The Lakers have requested waivers on Corie Blount, clearing the path for both Laron Profit and Devin Green to make the final 15. 

In other (totally expected) news, LA has officially exercised next season's option for Brian Cook. 

In the spirit of the day, it's time to choose your scariest Lakers costume. 

I'm thinking of going as Randy Pfund. 

BK

Devin Green is officially stoked!  Apparently, he's the winner in the Green v. Profit sweepstakes for the 15th spot on the roster.  Rooks on a Phil Jackson squad typically have to bust tail to get any court time, so Green will have to continue to practice at a high level to stick around.  But Mike Bresnahan of the Times reports that in the end, it could be Corie Blount who gets the squeeze, despite having missed all 8 Lakers preseason contests.  While Jackson had said he wouldn't cut a player hobbled by injury, the quality play of Green and Profit may force his hand. 

From the Washington Times: Singer-actress Brandy has ended her 15-month engagement with NBA star Quentin Richardson and transformed her tattoo of him into a cat. The New York Knicks player presented the 26-year-old single mom with a $1 million engagement ring last July, the World Entertainment News Network noted. But the couple split last month and since then, Brandy has undergone the painful process of having her back tattoo changed into a cat, WENN said.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I have a feeling that no matter how talented the tat artist she's employed, Brandy's gonna be stuck with some lousy ink.

AK

The relationship between student Andrew Bynum and teacher Kareem Adbul-Jabbar seems to be going well. That's good, since there's a lot riding on this for both. Longtime concerns that Kareem isn't communicative have caused him to struggle for coaching opportunities. Bynum developing nicely under Kareem's tutlege could help ease those worries, not to mention worries about whether or not the kid could realisitically be the franchise center of the future. Bonus: He likes Kareem the author, too.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

The Lakers put the finishing touches on a disconcertingly positive 6-2 preseason (the closest thing to bad news was one guy nobody had ever heard of getting punched by another guy nobody had ever heard of) with last night's 105-103 Vegastacular over the Kings.  Normally, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I'm sure most fans are hoping whatever they were doing last night makes its way to LA. 

Before everyone freaks out, remember the Lakers went 6-2 during the '04 preseason and were buying lottery tickets by the end of the season (coaching changes, crippling injuries, horrible defense and lack of depth will do that to a squad). 

Still, it's always better to win than lose, so with that in mind, let's look at what the Lakers have in store this week.

A little background about our mom, Phyllis Kamenetzky, and her connection to the Lakers.

When I moved to L.A. in 1990 to attend USC, I had no real interest in basketball, having grown up in a city (St. Louis) with no pro team and attended a high school with a perennially terrible squad. Plus I'm 5'8". Thus, hoops wasn't a sport I naturally gravitated towards. But once a part of this city, I found myself drawn in by its unbridled Lakers energy. By '94 or so, I was obsessively following the Lakers, even more than teams I grew up rooting for.

Phil's always on the lookout for signs that Kobe and Odom are on the same page. And while these indications haven't been commonplace this preseason, they did emerge a few times last night, especially in crunch time. A lethal two-man game between #8 and #7 could be the difference between the Lakers dictating their season or simply looking to scratch and survive. 

From Ken, in response to Extra! Extra! 10.28, regarding who should be kept, Green or Profit:

"I think we should keep both of them and waive Slava M. who had not shown any improvement over last few years. He will cost 3 milliions, though.  Maybe lakers can trade him to the bobcats."

That made me laugh. I think Ken may have come up with an interesting strategy, too. Trading every player who's not working out to the Bobcats. First Rush. Then Jumaine Jones. Heck, we even gave Charlotte Jamal Sampson during the expansion draft. It could also be a good method for keeping players who are underachieving, dogging it, or throwing around attitude in check. All they have to hear is "Bobcat" and they'll get their act together ASAP.

AK

From this point on, they all count, kids! The Lakers closed out the preseason on a high, taking out the Kings 105-103 while playing in Vegas. (No word yet as to whether or not Bynum managed to play a few hands of blackjack) On one hand, the Lakers let the Kings back in this one, allowing them to make a game of it.  On the flip side, they did gut it out for a W, which might have not been the result last season, when the tendency was to fold like a guy asked to call an all-in with a 6 high. Glass half full or half empty? You decide. Either way, the Lakers went 6-2 this preseason, certainly better than fans or Phil Jackson (his teams traditionally suck around this time) could have possibly expected.

Your highlights:

Lakers Blog Word Jumble!

How many different words can you make by rearranging the letters in:

Stanislav Medvedenko?

(Ex: Live tan demons, with an s, v, d, and e left over- not bad for a first try)

Devean George?

(Ex: Graven geode, with an e left over.  Try to use all the letters, though. It's better that way)

Pick other players if you want.  Remember, clock out time's just around the corner. 

All they have to do is say the word, and Brian Cook gets a 75% raise. 

That's what the Lakers third year forward will receive if LA picks up his option for a fourth before Monday's deadline.  Granted, his $1.82 million salary for '06-'07 would still make Cook a low rent player in the NBA (don't worry, he'll have meal money to help stay afloat).  The Lakers seem content to take the weekend before deciding, which leaves the rest of us wonder what they should do. 

Because collective bargaining rules prohibit teams from releasing injured players, the Lakers will open the season with dinged big Corie Blount on the roster.  With the release of Tony Bobbitt and Adam Parada, that leaves Laron Profit and Devin Green to fight it out for the 15th and final spot. 

That means tonight's game in Vegas against Sacramento couldn't be more important for Green, who has shown promise and impressed coaches thus far.  As for Profit, he too has played well and did arrive in LA with a guaranteed contract, but as Mike Bresnahan of the Times reports, the Lakers are believed to have received enough cash in the Brown trade to at least offset his salary should Profit be released. 

Meet the '05-'06 Laker Girls.

Since this blog began, we've periodically received questions from various readers about Latrell Sprewell's potential status as a Laker. I've heard very little about Spree as a part of any theoretical plans since reports surfaced a few weeks ago that Spree had L.A. on his "short list". (The amount of lists Spree actually resides on appears to be even shorter) The fact that the subject hasn't come up in media reports for quite some time, combined with Phil Jackson's statement a couple months ago, makes me believe that the likelihood is small.

Which is best for the Lakers.

Lakers Blog reader "Jay" reports the following:

"Just heard that Parada and Tony Bobbit have been waived...."

Not that we have any reason to doubt him, but we're hunting for more details (which most likely will read something like, "The Los Angeles Lakers have waived Adam Parada and Tony Bobbitt).   All this, of course, is devestating news to "Why Not Isiah Rider," as they lose their 3rd player in 2 days after the Jones deal on Wednesday. 

Thanks to Jay for making us look bad.   

UPDATE:  Here's the info from NBA.com:  "L.A. Lakers waive Tony Bobbitt and Adam Parada."  (I was pretty close, wasn't I?)

While the current incarnation of the Lakers doesn't have the same glam cache of a couple years (or decades) ago, Friday night's game in Vegas is still a game in Vegas.  And apparently, it has the city torn between natural alliances to the Maloof brothers, owners of the Kings, and the Lakers, a longtime favorite of the city. 

Meanwhile, the Phil/Kobe situation (no, the statue of limitations on this story hasn't expired yet) has even made its way to St. Louis, our hometown.  Odd, because aside from box scores and occasional hints an NBA team might move there, pro basketball gets mentioned in the local paper about once every seven years.  In reference to the current troubles between Rams coach Mike Martz and the team's front office, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Matt Herb discussed other sports marriages ruined by pressure and scrutiny, including the Zen Master and #8:

"Why did everyone assume Jackson had irreconcilable differences with the Lakers, specifically Kobe Bryant? Maybe because he decried Bryant's "narcissistic tendencies" in a book that laid bare the player's egomaniacal ways. But as it turns out, Jackson's departure after the 2003-04 season was only a trial separation. In a classic case of co-dependency, he and Bryant are back together. Bryant's fence-mending strategy usually involves large jewels. To date, Jackson hasn't been seen sporting any new bling."

Good thing, too, because after KarlMaloneandKobe'sWifeGate, LA doesn't need anymore misunderstood, potentially controversial expressions of affection.   

Laron Profit's got a few things going for him. He's a tall guard, always a plus in Phil Jackson's mind. He's got a guaranteed contract, which means the Lakers would be on the hook for 800K if they waive him. And... he's playing well in his bid to make the squad. He, Devin Green and Tony Bobbitt, in particular, are doing enough good things on the court that the coaching staff must feel like they have a tough decison on their hands. As stated, getting one (or more) of them on the roster is basically what the Jumaine Jones trade was all about.

Around this time of day, people with jobs are doing one of two things.  1) Finishing all the work they could have done in the morning, but were surfing the web instead.  2) Surfing the web because they did all of their work in the morning.

If you're here and need something to kill time, I present the following question:

What Laker would be best served by pulling a Nene, and just doing the one-name thing?  My vote goes to Von Wafer.  In his case, it doesn't matter which name he uses.  Von.  Wafer.  Both sound cool.  Kobe has almost become a one-namer by default.  But going The Way of the Brazilian requires a certain attitude, and a killer name.  Could Kobe pull it off?  Defend your answer. 

Give this question the thought and time it deserves, and it'll be clock-out time soon enough.

BK   

News on the Jumaine Jones trade front...

Apparently, the 2007 2nd round pick Los Angeles received for the headbanded small forward has strings attached!  If Charlotte finishes the season with one of the five best records in the NBA, the pick would go to Phoenix, and the Lakers would get Charlotte's 2008 2nd rounder.  Or something like that. 

Lakers spokesperson John Black laid it out for us at practice, but I think I stopped listening after "If Charlotte finishes the season with one of the five best records in the NBA..."  In fairness, it was hard to hear over the laughter of the other press guys.  He might as well have said, "If Mark Madsen leads the NBA in scoring," or, "Brian Scalabrine gets a tan," the draft choice will go to Phoenix. 

Why am I confused?  2nd round picks are like the flu, getting passed around so much it's impossible to figure out where they started.  I'll try to straighten all this out, but in the meantime, am I the only one who thinks it's dangerous to give the Bobcats incentive to play well?  Can you picture Felton, May, Okefor, and Co. shooting in dimly lit gyms late at night murmuring "We're pushing it to '08?"

As for the Jones trade, just removing him from the roster is a plus for the Lakers.  He wouldn't have made the difference one way or another, and this allows the Lakers to carry another player at a position of need (I vote for Devin Green).  The notion that Jones could have fetched more (as many have stated in the comments section) doesn't really fly.  He's a good player, but there are a lot of Jumaine Jones types in the league.  Nobody would overpay for him.  To me, a high 2nd rounder seems pretty fair. 

BK

It seems likely, according to the Charlotte Observer. 

UPDATE:  It's official.  The future pick is a 2007 2nd rounder. 

Andrew Bynum was given his first taste of NBA competition in Tuesday night's 95-85 exhibition victory against Utah in Anaheim.  The kid showed there's light at the end, but it's a very, very long tunnel.  It's also noted here that the Lakers have until Monday to decide pick up the option on Brian Cook's contract (more on that later). 

Steve Kerr of Yahoo! Sports puts three Lakers on his list of the 10 NBA under the greatest pressure to perform.  Speaking of pressure, Jeanie Buss seems willing to trade a wedding ring for another hunk of championship bling. 

But the most important story in basketball comes not from the Lakers, but the WNBA.   In an interview with ESPN the Magazine, Sheryl Swoopes announced she is gay, becoming the first high profile athlete to openly acknowledge their homosexuality while still an active player.  While the WNBA isn't yet a true major league, to have one of their most marketable and recognizable superstars acknowledge her sexuality is potentially groundbreaking.  The stigma attached to homosexuality in men's sports will probably continue to keep most gay male athletes in the closet for the time being, but in a few years we could look back on this day as incredibly significant. 

Is time on their side?

We've been posting a lot of links previewing the '05-06 Lakers. Most cover the same issues. Can Kobe and Lamar learn to play together?  The bench isn't all that deep. What's in store for Kwame? Can Phil make lemonade out of, if not lemons, a generic powdered mix?   Even believers- and there aren't many- concede that it'll be a little while before the Lakers find their groove.  It's understandable, considering how difficult it can be to integrate new faces into a new offense (even one some of the team has seen before).  These things take time.  But here's the question.

Do they have it?

Andrew Bynum was officially, finally in the house.

He's turning 18 on Friday, but got an early gift tonight, at long lost cleared to play after suffering an abdominal strain during camp. The verdict: Not half bad. It's a little early to declare him an all-star in the making, but he did a lot more than simply avoid embarrassing himself. Perhaps he was simply following the good example set for him, as this was probably the Lakers' best effort the entire preseason, especially during the first half. Granted, they were battling the Jazz, a bad team even without the injured Carlos Boozer. But this kind of effort, especially on defense, could spark some W's even against some heavy hitters.

Anyway, some highlights:

In our continuing effort to bring you opinions and predictions on the Lakers from around the sports world, we have quite a nice offering: ESPN.com's Lakers preview, which asks if Phil Jackson has brought back enough mojo to lead the team to the playoffs.

Considering the low quality of the final two Austin Powers movies and the crash and burn of Andy Roddick's Mojo campaign for American Express, you can argue mojo is in a bit of a down period, so ESPN's concern seems legit. 

The common thread running through each of ESPN's family of writers seems to be the same- if Jackson weren't coaching, the Lakers would be so deep in the lottery they could sell Powerball tickets.  That "Jackson Boost" has a few predicting the Lakers sneak into the 8th spot.   As for the rest, they look at the backcourt issues and overall lack of talent and say Lakers fans can safely book travel plans during the playoffs without missing anything. 

It's also worth hitting their predictions for the rest of the conference, as well.  And if you're a subscriber to ESPN Insider, check out John Hollinger's player profiles. 

Here are a couple of links that may come in handy.  Throw them up on the "favorites" page of your browser for easy reference.

LAKERS '05-'06 Schedule

NBA National Television Schedule

Lakers Stat Page

NBA Stat Page

At Lakers Blog, we don't want anyone scheduling dinner with the in-laws or a night at the ballet when you should be at Staples, in front of the television, or memorizing Slava's stats. 

Priorities, people. 

Heading into the final year of his contract, Devean George isn't worrying about the future.  Considering the controversy his current contract caused, it'll be interesting to see what the Lakers do.  Much, of course, will be based on George's performance, which has been great this preseason (unfortunately for him, that doesn't count for much). 

Mark Heisler details how Jerry Buss has always intended for the Lakers to stay in the family.   

Returning to the triangle, Kobe continues to find his groove, but Phil Jackson worries about using his experience as a crutch.  And it looks like Von Wafer is going to stick with the big club, rather than head to Texas.  While he may not always be on the active roster, Jackson hopes that practicing and learning the Lakers system will pay greater benefits down the road.

The Philadelphia Inquirer's David Aldridge examines the currently smooth relationship between Jackson and Bryant, who is "fighting his instincts [to operate outside the restrictions of the offense] instead of his head coach."   Instead, Lakers preseason energy is focused on bringing the inexperienced half the roster up to speed on the triangle.   

The news that Jumaine Jones might roll out of town seems to have some in Lakerland wondering how this team will look on opening night.  Any surprises in store?  Are there other trades the Lakers could swing? 

So here it is.  With a week or so before the season kicks off, what would you do to improve the team's chances at a playoff birth, or even (dare to dream) a 2nd round?  Who stays, who goes?   who do you bring back in? 

Bonus points for being realistic, but if you can figure out a seemingly viable way to swing Medvedenko for three #1's and Kevin Garnett, go for it. 

Best suggestions receive a whole heap of pride, and maybe a pat on the back from the guys at his office. 

The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell thinks so:

"It's obvious the Bobcats could use another small forward. It's also obvious the Lakers have some tough choices to cut down to 15 players. This is just my opinion, but wouldn't trading Jumaine Jones to Charlotte make a lot of sense for the Lakers?"

Given their glut of small forwards, a few Lakers could be left without a home.  As a solid, inexpensive veteran without a long contract, he's exactly the type of "bridge" player that could help the Bobcats until they get a full salary cap.  It does make sense. 

While the Lakers don't have much flexibility (or many marketable players), a minor move or two before the season starts won't be a surprise. 

Chris Mihm was pulled 47 seconds into Sunday night's 98-97 victory over Charlotte in San Diego, part of Phil Jackson's plan to keep the Lakers starting center out of foul trouble and on the court for important minutes.  Devean George was hopping off the bench before his seat was even lukewarm.

Now that the Phil/Kobe noise has calmed down (at least for a little while), the attention is back on the Lakers most serious on court issue: the development of Lamar Odom as facilitator of the offense.  If last night's line (12 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) is any indication, Odom is learning to channel his inner Scottie Pippen from the actual Scottie Pippen.  Jackson still considers Odom a work in progress, but the Lakers coach is still committed to having him bring up the ball this season. 

Finally, it looks like #1 pick Andrew Bynum will start the season with the big club, reports Lakers beat man Mike Bresnahan:

"Despite a two-week layoff while a strained abdominal muscle healed, top draft pick Andrew Bynum will start the season with the Lakers and not be sent to the development league, Jackson said.

"We really have an intention of getting some experience for Andrew early in the year, so that he has something to measure up against and an idea of what it takes out there," Jackson said.

Bynum is expected to return to practice today."

Found this season preview on a site called "TheBBallBlog."  The prediction is for a 30-52 finish, swimming around the bottom of the conference.  I've said a playoff birth would be an admirable goal for this team and another trip to the lottery is very possible, but 14th seems a little harsh (I'm guessing it's the Hornets in the coveted, all-the-ping-pong-balls-you-can-handle 15th spot). 

The most interesting part of the post is the evaluation of Shaq's departure, which contends it was a major hack job put together by Kobe, Jerry Buss, and presumably Mitch Kupchak, and that Shaq could have brought more in return than the Lakers received:

"You're telling us Paul Allen wouldn't have taken Shaq (and one of the abundance of Laker small forwards like Devean George or Luke Walton) for the expiring (at the time) contracts of Shareef Abdur Rahim, Theo Ratliff, Damon Stoudamire and three first round picks? That deal would have put the Lakers under the cap immediately this year. Likewise, Shaq to New Orleans for Baron Davis, Jamal Magloire, and two first round picks wouldn't have worked? Whatever. We don't believe it. Kobe, Baron and Magloire would be a better line-up than anything the Lakers can dream of having this year."

Neither of us are huge fans of "Anchorman," but Luke Walton deserves props. Apparently, he did a pregame thank you to the San Diego fans for attending tonight's game and ended it by telling them to "stay classy." That's pretty funny. Maybe even funnier than the actual movie. (And here it comes. The avalanche of offended Ron Burgundy fans)

Anyway, on to the game...

Last season started out the same for Luke Walton. Enter camp with high expectations, get hurt, miss some games. But Walton's looking to prevent another situation where he struggles to enter the rotation. Wouldn't worry too much, Luke. You're tailor-made for the triangle. Even money says they're getting you back in the mix the minute you're ready. And even if you're benched, sounds like you got a pretty sweet pad to stew about it in during the off-season.

With the news that Sasha Vujacic may be spending some time in chaps and a cowboy hat down in Fort Worth, LA's open roster spots might have expanded by one... possibly to one.  We think Devin Green has shown some promise (good court vision, solid decision making) and is our choice to claim the "Tierre Brown Unknown Guy Who Makes the Roster Then Contributes Award" for '05-'06.

But much of what happens depends on what the Lakers choose to do with Andrew Bynum.  Would a kid younger than Hilary Duff benefit more from playing (practicing, really) with the big club, sticking close to Kareem, and learning how to be a pro, or getting a chance to play against NBAish competition and log some minutes? 

Some of it depends on his play, which it's looking he'll finally get to do.  Reports Ross Siler of the LA Daily News: 

"There's a chance rookie center Andrew Bynum will be able to celebrate his 18th birthday by playing in the Lakers' final exhibition this coming Friday against Sacramento in Las Vegas.

Bynum was re-examined Friday and found to have made "significant progress" in his return from an abdominal strain and has been cleared to practice Monday. Bynum suffered the injury on the fourth day of training camp."

As we see more of Bynum, it'll be interesting to debate where he should go.  Feel free to join in.

Finally, another Lakers preview, courtesy of insidehoops.com.

It's a question that will come up more than once this season (and probably the next few): How will Kobe Bryant handle leading a team not nearly as talented as himself? So far, he's exercising his patience. For years, coaches have tried to convince Kobe (like MJ) to trust his teammates and have faith in the eventual results. And for years, Kobe (like MJ) resisted. But for now, he appears to be down with the program, even at peace with it. It's gonna be a push and pull process for everyone involved, but so far, so good.

It's about half an hour before tip off in tonight's battle for third place supremacy in the Staples Center mini-tourney. Tonight's victims, with any luck: The Charlotte Bobcats. Or as they're sometimes known as, the Charlotte Tarcats or Bobheels. Say what you want about this young, inexperienced expansion squad, but they make you work.  And given that The Lakers are still struggling on both ends of the court, and spent last season not exactly killing on back to backs, the boys in purple in gold need to bring it if they wanna bring home the Bronze.

Meanwhile, here's what went down, and what's on the horizon...

Due to a technical difficulty, the site has been unable to post the profile section of the blog, which lets the reader know exactly who we are. The tech eggheads are on it, and hopefully, it'll be up and running soon. But we didn't want to go too long without putting our background out there. So for now, the interim profile section...

Andrew Kamenetzky is a regular contributor to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com (Page 2 and Page 3), and maintains a blog for MLB.com. Along with Brian, he co-authored Fishing on the Edge, the autobiography of Mike Iaconelli, bass fishing’s Dennis Rodman and the 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion. He’s been following the Lakers obsessively since moving to L.A in the 90's, often spending an unhealthy amount of time looking for every piece of info available on the team. That he managed to get a gig doing the very thing that once got in the way of getting any work done is an astonishing bit of irony.

Like Andrew, Brian Kamenetzky is also a contributing writer to ESPN the Magazine, ESPN.com’s Page 2 and Page 3, and blogs for MLB.com.  And like Andrew, he is the co-author of Fishing on the Edge, the autobiography of Mike Iaconelli, the 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion and bass fishing’s resident bad boy.  Brian grew up in St. Louis, without a basketball team, and went to college in Nashville, TN… also without a pro squad.  His baptism into pro basketball has been provided by the All Lakers All The Time citizens of Los Angeles.  He misses John Celestand.

We can both be emailed at kambrothers@yahoo.com.

"Playoffs? Don't talk to me about playoffs!"

Sorry, Jim Mora, but that's just what Dr. Buss doing. And the players, including Kwame, have Buss' back.

One of our goals with the blog is to get as many fans involved as possible.  So when you guys pose interesting questions or observations to us, often we'll put it back out there in the form of a sort of "mail bag day" (with a cooler, 21st century e-communication name) and this feature, the Interesting Reader Debate Topic of the Day.

Today, it comes from reader "1979," who left this comment regarding the Phil and Kobe posting yesterday.

I think the more interesting question does still have to do with Phil and Kobe. But, it asks this: Can Phil do what he did with MJ, with Kobe. Before, Shaq was Phil's MJ. But, now there's actually a player more like MJ that has all Phil's attention. This is a better comparison. An MJ-like player with similar pieces around him. Can Phil recreate a legend now that he has similar circumstances?

Wow, that turned ugly fast, didn't it?

The 2nd half couldn't have gotten off to a worse start if Kobe, Odom, and Brown changed into street clothes at halftime (most of the team played the 2nd half like they already had).  Same issues as last year. 

-The interior defense was atrocious.  The good news is the transition defense was worse. 

-If I'm Smush Parker, and I knock down Nene, even if the Denver big man was faking it to take the charge, I'll take it.  Nene looks like he benches about 13 Smush Parkers everyday in the weight room. 

8:55 P.M- Lakers vs. Denver, Halftime Observations

Basketball is back at Staples Center!  And not just regular, run of the mill basketball, but preseason basketball.  If the game gets out of hand you can play the "Where did (insert 17th man on roster who won't make the team here) go to school?" game with your buddy.  Loser drinks. 

So here are some first half observations:

-Apparently, Phil Jackson hasn't fixed the '04-'05 squad's tendency to come out flat in the first quarter.  By the time most people got out of the beer line, LA was already down by 7.  It'd be nice to see them break this habit quickly.  The Nuggets also were the beneficiaries of too many open shots, as well.  Not a good combo.

-In not-quite-back-to-back possessions, Laron Profit made a great post move on Earl Watson (makin' the team!) then missed the layup (clear out your locker!) before draining the open three (makin' the team!).  The charge Devin Brown took later in the half shows the competition for the end of the roster is tight. 

-Devean has the stroke he showed at the beginning of last season.  He started this way last year, too, so don't bump him up in your fantasy drafts quite yet.  Still, it's a very positive sign.

Last night, Staples Center played host to an extravaganza event, Basketball 101 with the Los Angeles Lakers: Understanding the Triangle offense with Phil Jackson. The evening, put on by LA Sports & Entertainment Commission and American Express, allowed Angelenos to tour Staples, see the Lakers locker room, plus step on the actual court and shoot around. And there's nothing more entertaining to watch than dudes in their 40's and 50's jacking up shots, especially from the three point line. I think I saw about 8 go down. (Although I shouldn't talk. My sole FG attempt, also from behind the arc, clanged hard off the back of the rim. I debated another try, but remembered there were news cameras around, and had awful visions of watching myself on Sportscenter's "Not Top 10" later this week.)  Best player on the court? An 8 year old kid named Max, sporting a Caron Butler Lakers jersey, which I suppose now qualifies as throwback gear. He was dribbling behind his back with ridiculous smoothness and draining some long shots. Truthfully, we could use a small guard, and the kid couldn't weigh much less than Vujacic. Max, get your agent on the phone with Kupchak.

But most importantly, the night offered insight into the triangle offense, the bread and butter of any Phil Jackson squad. After dinner ended, the Zen Master himself, along with Tex Winter, Kurt Rambis, Brian Shaw, John Salley, and Ann Meyers Drysdale (one of women's basketball's all-time greats, and wife of the late Don Drysdale) stepped on the court to give a full on demo of how the offense works and some of its principles.

One of our favorite sites to hit for hoops news is Hoopshype.com. Click on the "Rumors" section, and you'll get a quick roundup on what's going on around the NBA. If it's news, it'll end up there. Great depth, lots of sources.

What's interesting is that the Lakers haven't shown up there much. The lack of drama heading into this season is almost unnerving for a city used to so much of it. In fact, the news blackout is driving some fans completely insane. Already we've recieved a bunch of comments from fans who are getting the shakes from Lakers TV withdrawl, dusting off their old Sedale Threatt highlight videos to compensate. Games in Hawaii and Bakersfield with no television coverage have fans wondering what's really going on, looking for information they can't get in box scores.

Hopefully, tonight when the Lakers host Washington in their Staples preseason opener, LA's Lakers junkies will finally get their fix. Fans can see how Odom looks with the ball in his hands, or how aggressive Kwame Brown is on the boards.

It's not quite opening night, but for a lot of fans, it looks like exactly what they need.

Phil's vote is in: Kobe for MVP. He may criticize Kobe throughout the course of the season, but he's backing a goal that one expects Kobe's gunning for as well. And certainly, in theory, able to win.

It's no secret that this year's Official Lakers Story is the reuniting of Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant.  People want to know how it'll work.  Do you take the over in the "Number of Weeks Before Phil Punches Kobe" bet, or hold out for the under? 

Yahoo! 

Sharpshooter turned columnist Steve Kerr of Yahoo! Sports has his Pacific Division preview at the ready, with the Lakers coming in at 3rd (scroll down to find the Clips), and a chance to move up because of weakness at the top of the division. 

Linked to Kerr's picks are Matt Buser's Pacific Fantasy Sleepers.  Check them out if you're the type of person who reads about fantasy sports instead of working... and if you're reading this at 2:00 p.m., you probably are.

During the 1999-2000 season, during Devean George's rookie season, I made the mistake of telling some buddies I thought he looked pretty good for an inexperienced kid, and that he could be a pretty big part of the team in the future. This was merely said in passing, and mind you, I never claimed he would be the next Kobe. Or better than Kobe. I never even claimed he had "All-Star" written all over him.  Just that he had some potential. It seemed like a pretty forgettable statement at the time.

It wasn't.

Dear Phil,

I know we're new here at Lakers Blog, so perhaps you didn't see our fantasy draft yesterday.  I hope so, because today I read you cut my 18th round pick, Will Conroy.  C'mon!  I know the roster has to be trimmed, but at the expense of Rambis Glasses?  That just seems cold.  The kid was a silent stud at Washington, dependable as sunny summers in California. 

Sorry Will, we hardly knew ya. 

Question:  If Rambis Glasses wins the title this year, does Will Conroy get a ring?

Sincerely,

Brian Kamenetzky

The Lakers took down the Wizards last night 111-108 in OT, led by a motivated Kwame Brown's 19 points and two clutch free throws.  Lamar Odom chipped in 8 boards and six assists, while Devean George put in 22.  That's the kind of effort the supporting staff will have to deliver for the Purple and Gold to stay afloat in the West. 

And in the preseason's most watched pregame player exchange, Brown and Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas met at halfcourt... and nothing really happened.  Which is good.  Still, it's a shame they won't be breaking down the tape like the Shaq/Kobe tipoff last Christmas.  That was good stuff. 

Vlade Divac may be retiring, but he's staying with the Lakers, joining the scouting staff.  Kick back and look at the impact he had over his 16 year career, and what you see is very impressive.   Plus, he turned flopping into high art (we mean that as a compliment).   

Meanwhile, USA Today's Greg Boeck checks in the reunion of Phil and Kobe. 

Since it was officially announced that the Zen Master and Dr. Buss were back in business, the talk has come non-stop and 24/7 revolving around one subject: Can Kobe and Phil co-exist?  No, Kobe ran Phil off. No, Phil wrote a book and made Kobe come off pricklier than Martha Stewart. Yes, they're both pros, they both want to win. 

Yeah, if Phil and Kobe blow up, it'll be time for more face time for Mitch Kupchak at the Draft Lottery.  But assuming everything goes well- Phil and Kobe need to coexist, not become bridge partners- what they can do together is a known quantity.  In many ways, for this team to find success, Kobe isn't the most important player.

It's actually Lamar Odom.   

The Laker nation has a home on the Blogosphere.  Welcome to LA Lakers Blog on LA Times.com.  We're your blogmasters, Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky.  No relation (just kidding).  In this space we plan to bring you all the Lakers information you need to know, and a lot that you probably don't but will have a good time with anyway.  We'll keep you up to date on Lakers news, get in depth with players, report on upcoming opponents, and generally flood your mind with all things purple and gold. 

And, just for fun, we'll toss in our own two cents here and there. Actually, that's pretty much all we're going to do, since this site is about having a little more fun than the real reporters might get to have. It's also about Lakers fans having a place to come together, rant and rave.  We encourage you to leave comments (remember, it's a family website), and let us know what's on your mind. 

Because, for better or worse, there's never a dull moment in Lakerland. 

Andrew Kamenetzky on the building of team "Why not Isaiah Rider?"

After much fanfare, deliberation and media speculation, the First Annual Kamenetzky Brothers All-Lakers Fantasy Draft officially entered the books. Exciting as a two person league comprised entirely of players from one team is, there was still one anti-climactic moment. It's not really all that thrilling when there are only 2 ping pong balls involved. And ghetto as we are, we didn't even have actual ping pong balls, instead settling on two golf balls with "1" and "2" written in marker.  As the elder brother, I drew first and defeated the staggering 50-50 odds to pluck the first pick. Immediately, I was on the clock for thirty seconds. Here's my take on the next 20 rounds.

You've probably already heard on Sportscenter, but today history was made. 

Andrew Kamenetzky might as well have volunteered to finish second in the Kamenetzky Brothers All Lakers Fantasy League.  His draft?  Horrible. 

My draft, filling out the squad for "Rambis Glasses"?  Genius.  To recap the rules: 

Two brothers, two teams, nothing but Lakers.  Stats tallied: Points, rebounds, assists, steals, field goal and free throw percentages, turnovers, and blocks.  (NOTE:  Don't get bogged down in the math as you follow the season.  We're bloggers, not eggheads)

Wild card category?  DNP-CD's.  And they don't work against you, they work for you.

After watching how Andy handled his picks, it's no wonder he's never won this thing before.  Here's how it went down...

More of the same. All sides downplaying the Wizards-Arenas-Kwame love triangle. But what's cool is how Brown actually acknowledges his lack of professionalism in handling the situation. Hopefully, this is a step towards consistent maturity, which would be a big time positive sign for Lakers fans still skeptical about this off-season acquisition.

Time heals all wounds, at least according to Kwame Brown. Everything's cool between him and Gilbert Arenas, despite having fought the urge to clean his old point guard's clock last year, which ultimately led to his '05 playoffs suspension and being traded. Frankly, with a new offense to learn and a new coach to please, he may have too much on his plate for a grudge. Besides, Nuggets rookie Julius Hodge has (more or less) forgiven Hornets rook Chris Paul for putting his ability to reproduce in jeopardy. Compared to that brouhaha, most feuds seem (and feel) trivial.

As the Lakers travel home from Hawaii and head to Bakersfield for Tuesday's game against Washington, they still have more questions than answers, and a lot of wrinkles to work out, as Times beat man Mike Bresnahan points out.   Meanwhile, Jonathan Abrams checks in on Lamar Odom's growth as a leader of the team, and the feelings of Lakers players on David Stern's Rules of Gentlemanly Dress.  Thus far, no word to see if they've passed the hat after practice for Marcus Camby's dress code fund.  Be patient, Marcus!  After Katrina, Rita, and the devastation in Pakistan, even pro athletes are a little tapped, charity wise. 

ESPN's uberguru Rick Bucher notes in his camp visit that while the bright lights are shining on the return of the triangle, the big news is the team's emphasis on defense, and the peace and quiet between Phil and #8. 

"Although coach Phil Jackson plans to reinstitute his much-beloved triangle offense with his return to the Lakers' bench, the most noticeable change in the team this season will be its defense.

The Lakers are fully committed to actually playing some.

What effect that dedication has on last season's fourth-worst scoring defense, with a roster currently boasting Wafers and Smushes and Bobbitts, remains to be seen. But if the Lakers are as adept at protecting the hoop as they are the relationship between Kobe and Phil, then consider them a lock to make the playoffs."

Things that are funny that have nothing to do with the Lakers:  According the the ESPN rumor mill, Isiah Thomas is making a run at Theo Ratliff.  Because after spending seventy nine gazillion dollars on Jerome James and Eddy Curry, apparently Isiah decided he needed another super pricey interior presence, but this time he wants one that can actually play some defense.  (Speaking of which, do you dream about scenarios in which James and Curry will play simultaneously?  At 5'8" (Andy) and 5'9" (Brian) respectively, we're both pretty sure we could win battles on the glass against those two.  The first time Earl Boykins sneaks in between the two and grabs a board, someone owes us a beer.) 

Whether fooling himself or not, it's nice to see Andrew Bynum is confident he can make a contribution this season. While he's correct that the team may not be loaded with A-List bigs, that doesn't necessarily translate into Phil turning to him for help. But either way, it's better than Bynum seeming intimidated and overwhlemed.

Kobe's gone from grousing about the triangle to being a stickler for it. He's going out of his way to let less experienced teammates know when the execution is off, giving them a heads up before the Zen Master yanks them off the court (as was Tony Bobbitt's fate after an ill-advised shot in Tuesday's exhibition opener).

And his teammates need to learn how to run the show, since Kobe's now letting his guards initiate the offense. This will leave him playing more of the wing, with his guards setting the table for his inevitable attack.

Nothing gets people keyed up like a fantasy draft, which explains why right now we are more excited than the passengers on the Minnesota Vikings Love Cruise.  That's right.  It's time for the First Annual Kamenetzky Brothers All-Lakers Fantasy Draft (seriously, we have to do something while the team flies back from Hawaii).

The rules are simple.  Two brothers, two teams, nothing but Lakers.  Stats tallied: Points, rebounds, assists, steals, field goal and free throw percentages, turnovers, and blocks.  (NOTE:  Don't get bogged down in the math as you follow the season.  We're bloggers, not eggheads.  We think it'll be easy enough to maintain accurate rankings, but if it isn't, we'll fudge whatever formulas we have until everything sort of makes sense)

Wild card category?  DNP-CD's.  And they don't work against you, they work for you.  Benchwarmers may kill you in every other category, but a couple late round Vujacics, Bynums, or Will Conroys could be the difference between first place and... second place.

Coming soon:  The Draft Lottery.  Two men.  Two ping pong balls.  Two big dreams.   

Let's say we employed a million crack researchers, each armed with one of those multi-monitored ubercomputers John Travolta gave Hugh Jackman in "Swordfish." They still wouldn't be able to track down every article written about the purple and gold. Which means the two of us on our outdated laptops don't stand a chance. But we'll always do our best to bring readers as many stories, perspectives and opinions as possible. Knowledge is key. "Extra! Extra!" is where you can come to get a little.

Everyone loves reading previews of their home team, especially when that team is predicted to do mow through the regular season, then beat opponents into submission with the Larry O'Brien trophy before blocking traffic in a downtown parade. 

But it's still fun even if your team is expected to struggle to make the playoffs, like the Lakers.  It's early, and there will be plenty more armchair Nostradamus types weighing in (including us), but here are a couple early samples of the pre-season predictions.  We'll pass on more as we find them. 

NBA.com:  They're not counting out Phil and the gang, but a return to the playoffs feels like a long shot, since they wonder who's gonna run the triangle properly. 

CNN/SI.com: In an older-but-insightful-post (from late September- we're still in the Spree business here) Kelly Dwyer believes that Jackson's presence will help big time while Bryant and Odom could make the triangle fun, or at least funnish.  Still, lack of power in the paint and a general lack of talent makes 7th in the West an accomplishment.  Interesting points about how the triangle will look with Kobe and Phil, but no Shaq. 

Aloha! 

The Lakers opened training camp this week in Honolulu with guarded optimism and a hole at the 2 large enough to swallow the Big Island.  After a pair of games we think took place against Golden State (Note to Comcast: We need Fox Sports Pacific Ocean), they’ve still got the guarded optimism, but that hole in the backcourt grew a lot bigger. 

THE WEEK THAT WAS:

Wednesday:  Before we had a chance to digest news that Luke Walton might open the season at as the starting shooting guard, a balky hammy put him out of commission for 2-6 weeks, giving everyone plenty of time to decide whether or not it was a good idea to begin with.  A Walton/Odom backcourt could generate serious ball movement, but since Luke's quickness (or lack thereof) at small forward was a problem, he could struggle to survive on both ends as a 2, even with a good hammy.  And consistently putting Kobe on opposing guards could frequently land #8 in early foul trouble and force him to use up valuable offensive energy.  Meanwhile, Smush Parker’s Lakers staged a furious comeback and took the season’s most meaningless game, 101-93.  Unfortunately for our man Smush (anyone named Smush, by definition, is our man), the Zen Master isn’t ready to even pencil him in as the fifth starter. 

Thursday: Sign that some Lakers are already in midseason form: Slava Medvedenko racked up four personals in only twelve minutes.  To be fair, a couple could have come guarding Adonal Foyle.  Hopefully, it’s just early rust for everyone else.  Veteran Aaron McKie didn’t hit a bucket, Lamar Odom went 2-8 from the floor (expect some bad shooting games while he concentrates on handling the ball and moving the offense), and the team shot 39%, including 14% from beyond the arc.  Yikes.  We’re not jumping to conclusions, but the Lakers still haven’t won a game since Walton got hurt.

THE WEEK THAT WILL BE:

Tuesday vs. Washington (in Bakersfield):  Chucky and Caron return, with a vengeance!  Or as much as they can muster for their 4^th preseason game.  The Wiz are counting on Butler and guard Antonio Daniels to fill the void left by the departed Larry Hughes and compliment Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, so last year’s playoff appearance becomes a more regular thing.  In the meantime, preseason or not, if Kwame Brown isn't motivated to show his old team what they lost by giving up on him, even Tony Robbins couldn't light a fire under the kid. 

Odds on Brown and Arenas bumping fists before the tip: Even. Odds on that fist bump being any more than a formality: 10-1. Odds that Brown and Wiz Coach Eddie Jordan will speak: 250-1.