How to fix the Los Angeles Lakers season, Pulp Fiction style
By Ronald Agers
After introductions, Rob Pelinka would be told that he wasn’t going to get fired…but empowered!
Yes, this probably the look he would have when he opens the door thinking this is his last day as the top decision maker of the Los Angeles Lakers. Nope, we are not here to fire him but to help him.
Now that it’s understood that Rob Pelinka will not be fired, it should be clearly discussed why.
- Number one, he along with Magic Johnson eliminated every bad contract that Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss put on this franchise except for one…Luol Deng’s.
- Number two, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook were signed on his watch. None of this happens without the execution of what was just read. What does this mean?
- This means the franchise is relevant no matter how bad this team is now. The Lakers will spend half of their games on national television.
- Number three, the rest of the free agents on the roster with the exception of Kendrick Nunn are veteran minimum players. Hence the man is saving money on the salary cap.
- Finally, he built the NBA Finals squad.
Sorry to bust the Lakers fans that want this dude fired, but Rob Pelinka has done exactly what this franchise has asked from him. He was to put together a star-studded roster on a shoestring budget. Period. He’s done that.
Now his first assignment will be firing Frank Vogel immediately and replacing him with either David Fizdale or Phil Handy. Pick one…doesn’t matter to finish the season. Now it is understood that Ms. Buss will not want to pay Vogel to sit at home. Well, that’s why we stopped in her office first. Autonomy. Of course, we will need a final straw. Okay…
Frank Vogel says the Lakers had a “spirited” film session on Friday, reviewing “breakdowns” in the tape from LAL’s loss to SAC when it allowed 70 points in the paint. “Called every single one of them out and said all the ways that we can be better,” Vogel shared.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 14, 2022
So after broadcasting (Also read: throwing the players under the bus!) his crackdown on better effort on defense in a press conference, his team was so inspired that the team…
- Allowed the worst second half scoring team in the NBA, the Denver Nuggets, to run them out of the gym with 133 points.
- The Lakers allowed a player known as Bones Hyland to lead the entire gym in scoring with 27 points.
- They allowed Jeff Green, who is about as old as most players on the Lakers to have his own highlight reel full of dunks.
He’s lost his voice in the locker room and he has no clue to find a balance on this small ball situation.
After firing Frank Vogel, most would think we’d go to the stars. Nope, the real issues are with the players that do not have consistent roles. Let’s start with this guy…