(10-22-2019 09:05 AM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote: Well, hoping Cacok made the roster was my last ditch GAF about the NBA this year anyways. They can all go play in Shanghai now for all I care.
It's not over yet.
But this move proves that the NBA is more about names, vs actual good players.
(10-22-2019 09:05 AM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote: Well, hoping Cacok made the roster was my last ditch GAF about the NBA this year anyways. They can all go play in Shanghai now for all I care.
It's not over yet.
But this move proves that the NBA is more about names, vs actual good players.
Lakers are apparently keeping the Greek Freak's brother, hoping to lure him to LA.
(10-22-2019 09:05 AM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote: Well, hoping Cacok made the roster was my last ditch GAF about the NBA this year anyways. They can all go play in Shanghai now for all I care.
It's not over yet.
But this move proves that the NBA is more about names, vs actual good players.
Lakers are apparently keeping the Greek Freak's brother, hoping to lure him to LA.
Typically, I'm a Lakers fan (although my interest in the NBA is declining). I understand why they're keeping him, and that's the entire reason. It's all about that connection and hoping it lures the Freak to LA in the future. It's a post-LeBron insurance for them. They know if they can lure him, their odds of keeping Anthony Davis long term get exponentially better and the same with their title contention odds. Sucks for Cacok in that situation, but I understand the logic there.
(10-22-2019 09:05 AM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote: Well, hoping Cacok made the roster was my last ditch GAF about the NBA this year anyways. They can all go play in Shanghai now for all I care.
It's not over yet.
But this move proves that the NBA is more about names, vs actual good players.
Lakers are apparently keeping the Greek Freak's brother, hoping to lure him to LA.
The Lakers front office is delusional. They've thought they were getting every free agent this decade and the only notable one they've landed was Lebron. That organization isn't what it once was from the ownership down. There's a reason they've missed the playoffs 6 consecutive seasons...
(10-22-2019 09:05 AM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote: Well, hoping Cacok made the roster was my last ditch GAF about the NBA this year anyways. They can all go play in Shanghai now for all I care.
It's not over yet.
But this move proves that the NBA is more about names, vs actual good players.
Lakers are apparently keeping the Greek Freak's brother, hoping to lure him to LA.
The Lakers front office is delusional. They've thought they were getting every free agent this decade and the only notable one they've landed was Lebron. That organization isn't what it once was from the ownership down. There's a reason they've missed the playoffs 6 consecutive seasons...
I understand your point here and I don't necessarily disagree with it, but I believe there's a lot more in the recipe than just the front office. The Lakers front office has been largely incompetent since Dr. Buss passed though, you're right there. Other dynamics that go into this, most notably, is a player perspective on who they want to play with... not necessarily dependent on a front office. Take the nearby Clippers for example. Several years ago that entire franchise was being sold due to some ill actions by the owner. However, they landed two big time free agents because of the city and those two guys wanting to play together (Kawhi and PG). Look at Brooklyn, another franchise that hasn't been successful at all landing players (KD and Kyrie), simply because those guys wanted to be together.
I'd argue that in today's NBA you don't need necessarily a competent front office. All you have to do is land one top tier All Star who has friends and let them do that recruiting for you. Is that tampering and BS? Yes, and franchises are learning that players now hold more power in attracting star talent then a competent front office. Landing LeBron for the Lakers, was largely responsible for AD going to LA. If the Lakers retain Anthony Davis, the likelihood that another top star wants to join both or Davis in the post-LeBron years increases.
At this point, a front office's main duties is keeping stars satisfied so they stay. Attracting star duos or trios now is far more likely to be in the hands of star players than front offices.
Going back to your original point though, I think there was a stigma around Kobe that other star players didn't want to be with. Additionally, he was so successful with the Lakers that IMO, it caused players to want to establish themselves elsewhere rather than in the shadow of Kobe. I think enough time has passed now and the Lakers have been so unsuccessful for the last 6 seasons that doesn't scare off those stars that don't necessarily want to be hammered by the fan bases' expectations. At this point, the Lakers fan base will expect success but the bar is pretty low.
(10-22-2019 09:05 AM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote: Well, hoping Cacok made the roster was my last ditch GAF about the NBA this year anyways. They can all go play in Shanghai now for all I care.
It's not over yet.
But this move proves that the NBA is more about names, vs actual good players.
Lakers are apparently keeping the Greek Freak's brother, hoping to lure him to LA.
The Lakers front office is delusional. They've thought they were getting every free agent this decade and the only notable one they've landed was Lebron. That organization isn't what it once was from the ownership down. There's a reason they've missed the playoffs 6 consecutive seasons...
I understand your point here and I don't necessarily disagree with it, but I believe there's a lot more in the recipe than just the front office. The Lakers front office has been largely incompetent since Dr. Buss passed though, you're right there. Other dynamics that go into this, most notably, is a player perspective on who they want to play with... not necessarily dependent on a front office. Take the nearby Clippers for example. Several years ago that entire franchise was being sold due to some ill actions by the owner. However, they landed two big time free agents because of the city and those two guys wanting to play together (Kawhi and PG). Look at Brooklyn, another franchise that hasn't been successful at all landing players (KD and Kyrie), simply because those guys wanted to be together.
I'd argue that in today's NBA you don't need necessarily a competent front office. All you have to do is land one top tier All Star who has friends and let them do that recruiting for you. Is that tampering and BS? Yes, and franchises are learning that players now hold more power in attracting star talent then a competent front office. Landing LeBron for the Lakers, was largely responsible for AD going to LA. If the Lakers retain Anthony Davis, the likelihood that another top star wants to join both or Davis in the post-LeBron years increases.
At this point, a front office's main duties is keeping stars satisfied so they stay. Attracting star duos or trios now is far more likely to be in the hands of star players than front offices.
Going back to your original point though, I think there was a stigma around Kobe that other star players didn't want to be with. Additionally, he was so successful with the Lakers that IMO, it caused players to want to establish themselves elsewhere rather than in the shadow of Kobe. I think enough time has passed now and the Lakers have been so unsuccessful for the last 6 seasons that doesn't scare off those stars that don't necessarily want to be hammered by the fan bases' expectations. At this point, the Lakers fan base will expect success but the bar is pretty low.
You're not wrong. The Lakers are contenders and I don't think they have a very good front office. Lebron came to LA for his brand, I don't think anyone else in the Lakers organization had anything to do with it. If anyone, it was Magic. The Clippers are an interesting case IMO. Did it help that they're in LA? sure... I think Jerry West had more to do with getting PG and Kawhi than the city though.
The Lakers will always end up with stars, no matter how incompetent their front office is... Keeping a guy like Cacok in the fold is something you see good front offices do. Trading away a future All Star D'angelo Russell to get off a bad deal (mozgov), the fact they're STILL paying Luol Deng, and the way they constructed that team around Lebron last season are all signs of incompetence IMO.
My main point with all of this is that Cacok being waived says more about the Lakers than it does DC. He's going to make it in the NBA and if he does it with someone other than the Lakers, they'll only have themselves to blame.
PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ – In their lone preseason game of the 2019-20 season, the South Bay Lakers lost a close matchup to the Northern Arizona Suns, 106-101, on Saturday afternoon. The big men paced the Lakers in the warmup as Kostas Antetokounmpo and Devontae Cacok each tallied a double-double.
and
Antetokounmpo scored a team-high 19 points to go along with 10 rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks, while Cacok finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench.
Trio Grabs Double-Doubles, But South Bay Falls In Season Opener
Payton II’s double-double was one of three for South Bay as Antetokounmpo (21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks) and Devontae Cacok (14 points, 10 rebounds, two steals) each grabbed one of their own.
December 15th is a big date for the NBA as newly signed players can be traded. You usually don't see many dominos start to fall before then. I say he plays in an NBA game before the end of January.