'Angelo Russell of Ohio State who averaged 19/5/5. In the 2014 Draft Kyle Anderson went number 30. He averaged 15/9/6.5 and he just captured MVP honors in the NBA Summer League in Vegas with a scoring average of 22 and has led his team to the Summer League Championship Game.
My Roster looks different and ALL these guys were available:
LaVine, Clarkson, Okafor, Looney and Powell (my squad)
vs
Randle, Clarkson, Russell, Nance Jr, and Anthony Brown (Lakers)
|
Looney: 19.7 mpg, 9.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 41% FG, 1 apg, .5 spg, 1bpg
Nance Jr: 19.4 mpg, 5.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 33%, 0 apg, .4 spg, .4 bpg
Randle: 20.5 mpg, 11.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 39% FG, 1.3 apg, 1 spg, .8 bpg
Looney, although was not the leading scorer for the Bruins last season was the MAN on more than one occasion. Alford and Powell were one of the best guard tandems in NCAA and the nation got to see a glimpse of THAT in the tourney.
Is that Anthony Brown too?
Looney has game. You could see it from the start. A complete player. Very versatile. In my opinion, when you "jump" the board for a player like Nance you are putting your "balls" out there. Lakers Brass did.
I think they should have showed these balls LAST season by drafting LaVine over Randle.
But, by taking Randle, Russell and Nance over players like LaVine, Okafor and Looney you are setting yourself apart.
Good, Bad, or indifferent, the Lakers Management have put "their" stamp on this youth movement. The question is, is IT the right one?
It is always difficult to tell. No one has a crystal ball. The Lakers have been fortunate with other "diamonds in the rough" by capturing un-drafted rookie Jabari Brown and Tarik Black last season. One could easily argue that the best players (again) in #LakersSummer are either late-round (Clarkson) or un-drafted players (Black/Brown).
They have another un-drafted gem, perhaps, in Robert Upshaw...
Landing Upshaw as un-drafted rookie on a non-guaranteed deal is a nice
pick-up
pick-up
Can't have it ALL (dridge), I guess.
But, as Lakers Fans we have become accustomed to it. Having it ALL...
We've been spoiled over the years and want nothing more for this young core to succeed beyond expectations. We, FANS, might just have to temper those expectations...
A Lot