Head Coach JJ Redick Discussion: Spazzing Out

I'm not sure that team ends up being good enough offensively. If we basically turn LeBron's salary slot into those two players, all of a sudden now we really only have two guys that can generate offense with the ball. Two guys who are extremely skilled, but both below-average athletes at their position. Obviously I'm not worried about Luka, he's a Top 3 player in the league despite the lack of athleticism. But asking Austin to shoulder that much of an offensive load, when everyone else is really just a play finisher, makes me nervous. I do think we'll end up needing another Top 40ish guy that can do a little more with the ball and be a secondary or tertiary offensive hub.

 

i don't. i'm not really sure what more reaves has to do to prove things to people. we were totally fine on offense minus lebron early in the season.

 

Maybe one playoff series where he actually assumes this role effectively? I don't know why I'm supposed to have no doubts with Austin as the long-term partner for Luka in a 2 star build when we literally have not seen him do it.

I'll mention it every time it comes up - this is exactly what happened to the 2024 Mavs that everyone thinks we should emulate. Kyrie couldn't sustain his production against an athletic/switchy defense, they had no other release valves in their offense besides Luka because everyone else was 3&D or a lob threat, so they couldn't score enough in the halfcourt against the C Bags. Broke 100 points once in 5 games.

 

I get that argument because AR hasn't done it yet for a long stretch and throughout a playoff series, but it seems to be the best way forward.

We can only maximize Luka/AR pairing by having 2 absolute defensive beasts on the wings. If any of those could have handling and shot creation skills, the better, but there aren't that many Kawhis and much less available for what we have to offer.

I'm definitely prioritizing defense over offense for the other 2 spots. No doubt in my mind.

Fair to say AR made a considerable leap this year and that stretch without Lebron/Luka was out of this world, he was putting MVP numbers. Sure it was the regular season and he had all the usage, but he was also being defended by the opponent's best defender and commanding all the attention and was still producing at the highest level.
On the other hand, throughout a playoff series and with all the analysis on him, it will be tougher but we will have to see how it goes.

That's also where I see Ayton helping. He's much more offensively skilled than Lively/Gafford and that helps take some pressure off Luka/AR, especially on the defensive coverages as he can do more than being a lob threat, giving more space to Luka/AR to operate

 

i'll mention every time that luka was hurt and that boston team was great and fully healthy. it's pretty simple, really.

and as pika said, all the "don't pay reaves" or "trade reaves" stuff has yet to provide a compelling hypothetical replacement with our assets, reaves included.

what's in the not-austin-reaves-magic-box is like 85% likely to be FAR WORSE than austin reaves at the (non-super) max.

i'm sorry people need a fully stacked deck to enjoy rooting for a team, but i just want to see competitive basketball. luka/reaves/defenders will give you that.

 

Definitely no players making $40M that have yet to prove they can be a 2nd option in the playoffs. Nope, none whatsoever.

 

Maybe one playoff series where he actually assumes this role effectively? I don't know why I'm supposed to have no doubts with Austin as the long-term partner for Luka in a 2 star build when we literally have not seen him do it.


The 40 million dollar question in a nutshell.

 

It isn't a question. Luka/Austin pairing won't ever win a chip, but they'll be competitive if the pieces around them fit. That's just the reality, IMO. My reality. The pathway might just be to keep Austin until an offer comes for him that we can't refuse & hopefully that happens.

 

Meh..the professor is already waffling, and Pops is being a sour apple!




The other question here.. and I think pops is alluding to it, while Abeer is curiously already starting, the subtle soft pedal retreat on the issue.

Has a team won a recent chip with their top two guys being defensive liabilities? You know , with all that defense wins championships stuff, that gets spouted off frequently around here.

The professor specifically claimed that Lebron not playing defense, is why we only won 1 chip. Well.. Is that same energy going to displayed for Luka? We all know that Austin isn't no AD, on the defensive impact scale either.

Now it's let's just be competitive? Because we probably won't find anyone as good as Reaves for 40M? Damn that! These guys should and will, be judged like every other star or superstar that ever wore the Purple and Gold.

I'm hoping that the Kang, still has enough left in the tank, to get us over the hump..this season!! Luka and Austin don't get no friggin passes if they come up short in the postseason tho. Absolutely Not.

Kobe wouldn't be trying to hear that s*** either.

 

One of the perfect number 2's I saw was Gasol during the run we had; let's ask ourselves: could Reaves replicate what Gasol did in the PO's as a number 2? Probably not. It isn't happening.

But I know this, and slowly and surely, people here will come around. S*** when Austin was putting up stats there were people here (guessing) probably thinking he should be the number 1 option. They didn't say it, but I know they were thinking it.

Ok. I'm done. Have at it fellas.

Go JJ and Lakers. Let's go!!

 

gasol was known as weak defensively, not able to elevate in the playoffs, and not worth max contract before his trade here. people have short memories.

 

denver: jokic and murray.

dallas's one star was dirk.

SA won with parker, 37-year old ginobili, 38-year old duncan, and diaw playing huge roles

it's a team game. you can adjust, but not if ALL your top players are bad defenders. if your top two are minus defenders, 3-8 ALL have to be good.

 

Because he was a perfect number 2 and not a number 1 with Kobe.

Gasol isn't Reaves. Reaves isn't Irving and Reaves will never be a number 2 on a champinship team?

Care to make a wager on that in the next 3-5 years?

 

Won't happen, abeer.

You're one of the best posters here, but Reaves will never be a number 2.

I'm done with the topic, but you can quote me if it ever does.

But it won't, professor. Everybody knows this outside of Lakers fans who overrate Reaves.

I shall say "most". It is just how it is for people who know "ball." Reaves is nice and a good player, but the fascination that he's a "cornerstone," "championship level piece" is not accurate, IMO.

But I'm done. This is the JJ thread. And Reaves certainly isn't helping his claim with his gimpy a** since last playoffs.

hahahhaha. @LTLakerFan bite me.

 

Oh wow taking the entire field against one team. Really bold take.

 

You're a Brooklyn Nets closet fan.

You don't exist.

 

I see you're reverting to playground insults. Good one.

 

Not really. You just quote me and I ignore you much of the time.

Just like how I'll ignore you now.

Reaves isn't a number 2. Get it tattoed.

Have a great day my Brooklyn fan.

 

Well that's quite the cop out. You don't think roster construction had anything to do with it? You think Luka being fully healthy (which he almost never is, he's almost always a little banged up) is the difference between a 5 game blowout and the Mavs winning that series? Because while we're trying to copy that Mavs team, our main competition in the West going forward (OKC, Spurs) is copying that C Bags team. Athletic guards, switchy wings, and proficiency in multiple defensive styles while playing true 5-out offensively.

I didn't say don't re-sign Reaves or trade Reaves. What I actually said is we're going to need another Top 40ish guy that can serve as a secondary or tertiary offensive hub if/when Austin gets slowed down by the types of defenders/defenses we'll have to face in the West the next few years. I really don't know why that would be controversial.