The rumor mill has been at stake for weeks that the Lakers would trade their first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. The idea seemed reasonable until they got the second election for the second year in a row. Now the situation has become very, very interesting.
For a team that has apparently not worked on the road map, wandering through the NBA season in the same way that a Roomba would crash and make its way through a living room, the team could have succeeded in its plan. reconstruction.
With D'Angelo Russell, Larry Nance, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson in the core, the Lakers are looking at the possible perfect fit in the main prohibitive picks of the next draft: Brandon Ingram and Ben Simmons. While the franchise needs to win now, Kobe Bryant's stardom proved that the team can still get ratings, even in a depressing season. While Kobe was 20 years old to build a farewell tour, the Lakers highlighted Bryant from the day he was selected. He was already the talk of the city when Shaq joined at his best. Promoting their exciting gameplay, good looks and the ability to join the conversation from the beginning, the Lakers established the perfect Showtime reducer that took them through a two-decade roller coaster.
Instead of asking an All-Star to listen to join forces, the team has a negotiable team that can build with its salary cap of $ 60 million. It is not necessary to throw money at old stars who will not press the total of victories or fill seats when they can ride the purebloods that currently sit in their stable.
After its disastrous 2015-16 season, patience may sound exaggerated, but smart money will understand it. In the last three years, rebuilding franchises has absolutely no meaning. The coaches entered through a revolving door: Mike Brown, Mike D'Antoni, Byron Scott. The lists were assembled with adhesive tape, designed to suit a particular style of play or mentality. The team was not tough or defensive-minded, quick or tall or even mediocre. Simply a group of 19-year-old players and random players was paired with a 37-year-old superstar who is retreating from devastating injuries.
One minute the team would run the offensive Princeton collegiate, the next they tried desperately to be up-tempo and so on. However, the team showed signs of life when coach Scott opened to play his rookies in a more fluid offense, roll screen. The impacts were immediate and convincing, including a victory over the Warriors 73-9 and a series of games in which Russell registered more than 30 points, while Randle became a double-double machine. This is not to forget Larry Nance who has featured one outstanding reel per game.
The marketability is on the table – the '17 Lakers are young, hungry and ready to run. Enter Showtime III. With the new head coach, Luke Walton, the Lakers are designed for the fun style and weapon (without the defense) that Walton has already used successfully with his current team. In a league of imitations, the plan and infrastructure are certainly in place. Now the Lakers can slowly build a winning culture while Front Office can market its maturity story. Fans will witness Genesis.
The icing on the cake is the next draft. Or Simmons or Ingram will be available for the second election, and both players fit in uniquely. Simmons offers a Lebron type of Point Forward. Your shot needs to develop, but your ability to handle the ball, bounce and distribute is the next level. While it may seem redundant with Randle's skill set, there is plenty of time to assess positional jams next season and make the appropriate moves from the list when the best opportunity arises. The Lakers will have powerful assets.
Meanwhile, Ingram offers an instant fit in the mold of Kevin Durant, a superstar the Lakers already covet. However, where many stars on the wish list of the Lakers (Hereford, Durant) hover at the age of 30, the Lakers offer an uneven young core that is just getting old. There should be no desperation to make deals when the Lakers are locked in with a burgeoning talent that will sell tickets for a decade.
It's also worth mentioning that the Lakers have fired outstanding young talents in the past. Defensive Player of the Year 2013, Marc Gasol, was the second round of the Lakers (48th election) in 2007. He was released during the box office success of his brother Pau Gasol. Marc was already a proven talent abroad and would have been a great companion with his brother, patience had prevailed. Imagine the power of marketing "Gasol x 2" in a global market.
Then there's the Miami Heat center, Hassan Whiteside, who was in favor of joining the Lakers when he tested in 2014. In another example of lack of judgment, the team rejected their services only to have it on their radar for a maximum contract this out line season. They had a similar story with Kent Bazemore, whom they picked up for peanuts only to let their services go in vain in return. Bazemore is now a highly productive member of the Atlanta Hawks.
It is not necessary to repeat the mistakes of the past when the team has a coach, a plan and a valuable draft selection ready to shoot. Instead of betting, the team can parlay their guaranteed position while still causing a sensation, filling seats and building in the long term. Your 2013 "Super Team" experiment should have already taught you the traps of changes overnight.
Here and now the Lakers would do well to stay the course and create a base around their fast and dazzling group of prodigies. Showtime III has arrived, although very early.
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