The Lakers under Jestor have gone about as well as living in King's Landing after the Mother of Dragons appeared
The record is oh so grim:
2013: 25-57
2014: 18-64
2015: Missing data
2016: 27-55
2017: 35-47
2018: 43-39 (First round playoff exit - 5 games to SAC)
2019: 21-61
2020: 23-59
2021: 15-67
207 wins over the 8 years we have data for, an average of 25.9 wins - which we'll call 26. One winning year with a playoff appearance (oh where have you gone, Jeremy Lin, Jordan Adams, Greg Monroe, and the pressure defense of that hot second half?). A nadir of just 15 wins last season.
Little wonder the Lakers ownership forced him out. Even littler wonder Jestor attempted to abruptly resign earlier this season. We are Jack's total and utter lack of surprise that the fanbase has been calling for his head. And indeed, even though the GM prefers the Western United States, the Pacific is host to the eternally dominant Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, who seem destined to take some combination of first and second for the rest of professional basketball history.
Even now, with the GM apparently returned, he seems ill at ease. Though he finally laid the groundwork for a rebuild, starting with last year's offseason, one has the sense that he's uncomfortable with the world's most prestigious basketball team brand. Enough so that the Philadelphia rumors have circulated again - the 76ers at yet another disappointing 22-36 and cornerstones Jabari Parker and Adreian Payne both unrestricted free agents this summer.
The scouting team likewise has been inactive, failing to go out the last two periods and in danger of once again failing to make the deadline. According to insiders, the front office is even more down on this draft class than the rest of the league, with one source commenting, "This year is the worst since 2016, where only Joel Embiid and Justin Anderson became significant players. 2019, which is this year's RFA class, at least had KAT and some other guys who have fans around the league."
Although the GM is reportedly restless, sources say he has no interest in going to Philadelphia, reporting that he just doesn't enjoy that city much and would likely only move if and when his adopted city of Las Vegas gets a CSL franchise - whereupon he would be putting together a request packet with the league office "unlike any application they've ever seen".
Too, there's been noticeable, hopeful signs of future growth, like the fragile, light and bright green uncurlings of a young fruit tree that might, a few years hence, finally bear sweet things worth the tasting. A brief look:
1. Emmanuel Mudiay is showing last year was no fluke
Lakers fans love Emmanuel Mudiay's play and Tweets
Erik Spoelstra and the rest of the coaching staff vowed they would work on the 23 year's old shooting form, and they've lived up to that promise. As a result, he's shooting 42.6% from the floor, 32.9% from 3 point range as the team's leading scorer at 17 points, 4.7 assists, and 0.8 steals and blocks per game. While the 1.8 A/TO ratio doesn't match last half-season's pyrotechnics, neither has he had a secondary ballhandler to play off like he did with Austin Rivers. In consequence, he's been forced to take on the distribution and handling load himself.
On the flip side, Mudiay's defense has stepped up to the next level - 90.6% Drive Stop Rate, 1.6 TOFC, and 0.91 PA/SF. Though the 1.6 TOFC might seem pedestrian, the Congolese-born guard has never been a natural at forcing turnovers and the Purple and Gold have only run an average amount of pressure under Spoelstra.
2. Marvin Bagley has looked really good for a 19 year old
The future face of the franchise is already looking quality
Though he'll probably lose the Rookie of the Year award to Jayson Tatum because voters tend to look at points and nothing else, Marvin Bagley the Third of His Name, the Prince Who Was Promised, the Most Loved Big Man Since Aleks Maric, and Second of His Class has been quietly consistent. It's translated into 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks, shooting 48.6% and 36.4% from 3 point range. While he's still raw, particularly in his ballhandling, discipline, and defense, he's already proving to be a vital cog in the Lakers' scheme.
3. Cheick Diallo is the best 6th Man in the CSL
Why won't Erik Spolestra start the man already?
Fun fact: The Lakers' second-leading scorer comes off the bench. 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals at 51.5% shooting, 2.0 TOFC, 87.4% Drive Stop Rate, and 0.91 PA/SF would be great numbers for a starter, but Diallo is doing it in just 27 minutes a game as the team's 6th man. But there's an open question as to if he stays. His hatred of Spoelstra is one of the league's best meme sources the last two years, and those in his inner circle say he wants to play for a winning franchise and a coach he respects - neither of which he's getting in SoCal.
4. The defense has improved in the last five games
JaKarr Sampson has improved the Purple and Gold's point prevention
While Jestor burned up the phone lines looking for a deal for either Wood or Diallo at the deadline, they instead made only the minor move of Troy Daniels back to Houston for JaKarr Sampson, who was immediately plugged into the starting lineup at SF. In the five games since his arrival, the team's gone 2-3, including knocking off the presently playoff-bound Toronto Raptors. A key, unsung part of that has been Sampson's defense. In the last five contests, the Lakers have given up 108 points a game - which, while still placing them 20th over the entire season, is almost a full 5 points better than they'd been doing to that point.
Going Forward
Jestor has said publicly he'd seriously consider trading out of this draft class, given how much he dislikes what he's seen so far from this group of players. Nor is it certain that Cheick Diallo comes back. Despite the lack of trade interest, the game always changes when a player is sitting there as a UFA. So some shocking twists might happen in the draft and FA.
One possibility - and just to bring the Philadelphia thing full circle - a maximum offer given to Jabari Parker. At 28 next season, he's just young enough to play out his prime years alongside an improved Mudiay and a developing Bagley, giving the team their 3 scoring anchors (and at 43.9% from 3 point range, Parker can be transformed into the zonebreaker he has the capability of becoming).
Such a move could suddenly make the Lakers relevant in the West playoff chase, with upside to grow on - not only Bagley, but whatever the team ultimately does with the pick this year, and three first round selections next season - including the Pacers' first, which has a high probability of being lottery in a class that will almost certainly have to be much stronger by default.
We're also seeing the Lakers trying to cultivate a defensive identity (See: Trade for Sampson, return of Abdel Nader) around their current two scorers in Mudiay and Bagley. Adding Parker would fit with the 3 Stars Philosophy of the title-winning Miami Heat (Chris Paul, Elton Brand, Aleks Maric, with complementary role players around them.
Yes, there's other issues which need to be addressed - namely the wing spots presently (one would be filled by Parker) and bench depth along the perimeter - especially at point guard. But the Lakers also possess three 2nd round picks in this draft, notably an early 2nd in the Clippers pick, and it would not at all be a surprise to see them draft three guards/wings and keep the best of them.
As for Christian Wood? Renounced and gone. He's never wanted to be a Laker and doesn't appear to be the right fit for what the team is building. In fact, he and Diallo may switch roles in the second half of the season in a bid to convince Diallo to stay.
