The Lakers have a logjam at PF and it's a good problem to have
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:29 am    Post subject: The Lakers have a logjam at PF and it's a good problem to have

The Lakers have a logjam at PF and it's a good problem to have. How will be minutes be doled out?
Thoughts, ideas, comments

The race for minutes at power forward will be tough for the Lakers


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Sometimes it’s a gift and a curse to have an excess of players at a specific position. While it’s a blessing due to options and different lineups you can run with, it’s also a curse because everyone wants to play and if you have to keep guys happy. Luke Walton and the Los Angeles Lakers are in this boat with a lot of talent at the power forward position.


http://basketballsocietyonline.com/race-minutes-power-forward-position-tough-lakers
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Megaton
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:33 am    Post subject: w

Deng is a bench warmer so he's out.

Easy solution for Kuzma is simply moving him as a backup SF or backup PF while Randle or Nance plays Center.
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al242
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:38 am    Post subject: Re: w

Megaton wrote:
Deng is a bench warmer so he's out.

Easy solution for Kuzma is simply moving him as a backup SF or backup PF while Randle or Nance plays Center.


I agree, I am of the opinion if we bench Deng for the entire season he would be willing to negotiate a buy-out with us. He literally has 0 fit with our current roster, he is unable to play SF and we have at least 4 players that can play PF at a high level outside of him.
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Chronicle
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:40 am    Post subject:

I kinda doubt it happens but all summer I've been hoping that deng gets less than 2 mpg
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:42 am    Post subject:

Kuz definitely should play both forward spots in order to gain experience and to maximize his potential.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:42 am    Post subject:

Chronicle wrote:
I kinda doubt it happens but all summer I've been hoping that deng gets less than 2 mpg


I honestly see no reason why he should play a single minute for us, we have young players that we can be developing for the 4 spot and they will likely be a part of our future unlike Deng.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:43 am    Post subject:

pio2u wrote:
Kuz definitely should play both forward spots in order to gain experience and to maximize his potential.


I honestly do not see Kuzma as a 3 in the NBA, he is primarily a 4 and a situational stretch 5.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 11:46 am    Post subject:

al242 wrote:
Chronicle wrote:
I kinda doubt it happens but all summer I've been hoping that deng gets less than 2 mpg


I honestly see no reason why he should play a single minute for us, we have young players that we can be developing for the 4 spot and they will likely be a part of our future unlike Deng.


Well yeah but he's being paid 20 million bucks and is a vet. that's just how the league works
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:06 pm    Post subject:

I understand that it's an open secret that Deng isn't in the long term plans and the plethora of young, quality PFs makes it a bit taxing to think we would give minutes to a player we don't intend to keep on the roster for long.

But playing too many guys at once who are 'figuring things out' can lead to very poor execution and stunt the growth of young guys. Deng can execute an offensive and defensive game plan well and I wouldn't be surprised for Luke to give him some significant minutes early in the year.

The guy I think may be really on the outside looking in is Zubac because we'll basically play three frontcourt positions as interchangeable when Brook isn't in there.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:12 pm    Post subject: Re: w

Megaton wrote:
Deng is a bench warmer so he's out.

Easy solution for Kuzma is simply moving him as a backup SF or backup PF while Randle or Nance plays Center.


Deng was only a bench warmer when we were tanking. I see him getting time off the bench. It is always better to have more talent than to have less talent.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:17 pm    Post subject:

al242 wrote:
pio2u wrote:
Kuz definitely should play both forward spots in order to gain experience and to maximize his potential.


I honestly do not see Kuzma as a 3 in the NBA, he is primarily a 4 and a situational stretch 5.


I'll copy this statement for Ingram.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:20 pm    Post subject: Re: w

venturalakersfan wrote:
Megaton wrote:
Deng is a bench warmer so he's out.

Easy solution for Kuzma is simply moving him as a backup SF or backup PF while Randle or Nance plays Center.


Deng was only a bench warmer when we were tanking. I see him getting time off the bench. It is always better to have more talent than to have less talent.


No Deng is still a bench warmer. Unless there's some magical fountain of youth you know about somewhere. We are running this season. Randle will start. Everyone loves Nance. Kuz showed incredible chemistry with Ball. Brewer's athleticism and constant energy both sides of the floor will probably earn him the back up 3 position. I seriously can't see where Deng will fit in. Plus he's 46 years old....
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:30 pm    Post subject:

I see Kuz as a small forward as well. And so do the lakers based on that article a week or so ago
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:37 pm    Post subject:

Chronicle wrote:
I see Kuz as a small forward as well. And so do the lakers based on that article a week or so ago


Most small forwards in 2017 can handle the ball at an adequate level, from the limited film I saw of him during SL, his handles are in line with an NBA PF (think Porzingis).

I dont trust him dribbling the ball more than 2-3 times, yet alone driving the ball. If you are a SF in 2017, you must be able to dribble the basketball and drive to the rim.
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:43 pm    Post subject:

al242 wrote:
Chronicle wrote:
I see Kuz as a small forward as well. And so do the lakers based on that article a week or so ago


Most small forwards in 2017 can handle the ball at an adequate level, from the limited film I saw of him during SL, his handles are in line with an NBA PF (think Porzingis).

I dont trust him dribbling the ball more than 2-3 times, yet alone driving the ball. If you are a SF in 2017, you must be able to dribble the basketball and drive to the rim.


IMO Kuz will still get a few limited minutes at SF somewhere along the line. It's a long season.
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yinoma2001
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:44 pm    Post subject:

Chronicle wrote:
I see Kuz as a small forward as well. And so do the lakers based on that article a week or so ago


I think it's b/c we're trying to find him playing time.

PF right now we have:

Jules
Nance
Kuz
Deng
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:46 pm    Post subject:

yinoma2001 wrote:
Chronicle wrote:
I see Kuz as a small forward as well. And so do the lakers based on that article a week or so ago


I think it's b/c we're trying to find him playing time.

PF right now we have:

Jules
Nance
Kuz
Deng
BINGO
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al242
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 12:55 pm    Post subject:

yinoma2001 wrote:
Chronicle wrote:
I see Kuz as a small forward as well. And so do the lakers based on that article a week or so ago


I think it's b/c we're trying to find him playing time.

PF right now we have:

Jules
Nance
Kuz
Ingram (for stretches)


Fixed
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:02 pm    Post subject:

al242 wrote:
yinoma2001 wrote:
Chronicle wrote:
I see Kuz as a small forward as well. And so do the lakers based on that article a week or so ago


I think it's b/c we're trying to find him playing time.

PF right now we have:

Jules
Nance
Kuz
Ingram (for stretches)


Fixed
I like that even better
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governator
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:04 pm    Post subject:

Nance and Kuz gonna back up Randle at the 4 maybe stretch 5 for Nance. Brewer and Deng gonna be backing Ingram at the 3.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 2:28 pm    Post subject:

Kuzma should be a PF and a small ball 5... but primarily spend time at the 4. At the same time, he is a rookie and he's got Julius and Nance in front of him.

IMO, Deng will most likely get the back up 3 mins in hopes Lonzo makes him look somewhat more palatable for another team to absorb in trade. I don't think he's an effective 3 anymore but he's going to get mins somewhere.

In many ways, it comes to Kuz or Zu... or some balance depending on competition.

Lopez (28) | Randle (10) | Nance (10)
Randle (24) | Nance (14) | Kuzma (10)

or

Lopez (28) | Randle (10) | Zu (10)
Randle (24) | Nance (24)
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 2:43 pm    Post subject:

If it's forcing players out of their ideal position it's really not that good of a problem to have. This doesn't even get into to Zubac who's probably out of a role. Exchanging one of these guys for a guard, since they're short there, would make the most sense.
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pio2u
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 5:05 pm    Post subject:

Randle and Nance are two of the most versatile players on the team.
Randle is the superior athlete and the incumbent starter but Nance does all the little things and plays better defense than Randle.

It's going to be interesting to see if Randle can hold off Nance.
Both will come to training camp very much improved. It will be a spirited competition. .......................Are we there yet???
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defense
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 5:24 pm    Post subject:

Play all of them early and find out if any of them play well enough to deserve the majority of the minutes. Last season no one did.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 5:43 pm    Post subject:

I think Nance ends up as a backup center eventually. Randle has to prove he can develop a jumpshot, and improve his bball iq or he will eventually be out imo. Kuzma has the ideal skill set to eventually play the bulk of the minutes at pf, but we'll have to see what he does at the nba level. Unfortunately, we have a lot of guys who can play pf, but not one who is good enough to be the clear cut favorite to push everyone else out at that position..at least not yet.
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