Lakersneuron
Star Player
Joined: 21 Nov 2008
Posts: 4450
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 Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2016 9:04 am Post subject: |
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| DancingBarry wrote: | | Lakersneuron wrote: | Thanks DB.
Just for fun and because the season is over, lets imagine you are Jim Buss and you put on your old baseball cap. What changes do you make in the offseason? Specifically, who do you hire as coach (and style of play)? Which players do you keep? And assuming we keep our pick, who do you select (1-3)?
I am curious what your thoughts are given that you play closer attention to the games than 99.9% of the fans out there.
Feel free to say, 'bring Byron back'. No judgement on my end. |
Good question and something I've been thinking about quite a bit. I'm still sorting out what I would do. But I feel like I've got an idea if I'm Jim Buss what I'd be doing. So what might he be thinking...
[Puts Jim Buss cap on head]
If I'm Jim Buss I have some additional complications...I'm dealing with this self-imposed deadline and am going to probably get voted off the island if I don't make an impact fast. Considering that, how do I reverse engineer what a successful offseason looks like?
First off, I need to be a little more self aware that we don't have the charisma in the front office like we did when we had West or Jerry Buss or Phil able to charm free agents. So if I'm Buss, I've got to think about a coach that can help recruit (whether by charisma or close ties with players...we need help). Fire Byron on Thursday. End of the KFT, new era...time for a new coach and all that. People get that.
Obviously, there is one key free agent that would save me, that would be landing KD. As things stand, I have little shot at him, but can I change that? My best bet would be hiring Scott Brooks as coach. His players loved him and were a bit ticked when he got fired. Hiring Brooks absolutely puts me in play for KD and Westbrook and gets me a meeting with them.
What I don't like so much is his X's and O's and he's a bit of a novice with the analytics (so as Buss, I'd really want an offensive guru on the bench with him...and would overpay, if needed). Brooks did start to experiment with motion offense elements at the end of his OKC career, and I imagine Westbrook probably distorts some of your X's and O's...so we could see something new from him. But still, that's a negative (and would no doubt drive me batty).
I do like that he developed a young core in OKC and got results amazingly fast. I do like that they continually improved defensively. So, if I strike out on KD this year, I'm still probably okay with developing the young core under him until I take a last-ditch swing at Westbrook next year before Jeanie gets me canned. So from Buss's standpoint, I could see him going that route trying to recover fast.
If the distance between you and KD is 10 miles, Brooks probably gets you 5 miles by himself.
Also, you obviously play up to KD/Westbrook that you aren't cash restricted like OKC was and that you will pay to keep talent or bring new talent on board. It's a non issue here. If we had OKC's team when they had Harden, we'd have a new young dynasty. Financially, OKC isn't us and will never be us, so he will continue to have these issues there the rest of his career (that's part of the pitch anyway).
Again, as Buss, I've got to sweeten the pot. If I get a top 3 pick, I look at what I can move that for. It may not be the best move, but in the short term if it's vital in getting the big name free agent, no problem. So I can see them aggressively shopping it to see what their options are. A good name could move them another mile closer.
Unfortunately, I still need to close the gap, so as part of my reverse engineering of success here, I'm also shopping some of my young core to see what other impact players that might get me. Again, another big name player moves me another mile or two closer.
Finally, you've got to see if you can line up a free agent package deal -- if you can leverage two big names to both come to L.A. in free agency, this moves you closer. You paint the picture of a powerhouse with him or them as the new face(s) of the franchise. (And, of course, their sponsors are all in on this as the L.A. market is still a big deal to them business-wise...)
I'm not sure you have to commit to any of this blueprint before free agency. You could possibly go through the draft, etc., and work this plan through back channels as much as possible. But if I am Jim Buss, wearing the cap and all, this is what I think might be their Plan A.
Plan B is probably keeping your young core, adding to it with this draft, getting some impact in free agency and hiring a coach that's both progressive and can grow with the youth...and probably getting run out of the building by your sister. |
Thanks for your thoughts. What I am afraid of is making the short term moves that stunt our development because of this fabricated deadline (for example, trading young pieces for the hope of landing a big fish or hiring an inferior coach who doesn't fit our personnel; I am not a fan of Scott Brooks). Building a team is like running a marathon, and it seems like Jim shot himself in the foot at the 1 mile marker.
Regardless, it seems like plan B is more than likely what our path will be. I wish I had more faith in Jim and Jeannie than I do.
Lastly, congrats on finishing the season DB!
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"I don’t give a [expletive] what you say. If I go out there and miss game winners, and people say, 'Kobe choked, or Kobe is seven for whatever in pressure situations.' Well, [expletive] you. Because I don’t play for your [expletive] approval." |
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