Thoughts On The Upcoming Season

[trojanfan12]

We're all kind of giving our thoughts on the upcoming season across some different theads!! Thought it might be fun to have one thread for those!!

One thing that I think we all agree on is that this will be an interesting season to say the least!! The team has more positives to work with than many seem to want to give them credit for and more negatives than we Lakers fans care to admit!!

Not going to get to in depth by going player by player, instead I'm going to just touch on positives and negatives!!

Positives: They got younger and more athletic. As we all saw over the past couple of seasons, this was/is imperative. Some of the signings were former lottery picks who, for whatever reason, haven't lived up to expectations. As much as we like to crack on D'Antoni, his system is one that most players (especially young players) like and it has made stars of players who otherwise may not have been. Considering the athleticism and youth of some of the younger guys, his system should be a good fit.

I like that even though Pau is able to practice right now after the procedures on both knees in the off-season, he isn't. Pau is a veteran and very smart player, him getting up to speed and being ready when the season starts shouldn't be an issue. Nash appears to be healthy. He's not 29 year old Steve Nash anymore, but he's still a smart and effective player. I also can't think of anyone I'd rather have the younger guys learning the offense from.

Kobe is ahead of schedule on his re-hab, however, there is still some question on when he will be ready to go. Hopefully, the team starts strong so that he won't feel pressured to come back to soon. We also don't know how well he will recover from this. Still, 80% of Kobe is better than 100% of most others.

Negatives: While they did sign some former lottery picks, there is a reason that these players were available for the price that the Lakers were able to get them for. It's because they haven't lived up to that potential. If the reason they haven't is because they just haven't had the right opportunity/system or they are "late bloomers" then the Lakers will be fine. If it's because they just aren't as good as folks thought when they were drafted or because they just don't want to do the work, then things could get real ugly, real fast.

The Lakers are looking at Kelly to be a solid 3 point shooter and it looks like he's already got injury issues.

The core of the team, the guys that the Lakers are depending on the most to win games and mentor the younger guys, are all coming off of injuries and are old. If they are unable to overcome the injuries enough or if they suffer more injuries, the Lakers will be in real trouble.

Thoughts?

 

[Black Adam]

Kobe had some positive thoughts about this team in Sunday's Daily Breeze. i'll try to post it up later...

 

[Retroram52]

Many question marks TJF12. This coming week-end will get a pretty good idea of what product we have out of the box minus Kobe and Pau. Kaman and Sacre can hold down the fort until Pau gets back and like Henry and Young in the backcourt with Farmar. I really am cautiously optimistic though because of all of the youth and athleticism. I am going on the wait-and-see band wagon for now.

 

[trojanfan12]

Kobe had some positive thoughts about this team in Sunday's Daily Breeze. i'll try to post it up later...

Cool!! Looking forward to seeing it!!

And can I say how nice it is to post on the Lakers board without turnips particular brand of idiocy being foisted upon us!!

 

[Black Adam]

Cool!! Looking forward to seeing it!!

And can I say how nice it is to post on the Lakers board without turnips particular brand of idiocy being foisted upon us!!

his propaganda was EXTREMELY tiresome...

 

[Retroram52]

Nope, this season will be just us Laker faithful without the headaches.

 

[lakersrule]

Lots of positive vibes coming out of training camp so far. Everyone seems excited to be there and are competing hard. Should be some good competition for that starting 4-spot. I think Shawnee Williams with his length and perimeter shooting ability may get it. He's a better fit at that spot than Jordan Hill.

I think the Lakers may end up being a middle of the road defensive team, at least better than expected. Yes, they lost their big last line of defense in Howard. However, they should show much improvement with their perimeter defense. They have length and athleticism now with players such as Wes, Young, and Williams. Plus, with Rambis in there, they should have a better defensive philosophy and system.

If they are unable to overcome the injuries enough or if they suffer more injuries, the Lakers will be in real trouble.

If they do, if Kobe/Pau/Nash can stay healthy, then this is a playoff team and will win more games than last season.

 

[Black Adam]

man, i hate it when i can't simply link an article. but here goes...


Bryant admits need to avoid injuries, but says he'll get in shape and expects revamped Lakers to be championship contenders.

Kobe Bryant walked gingerly across the Lakers practice floor. a sign he's both progressing with his surgically repaired left achilles tendon and eager for the 2013-2014 season to start.

It's also a sign that, despite a skeptical general public, Bryant remains optimistic about the Lakers' championship prospects.

"our expectations are always the same with every single season," Bryant said. "that's to improveevery single day with the mindset to win a championship".

of course, that goal hinges on Bryant. but whether he will play in the Lakers' season opener Oct. 29th against the Clippers or practice in training camp remains anybody's guess. Bryant has recently run at 80 percent of his body weight on a weight-bearing treadmill and completed ladder exercises to improve his footwork without sprinting. He then will advance to defensive and conditioning drills before fully practicing.

"i need to get in shape, but it doesn't really take me long to do that", Bryant said. "i work hard at it. When i get back on the court, I'll be good to go. I don't think i've ever played a season where i was 100 percent. So, like78 percent is fine."

The Lakers have other health concerns.

Lakers guard Steve Nash has fully progressed from his right hamstring, back, and broken left leg that sidelined him for a combined 32 games last season. But Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni plans to limit both in training camp and in games. Lakers forward Pau Gasol reported progress with his kneesafter having a procedure this offseason to decrease the tendon pain in his knees. But Gasol admits he's not fully healed and hasn't completed many basketball drills yet.

"Health is always a concern," Bryant said. "That can really cripple a team as it did for us last year."

Bryant suffered his injury April 12th, shattering any optimism about the Lakers' already slim playoff hopes. Their success will ride once again on when Bryant returns and if he can mirror last season's output, when he averaged 27.3 points on 46.3 percent shooting, 6.0 assists, and 5.6 rebounds.

"I'll wait until i'm ready to go", Bryant said. "our goal is to win a championship. That's our expectation. But if we're struggling and I can't go because i'm physically not ready, I'm not going to jump out."

Nonetheless, Bryant seemed aggressive with his recovery>

He had surgery on his Achilles the day after the injury. The Lakers training staff traveled with Bryant on trips to China, Italy, and Brazil. Bryant also routinely visited the team's facility for treatment.

Still, Bryant's 40-foot high dive that was later posted on Vine made the Lakers cringe.

"I got out and jumped again; i just didn't Vine that", Bryant said with a grin. "I felt great. i just wanted to go out and have fun."

Bryant displayed that personality until someone brought up Dwight Howard's departure to the Houston Rockets.

"I really don't give a ...," Bryant said. "If he came back, it would've been great. If he didn't, then it's not."

Instead, Bryant raved about the team's athleticism, the versatility Chris Kaman and Gasol in the post and having a full training camp under D'Antoni.

Bryant still shared the need for Nick Young and Wesley Johnson to improve defensively and to play at a methodical pace, Despite all the uncertainty surrounding his injury and the team's dynamics, the 35-year-old Bryant enters the final of his contract with high hopes.

"Another championship," Bryant said, grinning. "That's an easy one."

so there you have it, fellas. make of it what you will...

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Pau also said he wants to stay a Laker so if we can get some slight pay cuts we could keep this core intact while adding another player or two.

 

[Black Adam]

on a side note, i went to check on the guys who still post on CBS(was thinking on trying to get them to come here), and 3 guesses who's STILL regularly trolling the Lakers board...?

yep, that dumbass heatmyshorts. the guy has absolutely ZERO for a life...

 

[trojanfan12]

Gotta love Kobe!! He could have a team full of a bunch of us from this thread and would still expect a championship!!

Hey CL, did anyone ever figure out what happened to jefe?

 

[Black Adam]

Gotta love Kobe!! He could have a team full of a bunch of us from this thread and would still expect a championship!!

Hey CL, did anyone ever figure out what happened to jefe?

still haven't seen him around, which is too bad. lol if there was ANY of us with endless homerism, jefe was that guy. great poster, though...

 

[trojanfan12]

still haven't seen him around, which is too bad. lol if there was ANY of us with endless homerism, jefe was that guy. great poster, though...

Loved that guys posts!! You and jefe were so deep in turnips head, it was comical!! If jefe showed up here, it's probably kill turnip!!

 

[Retroram52]

I think jefe just finally had enough of posting on a sports board. CL67, I can't believe heatmyshorts is still behaving like a child and doing what he is still doing says it all. lol.

I think this team is going to be fun to watch and better than most folks give them credit for. I believe Kurt Rambis will be the difference this year.

I see Kobe coming back closer to Christmas. It is just the nature of the injury. But I really am excited to see what sort of team takes the court on Saturday. I think this going to be a pretty good year!!

 

[lakersrule]

Kobe taking shots off his tippy-toes yesterday. That's good progress from flat-footed. 80% on the Alter-G. Cap saying he won't come back as good. You know Kobe feeds off doubt like that.

 

[lakersrule]

Hey CL, did anyone ever figure out what happened to jefe?

I tend to be optimistic, but Jefe took optimism to a whole new level! I'd like to think that there is some rationality to mine!

 

[lakersrule]

I think this team is going to be fun to watch and better than most folks give
them credit for. I believe Kurt Rambis will be the difference this year.

I agree. I think their defense will be better than expected. Gasol and Kaman are both 7-footers. Certainly not defensive anchors like D12, but still big men that penetrators will have to deal with. That's if they get by the perimeter players. The Laker's perimeter defense should prove to be much better than last season.

 

[lakersrule]

Ryan Kelly was out shooting jumpers in practice yesterday. That's a good sign regarding the foot injury. Hopefully he doesn't have any set-backs with the foot.

 

[lakersrule]

Just caught this one SeeBS....

Kobe Bryant returned to the court this week, but he also left the country.

Per the Lakers, Bryant received left the United States to undergo an undisclosed medical procedure, unrelated to his surgically repaired left Achilles.

Via the L.A. Daily News, the Lakers wouldn't disclose where Bryant went or what the procedure was, but said he'd return early next week.

The Lakers have resisted giving Bryant a firm timetable, but the 35-year-old has been progressing positively. As the team opened camp this week, Bryant has done some light jogging and set shooting as he continues to try and make his return from an Achilles injury he suffered in late April.


At least it is not related to the Achilles, so probably no set back there. I wonder if he is getting some more maintenance work done on his knees?

I think Kobe may still be playing 20 years from now but he'll be RoboKobe by then!

 

[lakersrule]

More PRP therapy for Kobe's right knee. It was reported that this was a planned trip.