Make no mistake, the Lakers are tanking
The topic of tanking has brought up some conversation over the last two years. Should the Lakers lose on purpose to get a good draft pick? Whether the answer is yes or no, it is clear that winning is not the number one priority for the Lakers franchise.
Heres the proof: Wesley Johnson and Carlos Boozer. The fact that both of these players are still starting is ridiculous. Johnson has shown that he brings absolutely nothing to the table when he is on the court. He was supposed to be our premier wing defender, but even on that end he is not anything special.
On offense, he is atrocious. He refuses to use his elite athleticism on the offensive end, he never drives to the hoop, and just sits on the perimeter waiting to catch and shoot. Well when your shooting 32% from three you might want to try something else. The worse of Johnson’s night came when Kobe Bryant hit him in the corner, where he was standing WIDE open. He shot it, air-ball. Right after that he turned the ball over. For Johnson it is mostly due to a lack of confidence, and if he can’t find that soon, the bench will be the best place for Wes.
As for Boozer, his offense is usually pretty good but last night, he missed several lay ups, and did not get to the line once. Boozer can actually be a threat to an opposing defense. The problem is that the starting lineup needs defense, and since the first game against the Clippers, it has been obvious that Ed Davis should start. Yes he does not bring much on offense, but if you slide Jordan Hill over to the 4 where he can hit his 15 foot jumper, Davis would do lots of damage down low.
Lets put it this way, Boozer was the main reason that Jared Sullinger and Tyler Zeller looked like Kevin McHale and Robert Parish.
Boozer and Johnson combined for 1-11 from the field, with zero offensive rebounds, and one steal. If winning is the top priority, there should not even be question about Ed Davis starting. As for Johnson, moving Wayne Ellington or Nick Young into the starting lineup would be the best option at this point.