The Purple and Gold Crossroads
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:30 am
Lakers Tap Jestor To Decide Hollywood's Fate
Will Kobe Bryant play out the rest of his career in Purple and Gold, or will new GM Jestor send him packing?
One is arguably the most successful franchise in professional basketball history, in a city known for glitz, glamour, and a seedy underbelly. The other is an at-times controversial front office and media maestro, most recently from another city equally known for its equal parts dazzling displays and shadowy streets. The marriage of team and general manager could not be more perfect, the Los Angeles Lakers felt, and so they recently announced the signing of Jestor, creator of the eponymous hoops philosophy known as Jestorball.
The new GM from Las Vegas (and many other places besides) inherits a roster that can't decide whether it wants to contend around the trio of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Steve Nash, or go through the painful process of rebuilding following a season that can only be described as miserable. The previous front office's decision to sign Kobe to a two year extension without waiting to see what the market would bear for him also plays into this and makes Jestor's decision as to the team's direction that much more difficult. Certainly there would be lynchings were the Black Mamba to slither out of L.A., but Jestor has never been one to shy from unpopular decisions that enrage fanbases.
What *is* certain is that the entire coaching staff - Mike D'Antoni, John Kuester, Quin Snyder, and Chuck Person - is gone. The very first thing Jestor did upon touching down in the City of Angels is send all four coaches their pink slips, as is his traditional post-hiring bloodbath's method. Sources say he's already reached out to Rudy Tomjanovich, Eddie Jordan, T.R. Dunn, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as his first coaches for a replacement staff, building a blend of talents that will serve the Lakers well, no matter which path they go down.
As for the roster itself?
Point Guard
Steve Nash - 39
Even at his age, Nash is still one of the most elite floor generals in the CSL. He's tailor-made for the Jestorball offense, and given that he's under contract next season, could well be playing when he's 40, a rarity even in this day and age of advanced nutrition and medical technology. If the Lakers plan to contend this year, Nash will be a big part of it, playing the role of distributor within the system. His defense will be an issue, but as long as the shot falls and the dimes stack, his lack of speed on that end of the floor won't be an issue.
Jordan Farmar - 26
First impressions are that Jestor loves the look of Farmar as a backup point guard. Doesn't quite have the passing or IQ to be a starter in this system, but as a reserve, he should play controlled, mistake-free basketball in the passing game, and at least try to contribute a little bit of something on both offense and defense. The least likely of the Lakers' plethora of young, scrappy reserves to find a new home.
Kendall Marshall - 21
Excellent handles and terrific basketball IQ, but that's all you can really say about him at this point. Every other skillset is terrible, and there's question as to if he has any upside left, or if he's just going to play out the thread as a third string point this year and next. That said, if he can succeed anywhere, it's going to be here.
Shooting Guard
Kobe Bryant - 34
The Lakers' hopes for a successful season really begin and end with the Black Mamba. Jestor hates snakes with a passion, and reportedly doesn't like Kobe as a person at all, but the two can find common ground in their fierce competitive natures, and confidence that sometimes, perhaps even frequently, crosses over into arrogance. From a pure basketball standpoint, Kobe is precisely the sort of big, dependable scoring guard with all-around skills, even at his advanced age, that Jestorball loves. Should Kobe stay on the team and Los Angeles go for a title, you can bet they're going to run Jetor's favored Isolation offense, last seen to surprising effects with Nash and Marcin Gortat on the NSL's Suns.
Nick Young - 27
Swaggy P isn't quite as ballsy a shooter as his reputation leads one to believe, but he's got the size the system prefers and could provide a burst of bench scoring and ball security. Like most of the Lakers' young wings, he's mediocre at best on the defensive end, although being 6'6, 200 will help alleviate those concerns, particularly if the Lakers go with a zone-heavy setup, which seems very likely given the overall lack of individual defense.
Jodie Meeks - 26
Looking for differentiation between Meeks and Swaggy P? You won't find much - Meeks is a slightly better defender and ballhandler, but Young is smarter. Otherwise, they're essentially clones of each other. In fact, the single biggest divider between them is that Young likes to shoot jumpers and 3 pointers, whereas Meeks is a 3 point zonebreaking specialist and much smaller at 6'4. It'll be an interesting battle to see who ends up as Bryant's backup, if either one - The front office is scouring the waiver wire and has already put in a claim on veteran swing Marquis Daniels.
Marshon Brooks - 24
If Swaggy P is the all-around perimeter shooter and Meeks is the 3 point gunner, then Brooks is the slasher. Otherwise that's pretty much it. Oh, he's also the midpoint in height and IQ as well, but he's really going to be limited to SF if he plays at all. Also the worst defense of the three.
Kent Bazemore - 24
Bench cheerleader extraordinaire. Will be cut immediately.
Small Forward
Wesley Johnson - 26
6'7, the best perimeter defender not named Kobe, and the best perimeter foul drawer on the team? Say hello to your starting Lakers' small forward, everyone. Really more of a 2 guard than a SF with his complete lack of rebounding talent, but such is the complete lack of talent at the 3 on this roster that he's forced into a starting spot by default. This will be a situation the Lakers seek to address most heavily in any moves they make, whether through street claims or small trades, should they opt to rebuild.
Shawne Williams - 27
He can play a little defense, handle the rock okay, and likes to shoot the 3. Oh, and he's 6'9. That's about the best you can say for him.
Power Forward
Jordan Hill - 25
Jestor's favorite IRL Laker this past season, he'll step in as the starting power forward and be a player the front office would ideally like to keep around long-term on a reasonable contract due to that favored player status. Not the greatest rebounder, but he's got some shotblocking and foul-drawing ability and, most importantly for Jestorball, he comes already prepared to take most of his shots in the post. Could end up playing above his scouted talent in the system as a result.
Ryan Kelly - 22
Already handed his walking papers along with Bazemore.
Pau Gasol and Jestorball just makes sense for a title chase
Center
Pau Gasol - 32
Lakers fans the world over complain about Pau playing too soft, and it's quite clear he's beyond his days as a prime player, but when you have a scoring big with a natural nose for the post, who passes and handles with great skill, can still bring underrated defense and rebounding ability, plays very smart basketball, and can grab some rebounds, you have the perfect Jestorball big man. There's already a team who's made an inquiry to the Spaniard. but according to spies in the organization, such a trade is predicated on a specific set of circumstances that we'll discuss after this roster review.
Chris Kaman - 31
There are worse bench bigs around, like the player below him, and though Kaman is far removed from his great years with the rival Clippers, he still provides defense, a bit of shotblocking, and offensive scoring bench, in addition to 7'0, 265 lbs. Where he's lacking is in the rebounding department - a consistent theme we're seeing throughout these Lakers big men. Regardless, unless Los Angeles bags another big in trade or off the street, he's going to fill in both bench big spots, thereby getting starter level minutes.
Robert Sacre - 23
There's only two things saving him from being cut outright: 1) He sticks to the paint. 2) He has a three year contract (admittedly just a 2nd rounder's deal). Otherwise, he'd be gone.
Overall Synopsis
To be honest, after reviewing the roster, it's quite clear why the Lakers chose Jestor out of all the applicants. The Steve Nash/Kobe Bryant/Pau Gasol trio is absolutely perfect for Jestorball under the current league rules, and it's one that will give the Purple and Gold the optimal chance of competing in a very tough West that just saw the blockbuster trade of Serge Ibaka, Russell Westbrook and Derek Fisher from the Thunder to the Timberwolves for Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Chase Budinger, and J.J. Barea.
There are two paths open to the Lakers, as the internal trade block revealed.
The Rebuild Path
Under this scenario, at least 2 of the 3 of Bryant, Gasol, and Nash find new homes, and at least one of them will have to be Kobe. The front office is refusing to consider a rebuild scenario that involves him staying while Nash and Gasol leave. As noted above, one team has already asked about Pau, and there will doubtless be more coming as the days follow. But unless there's offers the team likes for at least Kobe and either Gasol or Nash, if not all three, this scenario isn't happening, and they'll instead go the other direction.
The Contending Path
Obviously the Big Three stay in this situation, and the Lakers then use their ready-made cap flexibility and 2nd round picks to lure in long-term contracts of talented players to upgrade their forward spots and improve their overall bench. It's highly unlikely any first round picks leave in either of these situations, but if it did, it would be limited to this year's only, due to consecutive pick rule, and by Year 3, the rebuild will have begun. Such first rounder would also need to have a guaranteed starter before it would be included. The waiver wire also finds itself visited often, and with 2 roster spots open after the cutting of Ryan Kelly and Kent Bazemore, the Lakers have already claimed Marquis Daniels, whose 6'6, 200 lbs frame is similar to Kobe's, and whose defensive talents and low scoring demands would make a perfect for the starting SF spot, allowing Wesley Johnson to be the 6th man wing.
Improving the big man situation will be more difficult. The street is woefully lacking in rebounding bigs and so that will have to come via trade without sacrificing any primary attributes, but if the Lakers go the contending route as seems far more likely at this particular point in time, doubtless the front office will find a way to get it done.
Will Kobe Bryant play out the rest of his career in Purple and Gold, or will new GM Jestor send him packing?
One is arguably the most successful franchise in professional basketball history, in a city known for glitz, glamour, and a seedy underbelly. The other is an at-times controversial front office and media maestro, most recently from another city equally known for its equal parts dazzling displays and shadowy streets. The marriage of team and general manager could not be more perfect, the Los Angeles Lakers felt, and so they recently announced the signing of Jestor, creator of the eponymous hoops philosophy known as Jestorball.
The new GM from Las Vegas (and many other places besides) inherits a roster that can't decide whether it wants to contend around the trio of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Steve Nash, or go through the painful process of rebuilding following a season that can only be described as miserable. The previous front office's decision to sign Kobe to a two year extension without waiting to see what the market would bear for him also plays into this and makes Jestor's decision as to the team's direction that much more difficult. Certainly there would be lynchings were the Black Mamba to slither out of L.A., but Jestor has never been one to shy from unpopular decisions that enrage fanbases.
What *is* certain is that the entire coaching staff - Mike D'Antoni, John Kuester, Quin Snyder, and Chuck Person - is gone. The very first thing Jestor did upon touching down in the City of Angels is send all four coaches their pink slips, as is his traditional post-hiring bloodbath's method. Sources say he's already reached out to Rudy Tomjanovich, Eddie Jordan, T.R. Dunn, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as his first coaches for a replacement staff, building a blend of talents that will serve the Lakers well, no matter which path they go down.
As for the roster itself?
Point Guard
Steve Nash - 39
Even at his age, Nash is still one of the most elite floor generals in the CSL. He's tailor-made for the Jestorball offense, and given that he's under contract next season, could well be playing when he's 40, a rarity even in this day and age of advanced nutrition and medical technology. If the Lakers plan to contend this year, Nash will be a big part of it, playing the role of distributor within the system. His defense will be an issue, but as long as the shot falls and the dimes stack, his lack of speed on that end of the floor won't be an issue.
Jordan Farmar - 26
First impressions are that Jestor loves the look of Farmar as a backup point guard. Doesn't quite have the passing or IQ to be a starter in this system, but as a reserve, he should play controlled, mistake-free basketball in the passing game, and at least try to contribute a little bit of something on both offense and defense. The least likely of the Lakers' plethora of young, scrappy reserves to find a new home.
Kendall Marshall - 21
Excellent handles and terrific basketball IQ, but that's all you can really say about him at this point. Every other skillset is terrible, and there's question as to if he has any upside left, or if he's just going to play out the thread as a third string point this year and next. That said, if he can succeed anywhere, it's going to be here.
Shooting Guard
Kobe Bryant - 34
The Lakers' hopes for a successful season really begin and end with the Black Mamba. Jestor hates snakes with a passion, and reportedly doesn't like Kobe as a person at all, but the two can find common ground in their fierce competitive natures, and confidence that sometimes, perhaps even frequently, crosses over into arrogance. From a pure basketball standpoint, Kobe is precisely the sort of big, dependable scoring guard with all-around skills, even at his advanced age, that Jestorball loves. Should Kobe stay on the team and Los Angeles go for a title, you can bet they're going to run Jetor's favored Isolation offense, last seen to surprising effects with Nash and Marcin Gortat on the NSL's Suns.
Nick Young - 27
Swaggy P isn't quite as ballsy a shooter as his reputation leads one to believe, but he's got the size the system prefers and could provide a burst of bench scoring and ball security. Like most of the Lakers' young wings, he's mediocre at best on the defensive end, although being 6'6, 200 will help alleviate those concerns, particularly if the Lakers go with a zone-heavy setup, which seems very likely given the overall lack of individual defense.
Jodie Meeks - 26
Looking for differentiation between Meeks and Swaggy P? You won't find much - Meeks is a slightly better defender and ballhandler, but Young is smarter. Otherwise, they're essentially clones of each other. In fact, the single biggest divider between them is that Young likes to shoot jumpers and 3 pointers, whereas Meeks is a 3 point zonebreaking specialist and much smaller at 6'4. It'll be an interesting battle to see who ends up as Bryant's backup, if either one - The front office is scouring the waiver wire and has already put in a claim on veteran swing Marquis Daniels.
Marshon Brooks - 24
If Swaggy P is the all-around perimeter shooter and Meeks is the 3 point gunner, then Brooks is the slasher. Otherwise that's pretty much it. Oh, he's also the midpoint in height and IQ as well, but he's really going to be limited to SF if he plays at all. Also the worst defense of the three.
Kent Bazemore - 24
Bench cheerleader extraordinaire. Will be cut immediately.
Small Forward
Wesley Johnson - 26
6'7, the best perimeter defender not named Kobe, and the best perimeter foul drawer on the team? Say hello to your starting Lakers' small forward, everyone. Really more of a 2 guard than a SF with his complete lack of rebounding talent, but such is the complete lack of talent at the 3 on this roster that he's forced into a starting spot by default. This will be a situation the Lakers seek to address most heavily in any moves they make, whether through street claims or small trades, should they opt to rebuild.
Shawne Williams - 27
He can play a little defense, handle the rock okay, and likes to shoot the 3. Oh, and he's 6'9. That's about the best you can say for him.
Power Forward
Jordan Hill - 25
Jestor's favorite IRL Laker this past season, he'll step in as the starting power forward and be a player the front office would ideally like to keep around long-term on a reasonable contract due to that favored player status. Not the greatest rebounder, but he's got some shotblocking and foul-drawing ability and, most importantly for Jestorball, he comes already prepared to take most of his shots in the post. Could end up playing above his scouted talent in the system as a result.
Ryan Kelly - 22
Already handed his walking papers along with Bazemore.
Pau Gasol and Jestorball just makes sense for a title chase
Center
Pau Gasol - 32
Lakers fans the world over complain about Pau playing too soft, and it's quite clear he's beyond his days as a prime player, but when you have a scoring big with a natural nose for the post, who passes and handles with great skill, can still bring underrated defense and rebounding ability, plays very smart basketball, and can grab some rebounds, you have the perfect Jestorball big man. There's already a team who's made an inquiry to the Spaniard. but according to spies in the organization, such a trade is predicated on a specific set of circumstances that we'll discuss after this roster review.
Chris Kaman - 31
There are worse bench bigs around, like the player below him, and though Kaman is far removed from his great years with the rival Clippers, he still provides defense, a bit of shotblocking, and offensive scoring bench, in addition to 7'0, 265 lbs. Where he's lacking is in the rebounding department - a consistent theme we're seeing throughout these Lakers big men. Regardless, unless Los Angeles bags another big in trade or off the street, he's going to fill in both bench big spots, thereby getting starter level minutes.
Robert Sacre - 23
There's only two things saving him from being cut outright: 1) He sticks to the paint. 2) He has a three year contract (admittedly just a 2nd rounder's deal). Otherwise, he'd be gone.
Overall Synopsis
To be honest, after reviewing the roster, it's quite clear why the Lakers chose Jestor out of all the applicants. The Steve Nash/Kobe Bryant/Pau Gasol trio is absolutely perfect for Jestorball under the current league rules, and it's one that will give the Purple and Gold the optimal chance of competing in a very tough West that just saw the blockbuster trade of Serge Ibaka, Russell Westbrook and Derek Fisher from the Thunder to the Timberwolves for Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Chase Budinger, and J.J. Barea.
There are two paths open to the Lakers, as the internal trade block revealed.
The Rebuild Path
Under this scenario, at least 2 of the 3 of Bryant, Gasol, and Nash find new homes, and at least one of them will have to be Kobe. The front office is refusing to consider a rebuild scenario that involves him staying while Nash and Gasol leave. As noted above, one team has already asked about Pau, and there will doubtless be more coming as the days follow. But unless there's offers the team likes for at least Kobe and either Gasol or Nash, if not all three, this scenario isn't happening, and they'll instead go the other direction.
The Contending Path
Obviously the Big Three stay in this situation, and the Lakers then use their ready-made cap flexibility and 2nd round picks to lure in long-term contracts of talented players to upgrade their forward spots and improve their overall bench. It's highly unlikely any first round picks leave in either of these situations, but if it did, it would be limited to this year's only, due to consecutive pick rule, and by Year 3, the rebuild will have begun. Such first rounder would also need to have a guaranteed starter before it would be included. The waiver wire also finds itself visited often, and with 2 roster spots open after the cutting of Ryan Kelly and Kent Bazemore, the Lakers have already claimed Marquis Daniels, whose 6'6, 200 lbs frame is similar to Kobe's, and whose defensive talents and low scoring demands would make a perfect for the starting SF spot, allowing Wesley Johnson to be the 6th man wing.
Improving the big man situation will be more difficult. The street is woefully lacking in rebounding bigs and so that will have to come via trade without sacrificing any primary attributes, but if the Lakers go the contending route as seems far more likely at this particular point in time, doubtless the front office will find a way to get it done.
