After a great first week for our mailbag episode, this time we had even more questions and on even more topics related to both the Lakers and the NBA.
Let’s dive into what you want to talk about this week.
It wasn’t until Saturday that I even believed the Lakers could actually fall from the 9-10 game. I felt like it would require a volume of wins that I wasn’t sure the Lakers had in them.
I’m glad to be wrong about that, and at this stage it doesn’t feel impossible that they’re even out of the game. It will almost certainly take the Lakers to overhaul the slate over the last five games and get some help along the way.
However, the Lakers just need to be within one game of the Pelicans to overtake them, potentially with a win on the final day. And they’re just a game and a half back of the Suns for the sixth seed, with Phoenix still running a gauntlet of schedule to finish the year.
Realistically, I’d say they finish in the 7-8 play-in game given their current form and hopefully won’t play the Kings in any more games this season. But the six seed will be a very real possibility with a win on Sunday night against Wolves.
I think a very simple and realistic change the NBA should make next season is to have the IST Championship replace all other tiebreakers. Lakers in a three-way tie for the sixth seed? Well, they won the tournament during the season, so they’re the six seed.
NBA might be best to add some small bonuses to winning IST instead of any other big bonuses. I think you further increase how many teams try in this if they know that a win guarantees them an advantage in the tiebreaker.
As for the three-way tiebreaker with the Suns and Pops, it will come down to head-to-head records. The Lakers are 3-6 against both teams, Phoenix is 4-5 and Sacramento is 6-2. So yes, even though the Kings and Suns are playing each other once again, they have won this particular tiebreaker.
Honestly, it’s something the Lakers should probably consider. Last year, the Lakers got a very surprising and unexpected production from Tristan Thompson in the last game of their season.
But what I think is important to remember is that this is probably the exception to the rule. And it was probably more of a one-off, which doesn’t demean Thompson in any way. A single playoff appearance counts and can win you a game.
The Lakers biggest need right now is a big man. Unfortunately, Bismack Biyombo isn’t a free agent since he’s with the Thunder, so he doesn’t fit here. And looking at the centers available, it’s bleak. Part of what made the Thompson situation work is that he played last season and was in game shape.
This year, guys like Nerlens Noel or Dewayne Dedmon, two of the best centers available, haven’t played this season. And do you really believe you’ll make an impact against someone like Nikola Jokic?
Maybe another name is available than this one under the radar, but then you have to ask who you’re cutting. First off, to the multitude of people answering this question in the comments section saying to cut the Taurean Prince, this is certifiable insanity, and Saturday proved it.
The two names that make the most sense to me right now are either Christian Wood or Cam Reddish. The former is injured and not even available as the Lakers continued their winning streak. The latter has struggled to get healthy and his role has been significantly reduced with the return of Gabe Vincent.
The problem with both players is that each has a player option for next season. The only player who will be an unrestricted free agent next year is Spencer Dinwiddie, and he will not be cut. Two-way contracts can only be offered to players with less than four years of experience, so that’s not an option either.
In short, the situation is different this year, but with the Lakers’ roster and salary cap situation and available players. I don’t think the Lakers are stirring things up at the end of the regular season this year, but I could be wrong!
With all due respect to Brony James, I don’t think there’s a chance he gets drafted this year.
Don’t mistake declaring for enrollment as a guarantee of leaving college. Declaring for the draft simply allows players to work out for teams, potentially participate in the combine and, most importantly, talk to NBA teams to get feedback on their play.
All of that is valuable to any player and that’s the process that Broney will go through. After he does that, he’ll go back to college — and I wouldn’t be surprised if he lands at Duquesne — and play next year.
With very little chance he stays in the draft, he will be a second round pick at best and possibly undrafted. And no, the Lakers — or any other NBA team — aren’t making a roster move to acquire him. He is a long way from being an impressive NBA player.
I think he could still have a future as an impressive NBA player. But he’s less than a year away from a very, very serious health scare. A lot of things changed for him at that point and it derailed his basketball plans. Let him get them back in college before he gets talked about more in the NBA.
Fun end of the mailbag question. There are a few dunks that come to mind. If you’re talking most impactful, I don’t think there’s any argument other than “Bryant to Shaq.”
One dunk I think about all too often is Jeff Whitty’s Xavier Henry poster dunk. Man, I bought so, so many shares of Henry that just went to waste.
Larry Nance has had some great poster dunks of his own over the years. The one over Kevin Durant was great, but I’m partial to his crazy dunk over Brook Lopez.
LeBron had a lot of really great dunks in his relatively short time with the franchise. Again, I prefer his dunk in the bubble over Russell Westbrook and the Rockets.
At the end of the day, there’s one person I keep coming back to on this one, and that’s Kobe. For me, the dunk that I always think about with Kobe and the one that still puzzles me how he did it is his dunk against the Nuggets.
The fluidity with which he walks behind never missing a beat and adding an amazing reverse poster dunk is just not something my brain can comprehend.
Share your favorite dunks in the comments below, and don’t forget to bring your mailbag questions next week!
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.
