Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons Luke Walton is in trouble
By Ronald Agers
2. He doesn’t have a balance of how to coach this roster…
Sure, this roster is unique (Being kind here) but it can work. Come to think of it…the roster was working. Granted it was by accident, but it was working.
Luke Walton was sent a mandate by Magic Johnson…
"“We’re going to run,” Johnson said. “Whoever gets it, we’re gone. … We’ve got a number of ball handlers, that’s how we built this team. We won’t rely just on LeBron making all the shots for people — in terms of creating the shots for people or himself. We want him also to play off of it, but that’s on Luke. I’m not here to tell you how the offense is going to go because that’s not my job and that’s not Rob’s job. Luke will handle that situation and he’s already been thinking about ways and utilizing not just LeBron but everybody.”"
Now, what does that statement mean? It means that the roster is built to get out on the break and run. In a sense, the team is built for the short term for the small ball craze that is the world of the NBA. It’s also built for flexibility for moves going forward.
One of the issues that Magic Johnson brought up in the meeting was what type of offense is being run by Walton. The vision of the front office has not been seen on a consistent basis this season hence bringing Johnson’s anger and frustration.
Charles Barkley drew a bunch of criticism for what he said about the Lakers…
Charles Barkley chooses Spurs, Nuggets over LA: 'I have no idea what the Lakers are doing'
"“What kind of team are they? Are they gonna let those young guys play, or are they going to put those old guys out there? That’s why I didn’t understand because those old guys are not their future. Ball, Kuzma, Brandon Ingram — that’s their future. So, I don’t know what the Lakers are doing. Are they going to try to groom those young guys and go forward with LeBron, or are they going to play those old guys? I think that’s going to be the most fascinating thing. I mean, I have no idea what the Lakers are doing. Are they a young team or are they an old team? I think that’s what I’m gonna be watching for the most.”"
The problem is…neither does Luke. The substitution patterns of the Lakers have been terrible. Walton looks like he is coaching an AAU team making sure everyone gets the same amount of minutes so the parents don’t get upset. Something that is totally ridiculous.
The consequence of the patterns has thrown off the rhythm of the entire team. This has really affected Lonzo Ball, who has admitted that he hasn’t been engaged for the past few games. He has a right to feel this way, when his minutes haven’t been consistent since Rajon Rondo came back from suspension.
Lonzo Ball was playing his best basketball when his role was defined. He was allowed time to develop chemistry and get comfortable within the confines of the game.
Lance Stephenson is in the same boat. He was playing outstanding during the suspensions to the point that he engineered the comeback against the Nuggets. After Rondo and Brandon Ingram returned, he couldn’t get on the floor to finish games where he flourished. Another Walton shortcoming.
It’s Walton’s job to find the right combinations on this roster. It would be one thing if it wasn’t found yet. Luke Walton found the right combination and totally ignored it and went back to the status quo.
Believe it or not…that is not his biggest sin!