Firing coach Luke Walton at this stage of the season would be unnecessary and cruel, Marc Stein of The New York Times opines. A coaching change now wouldn’t improve the Lakers‘ short-team prospects beyond appeasing frustrated fans, Stein continues. It’s generally assumed around league coaching circles that Walton will likely lose his job after the season, followed by the Lakers resuming their trade quest for the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis, Stein adds.
We have more on the struggling Lakers:
- Forward Brandon Ingram has been putting up big numbers over the last six games, averaging 27.8 points and 7.5 rebounds, Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register notes. “He’s at the point where he kind of took his destiny in his hands, being more aggressive and being himself,” Suns coach Igor Koskoskov said. “We know he’s a talented player, versatile player.” The club has until opening night next season to reach a contract extension with Ingram, who is still on his rookie deal.
- The G League’s South Bay Lakers claimed big man Spencer Hawes off waivers, according to a press release. Hawes last played in the NBA during the 2016/17 season, when he saw action in a combined 54 games for the Hornets and Bucks.
- Missing the playoffs would be a complete organizational failure, ESPN’s Zach Lowe argues. Despite the team’s injury issues and the uneasiness in the locker room over the Davis trade talk, there’s no other way to look at LeBron James‘ first season with the Lakers should they fail to make the postseason, Lowe adds.
- The Lakers have to keep their minds off the Davis situation to finish the season on a positive note, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes.
Giving away Zubac for free to not only a rival but the team you are chasing was incredibly dumb. Better hope they get another star this summer.
Lets just start of with letting thomas bryant and randle go for nothing. Trading zubac is the least of our issues. The roster is poorly constructed and is only gonna get worse as they trade away depth for one player. We all know a trade is coming and our whole roster will be gutted for Anthony davis. Luke will be fired weather they make playoffs or not, some puppet coach like tyrone lue will come in. Lakers will sign kyrie and other aging vets and try to unsuccesfully unseat the top teams in league. Lebron will further handicap the lakers until he leaves after his four years leaving the lakers in perpetual rebuild like the suns.
If “somehow” the Lakers acquire Davis, they won’t have the cap space for a max free agent.
Who has been the biggest disappointment in the NBA this season, the Lakers or the Celtics?
Celtics. No one had expectations for tge Lakers but the Lakers.
No one? You might want to go back into the archives on this site alone. Lots of people were just assuming the Lakers would be the #2 or #3 seed in the West. Not even predicting, basically treating it as if it were predestined. Of course, a lot of those same people were saying the East was a two horse race between the Sixers and the Celtics. As they say, that’s why they play the games.
That was all Lakers fans and dumb ESPN writers dude. No one smart actually bought in. They are exactly as good as should have been expected for a mediocre team that missed its point guard and best player for months each.
No expectations for LeDiva? Yeah, right.
One statement I heard was when LeBron signed, the young guys were looking up to him and asking him questions. Not any more.
Leborn is not the leader he thinks he is. I can’t see if you look at the current clipper lineup and there’s and say how the Clippers are better.
This would make a good article topic and poll. I have to say the Celtics though. They were so good just last year, and I can’t figure out what their problem is.
Lakers were never good so their struggles make more sense.
HR has asked a lot of “community” questions about the Lakers, though not necessarily in comparison to another. I’m sure it’s coming though.
One hangup to that: all the posters who say about the Lakers that “everyone said this” or “everyone said that”.
There was always a wide diversity of opinion on the new-look Lakers.
People who get their sports news by watching TV will overrate the importance of Lebron because just saying that name boosts their ratings.
I think the Celtics will get it together come playoff time. Too much talent. The FO of the Lakers on the other hand made very poor decisions when it came to building around LeBron. Randle is a better TT and that worked for LeBron in CLE but they didn’t keep him. Then they signed a bunch of non-shooters in Rondo, Lance, Javale and Beasley. Basically they did the opposite of what worked for Cleveland for some reason. The Lakers have been more disappointing for sure.
Can’t hang everything on Luke. Massive injury time plus the trade deadline debacle, and the LBJ adjustment period to start the season adds up to a lost season. Any other coach in the league would be lucky to have this team sitting as the 8th seed.
Jeannie Buss and Lebron James would not have made the statements they have recently if some players were not giving up on the season for whatever reason.
Ingram starting “being himself” six days ago underlines this.
Magic will likely be on the hook for this.
The Lakers should trade LeBron for AD.
No player is worth a straight up trade with AD, so not gonna happen dude!
You not taking Giannis for AD?
The only person getting fired from the Lakers should be Magic Johnson.
He should be held responsible for losing Paul George and Kawhi too because of the lowball offers he made, saying I’m not going to make an offer when I can get them in free agency. He was banking on his name attracting them to the Lakers.
They were no good for the Lakers, why would you wanna sign 2 SF when LBJ is your SF, glad they didn’t sign them, Lakers need a SG & a C, so Kawhi wouldn’t fit the team. They need Klay, Butler, DMC, Vucevic…
You overvalue everything tied to the Lakers. Magic goes on Jimmy Kimmel and gets in trouble for comments about George. Pop says he wants every valuable asset the Lakers have. You don’t know what you are talking about. The New Orleans owner Gayle Benson refused to deal with the Lakers because she wanted a chance at Tatum first. Again you don’t know what you are talking about. Klay says he wants to stay with the Warriors. You need to do a betterr job of listening.
Ingram is having such a phenomenal season… way better than anyone could have expected. Right now he has put himself way ahead of Tatum. While JT has gone backwards, BI has made gigantic steps forward again this season like last year. Ingram is gonna be such a big star.
anyone watch laker games? shot selection from veteran players has been atrocious, blaming walton’s just irresponsible. last yr he was great with developing the kuzma/ingram.
Who got #NEXT? Mark Jackson, JKidd, or Ty Lu?
mebron!
Phil Jackson coming back to implement the triangle.
Having the lakers suck the past decade has been fine with me. They’ll eventually bounce back cause they’re LA, but for now I am enjoying it. Also seeing LeBron flail and fail is also enjoyable.
Saying “they’ll eventually bounce back cause they’re LA” is like saying that about the Knicks for the last 25 years “just because it’s NY”
They suck this decade but still won a title. Says a lot about the Lakers. So many teams are desperate just for that
Oh, but baby Lebron wants Walton fired. Boo hoo