If you want to believe Chad Ford or not but if LMA is put on the block what PF out there would be a realistic option that would be an upgrade or at least a better fit?
I'm very happy with LA. I can only think of 4 PF's in the game I'd rather have. Dirk, STAT, Bosh,or Boozer.
I'll throw out this idea: Kevin Love 6'9.5" 255 LBS. AGE: 21 PPG: 14.0 RPG: 11.0 AST: 2.9 MIN: 28.6 DRtg: 109 PER: +20.7 PER36: 18 PPG / 14 RPG I'm not saying trade LMA to Minnesota but Love is an intriguing prospect who can really produce. He's a better passer and rebounder than LMA, but they equally suck at blocking shots. If Greg can get healthy I think Love's passing, especially from the high-post, would fit in extremely well with Oden.
I like him. He is inferior to LaMarcus defensively, though, especially with all the switching we do. I agree his passing could benefit Oden, and he's a GREAT rebounder, but if we're counting on Oden, rebounding is less of a need up front. Obviously he's much better value for the money, since he's still on a rookie contract. Probably not worth pondering over, as Minnesota wants to trade Big Al to make room for Love, so they must really like him.
When you put age or fit next to Oden into the mix, LMA (I can't leave the M out because then his initials become an obscenity) is just about perfect for us. I'd probably trade the age difference for Bosh. I wouldn't trade Dirk for him because of age, Boozer because of fit next to GO and Amare because of age, wear and tear and previous injuries. We're entering the Rasheed phase with LMA where we see he can be more, so we get frustrated when he doesn't maximize his potential. The difference between he and Sheed is that LMA doesn't have as much talent, but brings a more consistent effort and certainly better production every night.
That's a very tough question to answer. I think his trade value is very high. He's a fairly versatile PF, although a bit soft. I think David Lee might the team better with respect to what Nate wants.
I like David Lee or Kevin Love over him. Just my opinion. I think he is TOO soft and doesn't bring it EVERY night. Very much like Sheed in the "please play hard and to your potential every night" department. I think we have seen his best already...my question is about chemistry. Roy seems to like him and would it hurt the team to see him leave?
HCP I do repsect your take on most NBA subjects, but on Boozer I think you are way off. No doubt he has the talent, but there is something in his personality that screams "selfishness". I do not hold most Jazz fans int highest regard after living there so long, but the ones I do, can't stand him. I can't really pin point why, but I would take LMA any day over Boozer.
I love LMA's game when he is attacking the basket, and then mixing in jumpers. When he's not, he is all but worthless. As for his trade value, I think glorified role player is about what it is. He's not an all-star, so those thinking you can get one back for him are wrong. As for an upgrade, I don't think you trade LMA for another PF. It would need to be an upgrade at a different possition.
I used to support Lamarcus when I thought he was going to improve his game. But he never improved. The only thing that has improved for Lamarcus over the course of his career, is his number of minutes played and his number of fouls he commits. Offense is still the same. Defense is actually worse now. He never takes his opponents best moves away, which tells me he never pays attention to film, which is sad, because he has all the tools to be a good defender if he would just add the mental part in. He makes excuses rather than rebounds, saying things like "I play from the outside". I know other forwards that play outside, and they work harder on boarding then he does, so that is bullshit. His court awareness is not good. Many times he catches the ball and has no idea nobody is even guarding him, waits for defense to show up before he does anything, which is absolutely infuriating. Right now I have him at about the #8 spot for Western Conference power forwards, and that is not even considering that Blake Griffin might be healthy this year, and might surpass him. (Most likely will IMO) and he may have even be placed below that, it could be argued(Carl Landry and Jason Thompsen split time in Sacramento). That means on most nights against Western conference opponents, you are going into the game with a disadvantage at one of the positions which so many argue is a strength of our team. Now that being said, his trade value now is better than it was earlier this year, because so many teams are overpaying. His deal starts not looking so bad.
When you factor in defense and age, there actually aren't that many power forward upgrades. Amare Stoudemire might be better but, if so, it's not by much due to what he gives back on defense. Love also gives a lot back on defense. Nowitzki is much older...better, but while Aldridge may have some improvement left and his entire prime, Nowitzki may begin declining quite soon. Same, and even more so, goes for Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. Bosh would be a solid upgrade. So would Boozer. Pau Gasol would be, too (though, again, you'd be getting relatively few prime years). But it's really not a huge list.
I agree with this. So maybe the question is, 'what can Nate do to keep LA focused on this aspect of his game'?
Honestly? Nothing. Sure Nate can ride him in practice and yell at him to be more aggressive, and that might work in short bursts, but ultimately LMA has to motivate himself -- he has to want to dominate and it can't come from just wanting to prove people wrong when he gets mad or gets his feelings hurt.
I think the solution is to not depend on him to be a main scorer on the team. If he is playing well, great, go to him. (Much like we had to with Rasheed). But it is best not to plan on depending on him, and get him relegated to being the #3 scorer on the team instead of the 2nd. Somebody else with a better motor has to take that role, somebody we don't have to worry about showing up every night.
I completely agree with this ... and if LMA provides a reliable third scorer moving forward then I'll be happy, but I still want to see him play harder on defense and make a greater effort to push people out of the post, box out and contest more shots. The other problem is that I'm not sure we have a second scorer yet (maybe that's Nic or Greg?)
I disagree with the thoughts about LMA's D. True that when he is forced to guard a player away from the basket (i.e Lebron James) it is not pretty. But against traditional PF's (The brusiers that you all seem to crave) LMA is very good. It is the tweeners that kill him. Yet the guys who are often mentioned by fans as a better alternative are equally as bad on the perometer. (i.E Boozer) Bottom line is you call LMA soft, but he plays well against POWER forwards. The Corey Maggette's , LeBron James, and Dirks, who pull him outside and go around him.....he struggles as most pF's do.
Actually I think LMA is better on the perimeter than on the block ... he switches well, has good foot speed, can contest jumpers pretty well, but gets absolutely pushed around under the basket. This next year watch him closely some time when guys run to the block to setup, he gives ground way too easily.
It's Greg if healthy. Nicolas could explode on any given night but will never be an auto double team like Greg was last season. The reason I haven't given up on Oden is his weakness is health and to a lesser extent fouls. I'd rather trade LMA then Batum any day of the week.
Maybe Nate can't? At least he hasn't proved that he can to this point, but like many in here say, he is still a young coach
