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Silver Screen and Roll
For the first time ever, Off the Glass writers will be making some executive decisions regarding their favorite (or least favorite) teams, in the form of one suggested team hiring and a single team firing.
While all basketball fans can complain about the players on the court, we here at OTG are turning the blame game into an off-the-court naming exercise, where we can share our gripes with non-player personnel and offer meaningful suggestions for improvement.
Every organizational position is available here, aside from the players. Coaches, assistants, executives, video coordinators, scouts, even the mascots; everyone's resumes are on the table.
Without further ado, here is today's Hire or Fire piece on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Hire - Bill Foran (Strength and Conditioning)
With Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard joining the Lake Show, Los Angeles will need to put a focus on player health. Davis has a spotty track record with injuries ranging from shoulder issues to contusions in his legs. Howard, too, has had a spotty record, including a spinal injury and hamstring issues last season. Even LeBron James caught the injury bug last year.
For the Lakers to truly be contenders, the team will need someone who can manage a squad that has health concerns. There is no man better for the job than the Miami Heat’s Bill Foran.
Foran has been Miami’s Strength and Conditioning coach for 30 years, and has become one of the most influential trainers in the league. Some see him as the Sherlock Holmes of training because of his propensity to solve tricky problems. He’s the kind of man the Lakers need, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he has a connection to LeBron.
Fire - Rob Pelinka (GM)
The front office drama coming from Los Angelesmay have been more exciting than the actual basketball. A whole new team was brought in, Magic Johnson leaves, and general manager Rob Pelinka along with owner Jeanie Buss earn heavy scrutiny for their operations. Some feel that Buss should sell her portion of ownership, but that may not be ideal. Buss lives and breathes the Lakers and has a true passion for the organization. Besides, surrounding her with the right people would prove much more effective for the team.
Pelinka on the other hand has too spotty of a track record to comfort the fans of the Lakers. Many GM’s label him a “snake” due to the Carlos Boozer fiasco in 2004 and not to be trusted. Pelinka has also been criticized for his inability to forge as string of a roster as he could have. Yes, the Lakers now have Lebron, AD, and Dwight Howard, but with the drafting of Lonzo Ball with the 2nd pick of the 2017 draft and the trading of D’Angelo Russell to the Nets, many feel that Pelinka has handled many player moves poorly. Adding in his overall bad reputation among the league and Magic Johnson stating that Pelinka backstabbed and betrayed him, the Lakers need and deserve someone who can handle an organization of this size.