To the credit of the Lakers front office, during the last two seasons they have refused to neither admit they’re tanking nor make moves indicating an eagerness to lose.
Considering the state of the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers are taking a more honorable rout if they are, indeed tanking. However, Mitch Kupchak has been adamant from day one that this team is not tanking, this franchise does not tank, and the Lakers are interested in winning more than retaining their draft pick, which they hang on to only if it’s in the top five of the draft.
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Everything the Lakers have done signals that they are, in fact, trying to win. Most notably, the acquisition of Carlos Boozer in the off-season via amnesty claim was a head-scratching move, but one the Lakers believe made them a better team.
However, the Lakers still have made some interesting decisions for a team that doesn’t want to tank. Wesley Johnson continues to start for the team despite his putrid play. Similarly, Ronnie Price is receiving big minutes on the team as a back-up point guard, averaging over 21 minutes a game.
Of Lakers with at least 100 minutes played this year, Johnson comes in last in PER for the team at 8.3. Price barely beats him, coming in at second to worst with a 9.1 PER. Under the same criteria, Price and Johnson come in last and second to last in true shooting percentage, last and third to last in win shares, yet still find themselves active members of the rotation.
The team has options, as well, to replace the two. As most are aware, the Lakers brought in a host of players recently for workouts, including point guards Dwight Buycks and Gal Mekel and small forwards Jordan Hamilton and Quincy Miller.
Would these players make the Lakers better? That’s certainly hard to say. What isn’t hard is to say is they wouldn’t make the team any worse than it is with the significant minutes given to Price and Johnson right now.
If the Lakers are as adamant as they say they are that they will not tank, then actions need to be taken toward improving this roster. Or maybe this is just some great stealth tanking from Kupchak and company.