For my thoughts on each player going in ascending order of MP and starting from the bottom, with a tweet for each guy:
Derrick Williams
-- I basically forgot he was ever on the team.
Derrick Williams
-- I basically forgot he was ever on the team.
Nigel Hayes:
-- Thought he could contribute and didn't get enough of a shot with the team. Pity it didn't work out but he feels like a guy who's going to do well in SL, grab a camp invite, and end up on a TW. Probably should be in the conversation with the Lakers there.
-- Thought he could contribute and didn't get enough of a shot with the team. Pity it didn't work out but he feels like a guy who's going to do well in SL, grab a camp invite, and end up on a TW. Probably should be in the conversation with the Lakers there.
Luol Deng
-- I honestly dunno why he wouldn't accept PT, even spot minutes this year. The only thing that was going to grease his way out of LA was showing that he could be a rotation player. Props to him for being a professional behind the scenes but yeah. Hopefully gone soon.
-- I honestly dunno why he wouldn't accept PT, even spot minutes this year. The only thing that was going to grease his way out of LA was showing that he could be a rotation player. Props to him for being a professional behind the scenes but yeah. Hopefully gone soon.
Andre Ingram
-- GOAT.
-- Probably deserves a LVSL invite. There's a LOT of competition in the backcourt so he might be the victim of a numbers game but should be in the conversation.
-- Shooting is valuable so he might eke out a role somewhere. Helps he can attack a closeout.
-- GOAT.
-- Probably deserves a LVSL invite. There's a LOT of competition in the backcourt so he might be the victim of a numbers game but should be in the conversation.
-- Shooting is valuable so he might eke out a role somewhere. Helps he can attack a closeout.
Vander Blue
-- It felt like a gratuitous TW at the time and it was. Dude was just an AAAA player who just wasn't ever to cut it. Opportunity cost for him was the likes of Trey Burke. Shows you that the TW is a valuable asset and you can't blithely give it away to people.
-- It felt like a gratuitous TW at the time and it was. Dude was just an AAAA player who just wasn't ever to cut it. Opportunity cost for him was the likes of Trey Burke. Shows you that the TW is a valuable asset and you can't blithely give it away to people.
Thomas Bryant
-- Excitement around him notwithstanding, does have significant holes in his game, particularly on D and lacks a lot of polish. His motor and 3P shot are big assets though and he has a good foundation moving forward. Nothing guaranteed re: rotation but good shot.
-- Excitement around him notwithstanding, does have significant holes in his game, particularly on D and lacks a lot of polish. His motor and 3P shot are big assets though and he has a good foundation moving forward. Nothing guaranteed re: rotation but good shot.
Gary Payton
-- He's probably too flawed to ever really make it work. Rebounding and ball hawking are great and he has respectable court vision but scoring is such a chore for him and he's such an irresolute gambler on D. Maybe he gets a LVSL invite but again, LOTS of competition.
-- He's probably too flawed to ever really make it work. Rebounding and ball hawking are great and he has respectable court vision but scoring is such a chore for him and he's such an irresolute gambler on D. Maybe he gets a LVSL invite but again, LOTS of competition.
Channing Frye
-- He's a legit rotation player. Obviously the stretch five aspect but he can (sort of) attack closeouts and defend respectable. +1.48 RPM. Of all of the guys to keep around on the cheap in the bottom half of the rotation, he should be tops among them.
-- He's a legit rotation player. Obviously the stretch five aspect but he can (sort of) attack closeouts and defend respectable. +1.48 RPM. Of all of the guys to keep around on the cheap in the bottom half of the rotation, he should be tops among them.
Travis Wear
-- He slowed down significantly to finish out the year re: shooting but the combination of that shooting (in theory at least) plus decent feet probably means that he deserves a chance to compete for a spot. I'd give him a LVSL and camp invite. Surpassed expectations.
-- He slowed down significantly to finish out the year re: shooting but the combination of that shooting (in theory at least) plus decent feet probably means that he deserves a chance to compete for a spot. I'd give him a LVSL and camp invite. Surpassed expectations.
Andrew Bogut
-- I get the theory behind signing him originally but he ultimately just ended up taking PT from Randle and that sucked. Dude can defend but was a bit disastrous on offense. Frye taking the veteran mantle from him will be a huge boon, esp. b/c Frye can actually play.
-- I get the theory behind signing him originally but he ultimately just ended up taking PT from Randle and that sucked. Dude can defend but was a bit disastrous on offense. Frye taking the veteran mantle from him will be a huge boon, esp. b/c Frye can actually play.
Ivica Zubac
-- That he didn't develop skill-wise is a huge bummer. No added range, no short range passing, no added post stuff. But that he added short range quickness to improve massively on D IS important and should be a feather in his cap. Still in the fight for the rotation.
-- That he didn't develop skill-wise is a huge bummer. No added range, no short range passing, no added post stuff. But that he added short range quickness to improve massively on D IS important and should be a feather in his cap. Still in the fight for the rotation.
Isaiah Thomas
-- Good!IT was a huge asset for the team and some unfortunate comments notwithstanding, he brought the right attitude to this situation. w/o burst, just might not be able to make it work w/physical foibles though. For min, wouldn't mind him back but not otherwise.
-- Good!IT was a huge asset for the team and some unfortunate comments notwithstanding, he brought the right attitude to this situation. w/o burst, just might not be able to make it work w/physical foibles though. For min, wouldn't mind him back but not otherwise.
Alex Caruso
-- Never was really able to translate his G League production to the league, particularly as a 3P shooter but foundation is there as a strong defensive guy who can also run an offense. Still high on him sticking as a very respectable backup option. Get him to LVSL.
-- Never was really able to translate his G League production to the league, particularly as a 3P shooter but foundation is there as a strong defensive guy who can also run an offense. Still high on him sticking as a very respectable backup option. Get him to LVSL.
Tyler Ennis
-- Bleh. Yeah, he was a lot better than the grousing that he provoked from Laker Twitter and he did yeoman's work on D, but when he was bad, he was baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad and his game was super aesthetically displeasing. Someone please claim his roster spot.
-- Bleh. Yeah, he was a lot better than the grousing that he provoked from Laker Twitter and he did yeoman's work on D, but when he was bad, he was baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad and his game was super aesthetically displeasing. Someone please claim his roster spot.
Corey Brewer
-- He could defend, gambling notwithstanding, and when he had his random big games, they were massive shots in the arm, but he's so damn limited offensively. Wing guys like that need to be prime Tony Allen on D to work in the modern NBA and that he is not.
-- He could defend, gambling notwithstanding, and when he had his random big games, they were massive shots in the arm, but he's so damn limited offensively. Wing guys like that need to be prime Tony Allen on D to work in the modern NBA and that he is not.
Larry Nance Jr.
-- The most selfish unselfish dude ever. Insanely frustrating for someone who should be a fan favorite. If he made threes, the narrative around him would be incredibly different. Instead, his self-imposed limitations on offense are just too much to manage.
-- The most selfish unselfish dude ever. Insanely frustrating for someone who should be a fan favorite. If he made threes, the narrative around him would be incredibly different. Instead, his self-imposed limitations on offense are just too much to manage.
Jordan Clarkson
-- He reversed what was a big regression for him last season and did genuinely improve, although he still had a lot of dumb moments. Still, it was enough to basically get the Lakers a first rounder and for that he should get a hat tip from Lakers fans.
-- He reversed what was a big regression for him last season and did genuinely improve, although he still had a lot of dumb moments. Still, it was enough to basically get the Lakers a first rounder and for that he should get a hat tip from Lakers fans.
Josh Hart
-- Ball skills and in-between game are a big limiting factor on his ceiling but his D is incredibly valuable for a heavy switching D. That he hits threes is a big cherry on top. Hopefully the dynamism he had off the dribble to close the season endures going forward.
-- Ball skills and in-between game are a big limiting factor on his ceiling but his D is incredibly valuable for a heavy switching D. That he hits threes is a big cherry on top. Hopefully the dynamism he had off the dribble to close the season endures going forward.
Brook Lopez
-- Brook the most impressive of the offseason additions not counting the rookies. His ability to defend in space quietly was a significant factor in helping the Lakers' D stay afloat and erase mistakes. Obviously being a stretch five a huge plus. Hopefully he's back.
-- Brook the most impressive of the offseason additions not counting the rookies. His ability to defend in space quietly was a significant factor in helping the Lakers' D stay afloat and erase mistakes. Obviously being a stretch five a huge plus. Hopefully he's back.
Lonzo Ball
-- Team's ROY. Yeah, he couldn't shoot. Yeah, his confidence issues were bizarre. He was an outrageously good guard defender in YEAR ONE and basically stuffed the stat sheet in every other respect. This isn't to diminish the work he needs on offense but super excited.
-- Team's ROY. Yeah, he couldn't shoot. Yeah, his confidence issues were bizarre. He was an outrageously good guard defender in YEAR ONE and basically stuffed the stat sheet in every other respect. This isn't to diminish the work he needs on offense but super excited.
Brandon Ingram
-- Made the jump he needed to make. It wasn't quite a "here's-a-future-star-in-making" jump but it was enough to stay excited about his future. He has the type of game where gradual improvements everywhere could see exponential returns b/c of nature of his game.
-- Made the jump he needed to make. It wasn't quite a "here's-a-future-star-in-making" jump but it was enough to stay excited about his future. He has the type of game where gradual improvements everywhere could see exponential returns b/c of nature of his game.
Julius Randle
-- As w/BI, he made the necessary jump and most impressively, did so on D and w/o getting the outside shot. His consistency this entire season perhaps the most remarkable thing. Dude's gotten better each year, have to be excited about prospect of bringing him back.
-- As w/BI, he made the necessary jump and most impressively, did so on D and w/o getting the outside shot. His consistency this entire season perhaps the most remarkable thing. Dude's gotten better each year, have to be excited about prospect of bringing him back.
Kyle Kuzma
-- Has more holes than someone w/excitement around his game should (passing, D, etc.); he's borderline Swaggy-in-PF-form w/o elite efficiency. But skill level and work ethic so high that you have to be optimistic about it working out. P&R ballhandler work could be big.
-- Has more holes than someone w/excitement around his game should (passing, D, etc.); he's borderline Swaggy-in-PF-form w/o elite efficiency. But skill level and work ethic so high that you have to be optimistic about it working out. P&R ballhandler work could be big.
KCP
-- Props to him for producing post-jail and bringing it on most nights. The 3P shooting and D were big. If PG wasn't viewed as such a big possibility, he might be a higher priority. But he's still pretty young and genuinely looked like a plus player. Wish him best of luck.
-- Props to him for producing post-jail and bringing it on most nights. The 3P shooting and D were big. If PG wasn't viewed as such a big possibility, he might be a higher priority. But he's still pretty young and genuinely looked like a plus player. Wish him best of luck.
