NBA news: Lakers comparisons with Golden State Warriors made by Stephen A Smith
THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS are heading down the same road the Golden State Warriors went down before they hired Steve Kerr, according to Stephen A. Smith.
LA Lakers: Luke Walton needs to organise defence says Smith
The Warriors are the current NBA Champions, having won the title three times in the last four years.
Judging from their first ten games, from which they are 9-1, they are on their way to a three-peat.
The Lakers, who won the title three years in a row in 2000, 2001, and 2002, are, however, now a far cry from their past success.
Like the Warriors before them, the Lakers are in the middle of a slump, and a major move to get out of that was made when LeBron James was acquired in the off-season.
However, Smith, who is a pundit for ESPN, explained that the Lakers are suffering from the same problems as the Warriors previously did, whilst outlining the issues that head coach Luke Walton is dealing with.
“Defensively, they’re non-existent,” he said.
“Offensively, you’re trying to be someone you’re not.
“Then on top of it all, you’re trying to bring these guys along, what Luke Walton did was hire guys he knows and is comfortable with.
“I am telling you that Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka have concerns about the staff below Luke Walton.
“This is something that Golden State had under Mark Jackson.
“I know they knew basketball, but Joe Lacob and Bob Myers wanted them to have a better staff, Steve Kerr was willing to do that.
“And then look what happened? They’ve gone to four straight NBA finals.
“You’re going to have presidents of basketball operations and team owners that think they know more than the young coaches.
“For Luke Walton, the situation is clear, a better defence, a better offencive scheme, orchestrated by a coaching staff they can trust.”
Smith then claimed that he believes James personally doesn’t want Walton to be fired, as it would reflect badly upon him.
Reports circulated last week that Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson had spoken with Walton.
James, however, publicly gave his backing to the young coach.
“LeBron James isn’t going to say anything,” Smith explained.
“James is going to go out there publicly and state that he wants Luke Walton to keep his job.
“Because he knows, if another coach gets fired, everyone is going to look at him, and he doesn’t want any part of that.”