In assessing the Lakers, Bill Plaschke noted that one reason for their record is that the ultra-talented Anthony Davis “doesn’t play like a big man” — at least on the offensive end.
Conversely, a big reason for the Clippers’ success without Kawhi Leonard has been the play of former Laker Ivica Zubac, who is fourth in the NBA in rebounding average. The Lakers prematurely gave the 7-footer away for Mike Muscala (who?) in 2019. I imagine AD would have relished having the 27-year-old Zubac playing center alongside him, and that the Lakers would have been a perennial 50-plus win team had they not made this ill-advised trade.
Ken Feldman
Tarzana
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Isn’t it about time that the Lakers get rid of Rob Pelinka and bring in the perfect general manger to help rebuild the team: Bob Myers.
He moved to L.A. earlier this year and I am sure he would jump at the opportunity to take on this challenge.
Larry Stern
Westlake Village
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Kudos to Bill Plaschke for writing what needs to be done. Trade LeBron James while he has trade value and dump Rob Pelinka. LeBron has ruined the franchise while Pelinka has catered to his every wish. There’s no questioning his basketball skills but he’s no GM. Pelinka only got the job as the GM because he was Kobe Bryant’s agent/buddy. It’s long overdue to start the rebuild.
Stan Shirai
Torrance
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It must be coach JJ Redick’s fault, same as it was with Mike Brown, Bernie Bickerstaff, Mike D’Antoni, Byron Scott, Luke Walton, Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham. Hey Jeanie Buss, am I forgetting anyone?
Jonathan Curtiss
Sherman Oaks
Trojan defections
With all the potential USC no-shows at the Las Vegas Bowl, I’m betting Lincoln Riley may have to suit up.
David Marshall
Santa Monica
Raising the stakes
I certainly understand why UCLA gave athletic director Martin Jarmond a raise, after all the Bruins won the NCAA water polo championship last week.
As far as unimportant men’s basketball, Cronin’s club wound up 16-17 last year and have you noticed all the empty seats this season?
In football, UCLA finished 5-7 and were 117th in total offense.
Yep, a raise was in order.
Fred Wallin
Westlake Village
Leaders of the Pac
The Pac-12 is now the Pac-2, but it’s legacy as the “Conference of Champions” was re-visited this weekend.
Long dismissed as a “soft, less competitive” conference only permitted to have late-night TV viewing, Pac-12 legacy schools Oregon and Arizona State secured highly coveted first-round byes in the College Football Playoff — so much for the claimed overwhelming dominance of conferences mostly east of the Mississippi.
Oregon and ASU are carrying on the Pac-12’s luster as the “Conference of Champions” by being two of the four champions of what are now called the Power-Four conferences.
Tom Trumpler
Camarillo
Tide rolls out
If Alabama wanted the last college playoff slot, it should not have poached Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Arkansas and Missouri to expand the SEC. If you can’t win your own conference, then you have no chance to win the NCAA championship.
The same applies to UCLA and USC, traitors who destroyed the Pac-12, and are now condemned to fighting for seventh place every year in the Big Ten. Maybe they will win a title every 20 years.
The Pac-12 should be reestablished as a conference with its 12 teams, along with the Big East, Big Eight and the Southwest Conference, each with a smaller number of teams who could win a title more frequently.
Each of those champions would earn an automatic bid, and not have to plead how as the third- or fourth-best team in their conference, they somehow deserve to be selected for the playoff.
Jay Ross
West Los Angeles
Miserly mediocrity
Like other owners, if Arte Moreno spent like a drunken sailor, electrified the Angels and their fans, felt the agony of defeat or the joy of the Angels in the playoffs and World Series, he becomes a guy who gave his all, not one who made billions in mediocrity.
Richie Locasso
Hemet
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