News 'n Views - May 2016: The Lakers' adjusted culture could pay dividends going forward
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fubby1
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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2016 5:52 pm    Post subject:

M2K wrote:
lakersfreak wrote:
Lakers Draft 2016: 5 Players Worth Trading No. 2 Pick For
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com

Five players that the Lakers trading the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft would be worth it to receive

Essentially from the moment that the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery played out, the possibility of trading the No. 2 pick in the draft that the Los Angeles Lakers were awarded has been floated out there by numerous people. Undoubtedly the most intriguing of those sources, though, was when Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak brought up the notion.


Note: Obviously guys like Stephen Curry or Kawhi Leonard would be nice, but we’re looking at semi-realistic options here.

Continued....


First off, we don't even know what we have. How good are DLO, Randle, Clarkson, Nance Jr., etc going to be?

And this can easily be said about either Simmons or Ingram... whichever we end up with.

At this point, I'm not making any trades until we have gone through the Free Agent process. If we can pick up two talented starters in FA and put them with our group of potential great players...we may not need to trade anything.


Mitch? that you, ya lil rascal...Welcome to LG!!
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PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2016 6:17 pm    Post subject:

fubby1 wrote:
M2K wrote:
lakersfreak wrote:
Lakers Draft 2016: 5 Players Worth Trading No. 2 Pick For
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com

Five players that the Lakers trading the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft would be worth it to receive

Essentially from the moment that the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery played out, the possibility of trading the No. 2 pick in the draft that the Los Angeles Lakers were awarded has been floated out there by numerous people. Undoubtedly the most intriguing of those sources, though, was when Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak brought up the notion.


Note: Obviously guys like Stephen Curry or Kawhi Leonard would be nice, but we’re looking at semi-realistic options here.

Continued....


First off, we don't even know what we have. How good are DLO, Randle, Clarkson, Nance Jr., etc going to be?

And this can easily be said about either Simmons or Ingram... whichever we end up with.

At this point, I'm not making any trades until we have gone through the Free Agent process. If we can pick up two talented starters in FA and put them with our group of potential great players...we may not need to trade anything.


Mitch? that you, ya lil rascal...Welcome to LG!!

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PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2016 6:23 am    Post subject:

Buddy Hield Working Out With Kobe Prior To NBA Draft
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com

In this year’s NBA Draft class, there are two top draft prospects in LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram. After those two, it is anybody’s guess as to who is the third best player in the draft, but one of the popular choices is Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield.

Hield was the most prolific college basketball player last year, winning the Wooden Award, Naismith Award, and Oscar Robertson Award. His shooting ability has scouts excited, but there are questions about his ball-handling and defensive ability.

Heading into the draft, Hield is looking to change those perceptions of him, and according to ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider), is getting some help from Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant along the way:

Hield hears the criticism and has been spending most of the past six weeks tightening up his handle and working on his explosiveness in an effort to improve his lateral quickness. He has even received some on-court tutoring from Kobe Bryant.

With the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 taking place in Anaheim this year, Kobe was able to see Buddy up close and came away impressed. Hield even noted that his outstanding performance in the Elite 8 was due to seeing Kobe in the stands.

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PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2016 6:26 am    Post subject:

Report: “No chance” Brandon Ingram falls past Lakers in NBA Draft
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com

There is still plenty of due diligence to be completed between now and June 23, the night of the 2016 NBA Draft. The Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers hold the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the draft, respectively, but there has been very little mystery in terms of which players will be selected in those slots.

All signs have indicated thus far that the Sixers will select Ben Simmons out of LSU. It was reported that they are leaning heavily towards drafting the remarkably skilled 19-year-old, and nothing has changed on that front, that we know of.

If that scenario plays itself out on draft night, it would leave Duke small forward Brandon Ingram available for the Lakers, providing a long overdue solution on the wing. While many have figured Simmons and Ingram, in either order, to be a foregone conclusion as the top two picks in this year’s draft, general manager Mitch Kupchak has publicly stated that he feels there isn’t much of a drop-off from No. 2 and the rest of the field, despite the consensus believing otherwise.

According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, the drop-off is steep enough that the Lakers would not consider passing on Ingram at No. 2 (h/t Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll).

Don’t see any chance Ingram gets past the Lakers at No. 2. Sorry. - @chadfordinsider https://twitter.com/Nick_Soucy_/status/736242195066413057
10:07 AM - 27 May 2016


While this could be simply speculation on Ford’s part, it has been widely believed for months now who the top-two picks would be.

For the Lakers, the only other player that has even been mentioned as a potential candidate to be taken second overall is Croatian big man, Dragan Bender. Kupchak made a trip overseas during the season to go scout Bender, who tallied one of his best performances with the Laker GM in attendance.

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PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2016 6:27 am    Post subject:

Jordan Clarkson says he wants to stay with the Lakers
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The guard is also working on his three-point shot and putting on weight.

Jordan Clarkson joined the Los Angeles Lakers as a draft night acquisition in 2014, with the team purchasing the rights to the 46th overall pick for $1.8 million. Forum blue and gold are the only colors Clarkson has ever worn as a pro, but that could change this summer, with Clarkson entering restricted free agency during an unprecedented cap boom.

However, based on Clarkson's recent interview with Chris McGee of Time Warner Cable Sportsnet, it doesn't sound like he's getting a wandering eye (h/t Darius Soriano of Forum Blue and Gold).

"I want to stay in L.A.," Clarkson told McGee following a workout at the team's practice facility. "I don't really look at it as me being a free agent, because I want to be here."

That's music to the ears of many Lakers fans, because while the team can (and likely will) match any offer Clarkson receives in free agency, it's good to hear that one of the team's foundational players is enthusiastic about remaining a part of their future.

Clarkson told McGee he's spent "a lot of time" working out at the Lakers facility since their season ended, and also offered some insight into the specific areas of his game he's working to improve for his seemingly inevitable return to the Lakers next season.

"[I'm shooting] a lot of threes. Trying to get my three-point percentage up for next year," said Clarkson. "A lot of stuff off the dribble, a lot of stuff with contact and trying to be able to finish. That's probably the biggest thing offensively."

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PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2016 6:29 am    Post subject:

What Luke Walton can do for Julius Randle
by Grant Goldberg - lakersoutsiders.com

As soon as Luke Walton was hired to be the 26th head coach of the Lakers, a certain Laker has been mocked up to be the next Draymond Green. No, not Robert Sacre. Not upcoming Tarzan star, Ryan Kelly. If you guessed Julius Randle, you’re right, but I don’t have any special prizes to give out. After the front office brought in Walton, Lakers fans were cathartic in voicing how the 21-year-old power forward could emulate the Golden State’s Green with both players most notably having a similar motor and build. Randle’s youth and work ethic will be key in Walton’s molding of his game. While it would be foolish to think Randle will be an exact replica of Draymond, Julius can come close with Luke’s help (and maybe a bit from Wanderlei Silva).

New Lakers head coach Luke Walton was a stat sheet stuffer during his playing day, when healthy. The first former Wildcat would often fill up the box score with a few points, some rebounds, and assists to boot. If there was anything notable about the Julius Randle’s 2015-2016 campaign, it was his ability to clean up on the boards. Randle led all sophomores in rebounding by a wide margin. One thing that pops out to the eye, though, is his assist numbers. Julius was second to Andrew Wiggins in total assists by second-year forwards. Randle began to show flashes of a playmaking big later on in the 2016 season. Over his last 13 games, he averaged 3.1 assists and had a triple-double as a cherry on top.

Walton can have Julius’ distributing game make strides in transition. Randle has already shown the ability to pull down a rebound and bring it down the court with great speed; further developing his court vision would be a dangerous wrinkle in the other former Wildcat’s offensive repertoire. Walton’s track record of turning bigs into more versatile players (at all levels) is very encouraging when you look at the player/coach pairing of Julius and Luke. Randle is an absolute gym rat with a sponge for a basketball mind. A coach like Walton could do wonders for his basketball IQ.

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PostPosted: Sat May 28, 2016 6:30 am    Post subject:

Laker Film Room Episode One: Transition Principles
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com

Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers have plenty to be excited about for the remainder of the 2016 offseason. The team experienced more NBA Draft Lottery luck, landing the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, which puts them in a position to draft either Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram on June 23. Draft night won’t end there, though, seeing as the Lakers also have the No. 32 pick, where they will hope to find another steal.

About a week after, the front office will have around $60 million to use in free agency, as they hope to turn their luck around from the past two free agency periods where they came away empty-handed.

There is no question that the Lakers are in a great position to add talent to the roster this offseason, but fans are also excited about the man that will lead next season’s squad: Luke Walton. Once Golden State’s postseason run is over, Walton will officially begin his tenure as the head coach of the Lakers.

Walton intends to bring a similar playing style with him from the defending champions, which should lead to a far more exciting brand of Lakers basketball than the past two seasons.

For episode one of the Laker Film Room series titled “Luke to the Lakers,” partner of Lakers Outsiders, Pete Zayas, examines some of the transition principles that Walton will likely bring over from his time with the Warriors and preach to his new team as they attempt to push tempo far more often this season.

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PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 6:16 am    Post subject:

Lakers Place ‘Help Wanted’ Ad: Only Superstars Need Apply
by Hannah Kulik - lakersnation.com

Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak has said that he is happy with the young core of players the team has assembled, and he expects to add to that core this summer with selections at the top of the first and second rounds of the draft. It sounds good, but it may not be entirely true.

If the Lakers’ goal is to win a championship, the front office should take notice that the four teams in the conference finals this year all feature multiple superstars who are in their prime.

The Golden State Warriors have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ roster includes LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. The Oklahoma City Thunder feature the dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Toronto Raptors’ backcourt consists of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

The youngest player on this list is Irving at age 24, but he is completing his fifth year in the league.The others are all between 26 and 31.

The plain truth is that the NBA is a star-driven league, and no franchise will seriously compete for a championship in the modern era without multiple seasoned superstars on the roster. In the days of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, and later Kobe and Shaq, it took two top players to win a championship. In today’s NBA, three superstars is preferable. The Miami Heat set the modern standard when they featured a line-up that included LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade.

By this measure, the Lakers are, as currently constituted, light years away from competing for a championship. They have no stars or superstars, and it is too speculative to try to find a future superstar in the draft; plus, you then usually have to wait five years or more for the player drafted to reach his peak. There is only one Magic Johnson or LeBron James per era, a transcendent player who makes your team an instant championship challenger from the moment he enters the league.

The Lakers’ front office knows all of this and is not going to be content to sit around for another five years to find out if the current core will develop into championship caliber talent. For that reason, no matter what they say publicly, management is going to swing for the fences again this off-season. They may or may not succeed, but they are going to try to sign two max players. If they do, the roster will look very different when next season starts from what fans expect at the moment.

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PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 6:18 am    Post subject:

DeMar DeRozan says he doesn't want to leave Toronto
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The Los Angeles native didn't make it sound like a homecoming is in the works.

The Toronto Raptors season ended with a 113-87 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night. One of the Raptors' top players, shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, will be an unrestricted free agent in July and has been at the center of countless rumors painting him as nearly a sure thing to be interested in jumping ship to his hometown Lakers. Following the loss, the Compton native made it sound like such a move is far from a certainty (h/t Gary Kester of Lakers Outsiders).

"I don't think so," DeRozan told Mike Mazzeo of ESPN when asked if he thought there were better options for him than a return to the Raptors. "My mindset has always been Toronto. I've always preached it. I was passionate about it when we were losing, when we were terrible. I said I was going to stick through this whole thing, and I want to be that guy who brings this organization to where it is now. I definitely don't want to switch that up after we win."

DeRozan also directly addressed the rumors about the Lakers specifically:

"I grew up in L.A. That's my home. There's not a part of L.A. I haven't seen," said DeRozan, who attended Compton High School and USC before being selected No. 9 overall by Toronto in the 2009 NBA draft. "I don't get caught upinto it. I let whoever comes up with that say what they want to say.

"The only thing appealing to me is the things I've done in this organization and the things that can be done here. And that's always been my mindset since I've been here."


Those don't sound like the quotes of a man ready to depart in free agency, and if the Raptors decide to offer DeRozan a full five-year, $145 million max contract, those cold, Canadian winters may sound a lot less unpleasant.

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PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 6:21 am    Post subject:

Every Player in NBA Free Agency 2016: Which Lakers are Up?
by Cody Williams = lakeshowlife.com

Looking at every player available in 2016 NBA free agency, including which Lakers’ deals are up

NBA free agency is going to be absolutely wild for all 30 teams in the league this offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers included. With the spike in the salary cap, teams are going to have money to burn and will have no problem handing out big contracts to players deserving and perhaps players not so deserving in NBA free agency.

With all of the calamity that should ensue in NBA free agency, it’s important to look at the field and all of the players that will be available to sign. As they say, you have to know all of your options before you can make a fully educated and smart decision.

Having that in mind, here’s a look at every player entering NBA free agency in the 2016 offseason:

—* indicates having a player option, # indicates having a team option, italics indicate a restricted free agent, bold text indicates a player that was on the Lakers in 2015-16
—Players listed in alphabetical order next to last team they were on roster of

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PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 6:37 am    Post subject:

If they strike out in free agency again, I just hope they don't panic and start trading away all the young assets.
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PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 8:33 am    Post subject:

lakersfreak wrote:
DeMar DeRozan says he doesn't want to leave Toronto
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The Los Angeles native didn't make it sound like a homecoming is in the works.

Continued....


Thank goodness! Hallelujah! I do not want to payout a max salary contract for DeMar DeRozan. He is not worth it.
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PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2016 1:49 pm    Post subject:

M2K wrote:
lakersfreak wrote:
DeMar DeRozan says he doesn't want to leave Toronto
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The Los Angeles native didn't make it sound like a homecoming is in the works.

Continued....


Thank goodness! Hallelujah! I do not want to payout a max salary contract for DeMar DeRozan. He is not worth it.


My thoughts exactly. NO to DeMar, HELL NO to DeMarcus.
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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 6:58 am    Post subject:

Lakers’ rebuild has emulated the Golden State Warriors
by Drew Hernandez - lakersoutsiders.com

I’m going to describe a team, and I want you to guess which franchise it is.

This team drafted a point guard who many said lacked the athleticism to be an elite player, but had a good three-point shot and passing vision. They also drafted an athletic power forward who could handle the ball but lacked a serious jump shot, and in a draft redo would probably have gone higher. This same franchise drafted a shooting guard who has developed further than most had hoped and has out-performed his draft position. And to top off their rebuild they drafted an athletic small forward who has the potential to be a threat near the basket and around the perimeter, while being a disruptor on defense.

Despite all of this they underachieved due to having an old school coach who didn’t get along with the players (especially rookies), and had them run an out-of-date offense. Luckily, this very same team fired said coach and signed a rookie coach who was on the rise and ran an offense based on some triangle schemes, plenty of motion, and three-point shooting.

Now what team do you think I was describing?

Many would assume the Lakers. Some would think of the Warriors.

The correct answer is both.

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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 7:01 am    Post subject:

Lakers Draft Propsects: Understanding the Hype Behind Ben Simmons
by Advith Sarikonda - lakeshowlife.com

Brandon Ingram may be the better fit for the Lakers, but the team must not forget why Ben Simmons sat atop the draft board for so long in the first place

Former LSU Tigers’ star, Ben Simmons has been the target of much scrutiny over the last few months. Despite once being considered a lock for the top overall selection in the 2016 NBA draft, similar to Jahlil Okafor last season, Simmons has been associated with a plethora of negativity since the end of his tenure with LSU.

From questions about his academic integrity to his apathetic behavior, Simmons has been put under the figurative microscope arguably more than any other top-rated prospect in recent years.

Would a team be willing to place its trust on a teenage prospect who couldn’t even take his team to the NCAA tournament?

Would a general manager of a rebuilding team be willing to give the keys to his franchise to a teenager with so many behavioral questions?

Could a team trust somebody whose priorities heading into the draft revolve around securing a lucrative shoe deal?

While his talent is undeniable, Simmons has been associated with all of the aforementioned concerns are legit, and duly so. Yet, at the end of the day, Ben Simmons is arguably the best player in the 2016 draft and the most polarizing college prospect since LeBron James.

Earvin Magic Johnson ✔ ‎@MagicJohnson
LSU's Ben Simmons is the best all around player I've seen since LeBron James came out of high school straight to the NBA!
4:13 PM - 5 Jan 2016


As a freshman on an awful college team, Simmons put up historical numbers that put him in very elite company, to say the very least.

Averaging 19.7 points per game, 11.9 rebounds per game, and 5.1 assists per game, Simmons put up better all-around numbers than did Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, and Patrick Ewing in their respective final college seasons.

It is important to remember that the Philadelphia 76ers will ultimately decide where Simmons goes — the Lakers will likely select whichever player the Sixers leave behind. With that being said, however, there is no doubt that Simmons would be a perfect acquisition for the Lakers.

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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 7:04 am    Post subject:

Ben Simmons Showcases Reworked Jumper and Bonus Soccer Skills
by Eric Yee - lakeshowlife.com

Lakers’ draft prospect, Ben Simmons seems to have completely reworked his jump shot and it’s a thing of beauty

Ben Simmons’ latest video of him rainbowing the ball over his head then proceeding to hit a smooth, reworked jump shot from the short corner shows that he really has been grinding since being leaving LSU earlier this year.

The great, and scary, thing about social media is that nobody knows how many takes or how long you edited your picture or video for, nonetheless, even if this took all day, the final product was still impressive.

As of late, hype surrounding Simmons has died down, likely on account of the fact that few videos or articles about him working out have been made public, something which Brandon Ingram has taken advantage of, but who knows, maybe that’s a good thing?

Just as Lakers’ backcourt buds, D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson have made a habit of saying, “Let them sleep,” something which can be translated two ways: literally, while they’re sleeping, we’re working or figuratively, just because they don’t see us putting in the work behind the scenes doesn’t mean we’re not working.

Using his 2015 Nike Hoop Summit shooting drill video for reference, it is obvious that Simmons has completely reworked his shooting mechanics. Where he used to have a wonky left elbow and an awkward release it is now replaced by a proper hip turn, smooth dip and effortless follow through.

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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 7:05 am    Post subject:

Team ‘Not High’ on DeMar DeRozan
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com

Despite plenty of speculation all season, the Lakers reportedly aren’t even interested in NBA free agent DeMar DeRozan

When it comes to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2016 offseason and NBA free agency in particular, one of the names most frequently associated with the team has been that of young veteran guard DeMar DeRozan as he wraps up the final year of his deal with the Toronto Raptors and becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Much of the connection between DeRozan and the Lakers has been assumptive, though. Since the Lakers are set to have a multitude of room underneath the rising salary cap and need a star player while the 26-year-old guar hits the market and will likely demand a a max contract while also being a native of Compton, it seemed like a natural assumption to make. However, it’s apparently a wrong assumption in virtually every regard.

After the Raptors loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 that saw them bounced from the NBA Playoffs, DeRozan inferred that he was heavily leaning towards staying in Toronto rather than looking for a change of scenery this offseason. Apparently the guard isn’t the only one feeling that way about a potential deal between the Lakers and him.

While talking to Bleacher Report radio on Sunday afternoon, Kevin Ding said that the Lakers reportedly don’t actually have any interest in DeRozan and that pursuing him wouldn’t be a part of their offseason plans:

From @KevinDing with us @br_radio on #Lakers: “There’s a lot of presumption about Derozan and I’m told the Lakers aren’t that high on him"
9:15 AM - 29 May 2016


Those fans who have been nervously looking at free agency in fear that the Lakers would sign DeRozan can now breathe easier.

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Last edited by lakersfreak on Mon May 30, 2016 7:20 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 7:07 am    Post subject:

Lakers trading No. 2 for Okafor would make no sense
by Taylor Smith - todaysfastbreak.com

Once the NBA Draft rolls around about a month from now, the Los Angeles Lakers will likely be faced with two realistic options: grab whichever of Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram the Philadelphia 76ers decide against taking first overall, or trade their pick. GM Mitch Kupchak has said that his team is leaning toward drafting a player in the No. 2 spot, but hasn’t closed the door on the possibility that it could be dealt, either. The topic of what the Lakers might be able to get in return for the draft choice was touched on here, but Chad Ford of ESPN put forth a new name during a chat on Friday:

They might. They loved Okafor last year. That’s a high price for Philly though. - @chadfordinsider https://twitter.com/toglesby27/status/736244160676515844
10:17 AM - 27 May 2016


L.A. had the second overall pick last year, as well, but opted to nab point guard D’Angelo Russell over Jahlil Okafor, who wound up going to Philadelphia at No. 3. Ford claims here the Lakers “loved” him, but evidently they loved Russell a little more. There’s no telling if the Lakers and Sixers have even engaged in discussions to this point, but Ford and Marc Stein did report that Philly is looking to move either Okafor or Nerlens Noel. If the Lakers are still smitten with Okafor, could they entertain the idea of swapping the No. 2 pick for him?

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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 7:09 am    Post subject:

Assessing the Lakers’ best unrestricted free agent options at center
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com

The NBA is nearing its final playoff series for 2016, with the Cleveland Cavaliers set to play either the Oklahoma City Thunder or Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, everyone else is in offseason mode, preparing for what may come this summer.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been in that mode since mid-April, after they watched Kobe Bryant record one of the greatest career finales in sports history. Since that magical night, the Lakers have replaced Byron Scott with Luke Walton, hired his lead assistant coach in Brian Shaw, and landed the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Things have been perfect for the Lakers since Bryant closed the curtain on his soon-to-be Hall of Fame career, and there is plenty of reason for optimism in Los Angeles again. With all signs pointing to the Lakers ending up with Brandon Ingram on June 23, the team would seemingly find a much-needed solution at small forward for many years to come.

What about the center position? General manager Mitch Kupchak and the rest of the front office could look to draft another center in the second round if they choose Ingram in the first, or they could look to utilize a massive amount of salary cap space in July, when free agency officially begins.

According to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, the Lakers could have as much as $64.1 million in cap space this summer. That’s enough money to offer two max contracts, even with the salary cap taking a substantial leap to a projected $90 million this summer.

With all of that money available to them, which free agent centers could the Lakers target this summer? Let’s take a look at the top unrestricted options.

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PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2016 7:10 am    Post subject:

Laker Film Room Episode Two: Half Court Principles
by Honi Ahmadian - lakersoutsiders.com

The Los Angeles Lakers will be entering a new era next season with Luke Walton at the helm. The current Warriors assistant coach has pledged that he will be bringing many of the concepts from the reigning champs’ system to apply in Los Angeles. That should leave fans excited for the future with a talented young core learning the basics and the nuances of a high-level team’s style of play.

The Lakers’ half court offense was atrocious most of the time last season. The team’s bigs struggled with setting effective screens and there was virtually no off-ball movement or action during most sets. This is not to mention the slow-developing nature of the offense leading to late-clock situations being a major part of the team’s struggles.

In episode two of the Laker Film Room series “Luke to the Lakers,” Lakers Outsiders partner Pete Zayas takes a look at the contrast between the half court principles of the Lakers and Warriors and how Walton can help improve how the Lakers’ offense runs.

Be sure to follow @LakerFilmRoom on Twitter and subscribe to the Laker Film Room channel on YouTube for more great videos like this.

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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 6:57 am    Post subject:

The Lakers' adjusted culture could pay dividends going forward
by Daman Rangoola - silverscreenandroll.com

Or, what Los Angeles can learn from Apple and Google.

Last week Ben Thompson (author of Stratechery, host of the Exponent Podcast, and die-hard NBA fan) wrote a fantastic piece about the "curse of culture" as it pertains to historically successful businesses, namely Apple and Google.

While I won't butcher the piece by trying to explain it fully (it's a highly recommended read), I wanted to highlight a key part here:

"The rigidity of both is the manifestation of the disease that affects every great company: the assurance that what worked before will work eternally into the future, even if circumstances have changed. What makes companies great is inevitably what makes companies fail, whenever that day comes"

This is such a great lesson to not only businesses but sports organizations as well, especially those with a storied franchise that have shown consistent, unprecedented success. Organizations such as the Los Angeles Lakers.

For the past few years, much has been made about the Lakers' "silly" aspiration to sign top tier free agents despite having little to offer other than the Lakers' brand and geographic location.

For outside observers (myself included), the question was always: "Why wait on a player like Carmelo Anthony rather than play the restricted free agency game or sign a player like Isaiah Thomas to a good contract when he wants to come?" To evaluate that, let's first think about what the Lakers culture actually is.

The Lakers have always held a noble "championship or bust" mentality and won with marquee superstars. From Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, Magic and Kareem, Shaq and Kobe, the Lakers were always a dual threat of star players and championship aspiration.

Owner Dr. Jerry Buss believed in this vision and continued to bet on it successfully and created a culture that spread to each employee in the organization. A strong culture is something that spreads organically, and doesn't need to be explicitly stated. An Apple employee doesn't need to be told that every millimeter of a physical good must be perfected; he or she is well aware of the expectation when they walk into the door. A Google employee doesn't need to be told that their code needs to be impeccable and contribute to Google's incredible platform - he or she knows that implicitly.

Similarly, Dr. Buss may have passed, but his vision hasn't. Dr. Buss did not sit down with Jim Buss, Mitch Kupchak, and Jeanie Buss and hand them a guide of how to run the team, they understood what the Lakers culture stood for. So it's understandable that the Lakers have conducted themselves in a "wait on the 1% chance Carmelo Anthony joins the team rather than build steadily" manner. It make sense that the Lakers traded for Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul, and signed Kobe to his last extension. It makes sense that the Lakers tried to recreate Showtime with Mike D'Antoni, and it makes sense that subsequently they've hired coaches that "know what it means to be a Laker". It makes sense that Jim Buss thought the Lakers would be a contender by this season, and publicly declared a deadline putting his job on the line. It might make sense, however, but it might not always be right.

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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 6:58 am    Post subject:

Blueprint for Solving LA Lakers' Woes at Center and Wing
by David Murphy - bleacherreport.com

Los Angeles Lakers fans have good reason to be excited again, but the team still has major frontcourt holes to fill.

Consider the situation: Kobe Bryant has retired, Roy Hibbert is unlikely to be re-signed (nor should he be) while Metta World Peace is a free agent and more of a mentor at 36.

Also, the underwhelming Robert Sacre and Ryan Kelly are unrestricted free agents and, at best, end-of-the-bench contributors.

To say the Lakers need a starting center and small forward is an understatement. And let's not hold out hope that Nick "Swaggy P" Young will miraculously rise like a phoenix from the ashes of his last two immolated seasons, taking glorious wing again.

Fortunately, L.A. has the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft and an obscene amount of money to play with this summer. Additionally, the anointment of boy wonder Luke Walton as the new head coach should add some sway when it comes to luring quality players to Lakerland.

Because let's be real here—Byron Scott was never a shining beacon of light for available players with any aspiration of winning during his lackluster 38-126 tenure.

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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 6:59 am    Post subject:

Bismack Biyombo Open To Hometown Discount To Stay With Raptors
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com

Now that the Toronto Raptors’ season has ended, the discussion for them will now to turn to a pair of extremely important unrestricted free agents in DeMar DeRozan and Bismack Biyombo. The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to both players recently and getting either would be a major acquisition.

In the immediate aftermath of their final loss, both players expressed interest in returning to the Raptors with Biyombo in particular saying that he doesn’t care about being a starter, and wouldn’t be turned off by a reserve role.

Now, in an interview with Andrew Walker of SportsNet 590 The Fan, Biyombo not only said that he expects to return to Toronto, but is open to taking a hometown discount to do so:

Bismack Biyombo tells me he wants to be back, expects to be back, & is open to taking a hometown discount to return. @WalkerShow590 #Raptors
10:13 AM - 30 May 2016


That discount could be a major price to pay for Biyombo as the Raptors do not own his ‘Bird Rights’ and thus can not go over the salary cap to sign him. Some have reported that Biyombo could command upwards of $15 million a year, and Toronto will struggle to match that.

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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 7:00 am    Post subject:

Heat reportedly want to sign Hassan Whiteside to less than the max
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

Could that make him a gettable target for Los Angeles?

The Los Angeles Lakers will have the most cap space in the NBA this summer, a whopping $64.1 according to the latest projections. That is a ton of money, but it's still unknown who the team will be able to use it on.

One target for the team could be unrestricted free agent center Hassan Whiteside of the Miami Heat. The Lakers worked out Whiteside last year and decided not to sign him, which the Heat did a short time later. That proved to be a good move for Pat Riley and company, as the minimum salaried center has played his way into a huge payday this summer.

It was reported earlier this year that the Lakers have everything the All-Defensive second team member wants in a free agency suitor. If one of those factors is the largest contract possible, the Lakers could potentially get Whiteside if they offer something Barry Jackson of thee Miami Herald reports the Heat would prefer not to: a max contract (h/t Honi Ahmadian of Lakers Outsiders):

My understanding, reiterated in recent days, is if all things are equal financially, Whiteside wants to re-sign with Miami. He likes living here and likes the organization.

But we've repeatedly heard the Heat's preference is persuading him to sign under the max (projected to be $21.6 million next season) by selling him on the lack of state income tax, his comfort level here, the roster flexibility created by him taking a bit less; and that Miami can offer 7.5 percent annual raises off the first year salary (compared with 4.5 percent elsewhere). That means a four-year deal starting at $20.7 million with Miami would equal a four-year deal starting at $21.6 million elsewhere.

But if Miami offers, say, $2 million less per year than max offers elsewhere, what would Whiteside do? That decision hasn't been made and it won't be an easy one.


The Heat are in a difficult situation with Whiteside this summer. Miami only has his so-called "Early Bird" rights, which means that if the Heat want to sign their star center to a contract anywhere north of around $7 million per year, they will need to sign him into cap space.

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PostPosted: Tue May 31, 2016 7:03 am    Post subject:

Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss explains why Phil Jackson isn't coming back to Los Angeles
by Andrew Lynch - foxsports.com

It might not seem like it, but this is a very good thing for the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers are on the verge of a new era -- one that probably won't include the Zen Master.

After a couple atrocious seasons for one of the NBA's most prestigious franchises, things are looking up for the purple and gold. Luke Walton's on his way to Los Angeles to take over as coach, the Lakers have the No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming draft, and there are plenty of young, talented players on the roster moving forward.

As the Lakers have pulled themselves out of the hole they dug at the end of the Kobe Bryant era, there's been quite a bit of clamoring for Phil Jackson to come home and take part in the rebuild. But Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss, who's famously engaged to Jackson, made it clear on Monday that the eleven-time champion is happy with the New York Knicks and won't be coming back to Los Angeles.

Via ESPN.com:

"No," Buss said. "To visit, yes ... but in terms of basketball, he's committed to New York for many years. He's building something there. He has a mission, he's on that journey to get the team back to where he believes it can be and it will be. He's a former Knick ... he loves New York, he loves the fans, he wants to make them proud. In terms of the Lakers, we have a front office. They're putting together a team ... they have a vision. I'm excited to see what the future holds for us. So, to answer your question ... no, there's no plans for Phil to come back here."

The news will likely disappoint many Lakers fans, but rest assured -- this is a very good thing. It's not that Jackson has proven to be a poor NBA executive; he gets a lot of flack for his unorthodox style, but the Knicks have largely made positive personnel decisions during his time with the team. And Jackson showed he's more flexibile than many believe when New York hired Jeff Hornacek as head coach this offseason. Hornacek is about as far from a triangle offense disciple as you can get, after all.

But the Lakers are in the middle of a rebuild, and for once, the franchise seems to have a plan going forward. Bringing Jackson in at this point would disrupt everything and just serve as a massive distraction. All the questions the Knicks have faced about the triangle and Jackson's commitment to serving in the front office would come up once again in Los Angeles.

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