Thursday, 22 August 2013
Bargain FAs Lakers Can Get to Fill out Roster
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
LA Lakers Players Fighting for Their Basketball Lives This Season
Monday, 19 August 2013
Young Posterizes with Beach Ball
Thursday, 15 August 2013
Stat Projections for Each LA Lakers Offseason Addition
Can Pau Gasol Become a Top 10 Player Again for LA Lakers in 2013
Wednesday, 14 August 2013
Lakers News: Latest Info on Kobe Bryant's Recovery, LeBron James in LA and ...
Kobe's Rehab Process Keeps LA Playoff Hopes Alive
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
How LA Lakers Are Rebuilding Their Front Line Around Pau Gasol for 2013
With Dwight Howard now a member of the Houston Rockets, he's left to bemoan the absence of facial hair like James Harden's while Gasol must restore order to what became an ebbing frontcourt last season.
When both Howard and Gasol decked themselves in purple and gold, there was no concrete blueprint laid out. You wanted to believe the Lakers were retooling the front line-the entire team really-around Howard, but you couldn't.
A passive power struggle took place between the dyad and Mike . Howard didn't like the system, Gasol didn't appreciate his fluctuating role-starter to sixth man back to starter-and Magic Mike had no idea how to manage a roster with two leading towers.
Then the offseason happened.
Harry How/Getty Images
Howard left, apathetic social-media wars ensued and Los Angeles' frontcourt was suddenly all Gasol.
"Frontcourt" is not to be confused with "team." These Lakers are still Kobe Bryant's. Long after he retires, he'll probably still declare Los Angeles his for the leading. Perhaps then the team will inform him the torch has been passed.
Right now, even during rehabilitation, no such searing poles are being exchanged-except up front, where Howard willingly absolved himself of all responsibilities more than one month ago.
Howard checked out on the Lakers, maybe long before he ever really left. Now they'll turn their attention back toward Gasol, for the first time since before Andrew Bynum was deemed expendable.
Gasol is entering the final year of his contract and may be playing his final season as a member of the Lakers, but until the summer of 2014, their frontcourt is his. Every move they've made post-Howard has left no doubt about it.
Pau Gasol
Victor Decolongon/Getty Images
This conversation can't be furthered without the 7-foot Spaniard himself.
In the aftermath of Howard's departure, the Lakers plan to feature Gasol at center more, where he's absolutely thrived since Hollywood rolled out its red carpet in 2008.
Over the last five years, Gasol has posted a PER of 24.5 at center compared to 20.7 at power forward. Everything from his effective field-goal percentage to offensive rating is markedly higher at the 5 as well (shown below).
Even at his worst, Gasol still found success at center, notching a PER of 22 per 48 minutes there last season. Making him the front-court's centerpiece is then an easy decision.
Disastrous 2012-13 campaign aside, Gasol remains one of only four players in NBA history to average at least 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one block on 50 percent or better shooting for their career. The other three include Hall of Famers Bob and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a future inductee in Tim Duncan.
Which really only answers the why of it all. Why would the Lakers entrust a 33-year-old Gasol with an albatross Howard couldn't/didn't want to carry? That's why.
Regarding him as the frontcourt's lifeline and putting him in a position to succeed are two separate things, though. The Lakers will lean on him heavily because he's capable of delivering. But so was Howard. Or rather, he was supposed to be.
Putting the right pieces around him and making the necessary changes-that's how the Lakers will make the most of the why.
Jordan Hill
Harry How/Getty Images
Jordan Hill projects as the starting power forward now that the Lakers plan to use Gasol almost exclusively at center, mostly because he's the only true 4 on the roster.
To this point, Hill accentuates Gasol's importance courtesy of his limited offensive abilities. Unlike Howard, he won't command a certain number of touches, and there will be no debate about who the primary pick-and-roll threat is.
Those 6.7 points on 5.3 field-goal attempts he averaged last year were career highs. And per Synergy Sports (subscription required), he converted just 38.7 percent of his shots within pick-and-roll sets.
Unimpressive is the word you're searching for here.
Armed with almost no offensive awareness outside of putbacks and point-blank opportunities, a battle of offensive wills isn't about to be waged in Los Angeles between Hill and Gasol. The latter is the clear alpha dog, and any and all big man-oriented sets will run through him.
Therein lies another problem: spacing, otherwise known as the Dwight Howard-Pau Gasol conundrum.
Neither Howard nor Gasol was able to find extensive success next to the other. Howard was incapable of scoring outside of three feet and (ignorantly) averse to pick-and-rolls. To Gasol's credit, he's always been an inside-out big but not a stretch forward.
Hill will have to change how he scores his points.
Asked what he must do to stay on the floor next season, ESPN Los Angeles' Dave writes that responded by urging Hill to fine-tune his jump shot. Hill said:
He talked about what I need to work on for this coming summer. My jump shot -- he definitely wanted me to work on my outside jumper.
That's mostly what I' been focusing on this whole summer, not so much the post work because I know I can go down to the block and easily get an offensive rebound and .
Adjusting to his new role within the offense isn't going to be easy. Hill has attempted just nine threes through the first four years of his career and missed all of them.
In fact, per .com, Hill is averaging roughly 3.1 shots inside of nine feet a night for his career, equating to 66 percent of all his field-goal attempts (4.7).
Below is breakdown of how his shots have been spread out since he entered the league:
Frequency matters most since his sample size outside of nine feet is routinely so small that no real conclusions can be drawn from his conversion rate.
For what it's worth, however, a breakdown of his shooting percentages inside and outside of said distance can be found below.
That he's demanding Hill brush up on his outside shooting at all, however, is what's noteworthy. It shows the Lakers plan to use Gasol as the interior buffer. He won't be asked to tailor his game in an effort to meet the needs of his low-post partner; it will be the other way around.
By expecting (pleading with?) Hill to increase his offensive range, the Lakers are attempting to give Gasol the wiggle room he didn't have next to Howard. They're preparing to make him the focal point he wasn't last season.
Chris Kaman
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Figure on Chris Kaman acting as a backup center and power forward.
There really isn't anyone else, so Kaman won't be able to man either position exclusively. And once again, that's kind of the point.
Kaman came so cheaply that it would have been foolish for the Lakers to pass on him anyway, but it just so happens he's a Pau Gasol-esque scorer. He has spent his entire career playing center. He's got an All-Star selection under his belt (2010) and the range necessary to play power forward on occasion.
Coming off the bench allows him to see as much time as possible at the 5 while Gasol is taking breathers. When on the floor together, they'll likely serve as an interchangeable power forward and center tandem depending on the possession.
Unlike Hill, he's generated offense away from the rim. The table below gives a glimpse into his shot distribution since 2006, courtesy of H.com.
We can't sit here and pretend that Kaman is some sort of sharp-shooting god; he's not. Through 10 seasons in the NBA, he's made as many three-pointers as Mr. Hill-zero.
Kaman does, however, have far more experience, and also success, from various ranges on the floor.
Lay your eyes on the following:
The gap between Kaman's conversion rate inside of nine feet through to 23 feet is much smaller than that of Hill's. While Hill has routinely shot a higher percentage from close range, this is to be expected given his athletic build and the number of offensive rebounds he grabs.
Three-point shooting will always be an issue for both Kaman and Hill, which is why they won't shoot many of them, if any at all (especially Kaman). But by playing Kaman and asking Hill to expand his offensive horizons, the Lakers are committing to Gasol as their frontcourt foundation.
The center position is Gasol's for the dominating.
Rounding Out the Frontcourt
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Spor
Frontcourts encompass small forwards as well, and they usually run deeper than three guys at the 4 and 5. The Lakers are both different and no different.
Robert (center) and Elias Harris (3-4 ) will help round out the power forward and center positions. Harris is valued for actually being a stretch forward. He won't need to tweak his game as much as Hill or Kaman if he receives any valuable playing time. And is just there, another big body on a team nearly devoid of size and not yet a year removed from the injury-riddled massacre last season.
Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Once we move to the 3, the rotation becomes less certain.
Harris, if he plays, can spend minutes there, as can Wesley Johnson. Considered a guard-forward, he spent most of his minutes at the 3 the past two seasons.
After him, it's a basic free-for-all.
Kobe and Nick Young will each see ample time at small forward. At any given point, Kaman, Hill and could be on the bench, and Johnson, Young or Kobe could find themselves defending/playing the 4.
Los Angeles' excess of guards and shooters in general isn't a mistake, though. The Lakers are going to shoot threes; they're going to spread the floor as much as possible. Hill has been asked to hoist treys, Kaman gives the Lakers range in the frontcourt and the team as a whole is small.
In other words, the writing is on the wall. Nary a game will go by when multiple Lakers won't be playing out of position. All the while, Gasol will be the front line's one constant, never playing outside his comfort zone and always the primary scoring option down low.
Each stage of Los Angeles' offseason was traversed with Gasol in mind-Kaman, Hill's commitment to shooting, stockpiling scorers, everything. Post-Howard, it's his show up front. For better, worse or the same.
Kobe Bryant: Achilles feels 'good'
ESPN.com news services
Kobe Bryant said Monday in the Philippines that his Achilles tendon is healing well.
"My tendon feels really, really good. I was really lucky," said Bryant, who was in Manila to promote a product. A video of Bryant's question and answer session was posted on YouTube.
The Los Angeles Lakers guard, who was standing on a stage answering the questions, made the comment after he was asked if he would like to sit down.
Bryant tore his Achilles on April 12 and underwent surgery the following day. He credited his trainers for the success of his recovery.
"The trainers go with me everywhere. Family vacations, business trips -- they're there all the time," he said.
Diagnosing LA Lakers' Remaining Roster Flaws
The Los Angeles Lakers ' playoff hopes will be contingent primarily on one thing in 2014: health.
Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash combined for 53.7 points, 16.8 assists and 17 rebounds per game a season ago, and will be the Lakers' main pieces in the upcoming year.
However, that same trio played in just 177 out of a possible 246 combined games in 2013. While Bryant missed only four contests, Gasol (33 games) and Nash (32 games) missed significant stretches with nagging injuries.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles will be heading into training camp with a revamped, deeper roster-a credit to GM Mitch Kupchak -after losing Dwight Howard to free agency. New acquisitions like Nick Young, Chris Kaman, Wesley Johnson and Jordan Farmar will be given the chance to come in right away and make an immediate impact.
Although the new players will be an important part of the journey, the team will go as far as Bryant, Gasol and Nash can take it.
The Mamba is currently rehabbing from a torn Achilles, but hopes to be back for opening night. Bryant says that he's "shattered" the timetable for Achilles injuries, via ABS-CBN News, and is 100 percent confident about returning as the same player.
Without a healthy Bryant, though, the Lakers will be a lottery team. If that Achilles proves to be problematic once the season gets underway, forget all about the playoffs and a winning record.
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Outside of Bryant, the Lakers have injury concerns with Gasol and Nash, as well.
Gasol missed time as a result of an internal tear at the bottom of his foot in 2013, and also had a procedure in May to address tendonosis in both of his knees, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA.
Nash, who will be turning 40 years old later this year, broke his leg and tore his hamstring in an injury-stricken campaign last season. Despite the fact that he should be coming into training camp with pristine health, it's hard to believe that he'll be able to maintain it over the course of a rigorous NBA season.
Keeping their best players on the floor will be the biggest obstacle the Lakers will face next season, but that's not the only hurdle L.A. must clear.
Depth is the team's other main problem.
If Nash is in and out of the lineup, L.A. will be relying heavily on Famar and Steve Blake as the primary ball-handlers. Blake and Farmar have combined for 20 starts in seven seasons with the Lakers.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Both are solid options off the bench, but neither are really cut out to be the team's starting point guard.
Even with Bryant's health on shaky ground, the team only has one other shooting guard: Jodie Meeks . Meeks is a nice player who can go off on occasional scoring outbursts, but adding another SG-or at least a scorer like Lamar Odom-would bolster L.A. heading into 2014.
In addition to backcourt depth, Gasol is the only proven power forward on the current roster.
Ryan Kelly and Elias Harris both have no professional experience and, although they have some potential, can't be counted on for consistent production.
Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Mike D'Antoni would be wise to work Gasol, Kaman, Jordan Hill and Robert Sacre into a rotation that will keep two of them on the floor at the same time. If Kelly or Harris emerges as a reliable player off the bench, then the coach can adjust.
But until then, D'Antoni should keep the lineup as big as possible by instituting a four-man rotation of proven NBA bigs. Gasol needs to be the offensive focal point on the block and in the pick-and-roll, a concept that D'Antoni struggled to grasp a season ago.
Because of Los Angeles's issues in the backcourt and at power forward, the team's core trio of stars will have to total a ton of minutes and will be more vulnerable to injury.
But with their roster as it currently stands, the Lakers can overcome a lack of depth as long as injuries don't ravage the team like they did in 2013.
In the end, Bryant, Gasol and Nash have the capability to lead this team to the playoffs. They might even shock the league and surge through a couple of rounds.
If they can stay on the floor, that is.
Signing Lamar Odom Is Low
Lamar Odom's career has derailed ever since he left the Los Angeles Lakers.
A fan favorite during his tenure with the Lakers, Odom may be a declining big man, but re-signing him for a discount could help bolster a weakened Lakers' frontcourt.
Consider the risk involved. The only negative here is that the Lakers could possibly sign a deteriorating veteran for the league minimum to ride the pine and play garbage minutes.
As Odom showed last season, he still has some gas left in the tank.
While his 2012-13 season averages of four points, two assists and six rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game were laughably pathetic compared to his career averages (13.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists), he was still a reliable ball-handler and rebounding presence when given the minutes.
Harry How/Getty Images
What Lakers coach Mike wants from his players is to run-and-gun. In order to do that, the Lakers have retooled their roster with young and athletic shooters like Nick Young and Wesley Johnson.
Odom can help in establishing this system because he is able to both rebound and simultaneously start the fast break with his ball-handling abilities.
They won't need him to score a copious amount of points on offense or be a shot-blocking machine on defense. All the Lakers would need from Odom would be his rebounding skills and his passing ability.
If he is able to hit a three-point shot here and there, that would be a bonus.
Although Odom only shot 20 percent from three-point range last season, he has proven to be an average three-point shooter in the past.
Harry How/Getty Images
However, high-volume three-point shooting isn't what the Lakers need from him. If he can provide spacing for them by stretching the floor with his range, he will be a welcome addition to the rotation.
Despite the degradation that is apparent in his game, he is still capable of doing all those things while playing several positions.
With the ability to play all three frontcourt positions, depending on the lineup, Odom's versatility means that he could be used to plug holes on the court due to Lakers' foul trouble and injuries throughout the season.
He won't bring the dynamic game he used to have during his initial tenure with the Lakers. However, if he is able to play the same amount of minutes he did last season while providing the versatility that fans are used to seeing, he could become an invaluable part of the bench.
Harry How/Getty Images
The best-case scenario for Odon would see a career resurgence from a player who could potentially win the starting small forward spot.
At the moment, the prospective starting lineup could see the Lakers play small-ball with Nick Young or Jodie at the two and Kobe Bryant at the three. Another possibility is having Wesley Johnson at the starting three.
It's unlikely that Odom can outperform those young guns, given the lack of production he has shown in Dallas and with the L.A. Clippers. However, it isn't impossible.
An optimist could say that a re-motivated Odom has the talent to crack the starting lineup. A realist should expect modest production from a player who still has the ability to help run 's system.
A cynic, meanwhile, should still see this as a low-risk, high-reward option from a player who has a lot to prove.
Monday, 12 August 2013
Phoenix Suns develop new website aimed at rival Los Angeles Lakers
The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry has found a new arena: the Internet.
The team spent $5,300 about three weeks ago to buy the domain name "beat.la" from GoDaddy Inc. The .la suffix normally is registered to websites based out Laos, but after the Suns digital team noticed businesses in Los Angeles using it as a unique marketing tool, they decided to do the same.
The Suns' digital marketing team got the idea from a fan tweet about the ".la" domain names. Greg Esposito, the Suns digital manager, said he looked into the domain and thought it would be a unique way to highlight the long-standing rivalry between the Suns and the Lakers.
"GoDaddy was pushing them for Los Angeles, they were selling numerous variations of it to promote Los Angeles with a unique twist to it, so we just piggybacked what they came up with. It's a unique marketing twist because I can't imagine ".la" is a popular domain that people are purchasing," said Esposito.
The phrase "Beat LA" has been marketed by professional sports teams across the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. Major markets like Chicago, Boston and New York all can be heard chanting the slogan throughout their stadiums and arenas when a Los Angeles sports team comes to town.
"There are a lot of other properties in the sports world that use the phrase, so it makes sense just to grab it," said Suns' President Jason Rowley. "We have one of the most creative digital groups in sports and the guys will build off of it."
Esposito and Rowley said the page is a work in progress. The site currently offers ticket sales to two Suns-Lakers games in Phoenix this year as well as links to the history and memories of the rivalry. During the season, Esposito says the team will find a way to promote the rivalry and the Suns even more, but the details are still pending.
Phoenix Suns develop new website aimed at rival Los Angeles Lakers
The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry has found a new arena: the Internet.
The team spent $5,300 about three weeks ago to buy the domain name "beat.la" from GoDaddy Inc. The .la suffix normally is registered to websites based out Laos, but after the Suns digital team noticed businesses in Los Angeles using it as a unique marketing tool, they decided to do the same.
The Suns' digital marketing team got the idea from a fan tweet about the ".la" domain names. Greg Esposito, the Suns digital manager, said he looked into the domain and thought it would be a unique way to highlight the long-standing rivalry between the Suns and the Lakers.
"GoDaddy was pushing them for Los Angeles, they were selling numerous variations of it to promote Los Angeles with a unique twist to it, so we just piggybacked what they came up with. It's a unique marketing twist because I can't imagine ".la" is a popular domain that people are purchasing," said Esposito.
The phrase "Beat LA" has been marketed by professional sports teams across the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. Major markets like Chicago, Boston and New York all can be heard chanting the slogan throughout their stadiums and arenas when a Los Angeles sports team comes to town.
"There are a lot of other properties in the sports world that use the phrase, so it makes sense just to grab it," said Suns' President Jason Rowley. "We have one of the most creative digital groups in sports and the guys will build off of it."
Esposito and Rowley said the page is a work in progress. The site currently offers ticket sales to two Suns-Lakers games in Phoenix this year as well as links to the history and memories of the rivalry. During the season, Esposito says the team will find a way to promote the rivalry and the Suns even more, but the details are still pending.
Predicting Next 10 Years of Kobe's Role with Lakers
If Los Angeles Lakers executive Jeanie Buss has her way, Kobe Bryant will not only retire (eventually) as a member of the Purple and Gold, he'll also stick with the franchise after he hangs up his sneakers.
It's easy to understand that Buss and the Lakers want the iconic Bryant to be a part of the organization forever, but figuring out the specifics of his final few seasons and post-playing career is much tougher.
Buss told : "Kobe is part of the family and he always will be. There's not many players who play 18-19 years with the same franchise, and it's important to us that he has a chance to play his entire career with the Lakers."
About that Playing Career...
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
The first uncertainty surrounding Bryant's next decade is the most immediate: Nobody seems to know how much longer he'll play.
Buss' statement to implies that Bryant, who already has 17 seasons under his belt, will suit up for another one or two years. But Bryant told in July that he was thinking of hanging on for even longer than that:
"I'm ready to go for at least another three...Mentally, I think I'm more locked in, more engaged on the prospects of playing another three or four years."
It's impossible to know how well Bryant's surgically repaired Achilles will respond until he actually has to test it in real game action, but according to , the recovery process has taken on a near-mythic tone. Bryant said:
The surgical procedure was different...and because of that the recovery has been different. The normal timetable for recovery from an Achilles, we' shattered that. Three-and-a-half months I can already walk just fine, I'm lifting weights with the Achilles just fine and that's different. So we don't know what that timetable is going to be. It's kind of new territory for us all.
Even if we assume that Bryant's health will allow him to play a few more years, there's still the lingering question of his contract. A free agent after this season, Bryant will have to decide how big-if any-of a discount he's willing to take.
If the league's most notorious alpha dog is up for a markedly reduced salary, it's possible that Bryant could play a couple more seasons as the Lakers' leader before taking on a supporting role behind whatever star free agent L.A. can land with its freed-up cap room.
Coach Kobe?
The idea of Bryant as a coach has always seemed laughable. Superstars have historically been failures on the NBA bench, probably because it's difficult for someone like Bryant-blessed with otherworldly natural talent-to understand that lesser players simply can't do the things he did.
Toss in Bryant's prickly reputation with his own teammates and it was pretty obvious that a coaching career might not be in the cards for him.
But then something strange happened: Bryant started to look and act like a coach after he hurt his Achilles.
Last year, No. 24 actually called Pau Gasol at halftime to offer advice. And then when he was able to return to the bench, Bryant gave direction to his teammates and even drew up a few plays. He'd done that in the past, but at the time, it always seemed like he was just out for attention.
But now that Bryant has shown a consistent willingness to teach, maybe he really is serious about this coaching thing.
One thing's for sure: If Bryant actually does wind up on the sidelines for the Lakers, he's going to be a brutally demanding coach. It's hard to imagine many NBA stars embracing his beloved 4 a.m. wake-up routine.
A Whole Lot of Nothing
It's possible that Bryant will follow up his playing career by grabbing a clipboard, but according to the man himself, calling the shots from the sidelines might be a little too strenuous.
Bryant told in China that he had more relaxing plans in mind.
While he's certainly entitled to kick back as a retiree, it's really hard to imagine Bryant simply shutting off his drive and competitiveness. It's telling that even when talking about "doing nothing," Bryant mentions that he'll become "really, really good" at it.
The Magic Route
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The most likely path for Bryant after he leaves his playing days behind is one that will emphasize his business savvy, his charisma and his iconic status as a lifetime Laker.
Basically, Bryant can become his generation's Magic Johnson.
That might sound strange, as Bryant has effectively modeled his playing career, demeanor, phrasing and mannerisms (everything, really) after Michael Jordan. But if you think about it, "Kobe Bryant: Mogul" seems like a viable option.
ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images
Moving products has never been an issue for Bryant, whose status as a global icon allows him to peddle shoes, apparel and basketball camp memberships across the globe. He may not own any Major League Baseball teams or movie theaters yet, but give Bryant a few years and he could pretty easily find himself dominating in the board room just as thoroughly as he did on the hardwood.
An ownership stake in the Lakers seems like a foregone conclusion, and a consulting role with the team would be sure to follow as well. Maybe he and Phil Jackson could even share a cubicle as the team's secret front-office brain trust.
Bryant is going to be able to do whatever he wants after he retires (whenever that is), but by following in Magic's footsteps, he could have the best of both worlds: a permanent legacy with the Lakers, and the opportunity to expand his brand in business.
No matter what happens, though, Bryant will be a Laker for life.
LA Lakers Rumors: Jerry Buss Honored By Los Angeles At Indiana Pacers ...
Aug 12, 2013 10:27 AM EDT
Former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson (L) greets Lakers guard Kobe Bryant at a memorial service for the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss in Los Angeles, February 21, 2013. Buss, who parlayed a $1,000 real estate investment into ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers, winning 10 National Basketball Association championships and making the team one of the most glamorous in American sports, died on Monday at 80, the team said on its official website. (Photo : Reuters) "
The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into a crucial season after losing Dwight Howard and while executive vice president of business development Jeanie Buss thinks he father could have convinced Dwight to stay, she says the team will honor him this year in a ceremony.
According to the Orange County Register, Buss said that her father would be honored in January on the 28 th against the Indiana Pacers at the Staples Center. Buss did not reveal any guests or a schedule of what would go down, but only that a ceremony would be happening at the game. Buss passed away in February 2013 and was essential to the team becoming the famous franchise it is today.
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Buss helped make the team into a glamorous franchise for stars and added the Lakers girls, courtside seats as well as many other things that teams see as standard today. His daughter Jeanie has close ties to the team as executive vice president of business development, and he also is engaged to former Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
NBA Free Agent Rumors: Al Harrington Likes Wizards As LA Lakers Antawn ...
Aug 12, 2013 09:54 AM EDT
Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Gerald Henderson (9) is fouled by Los Angeles Lakers power forward Antawn Jamison (4) during the second half of their NBA basketball game in Charlotte, North Carolina February 8.(Photo : Reuters) "
The NBA free agent market is getting a bit thin as the summer rolls along and after a number of teams made signings last week, a handful of players are closer to making their moves, including Antawn Jamison, Anthony Tolliver and Al Harrington.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Harrington is leaning towards signing with the Washington Wizards after he officially became a free agent and while he is coming off of a bad season, two years ago he averaged over 14 points and could add some veteran scoring to the roster. ESPN.com reports that Harrington could be an option for the guaranteed roster spot open on the Wizards and have gone after Harrington since he cleared waivers.
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The team knows that he is coming back from surgery and is 33-years-old, but since he likely will sign for a low amount, he could join a roster that has Emeka Okafor and Jan Vesely and he could add some depth after playing in just 10 games last season. Harrington could get some interest from other teams, but he likely will end up with the Wizards.
Anthony Tolliver is a free agent and he has interest from a bunch of teams, including the Knicks, Magic, Spurs, Lakers, Bobcats, Jazz, and Bulls and it looks like he will be heading to Charlotte to sign with the Bobcats. According to Pro Basketball Talk, he was offered a minimum contract from the team and he also met with the staff, who he worked with in Golden State. The Bobcats feel they are turning around with Al Jefferson and Cody Zeller as a top draft pick along with Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker and Tolliver could be another piece added.
Tolliver's best year was in 2010 with Golden State and he averaged 12.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game and has averaged 6.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in his career. Jamison was injured for part of last season and has interest from the Bulls, Grizzlies, Bobcats and Clippers and despite being 37-years-old, he should be able to give a team some solid minutes and play after being on the Lakers last season.
Friday, 9 August 2013
Can LA Lakers Flourish with Jeanie and Jim Buss on Two Different Pages?
It seems as though we're headed down a slippery slope in the Los Angeles Lakers' front office.
The franchise was in great hands under Dr. Jerry Buss, but with two of his six children now in extremely prominent positions, the Lakers are having a tougher time flourishing.
Jeanie Buss is the executive vice president of the Purple and Gold, while her brother Jim is the executive vice president of player personnel. And as most siblings are wont to do, they can occasionally butt heads.
Maybe that just rings true for families in which the sister is named Jeanie and the brother tends to get what he wants. Yes, I'm referring to Jeanie and Ferris Bueller.
Recently, Jim and Jeanie just haven't seemed to be on the same pages, and that's problematic for the Lakers organization. L.A. has already lost a marquee free agent and needs to get things straightened out before the eventual restocking (not rebuilding) process sprawls.
Dwight Howard Situation
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
While there was technically no dig at Jim, there was.
It's not hard to read between the lines of Jeanie's recent statements about how her father could have kept Dwight Howard in L.A.
As reported by ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the outspoken executive vice president had the following to say in the aftermath of Dwight's decision to leave Hollywood for Houston:
They would've probably had a better relationship if my dad hadn't been sick. When it came time to try to convince Dwight to stay, we lost the best closer in the business in Dr. Buss. Putting up the billboard maybe wasn't the right thing. But we maybe have to learn to do things differently because Dr. Buss isn't here anymore. People said [of the billboards], 'Oh, that's not the Laker way.' Well, the Laker way isn't the same, because Dr. Buss isn't here.
While she isn't directly digging at her brother, you can see how it wouldn't be hard for him to interpret her statement as such.
Jeanie is essentially implying that Jim and Dwight didn't have a good relationship, Jim isn't the best closer, he made a bad decision with the billboard and he's changing the "Laker way."
Yikes.
Shots fired, even if there was a muffler used.
But this is by no means the first time the two siblings have engaged in a bit of understated bickering.
Phil Jackson Problem
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
In 2009, long before the current generation of Busses took over the team, Jeanie showed off a nice piece of foreshadowing in an interview with the Los Angeles Times Magazine:
I've seen what happens with other teams in other leagues that are in our situation. I know we live in an age when conflict sells newspapers, and people like to hear about siblings fighting. It makes for interesting media. But we've all found our place. We know how much we can help each other, and we all want the same thing
She's completely right, as sex and conflict sell. But it doesn't always have to be manufactured; Jeanie and Jim are doing a fantastic job of giving people fodder to work with.
Take the situation the brother and sister faced early on in the 2012-13 season when Mike Brown was fired and the search was on for a new coaching candidate. The following comes an article by Kevin Ding in the Orange County Register:
Well...Jeanie and Jim aren't speaking to each other.
They haven't since Mike Brown was fired as Lakers coach in early November and the Lakers went through that unseemly, confusing, hurtful dance with Phil Jackson - the love of Jeanie's life and now her fiancé-before hiring Mike D'Antoni.
Whenever the sad day comes when the team has to be handed down to the Buss children, things promise to get even uglier.
Well, the sad day has arrived and passed, and the Buss children are in charge. They may be speaking now, but this Phil Jackson fiasco is still lingering in the back of everyone's minds. And now that the 2013-14 season doesn't appear to be particularly promising, prominent figures are starting to speak out about the dynamic.
Snoop Dogg Lion isn't known as a basketball mind by any stretch of the imagination, but that didn't stop him from speaking out at a Playboy event:
Snoop Dogg is at a Playboy event and made one thing clear about the Lakers: "Put Jeanie in charge and we'll be all right."
- Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) July 16, 2013
Ironically enough, it was Playboy that thrust Jeanie into a bit of controversy back in 1995 when she posed for the magazine on her father's desk.
In an interview with Lakers Nation's Serena Winters, new assistant coach Kurt Rambis spoke on the dynamic as well:
Jim and Jeanie are doing a much better job of understanding their duties and responsibilities of this organization, and just having to take over the real leadership and responsibilities of this organization.
Again, let's read between the lines.
"A much better job..."
Doesn't that imply that they weren't doing very well beforehand? Rambis was clearly trying to be politically correct and get on his bosses' good side, but he also managed to accidentally put down their past together. Well, I'm assuming it was accidental.
As Jim and Jeanie try to get on the same page, two huge problems have emerged that could prevent the Lakers from truly flourishing during the newest Buss era.
Ulterior Motivations
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Even if you don't have any siblings to bicker with, you've surely been in a spat with one of your best friends. Think back to a time that one of those disagreements dragged on longer than normal. And again, use an example with a sibling if you have the ability to do so.
When you're in one of those nonsensical arguments, you tend to make decisions that you wouldn't otherwise. You aren't deciding something just for yourself, but also because you have ulterior motives. You want to do something that the other person won't like.
For example, my brother (Jason) and I would always get in minor disputes on family vacations while growing up. For some reason, it always happened on Fridays. Competitive situations, like the one below that involves frisbee on the beach, just led to trouble between two individuals who love winning.
And that meant that when we were deciding where to go out for dinner on Saturday night and took a family vote, I'd always wait until Jason cast his ballot and then vote against him. It didn't matter if I hated the restaurant that I was voting for, simply because I didn't want Jason to get his way.
Was that the mature thing to do? Of course not, but it felt so good.
Eventually, even if the situation is rather minor, we could see a similar story unfold for Jim and Jeanie Buss.
Except they wouldn't be deciding which restaurant to visit, but rather which coach to hire or which player to sign out of free agency. In those situations, the organization can't afford to bicker.
The front office has to make the best decision for basketball reasons, even if Lakers nation hates that phrase.
Lack of Appeal
David Livingston/Getty Images
The bigger problem is that any disputes between the two siblings could result in a diminished level of appeal going forward.
Why would a marquee free agent voluntarily put himself in a situation where two bosses are fighting and can't agree on anything? That makes the future more of a question mark, and certainty is always more appealing than its antithesis.
For some teams, this would be an overcome-able obstacle, just a minor roadblock in the path to success. But the Lakers are different that most other franchises.
They rely on building up championship-winning squads through free agency.
The Lakers don't have to worry about finding gems in the draft or even making good first-round selections because A) they're always competitive and B) they have more appeal than any other location once a player hits the open market.
Sibling bickering diminishing the brand's appeal wouldn't just throw a wrench in the plans; it would throw an entire Home Depot in the way.
For proof, just look at the upcoming 2014 offseason.
L.A. isn't particularly worried about the 2013-14 season because it knows that the books are clearing after the eventual elimination-which will either come right after 82 games or shortly thereafter. The Lakers aren't interested in some long, grueling rebuild. They plan to turn things around immediately.
If LeBron James doesn't come to Hollywood, then surely Carmelo Anthony will, and other stars will join him. While that statement is by no means grounded in fact, it does accurately represent the mentality of the Lakers.
Members of the front office are accustomed to the brand making the pitch right off the bat. Take Dwight's experience with the championship trophies as an example, courtesy of Shelburne:
He told a story of meeting him last August, soon after he was traded from Orlando, where he was genuinely surprised the 16 championship trophies that are in her office were in fact real. Buss laughed and said, "Of course they're real."
Howard explained that during the 2009 NBA Finals, then- Magic coach Stan Van Gundy caught him staring up at the trophies during a practice and told him, "'Those aren't real. Those are just props. Don't pay attention to those, they're not real.'" And so that's why he thought Buss' weren't real.
Again, the Lakers are just different than other organizations, and that's exactly why any bickering between the Buss siblings can't become as tangible as the trophies.
The franchise's appeal matters too much. Nothing can be allowed to tarnish it, or else the whole organizational plan goes haywire.
It's time for the subtle insults to end. It's time for brother and sister to remain both on speaking terms and on the same page.
More than anything else, it's time for them to channel their inner Jerry.
Thursday, 8 August 2013
J. Buss: Dad could have kept Howard
It's hard to say now if the Los Angeles Lakers could have done anything different in their campaign to retain free agent center Dwight Howard that would've changed his mind about going to Houston.
The "Stay D12" billboards around town didn't work. Neither did anything anyone said in the Lakers pitch meeting to Howard in early July. Howard's mind seemed mostly made up by then.
But Lakers executive vice president Jeanie Buss thinks one person might've been able to change Howard's decision -- her father, the late Dr. Jerry Buss.
"They would've probably had a better relationship if my dad hadn't been sick," Jeanie Buss said in a wide-ranging interview with hosts Mark Willard and Mychal Thompson on ESPNLA 710 Thursday morning. "When it came time to try to convince Dwight to stay, we lost the best closer in the business in Dr. Buss.
"Putting up billboards maybe wasn't the right thing. But we maybe have to learn to do things differently because Dr. Buss isn't here anymore. People said [of the billboards], 'Oh, that's not the Laker way.' Well, the Laker way isn't the same, because Dr. Buss isn't here."
Buss said that she developed her own relationship with Howard during his season with the team and was very disappointed he chose to leave the organization.
"I got a chance to get to know him, probably more than I would get to know a player," Buss said. "I really don't think he got the credit or support ... I was really shocked that right from the start of training camp he was going full speed or 100 percent. I really admired that, because he did that in good faith, because he didn't have a contract."
Buss said she didn't feel the need to attend the Lakers final pitch meeting to Howard because "Dwight knew how I felt. I made it clear to Dwight that I wanted to help him become the player he was meant to be, a championship player."
Instead, her brother Jim Buss, the Lakers executive vice president of player personnel, represented ownership at the meeting.
"I think it was redundant," Buss said, explaining her decision not to attend. "My brother was there to represent ownership so I don't really think there was any reason for me to be there."
As for her relationship with her brother, Buss said: "I have a great relationship with all my brothers. I've got three other ones. There's four boys and two girls. It's a family business.
"The way my dad set things up was for me to oversee the business side and for my brother to oversee the basketball side. I know my dad felt that was a good system, and that's the system we're trying to make work."
ESPNLosAngeles.com
Lamar Odom Los Angeles Lakers Return in the Next Few Weeks? [REPORT]
By Crystal Henderson, EnStarz | Aug 07, 2013 03:59 PM EDT
Lamar Odom is reportedly close to signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 33-year-old free agent played for the Los Angeles Clippers last season, but performed better in the NBA when he was on the Lakers from 2004 to 2011.
HollywoodLife.com reported that the husband of Khloe Kardashian really looks forward to being teammates with Kobe Bryant again now that the Clippers have decided to start looking in another direction.
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"The Lakers desperately need a big man now that Dwght Howard left the team, and since Lamar had his best seasons with the Lakers and he fits well with Kobe, it's a natural fit," a source close to the Los Angeles Lakers said.
"Lamar wants to stay home in LA and the Clippers were an option, but they are moving forward without him, so the best option is the Lakers," the source added. "It's all paperwork and money at this point."
The source revealed that the possibility of the Lakers signing Odom in the next few weeks is very high.
"He will likely sign with the Lakers in the coming weeks, unless he wants to sign elsewhere for more money," the source said.
reported earlier that Odom was very popular amongst Lakers' fans, winning the Sixth Man of the Year award as a Laker back in 2011, averaging 14.4 points on 53 percent shooting and 8.7 rebounds in 32.2 minutes per game.
Odom won back-to-back championships with the team in 2009 and 2010, but his tenure with the team ended in 2011 when he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. In 2012, Odom was signed by the Los Angeles Clippers.
© 2013 EnStars.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Most Anticipated Lakers Games of Season
Sometimes it seems as though every game of the Los Angeles Lakers' schedule is a highly anticipated battle, regardless of the opponent. The Lake Show just tends to draw a lot of national attention.
In fact, L.A. has 10 games set to appear on ESPN, which is a rather remarkable number for a team without realistic championship aspirations. That's one more than the Los Angeles Clippers, for example.
However, while all 82 contests are sure to draw coverage, 10 still stand out above the rest, and they aren't necessarily just the ones being broadcast on ESPN.
Rivalries and important games abound here, and they're the dates that you should just go ahead and circle on your calendar right now.
October 29 vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Any game against the Los Angeles Clippers is bound to be an entertaining one, but there are a few factors making this season opener even more intriguing than a normal battle for Los Angeles.
The first key is contained in the previous sentence.
It's the season opener. That's always one of the most anticipated games for any NBA team, regardless of which opponent is on the slate. It's the first opportunity for fans to see the new product in live action that actually counts, and it's usually at the culmination of a painful waiting period.
Secondly, no one knows what Kobe Bryant's status will be for this first battle against Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the rest of the Staples Center residents. He may be ready to play after fully rehabbing his ruptured Achilles, but will he be at full strength and capable of dropping his typical 25-plus points?
But the true key is that the Clippers are trying to take over Hollywood.
Obviously, the Lakers don't want to let that happen, and they won't go down without a fight. Not even the biggest fan of the Purple and Gold should try arguing that the Lakers have more talent this year, but that may not matter in this season-opening clash.
November 7 at Houston Rockets
This isn't just one of the most hyped games on the Lakers schedule.
It's going to be one of the most heavily promoted contests played between any two of the NBA's 30 teams.
Period. No exceptions.
Dwight Howard didn't have the most positive first go-around in L.A., but the organization still wanted to give him a second try. The big man was the offseason's primary target, largely because the front office didn't have any money to spend if he chose to go elsewhere.
Well, Howard did make that decision, and the Lakers were left reeling as he joined James Harden and the Houston Rockets.
This is going to be one heck of a grudge match, even if there's a large talent disparity. L.A. will be incredibly pumped up to shut down D12 and prove to him that he made the wrong choice, especially if there are still unpleasant feelings between a few key stars.
I have no idea who comes out on top in this game (which should say something about the motivations given the extreme contrast in expectations), but I do know one thing: Kobe will drive the lane and at least attempt to posterize Dwight.
November 27 at Brooklyn Nets
The rivalry with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett doesn't end now that they're wearing different uniforms.
KG and The Truth have engaged in too many battles with the Los Angeles Lakers, so it doesn't matter that they'll be playing for the Brooklyn Nets instead of the Boston Celtics. The feelings will still endure, and the Lakers will inevitably get pumped up for this tough matchup.
Here's where I have to turn to the NFL and admit that I'm a Jacksonville Jaguars fan.
I grew up watching Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts to two victories over my team each and every year. Almost without fail. And, as was only natural, I grudgingly had to respect him for his greatness, but that didn't mean I had to like him.
When he joined the Denver Broncos, I hoped that I could finally like the man who seemed to be a great human being and a hilarious personality on television. So I turned on the first game of the season, but the negative feelings came flowing in as soon as I saw him step onto the field.
The jersey didn't matter, and the same theory will apply for the newest members of the Nets.
December 25 vs. Miami Heat
Christmas games are always fun, and they're even more enjoyable when they're played between two of the most popular teams in basketball.
Plus, the Kobe Bryant-LeBron James matchup is always an entertaining one, as they have two of the more passionate individual fanbases.
The litmus test for basketball players involves going into a bar and mentioning the player in question's name. If an argument begins, you know that everyone feels strongly about that guy.
Right now, Kobe and LeBron would stir up the biggest debates.
Even though the Heat are hoping to three-peat while the Lakers are attempting to sneak into the postseason, this will still be a heated battle between two big-name teams.
Just don't expect it to be particularly close.
January 17 at Boston Celtics
The first matchup between the Lakers and Celtics is going to be a strange clash.
Who on the Boston roster has actually been there long enough to evoke passion on the part of the L.A. fanbase?
Rajon Rondo certainly qualifies, as the All-Star point guard has been a crucial member of the team for a long time. But does anyone else? Avery Bradley, Jeff Green and Brandon Bass are all C's veterans, but none of them have played big enough parts in the rivalry to truly stir up the crowd.
That's about it.
But it doesn't matter.
Something about the green jerseys of the Celtics just gets purple-and-gold blood boiling. No matter who wears the jersey, it still has the same effect.
February 13 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
This is the first huge home test for the Lakers against one of the true favorites in the Western Conference.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the stronger teams in the West for a while now, and that's not expected to change anytime soon. Russell Westbrook will undoubtedly be at full strength for this contest-unless there's another injury, of course-and the combination of the point guard and the league's best scorer can take down anyone.
While the Lakers might not be on the same level as the Thunder right now, this is still a big game because it's a midseason barometer for the strength of this squad.
If the Lakers can compete with the Thunder-even if they don't emerge victoriously-then perhaps a playoff berth won't be out of the realistic realm of possibilities.
But if they get blown out, then it might be time to pull the plug on the season and start thinking about maximizing draft position.
February 19 vs. Houston Rockets
Expect to be inundated with plenty of images like this leading up to the first clash between the Rockets and Lakers in the Staples Center.
The Kobe-Dwight relationship (or lack thereof) will be played up quite a bit, and this will inevitably be one of the hottest tickets in town. I'm sure just about everyone in Tinseltown will be eager for a chance to shower boos down on the head of the former Lakers center.
The November 7 contest between these two teams will draw more publicity, simply because it's the first meeting.
However, the intensity will pale in comparison to this meeting. Houston has no reason to get that pumped up for a meeting with the Lakers, but the same sentence doesn't apply when you reverse the position of those names.
I can't even begin to imagine how expensive seats on the floor will be for this game.
February 21 vs. Boston Celtics
The Lakers and Celtics play just twice each year (unless they meet in the NBA Finals, and something tells me that ain't happening this year), so it's only natural that both of their matchups end up featured in this article.
Just think about the history between these two franchises.
They've met in the finals 12 times. That's an insane number considering there have only been 64 seasons in NBA history thus far.
Again, it doesn't matter who wears the jerseys for this game. Both teams could choose to play only their backups and still drum up an impressive level of excitement. That won't happen, of course, which makes it better for the NBA fans who don't particularly care for these two teams.
In other news, I apologize for including such an...interesting picture of Steve Nash, but there's been so much roster turmoil that it's almost impossible to find images that feature two current members of the teams.
March 19 vs. San Antonio Spurs
By itself, this game isn't particularly appealing.
The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers have a nice backstory, but these two teams aren't exactly on the same level, and that will be readily apparent by the middle of March.
However, this is the end of a crucial stretch that could make or break L.A.'s season.
On March 6, the Lakers begin the gauntlet by taking on the Clippers within the friendly confines of the Staples Center. Things only take a step up from there.
Next, they travel to the Pepsi Center for a contest with the Denver Nuggets. After that, they get to play consecutive games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and then back-to-back matches with the Spurs.
Yikes.
March 28 at Minnesota Timberwolves
The Lakers have 10 games after their late-March game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but this could be a crucial contest for the team's playoff hopes.
Right now, the Western Conference seems like it has seven postseason locks: the Spurs, Thunder, Rockets, Nuggets, Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. That leaves only one spot, and it's one that will be fought over rather heavily.
Expect the Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans and Lakers to be right in the thick of things, which makes a late-season clash between any two of the aforementioned teams rather important.
While L.A. does play the Blazers after this game, the 'Wolves should be the more competitive team of the two. Plus, this one is on the road.
If the Lakers hope to play more than 82 games, this could very well become a must-win situation.
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