To honor the final year of my thirties as well as the recent publication of my constraint-based Faulkner-inspired memoir, AS I STAND LIVING, which chronicles the year I became a father, I’m going to document my various sources of media input each week: art, literature, music, movies, television, and so on. New updates every week until I turn forty (March 19, 2018).
At present, with the NBA draft looming, I’m obsessing over the potential starting lineup and bench for the Lakers this fall. Been watching and listening to all sorts of pundits this week. So much hangs in the balance with the draft. Will we take Lonzo Ball or Josh Jackson? Will we somehow swing an amazing trade? Here’s the lineups I predict should the Lakers keep their entire roster, do absolutely no trades, and draft who they’re favored to draft (#2 Lonzo Ball, #28 Tony Bradley):
STARTERS
(PG) Lonzo Ball
(SG) D’Angelo Russell
(SF) Brandon Ingram
(PF) Julius Randal
(C) Ivica Zubac
I’m very interested to see what this group could accomplish. The recent Randal pics attest to the emergence of a new and improved version of the double-double maker. With him and Brandon on the wings, we’ll give teams ample to worry about. DLo at the two makes so much more sense to me. (And to him, apparently.) Keeping in mind, I speak as a fellow Buckeye, I’ve watched a lot of tape on D’Angelo, I’m not a huge fan of his and wouldn’t mind if he got traded but he does have the potential to really shine at the two, if he can work on his defense, which reportedly he’s doing. That’s the next level for him: defense. Don’t forget, Kobe made the All-Defensive First Team 9 times! Nine. Tied for all time most selections, along with Kevin Garnett, Michael Jordan, and Gary Payton. If he wants to be an all star, he needs to up his defensive skills. Lonzo, as far as I’ve seen watching a few of his UCLA games and plenty of YouTube tape on him, seems a legit contender for Rookie of the Year if he can translate his pre-NBA game to the big time. He, too, will need to work on his defense. Zubac supposedly represents the future of the center position for the Lakers. He’s super versatile, can block and shoot. He’s young and still needs to mature into the player he’s going to become. But even now, he’s showing signs of real promise for helping the Lakers get back to the playoffs. This young team could do it.
BENCH
(PG) Jordan Clarkson
(SG) Nick Young
(SF) Corey Brewer
(PF) Larry Nance, Jr.
(C) Tony Bradley
I’m pretty pleased with this second unit. Clarkson and Young frequently start, so they’re bringing a level of consistency to the excellency when they rotate in. Same with Larry. He’s amazing. Go Wyoming! I live to see Larry dunk. Tony Bradley looks promising. I watched some tape on him revealing his versatility. Perhaps Deng rotates in before Brewer? Perhaps Mozgov rotates in before Bradley? If not:
THIRD STRING
(PG) Tyler Ennis
(SG) David Nwaba
(SF) Luol Deng
(PF) Thomas Robinson
(C) Timofey Mozgov
Most importantly, Magic and Rob need to dump the Mozgov and Deng contracts to get the cap-space we need to persuade an all-star to join the purple and gold. This team could look a lot different next summer, if we proceed as Magic has indicated in the media: to go hard on free agents. A bevy of talent pops up next summer, including Lebron James, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Boogie Cousins, and Joel Embiid to name a few we could use. Next week’s the draft, so revelations are afoot.
Vivienne Westwood with another provocative and disruptive Menswear Womenswear Collection (Spring Summer 2018). Watching it feels like watching a play or a ballet or a performance art piece. The models walk like dancers, drag queens, circus performers, gymnasts, and and and:
These two Aldous Harding videos (for “Imagining My Man” & “Blend”), directed by Charlotte Evans, bring such attention to detail, to a moment, to sharing an experience of concentration. Her about page calls “her body and face a weapon of theatre.” I can see that.
