NBA 2021-22: Ben Simmons and Kyrie Walk Into A Bar While Talking About The Lakers

[Hewson]

Forget the Cavs blowing up our stupid three team under... The Cavs have gone over Vegas' preseason line for them

Which in April would be an accomplishment, but in January...holy schnikies.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

we haven't talked lakers in a while - so here we go.

The Lakers, who seem destined for the lottery, gave away their 2022 first round pick in the AD trade. unprotected.

if it's top 10 New Orleans keeps it - if it's 11 to 30 it goes to Memphis (Valanciunas trade).

so the lakers could end up drafting, say, 11th - and have to give their first round pick to the Grizzlies, who currently have the third best record in the NBA lolololololololol

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the coach of the year battle between taylor jenkins, doc rivers, jb bickerstaff, monty williams, billy donovan, and spo is going to be intense.

 

[Hewson]

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

poor frank vogel. guy wins a summer league title and is going to get fired because lebron's a terrible GM

 

[Hewson]

He can take over for Joe Gatto with the Impractical Jokers, no one would be the wiser.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1488734600801267713


ball sack sports ftw

 

[DaveC]

FVV's story is so cool. from undrafted to all-star. bet on yourself

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Lakers going to get saved by the Play In Tournament.

But, uh, they fucking suck.

 

[Jerry Dunk]

what do you think will happen at the deadline? i think this James Harden thing has legs - maybe not this year, but definitely in the offseason.

There is no precedence for the SImmons situation, so I really have no idea what will happen. I would really like to see Simmons moved. I don't think better offers are on the horizon by waiting until the summer.

The last day or so has revealed that Harden may be on the move sooner than initially thought. We'll see. There's so much public posturing going on that I really don't trust any of the reports.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

portland blowing it up.

have to think lillard is available. was philly's posturing with harden and the nets just a rouse to nudge portland into action and get the guy they've wanted all along?

 

[mikal]

I'll take Lillard to Bucks for $500, Alex?

PS. I know that won't happen.

 

[mikal]

Giannis talked Lakers last night.

 

[Hewson]

Giannis talked Lakers last night.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...eel-urgency-make-changes-trade-deadline-nears

Opening sentence:

A troubling loss to the defending champion Bucks on Tuesday night led to an uneasy admission within the Lakers' locker room: The roster is not working,

So, our beloved Lakers have just now figured out their roster construction doesn't work.

But us average ordinary every day dudes (and dudettes) figured it out the day the Westbrook trade was announced.

Interference for the win.

 

[LemonMelon]

It really took being 3 games under .500 in February for them to figure out that their roster isn't good enough?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

https://twitter.com/BetMGM/status/1491423250341298177

lebron needing optional wrist surgery on his non shooting hand shall be incoming...

oh wait, that was someone else.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

it's the most wonderful time of the year

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

3. Will the Lakers' new supporting cast with Westbrook, Melo, Nunn, etc, be enough to help LeBron and AD get back to the promised land, or will it be a disaster?

we're finally talking Lakers.

Can they? Yes. Will they? Depends on two things. Health, and whether or not LeBron is willing to defer to Russ.

I would guess no to both.

I got to witness Russ up close and personal last season. He's electric. His energy is infectious. His shot selection was better. But he absolutely needs the ball in his hands. For half a season last year Brooks split the primary ball handling duties between Beal and Westbrook. Beal Les the league in scoring - and the Wizards sucked.

After the break he gave Russ full reign, and the team went on a crazy run to sneak into the playoffs.

Russ is not capable of playing off the ball. He can't shoot for shit. He's a dynamic force when he's the primary decision maker - and next to useless when he's off the ball. He also can't guard anyone - which will be a huge problem come spring.

LeBron has shown he can play off the ball when he was with Miami - and he was at his most dominant. How they're able to balance that - and whether LeBron is willing to defer - will decide how good they are.

LeBron is better than Russ, so it seems silly to ask the better player to defer - but Bron is still useful off the ball, Russ is useless. It's going to be fascinating.

One huge red flag about their winless preseason is just how damn slow they looked on defense. I mean they're starting DeAndre Jordan, who couldn't get off the bench for a Brooklyn team riddled with injuries last year.

They could be good, or they could be the Nash/Kobe/Howard Lakers... which is the correct washed Lakers comparison (not the Karl Malone Lakers, who would have won a title if not for Kobe's rape trial season ending with him jacking crazy triple teamed shots when Shaq was destroying "hall of famer" Ben Wallace. But I digress)

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

spicy

check the likes

 

[Hewson]

check the likes

There's over 20K of them now on Woj's tweet, so I assume that Harden is one of them?

 

[mikal]

I'm only on like #524, please help us out Headache!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

guys it's in the damn image...

easymoneysniper. that's Kevin Durant.

 

[mikal]

guys it's in the damn image...

easymoneysniper. that's Kevin Durant.

Whew! I only got up to #619

 

[Hewson]

guys it's in the damn image...

easymoneysniper. that's Kevin Durant.

Ah.
Sorry I wasn't hip to Durant's burner account name.

 

[mikal]

Ibaka to the Bucks....

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

sorry big ragu

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Ah.
Sorry I wasn't hip to Durant's burner account name.

do better

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the Bol Bol era in Boston is over.

 

[mikal]

Will Ibaka give the Bucks the Playoff Serge they're looking for?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

well Serge help the Bucks go Ibaka to back?