True Lakers Fans

Russell will be heading into Season 3 having 2 seasons under his belt. In your guys minds what is acceptable play/numbers for what he should have next season? Being season 3 for him, if the team doesn't win at least 30 games is that acceptable in your minds? These are fair questions and the reason why I ask them is, I want to see where everyone's train of thoughts are heading into next season. We can gauge everyone's opinion then on whether or not he has succeeded or failed in season 3. I personally think because he is a shooter and our #1 option he should average 20 Points/nothing worse a game and shoot around 45% and the team should win no less than 30 games regardless of what our Roster looks like as long as we have him, Randle, Ingram, and Clarkson. All 4 of these guys will no longer be infants next season. I do not want to see less than 25 wins and a Russell who averages 15 or so a game on poor shooting in his 3rd season being inconsistent. That would be a major fail IMO. Remember he was the 2nd pick in the Draft and was said to be the next Magic Johnson of our team so it is what it is. If Damian Lillard can be Very Good to Great from the get go, what gives with Russell? I have given him a pass for the first 2 seasons because of his age and growth but next season it's time to put up or ship out. He has had 2 seasons to grow, get older, and mature. Season 3 should be the season that players look like they are starting to break out if they have 'IT' factor like Kobe and Paul G. By Season 4 you should be an All-Star if you are going to lead anyone anywhere like Kobe and Paul G. By the time you are 21 you are a fully grown man, far from a teenager, Kobe won a Championship when he was 21. Russell is 21 now and will turn 22 next February.

I kind of equate being 21 as your parents pulling the pacifier out of the mouth in normal life. I graduated HighSchool going on 18 and my mom allowed to me to live at home with her until I was 21 with no problem as long as I worked and bought my own food. Once I turned 21, it was time to get my shit together and go to college on top of working + trying to find another place to live. She used to say you are a grown man now at 21 and I have given you tons off lee way (which she did for 21 years, I had no bills upto that point and she even bought me a car when I was 18), time to start making a life for yourself. Sometimes you just have to grow up and take care of business with whatever you are expected to do in life. Russell's expectations is to lead the Lakers franchise to winning seasons and be an All-Star. Like I said he will be 22 come mid next season, it's time to grow up kid! I have had extreme patience for 2 full seasons now and just tired of the losing. Watching this team for the last 4 seasons has been really awful to be truthful and sad.

Lol.


So many fans are obsessed with Russell. Where was Curry at 21?
How old was Thomas or Lowry or Conley or most any guard at their first All Star?


Sta ?& ts wise 17/5 on this team is reasonable in terms of stats

Julius Russell wrote:Lol.


So many fans are obsessed with Russell. Where was Curry at 21?
How old was Thomas or Lowry or Conley or most any guard at their first All Star?


Sta ?& ts wise 17/5 on this team is reasonable in terms of stats

Well not be negative or anything but none of those guys were the #2 pick in the Draft and being compared to Magic Johnson either. The hype behind Russell coming out of college was insane. I am just tired of people making excuses for him every time he plays bad. Fans are obsessed with Russell because he is our #1 option and he hasn't played like it. By the way when Curry was 21 he was a Rookie and still averaged 17.5 Points, 6 Assists, shot 88% from the line, and 46% FG's, he was also 44% from 3. Russell in his 2nd season (at 21) isn't near that.

The hype aS as far from insane.

Ball has insane hype.
Wiggins did.
Okafor did.
Ben Simmons did.


Excuses...
That no one in his peer group is playing better from a guard position is enough

Kobe won at 21.... lol


3peat. This topic should be locked for that statement alone

Julius Russell wrote:Excuses...
That no one in his peer group is playing better from a guard position is enough

Except Booker, but his team stinks just as bad with about the same level of talent on his team.

If Russell plays like he's played the last month minus a few stinkers like he did against the Clippers, that would be "acceptable". His next step is to take more of a leadership role by being CONSISTENT!! He can ball. It's his inconsistencies that hurt his value.

Then you got this to help put things in perspective:

D'Angelo Russell Per 36 minutes :


19.9 points
4.6 rebounds
6.1 assists
1.8 steals



*Lebron James is the ONLY player in NBA history to have reached or surpassed these thresholds in each stat category before

....before age 21

Really my main point to the subject was, would it be acceptable if next season he plays like he did this season and we only win around 25 games. It's really a simple Yes or No? I get he's only 21 but he will be in season 3 and turns 22 next season so I would like for him next season to show much improvement and be more of a leader but what if he doesn't?

3Peatkb24 wrote:Really my main point to the subject was, would it be acceptable if next season he plays like he did this season and we only win around 25 games. It's really a simple Yes or No? I get he's only 21 but he will be in season 3 and turns 22 next season so I would like for him next season to show much improvement and be more of a leader but what if he doesn't?

He just turned 21 in February. So an NBA season ends in April. That means he's only been 21 for 2 months of the season. The other 4-5 months of the season he was still 20.

But to answer your Yes or No question......Players don't get better during the season. They get better during the offseason. So HELL YES he better get better next year. And I'm sure that he will.

But just to be clear he's been great when he focuses. But when he doesn't focus he stinks. What I'm looking for is for him to be more consistent. He needs to have those great games where he teases us with his potential on a regular basis. Then he'll be talked about as a future great more often.


Btw, Russell is still ranked higher than Okafor after 2 seasons. Russell was the right choice

Lakers4Life wrote:

3Peatkb24 wrote:Really my main point to the subject was, would it be acceptable if next season he plays like he did this season and we only win around 25 games. It's really a simple Yes or No? I get he's only 21 but he will be in season 3 and turns 22 next season so I would like for him next season to show much improvement and be more of a leader but what if he doesn't?

He just turned 21 in February. So an NBA season ends in April. That means he's only been 21 for 2 months of the season. The other 4-5 months of the season he was still 20.

But to answer your Yes or No question......Players don't get better during the season. They get better during the offseason. So HELL YES he better get better next year. And I'm sure that he will.

But just to be clear he's been great when he focuses. But when he doesn't focus he stinks. What I'm looking for is for him to be more consistent. He needs to have those great games where he teases us with his potential on a regular basis. Then he'll be talked about as a future great more often.


Btw, Russell is still ranked higher than Okafor after 2 seasons. Russell was the right choice

I think both Okafor and Russell are about equal so far. Okafor had a better Rookie Season compared to Russell, his numbers were down this season but a lot of that was the Sixers giving Embiid a lot of minutes. I mainly wanted Okafor because we already had Clarkson so I thought Okafor would make more sense. I was pretty right on cue saying Wiggins would be a Star. His numbers are borderline great this season and the Wolves are starting to win more, still not a Playoff team but they now have over 30 wins.

By the way Porzinigis is better than both Russell and Okafor through 2 seasons IMO but the teams all 3 play for stink.

Okafor is a bad player.
Russell is a starter in the league.
Porzingis is a slightly better starter.


Towns is very good. Wiggins is good.

And together how many Wins?

No 23 or younger stars leading their teams to meaningful wins.

That's reality.

This is the kids first year to lead a team and even Lou delayed that.

I count this as year 1....so by year 3... if we stick with the young core, is when I expect them to be able to best teams.

When they are truly vets. This is the West.

Is Bledsoe a scrub?
Is Brook Lopez?
Melo?

Julius Russell wrote:Okafor is a bad player.
Russell is a starter in the league.
Porzingis is a slightly better starter.


Towns is very good. Wiggins is good.

And together how many Wins?

No 23 or younger stars leading their teams to meaningful wins.

That's reality.

This is the kids first year to lead a team and even Lou delayed that.

I count this as year 1....so by year 3... if we stick with the young core, is when I expect them to be able to best teams.

When they are truly vets. This is the West.

Is Bledsoe a scrub?
Is Brook Lopez?
Melo?

Towns and Wiggins are both Very Good, Wiggins is averaging almost 24 a game on 45% shooting - that = Very Good/borderline Great, not just Good. He is in season 3 and is ahead of Paul George and even Kobe numbers wise for season 3 players. Okafor and Russell are both Above Average, better than Average but not Good yet. Neither has led their teams to many wins but have comparable Stats per their position. Porzingis is Good but the Knicks aren't winning. A lot of it is what system a player plays in as well. Lance Stephenson was and Is Good with the Pacers but was Below Average to Bad on other teams, not even Average. Last night Lance was awesome and the Pacers looked like 2013 Pacers! I would trade Russell and Randle for Wiggins and not even think twice about that. Wiggins has Paul George potential. Minnesota will be a Playoff team next season, I would bet on that if they keep the same Roster they have now.