Lakers: Okafor, Russell or Cousins?

It's the day before the 2015 NBA draft and rumors are coming from every direction.  Lakers have a lot of choices to make and have many different routes they could take to improve this team. Depending on the road they choose to go down, the Lakers could improve dramatically over night or it could be a continued process of a rebuild. Much speculation has been made on the best way to get the Lakers back into contention. It's the number one topic in Los Angeles sports, and will be for about the next 24 hours.

The first step on improving the Lakers is when the NBA Draft starts starts tomorrow at 5pm. Jahlil Okafor (Duke) and D'Agelo Russell (Ohio St) are the top choices for the Lakers. Both players would be great additions but as of late, the likely choice is Okafor. These unique talents bring something great and different to the table for the Lakers. Okafor is a big man at the center position and is a dominant scorer in the low post. Russell, though, is a savy point guard with terrific shooting and passing ability. Okafor and Rusell are in high demand around the NBA and a few teams are willing to make big trades in order to acquire the second pick.

Over the last two or three days, the Sacramento Kings and the Denver Nuggets have come into play with the Lakers in a possible three team trade. The details of this trade specify the Lakers would acquire Demarcus Cousins and the 6th pick from the Kings. Sacramento would receive Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried from the Nuggets. Finally the Nuggets would receive the Lakers draft picks. This makes the most sense for all parties concerned. Or does it?

Instead of the Lakers jumping on a very intriguing trade which would get them the best Center in basketball, Demarcus Cousins, the Lakers could keep their picks. The main reason you would keep the picks is because you have cost controlled rookie talent that you could pair with a top tier free agent in July when free agency starts. To many this seems like the most sensible plan. With a possible draft pick of Okafor or Russell, you would have them playing along side young returning Lakers talent like Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. As for the free agents, Lakers could be in play for players like Kevin Love, LeMarcus Aldridge and Jimmy Butler. Not too mention the veteran and legend Kobe Bryant to tie it all together, set the tone and provide wisdom to the rookie's.

If the rumored Demarcus Cousins trade dies out, come July 1st, the Lakers could be signing one of the free agents noted above. These next few weeks will definitely be an exciting one. For the first time in two long miserable seasons, Lakers have a shot at title contention in the near future.

Is Julius Randle ready to play?

Click the link to get to my article over at page2sports...

http://page2sports.com/julius-randle-ready-play/

#BlueCollarSports Show 33 w/ Jay Barquero from the LA D-Fenders

This week we interviewed Jay Barquero, the voice of the Lakers D-League affiliate, the LA D-Fenders.. Click the link!

https://soundcloud.com/bluecollarsportspodcast/blue-collar-sports-show-33-w-jay-barquero-from-the-la-d-fenders

Roman Gonzalez the KO King in Flyweight

If you haven’t heard of Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, you’re really missing out, the undefeated Nicaraguan boxer is currently the WBC and The Ring Flyweight champion. This is a fighter fans may want to become familiar with as he has already been getting significant attention for being one of the most exciting and electrifying fighters in the sport today. This past Saturday, “Chocolatito” made his American television debut and fought on the Gennady Golovkin vs Willie Monroe Jr. under-card.
At 5’2 and 112 pounds, this small man fights like a giant and with the heart of a lion. Other than Gennady Golovkin, Gonzalez is as exciting and fun as it gets when it comes to the fight game.

HBO and Top Rank Boxing did a wonderful job of finally giving Gonzalez the exposure he has deserved on a fight night that would be watched by millions of boxing fans. The Nicaraguan fighter made his professional fighting debut in 2005, and is a champion in three different weight divisions. He is also currently ranked third in “The Ring” magazine’s pound for pound list, behind Floyd

Mayweather Jr. and Wladimir Klitschko.

Coming into this Saturday’s fight, his record was an impressive 42-0, with 36 KO’s. His opponent was the very tough Edgar Sosa, who Gonzalez almost effortlessly TKO’d in the second round. Both fighters were extremely aggressive and the fight was very exciting but Gonzalez was clearly the better fighter. His record now moves to 43-0, with 37 wins by knock out.  The only flaw in the fight was that it was over too soon. Watching these two men slug it out was certainly something that boxing has missed. To the true fight fan, they can respect Floyd Mayweather’s style but at the same time it bores the casual fan and it leaves them with a disappointing feeling when it comes to boxing. Watching Gonzalez fight takes boxing purists back to the day of vintage fights in the days of Mike Tyson and Roberto Duran.

Gonzalez has continued to dominate the fly weight division and is quickly gathering fans and a lot of buzz in the boxing world. Hopefully fans can see Gonzalez fight on a similar card in his next bout in order to keep his exposure and fan base growing as he starts. Flyweight or not, the aggressive style he brings makes fans feel like they are watching a throw back heavyweight fight. After his impressive win and display of talent, he is surely to be on another major fight card.

Follow Chris Rodriguez on twitter @ChrisBlueCollar and check out his podcast #BlueCollarSports on Soundcloud

Johnny Carver, the man that will change the NBA

Johnny Carver was born into a basketball family. His father and his older brother both played division 1 basketball. So naturally Johnny would follow in their footsteps. He played all throughout high school but in his senior year something changed. When playing basketball Johnny would struggle with stamina and often felt fatigued. He wouldn't be able to exert the same amount of energy that other players would; he later found out he suffered from a severe muscle disease called ulcerative colitis which ended his basketball career.

 

Johnny was determined to stay connected to the game he loved and had a deep passion for. He stayed close to the game by covering basketball for the high school newspaper. This lead to him and his brother writing a book where they developed an algorithm in ranking the greatest NBA players of all time. Hours and hours, months and months of work lead to them finding the correct and most efficient way to rank them using 19 different statistical and analytical categories.

 

The book, Ranketology,  was edited by his grandfather who was an author of two books in the 1980's. It's always a great resource to have when you're grandfather is a published author. During the process of completing the book, Johnny was able to email Dallas Maverick's owner Mark Cuban. He gave Johnny great advice on how to self publish the book in order to keep full control of the book and profits.

 

Johnny is a freshman at Sam M. Walton College of Business. Here he has really found both himself and a mentor in the assistant director Renee Clay. It's always a blessing when you find someone to guide you through your journey. Johnny has since sent his book and resume out to a few NBA teams in hopes of landing a job in the Analytics department, which is a definite possibility.

 

NBA legend, former Boston Celtic and now President of the Indiana Pacers basketball operations, Larry Bird, loved the booked and set up a meeting between Johnny and the Pacers organization. Other NBA teams have also reached out to him like the Clippers, Spurs and Thunder.

My personal preference is that Johnny can land a position with my favorite team, the Lakers. We all know they could use help from a great basketball mind like Johnny Carver's. His book is quickly catching the eye of NBA executives and basketball lovers everywhere.  Ranketology is available for purchase on Amazon and soon to be in Barnes and Nobles book stores. Best of luck to Johnny from me, #BlueCollarSports and page2sports.com.

#BlueCollarSports Podcast Show 24 featuring Johnny Carver

This week we interview Johnny Carver, the author of the book Ranketology. In this book Johnny developed an algorithm that ranks the greatest NBA players of all time using 19 different statistical categories. Listen to our interview by clicking the link below..

https://soundcloud.com/bluecollarsportspodcast/blue-collar-sports-show-24

Lakers, who's staying and who's going?

The hardest part for fans is to understand the business side of basketball. Throughout the season fans fall in love with the players on the roster and the guys they see play every night. Every game we are cheering and hoping that the players do well and improve. Fans also fall in love and appreciate the players stories of how they arrived with the Lakers. This is also part of the reason why its tough for fans to say goodbye to certain players. But this year they're going to have to do just that.

 

I'm also a victim of falling in love with players on the Lakers. I wish these guys could be more successful on the court together but I'm well aware of what an NBA team needs to succeed at a high level. At this point there are four to five players on the current roster worth keeping while moving forward. Clearly Kobe Bryant is at the top of the list. He's in the final year of his contract, even though I feel he'll play another year after the 2016 season. Aside from Kobe we have to start with Julius Randle, the Lakers top 1st round draft pick in the 2014 draft. I believe he'll believe an all star and one of the focal points of the team. As well as Lakers 2nd draft pick and diamond in the rough, Jordan Clarkson. I have no doubt he'll be a star in this league. Lastly, the 6th man scoring punch off the bench and spark plug Nick Young. Hopefully this off season he can work primarily on his defense while adding weapons to his offensive arsenal.

 

I am a legitimate fan of a few other players on the Lakers. Players like Jordan Hill, Ed Davis and Wayne Ellington. I think Jordan Hill could be a top 10 center in the league if he improves more defensively and is put into the right situation. His production at $9 million per year is a good deal. Davis is cost effective. He's solid defensively but struggles offensively and from the free throw line. Wayne Ellington is a good spot up shooter who has improved his offensive game all around. He too would be a good pick up but ultimately would either take playing time away from Clarkson or he wouldn't get very much playing time at all.

 

I know other guys like Robert Sacre, Ryan Kelly and Tarik Black have become fan favorites but I feel they have run their course on the team. Sacre and Kelly specifically have had enough time to prove themselves but it looks like they've pretty much reached their potential. Tarik Black is another version of Ed Davis but cheaper financially. Fans might wonder about the future of Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer with the Lakers; they should know it was only a one year rental.

 

I look forward to seeing the Lakers rebuild next year with $30 million in cap space and building with Kobe, Clarkson, Randle and Young. Key free agents in the off season is a must and likely they will be here for next season. Hopefully they can put together a roster intriguing enough for big time free agents like Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love to come to the Lakers.

Why Jordan Clarkson belongs on the Rookie 1st Team

Jordan Clarkson has turned out to be a great 2nd round pick. Fans and analysts knew Clarkson was long, fast and athletic but no one expected him to be able to score at this rate and play with such poise. For most of the season Clarkson had very limited playing time, mostly garbage time minutes. So far this season he's averaging 10.8 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds per game. Since he was placed into the starting line up he's really played well and his numbers have improved.

March was great a month for Jordan Clarkson. In that month he averaged 16 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds per game; not to mention improving his PER to 2nd in the league at 15.98 amongst all rookies. His play has been so well that he's even surprised Head Coach Byron Scott and earned a spot in the Lakers future plans. At this point he's leaving his imprint all over the game; each team has been in for quite a surprise. There is no doubt in my mind he's been the best rookie since the beginning of March which is why he was named Rookie of the Month.

The 2014 draft was one of the most talented drafts in recent years. The names in that draft were expected to be franchise changers. Despite that Clarkson has out played nearly every rookie in this draft with the exception of Andrew Wiggins who is probably going to be the Rookie of the Year. Let's take a look at his numbers for a second. Wiggins is averaging 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game on the year. If we put his numbers up against Clarkson's, who can only be judged since he was given the starting point guard position in these last 20+ games, Clarkson would have the better stat line. This is another reason why Clarkson is a top rookie talent and deserves a spot on that Rookie 1st Team.

Clarkson's ceiling is very high and he is improving each game. He's well on his way to be a future All Star and focal point of the Lakers moving forward. Hopefully his journey continues with a spot on that Rookie 1st Team, which he's clearly earned after he was named Rookie of the Month. Clarkson has started making a name for himself and is forcing you to pay attention to his game. Let's hope Kobe has recognized his game as well and is willing to transition Clarkson into one of the faces of the franchise after he retires.

#BlueCollarSports Podcast Show 21

All new #BlueCollarSports Podcast... This week we have on our own MMA Analyst. We also dive into the NCAA Tournament, Lakers/Clippers and MLB opening day. Click the link below..

https://soundcloud.com/bluecollarsportspodcast/blue-collar-sports-show-21

Is Jordan Clarkson the Lakers' next star?

He was the 46th pick out of Missouri. The Lakers had finally drafted a young, talented, athletic and fierce point guard. As soon as summer league started you could tell Clarkson was going to be special if he put in the work. He's been one of the few bright spots in the Lakers' dreaded season; his development is really the only thing that makes Lakers' games watchable.

When the season started Clarkson did not get the playing time Lakers' fans hoped for. At the time, Head Coach Byron Scott was eyeing a possible 8 seed for the Lakers, in hopes of making the playoffs. Scott decided to play the veteran guards in order to achieve that.  Quickly, things did not pan out. Between team chemistry, injuries and overall talent, the season hopes were fading. Thankfully that meant more time for Jordan Clarkson, whom fans were excited to see.

Since Clarkson has been given the role as the starting point guard and the majority of the minutes, he's steadily improved his play. His point production has continued to increase and become consistent, as well as his defense improving. You can see with his confidence improving he's been more comfortable taking the big shots and taking over games. He has become fearless. It helps when he's playing in the western conference against the best point guards in the league every night. That too has attributed to his increase in development and production.

Recently the Lakers played against the Memphis Grizzles, one of the best teams in the NBA. That night Clarkson had the best game in his young career; putting up 25 points (career high), 4 rebounds and 6 assists. He played so well that the Grizzles were forced to have their best perimeter defender, Tony Allen, to defend him late in the game in order to try and slow down Clarkson. He even caught the attention of Grizzles star power forward Zach Randolph who praised Clarkson via Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops: “That young fellow, he’s going to be good,” he said. “I didn’t even know who he was. I’d never heard of him until tonight. He’s a second-round pick? Who’s evaluating this talent?”

Praise from an all star veteran like Zach Randolph goes to show Clarkson 's talent is being recognized throughout the league. Since the all star break he's made a case for himself to be named to the "All Rookie Team". The rest of this year I will excitedly have a close eye on Clarkson's development and his possible team mates next season. He will be a major factor in their future success.

#BlueCollarSports show 18

Hey guys listen to our newest podcast of #BlueCollarSports.. We dive into the UFC and Ronda Rousey with our own MMA Analyst Nick Leon. We also talk about the NBA and MLB spring training. Click the link to listen https://soundcloud.com/crodillfx/blue-collar-sports-show-18

Twitter: #BlueCollarSports @C_RodSportsWiz

What's the next move for the Los Angeles Lakers?

This Lakers’ season has been one to forget. At this point winning games has become irrelevant. There are only a few short terms goals for the team to focus on in order to improve their future. First would be developing rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson. He’s now the starter and appears to be coming along nicely. Next should be the rehab of injured rookie Julius Randle and the most important goal is losing. Yes, losing.

The Lakers have a top 5 protected pick, meaning if the Lakers get the 5th pick in the draft or better, they’ll be able to keep their pick. For Lakers’ fans rooting for a loss is a tough pill to swallow but losing right now can only benefit their future and possibly immediate future. A top 5 pick can be kept by the Lakers and developed or it can be traded for a star player.

There is also the return of Kobe Bryant, who will likely be in his final season.  With plenty of time for recovery and conditioning, Kobe surely will be hungry to finish out his final season strong. The Lakers also have returning players in Nick Young, Robert Sacre and potentially Jordan Hill if they pick up his team option on his contract. Lastly, Lakers have their cap space; approximately $34 million to spend on new players.

Taking all that in, so far their roster next year will be: Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, Robert Sacre, Jordan Hill, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle. Not exactly a great starting point but if Clarkson and Randle emerge as good players, it could actually be a nice start. With cap space available, all of Laker Nation is dying for some all-star talent. There are a few available guys that can be real franchise changers, and with pressure from Lakers fans, management might feel it’s time to make a big move. They might feel obligated to sign above average players for big money that aren’t really worth it.

We can only hope the Lakers spend money and draft wisely so the new talent they bring in can put the Lakers back on the right track.  Lakers fans everywhere should be on their hands and knees they do not over-pay for players like Goran Dragic, Greg Monroe or even Rajon Rondo. The draft will be held on June 25th and will be followed by free agency in July. The opportunity and money is finally there for the Lakers, it will take management to make some smart decisions to get this team turned around, back to its elite stature.

#BlueSportsPodcast Show 16

Join us this week as we talk about NBA All-Star Weekend, NBA trade deadline and the MLB Hall of Fame.. Click the link below!

https://soundcloud.com/crodillfx/blue-collar-sports-show-16

What's next for Kobe and the Lakers?

Its off to a second straight disappointing Lakers season and for the third straight year Kobe Bryant has suffered another season ending injury. He is sidelined with rotator cuff surgery. The good news is, its the least serious injury of the previous two. The media is already asking the question, "should Kobe just retire". In some respect its a fair question, he's ancient in basketball years and once again having season ending surgery. They are not factoring in one thing, his will.

 

Lakers said it would be a 9 month recovery time, which I disagree with. I had the same surgery in college while playing baseball; I was pitching 7 months later. Now I know what you are thinking, I was in college and only 18, while Kobe is 36 with a ton of mileage on him. As a pitcher, your shoulder and elbow are the two most important things in the world. Rotator cuff surgery can be devastating for a pitcher but for a basketball player its different. Part of my rehab, when getting back into shape for the upcoming baseball season, was working out with some of the college basketball players doing drills: sprinting, jumping, shooting. I was doing these drills 4 months after my surgery, shooting never bothered my shoulder. That's why I disagree with the 9 month recovery time.

 

Kobe Bryant will have the best doctors in the world working with him 24/7. He's already in better shape than I ever was and a lot more disciplined. He will be game ready with in 6 months. Mark my words. 

 

The retirement talk needs to stop. He is obviously still motivated to win and win now. He's currently recruiting the best free agents possible for the Lakers, ensuring that even when he does retire, he will still be playing a major role for the franchise. 

As for next season, Kobe is one of 4 players on the payroll the will be returning to the purple and gold. With $30+ million in cap space, the return of Julius Randle, the development of players like Clarkson, another top lottery pick, solid role players like Jordan Hill, Nick Young and the final run for Kobe Bryant; being the next face of the Lakers will be a job that is in high demand.

 

Los Angeles is the best city in the world with the best basketball sports franchise in the United States. The expectations are high for the new faces of the Lakers who will be playing for a top tier franchise. I hope they will embrace the role as giants like Kobe and Magic Johnson have. Being part of the Lakers makes your career that much better, now and after retirement.

#BlueCollarSports Podcast Show 14

Check out this week's newest podcast as discuss the exciting Super Bowl, the legacy of Tom Brady. We also dive into the craziness of the NBA playoff race and the return of the Spider, Anderson Silva. Click the link below to listen!

https://soundcloud.com/crodillfx/blue-collar-sports-show-14

Kobe: The immortal wrestles with mortality

It's been over a year since the Achilles and the broken left knee. He's rehabbed, conditioned and strengthened all the necessary joints and muscles. His confidence is back, stronger than ever: looking to prove all the doubters wrong. He is still motivated to win and has put his team mates through hell when he feels they are not pushing themselves as he is. We all felt as if Kobe was going to do what he has always done. Dominate.

This season started with Kobe going full throttle from day one of the regular season. He played more minutes than expected and took more shots than expected. He was shouldering the scoring load as well as becoming the point guard in the 4th quarter of games. It was a miracle that he was able to handle all this after battling back from two major injuries and playing 19 seasons. If you are a concerned fan like me, you were hoping for his minutes per game to drop significantly before injuries or too much fatigue set in. Too late!

Head Coach Byron Scott had a responsibility to preserve Kobe by keeping his minutes down. Obviously that was not the case, because through the first 2 months of the season, Kobe was second in the league with the most minutes played.  He started breaking down, missing games, missing shots, missing defensive assignments. Moreover, not being able to do what he wants to do on the court. You can see the frustration mounting as the reality of him losing his ability to dominate the game was fading.  His roster is sub-par and the help he once leaned on during all those title runs are is no longer there.

He has succumbed to his body and is starting to understand what he is capable of doing at a high level. The killer assassin we were used to seeing for 48 minutes per night is gone.  He still plays with that killer mentality but is only able to takeover in certain spots. He is now playing the facilitator role, setting up his team mates with easy shots, racking up assists and choosing to takeover games when its needed. We all hoped for a more dominant Kobe in his last two seasons, but a highly efficient Kobe that can dominate in different ways works too. It shows you his basketball IQ, it shows that he understands how to adapt and be effective at this stage in his career. He now acknowledges his basketball mortality.

#BlueCollarSports show 12

What's up guys. Check out our newest podcast as we discuss the amazing comeback of the Seattle Seahawks over the Green Bay Packers. We also talk about the Pat's and "deflate gate". Lastly we talk about the NBA season so far, Pacquiao vs Mayweather and our new "TOP 5" rankings. This week its the top point guards right now. Click the link below to listen!

https://soundcloud.com/crodillfx/blue-collar-sports-show-12

Blue Collar Sports Podcast Show 11

Hey guys, check out this week's podcast as we discuss Ohio St vs Oregon, NFL playoffs and the NBA season so far. Hear it all on #BlueCollarSports. Click the link below to listen!

https://soundcloud.com/crodillfx/blue-collar-sports-show-11

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