Last LFR podcast with Mike in it, go to about the 23:40 mark when Pete asks him who Mike would like to see on Lakers… he discusses Reaves and then Ayayi.
Last edited by DancingBarry on Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:32 pm; edited 1 time in total
Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
·
6m
Undrafted Texas Tech guard Mac McClung has agreed to a training camp deal with the Lakers, sources tell
@TheAthletic
Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
·
6m
Undrafted Texas Tech guard Mac McClung has agreed to a training camp deal with the Lakers, sources tell
@TheAthletic
@Sam_Vecenie 24m
Yeah these are home run two-ways. No team will do better on the two-way market than the Lakers did here, IMO, and it makes sense they were a desirable location because they have some potential opportunity with how barren the roster is right now.
Ry
@JustRyCole
· 26m
My man @Sam_Vecenie had Austin Reaves 32nd on his big board & Joel Ayayi 51st.
Lakers came out as decent as you could on Two-Way contracts.
Man, those are just top notch two-way signings. I was thinking we'd need to buy 2nd rounders to fill out the roster cheaply with so many free agents and the fact we just did a 3-for-1 deal, but turns out there's no need if we can get Austin Reaves (40th) and Ayayi (46th) in my final mock. Oh, and we got Mac McClung and Chaundee Brown, shooters who are both probably summer league fodder, but we'll ignore that (although it does show the Lakers value shooting). Not sure we worked out Ayayi, but we did work out Reaves publicly - I'm sure the Lakers valued him.
I can't help but think that they told other teams not to draft them--Ayayi was very visible playing for basketball powerhouse Gonzaga, and Reaves worked out for a ton of teams in the process. The smart players might want to be undrafted to force themselves to choose their best destination. When the Lakers only have like four players under contract, and open two way slots (Cacok doesn't seem like he would be back, and Kostas long gone), and LA being LA, and Lakers being the Lakers - what better place to start your career? I remember when the Lakers were more stacked, they couldn't get primary two ways. Now these guys are flocking to them.
This was a deep draft though, and teams with multiple picks were drafting internationals at the end (though not Vrenz, weirdly), but no excuse for Dalano Banton, Marcus Zegarowski and Luka Garza to go above them. Also, the fact that we made the only powerhouse trade on draft night, and with the fact that the Lakers are known to make draft day steals, teams probably didn't want to do business with us anyway.
Ayayi might not have NBA-level strength and athleticism but he's very tough and has good rebounding, handles and passing ability for a smaller two-guard, and did it for a top college program reputed for churning out NBA players. I'm not necessarily sold on his shooting, but he's a fill in the blanks type player. Might be hyperbole, but Austin Reaves played like a 6'4" Doncic at times with his ability to triple-threat--shoot from distance, draw fouls and pass the rock and literally have the entire Oklahoma offense revolve around him. Very modern, thrilling style of game. Among wings, he's got to have 99th percentile handles - might have led college in unassisted shots - although scouts can't reconcile that with the NBA with his lack of athleticism. And that's likely the rub with him, between that and his height (and age). But great upbringing, character and a ton to like with no downside and big upside if he's undrafted like this.
Was slightly disappointed after the Westbrook deal in terms of the lack of shooting/age/getting an athlete going into his 30s who might have a precipitous decline, and having to give up the 22nd pick. But it's clear we valued that 3rd star, and Westbrook's physical toughness and moxie is an element LBJ and AD don't necessarily exude outwardly. I'm sure the FO knew of all those weaknesses but overlooked them to give us that established presence, knowing we can get bandwagoner shooters like Redick joining, and Matthews/McLemore resigning? But anyway, these two two-ways are great.
Last edited by nbaDrafter on Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:00 pm; edited 2 times in total
Last LFR podcast with Mike in it, go to about the 23:40 mark when Pete asks him who Mike would like to see on Lakers… he discusses Reaves and then Ayayi.
Last LFR podcast with Mike in it, go to about the 23:40 mark when Pete asks him who Mike would like to see on Lakers… he discusses Reeves and then Ayayi.
PETE
“Alright Mike, this is the part I was really looking forward to, because, again, you have a great history on this front, who are some of the guys who are projected in the second round even to undrafted free agency this year, that you are pounding the table for them, ‘this guy is going to be a contributor in the nba, they are going to have a career’?”
MIKE
“The guy I like is Austin Reaves out of Nebraska. It’s been mentioned before about how the Lakers play with power, he is such an aggressive player. 6’4” guard, he only has a 6’6” wingspan and he is 23 years old, but what makes him unique is at Wichita State he was a catch-and-shoot role player, shot tremendously well beyond the arc, then at Nebraska he was given a ton more responsibility as a lead initiator, and even though some of those opportunities look a little low, he is getting a 56% free throw rate and a lot of his 3 point shots are done off the dribble, he is doing lead initiating and showing advanced passing. He plays with a certain level of aggression and plays up to his physicality, and he brings it all the way to the rim.”
“Another guy I like is Joel Ayayi. He plays off the ball tremendously well. I watched Gonzaga beat UCLA all over again. He doesn’t require a ton of touch time, but he brings gravity with him as a cutter and as a 3 point shooter. That’s really hard to find. I wish he had better physicality in terms of pick and roll defense. He can’t exactly get slim, so when he screen comes, he’s gone. As an off the ball defender, he is someone who can force turnovers. He is still a 6’5” guard with a 6’7” wingspan, who has an outside shot at defending 2’s at the next level as well. That would be a great fit for the Lakers as well.”
Last edited by JUST-MING on Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:44 pm; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Posts: 22883 Location: La Jolla, San Diego
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:45 pm Post subject:
DancingBarry wrote:
Last LFR podcast with Mike in it, go to about the 23:40 mark when Pete asks him who Mike would like to see on Lakers… he discusses Reaves and then Ayayi.
Lakers should just hire Mike already and stop pretending this is all a coincidence.
Lakers sgin Chaundee Brown to exhibit 10 contract.. _________________ "He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."
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