However, when he eventually calls it a career, we'll most likely look back at his time in Los Angeles as wasted potential.

But the Lakers' shortcomings have nothing to do with the King's play. Instead, roster mismanagement by the front office possibly threw away multiple championships.

James' tenure with the purple and gold isn't nearly a failure. The Lakers' 2020 championship says so.

That Bubble lineup was special. The group finished as the top seed in the Western Conference and only lost five games on the way to the Larry O'Brien Trophy. In the following preseason, they were the clear favorite to repeat.

Unfortunately, that ring is pushing five years old, and the franchise hasn't returned to the big stage. So, what happened in the next four seasons that prevented another run?

Coming off a shortened 2020 offseason, the Lakers were poised to go back-to-back. They started 21-6, featuring the best defense in the league. But the injury bug got to Davis and James, dropping the team in the standings. Fortunately, the duo returned to good enough health at the right time, closing the regular season with five straight wins.

After defeating Golden State in the Play-In Tournament, L.A. had the eventual West champs, Phoenix, up 2-1. But Davis went down, and the Suns took the series in six games.

If the history books had to mark when the Lakers' title window started to close, the 2021 offseason would be the obvious choice.

The Lakers panicked that summer. After the AD injury, the front office disliked the lack of competitiveness in the postseason. So, management looked to make a splash move for a star to provide greater support when there are injuries.

General manager Rob Pelinka's focus was to upgrade from Kyle Kuzma. The forward left a bad taste in fans' mouths when he couldn't step up in Davis' absence.

However, the organization made a franchise-altering move by trading Kuzma for the worst star to pair with Davis and James: Russell Westbrook.

Reportedly, L.A. had deals lined up for other big-name players, but pressure from James forced the Westbrook move. However, Pelinka is the general manager and vice president of basketball operations. He has the final say in trade matters. He should've understood Westbrook was a bad fit with the two duo, especially concerning floor spacing.

Russ' time as a Laker was disastrous. The team had a 56-74 record with him. Of course, the duo missing time didn't help, but Westbrook was one of the worst three-point shooters in the league. Missing the postseason in 2022 was a far cry from their conference dominance just two seasons prior.

The organization has spent every last resource undoing the Westbrook trade in the last year. At the 2023 deadline, they shipped Russ out in a?three-team deal?to save that season.?

Pelinka has done a decent job rebuilding an adequate supporting cast around the duo. However, he has neglected the lack of 3&D talent on the roster for years.

As a result of bringing Russ in, the Lakers forfeited essential 3&D wings from the 2020 championship. The luxury of having players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who can hit threes consistently and guard at the point of attack, is vital to winning championships. This type of athlete is the best to put around Davis and James to maximize winning.

Possessing a talent like Alex Caruso comes with a price. But L.A.'s front office has been left with nothing but pennies and low-end draft capital to replace that skillset. And the defense has suffered dramatically.

This season's trade deadline allowed the organization to acquire a quality 3&D starter. The roster is filled with guys who can shoot or defend, no in-between for 30 minutes a night. Especially with Jarred Vanderbilt's health in question, the team has no answer for containing opposing permitter threats.

To everyone's surprise, the Lakers stayed put. Pelinka believed any available move at the deadline wasn't worth giving up the little assets they had. Instead, the organization plans to push for?a star player via trade in the offseason.?

L.A. didn't 'punt' on the season per se, but whatever improvements to be made in the coming offseason wouldn't be as impactful as Pelinka may think. James and Davis can't afford to wait till next season.

James turns 40 years old next season in December. It would be hard to compete for a championship when one of your most important pieces is at that age.

And for Davis, he's playing his best ball as a Laker. There's no guarantee he will continue to be this healthy next season. They needed Pelinka to go all in at the deadline to inch the team closer to contention when their window is still cracked.

The Lakers did do at least something recently. A few days after the deadline, the Lakers picked up former Brooklyn Net guard Spencer Dinwiddie fresh off the buyout market. Dinwiddie's not a bad player by any means. He can add scoring value off the bench.

But Pelinka's decision to wait and sign him instead of attacking the deadline is another example of him falling in love with castaway cheap ball handlers instead of solid 3&D rotational pieces.

It's absolutely inexcusable that the Lakers have been playing around .500 basketball since 2021. Champion contention should be consistent when an organization has two top 10 players.

James' L.A. arc isn't a failure. Unfortunately, the Lakers mismanaged the LeBron era by prioritized the wrong type of supporting cast around him when the 2020 championship laid out a blueprint.

The post How the Lakers Mismanaged the LeBron Era appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

The Los Angeles Clippers, on the other hand, kept an eye on the 76er guard throughout the summer. Three games into the 2023 season, the Clippers sent a collection of role players and draft picks for the reigning assist leader.

The Clippers had a good reason to make the trade. The duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have yet to provide the franchise its first championship due to injuries or playoff meltdowns. Harden would give the team additional all-star-level help for the core's possible last season together.

However, the new roster got off to the worst start possible. They lost six straight games immediately after the acquisition, falling to 3-7 overall.

The offense didn't have an ounce of rhythm. There was only one basketball to accommodate ball-dominant starters.

In particular, the backcourt pairing of Harden and Russell Westbrook noticeably failed to coexist. In his 111-97 debut loss to the New York Knicks, the former teammates logged 31 minutes each. However, they struggled to establish the team's primary facilitator when on the court together. With no floor general, the starting group took turns creating their own shot. The offense's flow suffered as a result.

Los Angeles finished the game with a season-high 22 turnovers, more than their assists (21). Westbrook contributed five turnovers of his own.

But head coach Ty Lue had faith in his team smoothing the bumps despite the alarming start. After their sixth-straight defeat, Lue asked Westbrook to come off the bench. And it's working.

Los Angeles has a 13-3 record with Harden as the starting point guard. The squad's eight victories in a row is the longest active winning streak in the league.

Flash-forward 40 days from losing to the Knicks, the Clippers beat New York 144-122. The offense showed an efficient flow with Harden at the helm and Russ playing just 15 minutes. The team produced 36 assists and only eight turnovers. Harden was responsible for 12 of those assists, along with 10 points.

The future Hall of Famer may not be the same scorer he was in Houston, but the 34-year-old is still one of the league's best playmakers. He led the association with 10.7 APG last season. Since becoming the point guard, he's been creating easy looks for teammates while limiting his shot attempts.

Leonard has immensely benefited from Harden's play creation. His efficiency plummeted in early November in the previous dysfunctional offense. The Claw averaged 22.6 PPG on 48.2/36.5/84.4 shooting splits last month. With Harden running the show this month, he's progressed to 29.3 PPG on an insane 62.3/54.8/95.1 split.

During the first 16 days post-Harden trade, the team ranked 28th in assist-to-turnover ratio. In the first 16 days of December, their assist-to-turnover ratio ranked sixth.

Not only did the Clippers' starting unit need time to gel together, but Harden also needed more reps himself. His previous game before his debut was Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. That was in May. After the loss to the Knicks, he attributed his lack of shape to not being a full participant in training camp or preseason.

It's safe to say after last night's 151-127 win in Indiana, Harden is back to the 20 & 10 guy he was last season. In Los Angeles' first five losses with the Beard, he averaged 15 points and 4.2 assists per game. In December, he is averaging 20.1 points and nearly ten assists. Last week, he put on a vintage 28-point and 15-assist performance in a win without George against the Golden State Warriors.

The Clippers don't need Harden to be the game's leading scoring like he was last night. Although, he still left Indiana with nine assists. But if he can turn back to his old self in a given matchup, the team is an obvious contender.

Harden's Clippers have arrived at 16-10, currently the sixth-best record in the Western Conference. The offense has shown no sign of slowing down with him, winning five of their last six by double digits. We will remember Coach Lue's decision as season-saving.

The post James Harden's Clippers Have Arrived appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

In Episode No. 54 of our In The Paint Show,"  co-hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland do the podcast they never thought in a million years would be necessary: a recollection and insight into the life of a gone-too-soon basketball star. In this case, it's still shocking former Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant is no longer gracing the earth, gone at age 41 after a aviation accident last Sunday that killed seven other passengers, including his 13-year old daughter GiGi, and the pilot.

In a special two and one half hour show, the fellas bring on six special guests, each with their own unique perspective and insight on either Bryant's formative years, legendary pro career or his untimely death.

Roundball Classic and ABCD Camp founder Sonny Vaccaro holds no punches, going in-depth on his relationship with Bryant while at Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.) and how the move was orchestrated to turn pro and join the Lakers after his show-stopping performance at the 1995 ABCD Camp.

Rashad Phillips of Sports Talk 2319, a member of the Class of 1996 as is former NBA guard Corey Benjamin, both break down their unique relationship with Bryant. Phillips was a late add-on to the 1996 Roundball Classic All-Star Game and Bryant's inspirational words on national television that day still resonate. Benjamin, the 1996 Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball, talks about what separated The Black Mamba from himself and other elites in that class.

Rome Douglas, a former NFL offensive lineman, has a 11-year old daughter who is an up-and-coming basketball player, and both were present at the Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, Calif., on that fateful day. Douglas talks about being at the facility when the awful news broke and how Kobe's and GiGi's loss will reverberate in the girls basketball community for many years to come.

Frank Burlison of BurlisonOnBasketball.com talks about evaluating Bryant for the first time as a rising junior while playing for the Sam Rines AAU travel ball club in Las Vegas. You won't believe what Bean shot from the field on the day he made a lasting impression of the Hall of Fame sportswriter.

Beto Duran, a well-known sports broadcaster on many platforms in Southern California, discusses his interactions with Kobe while covering the Lakers and what the basketball icon meant to the Latino community in Southern California.

SHOW NOTES: Episode 54 Rundown

14:47: Sonny Vaccaro describes his reaction to Kobe’s death, goes in-depth on his history with Kobe.

56:50: Rashad Phillips on his memories of playing against Kobe at the 1996 Roundball Classic.

1:12:40: 1996 CalHiSports POY, former NBA player Corey Benjamin on hearing about Kobe in high school, interactions with him over the years.

1:22:48: Former NFL player Rome Douglas who was at Mamba Academy Sunday morning watching his 11 year-old daughter play. 

1:36:05: HOF hoops writer Frank Burlison recollects on his first time seeing Kobe play in high school and following his illustrious Lakers’ career.

2:00:51: Longtime SoCal journalist Beto Duran on his interactions with Kobe and what made him such a respected figure in the Latino community.

2:26:44: Ronnie and Devin close out the show with their most memorable Kobe moments.

To learn more about our hosts, Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland, and to get more information about what "In The Paint" is all about, check out our intro below!

The post "In The Paint" Podcast: Kobe's Rise & Legacy appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Kobe Bryant posted a video of him running on a treadmill today with two hash-tags that read "#mambamental" "#vinoclock", and that's all he really needed to say.

The post Kobe Bryant is Now Running - 2014 NBA Comeback appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Jusfly was the 2012 champion as he beat out 2011 champion Kenny Dobbs. This time it was Jusfly's turn to try and reign as champion 2 years in a row vs the likes of Werm, Young Hollywood and Golden Child. Golden Child got hurt in warm ups but the remaining 3 guys put on quite a show for the crowd.

In the end Young Hollywood, previously seen all over ESPN with his double up over Blake Griffin, was not able to hit his go to double up over 6'11 Ryan Hollins and Jusfly was not able to complete a dunk in time in the finals vs Werm.

Congrats to Werm on being the 2013 Nike 3on3 Slam Dunk Champ! Werm's been having a pretty good year so far.  In June, he won the BET Sprite Dunk Experience contest at the BET Awards and the Washington DC Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown. He was also one of the stars of the Sprite Uncontainable Game that took place at NBA All-Star weekend.

2012 Nike 3on3 Contest

2011 Nike 3on3 Contest

2014 NIKE BASKETBALL 3ON3 TOURNAMENT

Click here to register your team for the Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament at L.A. Live on August 8-10th.  Enter BALLISLIFE to get $20 off the registration fee through 8/1!

The post Werm Wins 2013 Nike 3on3 Dunk Contest! 360 Cradle Dunk & More! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Jamal Crawford doing Jamal Crawford things.

The post Jamal Crawford SICK Handles and Hits The Bank shot Over Jared Bayless! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

DeAndre Jordan climbing the ladder

The post DeAndre Jordan Dunks on Nikola Vucevic TWICE! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

A week or so ago we released this video of Chris Paul showing off his handles against some celebrities and entertainers. A lot of the responses we got were people saying it was against bad defense. Well here is Chris Paul showing off his nasty handles in an NBA game against a solid point guard.

The post Chris Paul Toying With Mike Conley Last Night; Nasty Handles! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Metta putting his acting skills to the test.

The post Metta World Peace Stars In A Lifetime Movie appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Check out full highlights of Dwight Howard's Lakers debut last night against the Kings.

The post Dwight Howard's FULL Highlights In 1st Game As Laker! 19 pts (4 Dunks) 12 rbs 4 blks appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Check out Dwight Howard getting introduced as a Laker for the 1st time EVER!

The post Dwight Howard Gets Introduced As A Laker For The FIRST Time EVER! [VIDEO] appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Check out Kobe Bryant turning back the clock on this nasty (for a 34 year old) 2 hand dunk on the fastbreak.

The post Kobe Turns Back The Clock With The HARD 2 Hand Dunk vs Kings! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

"Magic, Larry, and Mike. These three names will forever be intertwined in the storied history of the game of basketball, synonymous with terms like "Greatness" "Passion for the Game" "Hustle" "Heart" "Grit" but most of all, they will be remembered as the men who saved basketball and became three of the biggest Legends to ever step out on the court." Props to Meir21 for his great work.

The post SICK Mixtape: "The Legends - Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson" appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

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The Clippers run to the Western Conference Semi’s last season was new to a rabid and long suffering Clipper Nation.  In an odd way, they have a touch of small town charm.  I know the entire population of Oklahoma City can fit in LA Live, but the Clippers had an OKC-type feel to them last season, as longtime Clipper fans packed the Staples Center nightly and went nuts.  The franchise has long played the role of kid brother, the JV team, the well warranted role of underdog.   Forging a winning franchise is best with a sense of continuity.  You don’t progress or regress with change, but only break ground and initiate.

The re-signing of Head Coach Vinny Del Negro was a rare sign of loyalty from Sterling, a boss who has seen a court for more law suits filed by employers (along with tenants from his real-estate success) than he has for basketball games.  During, and after the season, there was d speculation that Del Negro was not going to be brought back.  With the Clippers suddenly, because of Olshey, sporting a near contending roster, it would be an appealing position for a big named or more established coach looking for employment.  One that can develop player's skill and attitude.  Even when they announced to bringing back Del Negro, many joked that it was because Sterling didn’t want to pay more for another coach, instead opting to pick up Del Negros option, the cost effective option.  I thought it was a good idea to retain Del Negro (doesn’t mean I’m entirely sold though).  I was happy to see him get a second shot with this roster, and hopefully take full advantage of the training camps and practices he was robbed of last season because of a silly labor dispute.  Del Negro can even use the favorite excuse of his predacesor, Mike Dunleavy, and pull the injury card by constantly using injuries to key players as a shield from criticism.  Duneavy just settled a suit with Sterling.  Two years is the minimum evaluation period a coach has to get wheels of his program moving, and the Clippers showed loyalty in bringing back Del Negro.

Besides maintaining familiarity, the Clippers chose not to reward success.  Olshey was no slouch, netting the franchise: Chris Paul (without surrendering Eric Bledsoe), Reggie Evans, Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Kenyon Martin, DeAndre Jordan (re-signed), Nick Young and Mo Williams, arguably half of a championship roster’s worth players for a franchise that probably felt left out during the Draft Lottery last week.

The small lack of loyalty could not have come at a worse time.  The Clippers acquired Paul with two years remaining on his deal, making this next season his last one under his current contract.  Losing out on retaining Paul is a franchise killer for any team, let alone one like the Clippers who were just getting their first tastes of winning.  The Clippers also have a chance in keeping the League’s most explosive player in Griffin, as his rookie contract comes to an end.  Keeping Griffin is ‘1B’ to the ‘1A’of signing Paul, both are irreplaceable generational talents.  The Clippers also need to re-sign Billups, who would need a good convincing that he won’t wilt away with an overwhelmed Clipper franchise.  A change in culture was instituted with the acquisitions of both Paul and Billups and the Clippers are ran with it.  Both brought a franchise known for futility, and a roster full of fresh faces an instant winning and veteran credibility.  Paul , Billups, and Griffin  will ultimately make long-term commitments and decide  if the perennially cursed franchise is more than just a cute underdog story.  New players combined with Del Negro's old-school defensive philosophies (hit or be hit) created a new, winning culture that had championship foundations, all while Sterling was probably in his offices urinating himself trying to figure out how  to pay for it all. There is much work to be done in Clipper Land.  The search is now on for the man in charge of dealing with Sterling and trying to nurture this new thing called "winning", which can be a contradictory notion given Sterling’s economic policy.

Last season the Clippers were an experiment on the go right from the start.  They expedited their winning process by acquiring Paul/Billups, and reacted to the rapid change of expectation accordingly by blending their mix of youth and experience, physicality and athleticism for a winning formula.  Success for the Clipper franchise is as rare as the solar eclipse the world enjoyed a few weeks ago, and any effort in sustaining an order of normalcy is good for the franchise.  The Clippers hobbled into the 2012 Western Conference Semi-Finals, a parade worthy achievement alone in Clipper Land.  There is a contending team in that roster somewhere, but when fully healthy.  Olshey being allowed to graze on greener pastures in Portland meant the Clippers missed out on exhibiting loyalty, missed out on continuity.  Their fate is not doomed though by any means.  Who knows, they might even get a better GM and re-sign each impact player.  But again, beware, because success is rarely continued by the Clippers for a reason.  I mean they are, after all, the Clippers.

The post Clippers Being Clippers: Front Office Shakeups Shows Lack of Loyalty at Wrong Time appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Cooler to follow the Clips?  We know, this is still too new and radical of an idea to consider for now, but so was the notion of a round Earth once.  But this is not about the past, but the present and future of these two Los Angeles franchises.  Closet Clipper fans are now out and of abundance, flaunting their colors and hard at work recruiting new members to “Clipper Nation” with their anecdotes on the nightly “alley-oops”, the team chemistry, or how their team has too many quality point guards.  Hey, that sounds fun!  Things that are all too foreign to the Laker fan.  Those Laker fans?  They’re in the annual crisis mode that accompanies their teams habitually lackluster regular season play.  The panic that comes with watching an offense that’s static, a defense that merely imitates effort, and the over exhaustion of their 33 year old superstar who is hell bent on scoring 40 every night.  Hey, that doesn’t sound fun.  The Lakers play seemingly uninspired while the Clippers play seems to inspire awe every night, earning them nicknames like “Lob City” and “Lob Angeles”.  The Clippers future potential is apparent and has experts gushing, causing some (like ESPN’s Chris Brousard) to tab the Clips as the Western Conferences best team, this year.  The Lakers are conversely in a funk.  A culture which is harboring the start of a new era, while simultaneously preparing to end an old one as diplomatically as possible (unless you ask Lamar Odom).  With the way both teams are currently constructed, the Lakers and Clippers are headed in opposite directions, and Los Angeles basketball enthusiasts have decisions to make about their fanhood.

While still early, these two Hollywood scripts indeed seem to be flipping, and why not?   The underdog needs its day in the sun too.  In a week that has seen younger brother Eli Manning finally being considered on the same pedestal as older brother Peyton, it’s fitting that the Laker’s perennial little brother, the Clips, are on the verge of outgrowing that shadow themselves.  A rivalry with the Clippers and a fleeting allegiance is new to the Lakers, and usually beneath them.  But tonight’s game will resonate with fans all the way up to their last regular season game against each other in April.  For the first time in human history, it might make logical sense to be a Clipper fan.

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