Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[F Gump]

1  I guess he can use the free time during the ASB to get back in game shape. Laker culture has it's work cut out in changing his natural inclinations.

2  FWIW, I like the fight our smurfs are showing without any size currently available due to injuries. Truly position-less basketball.

I would not have done the Luka trade. I think you keep the guy who has all the skills but won't work on conditioning etc, but who can take you to a high level as is, and hope at some point he will hunger for a title and make the sacrifices needed. And if forced to do it, I would have said no to the paltry return, and demanded what's fair for a mega-star. And then a bit more.

That having been said, since we are where we are, I'm willing to be real ....

1 Yes Luka now has time to work on conditioning. But will he? 

I have been thinking about all the discussions about Luka, and his conditioning off the court and his working on his game skills (especially such as shooting FTs and other shots at a better rate) off the court. None of that seems to have been a part of his life, has it? That's led me to wonder if his conditioning plan is "play NBA and other games, and work yourself into shape from the games" and his shooting-improvement plan "play NBA and other games, and use the games to try to practice making shots."

So if my theory is right, does he come back from a 7-day break as an improved Luka, or does he take a relaxing vacay and come back the same or even worse off, with no games to make him sweat or "practice" shots?

2 I agree that the scrappy team the Mavs have now is unexpected fun. Their competitiveness is impressive. Since the trade they are 3-2, and the 2 losses were squeakers (1 pt, 2 pts). It does make me wonder how good they might be able to be if they get to full strength and have better players who are also scrappy added to the mix.