So in last post we saw how Lakers
have some players who left the team, for better or for worse. We will now look
into how team has restacked its ranks
with this year’s free agency market.
Roy Hibbert: Lakers had 1 huge
crater in their team, a defensive big. Roy Hibbert is the meteor size presence
which can fit into that hole perfectly. Free agency started this year like Best
Buy sales before Christmas offering iPhones at 1$ apiece. 17+ players were dealt
with within first 15 hours of free agency. Lakers faced 2 embarrassing meetings
with Lamarcus Aldridge where it was leaked out that Aldridge was eager to come
but was not happy with the basketball side of their presentation to him. Greg Monroe
promised a meeting but decided to join Bucks before meeting Lakers. Other prestigious
players also left the playing field before Lakers planned to switch to plan B
or C. Roy Hibbert was a non-factor in most of recent Pacers games. Pacers were
notorious for being slow team and high on defensive but low on offensive side.
Legendary Larry Bird, the team president already announced that Hibbert will be
dealt or be given less playing time as team will try to move on to faster paced
more offense oriented philosophy. Lakers came with an offer like a knight in a
shining armor and Kundli matching was perfect and the basketball gods blessed
the marriage. What I mean to say is that Hibbert got a chance to show his
importance to the world before he hits free agency in 2016, Lakers can get one of
the top 2-3 defensive bigs in the game and we can now focus on getting other
players without having to know Lakers may suck more in future. Here’s a look of
a concept called Verticality which was present in NBA rulebooks, but made
famous only by Hibbert:
Lou Williams: So, Lakers aren’t worried
about defense. They have Kobe: Top 3 scorers of all time, Clarksson: mini
westbrook, Young: Kobe beta gamma delta version, Randle: an offensive
beast in college. Lakers thought, what the hell, let’s get the reigning 6th
man of year Lou Williams. When you have good defense, it doesn’t help to get
more firepower, coz offense is best defense, right? Needless to say another
masterstroke of Lakers’ front office.
Brandon Bass: Lakers had Boozer
last year who can grab some rebounds, hit mid-range shots and be healthy and
fill in as a veteran for some quick minutes from bench. Boozer’s defense was as
atrocious as Mukesh Rishi’s acting in Gunda. Brandon bass provides exact same
thing only except he is just below average defender for his position and
height.
MWP: Metta World Peace is
awesomeness. After spending 1.5 years outside NBA he spent some time playing in
China to become Panda’s friend [not verb, it was his name, no shit] Now he came
back to Lakers. He wasn’t offered a job right away. He had to come in top
shape, rub shoulders with other hopefuls, earn that last spot and be in the
team. The former defensive player of the year was again necessary to either be
the defensive stopper or to guide young guns on defensive knowledge. MWP spent
most time with Randle and these two bulls had their fun poking, pushing ramming
etc. into each other playing one on one as practice. Randle seems to have grown
tremendously from this exposure to such defensive talent. Hopefully MWP has
more to offer to Lakers apart from the lovely interviews he gives to remind us
all that basketball is a game, it’s supposed to be fun.
Marcelo Huertas: remember we had
Nash? The best offensive genius of 2000-2010 decade? We took him in free agency
and his age finally showed up to rob us of some wonderful years we may have had
with him? Am sorry for my day dreaming, but I can’t help to dream again with
what-ifs. Lakers got Marcelo Huertas, the offensive legend outside NBA, often
called as Brazilian Nash. He is 32 yrs. old and part of some teams which have
kicked and punched about their capacity thanks to the impossible passes this
man can make. He left a hefty contract in spain to try his talents in best of
the best in NBA. Lakers took the opportunity and gave him the spot. Here’s a
look at his assist collection:
