Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwell and senior NBA writer Dan Devine discuss Los Angeles’ 0-3 start to the season — statistically behind the league’s worst shooting — and explained why it’s time for the Lakers to start over.
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Vincent Goo Dwyer: Welcome to Yahoo Sports. I’m Vince Goodwell with Dan Devine. Dan, let’s get started.
Lakers, 0 and 3. 3 losses. 21% hit rate. It’s like you’re in a club trying to attract women at this point. 21% FG.
I think they should say, you know? From an extreme example, if you can, trade AD, trade LeBron, trade Russ. Everything starts from scratch.
Because what you have is not sustainable, even in this season. When I say “sustainable” I mean, Dan, even if you get Buddy Hield and Myles Turner that makes you, what, the sixth seed in the West?
That’s not what the Lakers expected. That’s not what LeBron James expected. There is no way to get better. So why not just remove it?
DAN DEVINE: Well, first of all, you would trade LeBron after the idea just to pay him this summer , and said you’re going to ride on him for another two years —
VINCENT GOODWILL: I said that was extreme. I say it’s too extreme.
DAN DEVINE: Too extreme, Vincent. I cannot comply with this. I do believe, though, that you’re right about what you have now – you have to burn every boat, every bridge you own. You have to burn all the assets in your quiver to improve the team around LeBron and AD.
When you bring AD to town, you make that choice – nothing else matters. Especially when you get rid of the championship-caliber defense that surrounds these two guys. You said, we’re going to build a different kind of team. But LeBron and AD are all that matters.
Picks – whatever had to be linked to Russ to get him out. You can’t have a guy like Jusuf Nurkic fake it like he’s going to shoot a game and run the ball off that guy. You can’t do this —
VINCENT GOODWILL: Disrespect. Disrespect.
DAN DEVINE: Disrespectful. It’s like last season’s Timberwolves game, but now it’s nightly. You can’t have this.
So two first-round picks, 27, 29, drove them out. whatever you can get. If it’s Terry Rozier and the rest of Charlotte. If it was the Myles Turner-Buddy Hield combo of Indiana. whatever you can get.
You’ve made an obligation — you have an obligation to be as competitive as possible for the rest of LeBron James’ career. Because I’ll tell you what, Vince. You’re not wrong, the sixth seed could be its high. But you gave me the health of LeBron and AD with everyone in a playoff series — no matter who you put at the top of the Western Conference, I’m going to take my chances.
VINCENT GOODWILL: Have you seen the Anthony Davis movie? I know it looks good. I know this sounds good. He’s protecting the rim. He finishes offense at the rim.
But Jusuf Nurkic turned his back on him and said, I don’t believe you’re shooting for a reason. Because outside an empty gym in Orlando, Anthony Davis may have the worst 16-foot jumper in the league. And he insisted on taking it.
So if we’re talking about getting the most out of LeBron James’ career, how about we start with his partner in crime, the guy who can’t be the focal point of the offense because he can’t shoot and can’t Pass the ball? correct? But I think there is a way, and it is — and a more cautious way.
how about this? Trade Russell Westbrook now to save yourself and save you from further embarrassment. Because it sucks. They didn’t get better.
