37 replies to this topic

[bfc1125roy]

And if the Lakers trade Pau, who exactly do they rely on when Dwight is on the bench? Sacre? Lakers are stuck with him like it or not.

If we get a solid starter and/or bench scorer for Pau, I wouldn't mind playing Sacre, Clark, and MWP at backup center for maybe 8 minutes a game (combined).

[Piston Honda]

If we get a solid starter and/or bench scorer for Pau, I wouldn't mind playing Sacre, Clark, and MWP at backup center for maybe 8 minutes a game (combined).

And if Dwight gets into foul trouble = GAME OVER

[bfc1125roy]

And if Dwight gets into foul trouble = GAME OVER

We can always sign a serviceable big, or hopefully if Pau's traded the Lakers will get back a defensive minded PF in return who can play center in such cases, which would be the whole point of trading Pau in the first place.

We don't have to keep Pau. He's at a role-player level right now and is easily replaceable. Hell Jordan Hill of all people was doing a better job at a fraction of the cost.

[Cj2008nw]

Blame Dantoni for not having any good offensive sets in late game situations

[Hollywood]

PJ - 11

MD - 0

[Scooter123]

Luke Walton should be re-acquired.

Seriously, if you think the problems are as simple as a coach (we've had two this year alone) or Pau (who was absent for a week, and the Lakers still lost), then you've missed your mark.

The Lakers still have the best team personnel in the NBA. It's a chemistry or locker room thing, but changing a coach ain't gonna fix this team.

[Piston Honda]

We can always sign a serviceable big, or hopefully if Pau's traded the Lakers will get back a defensive minded PF in return who can play center in such cases, which would be the whole point of trading Pau in the first place.

We don't have to keep Pau. He's at a role-player level right now and is easily replaceable. Hell Jordan Hill of all people was doing a better job at a fraction of the cost.

Who's out there right now? Kenyon Martin? I'd still take Pau over him. Or trade him for a defensive minded PF? Then what do the Lakers do with Jordan Hill next year?

[bfc1125roy]

Luke Walton should be re-acquired.

Seriously, if you think the problems are as simple as a coach (we've had two this year alone) or Pau (who was absent for a week, and the Lakers still lost), then you've missed your mark.

The Lakers still have the best team personnel in the NBA. It's a chemistry or locker room thing, but changing a coach ain't gonna fix this team.

There's no chemistry problems that are really that big. The problem is D'Antoni jizzed himself when he saw Steve Nash was on his roster and is trying to do things like he did with the Suns around 2005. Problem is, this is 2013, Steve Nash is 39. Instead we have a 34 year old Kobe playing out of his mind trying to keep us alive and a 26 year old superstart center in Dwight Howard, Nash had nothing close to that on the Suns, so it doesn't take a genius to realize there needs to be a systemic change.

[Ham]

Have you ever watched LeBron James on a consistent basis? He's the best player in the world and an absolutely bull when it comes to driving to the rim. Nobody can stop him. Only thing we should've done is give him some space and make him shoot jumpers. Even then his jumpshot has improved leaps and bounds over the years. He's a 40 percent 3 point shooter.

1) Lebron didn't drive in 4 times in a row on Dwight.
2) He missed a lot of jump shots yesterday.
3) Pau Gasol sucks at defense; Lebron wasn't the only one driving in on Pau for the past 2 months.

[bfc1125roy]

Who's out there right now? Kenyon Martin? I'd still take Pau over him. Or trade him for a defensive minded PF? Then what do the Lakers do with Jordan Hill next year?

If we got someone like Kevin Love for Pau (huge reach), or a good bench scorer, I wouldn't mind Kenyon Martin playing backup center. But of course that would depend on who we got.

Or say the Lakers trade for Josh Smith, a big reach again, I know, but just go with me here, as he's a defensive minded PF. They could just play Smith at Center along with Sacre, Clark, and MWP for blips and everything would be fine. Jordan Hill could then play backup C next year or backup PF, depending on the roster.

[jackmode211]

It's true...LeBron was nowhere near the rim until Dwight left the game...then 4 straight drives to the rim...

[Piston Honda]

If we got someone like Kevin Love for Pau (huge reach), or a good bench scorer, I wouldn't mind Kenyon Martin playing backup center. But of course that would depend on who we got.

Or say the Lakers trade for Josh Smith, a big reach again, I know, but just go with me here, as he's a defensive minded PF. They could just play Smith at Center along with Sacre, Clark, and MWP for blips and everything would be fine. Jordan Hill could then play backup C next year or backup PF, depending on the roster.

All great scenarios and I have faith in Mitch, but I see every GM laughing at any trade scenario involving Pau for their A/B level marquee player. Maybe next year when Pau becomes an expiring $19 million contract.

[bfc1125roy]

All great scenarios and I have faith in Mitch, but I see every GM laughing at any trade scenario involving Pau for their A/B level marquee player. Maybe next year when Pau becomes an expiring $19 million contract.

Yeah I can't see any of those scenarios happening. Just best-case examples to kind of illustrate what I was talking about.

I feel we can get Pau to Minnesota some how, we'll just need another team to help out.

[gque24]

I mean Pau obviously isn't the worst player on our team. DJO, Sacre, and Duhon are pretty bad too.

But honestly his production is just mind-blowingly low. I understand if his points were to go down because of our superstar roster, but besides the 12.2 ppg, he's averaging 42% shooting and 29% from 3. WIth all the open jumpers he gets that should be higher. Plus he has the opportunity to play in the post with the second unit a lot of the time but he doesn't take advantage of it.

And don't even get me started on the defensive end. Last night LA was holding up ok with Howard in the game, but once he went out LeBron attacked the rim fearlessly because he knew Pau couldn't do anything. The Lakers lost a lot of momentum with him in the game. His defense has never been outstanding, but at least in 2008-2010 he put in some effort, I don't see any of that anymore.

I would trade him now, he's clearly on the decline. His age is part of it, but really we see the type of effort he puts in for Spain. It's his mindset, and it's hard to change a veteran's mentality suddenly unless he gets a change of scene. Minnesota maybe?

DJO isnt on the team & you dont know what he is cause he never got a chance to play! 20,5,5 in D League as an athletic PG = was a waste to just let him go without seeing him on the floor in a real NBA game!

[Lords of the Rings]

As soon as Pau checked in, Lebron drived to the basket like 4 times in a row lmfao. It was pretty sad. Every player knows the basket is free when Pau is playing defense nowadays.

No one could D LeBron up....NO ONE. It takes 2 guys at least

They should have ran Howard at LBJ.... and one other guy to make him pass...let someone else beat us.
LeBron can't D up LeBron.........
It takes a plan.... a philosophy and we don't have one OR at least one that is visable.

[Lords of the Rings]

It's true...LeBron was nowhere near the rim until Dwight left the game...then 4 straight drives to the rim...

So he scored his 39 points when Howard was out of the game???
I saw plenty of drives with Howard in the game

[jackmode211]

Those were transition drives....when Dwight was still under his own basket

....let's start using our brains when we post...

Look at those 39 points...find out how many of them occured in the halfcourt with the defense set with LeBron driving to Dwight....then do the same with pau...

#yourwelcome

[jackmode211]

Rim protectors like Howard, ibaka, and Chandler can dissuade LeBron from driving to the rim...

He'll still do it, but he'd rather look for the assist when the rim protector steps up...

Pau is not that rim protector...and he never stepped up, he kept backing away from LeBron basically putting himself under the rim he should have been protecting...

It was incredibly obvious during the Miami game.