The Trade The Lakers Should Make Before The Deadline

The NBA trade deadline is just a little over a month away (February 8) and it's no secret the Lakers are actively looking to trade one (maybe two) of their young, up and coming talents in the hopes to bring in a marquee star to Hollywood.  Here is one trade the Lakers should try to pull off as soon as possible.

Lakers Get:      Paul George and Jerami Grant from the Oklahoma City Thunder

Thunder Get:   Julius Randle and Luol Deng

Will the financials work?  Based on ESPN's NBA Trade Machine, the trade is financially feasible.

Why make the trade?

Paul George is currently a hired gun in Oklahoma City since being acquired from Indiana in an off season trade for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis.  He has made it clear before being traded to the Thunder that he wanted to go home and play for his favorite childhood team, the Lakers and will be a Free Agent at season's end.  The Thunder organization run the risk of getting nothing back for George which will be a huge setback given Oladipo's success in Indiana.

The OKC Big 3 experiment hasn't panned out as expected.  The Thunder are quickly realizing that the trade for Carmelo Anthony has left glaring gaps in their team (rebounding, defense and bench production in particular) with minimal gains in offensive firepower given the Big 3's struggles to efficiently share the scoring load.

Given the issues around the OKC Big 3, Carmelo Anthony's time with the Thunder may be short lived as he may look to form a new Big 3 with "Banana Boat" buddy Chris Paul in Houston or join Lebron James wherever he decides to play next year.  The Thunder will be in need of a Power Forward to replace Anthony.  

Lakers Power Forward and sometimes small line-up Center, Julius Randle is a RFA in the offseason and is expected to receive lucrative offer sheets which many believe will be above his true value as a player which the Lakers won't be unwilling to pay.  Along with the backlog in PF's in the Lakers' roster, Randle has become the odd man out in the Lakers long term plans.

Randle's aggressive, attack the basket mentality can fit in well with Russell Westbrook's similar style of play.  Julius will be the recipient of numerous drop passes as Russell draws defenses and opens up attacking lanes and will address OKC team gaps (rebounding and post defense) made by the trade of Enes Kanter to the New York Knicks.  The Thunder will need to swallow Luol Deng's contract in this deal but with Paul George's departure, Deng is a decent fill-in at the Small Forward position since he is still a capable player and may contribute to better team balance.

Odd men out but both Deng and Grant will benefit from the change in teams

No doubt the Lakers will miss Julius Randle and his blossoming star level of play but given the team's roster of players, Julius is at a disadvantage given the limited number of minutes he can spend on the court to realize his full potential.  This trade, if executed, will be a win-win for both teams (and players) involved.

The NBA Stars Who Should Shine Bright In LA Next Year

The two stars the Lakers should bring in next year aren't named George or James.  The Lakers boast a talented young core that simply lacks a bona fide go-to-guy and championship experience.  Sure, these gaps can be filled by Paul George and Lebron James but it comes with a financial consequence that handicaps the organization from building a championship dynasty.  The two I'm about to reveal not only addresses the gaps but it will allow Magic and Rob flexibility to add more pieces to the Lakers Dynasty puzzle in seasons to come.

Player 1

Who: Marc Gasol

Why: He may not be the best center overall in the NBA but he's an upgrade to Brook Lopez.  He'll continue to put up all-star type numbers on a nightly basis with his consistent inside and outside offensive skills.  These skills will be further enhanced in Pick-and-Roll or Pick-and-Pop situations with Lonzo Ball.  He is a consistent defensive rebounder and provides enough defensive presence in the post to allow Laker guards to run over screens and play aggressive perimeter defense.

How: The Grizzlies are in limbo this season and may be looking at rebuilding next year which usually means getting younger.  Gasol will be 33 next season with one more year in his contract.  The Lakers should look to package a trade for Gasol involving Brook Lopez as a center for hire given his expiring contract and the very talented, very versatile and very young (23) Julius Randle.  As much as the Lakers want to keep Randle for all the obvious reasons, the team is stockpiled with Power Forwards and may end up overpaying for Randle's services if they re-sign him as a Restricted Free Agent (RFA).  The financials line up well and can be considered a win-win for both teams.

Player 2

Who: Klay Thompson

Why: Not only is Klay a perennial All-Star who has championship experience as a two time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors but he is also of championship pedigree because of his father Mychal Thompson who played with the Showtime Lakers.  Klay has proven to be a clutch performer and can be that go-to-guy the Lakers desperately seek.  He continues to be one of the best defenders in the league at the Shooting Guard position and is deadly from beyond the arc (46% this year, 42% career) which would not only fit well and thrive with Lonzo Ball's pass first mentality but it would create floor space for Brandon Ingram to penetrate and slash his way to the basket and eventually an All-Star ballot.  There would be little to no adjustment to know the offense or defense since the Lakers run the same system as Golden State.  This is due to Lakers Head Coach Luke Walton being a former assistant coach for the Warriors.  Did I forget to mention that Luke and Klay are close friends?

How: The Lakers should try to fashion an off-season trade by re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the primary trade asset.  KCP will continue to provide the Warriors with All NBA defense at the SG position and a reliable third option scoring threat behind Steph and KD.  This would of course all hinge on Klay wanting to be traded since he is under contract till the 2018-19 season.  But we can't count out the lure of being the "main guy" on an up and coming team especially if that team happens to be your father's former team with the second most championships in NBA history.  Oh did I forget Klay's from Los Angeles?

This is all speculation and wishful thinking of course but it never hurts to dream.  Do you agree?  Do you see other players being a better fit for the Lakers?  Let me know and as always, thanks everybody!

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I Want The Lakers To Bring Two Stars To L.A. - But It's Not Who You Think

The master plan ever since the Magic Johnson - Rob Pelinka era started in L.A. was to create enough cap room to sign two (2) superstars in the summer of 2018.  Many believe the two stars heading to Hollywood are none other than Paul George (PG13) and Lebron James but I beg to differ. 

Based on the roster of young talent they have now, the Lakers will need two specific star players to become a legitimate contender.  Before I reveal those two players, here's why it shouldn't be Paul George and Lebron James.

Too Many Small Forwards. Brandon Ingram is one season away from becoming a star player and less than two seasons away from becoming an perennial all-star.  So far this season, Brandon has shown glimpses of greatness but has yet to string these glimpses into one continuous show.  He still needs to properly utilize his mid range game (Read More) but it will only be a matter of time when everything will finally come together. 

All this progress will come to a screeching halt if Paul George and Lebron James joins the Lakers.  Both superstars play the Small Forward (SF) position, same as Brandon who will most likely need to move to the bench and lose valuable playing time.  George has shown the ability to play Shooting Guard (SG) but he admittedly prefers to play SF.  The current system the Lakers run requires an effective 3PT shooter at SG.  PG13 is a good 3PT shooter (37.3%) but prefers attacking the basket on offense.  Lebron on the other hand can move to Power Forward (PF) to allow Ingram to stay in the starting line-up but the requirements of the position (rebounding, post-up defensive assignments, movement without the ball) in Walton's system is not a great match for Lebron's skillset.  Lastly, both PG13 and Lebron are suspect defenders outside the SF position where they excel.

Long Term Success Is Unsustainable. The Lakers will have $47 million in salary cap space to sign both Paul George and Lebron James.  Let's assume Rob is unable to move the remaining $36 million of Luol Deng's contract but Jeannie Buss approves going into luxury tax territory to sign the two megastars.  The Lakers would have a strong though poorly balanced starting line-up (assuming both stars accept their new roles) of Lonzo Ball (PG), Paul George (SG), Brandon Ingram (SF), Lebron James (PF) and Larry Nance, Jr. (C).  The bench would be composed of Jordan Clarkson (G), Josh Hart (G), and Kyle Kuzma (PF) with Ivica Zubac and Thomas Bryant seeing playing time depending on needed defensive match-ups.  This MIGHT be good enough (I highly doubt it) to challenge the Warriors and Rockets in the Western Conference but still falls short of rebuilding a championship franchise.  On top of that, they will be paying a huge luxury tax for the foreseeable future with little to no financial flexibility to sign let along re-sign quality players to help bolster the roster.  

The Lakers will be unable to re-sign quality players with James and George

I can list out other reasons why the Lakers shouldn't sign Paul George and Lebron James next season  but I would like to switch gears and talk about which two star players the Lakers should desperately try to bring in next season.  Not only did I consider player skill set and team financials/contracts but I tried to look at how these signings would impact their former teams for feasibility.

The Lakers should bring in these two star players next season.

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Lonzo a Bust? Don't Think So

So many basketball experts (and fans alike) have been quick to label Los Angeles Lakers rookie point guard Lonzo Ball a bust with just 19 games played this season.  Expectations for any #2 draft pick are usually (and rightfully) high but the pressure placed on this 20 year old's shoulders has been further intensified along with every accomplishment scrutinized to a fault due to the off court (social media driven) comments by his (very) proud father, Lavar Ball.

Be it as it may, Lonzo for the most part has been handling all the distractions like a seasoned pro which speaks volumes about his mental fortitude.  This characteristic will prove beneficial when the best basketball decision needs to be made in a split second with the game on the line.  In his 19 games, he has shown a great deal of poise in pressure situations and has demonstrated the court vision and basketball IQ that got Magic Johnson excited about drafting him after his freshman year in UCLA.  Lonzo currently boasts a better assist to turnover ratio (2.7) than Kyrie Irving (2.55), Steph Curry (2.14) and Russell Westbrook (2.11) while being on the court longer than Irving and Curry.  There are no signs of Lonzo's mental toughness regressing and it looks like it will only get better as he settles into his NBA career.   

Much has been said about Lonzo's shooting form and how he will need to change it to be a successful scorer in the NBA.  His poor shooting percentage (25% from 3 point range and 31.5% overall) along with his dreadful accuracy on the free throw line (42.9%) will not keep the "bust" labelers quiet.  However, I don't believe it's his form or mechanics that is causing him to shoot so poorly from the field but rather his timing and rhythm.  If you watch Lonzo during pregame shoot arounds, he often sinks ten or more 3 pointers consecutively.  It's during the game that his shooting goes awry and it is simply because of his pass first mentality.  He inadvertently takes himself out of his shooting rhythm as he tries to make the best decision for the team resulting in a great deal of misses on his end.  Getting into his offensive flow is what he needs to figure out to fix his shooting woes while also playing the most complex position on the team.

Lastly, Lonzo has recorded two (2) triple doubles so far in his young career.  With Russell Westbrook and James Harden accomplishing this feat with regularity, people are downplaying Lonzo's abilities and skills as a basketball player.  What most Lonzo naysayers fail to realize is that Luke Walton's offensive system is not conducive to point guards getting triple doubles.  The Lakers are currently running an offensive system that revolves around constant ball movement similar to the pass friendly offensive scheme of the Golden State Warriors where Walton was an assistant coach.  Very rarely does the system allow one player to dominate the ball at any given time with all players expected to find the best scoring opportunity.  In fact, ever since Steve Kerr took over as head coach for the Warriors and implemented this system, back-to-back MVP point guard Stephen Curry recorded a triple double only three (3) times in 3 years.  If you include the playoffs, the likelihood of Steph Curry recording a triple double is 1%.  Though only 19 games into the season, the probability of Lonzo getting a triple double in the same system is 10.5%.  Not bad for a 20 year old rookie.

Bust you say, I don't think so.

    

What's Wrong With Lonzo's Shooting?

As of this post, Lakers' star rookie Lonzo Ball is averaging a less than spectacular 8.8 points per game with a 30% field goal percentage while shooting 23.4% from beyond the arc.  Many experts have pointed to his unorthodox mechanics for his shooting woes.  Some have criticized his relaxed demeanor on the court affecting his ability to put the ball through the basket.  So what's really wrong with Lonzo's shooting?  To tell you the truth, NOTHING.  There's nothing wrong with his mechanics or approach to scoring.

Lonzo is simply a 20 year old rookie point guard trying to figure out how to play in the NBA. 

As many who have played the game can attest, scoring requires a flow, a rhythm, a mentality to be effective.  This rhythm comes easier from a shooting guard or small forward position whose natural role on the team is to score.  Their minds are already set on scoring.  The primary role of the point guard however is to be the court general who facilitates the team's offense in order to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.  They rarely have set plays called for them to take the shot and will usually need to be the decision maker based on what they read in the defense.  This is a difficult task for most NBA veterans, what more for a 20 year old rookie?

As mentioned above, point guards have to create their own scoring opportunities more often than not.  Very rarely are they able to run off screens without the ball so they can take spot up jumpers.  Most shots have to come off the dribble, usually with an opposing big man in front of them or a backcourt defender hot on their heels.  Lonzo is not the most physically gifted player who can simply out-muscle or out-jump his way to a score.  He still has to figure out the spacing between opponents and spots on the court where he can take his shots within his offensive flow.  He's already had a number of shots blocked but it's all part of his learning process.

The more games Lonzo has under his belt (along with mentoring from veteran teammates, coaches and the President of Basketball Operations who happens to be one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history), he'll start to understand where his game fits in the NBA environment.  Sooner than later, he'll start to develop that much needed rhythm and we'll see him become a more effective shooter.  What he lacks in dominating physical gifts, he makes up in basketball IQ and we'll soon be singing him praises as we approach the new calendar year.

Let's all sit back and enjoy watching his progress towards super stardom.

The Move That Will Make Ingram A Star!

Since Magic Johnson announced that Brandon Ingram was the only untouchable Laker in the offseason and that he expects the 20 year old to average 20 points a game this season, the second year player has had trouble dealing with the immense pressure put upon him.

He has shown glimpses of brilliance and is averaging a respectable 14.8 points per game helping the Lakers to a promising 4-5 record.  But he has yet to string together consecutive high scoring games to deem himself the team's go-to-scorer.  It's not as if he lacks the skills or the physical gifts to be an upper echelon scorer in the NBA.  He has sound shooting mechanics, guard-like ball handling skills and a wingspan that would make blocking his shot almost impossible.  So what else is lacking?  What is keeping him from realizing all his potential?

Brandon Ingram only needs to do ONE thing to allow his offensive game to explode.  It's simple really and already part of his offensive arsenal.  What is it you ask?

Brandon simply needs to shoot more mid-range jump shots.  That's it. That's all.  Simple.  Here's why...

Early into this season, Brandon has relied on his ability and length to drive to the basket for scoring opportunities.  This has been his primary offensive move.  With this, defenders have learned to sag towards the basket or drop below screens whenever he has the ball in his hands.  This gives them a slight defensive edge while making it harder for Brandon to score which has resulted in a 45.1% shooting percentage.

Making the pull up jumper his primary offensive weapon, Brandon will keep defenders guessing how to position themselves thus putting him at an advantage.  His length and high release along with a quick jab step will make it virtually impossible for defenders to block this shot.  If he can consistently knock them down, he becomes a scoring threat anywhere on the court.  This will open up more space to operate and present more scoring opportunities.    

3 Adjustments The Lakers Need To Make

After an encouraging OT win versus the Washington Wizards, the Lakers took a couple of steps backward by losing back-to-back games against the Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz.  Inexperience may have been the biggest factor in those losses but there are other things the Lakers need to address if they plan to contend for a playoff spot this season.

Here are 3 adjustments the Lakers NEED to make to play better.

1) More Play Calling From The Bench - The Lakers are a young squad learning how to play in the NBA while adapting to a new system.  Lonzo seems reluctant to pull the trigger on obvious scoring opportunities, Brandon Ingram thinks he can only drive to the basket to score, Jordan Clarkson can't decide if he wants to shoot or pass and Kyle Kuzma has been relegated to picking up garbage baskets.  One way to remedy some of these offensive woes is for Coach Walton to do some play calling when the team gets into scoring droughts or lulls.  Don't get me wrong, there are benefits in having players figure out the system on their own but occasional play calling from the bench can minimize miscues and help the team reestablish an offensive rhythm.      

2) Make The Simple Pass - Since the Lakers drafted Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick, we've heard basketball experts predict his Magic-like passing abilities will infect the rest of the team.  As encouraging as this may sound, this has led to a number of players who are less skilled in the art of the pass trying to make the spectacular assist which have led to untimely / costly turnovers.  It would be in everyone's best interest to leave the spectacular passing to Lonzo while the rest of the Lakers just focus on making the straightforward pass.  A simple pass will promote ball movement, make defenders rotate thus opening up scoring opportunities while hopefully limiting turnovers that can turn into points for the opposition.

3) Establish Rotation Continuity - Coach Walton has been rewarding players who have shown offensive efficiency and/or defensive effort with more playing time whether they started the game or came off the bench.  This is obviously a solid coaching strategy but in turn it has also prevented this young team to develop much needed chemistry.  The Lakers' are unable to sustain offensive proficiency or defensive effectiveness when there is little continuity in player substitutions.  The coaches may still be figuring out the best combinations so I'll give them more time to get the mix just right.

Do you agree with these adjustments?  What other adjustments, if any, would you make?  Leave a comment below and let's GO LAKERS!