Lakers S68 Preseason Something-or-other with words and thinking of different ways to ... wait, what was I saying?

[MexicanMamba]

FINISH THE STORY!

I don't know, but I heard this somewhere recently.

It fits Safi.

This will be the 13th season for Mr. Fino-A-Laself in Los Angeles. Unluck for some, right? The sad reality is that he's now at a point in his career where he's seeing the results of his age and mileage. Another reality? There's finite opportunities left for him to lead this team to their elusive championship under him. We've been dominant in nearly every season that he's been on the court - Up to a point. Then a variety of things have broken down and led to disappointment.

It fits Banchero.

It's year 7 for Paolo. Wins have come at a high clip. Division titles, Conference titles. No championships. The hard reality here? For multiple runs, it's possible it's come down to his inability to stay on the court in crunch time. Is this the season he Slays the injury dragon?

It fits Johnny Davis.

The ex-Nugget left Denver, a place that he loved and they loved him back, because he saw a path towards fulfilling his ultimate goals of raising that damn trophy. And he's delivered on his part of the promise, to be sure. Until this past elimination game in Chicago when he was awful in the field and couldn't stay with McClung. Worst of all? He had to watch his old team go further than us.

Thomas Walker? No titles. Jed Ransdell? No titles. Harold Schiff? All-stars, All-leagues? Check. Championships? ZERO. Hell, Austin Reaves is now back with us too and it's been a hell of a difficult, winding road.

Enter: Fabian Hub.

A former champion with the Warriors, and recent Piston and Spur, can The Hub become the missing piece to a desperately craved trophy in Los Angeles? We hope so, and he's been nothing but a positive force for us since the trade. In the locker room, on the practice court, and in the weight room, he's been everything we could ask for.

But now everyone has to shut the hell up, lace up their shoes, and just go to work.

And we'll see what happens.

Any questions?



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[Xist2Inspire]

Random Reporter: A key component to the Bulls' championship run was eliminating redundancy and allowing Martin and Blakeney to shine separately by bringing Blakeney off the bench. With yet another star-studded roster, do you anticipate asking anyone to take a step back?

[MexicanMamba]

Random Reporter: A key component to the Bulls' championship run was eliminating redundancy and allowing Martin and Blakeney to shine separately by bringing Blakeney off the bench. With yet another star-studded roster, do you anticipate asking anyone to take a step back?

With my current roster setup, probably not. I am still figuring out the best way to put this lineup together honestly, so things are very subject to change. Also, I'll continue looking for more ways to wheel and deal I'd I'm able to, so, if I add any more high-functioning players, perhaps I become more open to it.

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[greepleairport]

How has Safi adjusted to sharing the court with another new generational talent like Fabian Hub? Have they gotten along? Have they hit up the clerb together yet? Can I come?

[K-100]

Are the Lakers cursed?

[Black Superman]

You've had incredible regular season success that being said. You have the most expensive roster in the association. Is there something you're going to be looking for through the first couple months of the season to decide if you're going to stay the most expensive roster or if you'll cheapen the tax bill a bit?

[MexicanMamba]

How has Safi adjusted to sharing the court with another new generational talent like Fabian Hub? Have they gotten along? Have they hit up the clerb together yet? Can I come?

They're too damn old to be going to any clubs. Their party spots are the weight room and the practice court. Maybe there was a little friendly rivalry in the beginning due to a certain Game 7 between them, but they will have each other's backs when the lights start shining.

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[MexicanMamba]

Are the Lakers cursed?

Probably. Because as the Clippers, we won one. Multiple regimes haven't been able to get this shit right though.

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[MexicanMamba]

You've had incredible regular season success that being said. You have the most expensive roster in the association. Is there something you're going to be looking for through the first couple months of the season to decide if you're going to stay the most expensive roster or if you'll cheapen the tax bill a bit?

Due to a healthy bank roll and confidence in what we can earn this season, I won't be stressing the tax man. Unless we come out at the bottom of the conference over multiple months, we'll probably move forward. I'd see myself adding more money in one more big trade than I'd see myself getting cheap. Only real caveat to that is if I just never find the right deal, because then Schiff will find a new home to trim things up.

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[pennpanther1]

What is your team's biggest strength this season?

[MexicanMamba]

What is your team's biggest strength this season?

Attacking. Look at the way that almost every guy on our roster prefers to score and you'll see that they want to go to the rim at every possible turn. It should cause a lot of free throw attempts and a lot of points.

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[garbageman]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: Now that he has two Finals MVP awards, do you make the McClung for Banchero trade again? What would the Lakers' alternate timeline look like if you kept McClung?

[Eazy P]

Do you think Hub is the missing piece to finally winning it all? Will Banchero playoff "injury" streak come to an end?

[MexicanMamba]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: Now that he has two Finals MVP awards, do you make the McClung for Banchero trade again? What would the Lakers' alternate timeline look like if you kept McClung?

I dont regret it, and it was definitely the right call for my team at the time. I had a championship caliber roster from the moment he stepped into the lineup and he was a day 1 starter. It's obviously not worked out as I hoped or it should have, but it was the right call. McClung needed more time to develop and I didn't expect to be needing to wait this long for my build to bear fruit.

Alternate timeline?

He'd probably have gotten injured in LA and I'd have lost anyways.

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[MexicanMamba]

Do you think Hub is the missing piece to finally winning it all? Will Banchero playoff "injury" streak come to an end?

1. He can be. 2. No, but I'm gonna try being hopeful.

Hub's roster flexibility, Paired with Safi's, is pretty exciting though.

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