On the cover: Darwin Hamm during the game between the Lakers and Warriors at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
Haim walked like he had just won the lottery. However, the earnings had nothing to do with luck at the casino table, but how Los Angeles Lakers Built our roster during this offseason.
here because darwin ham He looked relaxed and happy as he signed autographs and chatted with fans after the Summer League win over the Warriors. the next day, in a telephone interview sporting tribune, It seemed uniformly full. These are his words.
Interview with Darwin Hamm, translated into Italian by Alessandro Di Marzo for Lakeshow Italia with permission from The Sporting Tribune editor Mark Medina,
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💫 “We attract the stars, but we must protect our stars”
Haim was directed: The Lakers have a title roster.
“Yeah, we work for it. We have to win and put up a big performance. We don’t just want the playoffs, we want to climb the pyramid and win it.”
Playoffs alone aren’t enough, especially the way the Yellow and Purple have been ousted in the last few Western Conference Finals come on denver nuggetsWith a clear 4–0 by the NBA champions.
“The negative feeling towards that show will stick with me until next season.”
The Lakers re-signed four key players: Reeves, Hachimura, Russell, and Vanderbilt. Plus, he added depth with Vincent, Prince, Hayes and Reddish. All have at least manageable contracts, especially considering the starting point in terms of salary.
“The aim of our franchise is to take stars and the best possible talent. It’s not just about winning, it’s about doing it consistently.”
That’s because Haim believes depth will make life easier for both Lebron James that ad Anthony Davis: Better to do that than handing over everything to a third superstar. seen with them Russell Westbrook: It was his sale that turned the first cards on the table in terms of roster construction.
And next year? The four-time MVP will be playing in his 21st season, brow There is a significant history of back injuries. But that doesn’t mean they still won’t be able to dominate: they’ll do it in a “light” way, given the depth they’ve got.
“We will manage them better. We will not miss any step, we will take care of the situations from the beginning without taking too much weight on the shoulders.
🔝 Confirmation and new purchases
In its second season, Austin Reeves He averaged 13 points and 3.4 assists, shooting 52.9% from the field and 39.8% from three. Too rui hachimuraAfter a few games, he began to shine, showing athleticism, defense, and great versatility. d’angelo russell He was erratic in his shooting, but his offensive midfield skills still convinced the Lakers to bet on him. Jared VanderbiltLastly, he provided a lot of assists in rebounds and on the defensive end with Eddie. In short, everyone has more than one good reason to upgrade.
“It’s about playing basketball and doing it well, choosing the right plays without hesitation or worry. With the various contractual situations of the past year, it is normal to think about many things, we are human and we are talking about reality. This kind of business changes your life, now we are stronger and I know the boys will leave everything and play on the field.
New Arrivals? All will fill different gaps: gabvincent Combines defense and shooting, taurean prince And Cam Radish Prolong the rotation of the wings. jackson hayes This will allow Davis to breathe more and is a good rim protector. Haim saw in them all a tough mentality that never gives up, taking an active role in the selection of free agents. it affected Rob Pelinka And the rest of the front office members worked hard to manage the salary range and at the same time meet the goals in the market.
The coach spoke openly to the new players, being genuine and making the players feel they were needed. In addition, Prince was coached by then-assistant Haim in Atlanta from 2016 to 2018.
“He has the opportunity to influence the win. He will be honest and fair with them and they know it. I won’t always tell them what they want to hear, but I want them to be part of the culture of this franchise.”
To make sure things stay that way, Haim even hired Demare Carroll As a player development assistant: both after stints in Milwaukee mike budenholzer And in 2013/14 year in Atlanta, get to know each other well. Miles Simon, Jon Pastorek and Drew Anthrop have since moved on to the Suns. Frank VogelBut there likely won’t be any other staff changes.
Overall, it was a good offseason. There were no hits in Phoenix or Golden State, which is fine Bradley Beal And chris paul His goal would indeed be to win.
,In any case, the only things that can stop us are our attitude and our mindset.,
👀 Praise for Reeves and dirty eyes for the Nuggets
During Summer League in Las Vegas, the Lakers coach was also a guest on the podcast. #thisleagueuncut, hosted by insiders Mark Stein and Chris Haynes. And he never misses an opportunity to speak highly of Austin Reeves.
“I’m telling you, Reeves is going to be an All-Star sooner or later. The guy really competes, and is a great guy, always nice and simple, but a great worker. He doesn’t get scared in crucial moments and I want to push him forward. He’s our starting keeper, and I think he’ll reach even higher levels.”
Despite the loss, the Nuggets are still a great team bruce brown (Pacers) E Jeff Green (rockets). But the Lakers should not be afraid of anything. In any case, a dig at the champions never hurts…
Did Denver lose Murray or Jokic? No, I saw Mike Malone partying, what do they call him now? Lakers daddy? God bless her…it is not over.”
Hear lakers speaker corneritalian podcast dedicated to YellowviolaBut:
Twenty years old, from Turin, sports lover since birth and NBA basketball a few years later. In my spare time, I study Business Administration.