The Official "Fire Mike Brown" thread

[Kobe 4 The Win]

I saw all I needed to see against Dallas but now it's time to stand up and be counted. This isn't premature panic, this is accepting reality. The evidence....

He's supposed to be a defensive coach but yet in two years we haven't played good defense. His team has no discipline and can't make freethrows. He doesn't know how to use his players correctly and take advantage of their strengths. He made Gasol a facilitator and put him 20 feet away from the hoop and now he is having Nash play off the ball. Steve f**king Nash!!! We have lost 13 games in a row if you go back to the end of last year. I've never seen a Lakers team in my lifetime lose like this.

Everyone is going to say it's too soon and they need time to blah blah blah. Bullshit, no excuses. I can tell you right now that this isn't going to work. This isn't Miami going 9 and 8. This team doesn't need little adjustments, it is f**ked. There is too much talent and too much salary on this team for them to play like this. Save us all a lot of aggrevation and fire Mike Brown sooner rather than later.

[Mr. Jabbar]

http://imageshack.us/a/img193/7266/kobememe.jpg

[Noof]

I like this thread.

Today he let Jodie Meeks rot on the bench in favor of Darius Morris.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

I like this thread.

Today he let Jodie Meeks rot on the bench in favor of Darius Morris.

Guilty

[ZeN]

Mike Brown is constantly making poor decisions and has looked lost, confused, and panicky in the last 3 games. He is inconsistent with the bench's minutes and is working the vets way to hard. No way Kobe should be averaging over 35 min a game so far. These 10 pts a game that they have been losing by can be attributed to Browns inability to make adjustments and stop the opponents runs. While the other team is building a lead, he just stresses and remains perplexed with what to do.. and in the end does nothing. The Lakers wont start progression until they have a coach that understands how to manage a teams versatility and strengths. And for a so called defensive coach.. his team is rather paltry on D.

[Mr. Jabbar]

I've also noticed Lakers get blown precisely in the 3rd quarter, anyone cares to analyze this?

[Kobe 4 The Win]

I've also noticed Lakers get blown precisely in the 3rd quarter, anyone cares to analyze this?

As mentioned by my esteemed collegue Zen it boils down to adjustments, or a lack thereof.

[Meticode]

Still perplexed why they didn't go with Brian Shaw.

[leopoldstotch]

all i have to say is LA should be pushing the panic button right now. If this continues and Mike Brown isn't fired before Christmas, the season is gone in my opinion. only problem? Eddie Jordan and Bernie Bickerstaff are the assistant coaches. :facepalm

[Kobe 4 The Win]

Still perplexed why they didn't go with Brian Shaw.

Or Byron Scott.

[DixieNourmous]

Mike out Jerry Sloan in.
Run the PnR w/ nash, howard like he did stockton, malone

[Kobe 4 The Win]

Mike out Jerry Sloan in.
Run the PnR w/ nash, howard like he did stockton, malone

All day.

[Mr. Incredible]

HAHA the LAKERS ARE A JOKE!! Excuses, excuses. 70 wins? Hahahahahah

[ZeN]

I've also noticed Lakers get blown precisely in the 3rd quarter, anyone cares to analyze this?
The team doesnt come out to play. Brown doesnt motivate them in half time or institutes a custom of coming out prepared to withstand a run.

When Phil was around, all we heard about was how you need to control the first five minutes of the 3rd quarter. The reason being that it helps set a tone and it dictates the flow of the second half. Tempo and attitude are generally imposed during the beginning of the game. Thats why teams with lackadaisical attitudes or who dont make a push (or fight to withstand it) generally get blown out in the third and the starters sit out the fourth.

The thing is that if the team was better prepared they would have their head in the game and they wouldnt be letting these runs constantly overwhelm them. Brown isnt Phil and hes not teaching shit..lol.. He simply doesn't know what to do to stop a run so his wishful thinking hopes that the team will 'figure it out'... which is asinine to believe about a team that has very little experience playing together.

This team needs playing time consistency and better personnel management.. because Brown isn't delivering.. his choices are unreasonable, illogical, and remedial for a so called experienced coach.

[ZeN]

all i have to say is LA should be pushing the panic button right now. If this continues and Mike Brown isn't fired before Christmas, the season is gone in my opinion. only problem? Eddie Jordan and Bernie Bickerstaff are the assistant coaches. :facepalm
Lakers are pretty screwed in that respect.. there really is no easy answer to the coaching situation. The whole staff is Brown-like. lol

[leopoldstotch]

Mike out Jerry Sloan in.
Run the PnR w/ nash, howard like he did stockton, malone

it's that easy. Lakers would be unstoppable with a nash-howard PnR and Kobe somewhere for the backup. :facepalm

[Mr. Jabbar]

The team doesnt come out to play. Brown doesnt motivate them in half time or institutes a custom of coming out prepared to withstand a run.

When Phil was around, all we heard about was how you need to control the first five minutes of the 3rd quarter. The reason being that it helps set a tone and it dictates the flow of the second half. Tempo and attitude are generally imposed during the beginning of the game. Thats why teams with lackadaisical attitudes or who dont make a push (or fight to withstand it) generally get blown out in the third and the starters sit out the fourth.

The thing is that if the team was better prepared it would have its game in the head and they would be letting these runs constantly overwhelm them. Brown isnt Phil and hes not teaching shit..lol.. He simply doesn't know what to do to stop a run so his wishful thinking hopes that the team will 'figure it out'... which is asinine to believe about a team that has very little experience playing together.

This team needs playing time consistency and better personnel management.. because Brown isn't delivering.. his choices are unreasonable, illogical, and remedial for a so called experienced coach.

good read.

[leopoldstotch]

The team doesnt come out to play. Brown doesnt motivate them in half time or institutes a custom of coming out prepared to withstand a run.

When Phil was around, all we heard about was how you need to control the first five minutes of the 3rd quarter. The reason being that it helps set a tone and it dictates the flow of the second half. Tempo and attitude are generally imposed during the beginning of the game. Thats why teams with lackadaisical attitudes or who dont make a push (or fight to withstand it) generally get blown out in the third and the starters sit out the fourth.

The thing is that if the team was better prepared they would have their head in the game and they wouldnt be letting these runs constantly overwhelm them. Brown isnt Phil and hes not teaching shit..lol.. He simply doesn't know what to do to stop a run so his wishful thinking hopes that the team will 'figure it out'... which is asinine to believe about a team that has very little experience playing together.

This team needs playing time consistency and better personnel management.. because Brown isn't delivering.. his choices are unreasonable, illogical, and remedial for a so called experienced coach.

This is what makes Phil a great coach. He is one of the best when it comes down to managing the game.

[Patrick Chewing]

http://cjzero.com/gifs/mikeborwnwhat_1.gif

[VegasLakerFan]

I haven't posted here in years, but I am so fed up with this open-mouthed, slack-jawed moron, I had to chime in and say, "YES. Fire this dude. ASAP!"
How do you not even PLAY the backup SG we signed in Meeks to give Kobe some time to rest. 41 minutes? Are you kidding? NO third quarter adjustments. Playing Morris over Meeks? WTF?

[I<3NBA]

Mike Brown is a good coach! it's Lebron's fault the Cavs lost.


oops! wrong year!

[VegasLakerFan]

Dave McMenamin ‏@mcten
Kobe says he scored his 40 "on one foot" and would need the walking boot leaving the arena. Said he feels like his foot is about to fall off

Good job, Mike. Run our star player into the ground BEFORE DECEMBER!

Here's a lovely piece of wisdom from our "Coach";

Mike Trudell ‏@LakersReporter
Mike Brown acknowledged that Kobe Bryant played too many minutes (43), but said LAL weren't getting offense from elsewhere.

Umm,draw up a freaking PLAY! My GOD.

[sirkeelma]

Reminds me of this thread.
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199058

[I<3NBA]

Dave McMenamin ‏@mcten
Kobe says he scored his 40 "on one foot" and would need the walking boot leaving the arena. Said he feels like his foot is about to fall off

Good job, Mike. Run our star player into the ground BEFORE DECEMBER!

Here's a lovely piece of wisdom from our "Coach";

Mike Trudell ‏@LakersReporter
Mike Brown acknowledged that Kobe Bryant played too many minutes (43), but said LAL weren't getting offense from elsewhere.

Umm,draw up a freaking PLAY! My GOD.
:lol he's so used to overplaying Lebron he doesn't realize he doesn't have Ironman anymore :facepalm

[DirtySanchez]

Reminds me of this thread.
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199058

THIS

Listen I'm pissed about the 0-3 start as well. And if the Lakers are put of it come all star break then yeah by all means let Brown go. But I doubt that happens. Face it Brown will be the coach this year unless Phil already told his GF he is ready to right this ship already.

I'm not happy with his job so far either but it's only 3 games in to a 82 games season for crying out loud.

[LakersForlife]

fire mike brown hire random coach or make him kobes secretary keeping track on fouls TO's..let kobe do the coaching subs = win championship jordan never did that..thats the icing GOAT

[rhythmic]

Mike out Jerry Sloan in.
Run the PnR w/ nash, howard like he did stockton, malone

It's actually a great analysis.
At first I didn't think Sloan is the right choice, but I forgot he did coach Malone & Stockton for all those years.

Pau & Howard with Nash, could probably win the title without Kobe under Sloan alone. Nash is the key though, our bench is so crap; we need a great facilitator to make things simple for those scrubs.

And how about Jamison? Boy has he been useless for us. :biggums:

[I<3NBA]

[QUOTE=rhythmic

[rhythmic]

Lebron had Jamison. don't talk to me about excuses!

that's all i heard from you ****ers! suck Jamison's dick now you morons!

Guy dropped 17 PPG last year, LAST YEAR?
He can't even score more then 4 points in any of the first 3 games...WTF :oldlol:

[rhythmic]

:cheers: At least Chucky is improving Dwight's free throw shooting guys, we have one decent coach on the bench.

[Asiantastic]

Jamison has been really passive on this team. He's not getting good looks anymore, primarily because he's playing with a god-awful bench.

Toss him in the 3 spot in the starting lineup and let's see how he does with all of MWP's open shots :D

[OG LeeTSkeeT]

Thing is, will Mitch fire Mike Brown, and if so how much longer?

[rhythmic]

Thing is, will Mitch fire Mike Brown, and if so how much longer?

If LA keeps losing, Jim will fire Mitch for not firing Brown.
You think our owner wants to pay 100+ million dollars for a losing product? And it's not even a losing product, it's a product that isn't being managed properly. I mean there is no progression at all being made here. I wouldn't mind if we were 0-3, and I seen noticeable improvements.

We lost to Dallas and Portland, two teams who will be battling for the 8th seed; a team with 4 stars should be more prepared, not loss by double digits all three games to start the year. :facepalm

[westside_baller]

I've only seen a few minutes of each of the 3 games, but the lakers have looked horrible each time.

It almost seems like they're standing still and their opponents are running circles around them. The mavs literally looked like a championship team against the lakers.

I am thoroughly enjoying Mike Brown's tenure with the lakers and hope he stays on for a long, long time. :D

[The-Legend-24]

The fact that he somehow managed to get this job still boggles my mind.

[rhythmic]

The fact that he somehow managed to get this job still boggles my mind.

He had two 60+ win seasons, an NBA finals berth and a COTY honours; and a really really good mock job interview. :oldlol:

[StateOfMind12]

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn254/Filsasco/coachbe.gif


Gif is appropriate.

[rhythmic]

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn254/Filsasco/coachbe.gif


Gif is appropriate.

:roll: Oh my god man, this is pure gold.

[Partizan]

Does anyone else feels like the players are losing on purpose to get brown fired?

[webberz0044]

You play the Pistons next, if the Lakers are blown out then Mike Brown should be fired before the game is over.

[The-Legend-24]

Kobe averaging almost 40 min a game on a sore foot. :applause:

[RRR3]

Kobe averaging almost 40 min a game on a sore foot. :applause:
That's not a good thing. Mike Brown is going to exhaust Kobe and co.

[wagexslave]

It's not Brown's fault the Lakers suck.

[Optimus Prime]

I'm not one to buy into the media and troll created overreactions, but Mike Brown needs to be fired. Like yesterday. His stubbornness in running this "Princeton Offense" is going to ruin the season right from the beginning. Training camp...wasted. Preseason...wasted. Starting off horribly too. Even Hubie Brown said it during yesterday's game...a team runs the Princeton Offense when it is lacking in talent. The Lakers are clearly not lacking in talent. They just look lost and confused out there because of this ridiculous offense, and that's saying a lot when you have players of the caliber of Kobe, Howard, Gasol and Nash. They are averaging 20 turnovers a game! That is unacceptable.

I saw it earlier in the thread, but hiring Jerry Sloan would be perfect for this team. Let Nash run pick and roll with Howard/Gasol all day long. Let Kobe do his thing. It would be simple yet effective.

Nobody really understood the hiring of Mike Brown last year, and today the decision looks even worse than before. To think...we could have had Rick Adelman! :facepalm

Fire Mike Brown!

:kobe:

Edit: The GIFs in this thread are spot-on. Mike Brown is a bad coach.

[longtime lurker]

I'm not one to buy into the media and troll created overreactions, but Mike Brown needs to be fired. Like yesterday. His stubbornness in running this "Princeton Offense" is going to ruin the season right from the beginning. Training camp...wasted. Preseason...wasted. Starting off horribly too. Even Hubie Brown said it during yesterday's game...a team runs the Princeton Offense when it is lacking in talent. The Lakers are clearly not lacking in talent. They just look lost and confused out there because of this ridiculous offense, and that's saying a lot when you have players of the caliber of Kobe, Howard, Gasol and Nash. They are averaging 20 turnovers a game! That is unacceptable.

I saw it earlier in the thread, but hiring Jerry Sloan would be perfect for this team. Let Nash run pick and roll with Howard/Gasol all day long. Let Kobe do his thing. It would be simple yet effective.

Nobody really understood the hiring of Mike Brown last year, and today the decision looks even worse than before. To think...we could have had Rick Adelman! :facepalm

Fire Mike Brown!

:kobe:

Edit: The GIFs in this thread are spot-on. Mike Brown is a bad coach.

Lol. Lesson learned when Rick Adelman is available. Hire Rick Adelman!

[blablabla]

hire mda
nash would average 20 assists per game

[D-Rose]

Let's say the Lakers go on like this for the next 10-20 games...what's the first domino to fall? Trade? Sign a guy like Delonte? Actually fire MB? Interesting times these are..and as bad and crazy as it is...I'm just going to sit back and relax for the show as a Laker fan. No need to get all emotional and bent over in the beginning of the season!

[Freedom Kid7]

>>Fire Mike Brown
>>Clain Jerry Sloan, as that guy wanted to coach again
>>???
>>Profit

[brownmamba00]

way too early

[longtime lurker]

Let's say the Lakers go on like this for the next 10-20 games...what's the first domino to fall? Trade? Sign a guy like Delonte? Actually fire MB? Interesting times these are..and as bad and crazy as it is...I'm just going to sit back and relax for the show as a Laker fan. No need to get all emotional and bent over in the beginning of the season!

Fire Mike Brown. You can't trade all the players and from watching the Lakers it comes down to management. He's like the CEO of a fortune 500 company bankrupting it within in a matter of days. I think the Lakers will eventually be fine, but long term Mike Brown is not the answer

[red1]

delonte would make this team so much better

[Yung D-Will]

Rick Adelman adjusted his Princeton sets to run them with a pass first pg in Rubio, unfortunately Mike Brown isn't Rick Adelman.

[Rekindled]

Rick Adelman adjusted his Princeton sets to run them with a pass first pg in Rubio, unfortunately Mike Brown isn't Rick Adelman.

actaully he didnt use princeton at all with Rubio, rubio had the ball like 80% of the time when he is on the floor and pick and roll all game.

[IGOTGAME]

actaully he didnt use princeton at all with Rubio, rubio had the ball like 80% of the time when he is on the floor and pick and roll all game.
you have zero knowledge of basketball.

[Yung D-Will]

actaully he didnt use princeton at all with Rubio, rubio had the ball like 80% of the time when he is on the floor and pick and roll all game.

From the timberwolves games I watched it seemed that there were still alot of Princeton sets.

http://analyzetheoffense.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/small-market-series-pt-2-the-minnesota-timberwolves-princeton-offense/

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

LOL @ acting like anybody but Phil Jackson is the head coach once Mike Brown gets the can.

[AirTupac]

Lol as if Phil would come back to coach at his age.

[Rekindled]

you have zero knowledge of basketball.

you watched zero games of twolves playing with rubio, so GTFO

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

Lol as if Phil would come back to coach at his age.
Jerry Sloan is a few years older than Phil.

[IGOTGAME]

you watched zero games of twolves playing with rubio, so GTFO
I'm prob the biggest Rubio fan on this site. I watched almost all of his games.

[ZeN]

Jerry Sloan is a few years older than Phil.
Except Phil has had back problems among other health issues.. And is always fickle about wanting to coach. None of these things heard by Sloan before his forced sabbatical.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

Except Phil has had back problems among other health issues.. And is always fickle about wanting to coach. None of these things heard by Sloan before his forced sabbatical.
70 years old is 70 years old.

[Meticode]

Jesus, those guys should getting social security.

[TonyD]

FireMike.com (http://firemike.com/) is already taken. Damn.

[Pointguard]

The team doesnt come out to play. Brown doesnt motivate them in half time or institutes a custom of coming out prepared to withstand a run.

When Phil was around, all we heard about was how you need to control the first five minutes of the 3rd quarter. The reason being that it helps set a tone and it dictates the flow of the second half. Tempo and attitude are generally imposed during the beginning of the game. Thats why teams with lackadaisical attitudes or who dont make a push (or fight to withstand it) generally get blown out in the third and the starters sit out the fourth.

I don't know if that can be said of a veteren team? The starters have all pllayed well over a 500 games each and all went very deep in the playoffs. If you don't know the value of the third quarter now you will never know it. When Magic was playing he talked of the players knowing it. Its tradition for contending teams. You talking about five starters that all were leaders once on playoff teams not being up that? Players have to be the example, not look to the coach for motivation at this stage. Kobe and Nash have to be the super vet/leaders. Its unfair to say a coach has to teach super millionairies the same motivation lesson well over a thousand times (two times each game). When Harden comes out in the third quarter his play is infectuous because of his attitude and his teammates barely know him.

Brown was hired in Clevelend because he was a great motivator and positive coach and could teach Lebron. Those Clevelend teams were motivated teams. When he left they had some motivation problems. So I can't say for sure its him. It's more than likely that both Nash and Kobe overthink the system and can't inject a great attitude while overthinking. Kobe is definitely playing with passion a lot during the game. Dwight sometimes.

If the chief is invested in the idea the Indians will follow (KG and Derrick Rose had a very hard sale to their teammates - new system, new players with bad habits, new coach). The Princeton offense isn't as hard as the triangle by any measure of the stick. Nash has played on national teams and different style offenses. He and Kobe have to invest. Its not unfair to ask them to learn a basic basketball system that many other teams have done before even at the college level. Kobe, Nash, Artest, Gasol and DH have all been exposed to the offense before and its obvious that they aren't sleeping on the playbook.



This team needs playing time consistency and better personnel management.. because Brown isn't delivering.. his choices are unreasonable, illogical, and remedial for a so called experienced coach. I agree with some of that but Kobe and Nash should know the system better - they should not be lost. I don't see the Laker players communicating what they don't know. That's not on Brown and its mostly on the leaders.

The Lakers will be among the best if they tough this out or if they change their situation. I think its real uncool to go all out on a coach that had one of winningest records with bad starters surrounding a very young Lebron. Heck, Coach Brown and Lebron carried Pavlovic, Z, Hughes and Gooden to the finals.

[ZeN]

Pointguard.. Does team chemistry matter? And is knowing something the same thing as being prepared to execute it?

By your explanation everything that is plausible should be. Yet as you know these 'millionares' arent what they should be all the time. Not to mention that you have to look at the psychological factors.. the human element of natural regression.

I understand that they are veterans and have high basketball I.Q.'s.. but when in singular form or when its only found in the individual, it doesn't automatically translate into the team dynamic. The point is that teams come together to establish a collective goal and a collective mindset. The coordinator of this is the coach. We all know NBA players can ball, that's not in dispute. What is the issue is having all of these professional players learn to adapt to the specific skill sets and personalities of these new players that surround them.

One of the most important aspects of a team is chemistry. And it doesnt matter how long Kobe has been playing when faced with new people to interact with. Should Kobe act exactly the same way with Howard that he did with Kwame in the past or Shaq? Is Pau Gasol the idental player that Amare is? Should Nash treat Pau identically to Amare?


The job of a coach is to find a strategy using individuals to maximize their individual talents and experience. To manage the egos, playing time, and skill sets. Hes there to help the individuals become an actual team and have them meld into a group that works as one.

So say that because the players are elite and have experience and that's why they should automatically be great.. is to express a narrow-minded view of what basketball is. Talent doesn't always promote team unity or build chemistry... in fact usually its a deterrence. Therefor there needs to be a leader or a headship figure who can reign that elite talent in and have it work in conjunction.


It doesnt mean shit to have basketball knowledge either.. its what you do with that information by way of actions.

If Kobe understands that 3rd quarter resistance play is important how is that suppose to automatically transfer to the team as a whole? How does one man influence without effort the rest of the team, to understand it?

That is why we value Alpha Dogs, Coaching Leaders and inspirational players so much.. Because they are needed in order to take a group of good players and convert them into a single formed great team.

[Tarik One]

FireMike.com (http://firemike.com/) is already taken. Damn.
Of course it's already taken. Do you know how many coaches named "Mike" have been on the hot seat since the internet's inception?

[BlueandGold]

I saw all I needed to see against Dallas but now it's time to stand up and be counted. This isn't premature panic, this is accepting reality. The evidence....

He's supposed to be a defensive coach but yet in two years we haven't played good defense. His team has no discipline and can't make freethrows. He doesn't know how to use his players correctly and take advantage of their strengths. He made Gasol a facilitator and put him 20 feet away from the hoop and now he is having Nash play off the ball. Steve f**king Nash!!! We have lost 13 games in a row if you go back to the end of last year. I've never seen a Lakers team in my lifetime lose like this.

Everyone is going to say it's too soon and they need time to blah blah blah. Bullshit, no excuses. I can tell you right now that this isn't going to work. This isn't Miami going 9 and 8. This team doesn't need little adjustments, it is f**ked. There is too much talent and too much salary on this team for them to play like this. Save us all a lot of aggrevation and fire Mike Brown sooner rather than later.

I think a lot of what you said has a ring of truth but so far it's only been 3 games, and there has been obstacles. Also it looks like Kobe has some type of affinity for Brown? Been sticking up for Brown a lot in press conferences.. I don't remember Kobe calling out Brown at any point during last season either.



FireMike.com is already taken. Damn.

FireBrown.com isn't and FireMikeBrown.com definitely isn't taken.

[Blue&Orange]

FireMike.com (http://firemike.com/) is already taken. Damn.
(Yes, we realize the buttons on the left have soccer balls on them but we built this in 30 minutes. Give us a break!!):lol

[ZeN]

FireBrown.com isn't and FireMikeBrown.com definitely isn't taken.


That website need to come into effect asap and it needs a Facebook page.. anything to get him off of the Lakers bench..lol

[Pointguard]

So say that because the players are elite and have experience and that's why they should automatically be great.. is to express a narrow-minded view of what basketball is. Talent doesn't always promote team unity or build chemistry... in fact usually its a deterrence. Therefor there needs to be a leader or a headship figure who can reign that elite talent in and have it work in conjunction.
I definitely agree here. I think in terms of chemistry it's really hard on the Lakers because both guards were ball dominant their whole careers and DH had teams built around him his whole career. And Pau whines when things don't go his way... And Artest is pyschotic. Players and coaches have to resolve that. The Princeton offense addresses the ball dominant issue but Nash has to be game.

But players not knowing plays only compounds the issue. Its a motion offense, that thrives on passing, and setting picks. Players interact with each other on the court according to their system. The coach depends on his players to know their system. Kobe kind of knows it, everybody else, I can't say I see the Princeton thing going on. If they don't know what they are trying to do, then its very hard for the coach to guide them. The players can't flow, unless they know, how their presence benefits their teammates. But you have to buy into the system. The system is their unity on the court. When players don't try to learn the system they are responsible for breaking up the unity on the court (guys like Eddy Curry, Darko, Darius Miles stunts).

[Eat Like A Bosh]

It's mind boggling how this guy could get hired in the first place.

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/3273/mikebrown.jpg

[Rockets(T-mac)]

How Mike Brown got the job in the first place is still appalling. Especially seeing the options that the lakers had.