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Now_Im_Not_Banned:
--- Quote from: ING on October 16, 2006, 11:39:52 PM ---
--- Quote from: Now_I_Know on October 16, 2006, 09:54:19 AM ---
--- Quote from: ING on October 16, 2006, 12:22:58 AM ---And so far...D.green>>>Mo.Evens
Only bad thing is Vlad..he had a nother bad game..And the Lakers have a lot of injuries..
--- End quote ---
As for Devin Green and Maurice Evans, you're only say Dev is better because you didn't see Game 1 where Maurice Evans had by far the best game either player had in all 3 games. But yea, Maurice Evans did look kinda' shakey out there last night, but I have confidence in his ability and I'm very proud to say that Devin Green is a player who's struggling for a roster spot, cuz if you've watch him play, he doesn't struggle much and that says a lot about our roster...PeACe
--- End quote ---
I didn't see the game but i did hear the Game...I know that he played good in the 1st pre-season game, i even mention it.
Mo.evens had one good game, the last 2 have been bad....D.Green has had 2 good games....the last 2 games d.green has 3 steals and a monster block & 5-10 shooting (he should be 6-10 but miss a dunk)...while mo.evens has gone 1-9 , 0 steals, 0 blocks and played bad defense against R.Allen...
that's why i said ...D,green>>Mo.evens
--- End quote ---
Once again, PRE-SEASON. Maybe he's playing better, still does not equate to him being better...Hell, Brian Cook is playing better than Radmanovich, still doesn't mean a thing...That being said, I like both Devin Green and Brian Cook...PeACe
Now_Im_Not_Banned:
Roster Decisions Close
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
October 17, 2006
LAS VEGAS — The Lakers have some bookkeeping to take care of in the next two weeks, decisions to make on contract extensions and options that will occupy General Manager Mitch Kupchak and the coaching staff until the season opener.
The team must decide by Oct. 31 whether to bring back Sasha Vujacic and Andrew Bynum next season, the former being a reasonably weighty question and the latter a no-brainer.
Vujacic averaged 3.6 points in his first two pro seasons and is due to make $1.8 million next season, a hefty raise compared to the $974,000 he will earn this season. Bynum, the 10th pick in the 2005 draft, averaged 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds last season and will make $2.2 million next season.
"Typically we wait until the end of the month to make that decision," Kupchak said Monday. "They both have had good training camps."
The Lakers are casually negotiating a contract extension with Brian Cook, who makes $1.8 million this season and will become a restricted free agent at the end of the season if the Lakers don't sign him by Oct. 31.
"We've had some talks with his representative," Kupchak said. "I don't know if anything will get done or not."
Cook averaged 6.7 points and 3.4 rebounds over his first three seasons.
"I'd love to be here," Cook said. "I love the city, I love the people. I'm comfortable in this offense. I think it suits my game well."
Less time will be spent on the status of Ronny Turiaf and Smush Parker, whose contracts become guaranteed if they are still on the roster in two weeks.
"I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be," Kupchak said. "It's coach's decision, but right now it looks to me like Smush is one of our starting guards and Ronny's had a great camp."
Turiaf will make $664,000 and Parker will make $798,000.
Now_Im_Not_Banned:
Bynum Does Well.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
October 17, 2006
With Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown sitting out Sunday's game, Bynum started at center and did his best to stay with the run-and-fun Phoenix Suns.
"I thought he did very well," assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. "It was a challenge for him, the speed of the game, whether or not he was going to get back. We've all been on him about loping up and down the floor. He did run the floor well most of the time. A couple times he reverted to his old habits."
Bynum, who will be 19 on Oct. 27, jumped way too early on a lob pass and could have had more rebounds than he did. He had eight points and four rebounds in 22 minutes.
"When he goes in for rebounds, he still has his hands in his pockets and I think again he almost got hit in the head with a ball that ricocheted off [the rim]," Rambis said. "He's got to get in the habit of when he goes in, he gets his hands up.
"I thought he did a good job of playing defense. He was active, he had his hands up, he helped out a good chunk of the time. I was pleased with him. He's getting better and I think he's going to be good, but it's going to be a process.".
Now_Im_Not_Banned:
Vujacic Eyes Extension
10:00 PM PDT on Monday, October 16, 2006
By BRODERICK TURNER
The Press-Enterprise
LAS VEGAS - Lakers coach Phil Jackson likes him. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak likes him. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant likes him.
With that in mind, Lakers third-year guard Sasha Vujacic is hopeful the team will pick up the option on the fourth year of his contract.
There have been some discussions with the Lakers and Vujacic's representatives about picking up the $1.756 million he would earn during the 2007-08 season. The Lakers have until Oct. 31, the start of the regular season, to get a deal done. If the Lakers don't sign Vujacic by then, he'll become a restricted free agent. But the Lakers will be able to match any offer he receives from another team next summer.
Vujacic, who will earn $973,920 this season, said he spent the summer working on his game in Los Angeles rather than play on the Slovenia national team, so he'd have a good season and show the Lakers how much he wants to spend his career with them.
"I'm confident," Vujacic said about the Lakers picking up his fourth-year option. "It's my third year. I know what I did the previous season. Coming into this season I'm very confident knowing that this is my third year and what happens, happens. Obviously, I want to be here. I like triangle offense and playing for Phil Jackson is always a pleasure."
Vujacic missed the past two exhibition games with a strained muscle in his left foot, but he said he expects to play tonight when the Lakers play the Sacramento Kings at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
"I feel much better," Vujacic said. "I feel 100 percent. I feel strong. No excuses for tomorrow. I just can't wait to go on the court tomorrow and start playing because last two games, (sitting on the) sidelines is hard to digest."
Vujacic made his mark last season on defense, becoming somewhat of a nuisance by drawing offensive fouls and flopping at times.
He needs to continue to improve his jump shot. Vujacic made just 34.6 percent of his shots and 34.3 percent of his three-pointers.
"He's gotten to the point where most of the time he stays with his shot instead of fading away," Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. "He's become more consistent with his shot. He understands the offense. He still makes mistakes in it. He still sometimes tries to do too much.
"But we like his ability to move his feet defensively. He's going to have to continue to knock down shots for us and execute the offense. Those are things that are important to us, and it's going to be important for us and his growth as a player, too."
Contract Talks
The agent for Brian Cook, Mark Bartelstein, said Monday that he and Kupchak haven't reached an agreement on a contract extension for his client yet.
All Bartelstein would say is that "we're talking" when he was reached by phone.
Cook is in the final year of a deal that pays him $1.817 million and is looking for a multi-year deal.
The Lakers also have until the end of the month to get a deal done or Cook becomes a restricted free agent. The Lakers can match any offer he receives.
Bynum Progresses
Injuries to centers Kwame Brown (sore right shoulder) and Chris Mihm (right ankle) have put the spotlight on Andrew Bynum, who started in place of Brown on Sunday night against the Phoenix Suns.
Bynum had eight points, four rebounds and one blocked shot Sunday.
He'll probably start again tonight against the Kings.
"I feel comfortable," Bynum said. "The more I play, the more I'm gaining confidence. I played pretty good last night."
Now_Im_Not_Banned:
Bynum making progress
The second-year center has a long way to go, but he wants to earn more playing time in the regular season.
By KEVIN DING
The Orange County Register
LAS VEGAS - It will be Andrew Bynum's fifth season before he is legally able to partake in the side entertainment that comes with the Lakers' annual exhibition trip to Las Vegas. As this is just Bynum's second season, he might as well make this a business trip.
Bynum, who turns 19 on Oct.27, was in the starting lineup and played 22 minutes in the Lakers' exhibition loss to Phoenix on Sunday night. The Lakers were without centers Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm because of injuries, providing an opportunity for Bynum, who must show coaches he is capable of playing more than rare regular-season assignments.
Lakers acting coach Kurt Rambis called Bynum's eight-point, four-rebound outing "terrific." Bynum even used his left hand for a shot, as Rambis has been pushing for, though the shot missed. That said, Rambis could be seen on the bench laughing after Bynum jumped way too soon for a lob pass.
"I'm earning more time," Bynum said. "I'm doing well in practice; I'm doing well in the games. I had like three blocks; I only got credited for one, though. I don't know what that was about."
Bynum is so poor at playing in transition and defending the pick-and-roll - the two staples of Phoenix's game - that the Lakers' coaches were afraid to use Bynum in the playoffs last season. Rambis saw some progress there Sunday night, though by practice Monday afternoon, teammate Vladimir Radmanovic was chiding Bynum during a scrimmage: "You've got to run."
Rambis also noted Bynum had his "hands in his pockets" during the game instead of being ready to reach for rebounds.
"Again, he almost got hit in the head with a ball that ricocheted off," Rambis said. "He's getting better, and I think he's going to be good - but it's still going to be a process."
Brown (right shoulder) rejoined practice Monday and is expected to play tonight against Sacramento. Kobe Bryant (right knee) halted his recent practice progressions and sat out the workout Monday. Sasha Vujacic (left foot) rejoined practice and plans to play tonight.
VUJACIC'S CONTRACT
The Lakers are expected to exercise their $1.76million option on Vujacic for next season by the Oct.31 deadline. Vujacic stayed in Los Angeles all summer to work out instead of playing for the Slovenian national team, and he said he's "very confident" he'll remain a Laker.
Vujacic - who is now represented by Rob Pelinka, Bryant's agent - focused on increasing his leg strength over the summer, saying: "You must have strong, quick legs to defend. I'm even faster."
Vujacic remains well ahead of impressive rookie Jordan Farmar for backup minutes in the backcourt
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