#TheLeBronSeries-THE CROWN

King Back.

By TIM DAVID HARVEY.

"They can't keep a good man down/Always keep a smile when they want me to frown/Keep the vibes and they stood my grounds/They will never ever take my crown."-Sizzla: Solid As A Rock.

Courtside-holding it down as a sight even more rare these days than the star shining, other previous every game mainstay and Hollywood legend, Jack Nicholson-Kobe Bryant is in the STAPLES house. Dapping Dwight like it's all Shaq squashed beef alright. Hugging Anthony Davis like every other Laker fan knowing that Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and even the ballin' Brandon Ingram was all worth it (providing he stays on the floor this season...and next. Kobe knows all about Chicago rumours blowing in the wind of a Bulls snout breath blow). And then there was 'Bron. All Magic smiles. As the two greatest players of all time, outside of M.J. showed each other the same love they both have for the game. Number 23 and 24. A former 8 and future 6. You could clearly see it in the crown jewels of the five rings on Kobe Bryant's hand. Like a waiter being handed a not so subtlety folded bill for a tip, like something out of LeBron's favourite book 'The Godfather' ("just a little something for you and the family. Ya know. To tide you over."). You could see the Black Mamba handing King James something. Passing him the torch. Handing him...The Crown.

By royal appointment, the coronation of LeBron James' young Land and South Beach, Claire Foy years saw him walk the moon like a 'First Man' with his record breaking numbers that Armstrong sky rocketed like his Lady Liberty statuesque dunks. Just as if he had the U.S. Deceleration of Independence under his right arm. This constitution, this national monument. An icon. A decision rewriting free agent revolutionary. A superstar in the age of the superteam who created the later and still keeps the former late into his career. Now 35 like this writer...and Alex Caruso-ing some of his hair too...like this writer. But that all doesn't matter. That's just for the trolls who should stop brushing theirs up (that's how you lose it too ya know...trust me). In his Olivia Coleman season, LeBron is still the favourite and like another Oscar winner worthy of gold with his own 'Dear Basketball'. No not 'Space Jam 2' like M.J. But like Mike a sequel with Larry O'Brien too. Sure he really made the wrong decision with his careless Twitter on the Hong Kong problem, instead of voicing his protest with the people. But he's seen his jersey burnt before. This is a man who is still one of the people. He built a school for crying out for the needs of education loud. Before you Trump up your troll rhetoric realise a mistake for the misunderstood...and how we all make them on an everyday basis. All just not as public as this...not even on our own social medias, were we are famous among our audience of friends and family following. Sure he needs to give that taco cry a rest-not just on Tuesday-but appropriating this isn't all he's done. He also provided a taco truck to first responder firefighters who needed food-something-whilst battling the Getty fires in Los Angeles, California. LeBron has lasting intentions no matter the impression. He's still an Ali or Kap like icon for America. M.J. refused to be...as did Kobe. They shut up and dribbled, but 'Bron is bigger than Basketball. Yet still giving every ounce of the formidable frame and the heart of his soul to this game. Like playing through the pain last year when he should have sat out to only be met with critics and hate. Well it's all crickets and love now in La La LeBron and Lakerland. The city of stars are shining just for he...and A.D.

Year 17. Our 10th episode of 'The LeBron Series' to crown a decade in this writing game, LeBron James is the one like another number 23. Or one more. Because what's a one/two punch without another one like B.I.G. or what Pat Riley in the 80's promised again before Kareem could towel off his mouth? It's Showtime again now as LeBron isn't only the next Mikan, Baylor, West, Wilt, Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin Johnson, Big Game James Worthy, O'Neal, Bryant and Gasol Laker legend in legacy making line. He's also already has the perfect partnership next definitive dynamic duo already dominating in storied purple and gold AND red, white and blue NBA history. With Davis, 'Bron and the 'Brow, L.B.J. and A.D. stand next to the fire and ice of Elgin and Jerry, Wilt and West, Magic and Kareem and Shaq and Kobe, or Mamba and Pau as one of the greatest double acts in league legend. There's not enough double teams you can throw at the two offensive powerhouses in defence of their own fates. Anthony Davis clutch blocking his way to being the 'Defensive Player Of The Year' conversation and LeBron locking it down like a bruising bully with every sack. When he's not quarterbacking the offence (like when he plays with that pass in the pregame practice) from the pure point position he wants to bring back like carrying the 6, rocking the headband, or throwing the chalk. Or running back the break. Bulldozing the lane. Leaving defenders like Stormtroopers. He on the hunt like 'The Mandalorian', Skywalking in these Star Wars. Built like a linebacker. Before touching down with one of those Run-DMC 'You Be Illin'' jams like that one against Sacramento the last game. That King on Kings may be his greatest crowning of all time yet for the All Star running the lane like a runaway freight train. And the Jay-Z Carter Administration President's basketball blueprint is breathe easy, filling up every statistical category right now like a lyrical exercise too. At press time today he Kareem-ed 33 points, old Dwight Howard rebounded the ball 12 times and dished out an Odom or McGee 7 assists to his dime diamonds of teammates. And let's talk about all the kings men too even if that is another sequel edition of our article series this season. There's the Heat hot like big-three of the Lakers three-headed Ghidorah blocking monster machine of A.D., the emphatic energy of JaVale McGee and the redemption reunion of star Dwight Howard (and just wait until D.C. Boogie Cousins comes back). The big three finisher of a smooth like Jaamal Wilkes silk, or Worthy of big cigar smoke like Red Auerbach lighting game next to James in Kyle Kuzma (the one core young member they wouldn't trade). A legend at the point in Rondo. A reigning champion from downtown Toronto in Danny Green. The Bruce Bowen D of Avery Bradley. The ace in the hole clutch guards changing in Quinn Cook and Troy Daniels. The unfairly underrated and undeniably always unquestionable in his worth for praise, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (although that Tyrese "KEEP IT THAT WAY" meme reaction to KCP playing just 8 minutes was hilarious...even if inaccurate). The fan first heart and jersey/ticket giveaway of Jared Dudley. The next Antetokounmpo. And the one and only Alex Caruso. And who knows maybe even Iggy once he's bought out now 'Melo with a new Blazer is no longer on the table for the rookie rival and banana boat brother, an Anthony coveted for even longer than Davis. Still even if we are talking teams like Toronto Raptors superfan owner Drake, this one man wrecking crew is doing it all this season shot to lay-up like the one, true King now Kobe is walking off the floor with the WNBA's future like Bronny Jr. this association. Off to inspire the next with his Harry Potter magic meets sports world Granity books, as the man he pounds his heart and points to, 'LeBron writes his next chapter with this King James version verse for his Basketball Bible. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

#PoetsCorner SHOWTIME REBORN

Well ….. I mean, well…LOOK! It's an honour to be a Laker fan at this moment in time. Season of hurt, all the lights finally shine bright and this hungry Laker team are ready to eat!

Lead by the new pairing of the big man Anthony Davis and a King on his road to redemption sporting the purple and gold, we look like a playoff final team in the making right now, seven games in with a six game winning streak and only one loss. The road may be long to that 17th championship, but let me ask you this...

Can we start to believe?

From the flash passes between 'Bron and A.D. and Kuz as that James Worthy like third piece a NEW Showtime looks like it's on the verge of being born again and a new promising era for the LA Lakers has begun. We all know it's been a long fall for us over past years, but the climb looks like is has started and 'though the mountain is steep and rough, with additions off the bench to add to that big new look Showtime 3, we look East Coast tough.

Howard stands out as a big man determined to erase the number 12 and make us only remember the number 39 and Avery Bradley brings that ground and pound defence. Then all you do is sprinkle a bit of rain from Danny Green from the three point line as well as the returning bench mob of KCP and well the man, the myth, the Alex and we have no plans of slowing down on the road to a championship. I for one can’t wait to see what happens next just like the Showtime of old. Shades of Magic in LeBron and Kareem in A.D. Kuz like Worthy makes three.

But time will tell and positions in the league change as quick as a camera flash. But pictures of the new look Lakers are ones that will last like a ripple from the past. DAN STOCKER.

#PoetsCorner LIKE I SAY THE DROUGHT IS OVER IN LA

Look it’s a fresh new look in LA and I think it safe to say the sun always shines in the city of fallen angels. Six years of hurt, not making the top eight in the west. The drought of a playoff run could well be over for the Lakers. At times it seems like only yesterday that Metta World Peace shot that three that won us a back to back (two-peat) championship against the (Dirty Boston) Celtics. But times have changed and what a whirlwind offseason it has been for us so far. We got our man in Anthony Davis, arguably the best centre in the league today. He has wanted this move since last season and finally we got it done, while also keeping hold of the best player out of our young core (the man, the myth, the Kuz). What sold me on AD was the fact he gave up is $4 million trade bonus so we could build a strong new look Lakers. When asked why he intends to do this his reply was this “money comes and goes, your legacy is forever." I mean wow that's what every Laker fan needs to hear. A guy that want to build a legacy and how is that done in the game of basketball? Winning championships! Something that the 26 year old centre is yet to do but his vision is clear and well if he means what he says then maybe one day I will see his number 23 hung from the rafters.

Now let’s address the elephant in the room... Kawhi Leonard. Yes it would have been good to have him in the purple and gold but I think he wanted to be the man somewhere else. And just to make it interesting chose to go to Clippers and they wasted little time in getting his partner in crime in Paul George. But this aint about them we will let the ballin do the talk next season.

So without Kawhi we had to build an epic bench to help King James and AD in the goals and we have wasted no time in doing that. Bringing back some familiar faces and standout players from last season in KCP, McGee and Rondo (let not forget my brother Tim Harvey’s mate Alex Caruso as well).

But we didn’t stop there. Like I said this is a new look for the Lakers so we have also added Jared Dudley and shooter Troy Daniels. All I can say is last seasons depth was a problem but with these two guys as well as the addition of Danny Green as well could this be the return of the bench mob?

Wait…hold up...LOOK. I couldn’t forget the sharp scoring rookie shooting the lights out in the summer who has signed a two-way deal, Zach Norvell Jr. Leading the Lakers Summer League team in scoring, I see a bright future for this kid.

But this next and final signing I want to talk about has really go me hyped up for the new season. We have signed the big man DeMarcus Cousins! This guy is tough in the point and has got the three-point shot on lock as well. Now who remembers when the Kentucky alumni of him, Rondo and AD played together? There was Showtime like plays being ran in New Orleans. Though now it is different. Because they didn’t have King James and the Kuz with them.

I just have a good feeling about next season and like I say I think the drought is over in LA. DAN STOCKER.

#PoetsCorner THE FORGOTTEN POSITION

Look! Showtime in LA. It really was a beautiful thing. Like the times before when the logo himself Jerry West wore the purple and gold. Now the common thing in both the Showtime era and the ones before was that we had All Star Point Guards running the backcourt.

Sure times have moved on and the Shaq and Kobe era lead us to three rings. Followed by the Kobe and Gasol one that lead us to a two-peat. But the common exception to this whole write up is that my man Mamba is the G.O.A.T. He made players push their limits and ran the backcourt from the two guard position. But the Kobe years are over now and it kills me to say but it’s a new dawn in LA for the Lakers.

We got LeBron and hoped our young core could learn and grow around him. One player that did step up was the man the myth the Kuz. But our promising P.G. Ball was plauged with injuries which left us not really with someone to lead the show. We did have the once great Rondo who’s knowledge of the game was an asset in itself, but he too was held back by injury and suspension.

So now after finishing the highest we have in a long time and still not making the playoffs we look to next season. And with the induction of one of the best Point Guards to play the game in the past 20 years (Jason Kidd) to our coaching staff it would make sense for us to really push for a solid guard. I mean Ball could have improved so much under the mentorship of Kidd, but he sent in the package deal for Anthony Davis. Now we are left with no true Point Guard for the team. So what are our options in free agency?

First name that has been dropped is Uncle Drew himself who has stated that he would like to play with AD and it goes without saying what him and Bron can do on the same team. If we get him that would be great and I see a playoff spot in our future and even a finals. Still, however quite a few sources around the league think Kyrie will head to the Bronx and play for the Nets  I guess we will see. But what would that mean for D Lo? I wouldn't rule out a return to L.A. I mean if he wants out why not go for him? He would get a warm welcome as far as I am concerned and there is nothing for him to worry about. Nick Young doesn't play for us anymore.

Other than Kyrie, Kemba Walker is also someone else the Lakers are looking at. He to would be a great addition. Either way I think moving forward we need to breath new life in to the Point Guard position and any three of the names above could do that. Let just watch this space. DAN STOCKER.

#PoetsCorner IS THE PRICE WORTH THE COST? THE AD PARADOX.

Look! It's been a while since I have wrote anything and well a lot has happened. A prediction I made about the NBA Finals turned into a reality. As the Championship now lives within the Jurassic Park of the Toronto Raptors. The Canadian side took it in six games to bring the first piece of bling to the trophy case.

But that's not what this is about. In bigger news my beloved L.A. Lakers finally got their guy as a trade has been done for New Orleans big man Anthony Davis. But look. Is the price worth the cost? I mean it's true ever since the Magic scandal that rocked our team to its young core literally, Davis has expressed that he wanted to be a Laker and wear our colours to practice. So I guess yeah the passion to play for the Lakers is there...or should I say the passion to play with LeBron is there.

Don’t get me wrong there is no question AD is one of, if not the best centres in the league right now and any Laker fan would be happy to have him but was the price we paid in players worth it?

Trading three of our young core players and our top five draft pick for this year’s draft as well as a handful of future first round picks?! I mean it’s safe to say we want to make the playoffs and try and win another championship sooner rather than later, instead of building a young new dynasty and ruling the NBA and two or threepeeting again. Which is fine, I mean I get it. For the last God knows how many years we have been one of the worst performing teams in the NBA and for a franchise like us its nothing but years of hurt.

The thing is AD is only here for a season. As much as he says he wants to re-sign there’s nothing stopping him from moving on after next season and if we let go of yet another future star Point Guard then that’s two in the space of two seasons (what up D Lo? Miss ya bro). Mr. Jerry West can sleep safe because the way we nurture point guards (sarcasm right their people) the logo himself will remain the best Laker Point Guard of all time up there with Mr. Trade The Youth, Magic Johnson.

The other concern is can AD stay fit for a full season or will he end up riding the bench sipping wine with the King? With all the questions I bring it back to my main ask, is the price worth the cost in this here AD paradox? DAN STOCKER.

#PoetsCorner THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE KUZ

What happens when an underdog baller from Flint ends up playing for one of the biggest teams in the NBA?

They set themselves up to be an NBA and Lakers icon that’s what!

Kuzma was selected with the 27th pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Nets. But by fate in a draft-day trade, he was dealt along with main man at the time Brook Lopez to the Lakers in exchange for D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov (remember that guy?) before the draft. Kuzma at the time was projected to go in the second round or undrafted (thank the Lakers Gods he wasn’t). On July 3, 2017, he signed his rookie contract with the LA Lakers.

During the seven out of eight games he played for the Lakers (starting in only six of the games) in the NBA Summer League, Kuzma led by example. Leading the way with points scored he became a force all the way through the tournament. He then gained his first glory as a rookie and was named to the All-Summer League Second Team. However proving he was the real deal didn’t stop there as he was named the Summer League Championship Game MVP after recording a double-double of 30 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Portland in the championship match.

Ready to make his NBA appearance he trained hard with the drive to be the best player he knew he could be and on November 3rd 2017 in his first game as a starter he shot the lights out to gain his first ever double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds in a win over wait for it...the Brooklyn Nets. The team that traded his pick and I'm not the only Laker fan that is glad they did.

October 22, 2018 was a day I will always remember. On that day Kuz scored a season-high 37 points against the Spurs. He then went on to top that when he scored a career-high 41 points against the Pistons which lead to a win.

So it was no surprise when he was selected again for the Rising Stars game. This time he had a point to prove and he did just that and earned the crown after scoring a game-high 35 points.

With the Davis scandal during the backend of the season that shook the locker room like a hurricane, a lot of players hung their heads and who wouldn’t after being thrown on the block like useless pieces of a puzzle.  Still Kuz didn’t let it get to him and he continued to play the game he loved. Players like this don’t come around often in the modern business that is the NBA. I know I would love for him to earn a jersey being raised in the Staples Centre and with big Rob from the front office reassuring him that he is this team’s future and he wouldn’t be traded unless it was for one of the top three players in the NBA (is one of them Anthony Davis? (Tim)) the odds and the future looks bright for this soon to be Laker legend. DAN STOCKER.

#PoetsCorner THE LAKE SHOW REDEMPTION

Well our regular season came to a close and eight teams from the West compete for the gold. We find ourselves missing the playoffs for the sixth season in a row as a lot of fans will hang their heads, but when your blood is purple and gold our team will never be dead.

We all thought (myself included) we would make the top eight this year at the start of the season. Hell I even said to my good friend (what up Tim! (what up Stock!))) we could reach the finals. Now I know what your thinking I have no clue, but Basketball the greatest game ever played can surprise you and after our game at Christmas we stood in a position well on our way. But then the plague of injuries struck our team like a dunk from Zion Williamson down. And just when we thought it couldn’t get worse, Magic flipped the locker room upside down in the A.Davis trade talk, but well karma is indeed a bitch (thanks for nothing Magic).

Now the lastest is we decided to let our coach go after three years. All I can say to that is good luck Luke and thank you. The blame can't all be put on him so I really do wish him all the best.

So what happens now? Well rumors are flying about possible coaches and free agency, but our main focus should be the draft and making that 2% chance for the first pick turn into something more.

As for they players we have Kuz, McGee and KCP really stood out for me this season as well as the call ups from South Bay (pro contracts are coming in the post boys). Of course King James has spoke out and promised us a better him next season and with a few additions from the free agency (Kyrie....just saying), there is no reason why we cant finish in the top eight next season.

I am gonna finish off here by saying no matter how much bad times come our way I don't speak alone when I preach I am Lakers 'till my dying day. Lets hit the ground running next season. It's time for the Lake Show Redemption. DAN STOCKER.