RUSH & PARGO

Hey i'm new to this board i just want to know what you guys think of kareem rush and if the lakers will re-sign Pargo.

Welcome to the board jawa!!!!
Glad you found the site and you signed up.

In dealing with your question, the jury is still out with Rush and Pargo. From what I saw last year, it seems like Phil trusted Pargo more than Rush. I luv Pargo's game and is fearless in taking the shots. He should be a lot better next year.

However, with Rush, I'm very disappointed with the aspect that it seems like from last year, he can only play offense. From what I saw last year, Rush is a one-dimensional player. He has a great shooting potential, but he doesn't play defense, he can't rebound, and can't pass. If his shooting is not going well, then he is basically useless. It seems like he has 2 left feet in defense when guarding the smaller guards and needs help from his teammates defensively, when he gets posted up.

I hope I'm wrong with Rush. Because I luv his quickness and his shooting stroke.

I have to agree with KOK8.

From what I saw during the season, Phil gave Kareem more playing time during the first half because of his offense. But, when our team continued to struggle, he played Pargo over Kareem because of Pargo's "d", which is something it seems the whole team needed to be more consistent on.

As for whether or not Kareem and/or Pargo will be re-signed, it depends on whether or not the Lakers' acquistions include a new guard or two. To be honest, I can't see them adding a guard without letting go of one.

Call me crazy, but I like Pargo. He reminds me of Kevin Johnson. We need to hold on to him. I wasn't to impressed with Rush. I wouldn't mind seeing him traded.

Rush was very streaky this year, when he played well, it was over a course of a couple games, when he played bad, it was over a course of a couple games... He was never to consistent. However, he's developing...

As for Pargo, I think that, when the Lakers needed him, he stepped up into a supreme role player for us in the playoffs. He proved that he could play when pressure was the highest. And he also was pretty consistent in my opinion. If we get Payton, time will be shared between the 3, and our Point Guard position is locked, in my opnion...

Rush is not a bad player, but he's just not what we need. We should use him and other players to make a trade for what we do need...

And that's my 2 cents...

When I first saw Rush during the Long Beach Summer League, he made a great first impression to everybody. However, this past season was a major disappointment. Once again, he is just a one-dimensional player. He can't play a lick of defense. Let's get rid of him!!!

Defense can be learned ask Kobe, Lebron can't play D, but he'll learn, T-Mac had to learn, and Rush has to learn to play D, it may seem hard, but Defense is easier to learn.

If we should get rid of Rush, then get rid of Slava also, hes been in the league over 3 years and still can't learn the basic fundamentals, If Slava and Madsen could do a fusion, and merge skills, that guy would be a perfect triangle PF, simalar to Horace.

I just hope the Lakers are willing to be patient with Kareem after his rookie season. I dunno, there's just something about him we just haven't seen yet. His college game was great, and I think since the pressure was on him, bein on the 3 time world champions, playin behind Kobe and Shaq, it kinda got to him. At times he had a lil' spark, but other than that he barely got enuff time to improve. Phil had him in most games at PG, which wasn't right. He was a rookie and doesn't have the ball handlin skills, the passing skills, or the court vision to be a PG any time soon.

Pargo had nothing to lose, since he was undrafted. He REALLY stepped up, and what I liked the most about him, is that he always tried to play D along with Kareem. At least they both gave an effort, rather than to just give up, u know? Pargo was barely activated towards the middle of the season, and I don't know why Murray wasn't taken off the roster sooner.

L-brain.

Who in here is defending Slava??? Get rid of his [Swearing is not permitted at Clublakers. You must edit this post prior to submitting.] too cause he can't play D!!!

All I'm saying is that atleast Kobe and T-Mac showed the skill and physical makeup to play D. They were attacking offenses. Rush's idea of playing D is to follow his opponent two steps behind at every turn.

Also, Kobe and T-Mac can contribute so much more than their shooting. They can rebound, play D, pass the ball well, and steal the ball.

The only aspect of Rush's game at this point that is worth praise is his shooting. Other than that, I have nothing to look forward to for the future.

I agree with KOBEONE... the only good part in Kareem RUSH's game is shooting... when he makes them.. very rarely. He can't play DEFENSE, can't HANDLE the ball, can't PASS, can't FINISH STRONG to the Basket.... what else is there? I don't see any fire in his eyes. Kareem must go to make room for our future draft picks this year.

Pargo is completely opposite of Kareem. Pargo will be our future starting point guard when he learns to play controlled basketball. He already has a killer instincts and does not back down to anybody. His shot and shot selection will continue to improve. His defense was above average considering it was his rookie year. Next season he will only be better. PARGO does remind me of KJ when he was young. Pargo will need to work on his upper body to be able to with stand the punishment when he drives down the lane. RESIGN PARGO and we'll be set at PG for the future.

#1kobefan

I agree with your take on the lackluster fire in the eyes of Kareem. Where is the fire in his eyes, when he gets his chances on the court.
He seems lost on the court. It looks like he's just chilling out there. At times he doesn't seem interested in raising his intensity up. At times he looks like he just blazed some weed before going into the court.

Atleast with Kobe as a rookie, he's intensity was 100+ percent everytime he is in the court, with the limited minutes he has.

Pargo is nothing like KJ, except skin color, If Pargo was anything like Kevin Johnson, we would have won the championship. Pargo does not run an offense like KJ, come on this guy, when a rookie in Cleveland played back up point to Mark Price, and still got his(not alot of scoring but was able to collect asst like crazy), then the next year he avg 20 pts per game and 10 asst per game because he got traded for Larry Nance his rookie year. Pargo like KJ..... dont make me laugh.... Y'all must not know ya history.

Pargo is like a less talented Moochie Norris, with more heart

give Pargo some time he will get up there. The only real minutes he got was in the SPURMS series and he proved he can hang with Parker. I say, Mark my words...in two years Pargo will be our starting point guard. Left me correct myself...... his game reminds me of KJ.
Theres a difference.... KJ played for team which had no expectations to win a CHAMPIONSHIP.... thus he was able to make mistakes and his game matured through the process. IN PARGO's situation... everything was scrutinized 100%... because we just came off of 3 consecutive titles and our expectations were higher. Pargo could not get the playing time because our team was below .500 and needed to win every game!!! Pargo was not fortunate enough to be able to make mistakes because if he did... he would be yanked out by PHIL by the neck. Phil finally had no choice in the playoffs because FISHER was getting burnt so bad defensively that PHIL was forced to play PARGO. TO our surprise PARGO showed poise, heart and a desire to win. IF Pargo keeps this up I he will be one of the GEMS in the the 2002 rookie class that went undrafted. Mitch may have made a mistake with RUSH but he got lucky with. PARGO.

Pargo has a bad shooting %, I like him, but he is a medicre guard, who is a streaky shooter, and will NEVER be an all star.

How can his game remind you of KJ when he doesn't have the same court vision and penetration KJ had?

But all these assumptions are based on them in their rookie season. Pray for the best, but expect anything to happen u know? They did what they could do, in the limited time they did get. They put up rookie numbers just like most rookies, but next season is a different story.

Laker brain wrote:Pargo has a bad shooting %, I like him, but he is a medicre guard, who is a streaky shooter, and will NEVER be an all star.

I don't know about you guys, but I think you need to recheck with your stats while Pargo played. I saw alot different in each game he played. When he would actually shoot the ball at least 5+ times, he'd make at least 50% of it. I could be wrong, but recheck and post em up.

Nonetheless, I still love Pargo's game. Rush just needs ALOT of work. I believe both these rookies deserve a second chance. But if I needed to choose one of the two, my vote is for PARGO!

I'll also take Pargo over Rush.

Pargo just brings more to the table than Rush.
Pargo can guard the quicker guards with his speed.
He is a pest at D.
A better ball handler than Rush.
A very good passer.
It seems like Pargo hits his shots more consistently than Rush.

Hey, I'm not saying he is going to be like the all-star KJ, but you have to admit, he is quick like KJ, can drive like KJ, and has a better jumper than KJ will ever in his wildest dreams. Yes, I know a little history about KJ. I have lived in Phoenix since I was 7. So I saw his whole career. There are simularities there, I'm not saying he will reach that level, but there is potential there. This was his rookie year, and in my opinion, he didn't do all that bad, he certainly did better than Rush who was supposed to be the more seasoned player. Let's give this guy another season or two. I liked his game in the pressure situations this year in the playoffs. For the exception of the turn overs, he did very well defensively, and hit some jumpers. Can't ask more of this guy. Give him a chance, see if that potential comes out or fades away, thats all I'm saying.

yeah well i think pargo is great. You got to think Rush is came in with some much expected of him on the lakers and did not show much. But i think this year he will as for pargo he came in with nothing to lose. Rush can be a great player in future he just needs to get some help on his d from kobe's.

I just want to know where the hell anyone in the universe ever got the notion that T-Mac plays defense...that is quite a ridiculous comcept to me...the one game he tried hard to play defense this season, he scored 15 points....

Replying to quote" KJ played for teams without expectation for a championship" have you forgot that KJ's Suns played the bulls in 1993 for the Championship???? STUPID COMMENT BY # 1 Kobe fan. The Same year they beat us in the first round when we were about to upset them. You must have just started watching Basketball after 1993. You should know your history, before posting false information. (Come on # 1 Kobe fan, I'm disappointed in that remark.)

Who "HONESTLY" believed the Suns had a chance of actually winning the series...everyone felt it would be close, but no one felt Phoenix would WIN the series....come on now, Barkley was injured in the WCF and the Bulls had their three-peat action going...no one "expected" anything but that which happened, a 6 game Bulls victory...not that it takes away from your point, but don't criticize another Laker fan over something that IFFY....