Exclusive Around the NBA: Forgettable February edition

[Natebishop3]

RealGM Wiretap
Lakers No Longer Believe They Can Win With Russell Westbrook
FEB 9, 2022 11:18 AM

The tone in the locker room after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday was that the team is in need of immediate action ahead of the trade deadline.

Sources have told The Athletic that the Lakers no longer believe they can win at a high level with Russell Westbrook alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But before Tuesday's game, the thinking was the Lakers would be unwilling to wave the white flag and admit their mistake of trading for Westbrook.

One Lakers staffer who had reservations about the trade when it was made in July recently told The Athletic, “I didn’t think it would be this bad.”

The Lakers discarded the remaining supporting cast of their title winning team of 2020 in trading Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma for Westbrook while also letting Alex Caruso walk in free agency.

The only realistic trade of Westbrook at this venture is to the Houston Rockets for John Wall.

BILL ORAM/THE ATHLETIC

I'm going to enter this as "Exhibit A" when someone says "you're just a fan. What do you know? These guys are paid professionals."

You want to know what I know? I know that Westbrook is a cancer and that trade was horrible.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I'm going to enter this as "Exhibit A" when someone says "you're just a fan. What do you know? These guys are paid professionals."

You want to know what I know? I know that Westbrook is a cancer and that trade was horrible.

Agreed, but You could argue it both ways: LBJ is a rotten GM - should have left it to the "professionals".

 

[Predator]

Zach Collins… still a foul machine. 6 minutes. 2 fouls.

 

[Dom McBlazer]

Lakers cannot win with Westbrook --- DUUUUUUUUH and No Shit Sherlock -- LOL

I think almost every fan who was not a Laker fan could see this coming ... this was so predictable and taking my Laker hate out of it for a minute the GM of the team should be fired ... and replaced with NeO ( then we would never have to worry about the Lakers again ) but being serious. Never mind being serious time to rag on the Lakers and bask in how they suck and maybe in a worse spot then the Blazers cause only thing they have going for them is they are in LA but James is not getting any younger and Davis well he cannot stay healthy so what else do they got ??

Not much cept tradition and in the end if the franchise is being run badly does not mean much so as much as the Blazers look bad atm -- kind of glad were not the Lakers

I blame LeGM. He and Davis clamored for him so much so that they met at his house.

 

[HailBlazers]

Zach Collins… still a foul machine. 6 minutes. 2 fouls.

Thought he'd get more respect there.

 

[blazerfan11]

Sacramento may have turned the corner to becoming a good team. Sabonis has instantly meshed with the guys there. It would be great if they can knock New Orleans out of the playoff race.

 

[MickZagger]

Would have been nice to have got Sabonis.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

I'm going to enter this as "Exhibit A" when someone says "you're just a fan. What do you know? These guys are paid professionals."

You want to know what I know? I know that Westbrook is a cancer and that trade was horrible.

I wouldn't call him a cancer. He's just a bad player at this point in his career and a bad match for LeBron and AD.

 

[James lamphear]

Zach Collins… still a foul machine. 6 minutes. 2 fouls.

He ended up only 4 though so it's he can dial back when he has to. Plus there running him about 4-6 minutes a quarter so can be aggressive when he out there.

 

[Dom McBlazer]

 

[Predator]

He ended up only 4 though so it's he can dial back when he has to. Plus there running him about 4-6 minutes a quarter so can be aggressive when he out there.

Only 4? he led the team in fouls and, for the most part, played 5-10 minutes less than everyone else in the rotation.

He also had 0 blocks and 1 steal.

Meanwhile, Poetl had 3 blocks, 2 steals, and 2 fouls.

So him being aggressive is worse than Poetl playing like a normal person.

Collins is a hack master.

 

[James lamphear]

Only 4? he led the team in fouls and, for the most part, played 5-10 minutes less than everyone else in the rotation.

He also had 0 blocks and 1 steal.

Meanwhile, Poetl had 3 blocks, 2 steals, and 2 fouls.

So him being aggressive is worse than Poetl playing like a normal person.

Collins is a hack master.

HE also after 2 games a defensive rating of 103 and DBm rating 2.1

 

[THE HCP]

Only 4? he led the team in fouls and, for the most part, played 5-10 minutes less than everyone else in the rotation.

He also had 0 blocks and 1 steal.

Meanwhile, Poetl had 3 blocks, 2 steals, and 2 fouls.

So him being aggressive is worse than Poetl playing like a normal person.

Collins is a hack master.

Did Big Z steal your girlfriend? Why so much hate towards the kid?

 

[THE HCP]

 

[Predator]

HE also after 2 games a defensive rating of 103 and DBm rating 2.1

Great, doesn’t matter if he can’t stay on the floor.

 

[Predator]

Did Big Z steal your girlfriend? Why so much hate towards the kid?

Who said I hate him? Or even dislike him?

Just making an observation that the guy still can’t stay out of foul trouble. Many people thought refs were out to get him because he was Blazer, when it appears the dude just can’t stop hacking the shit out of people.

 

[THE HCP]

Quality dude, been unlucky with his health. Wishing him the best.

 

[MickZagger]

Who said I hate him? Or even dislike him?

Just making an observation that the guy still can’t stay out of foul trouble. Many people thought refs were out to get him because he was Blazer, when it appears the dude just can’t stop hacking the shit out of people.

Who do you hate more? Collins or Holmgren?

 

[THE HCP]

 

[THE HCP]

Holy shit! Brooklyn won that trade!!

 

[GDiama]

So Morey got the all star he wanted after all. Much better than settling for someone like CJ.

 

[Predator]

Who do you hate more? Collins or Holmgren?

Who do you love more, Collins, Holmgren or Olynyk “who makes Aldridge (in his prime) expendable”? Lmao

I don’t hate any of them. Collins is the only one I’ve met - Lillard’s private BDAY party - and basketball wise, I like Collins, but think he commits some really dumb and lazy fouls. Holmgren I’ve said I’m waiting for the ncaa tournament, where they won’t have the 150th ranked SOS.

 

[wizenheimer]

wow...I guess Morey wasn't as big an idiot as we all thought

 

[1 Eye Jack]

wow...I guess Morey wasn't as big an idiot as we all thought

Harden is shell of his former self. He quites anytime things get tough but guess so did Simmons.

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

wow...I guess Morey wasn't as big an idiot as we all thought

He’s a much bigger idiot than I thought. Sean Marks should get NBA Executive of the Year for making Morey look so freaking bad…….

 

[THE HCP]

wow...I guess Morey wasn't as big an idiot as we all thought

I think he lost this trade.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

So Morey got the all star he wanted after all. Much better than settling for someone like CJ.

He could have got more from the Blazers obviously.

 

[royo]

Wow. I would think Ben for Harden straight would do.
Still, Embid got his help.

 

[MickZagger]

Who do you love more, Collins, Holmgren or Olynyk “who makes Aldridge (in his prime) expendable”? Lmao

I don’t hate any of them. Collins is the only one I’ve met - Lillard’s private BDAY party - and basketball wise, I like Collins, but think he commits some really dumb and lazy fouls. Holmgren I’ve said I’m waiting for the ncaa tournament, where they won’t have the 150th ranked SOS.

They have the 15th ranked strength of schedule right now.

Sabonis is my favorite. Was also a big JP Bautista fan

 

[GDiama]

He could have got more from the Blazers obviously.

Yeah but I don't think he would care about picks etc. Harden is better than CJ+RoCo for example.