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This Lakers team reminds me of the one they had when they had Karl Malone, Gary Payton etc., where they did not live up to all the hype. The Lakers should just ride this out with this current roster. Any moves now will likely not make a difference. If they make the playoffs, its not like they will be heavy favorites to win a title. It is what it is. After this season some tough decisions will have to be made to probably rebuild this team. They had their run with several titles, it seems like the time has come to plan for the future.
The problem there though is that Dwight can just leave after this season, the whole point of this thread.
Additionally, MWP, Gasol, Nash and Kobe are all still under contract for NEXT season too and other than Kobe....those are some hard contracts to unload.
I think at this stage, even the most optimistic can see this attempt isn't working so that's the big question.
What happens next? Especially if the Lakers get burned and get very little in return for Dwight.
P.S. If there is one thing the Lakers fans can console themselves with....they are extremely extremely well run. If anybody can get out from between the rock and a hardplace they are in with regards to personnel....it might be them.
The problem there though is that Dwight can just leave after this season, the whole point of this thread.
Additionally, MWP, Gasol, Nash and Kobe are all still under contract for NEXT season too and other than Kobe....those are some hard contracts to unload.
I think at this stage, even the most optimistic can see this attempt isn't working so that's the big question.
What happens next? Especially if the Lakers get burned and get very little in return for Dwight.
This is not a quick fix, there are more issues than Dwight. This is an aging team that may take several years for it to become competitive enough to become a threat in the WC. Whether or not Dwight is a Laker next season is something that will have to be addressed and dealt with in a long term plan to make this franchise compete with teams like the Thunder, Clippers and some of the up and coming younger teams. A short term solution isnt working as it is quite evident this season.
Mike Brown was a bad fit from the moment Jerry Buss or whoever's running the Lakers gave Brown the interview and ultimately decided to hire him. You have Brian Shaw, who was a top assistant under Phil, knows the system, and you let him get away and hire someone (Brown) who's mediocre at best as a coach. And since you hire Brown, that means he brings in a new staff, the one guy who would actually be a good fit once the Brown expieriment failed is no longer on the staff, so you can't make him interim coach. D'antoni is a HORRIBLE coach for this Lakers team.
Their biggest mistake is not hiring Shaw, and the domino's keep falling from that decision.
This is not a quick fix, there are more issues than Dwight. This is an aging team that may take several years for it to become competitive enough to become a threat in the WC. Whether or not Dwight is a Laker next season is something that will have to be addressed and dealt with in a long term plan to make this franchise compete with teams like the Thunder, Clippers and some of the up and coming younger teams. A short term solution isnt working as it is quite evident this season.
So what's your take on what you think Dwight will do or perhaps what would you do if you are in his shoes if you believe they are looking at a longer rebuild?
Mike Brown was a bad fit from the moment Jerry Buss or whoever's running the Lakers gave Brown the interview and ultimately decided to hire him. You have Brian Shaw, who was a top assistant under Phil, knows the system, and you let him get away and hire someone (Brown) who's mediocre at best as a coach. And since you hire Brown, that means he brings in a new staff, the one guy who would actually be a good fit once the Brown expieriment failed is no longer on the staff, so you can't make him interim coach. D'antoni is a HORRIBLE coach for this Lakers team.
Their biggest mistake is not hiring Shaw, and the domino's keep falling from that decision.
I agree that Mike Brown might not have been the best fit and Shaw would have been a much better choice; but they had the opportunity to grab Phil Jackson and they were impatient and grabbed D'Antoni instead. Did they see what he did in NY? How about Phoenix? He modeled his offense around my old coach Don Nelson. He was a run and gun guy. The problem is that those offenses work best with younger teams with weak defensive capabilities. So you have high scoring games and you try to wear down the other teams with a lot of 3 point fg's. Stupid choice Lakers!!! Time to rebuild. I expect them to be sellers at the trade deadline unless they are around a .525 winning percentage or higher.
As I've said earlier in the thread they'll still make the playoffs imo, but won't be higher then 5th (even if their even that high) and would lose in 6 games maximum to in the first round which for them is pretty much not making the playoffs anyways.
It's almost impossible, but IF their going to build around Howard you have gotta find some way to get rid of Gasol either at the trading deadline or next winter. Of course, Howard might choose to leave, in which case the Lakers might be even worse off (because then you can't build around anyone. Kobe is going to be retireing in 3 or 4 years). Will definitely be an "interesting" summer in Hollywood, especially with the way this season has started and will probably continue to go.
As I've said earlier in the thread they'll still make the playoffs imo, but won't be higher then 5th (even if their even that high) and would lose in 6 games maximum to in the first round which for them is pretty much not making the playoffs anyways.
Let me throw some numbers at you on this topic.
The Lakers are 15-20 right now and it looks like if you want to make the playoffs in the west you will need to finish 46-36 just to get the 8th seed. (current 8th seed win %)
That means the lakers have to go 31-16 starting NOW and they will be without Dwight and Pau for a while yet.
They play OKC twice yet this month and looking at their schedule and shorthanded roster I wouldn't blink at them going 4-7 to finish the month (or worse). That would put them needing to go 27-9 after January at and that point....call the mortician because their playoff chances would be dead.
Frankly, the more I look at the standings, schedule and their injuries....I think the odds of the Lakers making the playoffs are pretty low right now, not impossible but it's looking grim.
Assume that the season ends, Lakers are .500 and miss the playoffs or get in and get blasted in the 1st round.
Kobe, Pau, MWP and Nash all still have another year on their contract so there is little hope of improvement there.
What do you do if you are Dwight Howard?
Re-up? He'd be likely staring at another wasted season and then possibly being stuck in the middle of a complete rebuild.
Demand a trade? What would the lakers be able to get? Where might he accept going?
Would you go to a team like the Clippers etc. for less than the max?
Just curious what you think he would do.
I personally have no idea.
If the Clippers win it all... I can definitely see him jumping ship...where ever he feels he can ride somebody's coattails, like LeBron...until he realizes he's "the man"....
So what's your take on what you think Dwight will do or perhaps what would you do if you are in his shoes if you believe they are looking at a longer rebuild?
A lot can happen between now and the end of the Lakers season. If the Lakers were to finish on a positive note, then Dwight would probably give some strong consideration in staying. If the Lakers become totally dysfunctional and finish the season in a disasterous fashion, then I can see Dwight exploring all his options. That said, there are so many other factors that will come into play. Are there other teams that will be a better fit for him and are willing to take him? What direction will the front office take at the end of season? etc. As it stands this is Kobe's team, and is having an outstanding season leading the league in scoring, but he is up there in age and will he keep it up? Dwight is only 27 and conceivably this will be his team eventually if he stays. If the Lakers decide to rebuild, they could surround Dwight with younger, quicker talented players. Some tough decisions for both the Lakers and Dwight this offseason if things continue the way they have. We'll have to see how things play out.
If the Clippers win it all... I can definitely see him jumping ship...where ever he feels he can ride somebody's coattails, like LeBron...until he realizes he's "the man"....
At this point I don't think it matters. I'm almost 100% positive he's going to bail when the year is done or maybe the Lakers will trade him away if it looks like the playoffs are out of reach at the trade deadline. Getting something for him would obviously be better than him just walking away with no compensation.
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