PorkChop wrote:After striking out in free agency I gotta believe the Lakers will have their eyes on the prize next year. LSU's fr Ben Simmons is the prize of next year's draft and he happens to project as a sf which would fill a need. Russell , Simmons and Randlw would be a nice building block. What happens if the Wolves have the injury bug again and find themselves in a position to draft him next year? That's the question . I believe the wolves will be lottery bound one more year but towards the back end. But if key players go down ......
There is no way, as long as Kobe is a Laker, that they intentionally tank for draft position. If he gets hurt, different story.
Not sure it would have to be intentional. Even if Kobe doesnt go down , I think he'll miss enough games here n there for rest or nagging lititle injuries that they'll struggle to win more than 20 or so . Imo
If I remember correctly kobe brought his best defensive game of the season against wiggins last year. Ripped him at least once. Don't think he could sustain it a full game at this point, but that is the exact match up a gamer like kobe uses to extract every last drop from his body.
I don't think he can guard either consistently on the move anymore. In isolation or post ups he's still very crafty.
If I remember correctly kobe brought his best defensive game of the season against wiggins last year. Ripped him at least once. Don't think he could sustain it a full game at this point, but that is the exact match up a gamer like kobe uses to extract every last drop from his body.
I don't think he can guard either consistently on the move anymore. In isolation or post ups he's still very crafty.
Considering the perimeter players on the Lakers old Kobe is probably better than most of them which isn't saying much.
Lakers summer league team seems to be pretty solid. I think they some how might have put together a soild young group with Russell, Clarkson, Randle, Black, and Upshaw.
bleedspeed177 wrote:Lakers summer league team seems to be pretty solid. I think they some how might have put together a soild young group with Russell, Clarkson, Randle, Black, and Upshaw.
They beat a pretty good 76ers team last night, but they couldn't beat the Wolves. They actually looked better last night with Randle not playing...he was terrible against Adreian Payne. Clarkson (or maybe Okafor) might be the best player playing in Vegas. I'd love to see the Wolves and Lakers in the championship game, but Hoiberg has his Bulls looking good too.
I was never sold on Randle. Seems to be a short and not have the length or explosiveness to excel at this level. Not saying can't, but that was my concern coming out of Kentucky. That team was a lot better with Towns in his place. (and getting a year older for most)
