Okay, as the days go on it becomes more and more evident to me that Dwight Howard must be dealt. No, not Pau Gasol. Rather, the prize pearl of the Lakers 2013 season. I would rather sell Howard for .45 cents on the dollar than Gasol and receive virtually nothing. It is simple Howard and Gasol haven't, won't and quite frankly can't co-exist on the court. Gasol is still an elite center and if you are reading this with (heaven forbid you) no prior Lakers drama knowledge, then don't let anyone tell you that Pau Gasol, the big Spaniard is not an elite center anymore. When was the last time Gasol was given the chance to play not only the 5, but in the post? The 2008 Finals. A series in which he looked like a top 3 center in the league. We saw flashes of this again in London this summer as his Spain hermanos and he couldn't be stopped by the even the mighty USA. Gasol looked like the best low-post-guy in the world! Mike D'antoni was there, he had to have seen it. I could go on and on about the coach (lack thereof) that D'antoni has been this season. Here are just a few excerpts from my notes (written during class, mind you) of why D'antoni is failing and why he isn't a true coach:
-D'antoni can't actually coach, he is more of a specialist than anything. He is only fit to run his system. This is why without the right players (Knicks, present Lakers and future WNBA team) he has failed and with the Suns he succeeded. If he was a good coach then he would change his failed system and adapt to coach his players around their talent. But, he has basically said he can't do that so where does that leave this uber-talented team????
-There is 0 excuse to lose with the talent he has been given. The team's strengths are: They are bigger than everyone else. They are smart. They have high basketball I.Q's and they know how to score. The weaknesses are even more blatant: Horrible transition defense, age, age and more age. And finally, they can't guard anyone on the perimeter. So, what does D'antoni do?!? HE DECIDES TO RUN THE FASTEST PACED OFFENSE IN THE LEAGUE. I am beyond confused....
-Pau Gasol is playing 20 feet away from the basket and he is just one of the many examples of misuse of players and talent. I have coached two 5th/6th grade basketball teams and even I know that when you have the most talented big man (personal experience: 5'7) in the league you don't have them playing anywhere but around the rim. If D'antonis job was to come into LA and make Gasol, Kobe, Dwight and even Jeannie Buss (Not Jeannie!!!!) mad, then he has done a miraculous job. I feel like I just went 7 rounds with Ali in the ring and I still haven't even began to discuss the problems with D'antoni. Here is a sentence that sums up D'antoni quite nicely: "Earl Clark is starting over and playing more minutes than Pau Gasol" Again, beyond confused.
Ahhhhhhh I need a vitamin. Just thinking of Mike D'antoni and how he has criminally and embarrassingly screwed up the Lakers raises my blood pressure. (Seriously, somebody get this kid a vitamin!)
My resolution to the catastrophe that is your 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers is to fire Mike D'antoni immediately and let assistant Bernie Bieckerstaff (In Bieckerstaff We Trust) run the team. At this point I wouldn't let D'antoni organize my apartment rooms pizza order. Next, (like within hours) I would call Kobe and tell him boldly that "this is HIS team" and he needs to get the team back together, watching film, talking, watching Monday Night Bachelor together for all I care, and ultimately playing as a cohesive unit. I would then "pretend fire" another head coach after 5 games because after all, I am Jim "I refuse to call him doctor" Buss. Next step... The inevitable, trade Dwight Howard (not Gasol)! Include him in a package to land either Andre Igoudala, Rudy Gay, Jared Dudley, Ryan Anderson, Kevin Love or (heaven forbid) David Lee. I would do everything I could to either acquire a quick, defensive minded wing player or a stretch 4 to play next to Gasol.
I am excited/nervous/stressed/interested to see what the Lakers will do in the next month. As much as this scares me to say...the ball is in your court, Buss Family.
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