The players on the South Bay Lakers set the tone for this game!
The Los Angeles Lakers are in a difficult position trying to figure out how to maximize the rest of the LeBron James era while getting younger for the future.
While it does look bad on the outside from lazy journalists that think the Lakers are heading to the bottom of the NBA when LeBron leaves, this game shows that maybe the scouting staff of the Lakers and the South Bay coaching staff has some things cooking behind the scenes.
Let’s take a look at some of the standouts from the South Bay Lakers…
Paris Bass:
The staff of Lake Show Life already kind of read the minds of readers reading this…WHO? Well, we were thinking the same thing while he was punishing the Heat players with his physicality. he finished with 15 points 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. What makes this player so intriguing is that the Lakers DESPERATELY need wing defenders. Bass has a long wing span with a strong wiry build to hold his own on the parent squad. The announcing team called this dude a baller and Lake Show Life agrees.
Mac McClung:
He’s more than that dunk last year in the season finale against the Denver Nuggets folks. He’s got the tools to make the squad. It’s not like the Lakers are not afraid to bring in players from the G-League or sign free agents and give them roster spots. Alex Caruso came out the woodwork dunking on the Golden State Warriors with Kevin Durant to carve out an NBA career and Austin Reaves continues to improve and will play a part in the franchise’s future.
He knocked down a buzzer-beater before halftime and followed it up with this one at the end of the third quarter!
Mac McClung knocks down his 2nd buzzer-beater of the game!
— NBA (@NBA) July 2, 2022
2022 California Classic Live Now on ESPN 2 pic.twitter.com/A2ksOSkbIF
McClung led the Lakers with 17 points on 5-9 shooting and accomplished something not many on the Miami side could…hit free throws.
Jay Huff:
Don’t look for Dwight Howard to come back next season. At first, it looked like a head-scratcher until Huff hit the floor and dominated the game. Sure McClung led the team in scoring but Huff was the best player on the floor. He dominated both ends of the floor with his defensive rim protection and highlight dunk, particularly the reverse style type!
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1543364645574041600
Jay was a man amongst boys in this game scoring 15 points with 7 rebounds. he even showed that it’s the summer league for the statisticians as well recording only two blocks. Folks, he had at least three in the first five minutes of the game.
Why is this analysis so important? Let’s assume that the Los Angeles Lakers can actually swing a deal to get Kyrie Irving in a purple and gold uniform to replace Kyrie Irving. It will take at least the 2027 first-round pick and possible the 2029 pick to get Brooklyn to pick up the phone. Like what Yahoo Sports insider Chris B. Haynes says here…
"The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are actively engaged in discussions on a trade package that would send star point guard Russell Westbrook to Brooklyn in exchange for star point guard Kyrie Irving, league sources told Yahoo Sports. There’s palpable optimism that an agreement can be struck between the two sides this offseason, but there remain a few hurdles, sources said."
This is the future Lakers Nation, the development of players like these are huge if the Lakers want to stay competitive in two to three years.
Enough about the South Bay Lakers, time to check on how the young players did that got fans to the TV sets to watch in the first place…first up Scotty Pippen Jr. Read on!