Los Angeles Lakers Finally Flying Under the NBA Radar

The title of the post is something one could never of typed or said for maybe the entire history of the NBA. Even in their past down years they were always being overrated and talked about like they were a top

contender. Sure, they still are the Lakers and are still always a subject that matters, just like the Celtics, but this recent Clipper climb has taken LA by storm, and in the past 3 years the amount of fake Laker fans becoming Clipper fans is impossible to count. The Clippers deserve credit, trading for coach Doc Rivers, one of a few coaches that commands his team and get's respect (he's right behind Poppovich with coaches like Thibs or Vogul).

After a frustrating 2013-2014 season, one in which we saw Kobe play 6 total games only to go back to surgery and rehabbing his body for this upcoming season and the last 2 years of his new contract (and possibly last 2 years of his career). With Steve Nash also hurt most all the season and not playing at any level near the Nash of Phoenix, he also barely played for an 82 game season (those are 2 of your top 3 players), leaving Pau Gasol to play lone All-Star on the Lakers.  The fact Mike D'Antoni was in his 2nd year of coaching also didn't run well with Pau, who was asked to shoot more shots and buy into the D'Antoni style offense (and play no defense).

The only good result from last season (aside from landing in the Lottery and drafting 19 year old PF Kentucky stud Julius Randle who slipped a couple picks) was being able to develop young players and give them very valuable NBA level court time in the regular season, which helped them to build a bench for the future. The D'Antoni system is such a fast pace it allowed the Lakers to look at a ton of players and get a feel for their level of play, from rookie Ryan Kelly, 2nd year Rob Sacre who barely played his first season behind Dwight Howard, Wesley Johnson finding a role and trying to become a 3 and D specialist combo forward, and of course all the guards from last year put up career numbers, as all guards do with Mike D'Antoni as the coach.

Jodie Meeks went from an average role player on a mediocre Sixers team in the East to a solid starting SG on a bad Laker team in the West (harder competition).  He put up great numbers all year and was the most consistent Laker offensively outside of Pau Gasol and Nick Young, the other SG/SF that played 6th man and lead the Lakers in scoring.  As a result, Meeks went from a 1-2 million a year player to signing a $19 million dollar, 3 year contract for the Pistons, fully guaranteed.  I really liked Meeks, but at that price I would pass too.  Are GM's and scouts still not understanding that players always put up career numbers in the fast paced, all offense system D'Antoni runs?  Look at guys that had career years for him and signed huge deals somewhere else to not meet expectations:

    *Quentin Richardson, Joe Johnson, even Amare, Marion, and Nash were all Suns players that owe D'Antoni a ton.  Many signed max to near max deals, and only Joe Johnson ever really lived up to his hype in Atlanta for a few seasons. Other guys when he was with the Knicks like Chris Duhon, Raymond Felton, Landry Fields, Danillo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and of course Jeremy Lin and the Linsanity 2 month period was incredible.  So Steve Nash, Chris Duhon, Raymond Felton, and then Steve Blake, Jordan Farmar, and Kendall Marshall all put up career numbers.  That's 5 PG's that were all average to solid rotation NBA players that he got to put up career numbers as the starting PG for a season on one of his teams.  The 6th, Steve Nash, was really damn good, then D'Antoni made him a MVP.  If an NBA GM doesn't realize that D'Antoni's system allows him to put any mediocre backup PG (like Duhon or Felton) and turn them into a 15+ppg, 8+apg starting PG has always happened, and it doesn't mean that player got any better necessarily.

Just two weeks ago the Lakers roster was looking extremely bleak. With Pau looking like he was leaving and us getting nothing in return, as well as Meeks, Farmar leaves LA and signs with that other LA team, Bazemore, and Kaman all jetting for other teams it seemed like the Clippers impact was changing the LA Lakers dynamics and power to lure Free Agents. Kobe signed for 2 more years at 24 million a year, which seems like a lot, but we forget he's Kobe Bryant and from a business standpoint makes the team $50+ million a year in ticket sales, jersey sales, merchandising, etc. Plus he's now had almost 1.5 years off, giving his body a true amount of time to heal.  Why everyone thinks he will come back and be some scrub is beyond me, as this is Kobe Bryant we are talking about. To think he's not coming back healthy and will be competent goes against everything he's shown us in his career, yet people around the league still enjoy bashing on the black mamba.

(*R is a rookie)

PG: Steve Nash - Kendall Marshall (Team Option)
SG: Kobe Bryant, Jordan Clarkson (*R)
SF: Nick Young (a SG at heart; ideal 6th man)
PF: Julius Randle (*R), Ryan Kelly (Team Option)
C: Rob Sacre

All the other Lakers had either already signed with other teams or were still in negotiations. Looking at that lineup and roster, the Lakers were going to have a 2015 top 1-10 pick again.  Kendall Marshall may have impressed the laymen laymen fans last year, but he is a young PG that can't shoot but under D'Antoni put up impressive numbers (well his assists); I wanted Marshall gone, and just two days ago the Laker brass decided to not pick up his contract, waived him and he's now a Buck.  The kid needs to learn how to shoot, that's what everyone thinks (and he does), but they forget just how awful he is on defense too.  Good luck turning him into anything resembling yourself as a player Coach Jason Kidd of the Bucks....

The NBA Las Vegas Summer League was truly entertaining and competitive, the best I've ever seen (and I've gone to Vegas summer league 4-5 times the past decade). With such a deep draft class, the Lakers drafted All-Star in the making and NBA ready Power-Forward Julius Randle of Kentucky with the 7th pick, which I felt was a steal.  Then, as the Lakers were listening to my thoughts, they bought a 2nd round pick from the Wizards and drafted Jordan Clarkson, a 6'5'' combo guard out of Missouri who showed he's NBA ready in the Summer League (as did many other players in this talented, deep draft that will challenge the 2003 draft class).  Julius Randle was great, averaging 14+points and 5 rebounds, only playing limited minutes in 2 or 3 games as the Lakers know what he is and didn't want to risk any injury with their young starting PF.  I will say he surprised me a bit in Summer League, even in limited minutes, showing that he can really pass and handle the ball like a guard. He seems like a Lamar Odom type with more athleticism and a higher IQ; a fusion of Odom and Blake Griffin (somewhere in between there). Randle should have a great chance at the Rookie of the Year race as he will start at PF and get at least 30 minutes a game.

Vegas Summer League you don't want to get too excited, but a majority of the time it's pretty accurate and shows if a player is NBA rotation ready or a prospect or a 2nd rounder that you send overseas.  Clarkson showed he can score, pass, play defense, is extremely athletic, and since he came out after his junior year he is mature and physically strong already.  Clarkson is a 3pt shot away from being a good caliber backup PG or SG; that's how deep this draft class was.  He averaged right around 17ppg, 6rpg, 3-4apg, 1.6spg, and shot well in the 4-5 Summer League games; he also showed a savvy skillset that he can run the offense and control pace, as well as having a nose for getting to the rim and getting fouled... and he makes his free-throws. There were many 2nd round steals, and he was just another one of them.

Then, all the sudden the Lakers got active the past 3 days, basically filling out the roster.....

*SG/SF Nick Young re-signed for 4 years, $20 million (17.7 Ppg last season)

*C/PF Jordan Hill re-signed to a 2 year, $18 million deal (Career high numbers; Team Option Year 2)

*SG/SF Xavier Henry re-signed to a 1 year, $1 million deal (10 ppg last year; 22 years old)

*SF/PF Wes Johnson re-signed to a 1 year, $1 million deal (9+ppg, 5rpg, 1.3spg, 1.3bpg last year)

*PF/SF Ryan Kelly re-signed to a 2 year, $2 million deal (solid rookie season last year; stretch 4)

*C/PF Ed Davis signs a 2 year, $2 million deal (young big man from Memphis; PER 15.6)

*Lakers win the amnesty bid on PF/C Carlos Boozer for $3.25 million, 1 year left

*Lakers complete trade with Houston for young PG/SG Jeremy Lin and their 2015 1st Round Pick
     (Houston was clearing cap space ridding of solid players Asik and Lin both overpaid expirings)

So not only are the Lakers now a solid 12 man team, with some solid rookies and underrated players that haven't shown what they can do yet, along with Kobe coming back near fullly healthy, the Lakers also made sure to keep their cap space open for the next summer (and probably 2016 summer of Durant and others as well).  The Lakers did an amazing job, all things considering, putting a competitive group out on the floor and maintaining cap flexibility for next summer's free agency of Love, Aldridge, Rondo, and other studs.  After Melo signed with NY and Pau left, things looked bleak... just look at that rotation/lineup I posted at the top part of this post.

Now, after all that action the past week, signing of underrated players like new age Centers Ed Davis and Jordan Hill (PF's of old NBA), keeping young Wes Johnson who had a career year (just needs some better consistency; but was the only defensive stopper on the squad), keeping the young potential of Xavier Henry and rookie Ryan Kelly, making the perfect 3.25 mil bid on veteran Carlos Boozer to backup and teach Randle some things (though Randle is already better than Boozer of last season), and being able to actually upgrade and get a legit PG in Jeremy Lin who not only fits the team (financially expiring as well as a taller, bigger PG to put next to Kobe and play some Defense), as well as get another first round Pick for 2015 by taking on Lin's deal..... the Lakers truly went under the radar this summer and I love how people think they are bottom 10 NBA team bound this upcoming season.

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LA Lakers Depth Chart 2014-2015 Season:

PG: Jeremy Lin, Steve Nash
SG: Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, Jordan Clarkson
SF: Wesley Johnson, Xavier Henry
PF: Julius Randle, Carlos Boozer, Ryan Kelly
C:  Jordan Hill, Ed Davis, Rob Sacre

*Versatility is great. Kobe, Swaggy P aka Nick Young and Xavier are all big enough to play SF at any time; Randle, Boozer, Hill, and Davis can all play PF and C effectively (well Boozer not so much; and Randle wait and see, he could even play some SF minutes possibly).  Wes Johnson and Kelly are both combo forwards (SF or PF) that stretch the floor and bring different things to the table like defense (Wes) or passing (Kelly). Jeremy Lin is a big Point that can also play off the ball at SG, which would be great if Nash played or we sign a small PG. Then of course Jordan Clarkson, the rookie, can guard and play PG, SG, and SF; the team is full of versatile players and when/if Byron Scott is elected coach he will be able to tinker around with so many lineup combinations.

*While Davis has been a PF for his first few NBA years, with a no step vertical over 9 feet and great athleticism and size, he's almost identical to Jordan Hill who has been a Center for a couple years now.  This NBA that exists has become so small, and while I think both Hill and Davis can play Center, I'm still skeptical and would love to see an Emeka Okafor type signing to our team.  At least Sacre is a nice 7 foot wide body that has proven has can be productive as a 10-18 minute backup Center.

Lastly, short term memory loss seems to be a huge aspect of NBA fans. Kobe Bryant's had nearly 1.5 years of rehabbing and getting healthy (aside from those 6 games that he actually did alright in at 70% health), and was a 25 point, 5 assist, 5 rebound, 1.5 steal, 45%FG stud the last time he was healthy on the court.  Why people assume he's coming back this season to be some 16 Ppg 40%FG old man is beyond me... and I'm not just a Laker homer.  Everything Kobe's done in his career gives us no reason to expect him to be less than a 20/4/4 type of player who is mad clutch and helps his team win.  With a new set of talent around him this year it will be quite interesting, but make no mistake, as long as the Black Mamba is playing for the Lakers we have a fighting chance for the playoffs. Kobe will retire before he is some 16ppg 40% chucker, and to think he has declined that much while rehabbing to full health for 1.5 years is insane (and based on a 6 game sample 30 game into last season playing at 70% health maybe lower).

His name is Kobe Bryant, remember that.  With another shot creator and ball handler in Jeremy Lin (Nash too if healthy), and another in Nick Young who they should play as 6th man, starting Wes Johnson at Small Forward who was really starting to come on as that glue guy and 3 and D guy (sort of like they did with Ariza). Put Wes next to Lin and Kobe and Randle and Hill and I bet he is more consistent with better open shots from three; compared to playing with Marshall, Swaggy P, Gasol and Kaman or Hill at Center (awful spacing as a team).

This 2014-2015 NBA season should be really fun for Laker fans, and while I will agree the Clippers are better on paper right now (and have a better coach, PG, and legit Center in DJ), all the Clipper vs Laker games will be much more competitive and exciting than most think.  You put this roster in the East and they are easily guaranteed a playoff spot... and depending on how good Randle really is in his first season the Lakers could do just that in the West as a 6-8 playoff team.  The potential is there, it's all about them playing together and building chemistry, as each player will get better with each game for 3/4 the player on this young roster, and Kobe has to last 70 regular season games (with some game DNP rests) at a high level.

Here we come NBA!  Kobe for 24ppg, 6apg, 4rpg, Lin for 16ppg, 6apg, 2spg, and Randle for 16ppg, 10rpg, 4apg, and 1+steal and block per game!  Just wait NBA fans, just wait! Those are just stat guestimates for me to look back on in the future, but this team is going .500 or better barring injury!

The Mamba ain't done yet!