I am not oppossed to the idea of a Julius Randle TRADE.
But I am not down with a Julius Randle ASSASSINATION.
The notion that JULIUS is the primary factor in our descent from 2020-2021 to 2021-2022, well, I think that is simplistic. Much as I look at the calls in the Blogosphere to fire Tom Thibodeau as if that would miraculously liberate our roster.
Is it worth noting/debating the roster changes and losses and how they impacted our squad's chemistry last season, never you mind how we saw young players and vets alike make a strong step forward only to be derailed by injuries or COVID.
Theo Pinson, Elfrid Payton, Reggie Bullock? Could they have made much of a difference skill wise, talent wise? Meh. Perhaps chemistry wise?
Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier?
Straight out fo the gate, there was trouble meshing, and BOTH Julius AND R.J. were out of sorts, let alone IQ and Obi, who couldn't seem to find their rhythm in looking over their shoulders for the infamous Thibs Hook.
Fournier would have one strong game [such as opening night vs. the Celtics] followed by two desultory ones. What ever he gave us in offense, vis a vis the departed Bullock, was seemingly surrendered in defense.
Thibs' insistence on tasking Julius with being our point forward was misplaced strategically, and when Rose went down, and TT turned to Burks instead of IQ/Deuce, raw as they were, and game as Alec was, had a domino effect, chemistry wise. Never you mind Thibs turning to Taj, heroic as his play was, 9 times out of 10 to spell Mitchell or Julius, when Nerlens was unavailable, and TT had neither the faith nor cajones to let Obi play through his growing pains.Well...now Taj is gone, Kemba is gone, Burks is gone, Noel is gone.
Only Rose remains among the UberVets....then there are Fournier, Randle, Robinson.
Who all face stiff competition from our pride of puppies: IQ/McBride, Grimes, Obi, Hartenstein/Sims.
I appreciate the ennui of our fans regarding Randle's midseason hissy fits and meltdowns, but some of that is on Thibs, who as has been observed by many on this forum, mistasked JR as a point forward at the same time he burdened the game Burks with being a PG.
I find the notion of...PUNISHING Randle for his immaturity distasteful and self-defeating.
I feel he has earned at the very least one more chance to redeem himself, based on how he lifted this team on his back in 2020-21. And in the presence of an ACTUAL FACTUAL POINT GUARD who will demand and command the rock and reduce the pressure on Julius AND R.J. and Fournier to do more than might reasonably be expected of them.
Again, I do not believe Kam and others are wrong in advancing the notion that trading JR would be a case of addition by subtraction.
But the "trade solutions" I have seen floated here and elsewhere serve only to
exacerbate our own fragile chemistry.
I am particularly offended by the suggestion we should GIVE the Lakers Randle AND Fournier in exchange for Westbrook and a 2027 #1. UNLESS Rob Pelinka AND Rich Paul AND and Phool Jagoff PissBoy Kurt Rambis ARE PREPARED TO SUCK NEON LEON's COCK AT CENTER COURT [while giving James Dolan a reach around] TO THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR? Hello..
There is no fucking way I am bailing out the arrogant, self-entitled Lakers and retrofitting them for a supercharged Western Conference Championship run by relieving them of their Westbrook miscalculation, only to either have a very unhappy divisive RW on the bench behind Brunson and Rose and IQ, let alone buying him out in the name of cap space.
FUCK That: The Knicks are a basketball team, not a
registererd charity.
Likewise well meaning rolls of the dice for Hayward or Rozier.
Both good players, but given the make up of our current roster, redundancies, given that Cam, Evan, R.J. Feron and Quentin are already battling for wing minutes,
never you mind that GH has two guaranteed years remaining at $30 million plus and TR three guaranteed at Jalen Brunson money.
FINALLY, this whole fucking media/fan base feeding frenzy regarding DONOVAN MITCHELL makes me want to hurl. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE DONOVAN, but not at the cost of IQ, Obi and Grimes, never you mind a ransom in draft picks.
I would much rather trust in Grimes and that he might over the next couple of years grow into a larger version of DM, well, DM Light, I'll grant you, with comprable facilitating skills, more size to play the 2-3-1, FAR BETTER DEFENSE, and a better trey--at a rookie contract price.
WHY DO Y'ALL THINK AINGE IS SO OBSESSED WITH THE KID, Numb Nutz? I WOULD MUCH RATHER TRUST THE PROCESS, now that we actually have a process, AND ALLOW THE PROCESS TO PLAY OUT, as opposed to the bullshit narrative as to how the Knicks MUST GET A STAR to have credibility and be a legit contender. Christ.
Fuck THAT.
Question, geniuses. In order to obtain
STARS Anthony Davis AND Russell Westbrook, and team them with The GodHead LeBron, what did the Lakers surrender?
In both cases, a Danny Ainge Haul.
Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first round picks, including the No. 4 overall pick, the latter turning in to DeAndre Hunter, when the Pelicans traded him to the Hawks for the #8, 17 & 35 picks [Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Marcos Louzada Silva]. Ingram is an all-star, Josh Hart got the Pelicans another all-star in C.J. McCollum. Anthony Davis is a force of nature, when he is not on the IR.
Westbrook? Cost the Lakers
Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the 22nd overall pick of the 2021 Draft [Isaiah Jackson, whom the Wiz traded to the Pacers, where he looks to evolve into a rotation PF] . PF-SF Kuzma is a rotation player for the Wiz, averaging 17.1-8.5-3.5 in 33 minutes. Pope was just signed as a FA by the Nuggets, right. As a rotation player for the Wiz he shot .890% from the FT line, .390% from trey, averaging 13.7 ppg in 30 minutes.
Anthony Davis? Russell Westbrook? The Lakers GUTTED Their Roster And Much Of Their Draft Capital In Pursuit Of SHINY FUCKING OBJECTS. I repeat: FUCK DONOVAN MITCHELL & SHINY OBJECTS. And I love the idea of Melo more than the reality, given that we have younguns like R.J., Cam, Feron and Obi who need floortime more than we as a team need another fucking nostalgia tour. Never you mind that eight #1 draft picks might be tasked with facilitating more rational trades, let alone being packaged for BETTER, MORE TASTY #1 PICKS IN DRAFTS YET TO COME.
All of which is a rather long-winded, redundant, self-referential way of saying what JAQDAVISONE said more convincingly and in way fewer words.
Why just get rid of Randle, dude look like he's in shape, his form on his shots look good he is not a throwaway piece. Lets start the season with him and Toppin and see who outshines who and if its still logjam we make a decision by the deadline. Also I like Melo but not at the expense of taking minutes from the youngins, we don't need no more vets.
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