The O.C. Register's Janis Carr recently yapped with Lakers Assistant General Manager Ronnie Lesterabout the team's ongoing talks with Lamar Odom. Carr says Lester informed her that LO's offer has been bumped "a little north of $8 million.” More or less what people have bandied about as the "magic number," so to speak. Lester also expressed confidence a deal could go down next week. Promising news, for sure. B. Shaw will certainly be happy.
Lester also indicated to Carr that Sun Yue, whose option needs to be picked up by August 1st, could find himself ex-Laker soon. His case apparently isn't being helped by an absence from the Summer Pro League. The same SPL, by the way, where Adam Morrison has recorded 22 and 24-point tallies. Granted, these results should obviously be taken with a grain of salt, considering Ammo is lighting up competition that's hardly NBA "elite." Many of these cats are barely NBA "ready." But still, as Morrison is working to get his legs back under him (literally and figuratively), I'm sure the brass is pleased with the early returns.
(Update: My knowledge may not have been "best." According to the Press-Enterprise's Jefferey Eisenberg, Jordan Farmar actually didn't survive Day 3. I could have misunderstood the chip count chart or it didn't reflect the day's end when I linked it, but at any rate, the dream is over. But quite the solid showing for the Laker point guard.)
To the best of my knowledge, still alive after Day 3.
Although perhaps not for too much longer.
Assuming it's up to date and I'm understanding this correctly, the World Series of Poker's website most recent update has Jordan Farmar's chip count at 75,000. That may sound like a lot, but when chip leader Amir Levahot boasts a honkin' 580,000, it's pretty apparent Jordan's seat ain't of the cat bird variety. Kid's gonna need to make an "all in" move at his first solid hand (a few more times), otherwise he's either gonna get bled down to the felt.
If I might briefly interrupt Lamar Odom Contract Watch 2009!...
Tonight at 5 pm, the Lakers will kick off their Summer League season against the "Toronto Raptors" at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. It's a little tough to get juiced for the action, since in the history of such teams it's very possible one has never been assembled that will have less impact on the regular season version than the squad the Lakers have put together. (Due respect to the guys on the roster, but you, me, and all of our buddies have about the same chance of wearing purple and gold this fall as they do.)
The exception, of course, is Adam Morrison, hoping to start the process of getting his generally disappointing career back on track with some full court burn headlining LA's squad. There's nothing glamorous about it, but it's a necessary step for Morrison. Writes Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review Journal:
Part I aqui, for those late to the party. And if you'd like to first hear BK and I discuss our impressions of Artest via the 710 ESPN Lakers podkast, then watch Ron and compare notes, feel free. Or you view the talkies below, then give the podkast a whirl. But either way, listen to the poddy, or else you'll be dealing with a nagging void in your life that's impossible to quell.
Artest has barely been an unofficial Laker, much less one with an inked contract, but that hasn't prevented him from experiencing the crush that is the Laker Nation's enthusiasm. Artest praised the fans of every city he's represented, but immediately noticed what sets apart a purple and gold's loyalist. "The fans are so confident. That's what I've learned. Every fan is telling me I'm going to win, saying, 'you ready for your ring?' I'm like, 'Yeah, I'm ready.' "
The only thing better for Artest than proving O'Brien predictions correct would be doing so while playing alongside longtime buddy Lamar Odom. "That's a storybook ending. I don't want to think about it too much- I'd rather just do the work and let the work speak for itself...but it would be a storybook ending." While mentioning the pair's New York roots, Artest took us on a trip down a Big Apple NBA Memory Lane, mentioning folks like Elton Brand, Rafer Alston and... Smush Parker. (Hey, the guy did make it all the way to the L, like it or not).
Hearing talk about money being secondary priority, increased focus and moving past the Palace Brawl, it felt to me like age has drastically affected Artest's perspective on his career. Pretty much. "When I came into the NBA, I was wild," admitted RA. "It took me a long time to realize how I want my life to be. How I want my career to be." Artest views his time with the Pacers as a step backward, a stumble he's since been determined to make up for. "I want to leave on top of my game. That's real important to me."
He's officially in purple and gold, likely for five years, and it's a sure thing to say all of them will be interesting. He's Ron Artest,and the subject of this week's 710 ESPN.com Lakers PodKast. We talk to Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee, who covered Artest in his two-plus seasons with the Kings. Amick thinks the Lakers made a good move, but delivers an honest assessment of the player they're getting, his strengths and weaknesses, and his thoughts on from where any trouble might spring.
It's well worth a listen.
All that, plus a wee bit of Lamar Odom talk, plus an exclusive look at all the other stuff from his camp LeBron James and Nike don't want you to know or see. What, you thought it was just a pickup game dunk?
After the day's festivities with Ron Artest had concluded, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak
answered some questions regarding LA's final free agent
concern of the summer, Lamar Odom. The negotiations haven't exactly zipped along, but
as I wrote the other day, nothing about the landscape has changed to indicate Odom is on his way out. The feeling Wednesday around the training facility in El Segundo was that the Lakers wouldn't have a) signed Artest or b) used their
mid-level to do it, leaving them no viable avenue in free agency to
replace Odom should he change ZIP codes, without believing a deal could be made.
That Odom and Artest are friends dating back to childhood doesn't hurt, either.
Kupchak said he didn't have a gut feeling about the end result, but as
he has all along used the word "hopeful" to describe his outlook. "I
can't be any stronger," he noted, "and I'm not sure how strong a word that is. But
I am hopeful. I think we have a chance now."
Lot o' footage to render and chop up, as this was a seriously long press conference. About 35 minutes. But it's worth the effort to transfer, because this was probably the most interesting, introspective and entertaining presser of such ilk that I've ever attended.
Whether Ron Artest was consciously trying to get off on the right foot or simply operating in his typical stream of consciousness, I thought the guy acquitted himself nicely. Tough questions about his past weren't skirted. Plenty of hilarious lines. Plus some often brutally honest self-criticism. Every skeptic likely wasn't converted (and depending on the impetus for skepticism, rightfully), but it would be hard to fault the guy over a failure to be forthright.
"Where's TMZ," Artest asked after being introduced by Mitch Kupchak. "They're not here? That's good news." Ron Ron was beaming at joining a franchise that's always been his first choice team. Not that Artest didn't give it all for his past employers- for that matter, loyalty dictated the Houston Rockets getting first dibs at his services- but his Utopian uni has always been purple and gold. "A long time coming," as he described this union. Thus, Artest could barely contain his excitement when, with free agency one minute underway, his agent David Bauman informed him of a call from Kupchak.
"I said, 'For what?'" recalled Artest. "(Bauman) says, 'He wants to help you get a ring.' " As both Bauman and Kupchak later explained, the actual negotiations themselves were more complicated, but an agreement eventually came to fruition, which made Ron happy enough to potentially sacrifice his wardrobe. "I was in LA already... it was great because I didn't have to leave and go back to Houston. Hopefully my clothes make it to LA. If they don't, they can just stay in Houston."
Artest also discusses his familiarity with the triangle and his defensive prowess, the latter he willingly attributes in part to the presence of former teammates like Jermaine O'Neal.
Plenty of copy and video to come, but here's one line that essentially sums up Artest's attitude in joining the Lakers: "I gotta have (a ring). I need one. Bad... I really don't even care if I score, I just want to win. I don't have a problem with deferring if it's working. I don't have a problem with not scoring and winning." Obviously these are easy things to say than do, but for people carrying varying degrees of concern about Artest's ability to cede some of his traditional roles on the offensive end to fit in with LA's system and vast scoring arsenal, the words are encouraging.
UPDATE (3:00 pm PT)- Just got back from the Artest press conference. He was, as you'd suspect, candid and entertaining. We'll have some copy up ASAP, with video to follow as it can be processed. BK
Artest will wear uniform No. 37 in honor of the number of weeks that Michael Jackson's album "Thriller" was No. 1 on the charts.
A nice tribute, for sure. In other news, Luke Walton will go from 4 to 64, honoring the highest point on the Billboard charts for the Grateful Dead's "Truckin'".
UPDATE (9:40 am): Artest on the number choice, from an interview Sunday with Sean Farnham and Jerry Ferrara on AM 570 KLAC, Fox Sports Radio:
UPDATE: The LAT's Broderick Turner has more details here. Artest gets 3/$18 mil, but can choose to extend for two more years to bring the full value to just under $34 million. Brown gets the bi-annual exception. Two years, $4.2 million, with the second year being a player option. BK
Got an email from the Lakers Media Relations Dept. that pen and paper were united for both Ron Artest and Shannon Brown. We've officially entered "no give backs" territory. Not that any hitch was expected, but it's always nice to know the proceedings went down without one.
The Lakers have worked quickly and decisively this summer to address their fairly limited to-do list, solidifying the small forward spot (re-signing Trevor Ariza became signing Ron Artest, but either way the position, as they say, has been filled), locking up Shannon Brown for at least one more year, and filling out the back end of the roster bypicking up options onDJ Mbenga and Josh Powell. The only remaining piece is Lamar Odom. It's a big one, too. Judging by comments some readers have left over the last few days, the radio silence regarding LO is causing more stress than a tax audit undertaken at the dentist's office where the reciepts are missing and so is the novacaine.
As a strong advocate for Odom's value to the team, I get it. The Lakers want Odom on that wall, they need him on that wall. But nobody should equate Odom's status as third domino to a third place finish on the team's priority list.
The Lakers want him back. The speed, or lack thereof, in negotiations is just a reflection of the market.
Former Laker/now Rocket Trevor Ariza recently appeared on the 570 KLAC's Myers & Hartman Show in Los Angeles. TA was asked various questions about the ultimately failed negotiations that resulted in a Houston relocation. Not many specifics revealed, but that's what actually made the interview noteworthy. Here's what I found most interesting:
How largely uninformed Ariza appeared while trying to relay what happened between the Lakers and his agent, David Lee. His explanations were very unspecific and included a lot of sentiments like "I'm not really sure" and "whatever the situation was." I found that pretty odd. Perhaps Trevor wanted to tread lightly and avoid painting a negative picture of the Lakers, Lee or himself. I also know from experience that he's much more comfortable off the record than on it.
Or, as I suspect, Ariza's retelling of the story was filled with blanks because he was informed of his situation entirely through Lee, as opposed to Lee and the Lakers. Beyond never actually being in a room with any Laker brass, Trevor gave no indication of having spoken directly with Mitch Kupchak at any point. Thus, Lee was the one keeping him in the loop and attempting to make the exact opposite route of Trevor's first choice sound palatable and/or necessary.
Ariza didn't sound thrilled about leaving the Lakers. As he acknowledged, "what kid from L.A. would want to leave L.A.?" TA also lamented having "no control over that."
When asked about Lee's handling of his business, Ariza expressed more loyalty than praise for a job well done. He also acknowledged that the Lakers don't particularly like Lee, unless I misinterpreted the following comment: "If I was to stay there, (the Lakers) would still feel the same way about him."
So reports Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski. Two years. 4.2 mil. Assuming these figures are reliable, I'd label the contract a "win-win" deal for both parties.
Shannon Brown gets the chance establish himself over the next couple of seasons, then sign a longer deal at the still-very-young age of (almost) 26. Or, should he enjoy a killer 2009-2010, exercise a player option and sign a longer deal at even younger age of (almost) 25. The Lakers get an extended, inexpensive look at an uber-athletic guard who flashed some nice potential during his short stint in L.A. It's a mite early to declare him the Derek Fisher's heir apparent for "starting point guard of the future"- SB is nothing if not raw- but he could emerge a valuable rotation player. At the very least, you can chalk this up as a victory for good attitude and a willingness to learn, traits of Shannon's that were deservedly praised since his February arrival. Not bad for the self described "throw in."
I'll try to track down some further confirmation, but for now, it appears we have some good news in Laker Land as "Lamar Odom Watch" continues. Well, it's good news for most people. BK and I, on the other hand, owe the kid 75 bucks apiece. Dude, everything is coming up "Shannon Brown" today. (UPDATE: The Times' Broderick Turner has confirmation of the news from Brown's agent, Mark Bartelstein, who says SB turned down a more lucrative deal with the Pacers to remain a Laker.) AK
Latest on LO and Portland: Blazers not interested, according to a source.
Hard to get all flowery with the language when limited to 140 characters. Obviously at this time of year information changes rapidly, but if Bucher is correct (I'm anticipating what a few of the comments below will look like) it only helps the Lakers.
Reports out of Boston (and wherever these sorts of things are filed) have Rasheed Wallace joining the Celtics with a two year, mid-level deal. They're also making a strong push for Grant Hill. Wallace, who can still fill it up from both the post and the arc and defend at the other end, ought to be a nice fit in Boston. He may be getting up in years and suck up T's like the Dyson DC25 Animal does pet dander, but Sheed can still play and seems eager for more jewelry.
Plus, KG is far nuttier these days than Wallace, so this could be a chance for Sheed to blend into the wallpaper a little.
If you're keeping score...
Cleveland picked up Shaq from Phoenix for peanuts. They're rumored to be in the Shawn Marion business as well, or alternatively could make an offer to Linas Kleiza.
The Lakers (they won a big trophy in June) signed Ron Artest, and are, knock on wood, expected to bring back Lamar Odom.
San Antonio acquired Richard Jefferson for... what's a synonym for peanuts? Nor by most estimates is he expected to be their only addition.
Orlando picked up Vince Carter, and though they lost Hedo Turkoglu and Marcin Gortat are expected to make a few moves around the edges, too.
Cold feet may have sent Hedo from Oregon to Toronto, but Portland still has nine mil in cap space they seem intent on using.
Denver has been linked to Hill as well, and added Ty Lawson to add depth behind Chauncey Billups. Lawson may be a rook, but ought to be a pretty polished one.
Bottom line? Teams believing they have a shot to contend next season are pulling out the stops, and seem ready to keep the pedal down as the summer rolls on. When it's all said and done, the 2009-2010 season could be one with a pretty stark caste system, where the have-nots are particularly sad (and unusually plentiful), but the haves could be fantastic.
Because our postgame breakdowns, practice reports and general Laker coverage will soon be decorated with quotes like the kind that followed Ron Artest's ejection in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals. Remember the tale about a friend who was killed with a chair leg thrown by an angry member of the crowd? And the casual way Artest caps this brutal, bizarre story?
"So I'm accustomed to playing basketball really rough."
Between that and mentioning how he told Kobe Bryant, "Don't you know you're hitting Ron Artest," I'm chalking thhis up as one very solid interview.
I'm sure a few people thought about this reading the news that Hedo Turkoglu, reportedly set to sign with the TrailBlazers, has yanked the rug out and will instead head to Canada and the Raptors, but it could have a negative effect on the Lakers. Losing Turkoglu once again leaves Portland about $9 mil under the cap, and looking to spend. One potential target? Lamar Odom, who would be attractive to them for many of the same reasons as Hedo. Odom is a versatile forward who operates well in the pick and roll, and could help relieve Brandon Roy from some of his currently enormous ball handling/moving duties. Odom isn't quite as natural a fit as Hedo, since he tends to be more effective as a power forward (where the Blazers already have LaMarcus Aldridge) than at the three, but it still makes sense.
If the offers were in the same ballpark I'm confident LO would stay in LA, but had Portland disappeared from the free agent landscape there wouldn't have been many alternatives for Odom, other than teams using their mid-level exceptions.
"After consulting with Lakers team internist Dr. John Moe, I feel
confident that I can gainfully pursue an NBA season with another long
playoff postseason. All things point to go!," said Jackson.
And with that item now crossed off the list, the Laker Nation can focus its concerns on resigning Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown (who, if you missed it during all the Ron Ron/Ariza madness, called into yesterday's 710 ESPN podkast).
Of course, I'm not Ariza's agent, which is a very important distinction. Unless Team Ariza earmarked the Rockets as a destination every bit as attractive as the Lakers, I think there is a reason Lee's clientele of importance can be counted on one hand while flashing a peace sign.
As one might expect, plenty o' thoughts expressed about Ron Artest joining forces with the Lakers. I done searched the internets to find y'all some of the best.
First, a talkie before the reading. Artest already knows his way around L.A. and has certainly spent his time inside Staples Center, meaning he knows exactly how to find the new ESPN studio over at L.A. Live. What say we hear from the man of the hour? In a "hoodalized" SportsCenter segment, Ron Ron discusses his new situation, role on the team add lobbies the Laker Nation to help him choose his jersey digits.
Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky are contributing writers to ESPN The
Magazine and ESPN.com, and co-authored Fishing on the Edge, the autobiography of 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion Mike Iaconelli, bass fishing's bad boy. While both grew up in St. Louis without NBA
basketball, Andrew became a die hard Lakers fanatic after moving to L.A. to attend USC. That he managed to find a job requiring him to obsess over his favorite team, the same activity that prompted him to waste time while working other jobs, is pretty incredible. As for Brian, his baptism into pro hoops fandom has been provided by the "All Lakers, All The Time" citizens of Los Angeles. Beats the hell out of covering the Bucks.
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