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 "hoodified" SportsCenter segment, Ron Ron discusses his new situation, role on the team add lobbies the Laker Nation to help him choose his jersey digits.
BK and I decided to talk a little "Ron Ron to L.A." using the instant message platform the kids seem to love these days. Some point-counterpoint, but in a nutshell, we both can picture this working out well. However, it will require some adjustment on Ron Artest's part. This would be a copy of the transcript.
AK: "So... We're in the Ron Artest business now."
BK: Yep. Not that there's ever a dull moment in Laker Land... but Dr. Buss and Co. basically removed the word from the local vernacular completely. So how do you feel about it?
AK: I think I like it. Like we talked about on today's PodKast, I'm aware of the potential issues.
UPDATE (4:37 pm)- The LAT's Mike Bresnahan is also reporting the Lakers are close to a deal to bring in Artest. He writes that Artest would likely want a full midlevel deal (in the neighborhood of $32 mil over five years), but it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the contract, once signed, was actually shorter than that. We'll have to wait and see. As Bres notes, Artest's arrival would almost certainly mean the end of Trevor Ariza's tenure in LA. BK
CBS Sports.com's Ken Berger reports Ron Artest is ready to sign with the Lakers.(Note: Berger's original post has been updated with fresh information. The Lakers are not commenting, but Berger writes he has additional corroboration.) No contract terms have been ironed out, Berger writes, but Artest told him he'll be playing in purple and next season:
"I'm definitely going to L.A. -- to sign, yeah," Artest said in a phone
interview. "Lakers, Lakers, Lakers. I'm in L.A. right now."
Artest
said he met with Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss Thursday and previously
had spoken with Lakers coach Phil Jackson. He was en route to his
financial manager's office, where he planned to huddle on the phone
with his agent, David Bauman, to finalize details...
..."I don't really care about
the money," Artest said. "I'll play there for nothing. ... L.A. was
very interested in me, and they got me."
Until there's more concrete news, it's hard to say with certainty what's going on. (If there's such a thing as a player being a bad source regarding his own negotiations, it would likely apply to Artest.) If nothing else, Bauman can't like that whole "play there for nothing" part. The man works on commission. As we talked about in this week's 710 ESPN Lakers PodKast (which also includes a nice interview with Shannon Brown- listen and you'll know that if Brown leaves for another city, it's not because Andy and I didn't try to keep him here), I have some concerns about how Artest fits with the Lakers.
Still, he's an undeniable talent, no question, and in terms of raw ability would add a lot to the squad. Plus, it's always more fun to rub a star player's head as a teammate rather than foe.
We also ponder what life would be like if Ron Artest replaced Ariza (a rumored possibility) and how Twitter has turned the NBA world all kooky.
Plus, we catch up with Shannon Brown and chat up topics like what it's like to be a champ, his hopeful return to the fold and weight lifting. Here's a separate cut with just Shannon, if you'd like to hear his interview right away.
The 24-year-old swingman, who played a key role in the Lakers' run
to their 15th NBA championship, is on the verge of leaving the club,
sources close to the situation said on Wednesday. With at least
five teams pursuing Ariza, the Lakers are currently unwilling to pay
him more than the $5.6 million mid-level exception.
"They're letting him go," one of the sources said.
Cleveland
is making a hard push for Ariza, and the Cavaliers' coaching staff was
speaking with him on Wednesday. While Cleveland can only offer the
mid-level as well, Ariza's disappointment with the Lakers' stance has
moved other suitors ahead of his current team.
We noted at his exit interview how Adam Morrison, in an effort to shake off the rust of a couple years of injury and bench time, will be playing summer league ball in Vegas, opening up on July 10, against the always hated quasi-Toronto Raptors. To say 'Stache is headlining LA's squad is an understatement of Ivory soap mild proportions.
The next name on the marquee would be second round pick Chinemelu Elonu.
From there, it becomes a cavalcade of "Hey, that guy!" hoopsters, from former Georgia Tech product Luke Schenscher, who has 31 NBA games under belt with the Bulls and Blazers, to Alan Anderson, who suited up for 53 games in Charlotte between '05-'07. Pac-10 fans will recognize Taylor Rochestie and Aron Baynes (Washington State) along with Mustafa Shakur (Arizona).
As BK and I mentioned during Josh and DJ's exit interview posts, it's easy to feel especially happy when the grinders of the NBA world find whatever stability and moments in the sun possible. Neither is the type to take it granted, so good for both fellas. Plus, "Hoover," the cat behind the "Banging with Mbenga" T-shirts campaign, gets the most out of his investment, which is always nice.
Over the past few seasons, we've been given periodic reminders from Team Artest, and here's one more. Ron Ron's agent David Bauman, quoted by Jeff Eisenberg at the PE.com, notes that his client and LA go together like peas and carrots:
"Ron's tight with Kobe," Bauman said. "From a basketball perspective,
the Lakers make perfect sense. Ron is a winner. His best fit is when
he's on a winning team. He shoots the three, posts up smaller guys, and
defensively he's a beast. Certainly those are skills a contending team
would find attractive."
Word out of Houston is both sides want to keep Artest in Texas and locally any need for him is totally dependent on what happens in the Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza negotiations, but in business, as in all things, it's always important to have a Plan B, right? Clearly Bauman agrees. BK
UPDATE (11:32 pm):The LAT's Mike Bresnahan reports Kobe "is expected to sign a three-year extension on top of his existing two-year contract at some point in July... Bryant would make a guaranteed $47.8 million over the next two years
and could earn another $86 million to $91 million with the extension,
depending on NBA salary-cap figures to be determined in 2011.BK
So sayeth ESPN's Chad Ford, citing his sources. I'll poke around for confirmation or more reports of the same nature, but for now, that appears to be the word on Kobe Bryant.
Well, in addition to who WON'T be coaching the team next season, perhaps we also know who won't be sitting in front of a table with Rob Pelinka, Mitch Kupchak and Jerry Buss dwelling over the semantics of contract language. Not during this particular month, at any rate.
I'd like to say it's one less thing to worry about, but with the free agent madness officially underway in five hours, I imagine expressing sentiments even kissing cousins to "Don't worry, be happy" will go heavily ignored.
More info as it arrives.
(UPDATE: The report also states that Kobe and the brass will spend this summer working on an extension.)
As July 1st fast approaches and Lakers fans are soon to begin surfing the wave of rumors hitting Los Angeles, here's one recently floated scenario you can put to rest. Should health issues require Phil Jackson to hang up his white board, Mike Krzyzewski ain't the dude stepping in.
For that matter, it doesn't sound like Coach K is much interested in taking the purple and gold reins at any point. During his annual meeting with the press, Kobe Bryant's Olympic coach said he's "not going to the Lakers." For that matter, he doesn't plan on bolting Duke until he's ready for a lifestyle that doesn't include coaching.
Granted, we've heard many a coach say he's staying put until hell freezes over and without warning, the devil's lair is suddenly cool enough to suit Frosty the Snowman's needs. But I'm willing to bet there's a reasonable amount of sincerity to Coach K's statement. Between the cushiness provided by his Godlike status in Durham, the strong no-win potential that comes with following PJ, and the percentage of college coaches- even titans- that struggle at the pro level, in my humble opinion, K should be fitted for a strait jacket if he wanted to flip gigs. That's just plain silly.
Speculation Season remains in full blast, if a bit more narrowly focused.
As you were.
AK
Photo: Mike Krzyzewski Credit: AP Photo/Gerry Broome
At 9:01 pm, the NBA's free agency period will officially be underway, and with few young-and-on-the-rise players available on the market, Trevor Ariza has quickly become one of the more intriguing names on the market. His agent, David Lee (you may remember him from such negotiations as "Let's Get Andrew Bynum an Extension!"), says if cut Ariza "bleeds purple and gold." Of course, if the Lakers aren't able to field a competitive offer- Lee thinks interest in TA will be substantial (while you'd hardly expect him to say otherwise, he's likely correct)- Ariza can bleed whatever color he wants but will still be buying his Band-Aids in another city.
Remember, though, not to read too much what Lee, or any other agent, says. He's doing his job. For that matter, as it is around the trade deadline where we always caution against reading too much in to any rumor, July 1 marks the start in another NBA silly season for deals and signings alike.
Back in the day, the common knock against class president elections was they were just a big popularity contest. Well, the process that allowed that smarmy punk to buy himself an office with some puffy stickers and a few Hershey's Kisses has much in common with ESPN's ESPY Awards. Except unlike elementary school, this popularity contest is hosted by Samuel L. Jackson and shuts down traffic on Hollywood Boulevard between Highland and, if I remember correctly, Orange.
The list of nominees is plum littered with Lakers. Kobe's up for a few awards, including Best Male Athlete. Pau Gasol gets a nod for Best International Male Athlete, while Phil Jackson gets two (one of which, and this makes total sense when you think about it, is for Best Coach/Manager). And as a group the Lakers are up for Best Team.
Voting seems to require registration, so if your distaste for becoming part of Disney's corporate machine outweighs your desire to help Lakers win stuff, you may be out of luck. If not, vote early and as often as allowed.
As Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojanrowski reports, that's the worry circulating throughout the Houston Rockets' front office. The fractured foot that put Yao out of commission during the Western Conference Semi-Finals vs. the Lakers has been stubborn to heal, and beyond a recent "out indefinitely" statement, Wojnarowski suspects concerns over Yao missing the majority of next season. Or even worse, being forced into early retirement. Obviously, more information needs to be presented before hitting the panic button- Rockets GM Daryl Morey is withholding public comment until more tests are completed- but I have to imagine it's a tense vibe over at HQ.
And with this story, I ask two questions...
1) If Yao could miss a large chunk of time, does this development potentially shift an already radically altered NBA landscape? Could that make Houston think twice about committing long-term to Ron Artest. Are they more likely to move T-Mac for help or just let his 22 mil expire and blow the whole baby up? Keep whomever they can to remain competitive? Is there a team in particular you picture swooping in to become a player?
2) Does Yao's situation make you more nervous about various Lakers, whether Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Sasha Vujacic or DJ Mbenga, representing their country in Olympic play? BK and I have both stated past opinions that it's damn near impossible to fault a player for his patriotism, nor should their NBA employer forbid anyone from suiting up in the offseason. But all things being equal, are you now more inclined to hope those purple and golders take a pass and save their best for the NBA hardcourt?
In any event, best wishes to Yao for a full recovery. He's a class act, a great competitor and has been terrific for the league. I hope Wojnarowski is just caught up in worst case scenarios and not predicting the future.
The fun begins late tomorrow night, as the NBA's free agent free for all officially kicks off.
Here's the list of guys who will or could be on the market. LA's priority is bringing back Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza. Which leads to today's Question of the Day:
Is there anyone on the list linked above you'd choose instead of Ariza or Odom?
The big names are guys like Jason Kidd, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Gordon, Chris Andersen, Ron Artest, Andre Miller, Shawn Marion, (presumably) Carlos Boozer, and Morris Almond. Okay, maybe not him. But I love the name.
(UPDATE, 6:13 pm: Yikes! I realize I forgot Hedo Turkoglu, who is obviously an intriguing and talented player. If this is a conversation to be had, he should be in it. BK)
Don't worry too much about money- think of the player. Would you swap out X for TA, or Y for LO? And so on? Would you pick two from that list and let both Odom and Ariza walk? What say you? Personally, I'd keep last year's team intact. I'm not a fan of how Kidd fits in, didn't want Artest last year either, and think Gordon's high volume shooting doesn't work with LA. (Plus, and this is a fairly significant point, my understanding is the Lakers have a decent two guard already.) Marion is an intriguing name, but only if he came with a time machine. Last year's version in Miami/Toronto didn't play all that well but did manage to continue to cement his reputation as a malcontent. Why bring that into a well-functioning locker room?
The Draft has come and gone, the NBA's vanquished (everyone else) have started making moves to try and corrall the victors (your purple and gold), and it's almost time to kick off what guarantees to be a busy free agent season in El Segundo. Who better to kick around these topics and more, including life behind the purple and gold velvet rope, than with Lakers.com's Mike Trudell? Nobody, that's who. All that, and a little Kobe talk to dovetail with yesterday's post. Synergy. (If you'd just as soon avoid that, skip the last 10-15 minutes or so.)
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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