Los Angeles Lakers
Name YR Position Height WT FG 3PT FT RPG APG BLK STL PPG
Abdul-Jabbar 70-71 C 7-2 225 577 000 690 16.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 31.7
J. O’Neal 03-04 C/PF 6-11 226 434 111 757 10.0 2.1 2.6 0.8 20.2
Ben Wallace 04-05 PF/C 6-9 245 453 111 428 12.2 1.7 2.4 1.4 9.7
R. Sampson 85-86 PF/C 7-4 228 488 133 641 11.1 3.6 1.6 1.3 18.9
Kevin Garnett 03-04 PF/C/SF 6-11 220 499 256 791 13.9 5.0 2.2 1.5 24.2
Elton Brand 05-06 PF 6-8 275 527 333 775 9.2 2.4 2.3 0.9 22.7
James Worthy 87-88 SF 6-9 225 531 125 796 5.0 3.9 0.7 1.0 19.7
M. Cooper 86-87 SG/SF 6-5 170 438 385 851 3.1 4.5 0.5 1.0 10.5
Eddie Jones 97-98 SG/SF 6-6 190 484 389 765 3.8 3.1 0.7 2.0 16.9
L. Sprewell 03-04 SG 6-5 190 409 331 814 3.8 3.5 0.3 1.1 16.8
Joe Dumars 88-89 SG 6-3 190 505 483 850 2.5 5.7 0.1 0.9 17.2
Rajon Rondo 09-10 PG 6-1 171 508 213 621 4.4 9.8 0.1 2.3 13.7
Gary Payton 95-96 PG 6-4 180 484 328 748 4.2 7.1 0.2 2.4 21.8
Here is my writeup to go along with my profile:
For my lineup, my starting 5 is set. I love the elite defenders I have at 4 starting positions, as well as the Championship leadership of Kareem, Worthy and Dumars in that lineup. I switched back and forth between 07-08 KG and the 03-04 version because of the championship factor, but I ended up staying with 03-04 KG because he offered so much versatility back then on defense and offense.
I believe that I have addressed the one common issue with my team, which was deep shooting, with the additions of Eddie Jones and Michael Cooper off the bench. I love Coop especially because not only could he shoot from deep at a great clip (385), but for the year I chose for him he was Defensive Player of the Year(86-87). He was known to frustrate Larry.
Additionally, with my starting unit I have Dumars who was credited publicly by Jordan as a player who played him very well defensively. I also love Dumars’ Championship pedigree, his toughness, leadership, and skillset-wise he is a starter who spreads the floor quite well with his 3pt% (483) during regular season. One concern of mine was his 3pt% in the playoffs for that particular year, which was bad – at 083%. However, this shortcoming obviously did not keep him from winning NBA Finals MVP that year, and we have other shooters we can bring in to compensate for this.
Eddie Jones and Michael Cooper are both versatile in that they can play the SG or SF, and Coop is an Elite defenders and Eddie a very good one as well. Both shoot extremely well from deep (Eddie 417% and Coop 486%).
Additionally, for the year I picked Coop he won Defensive Player of the Year. Eddie Jones was an NBA 2nd Team Defensive award.
Ben Wallace could start in some games, depending on matchups. He was a Defensive player of the Year selection for the year I chose, and he was an elite rebounder as well. His strength, toughness and quiet leadership are essential for this team in that he can help tremendously without needing the ball in his hands.
The games where Ben starts would be at PF, with KG sliding to SF and Kareem holding down Center. This is my Defensive Frontcourt. I could supplement this lineup further with Michael Cooper or Eddie Jones starting at SG and GP maintaining PG duties. This particular lineup would allow me to spread the floor well and have a tough defensive backcourt and frontcourt to overcome.
I could create additional matchup problems with Elton Brand and Ralph Sampson. Elton gives me perhaps my best lowpost offensive player in that he has many moves down low and has the toughness, skill and ability to finish around the rim. He is also a very good defender with over 2 blocks per game.
Ralph Sampson brings me a unique skillset in that he is 7’4” and can play the “Point-Forward” role for us. For the year I chose (85-86) he was a very good defender, passer, scorer, and rebounder. His minutes in the game will create matchup problems.
I presented a potential lineup of KG at SF, Sampson at PF and Kareem at Center and one panelist (IP, I think) stated that such a lineup wouldn’t work. I disagree, in that Ralph played PF alongside a post-dependent Center in real life (Hakeem) and KG often played SF in Sota. KG and Kareem’s teamwork and skillsets would mesh well with Sampson’s in this format (in limited minutes) and allow for a very difficult to defeat defensive frontcourt presence – one that would be very quick, athletic, talented, smart and long.
For my PG spot, Gary Payton impressed me – because even though his team lost to CHI, he elevated his game, indeed, in the playoffs. For the year I chose (95-96), he shot 485% overall and a whopping 410% from three – in the playoffs. His selection as Defensive Player of the Year only helps to solidify my first line of Defense here. GP helps to offset Dumars’ shortcomings from deep – in that GP shot well that year. Dumars brings a Championship mentality to that team along with Worthy in the starting lineup.
I was happy that Rajon Rondo fell to me in the latter rounds. He is yet another player that raised his level of play in the playoffs for the year I chose (09-10). He was instrumental in just about every series that year – especially vs CLE (and Lebron), ORL (and Dwight), and LA, even though the team lost. His averages approached Triple-Double levels for that entire playoff run that year. Off the bench, he (and Coop or Eddie Jones), would create defensive nightmares for any opponent. Rajon is a Pass-First PG who doesn't need the ball to be effective and he would be like a kid in a candy store in this Draft setting.
In my starting lineup, I envision the following scoring options:
1. Kareem
2. KG
3. GP
4. Worthy
5. Dumars
I have instant offense off the bench with Coop, Eddie, JO, Elton, Ralph. Elite and dependable Big Man Defense would come from Ben Wallace. Ralph Sampson provides offense, good defense and rebounding as well as athleticism off the bench as well. Sampson’s size and skillset would create matchup problems on many nights – just ask the Lakers about 85-86. Place Kareem in the spot of Hakeem in that setting and it still works.
Topic: 2011 CB Historical Draft - Team Profiles (Read 19831 times)