The Official Los Angeles Lakers thread

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

For those of you who don't know, Turiaf has been one of the better players on France's National team, who just won the gold medal...Can't wait to see him next season.

[wcsoldier]

^^^^ Spain won the gold, we finished 5th.. yep Turiaf played a good tournament. On the defensive side, he did a pretty good job on the boards and stayed with his opposite on 1 on 1, of course the D is his strong point so no surprise right here BUT offensive wise he's developing a good low post move. Indeed after receiving the ball on the low post, he put the ball on the floor towards his right hand and shoot a lil turnaround right hand jumphook near the basket. PLUS he did a good job on moving without the ball inside the paint for easy lay-up.. I think Phil can give him 10 min a game without a pb next year

[wcsoldier]

Dirk Nowitzki gave his opinion on Team USA and Kobe...


Sport1: What did the Americans lack?

Nowitzki: It was bitter that Kobe Bryant got injured. His presence alone would have been enough to win the tournament. That's the level I see him on. To me he is the best player in the world right now. That guy doesn't know fear at all. He doesn't care. He would have won it for the Americans single-handedly.

Hey, the man is honest.

An opinion coming from a top player is way  more valid than biased experts ones.. plus Dirk never played with Kobe, isn't known for praising all players so you know what's up..

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

^^^^ Spain won the gold, we finished 5th.. yep Turiaf played a good tournament. On the defensive side, he did a pretty good job on the boards and stayed with his opposite on 1 on 1, of course the D is his strong point so no surprise right here BUT offensive wise he's developing a good low post move. Indeed after receiving the ball on the low post, he put the ball on the floor towards his right hand and shoot a lil turnaround right hand jumphook near the basket. PLUS he did a good job on moving without the ball inside the paint for easy lay-up.. I think Phil can give him 10 min a game without a pb next year

Yea, I confused France and Spain for a second, haven't really been playing close attention to the tournament after Kobe and Odom dropped out...Just watched Turiaf outshine Boris Diaw in some of the France games...PeACe

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Bryant brings NBA skills to Tokyo kids
 
Tokyo, Sept 05:
LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant continued his promotional tour of Asia as he arrived in Tokyo, Japan on Monday (4th September).
The Kobe 81 Tour, named after his record 81 points that he scored in a single game last season, will move to Beijing, China later this week.

Soon after his arrival, Kobe got down to doing what he knows best - playing basketball.
A coaching clinic was arranged, and more than one hundred children waited for their star at Yoyogi Park, near downtown Tokyo.

About thirty lucky youngsters were picked for the clinic where Kobe gave an exhibition of his supreme skills that has helped him create many a record in his NBA career so far.

The LA Lakers star started off with a simple message for the kids.
"Have fun first of all, have fun and just enjoy it by playing basketball. I play this because I love to play. It's fun for me. And just on top of that just being creative.": Kobe Bryant.

Kobe's skills were sorely missed by the USA team in the recent World Championship that concluded in Japan on the weekend. A knee injury forced Bryant to skip the tournament and the US 'Dream Team' could only finish with a bronze medal.

Fans however made use of their time with Kobe.
They were eager to find out his favourite move, hoping there would be a secret weapon to the 28-year old's success.

"Normally I don't have a favorite one. I try practicing all of them. So, during the game there is one move I have to use and I need to feel comfortable to use. I do not have any particular one I favour. I just practice it and make it comfortable.": Kobe Bryant.

Bryant will continue on his Kobe 81 tour to Beijing, China later this week. 

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe Bryant gives $5,000 to family of slain Fullerton girl-
Lakers player's representative tells school administrator he was 'sickened' by the tragedy.


By BARBARA GIASONE
The Orange County Register

FULLERTON – Three days after Nicolas Junior High eighth-grader Janette Jimenez was found dying in her home, a representative of Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant arrived at the school with a $5,000 donation for the family.

"The publicist said Kobe was sickened by (the tragedy) when he saw it on the news," Nicolas Assistant Principal Olga Hofreiter said today. "We told him the money could be used for relocation or funeral costs. …The family didn't want to go back into the house."

Janette, 13, was found by her father a week ago bleeding to death from multiple stab wounds, Fullerton police Sgt. Linda King said. Minutes later, Alberto Jimenez found a man, later identified as renter Damon Flores, 40, dead in another room.

King said police are handling the case as a murder-suicide by Flores.

The Nicolas staff and administrators collected $2,000 in personal donations Friday. Neighbors held a car-wash fundraiser Saturday as well.

Also, Hofreiter said, students were asked to bring donations, food and sympathy cards or letters that would be forwarded to the family.

"We also have counselors available," she added.

Janette, an honors student, would have been in advanced choir this fall.

"She was a beautiful example of a good student – very sweet, helpful and kind to people," Hofreiter said.

Fullerton police Community Services officer Alma Buis, who has been assisting the family, said a private viewing and funeral service would be held this week.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Lakers sign guard Pinnock

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) - Danilo (J.R.) Pinnock, the 58th pick in the NBA draft earlier this summer, has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers .

Pinnock, a 6-foot-5 guard who entered the draft following his junior year at George Washington , was taken by the Dallas Mavericks  before being traded to the Lakers  for a 2007 second-round draft choice.

Pinnock averaged 14.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.5 steals for George Washington last season. He then played for the Lakers in the Summer Pro League and averaged 10.6 points and 2.3 assists in 24.5 minutes.

Terms were not announced Wednesday by the Lakers.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Danilo "J.R." Pinnock To Make Lakers Roster?

By Eric Pincus
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Sep 7, 2006, 05:18    

The Los Angeles Lakers signed guard Danilo "J.R." Pinnock to a contract on Wednesday.  Pinnock was taken as the 58th pick in the draft by the Dallas Mavericks, who subsequently traded him to the Lakers for Miami's 2007 second round pick (part of the Shaquille O'Neal trade).

Though terms were not released, it is probable that either all or most of Pinnock's contract is not guaranteed.

Pinnock played well for the Lakers' summer league entry in Long Beach.  At 6'5", 207 pounds, Pinnock is an athletic guard with the raw tools to be a contributor on both sides of the ball given a year or two of NBA seasoning.

Considering the number of players already on the team, it was somewhat of a surprise that the Lakers and Pinnock agreed to terms this summer.  The initial word was that LA had urged Pinnock to play overseas.  This would have enabled the team to retain his rights while delaying his signing for (at least) a year.

Now that he is signed, the Lakers will lose his rights should he not make the team out of training camp.

Certainly the team has a plan to make room for Pinnock, considering they went through the trouble of trading for him this summer?

Not necessarily.  In a similar situation a few years back, the Lakers traded for Cory Hightower who signed with the team . . . but failed to make the squad.

If cut, Pinnock could play for the Laker owned NBDL franchise, the Los Angeles D-Fenders.  This assumes that not only is he willing, but that another team (NBA or overseas) doesn't offer him a more lucrative deal.

Currently the Lakers have 13 players with guaranteed contracts.  Excluding Pinnock, three have non or partially-guaranteed deals (Ronny Turiaf, Smush Parker and Von Wafer).  With the NBA roster limit at 15, two other Lakers would have to go to make room for Pinnock.

The battle for position will be held in training camp.  Wafer is probably the most likely cut as his game does not seem to fit within the triangle offense.  Parker and Turiaf would seem to be locks to return . . . though Turiaf did have an occurrence of chest pain while playing for the French national team.  After all he went through last year to make the club following heart surgery; hopefully it was nothing serious that would put his season (or life) at risk.

The Lakers are also expected to bring back Devin Green, currently a restricted free agent.  Waiting in the wings is unrestricted free agent Laron Profit, who was a solid contributor last season before rupturing his Achilles' tendon.

Pinnock would not only have to beat out Wafer, but Green, Profit and one additional Laker (who in all likelihood has a guaranteed deal).

The most obvious option would have the Lakers buying out the contract of Aaron McKie.  Should that be the answer, LA would have to pay McKie his $2.5 million in salary.  More importantly they would lose a movable contract should a trade opportunity present itself.  It would be a shame to miss out on a nice player because the Lakers were a few million short in outgoing salary.

In theory, LA could make a two for one deal before the season begins to open a spot.  Players that might be available include Chris Mihm, Brian Cook, Sasha Vujacic and McKie.  The Lakers can even send a player out to a team with a trade exception or cap room to open a spot.

If a deal is in the works or is being sought out, the Lakers have been very quiet about it.  The late summer buzz has been notably absent considering LA's early acquisitions of Vladimir Radmanovic and Shammond Williams.

The Bottom Line
If the Lakers get a chance to improve the club before opening night , they will act accordingly.

That said . . . what you see is what you get.

The Laker roster will change slightly along the edges but had been essentially set since mid July.

The signing of Pinnock is a slight wrinkle.  Should he make the team, something will have to give.

Look for a very competitive Laker training camp come October.

[7even]

too bad money can't buy everything

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe- "Team USA needs better chemistry to win gold"

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The U.S. basketball team will have to work on its internal chemistry if it wants to perform well at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Kobe Bryant said Thursday.

The Los Angeles Lakers' All-Star guard was visiting Taiwan on a five-leg tour of Asia to meet with fans.

Last Sunday, the U.S. players returned home from the world championship in Japan with bronze medals -- just like the country won at the 2004 Olympics.

Both results were widely seen as disappointments.

Bryant, 27, told a news conference in Taipei that a newly assembled team always needed some time together before starting to play with consistency.

"Years playing together will jell us as a unit, [but] if there is no chemistry, it's going to be tough to beat all those talented teams," he said.

Bryant said he was confident the two years up to the Beijing Olympics would be enough to find that chemistry.

Bryant's tour took him to Japan and Hong Kong. On Friday, the basketball star was scheduled to leave Taiwan for South Korea. He will also visit China.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Luke Walton takes game to Africa

BY ROSS SILER, Staff Writer-
Of all the roles he has played since coming to the Lakers, Luke Walton hardly could have expected that one day he would serve as a basketball ambassador to Africa.

Three days into his stay in South Africa, Walton had seen more than he could have imagined. The 26-year-old forward is taking part in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders camp in Johannesburg. The NBA contingent is led by Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo, a native of the Republic of Congo. The instructional camp is temporary home to 100of Africa's most promising players.

Besides working at the camp, Walton also has paid visits to two orphanages, which brought home the realities of the continent's HIV/AIDS epidemic.

“The thing about it is we get off the bus and there are a thousand kids running, jumping and giving us hugs,” Walton said by phone Friday. “It's pretty amazing to see how happy and how much they love life when as an outsider looking on you feel so bad for how much they went through.”

Walton said he was struck by how raw the African players were, even though they all have what he described as “NBA bodies.” The players had no trouble dunking, he said, but struggled when it came to converting layups.

But Walton said he could see marked improvement after only a couple of days and was encouraged by what he saw once the occasionally chaotic games started.

“You can tell that they love playing,” he said, “because when we start playing games, they're yelling and diving for loose balls.”

Walton said two numbers have been stuck in his mind during the trip. The first is the 5.5 million South Africans estimated to be infected with HIV, the other is the 1.1 million children believed to be AIDS orphans in the country.

On Thursday, the players visited a youth center at which most of the students come from families in extreme poverty and the majority are orphans. The next day, the players toured an AIDS hospice for young children.

“It's been pretty shocking to see that that type of stuff is really going on,” Walton said. The orphanages “were both in very poor parts of the city, but the people who were in charge were doing an unbelievable job.”

The camp runs through today, after which Walton will take part in a three-day safari. As tough as the realities of life on the continent can be, Walton complimented his hosts Friday.

“The people out here,” he said, “are the nicest people you could ever meet.”

[Doggystylin]

I just found out that the Preseason starts Oct. 10th.  YES OH GOD YES, LESS THAN A MONTH

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

I just found out that the Preseason starts Oct. 10th.  YES OH GOD YES, LESS THAN A MONTH

LOL...Shoulda known that already.

[Doggystylin]

I knew it started in October, I just didn't know the exact date.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

I knew it started in October, I just didn't know the exact date.

Shut up, you're a fluke!