Management Is Growing Along With The Young Guys

[Darth Los Angeles]

The Lakers are a prestigious and historic organization. We are the preeminent NBA global brand....

With that said...

This organization won 17 games last year and has set a franchise record for losses in each of the last three years. Yes, we can agree that we haven't had the players to win more games. But we also haven't had the management or ownership to improve the situation either.

This is the first time Mitch, Jim, and Jenie have had to build a team from the ground up. Kobe isn't saving us anymore. There is no Jerry West level player evaluating going on here. Dr. Buss isn't here to seal deals. We no longer have the palm tree star power advantage over other organizations. This is a totally organic build and the fans are going to be disappointed until our young guys mature. If it even happens...

Mitch, Jim, and Jeanie have their work cut out for them big time... Baby steps should be our expectation. If you expect more that this, you'll be disappointed for sure.
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“There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you. A man must constantly exceed his level.” ―Bruce Lee

[Four Decade Bandwagon]

I tend to be very optimistic about that organic approach though.

I also have some confidence the Buss kids have learned from the mistakes and realities of the past couple years. The infighting, the poor choices in tactics to draw free agents and the idiotic public comments.

Hopefully they will let the basketball minds do their thing. Kupchak, West and Walton have a vision for the future. Let them build it even if it takes a couple years to accomplish. Lakers will not have a complete squad after just one free agency. Just need to land a couple pieces to the puzzle to go along with the young players.

Not sure if this was discussed yet. But I read an article today about the young core. When the Lakers had Ingram in for his workout and dinner. He invited Russell, Randle, Nance, Brown and Clarkson to attend. They were there during the workout and then went to dinner with him. Coaches and staff sat at another table to let the young guys have some space.

Brilliant move by Kupchak IMO. Chemistry has been poor the past couple of seasons. Getting this core group to build some is going to pay off in the long run.

This is a new time and experience for the Lakers. But they have a great head start IMO. I am expecting a dramatic improvement this season for a variety of reasons. Front office/coaching leadership being one of them.

[fontana3d]

In short let Mitch, Ryan, and Luke recruit the players, and all the Buss Kids have to do is bring the checkbook like their daddy used too.

[Darth Los Angeles]

[clutchkobe]

[RG73]

[unleasHell]

People may be buying tickets, but they are NOT watching games on Time-Warner (TW), who is paying the Lakers billion$ to broadcast their games and I'm sure the negotiated price was based on the Lakers putting a decent product on the floor that would generate a large enough audience to allow TW to make a profit.

It has been stated that Lakers TV game ratings were at an all-time low this last season.

Fans tuning-in, knowing that there is an 80% chance that the Lakers are going to lose tends to have that effect on the viewing public..

I'm happy with the new direction, just saying..
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“Always remember... Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots.”

[kikanga]

[Outspoken]

why did you include jeanie, in reference to "building the team from the ground up?"

[kikanga]

If we don't have at least 1 league average starter on the roster this year. That's on Jim and Mitch.
I don't think what I'm asking for is an unreasonable standard.

We haven't won 30 games since 2013. Despite having 2 different coaches since then (MDA & Scott).
People are gonna be asking for Luke's head if we have another bottomdweller team going into this season that produces less than 30 wins (again).
Hope LG and the rest of the fanbase holds the roster creators accountable. I think they will, since Luke is a pretty boy fan favorite coming from a franchise popular among some Lakers fans. We'll see if Luke will escape being thrown under the buss.
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"Every hurt is a lesson, and every lesson makes you better”

[LAKERMIKE2]

[fontana3d]

[Darth Los Angeles]

[Darth Los Angeles]

[venturalakersfan]

[venturalakersfan]

[fontana3d]

[Omar Little]

[venturalakersfan]

[fontana3d]

[adkindo]

The first thing they need to do is come off the stupid "WCF or Jim is out" stance....it serves no purpose. I the Lakers win close to 40 games this year, and barely miss the playoffs.....who thinks it would be a good idea for a management or front office overhaul? It is just silly, and is more likely to lead to poor decisions. Just handle it like it should be handled, employees are evaluated annually....but if Mitch and Jim double our win total this year, that should be looked at as a positive evaluation. I am just really beyond this whole media narrative that everything is Jim's fault, and I still think Mitch is one of the most respected GM's in the league.

[venturalakersfan]

They are past the WCF thing, in her last interview Jeannie called it "showing improvement".
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RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.

[adkindo]

[singlecamVTEC]

I'm excited about this, really.

It's a new era. FO doesn't have to worry about going for the big shot FA's (it doesn't seem like they're going for KD that hard). They're going for what the team needs.

They also don't have to worry about trying to win NOW, when Kobe was here. Now that he's out, they can focus on rebuilding. There might be down years, there might be up years, either way.. I'm fine with it.

[clutchkobe]