# Are we looking at the worst Los Angeles Lakers team of all time? (article)



## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> With last week's re-signings of Ryan Kelly, Wesley Johnson and Xavier Henry, GM Mitch Kupchak and VP of Player Personnel Jim Buss are bringing back many parts of that 27-55 squad. The Lakers still do not have a full roster, so there still is a chance that they could bring on an impact player late in the offseason. However, looking at the team's cap figure and roster composition, that venture looks rather slim. Thus, by-and-large, this is the 2014-2015 Lakers roster. And it is absolutely horrid.





> Defensively, the Lakers should be every bit as bad as they were last season, with potential to crater even further if the front office doesn't hire a coach that the players will run through a wall for. However, that's only part of the equation. The other half has to be another season of potentially disruptive injuries.





> As I've said many times, basketball isn't checkers--it's a three-dimensional game of chess. It isn't as simple as replacing old pieces and reading the calculus of it all. But looking at how everything may fall, I just don't see right now how this team is improved from last season. Defense wins titles, and the lack thereof will doom the Lakers this season just as it did last. Combine that with a simple lack of talent and serious injury concerns, the 2014-2015 Lakers could be worse than the worst.


http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2014/7/23/5921525/are-we-looking-at-the-worst-los-angeles-lakers-team-of-all-time

I usually like TheGreatMambino's writing, but this time he can go FH.

This team is a 40win team.


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## Adam (Jan 28, 2003)

PauloCatarino said:


> This team is a 40win team.


They have as much chance of winning 40 games as Cleveland did of making the Conference Finals last year.


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## GNG (Aug 17, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> This team is a 40win team.


Nuh uh.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

GNG said:


> Nuh uh.


35-40?


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## Wilmatic2 (Oct 30, 2005)

Even if it is the worst Lakers team in franchise history, it doesn't really matter. In the general scheme of things, as in life, sometimes you have to break things down in order to build it back up. Lakers will be contending for a title soon enough, just need patience.


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## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

Not sure where the "worst LA Lakers team of all-time" talk is coming from...this is a better roster than we had last year.

We replaced Jordan Farmar with Jeremy Lin = upgrade
We replaced Jodie Meeks with Kobe Bryant = upgrade
We replaced Pau Gasol with Julius Randle and Carlos Boozer = likely upgrade
We replaced Chris Kaman with Ed Davis = upgrade

The only clear downgrade is that we went from having a legit backup PG to having Clarkson and Nash.

As for the rest of the team, Young and Hill are back. I would also anticipate Henry, Johnson and Kelly to have improved their games, especially Henry and Kelly.

Not to mention the fact that any coach we get will be an upgrade over D'Antoni.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

as soon as Melo was not an option plan b kicked in which had the following priorities

maintain cap flexibility
add upside projects
add tradable assets
add future considerations and picks

if Championship or Bust is the object this is the new and unsavory but ultimately necessary way of doing business - would you rather be profit sharing your tax dollars with all the dead beat poorly run BS franchises out there just so you could shoot for the 8th seed? This is the future the Lakers pawned when they made the deals that gave them a shot at titles in the last 4 or 5 years - time to pay the piper


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Damian Necronamous said:


> *As for the rest of the team, Young and Hill are back. I would also anticipate Henry, Johnson and Kelly to have improved their games, especially Henry and Kelly.*
> .


this is a good point, the article mentions bringing back pieces from last year's team - that's the idea, they're the young dudes - of course sadly we missed out on a couple (esp. Bazemore IMO) but this is part of the game we're playing (developing young players and keeping the promising ones)


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## Uncle Drew (Dec 16, 2013)

PauloCatarino said:


> 35-40?


That's about where I'd put us. If relatively healthy (outside of Nash), I'd be surprised if we didn't win at least 35. 

Don't really see the point in comparing to last year's squad when we had I believe 34 different starting line-ups, and countless injuries including like, 3 weeks without a single healthy PG. What's there to compare to?


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

with relative health (esp. Mr Bean's) I think we could sniff .500 too bad we're not in the East (and also that we won't own our own draft pick)


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

We had a better squad than pot record showed last year. The injuries we sustained were cataclysmic. If we stay healthy I can see us winning 40-45


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## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

Trade Gasol for Boozer is a downgrade.

27 wins - 5 wins = 22 wins


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

is that what Fievel told you?


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## FormerPHCrew (Dec 3, 2013)

theyre not worse than last year by default


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

This isn't even the worst team of the last decade, let alone in franchise history. 04-05 was terrible despite Kobe being awesome. 

If Kobe is healthy this season, we're a better team than last year easily.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Uncle Drew said:


> That's about where I'd put us. If relatively healthy (outside of Nash), I'd be surprised if we didn't win at least 35.
> 
> *Don't really see the point in comparing to last year's squad when we had I believe 34 different starting line-ups, and countless injuries including like, 3 weeks without a single healthy PG. What's there to compare to?*


It seems to me the author's main "argument" is the defense (or lack of). We sucked at it last season and, for all accounts, we will suck again this year.

Obviously, offense can (and will) win the Lakers some games. And if the team is heathy, the Lakers should be a capable offensive team, with Lin, Kobe, Boozer, Swaggy and (hopefully) Randle doing the major damage.
On the defensive end, i tend to agree that this team will, again, be very deficient, even if healthy.

Boozer and Hill are very capable rebounders, but besides Wes Johnson (and even he spaces out sometimes), the roster has no average-to-good defender.
That's where the uncertainty regarding the coaching job starts to worry me, because it's pretty clear the Lakers, with this roster, direly need a defensive-minded coach... (and, yes, in my dreams i picture a veteran, gray-haired fiery coach who used to get on players' faces  )


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

staying healthy and having a chance to actually practice together and become something resembling a cohesive unit would go a long way in shoring up the defense - but it really does depend on who the coach

and on that subject I think the author is a trifle unfair with Scotty - yes he has helmed some squads that were bad at defense but look at the squads he helmed:

the 04-05 Hornets featuring 35 year old PJ Brown, Dan Dickau and Lee Nailon as the top 3 minutes players on the squad (by a long shot) were like 22nd in DRtG - the 06-07 Hornets squad featuring Chris Paul, David West and Tyson Chandler was 7th in the league in that respect

the first season he took over the Nets they were 23rd in the league in DRTG but they were #1 in that respect in both of the following 2 years and made back to back finals appearances. the difference? Starbury at PG in year 1 gets replaced by Jason Kidd

we may not be very good at defense but it wont be because Byron doesn't teach it


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## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

The Lakers are a playoff team - just wait on it


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Basel said:


> This isn't even the worst team of the last decade, let alone in franchise history. 04-05 was terrible despite Kobe being awesome.
> 
> If Kobe is healthy this season, we're a better team than last year easily.


Last year was worse than 04-05, and this year will be better than last year. This guy wrote the article for attention, and it worked.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

e-monk said:


> is that what Fievel told you?


FYI, the mouse in The Green Mile is Mr. Jingles.


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

All the people who said this year's team will be better than last year's team are right. That being said, last year's team was very likely the worst in franchise history.


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## Uncle Drew (Dec 16, 2013)

PauloCatarino said:


> It seems to me the author's main "argument" is the defense (or lack of). We sucked at it last season and, for all accounts, we will suck again this year.
> 
> Obviously, offense can (and will) win the Lakers some games. And if the team is heathy, the Lakers should be a capable offensive team, with Lin, Kobe, Boozer, Swaggy and (hopefully) Randle doing the major damage.
> On the defensive end, i tend to agree that this team will, again, be very deficient, even if healthy.
> ...


I got you man. There's going to be a lot of questions to be answered.

My main point is what's the use in saying things like "last year's squad was bad, and you lost x and y player, so this year is going to be worse"? 

The notion is kind of dumb outright (unless you're Ballscientist), but it's even more useless when we have no idea what last year's team was even really capable of. They were hovering around .500 before they were absolutely dissemated with injuries. This isn't an intact team that lost a star player. Our roster is basically brand new with a brand new coach. 

You can predict they're going to be bad, but don't base it on last year.


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## Ballscientist (Nov 11, 2002)

e-monk said:


> with relative health (esp. Mr Bean's) I think we could sniff .500 too bad we're not in the East


I completely agree with you. Both Lakers and Clippers are just in the wrong conference now. Clippers can even make big noises in the East! I stongly believe that Clippers can take out both Heat and Cavs.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Mr Jingle's lab assistant agrees with me!


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

RollWithEm said:


> FYI, the mouse in The Green Mile is Mr. Jingles.


either way - the first guy after that post went with Fievel (I like Mr Jingles better too) - trying to start a meme is tough work


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

RollWithEm said:


> All the people who said this year's team will be better than last year's team are right. That being said, last year's team was very likely the worst in franchise history.


Agreed. But this article is about this season, not last.


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## ceejaynj (Oct 9, 2005)

I think we have a better team than last year ... although still weak at center. If we stay healthy, I think we can win 35-40 games.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> *What Ed Davis brings to the Lakers*
> 
> "_When I heard the deal at which the Lakers acquired Ed Davis I spent a good hour collecting my jaw off the desk, very high-reward/low-risk. Ed was on the verge of a breakout season, so we all thought, but the Grizzlies just couldn't give him the playing time he needed to carve out a role under first-year head coach Dave Joerger. Davis has some elite physical skills that allow him to defend very effectively at the rim (his numbers are up there with Serge Ibaka), and he can be remarkably efficient when he finds his groove. Problems arise for Ed when he loses focus and finds himself in poor position on either end of the floor, something that has lead me to question his basketball instincts at times. He doesn't have the prettiest touch on the ball (you'll become nauseous when he's at the FT line), but can somehow reel off games where he goes 8-11, 5-6, or likewise from the floor. Like I said though, he's going to be most effective with 20+ minutes a game -- something the Grizzlies gave him only 20 times last season._"


http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2014/7/24/5923649/la-lakers-ed-davis-nba-free-agency

Remembering last season, everytime i read about a Lakers player being a "rim protector" (like in this Ed Davis article) i instantly start to salivate uncontrolably (sp?).


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2014/7/24/5923649/la-lakers-ed-davis-nba-free-agency
> 
> Remembering last season, everytime i read about a Lakers player being a "rim protector" (like in this Ed Davis article) i instantly start to salivate uncontrolably (sp?).


You want to know a secret about Ed Davis?


Ed Davis is a gangster.


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## Shaolin (Aug 6, 2004)

Barring a series of terrible injuries, theres no way this year could be any worse than the hot garbage from last season.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/40107/drew-legend-young-looks-forward-to-season#more

I was reading this article and i found myself thinking it's possible Nick Young may very well be the most important player on the Lakers squad.

Sure, this is still Kobe's team, and everybody on the court will know it. 

On the court, Nick will probably be the Lakers' most dangerous scorer, and his play will determine how good the Bench Mob really is. My bet is that Swaggy P will be on the floor in most late-game situations, also.

But what i'm going for is that, due to his personality, he may very well be the heart of this team: a vocal, happy-go-lucky dedicated angelino who rubs off extremely well in teammates and fans.
With the OBVIOUS difference in status, it almost seems like it's Kareem (Kobe) and Magic (Nick) again, with one being the Legend, the Leader-By-Example past his very prime who often was moody and controversial, and the other the energetic, charismatic younger teammate who wanted to have fun on the court WHILE trying to win every game.

Just crossed my mind...


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> *3 bad NBA teams that got even worse*
> 
> (...)
> 
> ...


http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2014/7/28/5944043/lakers-kings-magic-no-improvement-nba-lottery

The guys on this site are starting to piss me off...
The Lakers are not THAT bad.


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## Hibachi! (Sep 18, 2003)

I don't understand why Laker fans don't want this team to stink? First round pick is top 5 protected. The Lakers are probably going to finish (with the current team makeup) at probably 8th-10th worst record.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

I will never cheer for the Lakers to lose. I just can't do it.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Hibachi! said:


> I don't understand why Laker fans don't want this team to stink? First round pick is top 5 protected. The Lakers are probably going to finish (with the current team makeup) at probably 8th-10th worst record.


In the last 6 years your Kings have had Top-8 draft picks. How's that working out for you guys?


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Hibachi! said:


> I don't understand why Laker fans don't want this team to stink? First round pick is top 5 protected. The Lakers are probably going to finish (with the current team makeup) at probably 8th-10th worst record.


How many top 5 picks do the kings have in the last 8 seasons?


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> In the last 6 years your Kings have had Top-8 draft picks. How's that working out for you guys?


Didn't see your post before I responded to his. Nice to see Laker fans are in unison of not support a losing culture! Except maybe MojoPin.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Hibachi! said:


> I don't understand why Laker fans don't want this team to stink? First round pick is top 5 protected. The Lakers are probably going to finish (with the current team makeup) at probably 8th-10th worst record.


I've always just assumed that pick is gone - just look at what happened last season, as bad as they sucked they still didn't get into the top 5

and I don't think anyone is being terribly unrealistic in this thread, I expect they will be thoroughly mediocre which is a long shot better than the stink-fest that was last season (which is the topic question anyway)


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## Hibachi! (Sep 18, 2003)

PauloCatarino said:


> In the last 6 years your Kings have had Top-8 draft picks. How's that working out for you guys?


Statistically the Kings have been the unluckiest team in draft history since the lottery began. It has not worked out well for us that's for sure. But we're also in a different position. We can't lure any free agents to our crap market. I can understand not embracing a losing culture, but the Lakers are clearly not going for gusto anytime soon (for example not stretching Nash means that they're just trying to take up cap space this season), signing guys to short deals, and taking on expiring contracts means they know they're losing this year. Why not go for gusto? 

But I've always known losing and getting shafted in the draft so maybe it's not the way to go.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Hibachi! said:


> Statistically the Kings have been the unluckiest team in draft history since the lottery began. It has not worked out well for us that's for sure. But we're also in a different position. We can't lure any free agents to our crap market. I can understand not embracing a losing culture, but the Lakers are clearly not going for gusto anytime soon (for example not stretching Nash means that they're just trying to take up cap space this season), signing guys to short deals, and taking on expiring contracts means they know they're losing this year. Why not go for gusto?
> 
> But I've always known losing and getting shafted in the draft so maybe it's not the way to go.


not sure what you mean by gusto - you mean try to tank harder? not sure they could do worse than Pau and the 7 dwarfs last season and they still didn't get into the top 5 

btw not stretching Nash is just a way of getting the pain over with by tearing off the Band-Aid - an extra 7m to work with this year wouldn't have really made much difference but having several discrete 8-9m expiring contracts could make a difference at the trade deadline &/or will wind up being 30m+ off the books come next summer when they can take another shot in the free agent market while continuing to add assets and youth


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## Hibachi! (Sep 18, 2003)

e-monk said:


> not sure what you mean by gusto - you mean try to tank harder? not sure they could do worse than Pau and the 7 dwarfs last season and they still didn't get into the top 5
> 
> btw not stretching Nash is just a way of getting the pain over with by tearing off the Band-Aid - an extra 7m to work with this year wouldn't have really made much difference but having several discrete 8-9m expiring contracts could make a difference at the trade deadline &/or will wind up being 30m+ off the books come next summer when they can take another shot in the free agent market while continuing to add assets and youth


All very fair points.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

I like the idea of being the 3rd team in a 3 way trade providing an expiring like Nash to help balance salaries as cap ballast and getting back future considerations as a facilitator


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

e-monk said:


> I like the idea of being the 3rd team in a 3 way trade providing an expiring like Nash to help balance salaries as cap ballast and getting back future considerations as a facilitator


You'd play Nash like that after all hes done for the Lakers franchise?


You dirty son of a bitch.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> *Mitch Kupchak Says Lakers ‘Could Be’ A Playoff Team*
> 
> On Wednesday, one day after officially introducing Byron Scott as the new head coach, GM Mitch Kupchak made an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. Kupchak was asked if he believed the Lakers would be a playoff team next season and said the following, according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
> 
> ...


http://www.lakersnation.com/mitch-kupchak-says-lakers-could-be-a-playoff-team/2014/07/30/

Atta boy, Mitch!

(btw, maybe it's her voice, but Serena Winters sometimes gives me a boner...)


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

We don't have to have the worst record in the league to land a top 5 pick. Just need to get "lucky" like Cleveland got. I'm looking at you, Silver...


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## Cajon (Nov 1, 2012)

Last year's was the worst... unless Kobe gets injured again... 6 games into the season.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> *Silver Screen & Rollcast, Episode 16: Wrapping up the offseason*
> 
> With the offseason all but finished, the SS&R crew takes a look at the moves the Lakers made--both on the roster and off of it--and gives their grades on just how the summer turned out for the Lake Show.
> 
> Join Drew Garrison, Ben Rosales and Blake (The Great Mambino) as they dish their thoughts on the Lakers's new free agent pick-ups (or lack therof), trades, plans for the future and naturally, our SS&R reader mailbag questions!


http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2014/8/14/6001291/silver-screen-rollcast-episode-16-wrapping-up-the-offseason

Lots of pessimism all around... Guis can't figure out "The Plan" for the Lakers franchise.

Bright spots:
- Randle and Clarkson (waiving Marshall should mean he will be playing);
- Ed Davis;
- Having some pieces (Davis, Hill) to move later on to get some more young talent;


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