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Why would free agents ever accept less-than-maximum paydays to join the Lakers until some Lakers players have first done so? The Lakers organization and Lakers fans seem to prefer me-first players such as Kobe Bryant, who grab as much money and take as many shots as they can. The Spurs organization prefers players who, to use Gregg Popovich’s words, “have gotten over themselves,” epitomized by Tim Duncan.

The Lakers will never make the seamless transitions from one triumphant era to the next the way San Antonio has because the local environment discourages a team-first mentality. Gerry Swider Sherman Oaks

The latest example of former players/coaches not being able to transition into an NBA executive role is in New York. Phil Jackson was an amazing coach, but as an executive he’s been average at best. Magic Johnson has shown an ability to analyze games for ESPN, but has never been an NBA talent evaluator. And Kobe’s agent as GM? Something tells me the Lakers would be better off with Rob Petrie than Rob Pelinka. Brian Haueter Ventura

Not good enough to coach the perennial champion Lakers (19-43), Mike D’Antoni has been relegated to coaching the hapless Houston Rockets (43-19), where James Harden has coincidentally undergone a magical transformation from a capable shooting guard to a dominant and exceptional point guard and triple-double machine. Running the obsolete Phoenix Suns’ 2.0 seven-seconds-or-less offense, the Rockets annihilated the Clippers on Wednesday with 20 threepointers.

We know who is getting the last laugh. Tom Lallas Los Angeles

As a Celtics fan, I’ve always wanted the Lakers to finish at the bottom of the West. I never expected Lakers fans to want the same. Bala Thenappan

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