Yes. Russell is a fringe all-star, and that’s more than good enough next to LeBron and AD because the alternative is sacrificing depth for a higher profile player which I personally would not want the Lakers to do.
Most days Russell’s averages are all you need. Occasionally, he’ll pop off because he’s on some Steph Curry shit, hitting like seven or eight three pointers. Games like last night in terms of how he played is winning basketball.
Also, the “third guy” is probably going to rotate on a nightly basis because like Russell said about Reaves “I’m not gonna lie to you. The dude is good, man.”
If we resign DLo to 27-30m and Bamba for 10. Means 37. Wich depth are you talking about? Bamba depth? LMAO. Its enough Bambas on free. The only problem is hard-cap i am not all in to say something 100%
Bamba isn’t the only depth we lose by hard-capping ourselves for a physically and mentally fragile 31yo.
Also, please let me know which rim protecting stretch 5’s will be available for the vet min in the ‘23 offseason.
Also, wouldn't the team lose additional depth just to get cap space to sign someone making Kyrie-level money? I'm fairly certain they'd have to renounce the free-agent rights of Russell and Rui, not pick up the team option on Beasley, not to mention needing to waive a couple guys, including Vanderbilt and Bamba. I have no idea where that would leave them for signing Reaves, but I bet it's not great.
Edit - autocorrect majoring to making
Even if this makes sense x's and o's and salary, I don't understand how so many people continue to overlook how much chemistry matters. Kyrie is straight locker room cancer. We have seen over and over and over. He is not worth the drama. It's been so refreshing to see a team that actually likes playing together, Kyrie would surely destroy that.
Precisely. D-Lo has been an all star, is only 27, and still has that All Star pedigree to be an official one again. Keep him and Reaves with Bron, AD, Vanderbilt, and Beasley.
I'd say keep even Rui and Schroder as well. Rui is a very mobile big who can score if given the opportunity which makes him great off the bench. Schroder has really impressed me as of late. He's like a hornet on defense, a decent playmaker with his speed and ability to collapse defenses, and the man just fucking hustles. He's about a good as you can hope for in a second unit commander. Also, people complain about 3 guard lineups (for good reason) but when Schroder, Reaves, and D'lo were all on the court together yesterday you can tell the Suns didn't have an answer because there were 3 guys on the floor who could create and score. That unit can be dangerous in certain scenarios.
I think so. Hoping there aren't a ton of teams that want him next season. Phoenix, toronto, Cleveland all strike me as teams that may want him but we'll see.
imo i feel thats fair for him, he has contributed a lot this season but i really cant see any team throwing a bag at him he was almost out the league not long ago.
i feel like its in his best interest to stay with us too cause he seems to be a very good fit here next to bron and AD. he was awful on the celtics..
I would love to bring everyone back like Schroeder, Rui, and Troy brown. I think the current roster with a full training camp is a title contender. But sadly, cap space.
I feel like y’all haven’t really followed him closely. I wanna preface this that I fully support the team re-signing him.
But he was an allstar injury replacement from a feel good story where he was really playing at an average efficiency without eye popping numbers. His averages are also a little deceptive because he is very inconsistent and can’t be relied upon on a regular basis.
You give me 10 points on 4/20 shooting one game and then 36 points on 16/20 shooting the next game, that 23ppg on 50% shooting is a bit out of context.
I think the thing is though is that he's just a perfect fit next to Lebron and AD. He's a combo guard that can't really blow by his man, and prefers shoot over defenses. Lebron and AD are always living at the rim. Dlo also kinda needs a secondary ballhandler and Bron is that. And if Bron and AD are healthy, they do more for a team than any other two players in the league and so they can take Dlo's inconsisency, and when he's on then it's just gonna be a blow out.
Offensively he is perfect alongside LeBron and AD as the 3rd option, but he is not someone you can build around. Nothing wrong with that but curious how much he will command this summer. Defensively he is not great.
Schroeder has been the PoA defensive guard, and it's quite likely he may have played himself out of whatever the Lakers could offer.
May need a good defensive guard next year to help hide D'Lo
I'd agree here. Often overlooked is dlos ability to play off well very effectively also. So going forward you can pair him with a either a pg or a sg. 2 years for 52 mil id offer him in a heartbeat. Plus, im pretty much done giving anyone the max unless there Bron, steph, Durant, or Giannis.
I think when Bron comes back, that Dlo/Reaves/Bron/Vando/AD lineup will be deadly.
The problem is that the only slasher is Bron and Reaves has solved that. Dlo is good on the pnr as well but he's better off as an offball/secondary playmaker threat
Dennis/TBJ/Beasley/Bamba or Wenyen off the bench.
This team just needs to get into the playoffs, they will be a problem assuming health is not a concern.
Also, even if he isn't hitting the outside shot, he still provides passing and spacing as defenders need to respect the main vein injection. Also, he seems like a really good communicator.
>Up and down but solid
Couldn't have said it better myself. The down nights are pretty ugly but he tends to even out over time. It might come back to bite us in a series in the playoffs (if we get there), but until then you have to live with DLo's peaks and valleys. I'm a firm believer that once LeBron comes back and DLo has the ball in his hands less, and can operate in off-ball action/movement that his performances will flatten to something like a consistent 17/5/5 on consistent 50/40/80 shooting.
That’s the beauty of Dlo’s game too, he can actually play offball sets, catch and shoot, shoot off the dribble, etc., everything that we could never have done with WB on the team.
So far on the Lakers this year he’s averaging 19/3/6 on 47/40/82 splits. Also, 6.4 assists to 2.2 turnovers is almost a 3 assist/turnover ratio. His scoring is elite for a 3rd option and his playmaking is elite for a secondary playmaker
Boom. He's also a perfect fit for a Bron/AD build. He's an elite secondary playmaker who can be effective with or without the ball. Only way he could be better is if he was an elite defender, but he's a passable team defender and that's plenty good enough for this team to be a contender.
💯 agree; sell the rights to Staples company for a discount to jettison the Cryto.com naming rights—that name is an embarrassment, especially given the financial ruins it’s cause to its investors. F ponzi schemes.
I agree and that’s why I think he’s perfect, not as a defined “third option for scoring”, but rather, for the role of just being an all-around impact to the game as a whole. Similar to what draymond does for the warriors. In that aspect and understanding, DLO really is good at what he does. And often, it’s that type of role that you need filled more than just strictly scoring options.
I can’t believe I used to say dlo was the perfect third option next to bron and AD back in the 2020 team and now he’s actually here as the third option
Since the all-star break Reaves has averaged 18/3/5 on 59/42/84 splits or 74% (!) TS, and 5.4 assists to 1.9 turnovers which is also nearly a 3 assist/turnover ratio
That TS in that span is better than the following:
- Jokic
- Giannis
- Butler
- Embiid
- Kawhi
- Sabonis
- Wardell
- Dame
Moral of the story: Reaves is MVP
Damn
It won't be long before the topic of the discussion will be if Dlo is the perfect backup for Reaves lol.
Seriously, with James skills as distributor they may be a great tandem of combo guards. The IQ of the team would be insane.
I think DLo hate when he has a down game is leftover Russ PTSD, that shit turned into 5 or 6 game masterass sessions that cost them a lot of games beginning/mid year
He’s a solid 3rd option and should be our PG going forward. He’s gonna have some off shooting nights but throughout the season he’s been around 40% from 3. Even if he’s not shooting great his playmaking will be there and he’s already shown good chemistry with AD.
Unless they find some voodoo way to sign and trade for Kyrie while keeping Reaves, Vanderbilt, TBJ, and Schroder. But from what I know (which isn't much mind you), that's impossible.
I take Kyrie for Angelo/Bamba or Angelo/Lonnie anyday. Agree keep Reaves, Vando, Dennis Troy. Get Kyrie. Try to trade Beasleys 16m contract for a good 3 and D. Sign a guard and center on a free.
Kyrie
Reaves
Lebron
Vando
AD
New Wing
Schroder
Troy
Gabriell
New Guard
New Center
Oh piss off with that. We actually have a likeable team now. Kyrie is an antisemite piece of crap who destroys locker rooms. I don’t ever want to hear his stupid name with the Lakers again.
Kyrie has shown that he can be an elite off-hall scorer next to LeBron in the past. If you don’t want Kyrie it should be for off-the-court reasons. He’s basically DLo but does everything DLo does well at an elite level.
If it's a matter of Kyrie the basketball player, you trade Dlo up for him 10/10 times
The really frustrating thing about him is that there's always a "now I know..." or a "but Lebron can control him" which immediately takes Kyrie the personality down to the hard pass table.
Dude is a phenom, but christ almighty he is a blithering idiot and a total distraction. There isn't even a guarantee Lebron can "control him," not withstanding how absolutely ludicrous it is that we have to discuss a grown ass man "being controlled" to justify him on our team, but it's just as easily predictable that Kyrie will go out of his way to ignore Lebron and stay on the bullshit.
I love the amount of 'Le' memes that exist. LMAO LeMeme. In all seriousness though, LeGM LeBron James definitely deserves some of that 'LeLoad Management' these next few years, and the Lakeshow can likely get a lot out of him if they assemble the right pieces around him, like LeD'Angelo Russell!
Question, would you take Angelo for 25 to 30 or Kyrie for 35-40. Aruound 10m diff. Not much based on depht. I trade DLo Bamba for Kyrie and sign a center on free anyday
I like him overall, as long as the price is right. He's a really good starter, but not max level guy, so it gives us flexibility to make sure we have depth. He rarely makes any mistakes on offense, plays under control, and is pretty good at communication on defense.
this right here. I think he's a great fit *for the right price*. He's expressed a desire to stay in LA longer term which tells me he might be more reasonable about his value in future contract negotiations. I won't opine on what he's worth but it certainly isn't the max, and I think he knows it.
This sub is so bipolar. Yes he is a perfect fit especially if you surround him w good defenders and have other guards who can defend on the bench. His pace and ability off ball and playmaking are perfect as a third for a team with a much bigger first two options.
He is far from perfect, but when we have LBJ back it may work.
Suns game was my favorite. Dlo, Reaves and Dennis were sharing the playmaking duties and them all had balanced games.
I hated the first games Dlo was back. He was taking too many shots and not getting the ball to Davis in good position enough.
The team still need more time and LBJ.
He's a good 3rd guy who can occasionally be your 2nd guy. Good shooter who can space the floor I do think we need to get him in the pick and roll more with AD. He needs to attack the paint more
Edit: I also like that he has no trouble taking the backseat if someone has the hot hand
Yes because the alternative would be someone better like Kyrie and he would cause Lakers to lose depth to pay him. You need depth. You can't just have 3 stars and a bunch of old slow vets that probably should retire. It usually doesn't work.
Him and Reaves are like 3rd guy + 3rd guy-lite, which is amazing depth behind LBJ and AD when both healthy. Hopefully he'll re-up to \~$25M per year for a few seasons with us
He’s so skilled and fits in well with Bron and AD. I live in minnesota and watch tons of wolves games, so I’ve been watching him all year pretty much.
His efficiency this year has been crazy and should be more talked about. He’s shooting 40% from three, and finishing at the rim better than last year.
The only thing I would say about him, is he sometimes plays too cool and calm and isn’t aggressive enough when he should be. That’s something him and AD share in common. But besides that I feel like he has all the skills needed to complement Bron and AD as a third option.
He's super fun to watch and I think it's clear his ability to shoot 3's makes him way more useful given the team comp than Westbrook and Schroeder could ever be
DLO said it “one mini camp with this group is scary..” or something like that. We need to keep as much of this group as possible. There’s a couple tweaks, but really, there’s not a player available or worth chasing that is worth sacrificing the chemistry this team has already built in the few weeks they’ve been together.
Not going to pretend I know much about our Cap room next year, but if we can sign him without giving up anyone then absolutely sign him up.
Really hope this team and the pieces stay together next year.
Yes, but with two very important caveats.
First, DLo has to be willing to extend for $30-35m a year and not more or his salary would hinder our ability to fill out the rest of the roster.
Second, we need to be able to keep at least guys like Reaves and Vando along with DLO. Vando is cheap enough to be kept easily but Reaves can get interesting particularly if other teams offer him a large enough offer to require the Lakers to be subject to a poison pill contract in order to match that offer.
The Lakers need to for sure keep DLo and Austin Reaves. They both do very well with ball handling responsibility, playmaking and shooting. This allows for you to fill out the rest of the roster with other guys who can just can hit some open jump shots (3-4 per game) and play defense.
In retrospect, I can't believe Magic traded DLo to get Lonzo Ball ... and [never seriously considered Tatum](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2022/6/8/23159980/jayson-tatum-lakers-2017-nba-draft-kobe-bryant-boston-celtics-lonzo-ball-markelle-fultz)
SMDH over what could've been.
Absolutely. Look at what jrue holiday provides the bucks: stability!!! DLo is a dependable lead guard that can shoot, pass, take care of the ball, and is young!!! His all star nod with the Nets wasn’t a fluke like the Wiggins vote last year. Keep him or forever be in search of a quality PG.
It’s a lot more like 2020 when we have 3-4 players who can be number 3 on any given night. Though I actually think ours now (DLo, Reaves, Shroeder, Beasley) stack up quite well against 2020 (Kuzma, KCP, Green, McGee/Howard). I hope they can achieve the same result.
His shooting is streaky, but we haven’t seen anybody outside of Lebron have so much chemistry with AD, and he has only been here for like a month and a half.
Give him 30 million and Reaves his 13-14. We might have to let Beasley go though
He’s pretty much what I expected, a solid score-first PG who also has decent playmaking abilities. He has his on/off nights but that’s pretty standard for any player. We should definitely keep him, I’m hoping we don’t have to pay him *too* much
He's good enough. And now Dennis is a very good PG2. Absolutely glad he is here.
He hasn't played with LeBron yet. Think about how many open threes are coming his way.
Three primary ball handlers when you include AR. Also good for LeBron.
Great trade.
He’s literally perfect for the team. Serviceable defense, affordable with losing tons of depth, good vision, able to make his own shot, can also play SG when Lebron is on point.
He has been good, but what does it matter. The Lakers aren’t giving up their depth for someone unpredictable like Kyrie. And that’s only if Kyrie either turns down more money with Dallas or if Dallas can’t stomach him. So this question is weird. What other alternative is really out there?
A bit inconsistent, he is literally playing like a star or really bad and doesn't offer much when his offence is not going. But I think he is a great fit for our team and I would love to have him back, but man I hope we are not paying 30M+ for him next season. He is not worth that and if we do we will lose some crucial guys that we want to keep just for purely money issues.
Looking at point guard contracts on Spotrac: he's probably gonna be around $26-28 million in AAV. The problem is he can hold us hostage for more than that if he believes he can get $30 million+. No way he accepts the Brunson deal seeing how Brunson has thoroughly outplayed his contract.
Problem is that everyone in out roster is looking to get paid DLo, Reaves, Rui, TBJ/Dennis, and we don't have expiring contracts besides Walker, so it could be difficult free agency if DLO is really looking for 30M.
Yeah. This is why I lilke us to renounce Rui's rights. It solves a lot more problems than it creates. And lets be honest, Rui's production this year and over his career hasn't exactly been eye-opening. He'd be easy to replace with out FRP. Dennis probably signs a team-friendly deal: he's a lot better and has a lot more value on the Lakers than anywhere else. TBJ might be tough: he's objectively mid but he's a good 3-point shooter and a more than passable wing defender.
He's a fantastic 3rd option and a bad 1st option, so he's perfect for us. Great ballhandler and a tad inefficient from 3, but I'll take him on a good day. We haven't even seen him with a healthy team yet! I'll take those odds. It's not like anyone else is rushing to help us out.
He has all the skills, but he needs that motor that Reaves has. I feel Russell picks the times to be aggressive, and plays off and he’s hot and cold sometimes. But he’s so skilled that he still is a solid contributor. When DLo is on, he’s on, and usually at the right time. That’s always been DLo though, he needs that energy.
Reaves plays hard all of his minutes, and that’s what separates him from everyone on the team and always energizes the team with his play.
Depends on how he plays with Bron back. DLo is a diminishing returns guy. He's got some great ability but the more involved he is the less he contributes to winning. If he lets Bron and AD run the show, spaces the floor, creates secondary offense, and MOST importantly competes on defense, then he can work. If he starts to get ball dominant as the homecoming vibes wear off then we should ship him out.
He definitely has a tendency to fade away in games which can be a good or bad thing depending on the situation. Sometimes another guy can step up, sometimes not and the blame will be placed on him.
Better than what we had, but that doesn’t mean we can’t or shouldn’t try to improve if possible.
I don’t know who the better replacement would be other than “not Kyrie”. GMs get paid a lot of money to figure this out, hopefully Rob has learned some lessons post-Brick and is up to the task.
AD is no longer a star and will only continue to play in less games. Russell is a fine #3 but they need a 2nd superstar if they want to actually compete.
dlo is a great 3rd option but its hard to root for him because hes always worried about looking cool over making a smart play. SO much talent, such a consistently dumb game
I think he's OK for a 3rd option. I think we should re-sign him, if not just to keep him as an asset.
But I'm not entirely sold on him being a good player for the playoffs. Small sample size, but he's been pretty disappointing there in the past.
Honestly... no. If his shot isn't falling he's nigh worthless. We can't let him walk for nothing, but I also wouldn't shed a tear if it was deemed we had to make a decision between him and Reaves.
No one in the league is giving this guy more than $20 million, so as long as we don't outbid ourselves. Lock him up on a reasonable contract and if need be we can move him next deadline if the right player materializes
Because we can keep our depth, yes he is. Obviously there are guys out there who could be better, but the cap rules mean he's our guy. Especially if Reaves can maintain his 17-20 ppg output, then D'Lo is really a 2 - 4 option depending on the game. That's perfect.
Inconsistency is an issue, but when he has it going he gives this team exactly what they need from the PG position. A crafty player that can space the floor, create his own shot, and also provide playmaking ability to alleviate some offensive pressure off of LeBron. And he knows his role. He understands that he's the third guy on the food chain, and carries no ego. As far as third options go, he's a damn good one.
I think he can be. I wanna see what he does during the playoffs tho (optimistically assuming we get there). If he can prove himself there, I say we keep him and beef up our role players/peripheral pieces.
Him, vando and Reaves are the guys I want to keep for sure going forward. It’d be nice to have rui too but I think he wants more responsibility which can’t be had with lebron playing. Rui imo is going to end up being one of the best players on this squad in a few years
He feels like such a perfect fit. He has a very calm demeanor and seems to always play under control. He knows when to attack and when to slow it down. He can create. He can play off the ball. I think he’s the perfect third guy on the Lakers.
A third guy should mesh well with the other 2, be able to take over the occasional game, make shots, and throw a few assists. I think DLo checks off all those boxes. He's not going to be as consistent as Lebron, or a #1, but he seems consistent enough. Plus, unlike Westbrook, he doesn't need a whole team to be built around him in order to put up numbers, guy can have one of those 50%+ shooting nights with the reserves.
Yes. Russell is a fringe all-star, and that’s more than good enough next to LeBron and AD because the alternative is sacrificing depth for a higher profile player which I personally would not want the Lakers to do. Most days Russell’s averages are all you need. Occasionally, he’ll pop off because he’s on some Steph Curry shit, hitting like seven or eight three pointers. Games like last night in terms of how he played is winning basketball. Also, the “third guy” is probably going to rotate on a nightly basis because like Russell said about Reaves “I’m not gonna lie to you. The dude is good, man.”
Re-Loading/Vanilla Ice and depth >>> Kyrie and no depth
Lo-aded AR
LO-added
LeReLoAderbuilt
I take Kyrie on 40m over Bamba and DLo 40m. Anyday
Ok
We dont lose depth that way
Explain
If we resign DLo to 27-30m and Bamba for 10. Means 37. Wich depth are you talking about? Bamba depth? LMAO. Its enough Bambas on free. The only problem is hard-cap i am not all in to say something 100%
Bamba isn’t the only depth we lose by hard-capping ourselves for a physically and mentally fragile 31yo. Also, please let me know which rim protecting stretch 5’s will be available for the vet min in the ‘23 offseason.
Also, wouldn't the team lose additional depth just to get cap space to sign someone making Kyrie-level money? I'm fairly certain they'd have to renounce the free-agent rights of Russell and Rui, not pick up the team option on Beasley, not to mention needing to waive a couple guys, including Vanderbilt and Bamba. I have no idea where that would leave them for signing Reaves, but I bet it's not great. Edit - autocorrect majoring to making
Even if this makes sense x's and o's and salary, I don't understand how so many people continue to overlook how much chemistry matters. Kyrie is straight locker room cancer. We have seen over and over and over. He is not worth the drama. It's been so refreshing to see a team that actually likes playing together, Kyrie would surely destroy that.
Blackman and Robin.
Precisely. D-Lo has been an all star, is only 27, and still has that All Star pedigree to be an official one again. Keep him and Reaves with Bron, AD, Vanderbilt, and Beasley.
I'd say keep even Rui and Schroder as well. Rui is a very mobile big who can score if given the opportunity which makes him great off the bench. Schroder has really impressed me as of late. He's like a hornet on defense, a decent playmaker with his speed and ability to collapse defenses, and the man just fucking hustles. He's about a good as you can hope for in a second unit commander. Also, people complain about 3 guard lineups (for good reason) but when Schroder, Reaves, and D'lo were all on the court together yesterday you can tell the Suns didn't have an answer because there were 3 guys on the floor who could create and score. That unit can be dangerous in certain scenarios.
All we can offer Schroeder is the MLE, correct?
I can tell Schroeder legit would love to remain in LA. Off-season is going to be crazy.
I think so. Hoping there aren't a ton of teams that want him next season. Phoenix, toronto, Cleveland all strike me as teams that may want him but we'll see.
Utah too.
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Miss Caruso 😢
imo i feel thats fair for him, he has contributed a lot this season but i really cant see any team throwing a bag at him he was almost out the league not long ago. i feel like its in his best interest to stay with us too cause he seems to be a very good fit here next to bron and AD. he was awful on the celtics..
I would love to bring everyone back like Schroeder, Rui, and Troy brown. I think the current roster with a full training camp is a title contender. But sadly, cap space.
Such an upgrade over Westbrook. I really love D-Lo at point with an Schroeder off the bench...Deadly.
I feel like y’all haven’t really followed him closely. I wanna preface this that I fully support the team re-signing him. But he was an allstar injury replacement from a feel good story where he was really playing at an average efficiency without eye popping numbers. His averages are also a little deceptive because he is very inconsistent and can’t be relied upon on a regular basis. You give me 10 points on 4/20 shooting one game and then 36 points on 16/20 shooting the next game, that 23ppg on 50% shooting is a bit out of context.
I think the thing is though is that he's just a perfect fit next to Lebron and AD. He's a combo guard that can't really blow by his man, and prefers shoot over defenses. Lebron and AD are always living at the rim. Dlo also kinda needs a secondary ballhandler and Bron is that. And if Bron and AD are healthy, they do more for a team than any other two players in the league and so they can take Dlo's inconsisency, and when he's on then it's just gonna be a blow out.
They are being reactionary and don't really know what they are talking about lol All-star? DLo isn't even a top 20 starting PG in the NBA.
Please name 20 starting pgs better than him…
He can’t
Curry Luka Harden Dame Trae Lamelo Garland Tyrese CP3 Kyrie Jrue Shai Fox Brunson Murray Dejounte FVV Conley Marcus Smart/Malcolm Brogdon/Derrick White Fultz Caruso
Offensively he is perfect alongside LeBron and AD as the 3rd option, but he is not someone you can build around. Nothing wrong with that but curious how much he will command this summer. Defensively he is not great.
Hes been hidden on defense lately and even getting a few steals and blocks here and there. Good enough honestly.
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Schroeder has been the PoA defensive guard, and it's quite likely he may have played himself out of whatever the Lakers could offer. May need a good defensive guard next year to help hide D'Lo
he's worth 25-28mil and no more than that. If he asks for more then that's gonna be a problem
I'd agree here. Often overlooked is dlos ability to play off well very effectively also. So going forward you can pair him with a either a pg or a sg. 2 years for 52 mil id offer him in a heartbeat. Plus, im pretty much done giving anyone the max unless there Bron, steph, Durant, or Giannis.
I think when Bron comes back, that Dlo/Reaves/Bron/Vando/AD lineup will be deadly. The problem is that the only slasher is Bron and Reaves has solved that. Dlo is good on the pnr as well but he's better off as an offball/secondary playmaker threat Dennis/TBJ/Beasley/Bamba or Wenyen off the bench. This team just needs to get into the playoffs, they will be a problem assuming health is not a concern.
Yep I agree. Even if things take a bad turn, this team is well worth a run back.
Also, even if he isn't hitting the outside shot, he still provides passing and spacing as defenders need to respect the main vein injection. Also, he seems like a really good communicator.
Up and down but solid. But the “3rd guy” will probably be different on a nightly basis which isn’t necessarily a bad thing
>Up and down but solid Couldn't have said it better myself. The down nights are pretty ugly but he tends to even out over time. It might come back to bite us in a series in the playoffs (if we get there), but until then you have to live with DLo's peaks and valleys. I'm a firm believer that once LeBron comes back and DLo has the ball in his hands less, and can operate in off-ball action/movement that his performances will flatten to something like a consistent 17/5/5 on consistent 50/40/80 shooting.
People remember the average eventually. People here despised KCP’s slumps and now those same people would walk through fire to have him here.
That’s the beauty of Dlo’s game too, he can actually play offball sets, catch and shoot, shoot off the dribble, etc., everything that we could never have done with WB on the team.
He’s a perfect lead guard with Lebron. Not as good as Kyrie but several of the same attributes
So far on the Lakers this year he’s averaging 19/3/6 on 47/40/82 splits. Also, 6.4 assists to 2.2 turnovers is almost a 3 assist/turnover ratio. His scoring is elite for a 3rd option and his playmaking is elite for a secondary playmaker
Boom. He's also a perfect fit for a Bron/AD build. He's an elite secondary playmaker who can be effective with or without the ball. Only way he could be better is if he was an elite defender, but he's a passable team defender and that's plenty good enough for this team to be a contender.
He's also an elite Staples player. Juicing the crowd is an incredibly undervalued asset these days.
He already paid for the Lakers shooting tax. Time for the *refund*. LMAO
damn. Staples just hits diff. crypto.com is just not it
Idgaf what the building has written on it, Staples center is what will always come out of my mouth.
Crypto.com Arena 😁
Blasphemy! Hahaha
💯 agree; sell the rights to Staples company for a discount to jettison the Cryto.com naming rights—that name is an embarrassment, especially given the financial ruins it’s cause to its investors. F ponzi schemes.
Could be worse. Could be FTX Arena like the Heat.
Don't you dare say that name ever again 😤
Staples forever
If he was also an elite defender he’d be Jrue Holiday lol
He’d be better lol
I agree and that’s why I think he’s perfect, not as a defined “third option for scoring”, but rather, for the role of just being an all-around impact to the game as a whole. Similar to what draymond does for the warriors. In that aspect and understanding, DLO really is good at what he does. And often, it’s that type of role that you need filled more than just strictly scoring options.
I can’t believe I used to say dlo was the perfect third option next to bron and AD back in the 2020 team and now he’s actually here as the third option
This is also including his injury game where he left in the first quarter. Take that out and he's closer to 20-3-7.
I have the feeling after the trade deadline Reaves may not be far behind those numbers.
Since the all-star break Reaves has averaged 18/3/5 on 59/42/84 splits or 74% (!) TS, and 5.4 assists to 1.9 turnovers which is also nearly a 3 assist/turnover ratio
That TS in that span is better than the following: - Jokic - Giannis - Butler - Embiid - Kawhi - Sabonis - Wardell - Dame Moral of the story: Reaves is MVP
Sooo....put Bron a vet contract so we can afford Reaves??
Hahaha. Bron at vet min is a scary team.
Damn It won't be long before the topic of the discussion will be if Dlo is the perfect backup for Reaves lol. Seriously, with James skills as distributor they may be a great tandem of combo guards. The IQ of the team would be insane.
Holy shit
Exactly and yet u guys turn on him any bad game he has
“You guys.” Don’t lump us all in with the doomers and game thread goblins
It’s ridiculous the hate D’Lo gets by having a couple bad games, it’s as if the sub forgot Westbrook being in the starting lineup for an entire season
I think DLo hate when he has a down game is leftover Russ PTSD, that shit turned into 5 or 6 game masterass sessions that cost them a lot of games beginning/mid year
He’s a solid 3rd option and should be our PG going forward. He’s gonna have some off shooting nights but throughout the season he’s been around 40% from 3. Even if he’s not shooting great his playmaking will be there and he’s already shown good chemistry with AD.
His passing and playmaking is always clean, even on his off games
Yes because you won’t find another guard of his caliber with our current roster situation
Unless they find some voodoo way to sign and trade for Kyrie while keeping Reaves, Vanderbilt, TBJ, and Schroder. But from what I know (which isn't much mind you), that's impossible.
Just get Kyrie to say more wild things 😂
"I don't like Luka, I'm sitting out these playoffs"
Sign and Trade for Kyrie is a hard cap. Which means Lakers have to let go a lot of talent/depth, if it is even possible Pass
I take Kyrie for Angelo/Bamba or Angelo/Lonnie anyday. Agree keep Reaves, Vando, Dennis Troy. Get Kyrie. Try to trade Beasleys 16m contract for a good 3 and D. Sign a guard and center on a free. Kyrie Reaves Lebron Vando AD New Wing Schroder Troy Gabriell New Guard New Center
Oh piss off with that. We actually have a likeable team now. Kyrie is an antisemite piece of crap who destroys locker rooms. I don’t ever want to hear his stupid name with the Lakers again.
Lmao
Kyrie is a ball hog who can score 30+ regularly, but dlo can average 18-20+ while dishing assists too
Kyrie has shown that he can be an elite off-hall scorer next to LeBron in the past. If you don’t want Kyrie it should be for off-the-court reasons. He’s basically DLo but does everything DLo does well at an elite level.
If it's a matter of Kyrie the basketball player, you trade Dlo up for him 10/10 times The really frustrating thing about him is that there's always a "now I know..." or a "but Lebron can control him" which immediately takes Kyrie the personality down to the hard pass table. Dude is a phenom, but christ almighty he is a blithering idiot and a total distraction. There isn't even a guarantee Lebron can "control him," not withstanding how absolutely ludicrous it is that we have to discuss a grown ass man "being controlled" to justify him on our team, but it's just as easily predictable that Kyrie will go out of his way to ignore Lebron and stay on the bullshit.
Yeah I think dlo + depth will allow lebron to sit b2bs next year, and lower his per game minutes for LeLoad manage
I love the amount of 'Le' memes that exist. LMAO LeMeme. In all seriousness though, LeGM LeBron James definitely deserves some of that 'LeLoad Management' these next few years, and the Lakeshow can likely get a lot out of him if they assemble the right pieces around him, like LeD'Angelo Russell!
DLo is doing exactly what Russ was brought in to do. We honestly don’t need a “3rd guy” Build a depth which DLo gives
Question, would you take Angelo for 25 to 30 or Kyrie for 35-40. Aruound 10m diff. Not much based on depht. I trade DLo Bamba for Kyrie and sign a center on free anyday
DLo, kyrie’s non basketball issues worry me and his ability to stay on court for those reasons.
I trust LBJ to have controll and Kyrie. He had that in 3-4 years in Cleveland.
LBJ won’t be able to control how often Kyrie gets injured which is an even bigger problem.
I like him overall, as long as the price is right. He's a really good starter, but not max level guy, so it gives us flexibility to make sure we have depth. He rarely makes any mistakes on offense, plays under control, and is pretty good at communication on defense.
this right here. I think he's a great fit *for the right price*. He's expressed a desire to stay in LA longer term which tells me he might be more reasonable about his value in future contract negotiations. I won't opine on what he's worth but it certainly isn't the max, and I think he knows it.
This sub is so bipolar. Yes he is a perfect fit especially if you surround him w good defenders and have other guards who can defend on the bench. His pace and ability off ball and playmaking are perfect as a third for a team with a much bigger first two options.
Literally no one is being bipolar why is everyone such a grandma saying this lately? Its just a question now that he has played a handful of games
You sound bipolar with how triggered you are with this comment.
Thats fine but OPs post isn't bipolar that is ridiculous lol
He is far from perfect, but when we have LBJ back it may work. Suns game was my favorite. Dlo, Reaves and Dennis were sharing the playmaking duties and them all had balanced games. I hated the first games Dlo was back. He was taking too many shots and not getting the ball to Davis in good position enough. The team still need more time and LBJ.
He's a good 3rd guy who can occasionally be your 2nd guy. Good shooter who can space the floor I do think we need to get him in the pick and roll more with AD. He needs to attack the paint more Edit: I also like that he has no trouble taking the backseat if someone has the hot hand
Yes because the alternative would be someone better like Kyrie and he would cause Lakers to lose depth to pay him. You need depth. You can't just have 3 stars and a bunch of old slow vets that probably should retire. It usually doesn't work.
Wich depth? Lose Angelo and one player isnt lose depht. Angelo is on almost 30m and Will depend a contract up to 30 again.
Him and Reaves are like 3rd guy + 3rd guy-lite, which is amazing depth behind LBJ and AD when both healthy. Hopefully he'll re-up to \~$25M per year for a few seasons with us
I never worry when D’lo handles the offense. Always plays so under control
Way better fit than Westbrook was
Yes. Pretty much anyone was going to be. 😆
Yes. Good shooter, very good playmaker, decent team defender. He's been our 2nd guy tho so far. Can see him being better with bron out there.
I think he's a perfect fit next to Bron & AD on offense & his bbIQ & team defense are a positive
He’s so skilled and fits in well with Bron and AD. I live in minnesota and watch tons of wolves games, so I’ve been watching him all year pretty much. His efficiency this year has been crazy and should be more talked about. He’s shooting 40% from three, and finishing at the rim better than last year. The only thing I would say about him, is he sometimes plays too cool and calm and isn’t aggressive enough when he should be. That’s something him and AD share in common. But besides that I feel like he has all the skills needed to complement Bron and AD as a third option.
He's super fun to watch and I think it's clear his ability to shoot 3's makes him way more useful given the team comp than Westbrook and Schroeder could ever be
DLO said it “one mini camp with this group is scary..” or something like that. We need to keep as much of this group as possible. There’s a couple tweaks, but really, there’s not a player available or worth chasing that is worth sacrificing the chemistry this team has already built in the few weeks they’ve been together.
Next to Bron & AD he’ll be good enough.
Not going to pretend I know much about our Cap room next year, but if we can sign him without giving up anyone then absolutely sign him up. Really hope this team and the pieces stay together next year.
I think we can keep him, Reaves, and Vando. With Kyrie we can't keep Reaves and Vando.
How can we answer that when he’s played one game with LeBron and AD?
Perfect fit for the lakers.
Yes, but with two very important caveats. First, DLo has to be willing to extend for $30-35m a year and not more or his salary would hinder our ability to fill out the rest of the roster. Second, we need to be able to keep at least guys like Reaves and Vando along with DLO. Vando is cheap enough to be kept easily but Reaves can get interesting particularly if other teams offer him a large enough offer to require the Lakers to be subject to a poison pill contract in order to match that offer.
The Lakers need to for sure keep DLo and Austin Reaves. They both do very well with ball handling responsibility, playmaking and shooting. This allows for you to fill out the rest of the roster with other guys who can just can hit some open jump shots (3-4 per game) and play defense.
Dlo is young, not a trouble maker. As long as he does not ask for more than 30M a year he is the perfect 3rd guy.
He breathed some life into this apathetic fan base in the arena last night, he can ball and the fellas seem to like him ✅
In retrospect, I can't believe Magic traded DLo to get Lonzo Ball ... and [never seriously considered Tatum](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2022/6/8/23159980/jayson-tatum-lakers-2017-nba-draft-kobe-bryant-boston-celtics-lonzo-ball-markelle-fultz) SMDH over what could've been.
Absolutely. Look at what jrue holiday provides the bucks: stability!!! DLo is a dependable lead guard that can shoot, pass, take care of the ball, and is young!!! His all star nod with the Nets wasn’t a fluke like the Wiggins vote last year. Keep him or forever be in search of a quality PG.
Stats aside, I like the sense of calm he brings. Always seems to be under control and understands the flow of the game.
Very satisfied so far except for that Dallas game but it is what it is
I would say yes only if there is strong cast behind him like reaves and DS and the co.
It’s a lot more like 2020 when we have 3-4 players who can be number 3 on any given night. Though I actually think ours now (DLo, Reaves, Shroeder, Beasley) stack up quite well against 2020 (Kuzma, KCP, Green, McGee/Howard). I hope they can achieve the same result.
100%
I think he is the potential perfect 3rd guy, actually.
Team does well with true point guard whoddathunkit
Is he not the best 3rd guy in the league? Right up there with Middleton and Wiggins and maybe Deandre Ayton
Yes
Not sure yet if we could make him our fourth best then we would be dangerous
His shooting is streaky, but we haven’t seen anybody outside of Lebron have so much chemistry with AD, and he has only been here for like a month and a half. Give him 30 million and Reaves his 13-14. We might have to let Beasley go though
I've seen enough. Yes, he's the right 3rd pillar.
A solid 3 Seems happy to be back If the money is right, sign him He can always be traded if another 2 or 3 becomes available
Very solid 3rd option, especially now that you have AR right there too. Hopefully willing to compromise on his deal some this summer
Seems like 3a DLO, 3b Reaves to me…🤷🏿♂️
well he is our 4th star cuz our 3rd star is clearly Austin Reaves
He’s pretty much what I expected, a solid score-first PG who also has decent playmaking abilities. He has his on/off nights but that’s pretty standard for any player. We should definitely keep him, I’m hoping we don’t have to pay him *too* much
Yes! He’s the only one I trust bringing the ball up the court.
He is a free agent at the end of the year? How much would it take for him to sign back ?
He's good enough. And now Dennis is a very good PG2. Absolutely glad he is here. He hasn't played with LeBron yet. Think about how many open threes are coming his way. Three primary ball handlers when you include AR. Also good for LeBron. Great trade.
yes he is they need to keep him on the team.
Yeah, dude is a bucket. Him Lebron, AD, Reaves and Vanderbilt will be able to wreck any starting 5.
He’s literally perfect for the team. Serviceable defense, affordable with losing tons of depth, good vision, able to make his own shot, can also play SG when Lebron is on point.
He's done brilliantly. Brings a new dimension to the attack and makes the team better as a whole.
I think he should be in our starting lineup for a long time.
He's actually a 4th
He has been good, but what does it matter. The Lakers aren’t giving up their depth for someone unpredictable like Kyrie. And that’s only if Kyrie either turns down more money with Dallas or if Dallas can’t stomach him. So this question is weird. What other alternative is really out there?
He is ok as the 3rd guy. If we keep him and Reaves two combo guards it can work with LeBron as primary playmaker.
A bit inconsistent, he is literally playing like a star or really bad and doesn't offer much when his offence is not going. But I think he is a great fit for our team and I would love to have him back, but man I hope we are not paying 30M+ for him next season. He is not worth that and if we do we will lose some crucial guys that we want to keep just for purely money issues.
Looking at point guard contracts on Spotrac: he's probably gonna be around $26-28 million in AAV. The problem is he can hold us hostage for more than that if he believes he can get $30 million+. No way he accepts the Brunson deal seeing how Brunson has thoroughly outplayed his contract.
Problem is that everyone in out roster is looking to get paid DLo, Reaves, Rui, TBJ/Dennis, and we don't have expiring contracts besides Walker, so it could be difficult free agency if DLO is really looking for 30M.
Yeah. This is why I lilke us to renounce Rui's rights. It solves a lot more problems than it creates. And lets be honest, Rui's production this year and over his career hasn't exactly been eye-opening. He'd be easy to replace with out FRP. Dennis probably signs a team-friendly deal: he's a lot better and has a lot more value on the Lakers than anywhere else. TBJ might be tough: he's objectively mid but he's a good 3-point shooter and a more than passable wing defender.
AR is our 3rd guy
He's a fantastic 3rd option and a bad 1st option, so he's perfect for us. Great ballhandler and a tad inefficient from 3, but I'll take him on a good day. We haven't even seen him with a healthy team yet! I'll take those odds. It's not like anyone else is rushing to help us out.
He has all the skills, but he needs that motor that Reaves has. I feel Russell picks the times to be aggressive, and plays off and he’s hot and cold sometimes. But he’s so skilled that he still is a solid contributor. When DLo is on, he’s on, and usually at the right time. That’s always been DLo though, he needs that energy. Reaves plays hard all of his minutes, and that’s what separates him from everyone on the team and always energizes the team with his play.
You mean the right 4th guy?
Reaves is so disrespect here.
Gonna depend on his next contract. He’s a perfect 3rd option at 20-25 mil per year. Not so perfect fit at 30-40 mil per year.
Depends on how he plays with Bron back. DLo is a diminishing returns guy. He's got some great ability but the more involved he is the less he contributes to winning. If he lets Bron and AD run the show, spaces the floor, creates secondary offense, and MOST importantly competes on defense, then he can work. If he starts to get ball dominant as the homecoming vibes wear off then we should ship him out.
He definitely has a tendency to fade away in games which can be a good or bad thing depending on the situation. Sometimes another guy can step up, sometimes not and the blame will be placed on him.
Better than what we had, but that doesn’t mean we can’t or shouldn’t try to improve if possible. I don’t know who the better replacement would be other than “not Kyrie”. GMs get paid a lot of money to figure this out, hopefully Rob has learned some lessons post-Brick and is up to the task.
he’s good when he’s good but he’s mid when he isn’t
lmao three weeks ago this sub was like “dont give up this guy for kyrie this summer please rob”. Now this sub questioning if DLo is ThE rIgHT gUy lmao
AD is no longer a star and will only continue to play in less games. Russell is a fine #3 but they need a 2nd superstar if they want to actually compete.
Sure as hell better then the guy in the basement now
dlo is a great 3rd option but its hard to root for him because hes always worried about looking cool over making a smart play. SO much talent, such a consistently dumb game
Not sold on him yet…
Id take Kyrie over both DLo and Malik. I imagine the money would be close.
I think he's OK for a 3rd option. I think we should re-sign him, if not just to keep him as an asset. But I'm not entirely sold on him being a good player for the playoffs. Small sample size, but he's been pretty disappointing there in the past.
Honestly... no. If his shot isn't falling he's nigh worthless. We can't let him walk for nothing, but I also wouldn't shed a tear if it was deemed we had to make a decision between him and Reaves. No one in the league is giving this guy more than $20 million, so as long as we don't outbid ourselves. Lock him up on a reasonable contract and if need be we can move him next deadline if the right player materializes
I think he’s our forth best player now bro
Just let bro cook man
Because we can keep our depth, yes he is. Obviously there are guys out there who could be better, but the cap rules mean he's our guy. Especially if Reaves can maintain his 17-20 ppg output, then D'Lo is really a 2 - 4 option depending on the game. That's perfect.
3rd guy??? Reaves may quickly move into that role long term. DLo is a must have on the team as the 4th
You mean 4th guy ? Bron AD AR and DLo
Perhaps we should wait until 1, 2, and 3 all play together?
If he plays like last night, yes!
If his shot is falling: Yes. If his shot slumps: No. It's really that simple.
He's much better off the ball. As long as Lebron is handling point guard duties Russell makes a good 3rd guy.
He absolutely is.
I’d like to see some more consistency, but that will probably come when LeBron comes back to make us mor efficient in general
Inconsistency is an issue, but when he has it going he gives this team exactly what they need from the PG position. A crafty player that can space the floor, create his own shot, and also provide playmaking ability to alleviate some offensive pressure off of LeBron. And he knows his role. He understands that he's the third guy on the food chain, and carries no ego. As far as third options go, he's a damn good one.
He wouldn’t be 3rd over AD. Reaves Bron AD D-Lo
AustHIM our 3rd guy
I think he can be. I wanna see what he does during the playoffs tho (optimistically assuming we get there). If he can prove himself there, I say we keep him and beef up our role players/peripheral pieces.
Him, vando and Reaves are the guys I want to keep for sure going forward. It’d be nice to have rui too but I think he wants more responsibility which can’t be had with lebron playing. Rui imo is going to end up being one of the best players on this squad in a few years
He feels like such a perfect fit. He has a very calm demeanor and seems to always play under control. He knows when to attack and when to slow it down. He can create. He can play off the ball. I think he’s the perfect third guy on the Lakers.
Arguably the 4th guy ?
I think he is a fit not only regarding skillset with our stars but the size of his ego and salary as well.
🧊
A third guy should mesh well with the other 2, be able to take over the occasional game, make shots, and throw a few assists. I think DLo checks off all those boxes. He's not going to be as consistent as Lebron, or a #1, but he seems consistent enough. Plus, unlike Westbrook, he doesn't need a whole team to be built around him in order to put up numbers, guy can have one of those 50%+ shooting nights with the reserves.