This is not a typical 11th seed. This Lakers team has a TON of young talent. I just don't think Luke Walton is the coach to really put it together on his own. This team challenged/beat the Rockets in their best reg season ever. Randle, Ingram, Kuz, Ball are all legit, imagine if Brad Stevens was their coach from the beginning. They often blew big leads, and made mistakes that a well coached team wouldn't have. Coach Lebron I think will make a massive difference here.
the lakers young talent is overrated. guys like ball and randle won't work in a series vs. the warriors if you can't shoot, you're a liability in a series vs. the warriors. the only real talent on the lakers is kuzma.
The best location for LeBron to go all things considered. Phila was too blue-collar of a city for him to seriously consider; plus their personalities and timeline don't fit with him. Houston was good basketball-wise but lacks the glamour and the intangibles LeBron wants to frolic in. This mostly is a commercial move. LeBron isn't going to win anything even if they manage to trade for Kawhi and sign Cousins.
The only game they beat houston, the rockets didnt have capela, just lost mbah moute. Nene started. And ryan anderson started and played like garbage. Those were regular season games. Hard to get up for a 1 seed playing bottom feeder competition
Lebron didnt want to come to houston because hed have zero control here. Teams locked in. Nothing to change.
His Cavs team was pretty much the bench from the Lakers. I'd still see it as an upgrade and reason for him to be happier.
He was hardly in charge when he was on the Heat either. The Heat teams had little room to manoeuvre, just like the current Rockets squad. But sure, his lukewarm relationship with Morey compared to the one he has with Magic Johnson certainly did not help things. I hugely doubt he would be able to exercise the degree of control he had in LA the same way he could in Cleveland. He is begging to play in LA. Cleveland is begging for him to play for them.
...who do the Lakers think will take Deng in a trade? I don't understand this logic that the lakers have more space space available if they just pull the trigger on this fictitious Deng deal.