Um. You get my point that is why the criticism of the recruits has zero merit as they can come in and play roles just like other great teams have. I was talking up their ability to play roles well. Funnily enough some role players play their role better than others who play similar roles on nba teams. just like Vanvleet is a back-up guard who's role is to come in, replace a starter and run the offence. Similarly both Cook and Livingston for the warriors had a similar role when they came in for GS to play in the NBA champs. Vanvleet certainly played the role better and that was my point. They've recruited role players this off season who can do the role well.Great teams have always had role players. Championship winning teams have role players. Thanks captain obvious.
The main difference is with the exception of danny green, those who joined the lakers of yore were intelligent, mature vets (mostly) who wanted to come to win. Add to the the leadership of shaq/kobe/ron harper/shaw and phil jackson and it's a recipe for success. This squad is an unknown, a lot of talent but perhaps devoid of the senior leadership in terms of a voice that everyone respects. It should come though.
Rondo is the key. He's matured but a time bomb. If he can recapture his passing and defence first attitude it will go a long way to securing no 17
Its rubbish that the lakers have brought in vets who are intelligent and team first solid citizens (the underlined seem to be implied from the post, eg that the lakers brought in players that only added to team chemistry) in the shaq and kobe era too. Remember Karl Malone and Garry Payton joining the team. Good in theory, but too old and used to being the stars it didnt work out.By the time their first season was done neither were playing in a way that was all about the team winning. They also bought in Dennis Rodman in 1998ish. Pretty much the opposite of a stabilising presence in the locker room and the Lakers leadership team was unable to stop him from causing dramas for the team. Im also pretty sure you'll find that Shaq and Kobe though great on the court had far from great leadership when they played together as well.Derick Fisher is the guy that's been credited by most in terms of turning around the toxic team chemistry that was around towards the end of Shaq's time there and Fisher was only in the early part of his career at that time.. Funnily enough even Shaq's said he wasnt great at being a leader on a team even when he was winning games. The current Lakers would have that leadership group of the Kobe and Shaq era covered in spades. Davis and Lebron certainly have Shaq and Kobe covered in leadership as they have been leaders leaders their entire career and their backed by players like Bradley, Dudley and Green who have all shown a team first leadership style in the way they've played their careers.
Just by the way Phil Jackson's book the Last Season explains how he always had a tenuous relationship with Kobe and how he thought he sabotaged games in high school during the game so that it would allow him to win it at the end. Remember things however you want but the current Lakers team would have that leadership group that had so much drama their coach wrote a book about it covered in a huge way. LeBron taking over coaching duties at times is a walk in the park compared to the team chemistry Shaq and Kobe led teams had.
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