swap a 2nd year head coach for a first year head coach who got fired for also losing the locker room and drove away Terry Stotts? That sounds like trading Charmeleon for Charmander.
-
Check out the relaunch of our general collection, with classic designs and new ones by our very own Pissog!
-
Welcome to Smogon! Take a moment to read the Introduction to Smogon for a run-down on everything Smogon, and make sure you take some time to read the global rules.
Sports NBA Thread: 2023-2024 Season
- Thread starter awyp
- Start date
It’s more about the fit, I think Adrian Griffin is someone who has a lot of potential but couldn’t execute properly on the Bucks (nor earn the respect of his superstar players). I personally liked his coaching style and think he could be a better fit than the remaining coaching options available for the Lakers. There’s an old article that really had me sold on him from a few years ago that’s still applicable even now
https://www.silverscreenandroll.com...ch-interview-analysis-profile-scouting-report
Fair point. Reading about his assistant positions make him sound way better than whatever happened in Milwaukee, but I'd still be hesitant for the Lakers to make that move simply because it's asinine imo to hire rookie young coaches for what is supposed to be championship or bust. LeBron is also a control freak. He's gotten more coaches fired than any player I can think of, and I'm not sure why he'd be much different from Ham in that same scenario if he couldn't garner the respect of Giannis. Ham was hired to be a motivator who could strongly relate to players. That's almost exactly like Griffin's pedigree, and if defense is what you want from a coach,
Why fire Vogel?
Why fire Ham?
and why hire someone who coached a bottom 10 defense in the other conference?
We're also halfway past the season as well. Coach shuffling is usually a bad mistake unless you have a coach so unbearably bad that that you'll just have LeBron be LeCoach (I mean he kinda is).
Why fire Vogel?
Why fire Ham?
and why hire someone who coached a bottom 10 defense in the other conference?
We're also halfway past the season as well. Coach shuffling is usually a bad mistake unless you have a coach so unbearably bad that that you'll just have LeBron be LeCoach (I mean he kinda is).
Please don't come at me for my take, but I don't think a new coach will solve LAL's issues, and like you said, a terrible decision for middle of the season. They should create a package for Murray and do whatever it takes. I also think they would be in a much better position if Gabe Vincent didn't get hurt. He's a high IQ player both offensively and defensively with a respectable shot and he has shown he can run the offense. As a Heat, I miss him.
Speaking of Heat, we finally snapped that L-streak!
Speaking of Heat, we finally snapped that L-streak!
I have an even hotter take about the Lakers.
It's not Ham's fault. It's not the players' fault.
I think the Lakers franchise and LeGM have made counterproductive moves the past few years to get them in their current position. Even the moves before the 2020 championship.
Notice the teams above them in the standings: Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Denver, Sacramento, Dallas, New Orleans, Houston, and let's throw in Memphis because we know they'd have a better record if they started with Ja.
The common denominator for all of these teams is that their franchises built them through drafting and starting youth movements. They have young, talented players who are built for the modern regular season of high pace, scoring, and wing athleticism.
What did the Lakers do?
Traded away Ingram, Hart, Kazuma. All individually great today. Randle is better than anyone they have today other than Lebron and AD. Let go of Zubac, who is now a starting center across the street on a team consistently beating them year after year. Same for Westbrook, who is now thriving off the bench. Caruso and Lonzo became the league's two favorite defensive guards. Caldwell-Pope won a ring on the team that swept them last season. Malik Monk is one of the best sixth men for another youth movement team above them.
Cycling through damn near 4 coaches now with one of them winning them a ring. All to appease LeGM. Mortgaging their future picks, young players, and veteran coaches every year, shuffling the roster every year as LeBron ages. Yeah, he can still get numbers, but they're less impactful without a young, capable core to support him. It's not that Ham is that bad of a coach, or Reaves, Russel, Vanderbilt, etc. are bad players.
Being in constant win now mode with LeBron has drained the organization of assets year after year, with very few huge draft hits. With little development into youth. That leaves them with middling roleplayers who all fell out of favor at their respective teams and two stars who primarily rely on 2's. Any team with decent wings and average 3-point shooting can beat them.
But all the past young players they let go, are now beating their ass.
Their signings have always been strange to me. Christian Wood fell out of Dallas' and Houston's rotation. Reddish was a journeyman likely because he can't shoot. Washington, one of the worst lead organizations of the league, wanted to get rid of Hachimura for some reason. Vanderbilt fell out of Minnesota's rotation the last couple of the years. No offense to the Heat fan above me, but I imagine Miami didn't want to bring Vincent back because they weren't going to overpay what is likely more of a system player who was easily replaceable, and like magic, he suddenly can't shoot on the Lakers and running his best Kendrick Nunn impression. D'Angelo is another journeyman constantly falling out of favor. Lastly, Austin was a great draft hit, but the scouting report has brought him down to Earth and teams are targeting him constantly on defense. If we're being real, his playoff success is more likely flukish.
So... when we account for the fact that they have the same roster that took them to the WCF, and this is the healthiest Davis and LeBron have been at least up to the halfway point, why the heck do they have almost the same exact record with Westbrook?
Who really is to blame? Is it Ham? Is it the players? Or is it LeGM and the organizational decisions for the last few years?
Edit: of course the same day I make this post they beat the beat team in the league without LeBron and AD.
It's not Ham's fault. It's not the players' fault.
I think the Lakers franchise and LeGM have made counterproductive moves the past few years to get them in their current position. Even the moves before the 2020 championship.
Notice the teams above them in the standings: Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Denver, Sacramento, Dallas, New Orleans, Houston, and let's throw in Memphis because we know they'd have a better record if they started with Ja.
The common denominator for all of these teams is that their franchises built them through drafting and starting youth movements. They have young, talented players who are built for the modern regular season of high pace, scoring, and wing athleticism.
What did the Lakers do?
Traded away Ingram, Hart, Kazuma. All individually great today. Randle is better than anyone they have today other than Lebron and AD. Let go of Zubac, who is now a starting center across the street on a team consistently beating them year after year. Same for Westbrook, who is now thriving off the bench. Caruso and Lonzo became the league's two favorite defensive guards. Caldwell-Pope won a ring on the team that swept them last season. Malik Monk is one of the best sixth men for another youth movement team above them.
Cycling through damn near 4 coaches now with one of them winning them a ring. All to appease LeGM. Mortgaging their future picks, young players, and veteran coaches every year, shuffling the roster every year as LeBron ages. Yeah, he can still get numbers, but they're less impactful without a young, capable core to support him. It's not that Ham is that bad of a coach, or Reaves, Russel, Vanderbilt, etc. are bad players.
Being in constant win now mode with LeBron has drained the organization of assets year after year, with very few huge draft hits. With little development into youth. That leaves them with middling roleplayers who all fell out of favor at their respective teams and two stars who primarily rely on 2's. Any team with decent wings and average 3-point shooting can beat them.
But all the past young players they let go, are now beating their ass.
Their signings have always been strange to me. Christian Wood fell out of Dallas' and Houston's rotation. Reddish was a journeyman likely because he can't shoot. Washington, one of the worst lead organizations of the league, wanted to get rid of Hachimura for some reason. Vanderbilt fell out of Minnesota's rotation the last couple of the years. No offense to the Heat fan above me, but I imagine Miami didn't want to bring Vincent back because they weren't going to overpay what is likely more of a system player who was easily replaceable, and like magic, he suddenly can't shoot on the Lakers and running his best Kendrick Nunn impression. D'Angelo is another journeyman constantly falling out of favor. Lastly, Austin was a great draft hit, but the scouting report has brought him down to Earth and teams are targeting him constantly on defense. If we're being real, his playoff success is more likely flukish.
So... when we account for the fact that they have the same roster that took them to the WCF, and this is the healthiest Davis and LeBron have been at least up to the halfway point, why the heck do they have almost the same exact record with Westbrook?
Who really is to blame? Is it Ham? Is it the players? Or is it LeGM and the organizational decisions for the last few years?
Edit: of course the same day I make this post they beat the beat team in the league without LeBron and AD.
Last edited:
Jaylen Brown on fraud watch right about now
Ngl you hit everything on the head except trashing Austins defense, its actually not bad for his size. I also think Austin Reeves is a diamond in the ruff cus bro is a straight up catch on any team, bro really shined and I don't think its a fluke I think he's a solid 3rd / 2nd best player on any team.
Celtics are weird man....like they on paper should be the best team in the league but it just doesn't work all the time...I think the East might be wide open again for whichever team has the most momentum in the playoffs.
I trust in the Zombie Heat to make another deep playoff run and bounce them Celts out again in the ECF
I find him usually targeted more often than not from athletic wings, and usually it's in transition. He could of course improve because he is still a young talent, but I don't trust him with heavy minutes in the playoffs.
If you don't believe the eye test, he has almost all negative net ratings in every two man line-up, and it's all defense. He also regressed on that end for Team USA.
https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/a...610612747&dir=D&slug=advanced&sort=NET_RATING
Also... trade LeBron. That whole team and organization will feel the relief from Lebron's cryptic pressuring. Had D'Angelo crying on the bench? Good lord.
Last edited:
I have a new favorite team to win it all this year
The Clippers won 26 of their last 31. Absolutely insane, their team chemistry is off the charts. If Kawhi and PG can stay healthy by the playoffs, I can see them make a very deep run. Harden’s been a wonderful fit for their team. As long as he keeps his ego in check as their third-best player, I don’t see any team outside the Nuggets beating them in a 7 game series
The Clippers won 26 of their last 31. Absolutely insane, their team chemistry is off the charts. If Kawhi and PG can stay healthy by the playoffs, I can see them make a very deep run. Harden’s been a wonderful fit for their team. As long as he keeps his ego in check as their third-best player, I don’t see any team outside the Nuggets beating them in a 7 game series
Average Jordan Poole game
pat bev to milwakee might be a sneaky move for cam payne
---
Knicks reportedly get Pistons’ Burks, Bogdanovic
The New York Knicks are gearing up for the stretch run of the season. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks are trading for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks and sending four players and two future second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons in the deal.
Knicks get:
Alec Burks
Bojan Bogdanovic
Pistons get:
Evan Fournier
Malachi Flynn
Quentin Grimes
Ryan Arcidiacono
Two future second-round picks
this the biggest move fs, makes knicks a real contender
----
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been among the West’s elite all season and are making a move for the playoff push. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Thunder are finalizing a trade to get former All-Star Gordon Hayward from the Hornets.
Thunder receive:
Gordon Hayward
Hornets receive:
Vasilije Micic
Tre Mann
Davis Bertans
Draft compensation
same thing here, this is really good for the thunder and putting them in the fight to get out the west cus they need some veteran leadership
---
Knicks reportedly get Pistons’ Burks, Bogdanovic
The New York Knicks are gearing up for the stretch run of the season. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks are trading for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks and sending four players and two future second-round picks to the Detroit Pistons in the deal.
Knicks get:
Alec Burks
Bojan Bogdanovic
Pistons get:
Evan Fournier
Malachi Flynn
Quentin Grimes
Ryan Arcidiacono
Two future second-round picks
this the biggest move fs, makes knicks a real contender
----
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been among the West’s elite all season and are making a move for the playoff push. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Thunder are finalizing a trade to get former All-Star Gordon Hayward from the Hornets.
Thunder receive:
Gordon Hayward
Hornets receive:
Vasilije Micic
Tre Mann
Davis Bertans
Draft compensation
same thing here, this is really good for the thunder and putting them in the fight to get out the west cus they need some veteran leadership
So, the Lakers and LeBron spent all this time being talked by the media about roster improvements, gave D'Lo a contract for the purpose of being a trade piece, have the guy cry on the bench because he played above their expectations, not make a single move before the deadline because the only assets they have are a bag of chips and LeBron's dry cleaning, and now they're expected to walk all that shit back with him?
I would sabotage the fuck out of that team if that happened to me lmao. Burn it all down.
I would sabotage the fuck out of that team if that happened to me lmao. Burn it all down.
I was watching a magic Johnson video on how he said Lebron was LeGM and Derozen was supposed to come to LA but when he heard Westbrook was interested he decided to pick up Westbrook over Demar, they had to get rid of their defensive pieces like Caruso and Caldwell Pope for that trade, Lebron has been the king of self sabotage when it comes to building around, look at any franchise anytime Lebron leaves it’s a shit franchise for at least 2 years cus they need to rebuild since usually all the picks are depleted from prior years
I dunno about the title of daddy if you're 0-2 against them in the playoffs at the end of the day though I would thoroughly enjoy Clippers vs Mavs Part III
He may not be Clippers daddy (yet), but Luka Doncic will always be Devin Booker father
this is true but im talking stictly numbers luka always shows up vs the clippers
I've been pleasantly surprised with pj's defense especially clamping wemby after they made the swap when he was killing us early, he scored like 8 points after the swap with a lot of forced shots. He always had the tools with the size and athleticism just no doubt hard to be motivated on a bottom feeder. We def won the deadline.