Did the FO make the right decisions regarding LBJ, Melo, Zen Master & DFish?

A Mad Chinaman · Star Player Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 6148

Given the injury issues with LeBron and Melo, along with the success of the Zen Master and DFish in NYC, the FO possibly made the right decisions about the future

http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?storyId=12145815&city=losangeles

activeverb · Retired Number Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 37470

lakersken80 · Retired Number Joined: 12 Aug 2009 Posts: 38791

Get back to me in 4-5 years...
Its hard to make a judgement in half a season pertaining to the long term future of a franchise.
For all we know, this bad season could be what the Knicks needed to finally get a high draft pick to build their franchise.
Cavs could eventually get things sorted down the road.
Lakers might be better off thinking long term instead of what needs to happen this year or next year.

Honeybadger81 · Star Player Joined: 25 Oct 2014 Posts: 1253

I suspect LeBron and Melo were on (PEDs), such as HGH or steroid, since the NBA tightened the PED tests, both of them trimmed down, look slimmer in the summer, LeBron played under the rim most the time this season... now both of them are injured

mykeinla · Star Player Joined: 02 Nov 2012 Posts: 1148

Oh i dont know. Did the lakers FO make the right decision with steve nash?
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K2 · Franchise Player Joined: 25 Dec 2011 Posts: 23529

There wasn't much decision-making involved other than answering the phone and reacting to each player's respective decision. Carmelo was entertained by the Lakers' spiffy show, but it came down to $$$$$ in the end. LeBron wanted to return home. They weren't waiting for the Lakers' approval and didn't need it.

Zen Master was hanging around, but when $60million and an opportunity to be punch-drunk with power came along, he left -- knowing that in three years he could have another opportunity if Jim stays true to his word. That was then, the reality is that unless he turns it around, he'll leave NY with some money and a perma-bruised ego. D-Fish is kicking himself, OKC might have a chance to make the playoffs and maybe give the top seed some trouble. Credit goes to Lacob for swooping in and grabbing Kerr before he fell into the abyss known as the hapless Knicks.

Jim Buss was NOT going to offer either of them anything.

dino · Star Player Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 4120

the mistake was in not pursuing lowry more ardently...

numero-ocho · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 2:34 pm Post subject:

I'm astounded the Knicks had to reach the absolute bottom of the NBA before the media started attacking them. They were on us from the start.

Having said that, I doubt Phil is losing much sleep over their woes. This is exactly what he wanted: the impetus to gut the team. If the Knicks had been playing well, it would have been difficult to justify basically giving away players like Smith and Shumpert who had another year on their contracts.
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yinoma2001 · Retired Number Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487

The FO absolutely wanted Lbj and Melo. No question about that.
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yinoma2001 · Retired Number Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487

danzag · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 2:52 pm Post subject:

Well, right now is 0 titles for each team, so no one is better than the other.

Gotta wait some years.

kcxiv · Star Player Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 3911

I think we might be seeing the end of Lebron James as we know it, 30 years old now, back knee's and a bad back with a body frame like him which takes a pounding playing 35-40 min a night. This guy has played more Minutes at his age then probably everyone in the history of the NBA.

We are see'ing that with Kobe now and he's got a much much smaller body frame and its giving up on him.

SDLakersFan · Star Player Joined: 01 Apr 2012 Posts: 2044

Van-Exel26 · Star Player Joined: 13 Jul 2005 Posts: 1402

Anybody who was around here during the 2000's knows Phil's limitations when they come to the GM. He is always in favor of getting players who are "triangle fits" over the best player available, especially when it comes to the draft. This is one of the reasons who drafted Kareem Rush over Tayshaun Prince which swung the 2004 championship. Kupchack is one of the most respected GM's in all of the league so you leave that situation alone.

Avoiding Fisher was definitely the right decision.

Carmelo has always been a one dimensional blackhole who can't win in the playoffs. We dodged a real bullet by avoiding him.

Saying we got lucky by not signing LeBron is just flat out wrong. He's still the best player in the league and would have made us contenders for the next five years. Then again, it's not like the FO made a mistake, we had no chance at getting him.

A Mad Chinaman · Star Player Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 6148

numero-ocho · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 3:58 pm Post subject:

Kobe is the last active player to have extensive experience playing the triangle offense. Phil had Tex with him to teach the Bulls from scratch, but during both stints in LA he brought in floor leaders who understood the offense and had fundamentally sound bigs who could play with their backs to the basket. He doesn't have those assets to build a triangle offense around anymore. He has to build it around Carmelo Anthony.

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lakersken80 · Retired Number Joined: 12 Aug 2009 Posts: 38791

ReaListik · Star Player Joined: 08 Jun 2008 Posts: 6569

Omar Little · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 4:03 pm Post subject:

It is way too early to call Phil a failure in NY. But he did make some predictable rookie mistakes right out of the gate. Forcing his coaching scheme on his coach and the team (never a great look, worse when you announce you will be on hand to meddle in the preseason), trading a valuable asset for an aging, mediocre pg because you think he will help with the tri, and being forced into tanking (and getting less for your assets) after the season is a third of the way over have put them behind. He has cap room and a high pick, so he can bounce back, but his plans were very quickly and viciously destroyed.
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nevitt_smrek · Star Player Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 2803

So happy Melo isn't here. Any franchise is dead with this malcontent. Overrated as hell.
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numero-ocho · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 4:19 pm Post subject:

dino · Star Player Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 4120

allegedly the lakers DID get in touch with lowry and even made an offer but were hamstrung in negotiating because they were waiting on melo and lbj...

lakersken80 · Retired Number Joined: 12 Aug 2009 Posts: 38791

That being said, Knicks are on the hook for Melo's contract for another 4 years....what a headache that is going to be for them especially considering he is missing a lot of games already.

Omar Little · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2015 4:32 pm Post subject:

Melo seems to not want to fit in the tri, and I question his desire to be part of a deep rebuild, so it would seem likely that Phil would put him on the market in the off season.
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idrinkhaterade · Starting Rotation Joined: 08 Jun 2010 Posts: 319

You can't call it a wise decision when the FO was pursuing LBJ and Melo persistently. They just lucked out.
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