2017-2018 Season in Review
Hi Laker Fans,
What a great year we just completed. We saw growth from our young guys, and a few rooks that surprised us all. Our vets accepted their role, sometimes less of a role than they were used to and Luke, Magic, and Rob all seemed more comfortable in their jobs. In this post I will grade the players, and breakdown why I graded them the way I did. I will also give my CNRS power rankings for the season and make predictions for next year.
Starters
Lonzo Ball: B. Lonzo showed why we used the second pick of the draft to get him, his passing and rebounding were as advertised, excellent. His defense was better than expected, and his instincts were also better than expected at the faster and stronger NBA game. His shooting of course was worse than expected but picked up, his 3pt% was good if you discount his awful start. My biggest area of concern is his finishing around the rim and pull up game. He needs to figure out how to draw fouls and finish better around the rim and he needs to get a pull up and floater. This will not happen over night but give him two or three years and we should see those areas improve.
KCP: B. KCP was as advertised, a good spot up jump shooter and a good hard nosed defender. He understood his role and did what was asked of him. His pull up jumper was better than expected and so was his shooting coming off screens. He needs to work on his pick and roll game and rebounding, although rebounding picked up at the end of the season.
Brandon Ingram: A-. Some of the very foolish commentators here in Lakerland had some really stupid things to say about BI during the off season last year. Not understanding that BI will take more time to develop than many rookies because his body was less developed than some rookies when they came into the league, ie Donovan Mitchell, Dennis Smith JR, Josh Jackson, etc. And for the first 20 games or so, when he was the number one offensive weapon on the starting line up we looked to have only made a small step forward from the BI we saw after the all star break last year. But when Lopez started becoming more of a past threat, and JR was inserted into the starting line up and also got touches in the post BI's game exploded. He shot well from the field, rebounded well, passed the ball well, and defended well. He also impressed in his stints at point guard, finished at the rim very well and proved to be more of a play maker than just scorer. His only issue was durability which strength will improve.
Julius Randle: A. Julius made the biggest gains during the off season, chaning his body into a ripped machine which in turn gave him more stamana. His motor was running a full speed all year and his numbes showed it. He also learned how to play at 75% speed and 50% speed and 25% speed, rarely barrling into the lane only to [ick up a charge. All teams need an enforcer and we have one, but even better than that, and that he can run the break and pass like a guard, was his defense, especially in switching onto guards. If we are gonna run a switch everything again next year, we will need to big that switches in the PnR to be #30. He was truely Dravonesk in the was he stayed in front of quick guards when he switched on to them. PAY HIM!
Brook Lopez: B-. Brook started off the year a little lost. He This ex all star and top ten center in the league was on a new team and it took him a while to learn his role. He spent to much time floating around the three point line and not enough time int he post. It also took Luke a while to learn how to best use him with out current team. But when they figured it out he was awesome. Brook is a Tim Duncanesk talent in the post and a top five three point shooting center in the league. He also plays good position defense and boxes out well. Lets all hope we can keep him next year at what he call a discount price!
Kuz: A+. Kuz gets my only A+ on our team this year. This kid is the real deal Holyfield! He has all the moves on offense, from a good three point shot, to a Euro step, to the best baby hook I've seen since Magic, dare I say Kareem. He also attacked the rim like Kobe did as a rookie, looking to hammer it down on anyone that stepped in his way. Yes he needs work on defense and that will come but there is no doubt that his defense improved and so did his rebounding. Kuz and the next young man I talk about may be the main reasons, along with Brooks promise, we get Paul George this summer.
Josh Hart: A. Lets file this one under who would have thunk it. Especially after an injury shortened summer and a weak start to the season. Josh Hart's second half of the season was second team all rookie worthy. His three point shot was awesome and his finishes around the rim very well, maybe its his off foot jump, and his defense was stellar. He is a strong young man and fits perfectly into the scheme we want to run. His emergence was the main reason I was comfortable letting Jordan Clarkson go mid season, I believe he will be a better fit in our future and a big part or our title runs.
JC: B+. Ok lets go there, I have been a big JC fan over his years with the Lakers. I hear even smart commentator, and yes I'm talking about you LFR, trash him, and a few fat, unatheletic never played or coached commentators seemed to make their living thrashing his AILA, LLP, even though for years he was the main guy we gave the ball with the clock running down and he was forced to take a ton of crappy shots. Again this year he was solid. His spot up three was good, his pull up game is fantastic and he finishes around the rim well. His defense improved and did his conditioning. Just for fun JC came up as #34 on my all time Laker power rankings. JC is currently in the Eastern Conference finals and will prpbably lose to GS in the finals this year. Good luck JC!
Larry Nance Jr: B+. When healthy Larry Nance Jr was probably an A- for us this year. His rebounding and defensive rotations were extraordinary, Larry is simply put a glue guy. He does all the little things, diving on the ground to get loose balls, boxing out, and of course finishing better than 99% of the league with his cray yams. He is a better shooter than he shows, and if he can ever get full confidence in this mid range jumper he could be a starter on a play off team for many years. Again good luck in the playoffs LNJ, LA loves you!
Isaish Thomas. C+. Isaiash was not the same player he was two years ago, but two years ago he was top ten player it the league. He still can straight out score and shoot. In his limited time this year he was a leader for us during our best stretch of the year and if his injury allows he will be back and better an last year in October. I don't think he will get a big deal this year and I hope we sign him for a one year say $10-12 million contract next year, if we don't get LeBron, which I don't think we will and with Paul George coming if we keep him and Brook we are the fourth best team in the west, and maybe seventh best team in the NBA next year.
Quickly
Brewer: C+. He was good on defense and a good team guy
Ennis: D. He was terrible when it mattered, early and mid season and only good in junk time of the season
ZU: D. He looked slow in the summer and seemed to have lost his confidence. He needs to be a good mid range shooter or he may be headed somewhere else
Thomas Bryant: C. Thomas Bryant was ok in his limited time, part of this C was becasuse he was so good in out G league team. He may chace ZU outta town if ZU don't step up. He can shoot and plays with a ton of energy, put some more muscles on him and he could be out back up center.
Caruso: A. He was out second best pure point guard. He passes well and gets out team in our offense well, lets keep him as a third stringer
Bogut: C-. He was OK in the little time he got, best thing he did was call out how all the trade talk messed with some of our young guys maybe waking up the FO
Wear: A. In limited time this LA kid shot the ball well and played pretty good defense. Again lets keep him as a third stringer.
Frye: B-. This guy can shoot, if we takes that veterans minimum I'd like him around.
Andre Ingram: A. What a story and he can shoot, plays ok defense. Third string
GP2: If this kid gets a shot, he could be ok, he plays good defense like his dad and that huge for a back up role player.
Final CNRS Power Rankings
Player Total Avereage
JR 2263 27.6
Kuz 1797 23.3
KCP 1730 22.8
BI 1540 26.1
Brook 1493 20.2
Lonzo 1413 27.2
JC 1131 21.3
Josh Hart 964 15.5
Larry Nance Jr 922 22.0
Tyler Ennis 496 9.4
Corey Brewer 400 7.0
Isaiah Thomas 335 19.7
Ivika Zubac 324 7.5
Alex Caruso 314 8.7
Andrew Bogut 143 6.2
Travis Wear 117 6.9
Channing Frye 90 10.0
GP2 83 7.5
Thomas Bryant 50 3.3
Andre Ingram 40 20.0
Predictions for Next year
Player Pts Reb Ass
Paul George 23 5 3
Brandon Ingram 18 5 5
Lonzo Ball 12 7 8
Julius Randle 15 8 3
Kyle Kuzma 16 5 1
Brook Lopez 12 5 1
IsaishThomas 14 0 4
Josh Hart 8 5 1
55-27: Western Conference Finals Loss to GS