Summer of 2014: A Final End to Lakers Pipe Dream Strategy

In the nineteenth and early twentieth century’s there were particular institutions called opium dens. In them, people who wished to escape reality could come and lay down on a soft bed and for money, indulge in the warm, pleasant fantasies and escape from reality that hitting the opium pipe brought. It was these establishments and this practice that coined the term pipe dreams. Meaning an induced fantasy of escape that had no bearing on reality.

And like those long ago pipe smokers, so too can the desire for escape affect a sports franchise and some of its fans when reality is not going well and they so desperately desire a fantasy change of direction to alter that reality. And like those pipe smokers of another era, the Lakers front office, its star player and many of its fans have been ignoring reality to partake of the smoke of fantasy.

After the burn out of the Kobe-Pau championship team, the summer of 2014 was supposed to the turning point in the rebuild process for historically formidable Lakers franchise. We all heard the theories and comments for a long time: This year we would poach a big name or two-Lebron, Carmello, Lowery, Bosh, you pick the names- with the cachet of the Lakers name and lure of playing with Kobe, a quick fix could put us right back into title contention after the decline of the last few seasons and the misery of last year. All would be right in Lakerland and Kobe could continue his assault on title number six.

The problem with this scenario of course was that it flew in the face of logic or reality. It was rooted in smoky, mind altering fantasies that were long ago obviated by Kobe Bryant himself. A look at the reality of the situation was actually a fairly easy read and to see that this misreading of the true situation by the FO pointed us down the road to the true destination we find ourselves in right now, with the big free agent names ignoring LA completely and the Lakers finding themselves as the odd man out, only able to look in at teams who are actually in the completive mix both with big time free agents or a chance to compete for a ring.

The biggest fantasy dispelled this year (and the precursor warning was with Howard last year) was the oft repeated canard, “What star wouldn’t want to play with Kobe Bryant?” You know, what top player wouldn’t want to join a great like Kobe? We have heard that for a long time. And the FO bought into it in full. So did many fans, especially his more rabid ones. This fantasy was really the basis for fans and the FO’s dream that a quick rebuild of the team and the Lakers fortunes could be achieved. It was this faulty lynchpin theory that spiked the front offices thinking, to a lethal degree in choosing a path that simply would not work. And the reason for that lies strictly with Kobe. Over his career, he has sent out a very strong, virulent message: This is my team and I don’t share the top stop with anyone. It was message he sent out over and over again, and like a submarine receiving a sonar bounce, other stars in the NBA picked it up and translated that message loud and clear and responded accordingly.

It started way back in the Shaq era. We all know about the feud between Shaq and Kobe, all the incidents that eventually led to an untenable situation that forced the Lakers to rightly pick the younger Kobe to be the lead on this team. But in all the things that happened at that time, the separate incidents, the remarks, the give and take between both men, if you boil it down, it was a power struggle between the two. It was all about who would be The Man on that team. Kobe had reached a point where he would not accept playing in Shaq’s shadow any longer. He wanted to be The Man, he wanted to win the Finals MVPs. If Shaq had just been some defensive, rebounding center, had Kobe been the man on that team, had he won those three finals MVP’s, had been given accord as the best player on that team, that feud would never have reached the breaking point it did. This is not to fault Kobe for making his power play, because when they parted company, Kobe, the younger and now better player certainly deserved the preeminent position, but it is just to show that incident was about power and control, because that is all that was going on there when you boil it down. It was what that issue was about from day one. And it was a position that once Kobe ascended to, he was not going to let go of no matter what. No matter how old he got, no matter what the Lakers situation was. And therein lies the seeds for dismal free agency showing all those years later in 2014.

Once Shaq was gone, those signals were sent out and reinforced by Kobe for his whole career. When

Drew had his 40 plus point game, before injuries derailed his career, Kobe responded by a massive shooting spree over the next several games. The message was clear: “I am the only one on this team allowed to score like that.” When Drew came off his all star year, before the start of the next season, Kobe made his infamous remark, “I am first in the pecking order, Pau is second, Drew third.” This flew in the face of all logic. Kobe should have welcomed Drew as a growing help to him, wanted him to move up in the pecking order, even if it ultimately meant eclipsing him, yet the exact opposite came from his lips. The fact he designated Drew third, not even second, sent another clear message: “I am not brooking any challenges to my spot from anyone who may have the size and talent to do so.” After the Lakers beat Boston in their finals rematch, Kobe was asked in a summer interview if he could ever see the day when he played second fiddle to a younger, better player as he aged. His answer was quick and honest, “No. I can’t see that ever happening.” Message sent again. Finally, when Howard and Nash were signed to the Dream Team, Kobe’s first response was not one of welcome or team play, but was: “This is my team.” An odd comment indeed, but once again, a very honest statement of how he viewed his position and theirs. And he drove that home the entire season by relegated both those players to secondary watchers in the Kobe pecking order. In fact, Kobe performed a basketball miracle by making the ultimate pass master and team setup man, Nash, a spot up shooter. Once again, message sent and more importantly, message received by all the star players in the league who at one time may have considered LA as an opportune landing site and Kobe an equal opportunity star to play with. Because while some of Kobe’s most radical adherents saw nothing wrong with any of this, made excuses for it, even applauded it, they never realized that other star NBA players, who believe in themselves, in their games, who don’t want another player to put them in some arbitrary pecking order made up by Kobe, may have seen these messages in a very different and ominous light. In their minds, it would make Kobe a player to be avoided at all cost if you had any self respect at all for your game and your autonomy. The true question never was, “What star wouldn’t want to play with Kobe?” It really became, because of actions over the years, “What star wants to have his career and actions defined by Kobe �" a 35 and 36 year old Kobe at that - and his tyrannical pecking order?” And the answer to that was loud and clear: No one. And who can blame any of them for that answer? What star would be interesting in condemning themselves into such a situation?

And so the fantasy building block that the FO and many fans subscribed to for years, that any superstar would love to play with Kobe was itself built on a foundation of lies. And that fact in itself destroyed the FO’s attempt to predicate our fast rebuild on that same lie. I have been saying for a long time here �" to much criticism- that no star player would put himself at the mercy of Kobe’s pecking order, even more especially an aging, hurt Kobe who is no longer even as good as so many of those players. Why would any star player put their prime years want to be in that type of situation? Last year Howard wasn’t interested in staying with the Kobe program. Lebron wasn’t interested in the Kobe tyranny this year. Melo, his friend, wasn’t, nor even a lesser star like Lowery. Nor Bosh either. And now, in the final dénouement, Kobe’s other friend, his old comrade in arms, Pau Gasol rejected a 20 million dollar two year contract for Chicago to leave Kobe’s sinking ship and let him fight his last fights alone. The Pau exit is the final exclamation point, the full denouement of the FO’s misguided strategy. They should have traded Pau years ago, when they could have gotten good, young assets for high draft picks for him. Instead, they kept him around thinking that with him and Kobe here, they could attract that third star. The problem of course was that as long as Kobe was here, it didn’t matter if Pau was. No star of any magnitude would come to us. Kobe has been sending a very strong signal for years, both by word of mouth and deed on the court. And the players who picked it up, as shown so clearly from Howard, to Lebron, to Melo and Lowery to Bosh, all players the Lakers would have gladly taken, have understood that message with intaglio clarity. That is why there was never a chance for one of them to come, even with Pau on the team. Yet the assumption that players would want to do so was how this FO proceeded in its rebuilding plans. So while Kobe cut his own throat with his message and attitude, it was the Lakers FO who cut the teams throat by not understanding something that was very clear to see. And the moment they signed Kobe to that contract extension, they immolated the very big name free agency plan they were counting on to turn this around so fast.

And with that another fantasy dies in turn; that Kobe would win another title. Since no star players will put themselves under the Kobe pecking order, he cannot have a talented enough team around him to hope to compete for a title in his last two years. Not at his age. It is ironic, that Kobe, the great player who enjoyed and wanted, demanded being the top star, the one and only Man, will now be forced to play ball exactly that way in his last two years, because his actions for years, the signals he put out for over a decade, sent and received, foreclosed on him getting help right when he needs it the most. In all honesty, one can’t say it is not a fitting end. Because in a way, Kobe is getting exactly what he has always demanded: Unchallenged dominance on his team. Just not in the way he or his most radical fans thought. Because sadly, it never crossed their minds that no young star player, or one in his prime, would ever subject themselves to Kobe’s egotistical demands or outlook. But now, Kobe and they, and the FO, all know the truth. Just years too late.

For Mitch, Buss and FO, the fantasy of a quick fix, just importing stars from other teams with the snap of a Lakers finger is over too. Their whole strategy had no plan, no rhyme or reason. Built on a lie, It was a hope and prayer, not a plan at all. And hope and prayers don’t get you anywhere in this league. Only well thought out, constructed plans do. Hard work. Their “plan” was boiled down this ingredient: Hey Lebron, we are the Lakers, we want you. Hey Melo, we are the Lakers, we want you. Hey Lowrey, we are the Lakers, we want you. And before that, Hey Dwight, we are the Lakers, we want you. You know, snap your fingers and they will come at our whim to join Kobe and Lakers magical mystery tour. This FO was so blinded by this ridiculous construct that they have not even picked a head coach, because they wanted Lebron or Melo to be able to give them ideas about who the coach should be once they signed with us. The Lakers were going to get input on their new coach from players who had no intention of ever coming here! Talk about the lack of a plan, talk about a fantasy, talk about the inmates running the asylum. Here is some advice Mitch, you can now hire a coach now because Melo nor Lebron, nor Lowrey or Bosh, not even Pau will be giving you any advice on who they want.

For Mitch and Buss, the winds of the true reality finally blow away the pipe smoke of years of fantasy. They are going to actually have to put in work to turn this around. No knight in shining armor is going to sign a max contract with us to bail them out of years of bad decisions and mistakes. And while the termination of the comfort and delusion of warm fantasy can be hard and harsh, like the addicts withdrawal from the opium pipe, it can also lead to a new, smarter life, a clear, honest focus and ability to think. This new, un-addled focus and clear thought lets you know exactly where you are and what you must do to climb up. While the situation right now is bleak, if one has a plan and looks ahead in an honest manner, things can turn around. But you have to see things as they are.

How are things and how can they turn around? Get rid of the fantasies and deal with reality. First off, the FO needs to understand that until Kobe leaves, there will be no other star player coming aboard. It is an odd, atypical situation that until Kobe, one of the greatest players in Lakers and league history departs no young or in his prime star will set foot here; that we are off limits. But it is the reality of it and it has to be finally understood for this team to move forward in a smart, concerted way. The FO needs to operate under realistic guidelines, with a top rule being, stop trying to win now with Kobe. That fantasy is over. He is 36 years old, coming off two severe injuries and no player of high stature wants anything to do with him or his ways. His days as a power player in the league are long gone. So stop pretending it can happen. Instead of trying to win a title now, start thinking about winning one in three, four, five years down the line.

With the Lakers personal opium den shut down and pipe unceremoniously pulled from their mouth both last year with Howard and with this years free agent debacle, the FO must change their culture. That is what really matters. It doesn’t matter what Kobe thinks or says or demands in his last two years, or what his most fanatical adherents fantasize and talk about. Neither Kobe nor they matter one bit any longer nor can they change reality in even an incremental way. All that matters is if the FO, with a head, finally, hopefully clear for the first time in years, starts to go down a wise, prudent path of reality.

Stop hoping that every big name free agent is dying to come play for the purple and gold. Haven’t the last two years cleared up this misconception with sledgehammer force?

Stop treating draft picks like some kind of cancer that has to excised out of the Lakers body as fast as possible in an effort to pursue pipe dreams. Instead of ridding yourself of picks, how about keeping them, acquiring them? Instead of attempting to poach stars from other teams, how about putting energy into talent evaluation so that draft picks can actually do the team some good? How about having the acumen and foresight and intelligence to come up with and pull off trades that help make this team stronger? Instead of trying for a quick fix, how about putting in the hard work it takes to build your own players and team? You know, like the Spurs did, and Indiana and other teams.

But for an FO that has long hit that pipe, It won’t take long before the temptation to pick it up again and find solace in fantasy smoke strikes again. In 2016 Kevin Durant will be a free agent and you can bet your bottom dollar the Lakers FO and many of their fans will be drooling at the prospect, hell the surety that Durant will leave OKC and come running to LA. Yes Kobe will be gone and that will help, and we will have a ton of money to offer and we all know Durant will come and all will be well again. Or will it? This assumes Durant will want to leave OKC. This assumes Durant will want to leave OKC for the Lakers. This assumes out of all the teams in the league, Durant will want to leave OKC and come here. That is a lot of assuming. And one thing the last few years have shown is that players don’t see LA as the end all and be all in the league any longer. Just ask Howard, or Melo, or Lebron, or Bosh, or Lowery. Even without the Kobe block, there will be many other prime suitors for Durant, if he even decides to leave OKC. And to have a plan of just waiting for Durant is just as viable and smart as our plan of waiting for Lebron and Melo. It is no plan at all. It is a recipe for disaster. The Lakers must learn from Howard, from the summer of 2014, change their culture and decide it is incumbent upon them to build a team, yes, the hard way; the way they have abandoned for too many years. Will Durant come? Who knows? Would it be great if he did? Sure. But don’t base your rebuild plan on it. Base it on something smarter, more solid.

There are two signs, belated as they are, that the Lakers have put the pipe down and are starting to take a more clear headed view of how things must work and how them must tackle the rebuild. Giving up cash to recoup a second round pick that became Jordan Clarkson was a complete reversal of their previous strategy of exoding picks en masse for veteran players.

With the Jeremy Lin deal following up Clarkson, the Lakers may finally have shown they have reached a reality threshold. Not so much in the acquisition of Lin, who knows how good, bad or mediocre he really is? And he will not even get to show us his full game till Kobe is gone, if he stays that long.

They finally getting a first round pick instead of throwing it away to some team only too glad to take it off our hands. Yes it will be a low pick from Houston, but still a first rounder. Something that can be worthwhile, if the Lakers do their work on talent evaluation. And with that also comes another second round pick. For the first time in a long time, they are accruing draft picks instead of foolishly divesting themselves of them.

What is the best single thing that can happen to us next year? A final showing of Kobe’s greatness or recovery from injury? No. A mild resurgence of Lakers fortunes to fight for a .500 record? No, not that either. In fact, in the cold light of reality, those things would be incidental to the Lakers present, since we really don’t have one and inimical to our future, which now is all we have. As harsh and dismal as it sounds, the single best thing that can happen to this team in its current situation is to finish in the bottom five in the NBA so that this first round pick we gave away for Nash will be protected. Yes, I remember the misery of last year. It was not fun. The season seemed to take two years to go by. But when the FO gets you in a situation this bad, with mistakes over such a long period of time, the medicine of the cure is bitter indeed. And we have not stopped taking it by a long shot, as we just found out in the free agency summer of 2014. Not if we want to get, in a realistic way, to where we all want to be. Last year, when we fell to seventh, some fans derided those who wanted the team to lose to get a high pick. I found those comments odd at best. No, we didn’t get Wiggins or Exum or Embiid. But they acted like acquiring Randle was a disaster. What was the better alternative, win a few more games and not get him? It won’t take too long. And because we really have no other way to replenish this team with star caliber talent in free agency, the draft is the only method currently available to us to try and do so. To get the kind of athlete and player we need, we will have to have to have a redo of last season. Yes, it will seem like a lifetime grind, yes it will be abject suffering again, yes it will suck just as it did in 2014, but if we get that top five protected pick in the draft, it will once again pay off for us. Because right now, we are just that bad, in just that much of hole to dig out of, in desperate need of that kind of player, again. Randle wasn’t enough on his own. Neither would have been Wiggins, Embiid or Exum. We need more.

Do I want to walk that long, lousy path again? No. If there were another way, I would choose it. But I also know the time for the pipe is long gone. We are going nowhere next year. Nor the year after. We are the Lakers. We stink. There will not be quick fix to title contention and the Kobe Bryant era is over. And no amount of smoke fantasy will fix it. Only smarts and hard work will. And right now, the only viable option, the closest right now to get that kind of talent we need to start the long uphill climb will be keeping that first round pick Phoenix currently owns. And if we do, if we do, then we will have two first round picks next year to go along with Randle. And we will finally, actually have something powerfully good happen. The best thing to happen since…well…getting Randle. And the year after, you will have the Kobe money coming off the books. Not exclusively to get Durant, but to build a foundation here, with good, solid players for a team that can rise again and at last we can clear out for good the misty, delusional smoke that has kept this FO foggy minded, in that Lakers opium den, on its back, in that bed, dreaming impossible things for too long.

2014 was the end of a lot of pipe dreams for a lot of people. If some fans pick up that pipe again, run back to the old addiction, who cares? It won’t mean a thing. But it is what the front office does now that will gives us the shape of things to come. They have caused us catastrophic damage by misreading so many crucial situations over the last few years; have made the necessary rebuild so much harder to attain than it should have been. And if they haven’t learned by now, after all that has happened the last few years, all the mistakes, just how destructive and debilitating that fantasy pipe smoke is, culminating in the summer of 2014 free agency bust, then they truly are too far gone for reclamation or salvation. And so too may be our future. The disaster of the last few years is an abject lesson that the Lakers management needs to change its culture, jettison the lazy, quick fix ways of the past and embrace the hard grunt work that is required to build a solid foundation that a top team and more importantly a top organization requires to grow and thrive. That they need to get rid of delusions that Kobe will win a title again or great players are dying to play with him or come thronging to the Lakers at our beck and call. Or that some quick fix will happen without putting in blood, sweat and tears and long hard work. Because none of that is remotely true. It is all a pipe dream, a lie. Do they finally understand this after the slap in the face by Dwight Howard last year and the bloody, nose breaking punch the free agent summer of 2014 turned out to be?

We better hope so.

Man that is a mouthful... Now where can we merge this thread?

Another excellent blog Randy. I certainly believe that the upcoming season will be better than the last however, provided that Kobe stays healthy. Key is for him to be able to return to form, and make the Lakers a more attractive 2015-16 free agency destination for the guys who have options to pick and choose out there. Of course he would need a lot of help from the role players. There will be plenty of cap room for sure to attract another star, but top tier guys also want to win, $ being equal.

SPQR,

I would have to agree with notion of Kobe, however the demise of the Lakers all started with Mr. stern!

You see Melo, Lowry, Bosh all went for the money grab. I do not think there was really ever a chance of the Lakers getting a free agent. In addition Lebron went for redemption, a smart move for his legacy. Again I do not think Lebron would of ever came to the Lakers regardless of the situation.

The alpha dog is Kobe, and will be until he is done! But one cannot blame him for this, it is reality.

The outcome and landscape of our (LA Lakers) team would be way different, if the Dan Gilberts, Mark Cubans, and David Sterns did veto the trade that could of built another dynasty! CP3 wanted to play with Kobe, you know with CP3 that would attracted Howard, and who knows what the future could of looked like.

I cannot blame Kobe, nor the Front office. The demise of the Lakers was destroyed by a politician and rich team owners that wanted to change the landscape of the NBA. They would not have Kobe and company win another championship. That is how I see it, and so far they have succeeded!

I think you are right on point with hard work and smarts because we are in a uphill battle. But, wait Dan Gilbert now has Lebron, 3 top daft picks and might even get Kevin Love. Can we protest and veto any trades for his super team? No, because that is what the league wanted, to destroy the power house of the NBA and bring a balance to the league. It seams like the tide is shifting, but the Lakers will not on the bottom for to long, they always find I way to win!

what don't you understand? No top player wants to play with Kobe

Great post Randy. I would hope that during the conversations between Kobe and Melo, or Kobe and LeBron, or Kobe and whoever, that he would have gone way overboard to get any of them to join the Lakers. I would hope Kobe would realize by now that winning would trump pride.

I don't know what Kobe said to Melo, I would like to think he went the extra mile to get him to ink with us, but the past gives me discomfort. Unfortunately, it's highly likely, even after his recent injuries, that he told Melo it would be his team in a few years, if he would just be patient. This would have turned him off. I hope this isn't the case, but it's not far fetched.

hey wow! you're a talented writer and i really enjoyed reading your blog! it was certainly a jaded outlook on the reality of things, but to my dismay, found myself agreeing with you on almost 100% of it. Kobe is a beauty to watch, an inspiration to listen to, but he is certainly not a likable fellow to play with. i've written about this as well... he is the bane of the Lakers' greatness. His sanctimonious attitude and ego is just flat out gross at times. in a league where guys take the pay cuts (dirk, duncan, bron, etc...) we have a 35 year old taking the most he possibly can coming off an injury. we have my favorite player establishing some sort of hierarchical dominance, pounding his chest as if we are in the stone age. he is sadly a picture of greed. does he absolutely deserve the 24.5 million he's set to make? Yes!!!!!! The guy has done above and below what 99.9% of basketball players can do. but in this day, out of the 80's and 90's where winning is more important than location, the guy simply just should NOT have taken it. like you said "in years when he needed it most" his actions have rejected any chance of getting help. he sabotaged himself and you outlined that well.... it will be a sad and odd thing to see a 35 y/o trying to prove to fans that he is worth it. it will be even more odd to see that no matter what he does, unlike before, the team will still unfortunately come up short. the help just isn't there. his defense just simply won't be there. his dominance will be a peg or two lower. the FO, allllso, like you said, realizes this, and has given....

All valid points, but there is no need for all the drama and "opium dens" introduction. The post should have and could have been 10x times shorter. If you want to write a book about basketball or the Lakers - do it and publish it on amazon.com, like Phil Jackson did. Or get a job at a newspaper ASAP, to get the long articles out of your system, before posting here. This is a sports forum, created for fans to exchange news, ideas & opinions. Not online ebook library...

@Dave: I propose 4k characters limit for a single post (and rehab for SPQR, lol)

Awesome post Randy, and In my humble opinion, probably one of the best you have penned down! I still vividly remember those enlightened bb yoda's preaching/prophesying last season, that the mighty lakers would reload this off- season via free agency. They were adamant that rebuilding would be an exercise in futility and that the draft was an over exaggerated concept used by losers in the nba...lol. There were many, many commentators...even some illustrious mods who made audacious predictions and claims about the impending free agency and the "bust draft picks of yore." I guess many of them now wish they could seek refuge in the confines of those cozy dens...lol. I fully agree with you regarding the drafts/picks as the only potent weapon left with us in order to rebuild. Teams like the spurs and Okc are living testimonials to this. We should thank our stars that Randle(a potential top pick in any other draft class) landed on our shores. Clarkson made the "draft pot" even sweeter. Then if you add the phenom called D. Kane into the mix, we could be looking at our future core or nucleus. It is absolutely imperative that we recover that pick from PHX. We would then have two first round picks and a second rounder for the 2015 draft class. That is quite a stockpile, If I dare say so myself. We could then earnestly start the rebuding process with three first round picks....ummm make that five, cause I consider Clarkson and Kane first round picks, who got overlooked(fortunately) in a loaded draft. This scenario is reminiscent of what teams like Okc/Spurs/Indiana, successfully accomplished in the past. This "win now for Kobe" philosophy has already delayed the rebuding process by four years. Kobe himself chose $$$ over winning. He clearly made his choice, but the....

LOL @ 4k character limit. I agree short and sweet as possible but I have no problem with SPQR's poetic license. Simply put, just don't read it if you think it's a long read and comment when others have given their concise opinion.

MagicLakez, I've been ignoring your profile because I can't stand your Team Tank propaganda. It's very anti-Laker. I understand that it prolly took hours to draw that tank with Kobe and Gasol and a putting it to use will justify its time taken to make. So I digress and continue to ignore you until I see it taken down. But let me suggest that you need a new drawing because Pau is no longer with us. Also I agree that our rebuild/retool has been held back for a while and we should look past the win now for Kobe mentality that the FO is exercising.

The team tank concept is no longer a propaganda. It has evolved into a movement pioneered by die hard laker fanatics. Team tank being anti laker is a matter of perception. We don't need forum Police/internet legends deciphering, what is pro/anti laker ideology. Team Tank has definitely rubbed several Kobe fanatics the wrong way. By the way you are glorying Gasol(constipated version) via your avatar. I have no problems if you choose to ignore my profile as I assure you that the feeling is mutual.

MagicLakez, so exactly what does this "movement" entail? You make it seem as there is more than to wish this team it's demise but really there isn't more than just that. And yes, the use of artwork that suggests that the Lakers must do so is propaganda. If so it is a movement and others are following, it's propaganda. Hitler used propaganda and it was very much a movement and it was all too real. We all know what this franchise is going through. It's expected from being at the top so long. But what you are asking for is for them to purposefully forfeit any effort to rise (in any fashion) in a repetitive cycle hoping to hit a top lottery draft pick. After all, it was only last season when Danphoni was heading this team when your "movement" was born.

Feeling is mutual

I don't consider it necessary to explain anything to you. Feel free to jump to any conclusions. I thought we had mutually agreed to ignore each other, but alas, you still read my posts and ogle at my tank artwork...lol

Agreed. What's the point of explaining yourself? That's what your propaganda is for; it's self explanatory.

So just how many of you in LTB are with this Team Tank "movement"? Show by reply.

Yeah MagicLakez, I admire your artwork. It's not like your the only "Dense" or "Chaka" in the community that knows how to draw/scribe.

If I may interject here....First, I also think the picture of Gasol in the avatar is extremely constipated. Gives me the urge to run to the fridge and get that industrial strength laxative for him, which is typically used for pre-colonoscopy cleansing...

As far as Team Tank goes - I'm also a member of Team Tank and to explain what it means - we believe, that in the current team situation the best strategy for this team would be to tank, as in intentionally lose games and have the worst season possible, in order to secure high draft picks. While not everyone will agree with that strategy (Lakers' FO obviously doesnt) we believe this is the only guaranteed way to assure future team success. All other means, such as shooting for the stars as Lakers' FO is doing have much lower chance of success and SPQR pretty much covered the reasons for it in the OP. Think about it - we already have Randle. If we secure top 5 lottery pick in each of the next 2 seasons then 2 years from now Lakers will have 3 young studs, who will occupy very little of cap space because of the rookie contracts, and Kobe's horrible contract will be off the books. 3 top lottery prospects, $50 mil in cap space and no Kobe around to repel other star players - is that really so hard to understand? Michael Jordan talked in one of the DVDs he released long ago about how he learned in the NBA you have to lose first, in order to win.

Games, like the ones against the Spurs, OKC and Blazers the injured, depleted Lakers won at the end of last year against every shred of common sense may seem like an achievement and something to be proud of to an inxperienced or short sighted fans, but we, Team Tank, believe these wins are not only meaningless in the big picture, but actually do serious damage and hurt the team long term.

Apollon, My avatar is Pau smiling and gritting through the pain of not only his injury but for the fact you would waste his talent on a gamble that you would think could get us back on top.

But I must commend you with your honesty in educating me in you and your colleague's faulty philosophy. I think you take Jordan's word in the literal sense in that you MUST lose and keep losing until a team is built full of overall number one draft picks. Can't you see how futile that sounds? So had MJ prospered so far from that mindset? It's what I thought.

The lottery is a crap shoot and chances are you'd run into Kwame Browns or Greg Odens over 60% of the time. That must be the most Dan Gilbert, under handed thing you can wish this organization to do. What kind of irreparable damage would this do to the legacy of this franchise; to laydown to get down. Basically your advising that we take it up the a$$ in order to make it somewhere in this league. Who do you think the people of Los Angeles are? Frankly you want us to be a bunch of first pick hoes. I ain't with that. We lose cause we lose. We make mistakes because owner owner is a bum. We can't get free agents because our leader is an old, broken jerk who's team belongs to him. But one thing we are not is a bunch of whores hookin for a first round pick. Leave that for the small market teams and leave that to your spread eagle movement.

By the way, it's called Go-Lightly. But I thought you'd know by the way your "Team" likes taking it up the a$$.

Actually it's GoLytely, but tomayto, tomahto.

Randy: Great post. I think there is a common theme shared by Lakers' fans, Lakers' management and Kobe Bryant. That common theme is arrogance. It's a sad thing to me personally that management can have the attitude of this is LA, we have Kobe and we are the Lakers, we know you want this. It's been the same theme by Lakers' fans which has been exhibited on this site quite often, this is LA, we have Kobe and we are the Lakers, we know you want this. Talk about a humbling experience, Howard left LA and 30 million on the table. That's leaving LA, leaving Kobe and apparently he didn't want this. The management team also shot for the stars which I can understand but not at the cost of everything else; other players were told to wait while management chases the big dog in Melo because James wasn't going to come and we all knew that deep down. I can understand that approach a little more if we had no one on the roster sort of like Miami back in 2011. We still had Kobe on this team along with Nash and some players who showed some ability, well we know what happened.

I like the Lin move, Lin is actually a solid player in my book. The Lin acquisition is one I like due to the Lakers acquiring some picks, so maybe they were humbled. The FO will have to do things the old fashioned way, they have to EEAARRNNN it.

Totally agree, although after looking up lin trade, it's more like 1 pick. That 2nd round pick is so protected that chances are we'll never get it.

Really? You're being over-dramatic. I've seen other people post it's the worst thing ever and you will be a loser your whole life and all types of other stuff. Truth be told, the Lakers had no talent, they entered last season with a team full of role players. People get so short-sighted that they want quick fixes instead of young talent which gives you a smaller window to win. Those useless wins that we had towards the end of the year dropped us and dropped our chances. The FO also subscribed to the smoke and mirrors effect of hey we are the Lakers and we win at all costs. While other teams looked at it as evaluating young players because they knew it was time to rebuild. Philly did a GREAT job of this last year. There wasn't any of this playing vets heavy minutes on a losing team. If the FO wasn't so into quick fixes and felt they could throw money at their issues then they possibly would have made the wise decision to move Gasol to get something in return, however they had superstar on the brain.

I don't get why you would get so irate just because members like Apollon, Magiclakez, SPQR and myself were all for the team having a bad record. Bottomline is we wanted what's best for the Lakers in the long term, not useless wins that do nothing but hurt the team's chances in acquiring talent.

I saw how protected that 2nd rounder is. I'm still trying t decipher it, top 50 protected but I saw protected 56-60 too. Then it's extinguished after that.

I also saw how that pick from Houston is top 14 protected and top 10 the two seasons after that and top five after that. Just reading that about the first round protection annoyed me. It made me wonder why the Lakers' picks sent to Phoenix weren't protected like that. WHy would we give Phoenix four picks but then the pick in 2015 is only top five protected. As if the three other picks weren't sweet enough for a 38 year old.

I was aboard team tank last season and have no regrets about it. And I'd love to see Lakers make the playoffs and have a deep run in them this upcoming season. But if things go south early and they're sitting there at the 6 through 12 spot in lottery, I'm jumping right back on the tank!! What's the point of winning a few meaningless games and not getting our pick from Phoenix.

I don't think we have to worry about 1st Rd pick, it's going to be in the 20's anyway, as for Nash trade, I think the Lakers knew they were getting Howard and with Nash figured the picks would be at end of 1st round anyway.

Exactly! We were eliminated from the playoffs pretty early on. Once that happens its time to start thinking about the next season, thinking about the talent that needs to be evaluated. Not LA though.

I consider that sort of thinking by management as dumb. No matter what a team should try to protect itself. Those guys know injuries are a big part of sports and it can alter the course of a season. So top five protected to me was a big mistake when there were an additional three picks involved. If it was that single first rounder then I can understand that a little more, oh well.

I agree, I don't see Houston being in the top 14 unless there is a major injury. They did lose Parsons though who I feel is more versatile than Ariza. It will be interesting to see how they do.

Another great post Randy! Actually Kobe could have done something like taking a big pay cut to build a somewhat quick rebuilding process... If Kobe is really up for winning another title than having his millions, he would come into his senses and help this team, not in a heroic game winners anymore because we know he is DONE... Take a pay cut!!

Agree, but I didn't want Nash to start with, living here in Phoenix, all I heard was Nash is done and it's time to let him go in FA. Than when Lakers traded for him, Suns fans, radio hosts here were laughing on how Suns got away with robbery.

The pipedream strategy could have been a realistic option only if Jeanie Buss didn't sign Kobe to 2 yrs $48M. Kobe has plenty of blame because unlike the reports say, I think he would not accept under a certain dollar amount and his people, not Kobe, told the Lakers what he'd play for. The Lakers should have said hell no you'll play for xx amount or not play for us at all. I know the Kobe die hards would have a fit but it's the Lakers first and in the case of the Buss family it's your damn business so make smart BUSINESS decisions. Once Kobe was locked in all the potential options of having a big two with solid role players went out the door before the damn season even ended smh.

Kevin Love isn't coming and neither is Durant or Westbrook so why not build a team? The plan B is to wait for dudes that already have better options with current teams or with the Cavs.

Too bad SPQR has been Repped already, cos I would have done it. Well said, SPQR.

Sad that the Lakers are being led by a guy whom my gf describes as a "gross, hicky redneck that has money." A stupid and untalented one I might add.

I hated to desert my Lakers -- as you see, I am still checking Lakers LTB -- but this guy, as Joe Pesci said in Casino -- could f*ck up a ham sandwich.

My pithy observation: "With the new social media reality of the now, you can't sell the past anymore." Phil who? (Besides, Jim has alienated Jackson.)

Wait until you guys hear the rest of the story. Jimmy Buss is going to be the new coach of the Lakers! Always been his dream, and now he's in a position to do it.

Is the Lakers FO crazy? Just read the story that the Lakers offered Dirk Nowitski a max deal before resigned with Dallas. Not sure how many years it was for, but if it would have been for more than two years it would have been a brutal move. Now is not the time to make desperate moves. There are still free agents to go after in the future.

Who anointed you LITERARY KING?

Get a job as an editor before you criticize a guy who can write rings around you.

Did you ever hear of scrolling past a long post? There is a down arrow in case you don't know.

Maybe we should make a five-letter per word limit for people like you.

Besides, I am from originally from NYC and we hate people who tattle. Running to Dave like a little baby is not something to be proud of.

Well Wilt, I'm not the least bit surprised. They have this chronic infatuation with Jurassic blasts from the past. They are so obsessed with these vintage relics, that they are willing to go the extra mile and overpay them, in order to acquire their exclusive rights/services. They don't mind compromising some "lousy" first round picks in the process.

Kupchak's motto is: "If you fail to land a current superstar....get one from the 80's."

By the way I did read bits of it... I respect the writer but this is just old stuff rehashed , that we all knew/know about

Believe me, I could see that Nash was done, he was being guarded by Fisher and Nash couldn't take advantage. Nash could only play a certain amount of minutes per game due to his back and his age so when I saw what the Lakers gave up I was irate. My next thought was that there is no way Phoenix could have truthfully asked for that much for a guy about to turn 38. I don't think the lakers know how to negotiate, Nash trade, Kobe contract and no telling what else is on its way.

What's the point of this? Hey LTB I don't like to read anything over two paragraphs?

That's the issue when you're thirsty for a star to be on a team with a 36 year old. Personally I feel Melo was overpaid. Teams throwing the max at a scorer who is 30. When has scoring been a lakers weakness? The lakers have other issues that were clearly ignored like maybe a roster.

The only player in this FA class worthy of the max was LBJ. Melo couldn't even get the Knicks into the eastern conference playoffs. I am so glad we missed out. Bosh put up numbers on par with Pau Gasol last season and Miami will not be winning any titles any time soon.

Like I said several times in the team tank thread there was never going to be any star free agent coming here in the summer and it was imperative that we lost as many games last season so we could have got a future star.

We are clearly not making the playoffs again this year.

Lets look at the teams that have got better. Hawks, Nets, Hornets, Bulls, Cavs, Mavs, Pistons, Clippers, Blazers, Wizards.

Teams that didn't really get better but are still better than the Lakers. Nuggets, Warriors, Rockets, Pacers, Grizzlies, Heat, Twolves, Pelicans, Thunder, Suns, Spurs, Raptors.

So that leaves the following teams that are on the Lakers level. Celtics, Bucks, Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Kings, and the Jazz.

Do those teams look familiar from last season?

Have to jump on the bandwagon and say good post SPQR. I am too spent to comment on the dazzling FO's ability to not understand that they are rebuilding, but are so scared of Kobe's wrath that they went after players that were not even considering coming here and finding ways to ignore building a team.....and not hiring a coach!!!!!! Hollins who was a coach that would have given this team an identity....gone and now they are playing with Byron Scott (who I am not real impressed with the longer the Lakers hold out on him.) Anyway, a lot you guys covered anything I wanted to say of substance and Gem the Lin move was actually a good move and imagine if Mitch and company was making moves like this full time.

I'd say the clippers stayed the same. Knicks got worse and same with the rockets.

Wow, looking at the bottom dwellers, finishing bottom 3 this season or even dead last doesn't seem far fetched! PHX's pick is In serious jeopardy...lol

The point is it was way to long ... He could have shortened it and still made all those points

Oh and thank for the smart azz reply

The clippers lost Collison, Grainger and Willie Green.

Replaced them with Hawes and Farmar. When cp3 is going to play more than 35mins per game losing Collison wasn't that big. Signing Hawes to play the stretch and give Blake more room down low was huge so i disagree.

Yes the rockets got worse but they are still way better than the Lakers.

The knicks are bottom dwellers just like ourselves

Seriously dodged a bullet that Dirk didn't jump on that contract offer.

What points did you come across if you didn't read it?

Oh and you're welcome btw.

I confess I'm replying out of the blind and did not look up the date on which you've posted, so this could've changed in the meantime.

You are right in essence, although I'd say the Rockets got worse.

I also I think Suns, Grizzlies and Pelicans all got better (other teams too, but in babysteps).

Particularly Memphis. Ok, they lost Mike Miller, but he was essentially a scorer who grabbed some rebounds. With Vince Carter hey got a great two way player, who can also handle the ball and will address their bigges issue, socring, especially of the bench. They also are going to get Pondexter back, who really is an upgrade over James Johnson... I know he was just injured, but if he plays where he left of in the 2013 playoffs, he can help them immensely and even start over Prince. Their first rounder while also addressing the scoring need, is lighting up the Summer league and apart from Jabari Parker, has been the most consistent player so far out of the first rounders in the draft. I know stakes are low in the Summer league, but he looks like someone who can help out in the rotation.

Suns kept everyone who they had to, cleaned out the old guys who weren't really doing much for them and hindering the development of their stacked young roster, while getting Thomas and Ennis through the draft. That's a really solid guard rotation, since they play with two PG's at all times.

Asik may seem like a minor tweak and there's still a long way to go, but having a legit starting center next to Davis is huge, for a guy that needs that protection on both ends and who is on the verge of becoming a superstart. It'd be good for them if they could flip Gordon for a starting SF and re-sign Aminu, but I would say they are already better, since their biggest loss was a serviceable big man with an ok 18 footer in Jason Smith.

I did read parts of it .... The point is... I made a joke(meme) about how long it was(I was joking and sarcastic)... Your sarcasm meter is on low

Instead of either laughing or ignoring it ... U had to be the cool guy and get all serious on me

I love reading SPQR'D post...Some of them are a bit long for my taste.... I guess I don't have the patience to read a long post and most of the time it's on my phone... Deuces

I agree with you fully. I didn't see Melo or James coming but what surprised me was that the lakers reportedly offered the max to some other players out there. Personally I'm not a fan who is impressed with them going after big names. How about addressing weaknesses. Even without D'Antoni as coach, the lakers would have been weak defensively and I think they will be this year as well, Melo wasn't going to help the defense.

Oh snap! That was sarcasm? That was such a small blip on the sarcasm radar that it barely registered, I'll get it calibrated.

My apologies since it was intended as a joke. Too many people come on a post of his and complain about the length. It's this newer generation that annoys me with being able to get information off a tweet but won't read a news article. This same generation who thinks that garbage of a movie Transformers: extinction is a good movie since it has action but something far superior like Edge of Tomorrow barely gets noticed. Rant over, signing out.