|| LocK Dis Up ||

[MVP]

Uhoh

 

[rck3sactown]

what even is that thread?

 

[Lizakers]

What The Hell Are The Lakers Doing With D'Angelo Russell?
via Kevin Draper, Deadspin



With the second pick in the 2015 draft, the Los Angeles Lakers considered selecting Kristaps Porzingis, but ultimately passed because, in the words of head coach Byron Scott, “[We] just thought it was going to take him some time [to develop].”

There are two things wrong with that statement, one defensible and one not. Porzingis, who was taken fourth by the Knicks, obviously still has room to grow, but so far he has been an above average NBA player. The Lakers’ analysis of him was wrong, and Scott admitted as much. But much more puzzling, the Lakers’ thought process regarding Porzingis indicates that they believed they would be a playoff contender this season. That’s the only reason Porzingis needing time to develop would be a downside, after all.

Anybody with a modicum of basketball knowledge could see that the Lakers were going to struggle this season. As one good example, ESPN’s Summer Forecast—which aggregated the predictions of over 200 NBA writers—predicted the Lakers would finish 26-56, 14th in the West. So far that prediction has been borne out, as going into tonight’s game the Lakers were just 1-5, with the solitary win against the Brooklyn Nets, one of two teams without a win this season.



In other words, what in god’s name was the Lakers front office looking at that indicated they were so close to competing that they couldn’t draft a talented project big man they liked?

With their second pick, the Lakers chose D’Angelo Russell, a perfectly fine choice. Except D’Angelo Russell, drafted in part because he was supposedly ready to play, has struggled. Byron Scott has warned him that he needs to improve if he doesn’t want to see a decrease in playing time, and has benched Russell in favor of Lou Williams in the fourth quarter of close games.



Which brings us to tonight’s game, which saw the Lakers get whooped by the Heat, 101-88. On the road, without Kobe, the Heat lead was as big as 18 in the fourth quarter, yet the number two overall draft pick never even saw the floor. After he left the game with 4:52 remaining in the third quarter, Russell never returned.

Russell wasn’t particularly good in the 21 minutes that he did play, and after the game acknowledged that he needs to be better. He also said that Scott gave him no explanation for why he didn’t play the final 17 minutes.


Scott did explain why to reporters, but it didn’t make any more sense.


Miami had too big of a lead? So if Russell can’t play in the fourth quarter of close games, and he can’t play in the fourth quarter of blowouts, when can he play in the fourth quarter?


This debacle isn’t only, or maybe even mostly, Byron Scott’s fault. He isn’t the one who signed an old and mediocre-at-best Kobe Bryant with a torn Achilles tendon to a two-year, $48.5 million contract two seasons ago. He isn’t the one who made a terrible pitch to free agents during the offseason. He isn’t the one who decided to draft the supposed win-now player over the supposed project. His job isn’t to set the strategy the franchise will follow, but to implement it.

With that qualming out of the way, Byron’s tactics here are absolutely baffling. The Lakers are garbage and Russell, along with their other young talents like Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson, should get as many minutes as possible. He should absolutely be playing in the fourth quarter of blowouts, and also the fourth quarter of close games. That is the quickest way for him to improve.

The Lakers will have somewhere in the neighborhood of $60 million in salary cap room next season, and the operating assumption is that because of the Lakers’ allure and Los Angeles’s Los Angelesness, they’ll reel in a couple of top free agents. But because of the booming salary cap they’ll face stiff competition from nearly every other team, and with money the same either way, most of those free agents will be choosing based on perceived competitiveness.

If the Scott continues to make Russell ride the pine and stunt his development in pursuit of a 30-win season rather than a 27-win one, the negative effects could reverberate for years to come.

 

[tonelow]

Yea it doesn't really compute to be just hates the kid. Julius is out there, Clarkson, even Nance now because they're playing hard at least while making mistakes. Maybe that's why they have a longer leash. D'Lo looks way to casual out there and it could very well be carrying over from practice.

What exactly are you seeing out there with regards to him not playing hard?

He played excellent defense on a player most of were ready to give a max contract to just a few months ago. He made some great passes that were bobbled.

Is it because he doesn't drive and force shots?

Randle is getting killed on the boards this year and had been generally not good defensively. But because he's "playing hard" he gets a pass.

Not making excuses for Russ but it seems like some of you a) just don't like his game and b) confusing activity with actually playing good ball.

 

[MVP]

Excellent defense, that's a stretch. He played with effort on defense after being called out by Byron for not doing so in previous games, that's good. He's far to passive on offense and has been that way since SL.

 

[lovehateself]

"how come he dont want me in the 4th quarter man"  

 

[WAKKO!]

Doesn't Russell have some sort of power for being the #2 pick, that he can go to upper management and request more PT, Coaching Firing or Trade? 

 

[purpnyellow]

Maybe they are going to wait the year then fire Byron and make mamba the coach ...

 

[trynafeelmink]

He's a pass first PG and he's 7 games in, while playing with two guys who have proven they can score in the league. I don't have a problem with his minutes that much right now (just play him sometimes in the fourth). Now if we get to January & Lou Will isn't off this team i'm gonna be mad.

 

[licensed to ball]

View media item 1783276

"how come he dont want me in the 4th quarter man"  

Someone has to PS dlo's head onto will smiths in the scene with his dad. PS Byron onto his dad's face

 

[goldmember]

I dont think russell and clarkson play well together to be honest. Hell even Randle wants to be PG at times. Seemed like clarkson is more comfortable playing as the primary pg.

Maybe put one of them with the 2nd unit.

 

[MVP]

They both need the ball in their hands which made the pick at the time even more confusing.

 

[darthska]

[quote name="bright nikes"]I just want to apologize to mike brown and mda for all **** i talked about them, byron has proven to be more incompetent than both of you.

And thats saying quite a lot.[/quote]I said this during both of their tenures:

Or current coach is the worst coach ever.



To us, 3 coaches exist in the entire world:
- Phil
- Popp
- the worst coach ever

Whoever we hire next is that 3rd one. Right now it's Byron.

 

[Lizakers]

That will smith scene still gives me salty discharge

 

[goldmember]

Everyone saying he's a pass first pg but its easier said than done in this type of league. You should have the ability at least to create opportunity for others. Its very difficult if you cant even get past your defender without a pick. Call byron what you want but obviously he sees something we dont from practice etc..

But yea he's 7 games into his rookie year, right?. We can wait.

 

[biiggtone]

U think Phili would trade Jah for Russell straight up? :eyes

 

[joecoolio66]

Yeah... only if we include a 1st round pick

 

[lovehateself]

Yeah... only if we include a 1st round pick

we kind of already would be

but they wouldnt do it and neither should we. 

let the kid develop

 

[ValarMorghulis]

I want Byron to lose every game until him and Jim Buss are goners.

I also would like Byron to act like a petulant child and play Russ all 48 mins tonight.

Elfrid gonna lock up and D'lo get shown that he'll have to prove it every night because people are coming for him... hopefully he gets humbled a little and comes back even harder.

 

[ValarMorghulis]

Kobe vs. Croatian Kobe

Randle vs Gordon should be great tonight too


I hated Gordon but now wish he was in purple/gold

 

[UsualSuspects]

If they arent going to let Russell play and develop than Lakers shouldve did that Cousins trade for Randle and Russell. Let that boy cook Byron 

 

[joecoolio66]

Then you would only have Clarkson and Cousins with a bunch of scrubs long term. Nobody would want to come here with just those two.

 

[lovehateself]

Kobe vs. Croatian Kobe

Randle vs Gordon should be great tonight too


I hated Gordon but now wish he was in purple/gold

Nance is in purple/gold though and didnt cost us a lottery pick

 

[joecoolio66]

Exactly.

 

[Lizakers]

Kobe out tonight