# AS OF RIGHT NOW, who do you prefer starting?



## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Simple question. 
It seems the Lakers have 3 guys for 2 starting spots.
My opinion: Ingram is the future, Randle is still not ready.

What do you guys think?


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

Deng should start, he will be one of the better players on the team. His best position last year was at PF, and now in Luke's system it seems like he would be a good fit there. 

I also think Ingram can be more valuable as a floor spacer than Randle.

I reserve the right to change my mind at any time, since I have no idea how Randle looks after having a summer to improve.


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## MojoPin (Oct 10, 2008)

If randle comes with a consistent jumpshot, he can be 18/12


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

MojoPin said:


> If randle comes with a consistent jumpshot, he can be 18/12


Not sure about that stat-line, but I also think this team is going to need his rebounding desperately if they are going to try and win games.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

MojoPin said:


> If randle comes with a consistent jumpshot, he can be 18/12


Randle developing a consistent jumpshot is miles away from happening. he just can't make them
His rebounding was good. I just don't know if his rebounding stats weren't inflated playing alongside Hibbert.

Randle's FG% was .429. And nowhere cared to defend him. That's absolutely horrid.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

MojoPin said:


> If randle comes with a consistent jumpshot, he can be 18/12


Thats a big if. Even if he shows improvement on his jumper this year, it has a long way to go to be considered consistent. Even with a good jump shot he needs to be able to finish at the rim with both hands before he gets 18 a game with any efficiency. 

For the record, I like Julius and think he will figure it out. He could be great ina few years.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

elcap15 said:


> Thats a big if. Even if he shows improvement on his jumper this year, it has a long way to go to be considered consistent. Even with a good jump shot he needs to be able to finish at the rim with both hands before he gets 18 a game with any efficiency.
> 
> *For the record, I like Julius and think he will figure it out. He could be great ina few years*.


For the record: i think Randle has all the physical tools to thrive in the NBA. He is built like a truck, is quick, has great handles (for a PF), eats the glass.
But he doesn't defend (that can be worked on) and has no clue on offense (needs much more work).
I don't necessarily agree withº the guys in silversreenandroll who were debating wether Larry Nance would be a better fit than Julius Randle, but as of right now, i see Randle as being an AC Green kinda player.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Deng and Randle should start. Randle is a double double machine on effort and athleticism alone. Ingram will need time to get used to the pace of that game.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

King Sancho Fantastic said:


> Deng and Randle should start. Randle is a double double machine on effort and athleticism alone. Ingram will need time to get used to the pace of that game.


The other reason Deng should start is that Randle doesn't really have positional flexibility. Ingram can come off the bench and sub in for either Clarkson, Randle, Deng, or Russell... given that Deng can slide to PF and Clarkson can slide to PG.


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## arasu (Jan 18, 2013)

We left out Nance. He appears to be extending his range out to the three point line. If so, he could be ideal at PF, if the Lakers want the kind of spacing the Warriors have. He is also no slouch on D. Randle could also extend his range. He has already shown flashes from behind the arc. If he gets the green light, he could become a much better fit than some would think. He also is a very good passer, so on offense he could become a bit like a hybrid between Draymond Green and David Lee. I wouldn't underestimate what he could do offensively in a new system with a more free flowing offense. Though defensively Randle needs a lot of improvement if he wants starter minutes in this somewhat crowded frontcourt. I prefer the idea that Ingram comes off the bench for a month or two, so that would make Deng the starter at SF by default. Most teams start their big lineup, then some will go much smaller rather quickly, so Deng could start at SF without playing very many minutes at that position. Randle and/or Nance could end up with tons of minutes at C, matched up against guys like Green, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, Taj Gibson, and Bismack Biyombo. With a somewhat injury-prone starting center and a very young back-up center, it seems like the Lakers could have smallish centers absorbing a lot of minutes, including Tarik Black. Depth isn't a bad thing. Between injuries and players stepping up or dropping off, the lineup will sort itself out.

Opening night, barring injuries, I'd go with Deng/Randle. Later in the season, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ingram/Deng, though Ingram/Randle or Ingram/Nance could turn out very well.


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

Deng is so much better at PF than he is SF at this point I think that's where he has to play the majority of his minutes.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

I don't think Ingram is ready and shouldn't be rushed - let him learn for awhile


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

I have a hard time seeing the frontline starting not being Mozgov, Randle and Deng. Initially I doubt Ingram will even play 20 minutes per game and I bet Randle and Nance play a lot of backup center. Make Ingram earn his time like Byron did when he benched Randle and Russell and kept Nance and Clarkson (as a rookie) out of the rotation. All those guys ended their respective rookie seasons strong so it's hard to argue with the results.

I just know it will happen, but its going to be annoying: fans will be pissed that Ingram isn't starting in January when the Lakers are ten games under 500 and will say Luke is still learning as a coach or some other coach criticism crap.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

A Lakers fans/writers podcast about the probable staring 5 for next season (and yes, defending Ingram coming off the bench):

http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2016/7/25/12269296/la-lakers-podcast-starting-lineup-brandon-ingram-contract-luol-deng-timofey-mozgov


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> *I have a hard time seeing the frontline starting not being Mozgov, Randle and Deng*. Initially I doubt Ingram will even play 20 minutes per game and I bet Randle and Nance play a lot of backup center. Make Ingram earn his time like Byron did when he benched Randle and Russell and kept Nance and Clarkson (as a rookie) out of the rotation. All those guys ended their respective rookie seasons strong so it's hard to argue with the results.
> 
> I just know it will happen, but its going to be annoying: fans will be pissed that Ingram isn't starting in January when the Lakers are ten games under 500 and will say Luke is still learning as a coach or some other coach criticism crap.


For me, the thing is:
- MozGod will rebound, play defense and score ocasionally in the low post;
- Deng will be the "glue-guy", doing a little of everything (including defense) and providing veteran leadership;
- D'Angelo will have the ball in his hands and will the play-setting guy (and go-to scorer);
Those roles seem to be set.

I have my doubts regarding Clarkson, as in if he can play off-the ball. And defend.
And about Randle, if he still can't make a jumper on offense, what should he be doing out there? Rebound and play sub-par defense? Wouldn't, then, Nance be more well suited as the PF?


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## Michael Whiteacre (Dec 5, 2015)

I prefer Luol Deng to start at SF because the Lakers can't have an all-youngster lineup featuring D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre all at once. You must mix your lineup with a healthy balance of solid veterans and promising youngsters, and that's where Deng fits the most in the starting lineup for the Lakers.

And if the Lakers have enough money saved from having to pay Kobe Bryant to sit down and do nothing for his final years in the NBA as a Laker, I'd say Jeanie Buss should sign Dion Waiters imo @PauloCatarino. To a 10-year $200 million dollar contract with $20M per season, that is.

Waiters just didn't get an opportunity to be the lead alpha ace cog on either Cleveland or Oklahoma City because they had two established superstar duos in LeBron & Kyrie (for the Cleveland Cavaliers) and Durant & Westbrook (for the Oklahoma City Thunder), but now Durant has since then left the Thunder to bandwagon up with the Golden State Warriors. What a coward Durant is.

It's ok for LeBron to betray Cleveland for Miami in 2010 because Cleveland had a poorly assembled roster, mostly been given bones as complementary players in Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, an even older Ben Wallace, Delonte West, an old Shaquille O'Neal, Daniel "Boobie" Gibson, and a raw Danny Green. That's the best Dan Gilbert could give for LeBron, and how does Gilbert repay Bron? By ordering the fans to burn down LeBron's #23 Cavs jerseys out of pure sheer spite.

Unlike 2010 LeBron, Durant had it easy in Oklahoma City because he had Russell Westbrook, James Harden (before Sam Presti screwed it up by extending a broken down Kendrick Perkins over a weenie James Harden in 2012), Serge Ibaka (later flipped over to Orlando for Victor Oladipo), Enes Kanter and Steven Adams plus Dion Waiters as his core key teammates. And what does KD do?!? That's right: Durant betrays an easy-made Oklahoma City just to jump ship and have it easy by ruining whatever little chemistry the Golden State Warriors had by running Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, Marreese Speights, Harrison Barnes and Leandro Barbosa out of town away from the Bay Area to the point that the Dubs now have no depth, and all they got after KD was Zaza Pachulia and kept Anderson Varejao over Speights and Ezeli, so I'm hoping Varejao gets more minutes for the Dubs than he got last season split with the Cavaliers and the Warriors in 2015-16.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Michael Whiteacre said:


> I prefer Luol Deng to start at SF because the Lakers can't have an all-youngster lineup featuring D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre all at once. You must mix your lineup with a healthy balance of solid veterans and promising youngsters, and that's where Deng fits the most in the starting lineup for the Lakers.
> 
> And if the Lakers have enough money saved from having to pay Kobe Bryant to sit down and do nothing for his final years in the NBA as a Laker, I'd say Jeanie Buss should sign Dion Waiters imo @PauloCatarino. To a 10-year $200 million dollar contract with $20M per season, that is.
> 
> ...


Dude , you're nuts.
Leave me alone, please.


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## Michael Whiteacre (Dec 5, 2015)

@AlienAiden How awesome?!


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## Chosen1 (Jun 9, 2014)

Deng and Randle should start opening night but all 3 combinations should get relatively even playing time.


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## sirronstuff (Jul 29, 2016)

I don't think you play the 18-19 year old kid more than 20 minutes. He's going to need time to adjust and gain his confidence at this level. We also want to win, and signed a FA for some pretty decent money. I don't see a scenario where Ingram starts this year not involving injury.


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