As long as MItch Kupchak and Jim Buss are in charge of player/talent evaluations, expect the Lakers to be below average. No blockbuster trades for this mediocre GM because let's face it... he's not THE LOGO.
What the Lakers really need is a front office that has the same mystique as Jerry West... and that can only come from previous Laker players that have been a part of championships, say Magic or Worthy or such.
Until the Dr (Jerry Buss) realizes his errors in giving his son and Mitch the reins, expect no reigns in the NBA for the Lakers.
I think we did alright. Picking at 19 is not going to give you an impact guy, and Crittendon has some nice potential.
What I find very interesting is the situation with Yi and the Bucks. I would like to see that Lakers get involved in bringing him over. Not exactly sure what they need or what we would be willing to offer, but if it's a foregone conclusion that Kobe is getting traded (and I think it is), getting Yi could bridge the marketing gap a little (don't think Sun whatever is going to do it).
This is not as bad as many think. The lakers have options now. After a draft there are now hundreds of more permutations and trade possibilities. Except for the lanky Chinese PG (which may have simply been marketing), this wasn't a bad draft. They could have gone with Nichols as a PF with range. That would be the oly criticism. Gasol was a very good pick and gives them more flexibility vis-a-vis Kwame and Bynum. The Crittendon/Farmar situation looks again like flexibility for a possible future trade. Mitch is thinking people. He just has a damn near impossible job given all that's been dealt him.
Lakers need to trade Mtich Kupcake. Even Isiah was able to pull of a steal by getting landing zack for virtually nothing. Shame on you Mitch I can't wait for the da when Buss will fire Mitch Kupcake
I still can't get over how Portland just OWNED tonights draft..they have so many good players it is wild..but hopefully the Lakers can do well next season..even if they don't have Kobe..but man it's just scary to think that..
I think Marc Gasol will stay overseas for another year. Sun Yue to the development league. Crittenden maybe to the development league too. The Lakers already have Farmar and they are going after the point guard from overseas. Crittenden probably wouldn't see many minutes for the Lakers.
We wasted those three picks unless we have a grand plan or they have been traded a long time ago to Minny. The way I interpret it Crittenton was intended to replace Farmar to be packaged for a star, Sun Yue as Yi mentioned it's for business with billion chinese and Gasol to attract Pau. Mihm, Bynum and Kwame, 2 of these three guys may be being shopped? I like Gasol but Taureen Green of Florida Gators is much better.
Here is the currrent status of JO trade:
"Bryant made his trade request last month, and the Lakers have been trying to upgrade the talent around him instead. When a deal fell through earlier in the week that included Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, reports centered around the Lakers again targeting Indiana’s O’Neal. But yesterday evening, the Indiana executive Donnie Walsh said there was “no validity” in a deal with the Lakers.
If any marquee player were to get traded, it appears likely to be Garnett. Over the past week, Minnesota’s owner, Glen Taylor, seemed ready to part with Garnett, his franchise pillar, to rebuild a team that had not won a title with him. Several executives cited Taylor’s desire to acquire both young players and salary cap space instead of seeking commensurate value for a superstar." - New York Times
Weren't we supposed to draft Sun Yue last year? I know I saw his name in a mock draft last year. Anyway, does anybody have any stats for Marc Gasol? I would like to see some of the kid's numbers before I get excited about him.
I think Crittenton was a great pick at #19.The Lakers needed a pg and they may have gotten the best one in the draft.15/4/6 are very good numbers for a freshman.He has good size and appears to be a good fit for the triangle.From what I hear Marc Gasol could be a steal if he can shed some pounds.He was a projected late first rounder so at 48 he was worth a shot.Sun Yue playing for the lakers would be a surprise in my mind but you never know he might be good.The next move Im hoping the Lakers make is signing James Posey.This team needs a good defensive player in the worst way.As for Jermaine O"Neal he would give the Lakers a much needed scorer on the inside and a shot blocker on defense.If JO can make Kobe happy then maybe I think the lakers should make the trade.
i just have a problem drafting another PG when we could've looked for:
1.) an offensive no. 4 to back up LO
or
2.) another inside presence, one who could defend
i dunno... i paid seminal attention to this year's prospects so i don't know for sure if we had such a player available at No. 19... but another young PG?
now we got sasha (4 years), farmar (2 years) and critteron (rookie)... we don't need more youth at the 1
and seriously, i'm really wondering which one of ya'll drank the "kobe hater cocktail" ! they were talking about it on air, so who drank up?
As far as our draft goes, the position we had, I like what we done. I especially like number 19. That was an excellent pick. I have a feeling this guy is going to work out in a very solid/sleeper kind of way.
This guy could be the one player people will be talking about.
I guess I am the only one not put off by the Sun Yue selection. I live in Dallas, and the Morning News here has been pretty high on this guy. Of course, the Texas teams have developed something of a name for themselves in spotting and developing foreign talent. Their fans have embraced this, and so the papers follow sit.
Odd that it's NOT LAL/GS/NYK/MIA on the forefront of picking up internationals; as many have pointed out, those are types of places that have a biz reason as well as a hoops reason for taking flyers on players from unexpected places.
Oh well; I don't think we were in a position to gain much. This draft has next to no impact on our immediate pressing issues. This means the focus never left the real issue: trades. We're still short on defense, rebounding and IQ. At this rate, we'll become the Washington Generals by 2010. So there's always that.
This is definitely a sad evening for all Lakers fans. I hope it is not the beginning of dark age in Lakerland. Pray hard all Lakers fans. Mitch has to go. The Sooner Dr. Buss realizes the shorter the torture would be for all of us.
You are correct, sir. That reaches new depths of crapulence. What Marc needs is a theme song: I nominate "Superbad"
"I'm Gaso-o-o-l, and I'm Superbaaad. HIT meh!" Someone should get the Staples PA guy on this posthaste.
If only JB were still with us... He'd probably come over to my house and kick me in the ass for that. But it would be worth it. For the showmanship, I mean.
I posted this on a dead thread so... I'll repost here because I know how very exited everyone is about my theories:
what if Kobe is going to Charlotte? Brandan Wright for Jason Richardson? Huh? Does a sign and trade Gerald Wallace and Richardson for Kobe deal work? Is this a viable trade? LOL! Just wondering...
watch this highlight video and you will know why. he shows good foot work for a big man, good passing ability plus he has range and a nice little jumper. i wonder how good his defensive presence is but you can see him creating his own shot on a couple of occasions...
Not too disappointed in the draft. I think people need to realize that there is rarely a quick fix through the draft. I like Crittendon, but he is a project. I definitely think he is better than Smush. I think that's where people need to be looking. I think, with a year under his belt, Farmar will be at least a respectable starting PG this year.
Sun Yue doesn't really bother me, I probably would have picked Byars (from almost all accounts he was someone that could have helped) but I checked out Sun's profile on Draft Express and it sounds like he's pretty damn good even though he's a project.
I think picking Marc Gasol will be alright. I don't imagine that our starting roster is going to Include Kwame Brown (bet he's a piece to a trade) so another big is a good idea (plus we might get Mihm back so that's three centers).
I'm still bummed though. I mean how can you be a Laker fan and be optimistic. No team in the west has gotten worse, and the Cellar Dwellars (Portland and Seattle) are looking pretty good for the future meanwhile we are stuck with our dysfunctional GM/Owner/Kobe situation and the fact that we probably won't get Garnett and we probably won't get JO (unless we actually are dumb enough to give up Bynum and Lamar).
I guess Garnett hasn't been traded yet, so there's still hope. I'm just going to sit and pray this offseason works out alright.
I'm okay with the picks. I might have taken Jason Smith at #19, I'm not sure, but it was either Crittenton or him. Sun Yue is probably good for business (Chinese interests), and Gasol is a nice 7-footer to stash overseas.
I really wanted Quinton Hosley, but he went undrafted so we can go after him for the summer league team, and in retrospect we could have had Jason Smith and Zabian Dowdell, but again Dowdell went undrafted so the draft is always a crap shoot and mystery, especially the 2nd round.
For the summer league team, I would definitely pick up Hosley and Dowdell. Okay, maybe not Dowdell because we have enough point guards now.
Just looked at Jermaine O'Neal stats he isnt as good as i thought.He is a career 46% shooter.My opinion has changed back to my original thought this guy is not worth giving up Bynum and Odom for.Hopefully the Lakers DONT try to please the CRY BABY by trading their two biggsest assets besides the CRY BABY for a good but overrated Jermaine O'Neal.The Lakers only shot at winning a title in the near future is Bynum developing fast for Kobe like Kobe did for Shaq.
I think the draft is a place where we think something will drop in our laps. If it doesn't happen we are really bummed out.
This draft was about what it was expected to be. We got a guy that should have gone a few places sooner in Crittenton and we got some possibilities in the 2nd round with Yue and Gasol.
We get to see Farmar and Crittenton 'duke it out' in summer league and see if any of the 2nd rounders will make the club or be in development leagues.
Hey guys -- this is the draft at the 19th position. We have trades to try and make and we don't want many more youngsters on our club so we weren't going to mortgage the house to move up in the draft.
Get used to it. The heavy lifting is about to start. Hopefully we won't hear anything until something is done. If we do then it probably means it won't really happen.
***********This must be the good times Mitch was talking about...***************
The roster is pathetic....
Keep all the kids, trade Kobe, don't win a game next year and get the #1 pick..
And of course, Phil has to go, 10 billion to coach this group? Waste of money.
Buss, sell or get a new mgt team.... I really don't think the Lakers can fall much lower after watching the media embarrass the Laker Franchise and it's FANS on National TV...
And whoever said that Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are the same player is a bit off. Ray Allen is way more perimeter come off a screen shooter and Pierce is more likely to create his own shot around the hoop or knock down a midrange. I'm not saying they are completely different but different enough where they could easily coexist on the same team.
O.K I am perplexed to say the least. If we were a team that was set and could develope guys or a young team drafting for upside then I would be O.K. But we are a team that needs to win now. From everything I read Rudy Fernandez was NBA ready with lottery pick talent. He slid down because it could be expensive to buy him out of his contract. So if Dr Buss is willing to pay anything to build a winner like he claims, why pass on Rudy? I do not get it. Jarvis was an o.k pick, suppose to be good on D and was projected higher on a lot of boards but we already have a PG project. Gasol was a very nice pick up at were we got him. Could be a quality back up in the near future but the Chinese guy? Man...
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Expect yet another year of the mamba going crazy scoring, the new concept of the team is going from the triangle offense to Kobe+4(who cares who they are) I just hope these two coming years go by quick until he opts outta here. Kobe ur dope and all but if you wanted another ring you shouldn't of kicked shaq out. With or with out you we won't be winning a championship 4 a while. Since my existence in 85 the lakers won 3 in 85, 87, 88 fast foward 12 yrs and we win 3 in a row so im thinking another 10yrs maybe until we get back into our winning ways, and here's a thought Kobe and Shaq are the coaches LOL
I think everybody thinks Kobe is leaving because of more talents, but Kobe is leaving because he does not trust Jerry Buss and his little kids that run the lakers.
I think this was the one year Kobe got along with his teammates great. Even notice that none of his teammates have said anything negative about him this year. Even when luke had a chance to call koe out he did not. And alot of those guys especiallly luke and lamar love Kobe. I think it was reported that Lamar and Luke said to Kobe that he wished he could have done more to help him against the suns
Kobe wants to leave because of Buss and his kids. Just like Jerry West, he does not want to be involved with the dysfunctional family anymore. And i don blame him. We fans don't understand how crazy the organization is, and Kobe does. I don think Kobe will only want to be traded because he does not have players around him. He wants out because management is terrible.
When I woke up on Draft Day, other than Kobe, the Lakers appeared to have no players anyone else would really want. By bed time, nothing changed.
In fact, the Lakers so-called re-building plan just got longer. Even if the team keeps Bynum and Farmar, with the new draftees the Lakers won't be contending for a Championship until 2012.
While other teams drafted players who can impact quickly, the Lakers drafted only projects. While other teams made trades, the Lakers stood pat. Draft Day was pretty much a non-event if you're a Laker fan.
At last check, the Lakers were not in active discussions for either KG or JO.
Competitively, we may actually be in worse shape after the Draft than we were before it. At best, the front office will end up re-arranging the deck chairs and no one will confuse Mitch Kupchak with the King of the World.
They took the best player available at 19. Crittenton was a fast riser in the last week before the draft, he has a lot potential and can be very exciting, I personally felt that the Clippers were going to take him. I like the Sun Yue pick, a 6-9 point guard, that can get stronger and end up like a Boris Diaw-type small forward. I have no idea or opinion on Marc Gasol.
I made a mistake one day and saw The View for a couple of minutes, and today I saw Star Jones again sitting between Jay Bilas and Mark Jackson, just spitting hot air over and over to the point that I had to turn offthe television after the Suns picked Rudy Fernandez. Seriously, does anybody find Stephen A. Smith interesting or entertaining, I know he is trying to copy Barkley but he falls incredibly short.
It's not that I'm pissed at the players we picked...only a tinnie little bit...but the positions we picked. There's a reason I have to believe there's a method to this madness. I'm with CBuck, 2 guards, and Greek dude (not our greek dude), you put in Farmar, Sasha, Mo, Kobe, am I missing anyone else? That's a lot of guards. I'd understand it though if there was some kind of plan.
I love the Lakers so I hope at least on of these stiffs works out ok so lets run them down
Javaris Crittenton: So far what I like is that nobody can't say his name 5 times in a row so until he earns his full name we should call him JAVA THE CRITON besides he may not last that long with the lakers or at least thats what Spero is hoping for so he doesnt have to say his name live
Sun Yue: It looks like nobody knows anything about this guy on the other hand he teach Kobe mandarin in time for the Olympics in exchange Kobe will teach him the difference between defense and Defenders.
Marc Gasol: Good god I hope Mitch knew this is not paul Gasol although now that I think about it Mitch might be so desperate that he might kidnap Marc in order to put presure on Paul to come to the Lakers. Stay tuned if you see a yellow suv on the news making a run for it down the 405 freeway dont worry thats just Mitch working hard for the Lakers
The guy doesn't know how to talk. He speaks and it's as if he's trying to sell you something, which is irritating. As he's given more time his voice rises as if he getting stronger and stronger but he's actully getting more irritating as he continues. It's as if he thinks he's breaking big new or something.
I bet he doesn't last at his NBA position with ESPN.
Hey, Most of you seem dejected about the draft, but I think that's because everybody was thinking there was a big trade coming down the pipes. There will be trades, but they'll be after the F/A signings begin.
KG is not coming, JO is not coming, but Kobe's going. We'll get some nice players in return and finally we might have a chance to get some team unity for a change. Guys that hang out together and play together.
Well Sun yue wasn't a very good choice their were plenty of good players on he board byars, taurean green andeven dj strawberry but yue wasnt even expected to be drafted leave it up to kupchak to pull off that move. But i have one question who can the lakers possibly acquire jo chauncey rashard lewis. we definitley need another good player
That was like going to Disneyland, only to show up and have everything closed but It's a Small World and the Tea-cups...
Talk about anti-climatic. Kobe must feel a little bit better about his public image as Cupcake and Jimbob just made him look like a innocent pinada getting bludgeoned blow after blow by sheer stupidity.
I think every Laker fan and Kobe need to remember if it wasnt for all the injuries last year the lakers probably would have won 50 games and made the western conference finals.This team is very young and still gaining experience.I feel with the addition of Crittenton and a a couple other minor changes that would improve the defense the lakers can be one of the top teams in the west this season.With Bynum only 19 and Duncan and Nash each getting older I think these Lakers may only be one or two years away from getting back to the finals.Kobe just needs to be patient because when Andrew the Great is ready he will help get Kobe that fourth ring he wants so badly.
You know thats what I really want. Guys who hang out together and play together. Who cares if the have talent and can lead us to a champ. NOT!
Kobe and Shaq hated each other off the court but on the court they were like brothers. The whole team can hate each other for all I care as long aS they give 100% on the court.
Team unity doesn't alway lead to champs. Vets and talent do and some times thats not even enough. Ask the suns and mavs
"I think every Laker fan and Kobe need to remember if it wasnt for all the injuries last year the lakers probably would have won 50 games and made the western conference finals."
you're talking out of your a$$. kobe ain't a good leader or teammate. the only way kob's going to win a 4th ring is going to a championship-caliber team and be Pippen to Jordan or Kobe to Shaq. i wouldn't hold my breath because kobe has an inflated ego and kobe believes he, koby bryant, was responsible for the laker championships........buzzz..........wrong. it was shaq.
" I don think Kobe will only want to be traded because he does not have players around him. He wants out because management is terrible."
fair enough, but let's not forget kobe wanted to be in this situation when shaq was traded away. i know it's beating the proverbial dead horse, but why take a team which made the finals 4 of 5 years and rebuild? don't make no stinkin' sense. i also don't buy the argument that the FO's a "mess". it's propoganda drama that's created by kobe's "camp" to deflect blame away from kobe. I see right through it. i believe it's called a red herring. no need to respond, i though i'd give my daily jab at The Big......nah, i'll lay off the namecalling for a while.
These are sad times ??? Please peeps...Kareem's untimely migraines in the mid 70's....Sedale Threatt jacking it up on a scoring spree or Ceballos going for 50 !
Getting Gordon and Nocioni to play with Lamar, Bynum and Kwame Brown at the west will make the Lakers less talented than Memphis.
If we ad the surgery of Lamar and kwame....the expectations looks more depressing.
Prediction...
Lakers will trade Kobe, preferably to Chicago, because now the Knicks with Kobe can be contenders in the east.
Phil is gone.
Larry Brown is hired "because he is teacher"
Bynum, will average again 10 points and 6 rebounds. His foul problems will continue and Brown will bring him from the bench.
Larry Brown is blamed for Bynum underdevelopment.
Lamar, will sign with Miami Heat.
No superstars will want to play for the Lakers. The value of the team reach all time low. Buss sell his part of the Lakers and the team start a new development.
Jim Buss start a real state business and got broke in one year.
Phil will marry Jeanie and they will live to Montana.
Johnny Buss will be taking pictures to third or fifth grade models.
Lakers with new ,management will keep team expenses low and they will be the perennial Haws in LA.
Kobe will win a championship in the East, and will retire after that at 33 years old. He will move with his family to Italy and nobody will know about him.
seriously, it was the 19th pick. all you can do is draft the best player available. i watched that whole draft; i didn't see anyone out there that would've made a huge difference. we just all got to sit back and hope one of these kids works out. sometimes, making all these moves doesn't mean a team is moving forward. look at new york. all sorts of trades, but they can't even get into the playoffs... IN THE EAST. kobe needs to realize that, however great he is, he can't change the rules of the salary cap. he can't get help unless someone wants to dump a star on the lakers. people keep talking about jermaine o'neal, but when we are left without ANY centers (the trade would have to be lamar, bynum, AND kwame to work under the cap) people will be complaining about how mitch can't get a big man. san antonio and phoenix are winning because the superstar on each respective team is willing to follow a plan; you never heard nash complaining about amare's knee or them trading joe johnson... and last time I checked, nash is QUITE older than kobe. kobe just needs to realize that good leaders lead, not bail when things are rough. kobe forgets when he was a 19 year old kid jacking up 3's against utah; had shaq written him off back then, neither one of them would've had three rings.
david
"kobe just needs to realize that good leaders lead, not bail when things are rough. kobe forgets when he was a 19 year old kid jacking up 3's against utah; had shaq written him off back then, neither one of them would've had three rings."
that's why shaq's responsible for 4 rings and kobe's responsible for 0 rings...........but in kobe's mind, and the minds of kobe loyalists, kobe's responsible for 3 rings plus the 3 rings kobe should have won in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
I'm not sure why you guys buy the mock draft perverbial "you wont get an impact player"
Sure you wont get a superstar...but you get an all star like Boozer, Arenas, Redd.
There were plenty of impact players left on the board after they selected Crittenton. Dudley, Afflalo, Tucker who went right after him arent projects and are immediate impact players.
See that's where you are flat dead wrong. Shaq would have just won his first title with Miami if it were not for Kobe. Slice it or dice it any way you want too. For you not to acknowledge it, you might as well quote the big Aristotle (before he won his first NBA title with the Lakers)
"I've won on every level except the NBA and College..."
I think many of your posts are pretty funny and smart, but your anti-Kobe rants are as bad (worse) than any of the so called "Kobe Appologists".
I've been in Kobe's corner from the get go, and I am now in the "I'm over him" corner.
But to say (and I'll use your tactics here...) "kobe has an inflated ego and kobe believes he, koby bryant, was responsible for the laker championships........buzzz..........wrong. it was shaq."
Just stare at that for a second. Do you see the stupidity of that comment?
Inflated ego, well let's just say Kobe and Shaq's ego could probably lead this years Macy's parade--floating up front, two heads bobing back and forth trying to get the cover shot--that is why the Lakers will be left without EITHER ONE OF THEM SOON.
And, as I said, both of them were responsible for the fantastic three peat us Lakers fans were all a part. To say it was Shaq, just belitles every point you try and make about Kobe. Believe me, as a guy who really liked the idea of having Kobe on the Lakers, I have separated my feelings from him now...It's all about Jaravis and Sun--
The teams in the East are all about drafting and making trades to compete now in a weak Eastern conference.
The West if you are not a strong playoff contender like the Spurs, Mavs, Suns, Rockets, Jazz and Nuggets you might as well rebuild for the future or you are just wasting your time.
What's hard is if you are the 7th, 8th, 9th seed. What do you do? Sadly Lakers and Clippers are both in these situation. Worse for Lakers because ... we happen to have the best player in the game.
When these elite teams have passed in three or four years. Sonics and Blazers will rise as the future holds.
The real issue with the LAKERS is...
Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown. You ask WHY?
These two were suppose to be the nucleus of the team with KOBE and caryy the team. THEY HAVE NOT DONE THAT!!
Lamar SMALL FORWRD has been good but not good enough as needed by the team.
Kwame POWER FORWARD? He has brought nothing at all! broken DREAMS! All he did was prove he was a big mistake!
The smush, waltons, mihms, they were asked to put big minutes because of the talent depleted team. They were not paid to play starting minutes. Except for Mihm he was a role player for THE BIG THREE a serviceble center, he was doing well before he got injured.
Lamar and Kwame, especially Kwame has the burden on their shoulders why the Lakers has been a failure. Smush was just a wrong choice for a no choice. Walton did more than what he was supposed to to as a back up role player.
So if you are the Laker management. What do you do? Phil and lakers management are being killed for KWAME BROWN 's failure.
If you are Kobe Bryant, the best player in the game! What do you do?
-----------
Lakers should have taken a more ready NBA player Danny Granger in 2005 draft, signed a veteran PG in 2005, Should not have brought Kwame in 2005, signed a veteran power forward in 2005.
I agree with the few on thks blog the picks were not that bad. I mean be realistic. What did you expect to find with the 19, 40, and 48 picks. There are only a handful of guys that you can name that came from the 2nd round and made huge and immediate impacts. and no one expected them to do it either
. And to put all of the troubles of the organization on Mitch would have to make u blind deaf and dumb. He's just the whipping boy because most here don't want to blame kobe and Jerry Buss because of the rings they've given us. I'm a kobe lover to but he really screwed us this off season with his orgy of radio calls. If you look at those picks they will not be in league next year they all need seasoning and Critt will likely be brought in to replace Sasha if we don't trade Farmar.
Don't be surprised if we sign papaloukas and don't pick up KG that kobe gets traded next year (if not this year). There is a method behind the madness of picking up the foreign players. LA is a huge melting pot and just because many people will not buy season tickets because Kobes not here that many more will becuase papaloukas is here (and the other guys). Dude is a mega superstar overseas for good reason. You mix that in with LA lights (and although off subject: Beckham coming to town- which I don't give a rats azz about) and thats were you make up money for the loss of kobe. I think Micth is smarter than what most ofyou a given him credit for. Now if papaloukas is a bust over here that Mitchs azz for sure.
But i don't think he will be. i think it will be a great signing offensively and defensively...so everyone your panties on and the faith
I think with where the Lakers were drafting they did alright. I will wait to see if they make any more moves before the season starts but the 3 guys they go might be able to help them in a couple of years. I do not think KG is going to LA. I tihnk he might end up at Golden State. They now can trade Brandon Wright, Monte Ellis, filler & use the 10 million trade exception they got from Charlotte all for KG. I think Minni would take that deal.
Midas Touch, anything King Midas touch turns to gold while Mitch Cupcake's Touch, everything he negotiates became a dead deal.
According to hoopshype three Lakers are not coming back namely: Smush, Shammond and Aaron. Two Lakers will be re-signed now it did not elaborate whether sign or trade namely: Luke and Chris. Assuming all will be signed. There were three vacancies, the draft picks for tonite. Kupchak said that they will only sign 14 players so one of the players drafted today was for "publicity". Does this have a link with Jerry Buss recent trip to China? In order to accommodate any pending business, he has to draft a chinese applicant that's the oriental quid-pro-quo then he will be cut off because we only need 14 players. I'm just assuming, don't know the real answer. Why is everyone going to China? Kobe went to China last summer to conduct b'ball clinic, JB's vacation to China and Glen Taylor went honeymoon to China. Are we outsourcing players in that part of the world? lol!
The last crucial test of Mitch Cupcake will be the next two weeks. from July 1st - 15th. He has to CRAM for successful trades and sign ups or else Bastille Day will be celebrated by storming the Lakers Practice Facility in El Segundo and personally throw out Kupchak and Jim Buss out of the building like what they did to the nobles and royalty during the French Revolution. LOL!
Step one is to find a new coach, someone capable of working with young guys and running an offense suited to the players. The triangle is a cute little musical instrument that makes the same noise the laker offense does.
Step two is to trade Kobe. Think about it, could anything other than hitting Mega-millions be better for Kupchak. He now has the perfect cover for the next five years--"Kobe demanded a trade". Kupchak can go young, go for now, go cheap, go any dang way he wants and Kobe is the perfect villan.
MITCH, could be your last chance, try not to blow it like you have every other time.
Listening to Mitch on the radio on the way home, it souns like they wanted a couple guys in the second round that they could stash away somewhere without cutting, which they can do with both Yue and Gasol. They have some roster space issues, especially if Mihm and Walton come back. I would have liked to see Byars (very possible he could help a little at SF), but regarding the other 2nd rounders, that strategy doesn't necessarily bother me. This team needs the sort of help that second round picks aren't going to bring. FAs, trades, etc. They have real work to do.
I wonder if the Lakers were players at all in tne Randolph talks. If they could have had him without giving up Odom/Bynum? Very well might be worth a shot, despite the risk of getting ZR. Something to think about, at the very least.
Crittendon? Honestly, it's hard for any of us to say how that'll pan out. He's certainly a very solid athlete, and has the sort of potential that had many thinking he'd go higher. Most players at 19 don't have a major impact right away. But he's the type of player they need.
I cannot believe that the Lakers passed up on Chris Richard from Florida! What a joke the Laker front office is. They missed out on so many good players. Chris Richard was great for Florida in the tournament. He owned UCLA coming off the bench at 6,9 tough and athletic and the Lakers passed him up. Once again their draft moves will come back to haunt them..
Say what you want about no talent on the team, that's BS. We have talent, it's just not used right. Kobe runs this team to suit his needs not the team. No other team mates want to publicly say anything because they want to stay in LA. If they attacked Kobe they know they'd be gone in a heart beat.
The talent we do have, plus what we could get for Kobe, could turn out to be a nice team. All in all I think this team would be better off without Kobe. The Lakers are about LA, Kobe's about Kobe. I get so tired of seeing people write on this blog about how we are mis-treating Kobe, wasting his prime years. Kobe is a player, he's not the team. Kobe has a one track mind and it's all about himself. Exactly what is it that Kobe is "sacrificing" for the Lakers?
Regardless of what you think, a team does need unity. You refer back to Shaq & Kobe not getting along, but still winning. Are you forgetting they did get along for a number of years? Everything was cool with them and we were winning. It was when they didn't get along anymore that the team fell apart.
Now, Smush is gone and the team is falling apart. Ha Ha Ha, I couldn't resist, but it is sort of ironic isn't it ?
LOSER: Los Angeles Lakers – Javaris Crittenton? Yep, that ought to do it. Kobe Bryant is currently wandering Orange County parking lots looking for rogue film crews to tape his latest rant against the franchise.
The Lakers couldn't get Kevin Garnett or any other difference maker that Bryant wanted and if they thought he wanted out of L.A. before, heaven knows what is coming now. Is there really any way he would pull a 180 and show up at training camp as a productive leader eager to help mentor Andrew "Are you kidding me?" Bynum. Agree or not with Kobe, the Lakers needed to do something to solve this problem.
A young and erratic (if gifted) point guard out of Georgia Tech wasn't it. Of course, they did pick up Marc Gasol in the second round. Maybe they can confuse Kobe and make him believe they got Marc's brother, Pau.
LOOKS LIKE WE ALL NEED GATHER IN FRONT OF STAPLES AND THROW CUPCAKES INTO SEWER ALL DAY - THAT WOULD BE MORE FUN THAN WATCHING THIS DYSFUNCTION.
SHOUTOUT TO MY MAN CRITT - WELCOME TO THE MAD HOUSE BABY, LEARN ALL ABOUT BASKETBALL FROM CUPCAKE - FRIGHTENING THOUGHT INDEED.
WHAT A F.....ING LOSER.
Didn't Mitch say he would try to get higher pick for an NBA ready player, or trade the picks for a vet?
Now, all three players supposedly have potential, but not able to contribute in 2-3 years.
How long is this rebuilding going to take? 5 years? 10 years?
Like, Kobe, I'm tired of all the talks and excuses, I want to see the results. With the best player in the league, it's dumb and inept not being able to build a contender around him in a few years.
You never know- I always like the possibility of these guys being your sleeper and exploding in the NBA.
The draft was weak and overall we made it look horrible.
Not an ounce of creativity for Mitch, or the rest of the league just doesn't want one guy on our bench. Not one guy was good enough to package for a better pick or for us to gain another veteran - one thing about draft time is there is a buzz and more moves are made Possible in less time than any other time of the year. It is a great time to capitalize on craftiness and creative thinking...Unless you are Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers Management.
I would hate to be one who answers Kobe call the in the AM. Talk about getting an earfull.
“See that's where you are flat dead wrong. Shaq would have just won his first title with Miami if it were not for Kobe. Slice it or dice it any way you want too. For you not to acknowledge it, you might as well quote the big Aristotle (before he won his first NBA title with the Lakers)”
Debatable, but fair enough. I might think differently had kobe won at least one finals MVP, but i'll concede a little. Even Parker won a finals MVP.....
“I think many of your posts are pretty funny and smart, but your anti-Kobe rants are as bad (worse) than any of the so called "Kobe Appologists".”
You know, I’ll have to agree with you. I’m trying to tone things down……just a little. we need some excitement on the blog besides trade scenarios. BTW, some of my “rants” are jokes gone bad which i've admited when called out.
“I've been in Kobe's corner from the get go, and I am now in the "I'm over him" corner.”
I was in kobe’s corner up until 2003. I say, if kobe wants out, let him go and get it over with. you know, i actually enjoyed watching the beginning of the 2006 season when kobe was out and Luke, LO, Kwame, et al playing good team ball and good team defense. i was even a little happy when kob came back and the lakers were still playing good team ball, but i knew at some point, it was going to crumble under the weight of kobe's ego. i know, there was injuries, but a small demon inside of me told me that kobe was jealous of Melo and AI leading the league in scoring. just my take.
“Just stare at that for a second. Do you see the stupidity of that comment?”
I’ve taken a second look and I still stand by what I say. When I say shaq was responsible, I don’t limit my comment to what was done on the court per se, I’m also referring to “them other guys” willing to take a “role player” status to win championships. Guys like Grant and Shaw who played with Shaq during the ’95 orlando finals run. Other guys willing to sacrifice their #1 or #2 status on lesser teams to come and play alongside shaq. You cannot deny that, can you? Had the KGs of the world tripped over themselves to play with kobe, I wouldn’t be as hard on old-man kob, but since the best free agency signing we can muster is Shammon “who?” Williams and Theo “who?” Papa-something, it tells me that kobe’s reputation hurt us while kobe is the #1 whereas when shaq was the #1 it helped us. You follow my logic or do you still see my comment as “stupid”? eitherway, I respect your opinion. Also, KG has a chance to come play in LA and turned us down because of kobe. i know some would argue that there are mitigating circumstances, but i say "coulda, woulda, shoulda". Why is it with kobe bryant as the #1 there is always a problem? Think, had laker management had the foresight, and i know hindsight is 20/20, to trade kobe for a Dwade, you think KG would turn down playing in LA? Tough speculation, but i think it'll be more likely than not that KG/Shaq/Wade=Championships. Hell, Old Shaq and Wade plus "them other guys" were able to get one in 2006.
“Inflated ego, well let's just say Kobe and Shaq's ego could probably lead this years Macy's parade--floating up front, two heads bobing back and forth trying to get the cover shot--that is why the Lakers will be left without EITHER ONE OF THEM SOON.”
No arguments from me bro. Hey, I appreciate the chat. You take care.
I cannot believe that the Lakers passed up on Chris Richard from Florida! What a joke the Laker front office is. They missed out on so many good players. Chris Richard was great for Florida in the tournament. He owned UCLA coming off the bench at 6,9 tough and athletic and the Lakers passed him up. Once again their draft moves will come back to haunt them..
"The real issue with the LAKERS is...Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown. You ask WHY? These two were suppose to be the nucleus of the team with KOBE and caryy the team. THEY HAVE NOT DONE THAT!!"
i find it interesting that guys play alongside kobe underachieve while guys who play alongside other "great" overachieve........
I personally think Javaris Crittenton is a good pick. He is Jackson's favorite point guard style (he has size and a decent 3-point range). More importantly, he's been playing the triangle offense for 4 years in college so it's easy for him to fit into the Lakers' offense system.
The only thing the Lakers need now is a good low-post player. They should try to get KG or JO (at a acceptable price)
peace
"If you [laker-noodle] had a choice between keeping Kobe and decreasing your chances of winning a title in the next 3 years, or shipping Kobe and increasing your chances of winning a title in the next 3 years, which would you choose?That's a hypothetical, I know, the Lakers could win a title with Kobe in the next 3 years, but if you had to choose, which would you choose?"
i know your question to laker-noodle (i can't spell the name) is rhetorical, but it's all about championship, either building towards a contender or being a contender. with kobe as the #1, we will never be a contender unless kobe plays second fiddle to a true "great". it's arguable that kobe is a "great individual" player, but that's about it.
I still can't believe how some people on the blog are going nuts that Mitch can't magically produce a superstar trade.
What should he do? Go hold a gun to the other GM's heads?
Kobe can pee and moan all he wants but his butt is here for two next years, period. And that is the way it will stay unless a fair trade comes along. If he wants to sit it out then get out and let us play Lakers basketball. Does he think he is the ONLY guy on the team that wants to win?? What an unbelieveable ego!
All these trade scenarios to the Bulls. They aren't interested in gutting their team for Kobe. And if Kobe opts out and we get the cap space, don't you believe for a second that big name free agents will not want to come here.
Trust me, they WILL come. To be an L.A. Laker is one of the plumb gigs in sports.
History is on our side, Laker fans.
For the past few weeks we have been hearing blockbuster rumors involving many players and many teams. BSPN TV, internet and radio were leading in spreading trade rumors and it was changing by the hour, sending fans on emotional roller coaster rides. Blogs were going crazy creating more bloGbuster trade rumors.
Finally, the judgment day came and what happened? Only one blockbuster trade (NY-Portland) and couple of smaller trade took place. NOT A SINGLE WORD ABOUT THOSE TRADES SAW THE LIGHT OF THE DAY before the trade was completed. Think about it for a minute.
The rating-hungry media is becoming more and more socially irresponsible and that by "the hour" and at the tip of spearhead are the notorious liars and masters of deception: Ric Bucher, Chad Ford, Chris Sheridan etc. They cover up their despicable lies with phrases like: League official, Source close to the situation and other bogus words
It’s OK, as long as we are just having fun with our bloGbuster trades but don’t waste any sleep over rumors that were created in the sick minds of those hypocrites.
You know I will always respond to you when your pushing your point to far. K.G O.Ked L.A as a place he would play. He also O.K ed the Suns as another place he would go. Up to this point in time it is MCHALE that turned us down and Atlanta that backed out to blow the Suns deal. Remeber the only team that K.G has said no to has been Boston. And I will reserve my opinion on free agents coming here until we actually have some money to pay one. Now of course grant hill is available, maybe we can get hiim. He can play with Nash, Amare, Marion, Bell, Barbosa or he can play with Kobe, Lamar, Kwame Sasha, and Luke. Which would you choose? But at least you consistant. Consitatly simplistic.
Tech won a heated recruiting battle for the services of Crittenton, the player the coaching staff called the most highly regarded point guard to enroll at the Schoolsince Stephon Marbury in 1995. Unlike most players at his position, he is a muscular performer with good strength, demonstrating an excellent first step and the explosiveness that makes guarding him one-on-one a difficult task.
The turnaround the Yellow Jackets had in 2006-07 while compiling a 20-12 record after going 11-17 the previous season was a byproduct of Crittenton's ability to break defenders down off the dribble, getting into the lane, to the basket and making his teammates better. He is blessed with an excellent competitive drive, always striving to get better, and has shown the ability to make big plays at key moments. A student of the game, he likes to study game tape and has an impressive collection of film of great point guards.
Crittenton was a five-star prospect at Southwest Atlanta Christian School, making the McDonald's All-American team as well as third-team from Parade and EA Sports following his senior year. He rated the sixth-best High School prospect in the nation by Hoop Scoop Magazine and was the top-rated point guard in the country according to Rivals.com.
The team captain lettered all four years at SACA, where he helped his Schoolto the Class A state championships in 2004 and 2006, and runner-up finishes in 2003 and 2005, when the squad posted a 113-19 record. He earned All-State honors three times, and was named Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2006 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He set the Schoolcareer scoring record with more than 3,500 points, breaking the mark held by former teammate and current Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.
As a senior, Crittenton averaged 29 points, seven rebounds and nine assists per game, as SACA went 28-5 and defeated Whitefield Academy for the state title. After his final season, he played in the McDonald's All-American game in San Diego, the Derby Festival in Louisville, and the 2006 Nike Junior World Championship in Paris, France.
As a sophomore, playing alongside Howard, SACA won the GHSA Class A state championship in 2004. Without Howard in '05, Crittenton carried SACA to the state final, as he averaged 28.4 points, 7.5 assists and 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 steals per game. He also played in the 2005 USA Youth Developmental Festival, winning a gold medal.
Crittenton excelled academically, graduating with a 3.5 grade-point average. He was a member of the Future Business Leaders of America and the Senior Beta Club. During the summer, he played with the Atlanta Celtics AAU team.
Determined to stay home, Crittenton announced during his prep junior year that he wished to attend Georgia Tech. Even though his career with the Yellow Jackets could have ended after just one season -- Crittenton had not hired an agent as of May 21 and could decide to return to Tech -- he was a unanimous Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team selection, adding third-team All-ACC accolades.
The Atlanta native tied for the team lead in scoring at 14.4 points a game and ranked second in the ACC in assists (5.7 per game), while the Yellow Jackets finished 20-12 with a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He started 31 of 32 games at point guard, as he contributed 460 points by hitting 158 of 351 field goals (45 percent), including 36 of 101 3-pointers (35.6 percent) and had a 78.3 free-throw percentage (108 of 138). He snatched 119 rebounds, including 28 offensive boards, totaled 184 assists and had 65 steals with a pair of blocked shots.
His 184 assists rank 11th on the school's single-season list and his assist average of 5.8 per game ranks sixth on Tech's annual record chart and was the best average by a Yellow Jackets player since Jarrett Jack averaged six assists per game during the 2002-03 campaign. He was hit with 67 Personal fouls as he turned the ball over 124 times, an average of 3.9 per game.
Crittenton scored in double figures in 25 games, including 20 points in Tech's first-round win over Purdue in the Maui Classic. He drove the lane at will in that game and went to the foul line 12 times, making 10, leading the Jackets to a 62-point second half, as he averaged 12.7 points and four assists in the three games, also getting six steals.
He was named ACC Rookie of the Week three times. Crittenton helped start Tech on its February rally with 26 points (9 of 15 FG), six assists and seven steals vs. Clemson, then poured in 21 points (7 of 11 FG) with seven assists and three steals vs. North Carolina State. He had three double-doubles, two in ACC games (13 points and 11 assists vs. North Carolina, 16 points and 10 assists vs. Boston College.
The second-ranked freshman scorer in the ACC in conference games (16 points per game, eighth among all players), Crittenton led all players in assists (5.38 per game) against the ACC, was first among frosh in steals (2.07 per game) and second in free-throw percentage (84.3 percent). Six of his seven 20-point games came against ACC teams (Tech was 6-1 when he scored 20 or more).
Crittenton was Tech's hottest player over the final month of the season, averaging 16.9 points and 6.2 assists over the Yellow Jackets' last 11 games (10 in double figures). Four of his seven 20-point games came in that stretch, including a career-high 29 (10 of 17 FG, 6 of 7 FT) in Tech's only ACC road win at Florida State.
In April, Crittenton and teammate Thaddeus Young announced that they would enter the 2007 NBA Draft pool, but did not retain an agent, thus leaving open the door for a possible return to school.
"Javaris wants to keep his eligibility intact by not having an agent," said head coach Paul Hewitt, "but he wants to further explore his status in the upcoming draft by being able to speak directly with NBA personnel. Javaris wants to focus on finishing out the spring semester and final exams next week, then concentrate on gathering information from NBA teams."
"I enjoy Georgia Tech, the environment here and all the fans, and I appreciate all the support I've gotten though High School and my freshman year, both from the Tech community and the people in Atlanta," Crittenton said. "But I feel I need to enter my name right now in order to get the best possible information from people in the NBA."
Scouting Report
Positives: Tall, muscular athlete with long limbs and impressive strength...Built more like a traditional "two" guard, but has done a fine job of breaking defenders down off the dribble and is a natural at the point...With his size and athleticism, he could also see some minutes at the small forward position, as he has the explosive initial step to slash past his opponent in drives to the basket...Possesses soft, natural, large hands and does a good job with ball security (most turnovers came on passes)...Despite being a freshman, he is a fiery leader on the court and shows good court vision, using his leg strength and quickness to make it tough even for double teams to stop him once he gets within six feet of the basket...Has very good leaping ability crashing the boards for the offensive rebound and has the long reach to battle for the loose balls...Known more for his defensive skills rather than as a shooter, he has greatly improved his mid-range ability...Has the ability to create his own shot when he faces the basket and has the dexterity to sink the one-handed floaters from either the left or right with the same consistency...Drives hard to the basket and can penetrate almost at will, showing the strength to power through and elevate, drawing the opponent into fouling when he gets into the lanes by his ability to squeeze through the defensive gaps...Sees the floor well and has good stamina and the ability to get up and down the court...Uses fakes to keep the defender off-balance...Very efficient at putting pressure on the ball handler and has the hands to make steals off the dribble or score from either side...High flyer with good success when he glides and elevates in the paint, as he will generally float to the rim with ease and loves to dunk...Uses his long limbs to put in the layups above the rim...Floats through the lane and is smooth with a scorer's mentality to take the ball to the basket when given the opportunity...Has a solid work ethic and even though he over-dribbles too much, he is a student of the game who puts in extra hours in the film room studying tape...Still a work in progress, but if his mid-range shot continues to improve, he will be very difficult for smaller guards to defend along the perimeter...Could force the opponent to use their small forward on him defensively due to his size and strength, creating a speed mismatch...Tough to guard him on the open court, especially on pick-and-rolls...Has very good length and instincts to steal the ball and has become very good on drive-and-dish plays when he doesn't try to force the action...Has decent 3-point range, but does not get many opportunities to shoot from that distance (3.15 attempts per game, making 1.12 of those shots)...Seems to be more confident in his shots if they aren't past mid-range, but you can see on film that he is capable of getting good elevation when asked to shoot over his man from the outside.
Negatives: Has good court vision, but most of his turnovers were the result of ill-advised passes, struggling to make reads in the half-court offense...Also has problems vs. the full-court press...Though he has good timed speed, he gets beaten to the hole by the smaller, quicker guards...Must develop a better post-up jumper and shift gears better to keep his defenders honest...Tall, but tends to get too low in his stance, struggling to move his feet quick enough to prevent the slashing opponent from taking a side on him...Will get into a rhythm, where he simply misfires on his shots, but will continue to put the ball up rather than passing it off...Needs to look for the open man more often rather than trying to make the big play on his own...Unselfish player with the tools to play the point, but will lose focus and his turnover rate was alarming in 2006-07 (3.9 per game)...Gets out of tempo too often when asked to play the half-court action and needs to do a better job of changing gears, as he will get too aggressive and out-run the ball at times...Good one-on-one defender in High School, but struggled with his assignment vs. the opponent's pick-and-roll action.
Compares To: JARRETT JACK, Portland. Like the former Georgia Tech guard Jack, Javaris Crittenton is a solid defensive player who handles the ball well. He has developed a nice mid-range shot and can also connect from 3-point range, but did not get too many opportunities to shoot from that distance. He will get a little overaggressive at times, but is generally a physical defender who can break down opponents at the dribble. He might not have the mental maturity to play the point yet, as he will make costly decisions and holds the ball too long at times. Still, with a weak crop of point guards in this class, with patient coaching, he will either develop more of a scoring touch to play shooting guard or calm down and be an efficient point man. He scares some who see too much Stephon Marbury in him.
High School
Attended Southwest Atlanta (Ga.) Christian Academy, where the team captain played four years of basketball for head coach Courtney Brooks...Five-star prospect who earned McDonald's All-American first-team honors, as well as third-team from Parade and EA Sports following his senior year...Rated the sixth-best High School prospect in the nation by Hoop Scoop Magazine and was the top-rated point guard in the country according to Rivals.com...Helped his Schoolto the Class A state championships in 2004 and 2006, and runner-up finishes in 2003 and 2005 and the squad posted a 113-19 record...Earned All-State honors three times, and was named Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2006 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution...Set the Schoolcareer scoring record with more than 3,500 points, breaking the mark held by former teammate and current Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard...As a senior, Crittenton averaged 29 points, seven rebounds and nine assists per game, as the Schoolwent 28-5 and defeated Whitefield Academy for the state title...After his final year, he played in the McDonald's All-American game in San Diego, the Derby Festival in Louisville, and the 2006 Nike Junior World Championship in Paris, France...Played alongside Dwight Howard as a sophomore, as SACA won the GHSA class A state championship in 2004...Without Howard in 2005, Crittenton carried the team to the state final, as he averaged 28.4 points, 7.5 assists and 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 steals per game...Also played in the 2005 USA Youth Developmental Festival, winning a gold medal...graduated with a 3.5 grade point average...Member of the Future Business Leaders of America and the Senior Beta Club...During the summer, he played with the Atlanta Celtics AAU team.
Personal
Management major...Son of Sonya Dixon...Born is Javaris Cortez Crittenton on 12/31/87 in Atlanta, Georgia
Yue is a very intriguing prospect, as he has played a variety of positions during his career.
Even though he has the size of a small forward, his lack of strength makes it likely he'll see time as a guard while waiting for his body to mature and fill out.
With his passing skills, elevation and length, he could be a very effective shooting guard, but he has also garnered considerable action as a point guard and is capable of pushing the ball up court at the next level. Through all of his position switches, one thing remained constant -- his excellent defense -- as he proved to be a capable rebounder and shot-blocker during his team's last two seasons.
His name is well-known in China, but not for the basketball player's exploits. He also shares that name a female pop music singer and with another Sun Yue, the high-flying 6-foot-3 former female volleyball Olympian who now plays professionally in Italy.
Sue began playing in the Chinese Basketball Association in 2002-03. That season was a learning experience for him as a reserve guard, as he was limited to 1.8 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 37.2 percent from the field. In 2003-04, he was the team's valuable sixth man, collecting 4.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and shot 38 percent from the floor coming off the bench.
A member of a unique club, Beijing Aoshen Olympian, it was the only privately owned basketball team in China. The owner would hire players to practice against the team so his players could improve. In the Summer of 2004, Yue was the first player from Aoshen to be selected to play for China's U20 team.
Yue became the center of a controversy between his team's owner and the CBA after the club refused to release him for national team duty. The CBA banned Beijing from playing in the men's league, citing a previous written agreement, and suspended Aoshen for the 2004-05 CBA season. The team's players continued training in their Beijing compound during February, 2004 and then made their first public appearance in December, as the club toured Taiwan.
Yue starred during that seven-game tournament and along with several other teammates, left in May 2005 to play in the National Games for Hebei province but lost in group play. However, Jonas Kazlauskas, who was in the stands watching, picked him for the National Team and Aoshen finally agreed to release Yue.
In September 2005, Yue was a top reserve, as the Chinese National Team captured the Asian Championship, but a month later, they lost to Japan to finish third in the East Asian Games. The owner of Aoshen subsequently moved the team to the American Basketball Association. Yue continued to play with the Olympians, but was finally allowed to play internationally for China, along with another Beijing player, Zhang Songtao. He later played in the 2006 FIBA World Championships, hosted by Japan.
During the 2005-06 American Basketball Association campaign, Yue earned second-team All-ABA honors and was rated the second-best prospect in the league. He averaged 9.5 points, seven rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.9 steals, 2.5 blocked shots and 4.3 turnovers per game while shooting 39.1 percent from the field.
In 2006-07, Yue took time off in December to play for the National Team that won the Asian Games title. He returned to the ABA, earning first-team All-League honors, as he led the team to the ABA Final Four. He finished the year by averaging 13.5 points, six rebounds, 10.5 assists, 1.9 steals, two blocked shots and 3.8 turnovers per game while hitting on 46 percent of his field-goal attempts.
Yue impressed NBA personnel with his performance at the 2007 Orlando pre-draft camp, despite being forced to play out of position at small forward. But, controversy would soon follow. In early June, 2007, Chinese National team coach Jonas Kauslauskas criticized Yue for staying in the United States so that he could be present for the NBA draft at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 28.
By doing so, Yue missed the 4-Nation tournament June 15-21 in Guangdong, as well as other practices with the National Team. Yue told his coach that he would rejoin the national team in July when it arrives in the USA to play in an NBA summer league. Kauslauskas said that Yue's absence could prove detrimental to his chances of being selected for the 2008 Olympic team.
Scouting Report
Positives: Has a good wingspan and great leaping ability and lateral agility that allow him to earn considerable minutes at the point guard position...Demonstrates the natural hands and court vision to execute crisp passes bringing the ball up court...Has shown steady improvement shooting his mid-range jumper, but is more comfortable when given the opportunity to slash to the basket...Does a good job of keeping the ball on the floor, doing a nice job of keeping it away from the defense...Is a patient ball handler who whips the ball out past double teams to an open teammate, taking advantage of his length and pinpoint passing...Has a quick initial step in his drive to the hoop, but is also an unselfish sort who will always look for an open outlet rather than take the shot himself...Gets good elevation near the rim, feathering the ball into the basket with his fingers...Uses his height, long arms and timing to secure the defensive rebound...Timing is also evident on the offensive glass, where he gets his fair share of putbacks...Good perimeter defender who won't bite on pump fakes and has turned into a very good shot-blocker...Excellent dribbler who can execute the crossover to elude his defender...Can lead the fast break, play in the half-court set or control the tempo of the game with his ball-handling skills, showing excellent vision on the dish-and-drive to continually feed his teammates...Looks fluid attacking the basket from the weak side when in the post...Shows very good leaping ability and has developed a nice turnaround jump shot, along with an efficient reverse layup...Has a high release (with very good speed) getting the ball up and over the defender...Showed in the Orlando pre-draft camp that he is capable of posting up his opponent while stationed along the wing...Even though he gives up considerable bulk, he will not hesitate to get in the paint to battle centers for the ball under the boards.
Negatives: Built more like a forward, but lacks the bulk and strength to compete at that position at the NBA level...Played point guard with his team, but doesn't have the speed to play defense at that position in the NBA...Predominantly a left-handed shooter and needs to develop better consistency with his other hand in order to keep the defender off-balance when he slashes to the basket...Because of his long limbs, he struggles at times to stay in front of smaller and quicker point guards on the perimeter...Seems more comfortable slashing to the basket, even when double teamed, rather than pull out to the perimeter and challenge his opponent to defend him there...Gets too pass-happy feeding his teammates, even when it is obvious that he has a better opportunity to take the shot...Might lack confidence in his outside shot due to marginal mechanics and a slow release point that sees more than a handful of his attempts altered.
Compares To: RUDY GAY, Memphis. Yue lacks the quickness that you look for in an NBA point guard but is an efficient ball handler who is unselfish to a fault. He looks for an open outlet often, but needs to be more confident creating his own shot. He is a good battler going for the rebound and shows excellent shot-blocking skills for a backcourt man. He might never be able to gain the bulk and strength needed to play small forward. As a shooting guard, he will need to develop better range and an array of moves. He favors his left hand often going to the basket, but is an excellent leaper attacking the weak side of the basket. He is more likely to have to put some time in the developmental league, but after his performance at the Orlando pre-draft camp, he could have pushed himself right into the second round.
Orlando Pre-Draft Camp Measurements:
6-9 Wingspan...8-9 Standing Reach...5.1 percent Body Fat...34-inch Vertical Leap...185-pound benchpress: 9 reps...10.68 Lane Agility...3.45 Court Sprint (3/4).
The brother of Memphis Grizzlies' forward Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol is more of a classic center.
Born in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain, Marc Gasol spent the 1998-2001 seasons playing for Winterthur F.C. Barcelona in the Spain-Youth Team League. The younger Gasol then joined his brother in the United States while attending Lausanne Collegiate Schoolin Memphis from 2001-03.
Gasol returned to F.C. Barcelona for the 2003-06 seasons, playing in the ACB League. He averaged 3.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists while hitting on 23 of 38 field goals (60.5 percent) and 19 of 34 free throws (55.9 percent) in 21 games as a reserve in 2005-06. He was much more effective during the U-20 European Championship in Russia, where he averaged 16.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Gasol was part of the Spanish FIBA World Championship team in 2006, playing alongside his brother, Pau, and guard Rudy Fernandez, who is expected to be selected in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Gasol switched to Akasvayu Girona for the 2006-07 season. He started 11 of 33 games, as he shot 62.1 percent on two-point attempts (123 of 198), 45.5 percent from the 3-point range (5 of 11) and 65.1 percent from the free-throw line (97 of 149). He scored 358 points, averaging 10.5 points per game. He had a 5.5 rebounding average, as 69 of his 181 boards came off the offensive glass. He was also credited with 30 blocked shots and doled out 39 assists, mostly off of screens.
Scouting Report
Positives: Widebody with good strength, long arms and a good reach...Feels much more comfortable playing with his back to the basket...Is a physical defender playing in the paint...Does a decent job when he puts the ball on the floor with his right hand and is capable of drawing contact on his path to the basket...Handles the ball effectively for a player his size and is alert to where his teammates are positioned...Quick to look for the open outlet and a better shot...Works well distributing the ball to his guards in transition and has a nice move under the basket...Will check every outlet first before creating his own shot...When he parks himself in the lane, opponents can't seem to move him out, leaving him free for the defensive rebound to keep the offense going...Willing passer with the quickness to keep the flow of the game going...Has a soft shooting touch from short range, getting most of his points on putbacks, as he uses his strength to overpower the defender when attacking the rim...His long reach lets him keep the ball high and away from his opponent, negating their double-team activity, as he shows the vision to quickly dish it out to an open man...Takes pride in his ability to draw the opponent into foolish fouls, as he loves generating contact working inside.
Negatives: Might have been better playing in the 225-pound range as a power forward, as the additional bulk in recent years has slowed him significantly...Likes to shoot with his right hand, but is not as effective with his jump hook as when he executes the same move with his left hand...Relies on positioning to contain his man, but if he gives the opponent a side, he is easily beaten, as he lacks the agility to recover... Uses his body well to get position, but gets a little unbalanced when he has to defend on the perimeter...Lacks range to shoot from the outside and seems very reluctant to even attempt those shots (only 12 attempts in the last two years)...Needs to get himself in better condition, as he tends to lose stamina as the game progresses (averaged 10 minutes per game in 2005-06 and 22 minutes last year)...Will at times use his length to deflect shots, but is not a consistent shot blocker and fails to get good elevation...Will struggle to get up and down the court, especially in an up-tempo game.
Compares To: KELVIN CATO, New York Knicks. Until he gets into better condition and improves his foot speed, Gasol is nothing more than a big, physical body. He can draw fouls and dish the ball, but is only effective for short spurts. He applies good pressure in the paint and has a decent shot close to the basket, but despite his size, he lacks the leaping ability to dominate the boards. He is good dishing the ball out to his guards and keeps the ball high and away from the opponent. There are too many holes in his game for him to see much more than garbage time off the end of the bench at this stage in his career.
Personal
Bother, Pau Gasol, is an All-Star for the Memphis Grizzlies, having played five seasons in the National Basketball Association...Born 1/29/85 in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain...Resides in Barcelona, Spain.
Which year screams Championship? You are always preaching team. I ask you, wheres the team? Please no Kobe drove Shaq out rants, because its the post Shaq roster in question here. Simply stated you say Kobe cant win a ring as a number one and I ask you, How do you Know?
The Lakers got Javaris Crittenton, a big promising point guard, whose future may or may not be too far ahead of him to play a lot alongside Kobe Bryant.
Garnett, sought by the Lakers and Phoenix Suns in multi-team talks that broke down this week, may still be traded … with speculation now centering on the Golden State Warriors.
Whether it was part of a deal the Warriors are working on with Minnesota or not, they traded guard Jason Richardson to Charlotte for North Carolina's Brandan Wright, a promising young big man whom the Bobcats drafted at No. 8.
The Warriors may now offer Wright with center Andris Biedrins and guard Monta Ellis and enough salary to make the deal work to Minnesota for Garnett.
Indiana is still discussing trades for O'Neal. A league source says the Pacers have interest from a team other than the Lakers.
After failing to get Garnett or O'Neal, it remains to be seen what the Lakers have in mind next.
They can reportedly have O'Neal for Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom but, to date, have decided that's too much.
Of course, the off-season has just started, the Lakers hope.
"It looks like there's going to be a lot of activity," said Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak.
"I doubt there'll be a flurry of activity the next week or two. You have the whole summer to sort it out. It could actually go into next season.
"I wouldn't say in the next week there's going to be four or five big-name players exchanging teams, but maybe by the time training camp rolls around and the season starts, you'll see some substantial and significant movement in the league."
For the Lakers, whatever happens will be significant.
call me crazy, but i have a trade idea. it's a proposed 3 way deal between our Lakers, denver, and the queens. the Lakers send Kwame (expiring k), Sasha (expiring k), and BCook to denver. in return, denver unloads kenyon martin's "personality" and contract to the Lakers. the other part of the trade would be the queens unloading ron ron's "personality" to the Lakers in exchange for Luke (sign and trade) and Mo Evans. if either denver or the queens want our #19 pick, let's do it.
if anyone can make this "reality show" work, it's Phil. you now have the following lineup...
Kobe/Farmar/#19 pick
Artest/MLE --> Grant Hill?
LO/Vlad
Kenyon/Ronny
Bynum/Mihm
we round out the rest of the roster thru free agency. with 4 all-star caliber players in the staring lineup, we either win the championship or "implode" by Xmas. man, if Phil could make this work...we are golden.
honestly, i would gamble and try this. what do we have to lose at this point? think of the defensive intensity this lineup would bring. we could play any style against anyone and we would own the boards.
remember, Phil and Kobe love Artest and denver is done w/ Kenyon. FYI...i think Crittenton at #19 is a great pick. i think he's going to be better than Farmar. he's long, athletic, d's up, and is a leader. on top of that, the guy is a student of the game...watches film all the time and had a great GPA in school.
Blogs
It sucked. But I'll reserve my opinon (haha) until they actually play and I can see for myself.
Posted by: Faith | June 28, 2007 at 08:36 PM
The lakers got Marc Gasol to lure Pau Gasol over. Great move mitch. Finally.
Posted by: wow | June 28, 2007 at 08:37 PM
i'm sad...why am I so sad?
Posted by: bob | June 28, 2007 at 08:39 PM
ummm I think the only pick I'm happy with is the last one. Yay for a new center.
Posted by: bob | June 28, 2007 at 08:41 PM
Stupendous!!! The Lakers will difinately be bringing home the BLING next season. They will be a force to be reckoned with.
Posted by: Leroy Brown | June 28, 2007 at 08:42 PM
As long as MItch Kupchak and Jim Buss are in charge of player/talent evaluations, expect the Lakers to be below average. No blockbuster trades for this mediocre GM because let's face it... he's not THE LOGO.
What the Lakers really need is a front office that has the same mystique as Jerry West... and that can only come from previous Laker players that have been a part of championships, say Magic or Worthy or such.
Until the Dr (Jerry Buss) realizes his errors in giving his son and Mitch the reins, expect no reigns in the NBA for the Lakers.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Joe | June 28, 2007 at 08:47 PM
Sigh sigh sigh.
Posted by: Bryan | June 28, 2007 at 08:48 PM
The Lakers management is inept.
You could get a monkey throwing darts and make better selections.
It seems to be gambling or looking a lucky pick. Picking horses.
The Lakers don't seem to go for the player that can best help the team.
They go for wild picks and upside.
Don't blame Kobe at all now.
You could get a sportswriter and make better picks.
The bad part is it has been going on for 5 years or more of bad to average picks.
The Lakers are toast.
The trailblazers are the team of the future.
The Lakers have neither a present or future.
Lakers management has to be replaced.
this is the only solution.
The only problem is they have messed it up so much for Kobe, it will take years to rebuild the Lakers.
A monkey with a dartboard could make better picks over the years.
Posted by: Lee | June 28, 2007 at 08:50 PM
I think we did alright. Picking at 19 is not going to give you an impact guy, and Crittendon has some nice potential.
What I find very interesting is the situation with Yi and the Bucks. I would like to see that Lakers get involved in bringing him over. Not exactly sure what they need or what we would be willing to offer, but if it's a foregone conclusion that Kobe is getting traded (and I think it is), getting Yi could bridge the marketing gap a little (don't think Sun whatever is going to do it).
Posted by: Andrew Z | June 28, 2007 at 08:51 PM
This is not as bad as many think. The lakers have options now. After a draft there are now hundreds of more permutations and trade possibilities. Except for the lanky Chinese PG (which may have simply been marketing), this wasn't a bad draft. They could have gone with Nichols as a PF with range. That would be the oly criticism. Gasol was a very good pick and gives them more flexibility vis-a-vis Kwame and Bynum. The Crittendon/Farmar situation looks again like flexibility for a possible future trade. Mitch is thinking people. He just has a damn near impossible job given all that's been dealt him.
Posted by: t_sensei | June 28, 2007 at 08:51 PM
we'll remember how many good players were selected after Crittenton
jared dudley
Glen Davis
Gabe Pruit
Rudy Fernandez
Aaaron Afllalo
Alando Tucker
Daquan Cook.
thats what i can remember off the top of my head
Posted by: I miss van exel and eddie jones | June 28, 2007 at 08:51 PM
Lakers need to trade Mtich Kupcake. Even Isiah was able to pull of a steal by getting landing zack for virtually nothing. Shame on you Mitch I can't wait for the da when Buss will fire Mitch Kupcake
Posted by: Eternity | June 28, 2007 at 08:54 PM
btw, the Kobe video and the audio has been released.....
thekobevideo.com
Posted by: 10milliondollarzen | June 28, 2007 at 08:55 PM
I still can't get over how Portland just OWNED tonights draft..they have so many good players it is wild..but hopefully the Lakers can do well next season..even if they don't have Kobe..but man it's just scary to think that..
Posted by: drew | June 28, 2007 at 08:55 PM
Maybe the reason the Lakers drafted Sun Yue was that they have a deal with the bucks in the works for Yi Jianlian? It could happen!
Posted by: Steven Lim | June 28, 2007 at 08:55 PM
I think Marc Gasol will stay overseas for another year. Sun Yue to the development league. Crittenden maybe to the development league too. The Lakers already have Farmar and they are going after the point guard from overseas. Crittenden probably wouldn't see many minutes for the Lakers.
Posted by: MOLaker | June 28, 2007 at 08:58 PM
I like the choice of Crittendon, but was he drafted to fit a system that will be obsolete in a year?
Too many questions. I just hope the team actually found some "finds" in the second round, for a change.
Posted by: Peace | June 28, 2007 at 09:00 PM
Don't know too much about any of them. I do know Marc isn't Pau, but he's our late second round pick so I'm not outraged over it.
Posted by: nyla | June 28, 2007 at 09:04 PM
We wasted those three picks unless we have a grand plan or they have been traded a long time ago to Minny. The way I interpret it Crittenton was intended to replace Farmar to be packaged for a star, Sun Yue as Yi mentioned it's for business with billion chinese and Gasol to attract Pau. Mihm, Bynum and Kwame, 2 of these three guys may be being shopped? I like Gasol but Taureen Green of Florida Gators is much better.
Here is the currrent status of JO trade:
"Bryant made his trade request last month, and the Lakers have been trying to upgrade the talent around him instead. When a deal fell through earlier in the week that included Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, reports centered around the Lakers again targeting Indiana’s O’Neal. But yesterday evening, the Indiana executive Donnie Walsh said there was “no validity” in a deal with the Lakers.
If any marquee player were to get traded, it appears likely to be Garnett. Over the past week, Minnesota’s owner, Glen Taylor, seemed ready to part with Garnett, his franchise pillar, to rebuild a team that had not won a title with him. Several executives cited Taylor’s desire to acquire both young players and salary cap space instead of seeking commensurate value for a superstar." - New York Times
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 28, 2007 at 09:09 PM
There will definately be some trades.
And watch out for boston to make another trade. PP and allen are basically the same type of player/ Bos is up to something........
Posted by: richtown | June 28, 2007 at 09:12 PM
Weren't we supposed to draft Sun Yue last year? I know I saw his name in a mock draft last year. Anyway, does anybody have any stats for Marc Gasol? I would like to see some of the kid's numbers before I get excited about him.
Posted by: Weave-Man | June 28, 2007 at 09:12 PM
I think Crittenton was a great pick at #19.The Lakers needed a pg and they may have gotten the best one in the draft.15/4/6 are very good numbers for a freshman.He has good size and appears to be a good fit for the triangle.From what I hear Marc Gasol could be a steal if he can shed some pounds.He was a projected late first rounder so at 48 he was worth a shot.Sun Yue playing for the lakers would be a surprise in my mind but you never know he might be good.The next move Im hoping the Lakers make is signing James Posey.This team needs a good defensive player in the worst way.As for Jermaine O"Neal he would give the Lakers a much needed scorer on the inside and a shot blocker on defense.If JO can make Kobe happy then maybe I think the lakers should make the trade.
Posted by: jf | June 28, 2007 at 09:13 PM
Horrible if there is no trade following we just took another project to waste Kobes prime some more, looks like we will be trading Kobe soon.
Posted by: Mark | June 28, 2007 at 09:15 PM
i just have a problem drafting another PG when we could've looked for:
1.) an offensive no. 4 to back up LO
or
2.) another inside presence, one who could defend
i dunno... i paid seminal attention to this year's prospects so i don't know for sure if we had such a player available at No. 19... but another young PG?
now we got sasha (4 years), farmar (2 years) and critteron (rookie)... we don't need more youth at the 1
and seriously, i'm really wondering which one of ya'll drank the "kobe hater cocktail" ! they were talking about it on air, so who drank up?
Posted by: CBuck | June 28, 2007 at 09:17 PM
The week started with thoughts of KG or JO being Lakers. Instead, we have Crittendon, Sun Yue and Marc Gasol - I don't know, what do you think?
I've been a Laker all my life. This is arguably an all time low.
Posted by: Lincoln Laker | June 28, 2007 at 09:17 PM
It's time for the post draft awards.
I submit this Marc Gasol video in the category of worst video highlight of a draft pick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_hO7zYku-w
Posted by: wausroamer | June 28, 2007 at 09:21 PM
As far as our draft goes, the position we had, I like what we done. I especially like number 19. That was an excellent pick. I have a feeling this guy is going to work out in a very solid/sleeper kind of way.
This guy could be the one player people will be talking about.
mike
Posted by: Michael Teniente | June 28, 2007 at 09:29 PM
Roll out the red carpet for Yi Jianlian pls!! Lakers need to get him!
Posted by: Yi Jianlian | June 28, 2007 at 09:30 PM
I guess I am the only one not put off by the Sun Yue selection. I live in Dallas, and the Morning News here has been pretty high on this guy. Of course, the Texas teams have developed something of a name for themselves in spotting and developing foreign talent. Their fans have embraced this, and so the papers follow sit.
Odd that it's NOT LAL/GS/NYK/MIA on the forefront of picking up internationals; as many have pointed out, those are types of places that have a biz reason as well as a hoops reason for taking flyers on players from unexpected places.
Oh well; I don't think we were in a position to gain much. This draft has next to no impact on our immediate pressing issues. This means the focus never left the real issue: trades. We're still short on defense, rebounding and IQ. At this rate, we'll become the Washington Generals by 2010. So there's always that.
Posted by: The D | June 28, 2007 at 09:30 PM
All those options and MITCH stands pat, as he has the last five (5) trade deadlines. BOOOOO.... fire the wuss
Posted by: janice moss | June 28, 2007 at 09:31 PM
while i don't know about jarvis... ii'm thinking that the chinese dude and the other gasol could turn out to be decent picks...
at least i'm a heck of a lot more interested in the lakers summer league team now lol
Posted by: joninjapan(incanada) | June 28, 2007 at 09:32 PM
This is definitely a sad evening for all Lakers fans. I hope it is not the beginning of dark age in Lakerland. Pray hard all Lakers fans. Mitch has to go. The Sooner Dr. Buss realizes the shorter the torture would be for all of us.
Posted by: Eternity | June 28, 2007 at 09:34 PM
uh oh
i don't think gasol knows how to dunk
how come we didn't go after aaron gray?!?!
Posted by: Bryan K. | June 28, 2007 at 09:39 PM
Waus:
You are correct, sir. That reaches new depths of crapulence. What Marc needs is a theme song: I nominate "Superbad"
"I'm Gaso-o-o-l, and I'm Superbaaad. HIT meh!" Someone should get the Staples PA guy on this posthaste.
If only JB were still with us... He'd probably come over to my house and kick me in the ass for that. But it would be worth it. For the showmanship, I mean.
Posted by: The D | June 28, 2007 at 09:39 PM
I posted this on a dead thread so... I'll repost here because I know how very exited everyone is about my theories:
what if Kobe is going to Charlotte? Brandan Wright for Jason Richardson? Huh? Does a sign and trade Gerald Wallace and Richardson for Kobe deal work? Is this a viable trade? LOL! Just wondering...
PG: Critter/Farmar
SG: Richardson/Mo Evans/Sasha
SF: Gerald Wallace/Walton - Vlad Rad? or ?
PF: Odom/Turiaf
C: Bynum/Mihm
and our 2nd round picks spend the year in the development league?
Now... don't go crazy on me, just trying to make sense of the Golden St/Charlotte trade...
Posted by: TaosHum | June 28, 2007 at 09:42 PM
i think Marc Gasol was the steal of this draft...
watch this highlight video and you will know why. he shows good foot work for a big man, good passing ability plus he has range and a nice little jumper. i wonder how good his defensive presence is but you can see him creating his own shot on a couple of occasions...
MARC GASOL AN PAU GASOL FOR THE LAKERS!!
Posted by: alex | June 28, 2007 at 09:44 PM
Not too disappointed in the draft. I think people need to realize that there is rarely a quick fix through the draft. I like Crittendon, but he is a project. I definitely think he is better than Smush. I think that's where people need to be looking. I think, with a year under his belt, Farmar will be at least a respectable starting PG this year.
Sun Yue doesn't really bother me, I probably would have picked Byars (from almost all accounts he was someone that could have helped) but I checked out Sun's profile on Draft Express and it sounds like he's pretty damn good even though he's a project.
I think picking Marc Gasol will be alright. I don't imagine that our starting roster is going to Include Kwame Brown (bet he's a piece to a trade) so another big is a good idea (plus we might get Mihm back so that's three centers).
I'm still bummed though. I mean how can you be a Laker fan and be optimistic. No team in the west has gotten worse, and the Cellar Dwellars (Portland and Seattle) are looking pretty good for the future meanwhile we are stuck with our dysfunctional GM/Owner/Kobe situation and the fact that we probably won't get Garnett and we probably won't get JO (unless we actually are dumb enough to give up Bynum and Lamar).
I guess Garnett hasn't been traded yet, so there's still hope. I'm just going to sit and pray this offseason works out alright.
Posted by: bmurphy | June 28, 2007 at 09:45 PM
I'm okay with the picks. I might have taken Jason Smith at #19, I'm not sure, but it was either Crittenton or him. Sun Yue is probably good for business (Chinese interests), and Gasol is a nice 7-footer to stash overseas.
I really wanted Quinton Hosley, but he went undrafted so we can go after him for the summer league team, and in retrospect we could have had Jason Smith and Zabian Dowdell, but again Dowdell went undrafted so the draft is always a crap shoot and mystery, especially the 2nd round.
For the summer league team, I would definitely pick up Hosley and Dowdell. Okay, maybe not Dowdell because we have enough point guards now.
Posted by: Critical Beatdown | June 28, 2007 at 09:46 PM
Just looked at Jermaine O'Neal stats he isnt as good as i thought.He is a career 46% shooter.My opinion has changed back to my original thought this guy is not worth giving up Bynum and Odom for.Hopefully the Lakers DONT try to please the CRY BABY by trading their two biggsest assets besides the CRY BABY for a good but overrated Jermaine O'Neal.The Lakers only shot at winning a title in the near future is Bynum developing fast for Kobe like Kobe did for Shaq.
Posted by: jf | June 28, 2007 at 09:47 PM
This typekey thing is crazy.
mike
Posted by: mike | June 28, 2007 at 09:49 PM
I think the draft is a place where we think something will drop in our laps. If it doesn't happen we are really bummed out.
This draft was about what it was expected to be. We got a guy that should have gone a few places sooner in Crittenton and we got some possibilities in the 2nd round with Yue and Gasol.
We get to see Farmar and Crittenton 'duke it out' in summer league and see if any of the 2nd rounders will make the club or be in development leagues.
Hey guys -- this is the draft at the 19th position. We have trades to try and make and we don't want many more youngsters on our club so we weren't going to mortgage the house to move up in the draft.
Get used to it. The heavy lifting is about to start. Hopefully we won't hear anything until something is done. If we do then it probably means it won't really happen.
Posted by: Craig W. | June 28, 2007 at 09:51 PM
***********This must be the good times Mitch was talking about...***************
The roster is pathetic....
Keep all the kids, trade Kobe, don't win a game next year and get the #1 pick..
And of course, Phil has to go, 10 billion to coach this group? Waste of money.
Buss, sell or get a new mgt team.... I really don't think the Lakers can fall much lower after watching the media embarrass the Laker Franchise and it's FANS on National TV...
bd
Posted by: bd | June 28, 2007 at 09:52 PM
you're right waos...
that highlight straight sucks
well, at least we know that marc can hit free throws... and gesture towards the crowd.
talent (?)
Posted by: CBuck | June 28, 2007 at 09:52 PM
And whoever said that Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are the same player is a bit off. Ray Allen is way more perimeter come off a screen shooter and Pierce is more likely to create his own shot around the hoop or knock down a midrange. I'm not saying they are completely different but different enough where they could easily coexist on the same team.
Posted by: bmurph | June 28, 2007 at 09:53 PM
Colorado loves the DODGERS!
Posted by: Hugo Boss | June 28, 2007 at 09:57 PM
Aloha
O.K I am perplexed to say the least. If we were a team that was set and could develope guys or a young team drafting for upside then I would be O.K. But we are a team that needs to win now. From everything I read Rudy Fernandez was NBA ready with lottery pick talent. He slid down because it could be expensive to buy him out of his contract. So if Dr Buss is willing to pay anything to build a winner like he claims, why pass on Rudy? I do not get it. Jarvis was an o.k pick, suppose to be good on D and was projected higher on a lot of boards but we already have a PG project. Gasol was a very nice pick up at were we got him. Could be a quality back up in the near future but the Chinese guy? Man...
MH
Posted by: michael H | June 28, 2007 at 09:58 PM
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Expect yet another year of the mamba going crazy scoring, the new concept of the team is going from the triangle offense to Kobe+4(who cares who they are) I just hope these two coming years go by quick until he opts outta here. Kobe ur dope and all but if you wanted another ring you shouldn't of kicked shaq out. With or with out you we won't be winning a championship 4 a while. Since my existence in 85 the lakers won 3 in 85, 87, 88 fast foward 12 yrs and we win 3 in a row so im thinking another 10yrs maybe until we get back into our winning ways, and here's a thought Kobe and Shaq are the coaches LOL
Posted by: Luis | June 28, 2007 at 09:59 PM
I think everybody thinks Kobe is leaving because of more talents, but Kobe is leaving because he does not trust Jerry Buss and his little kids that run the lakers.
I think this was the one year Kobe got along with his teammates great. Even notice that none of his teammates have said anything negative about him this year. Even when luke had a chance to call koe out he did not. And alot of those guys especiallly luke and lamar love Kobe. I think it was reported that Lamar and Luke said to Kobe that he wished he could have done more to help him against the suns
Kobe wants to leave because of Buss and his kids. Just like Jerry West, he does not want to be involved with the dysfunctional family anymore. And i don blame him. We fans don't understand how crazy the organization is, and Kobe does. I don think Kobe will only want to be traded because he does not have players around him. He wants out because management is terrible.
Posted by: wow | June 28, 2007 at 09:59 PM
When I woke up on Draft Day, other than Kobe, the Lakers appeared to have no players anyone else would really want. By bed time, nothing changed.
In fact, the Lakers so-called re-building plan just got longer. Even if the team keeps Bynum and Farmar, with the new draftees the Lakers won't be contending for a Championship until 2012.
While other teams drafted players who can impact quickly, the Lakers drafted only projects. While other teams made trades, the Lakers stood pat. Draft Day was pretty much a non-event if you're a Laker fan.
At last check, the Lakers were not in active discussions for either KG or JO.
Competitively, we may actually be in worse shape after the Draft than we were before it. At best, the front office will end up re-arranging the deck chairs and no one will confuse Mitch Kupchak with the King of the World.
Posted by: Rick Friedman | June 28, 2007 at 09:59 PM
Lakers won't improve.
Not with Buss and Mitch.
Phoenix, San Antonio, Dallas, Golden State have players coming from the bench that are betters than 3 or 4 starters in the Lakers.
Phoenix three all stars.
San Antonio 3 all stars 2 of them being selected.
Golden State..
3 solid starters...
Jackson,. Baron Davis, Monta Ellis. They have the luxury of bringing Al Harrington from the bench.
Utah
Deron, Boozer, Okur, Kirilenko, Harpring....solid talent.
Now, Portland and Seattle will be better than Lakers.
Even if Kobe stay with this same Team....playoffs will be out of the picture.
If Buss Family doesn't see that this franchise is going to the bottom in the west, they don't know about basketball.
Lakers fans should advise Buss, because he think this team will be competitive as is.
Remember Mitch words yesterday: " If we made changes or not either way we got a fantastic team"
In other words....expect no changes. Kobe will be shipped out of town
Posted by: jorema | June 28, 2007 at 10:00 PM
They took the best player available at 19. Crittenton was a fast riser in the last week before the draft, he has a lot potential and can be very exciting, I personally felt that the Clippers were going to take him. I like the Sun Yue pick, a 6-9 point guard, that can get stronger and end up like a Boris Diaw-type small forward. I have no idea or opinion on Marc Gasol.
I made a mistake one day and saw The View for a couple of minutes, and today I saw Star Jones again sitting between Jay Bilas and Mark Jackson, just spitting hot air over and over to the point that I had to turn offthe television after the Suns picked Rudy Fernandez. Seriously, does anybody find Stephen A. Smith interesting or entertaining, I know he is trying to copy Barkley but he falls incredibly short.
Posted by: Oscar | June 28, 2007 at 10:00 PM
It's not that I'm pissed at the players we picked...only a tinnie little bit...but the positions we picked. There's a reason I have to believe there's a method to this madness. I'm with CBuck, 2 guards, and Greek dude (not our greek dude), you put in Farmar, Sasha, Mo, Kobe, am I missing anyone else? That's a lot of guards. I'd understand it though if there was some kind of plan.
Posted by: Faith | June 28, 2007 at 10:03 PM
I love the Lakers so I hope at least on of these stiffs works out ok so lets run them down
Javaris Crittenton: So far what I like is that nobody can't say his name 5 times in a row so until he earns his full name we should call him JAVA THE CRITON besides he may not last that long with the lakers or at least thats what Spero is hoping for so he doesnt have to say his name live
Sun Yue: It looks like nobody knows anything about this guy on the other hand he teach Kobe mandarin in time for the Olympics in exchange Kobe will teach him the difference between defense and Defenders.
Marc Gasol: Good god I hope Mitch knew this is not paul Gasol although now that I think about it Mitch might be so desperate that he might kidnap Marc in order to put presure on Paul to come to the Lakers. Stay tuned if you see a yellow suv on the news making a run for it down the 405 freeway dont worry thats just Mitch working hard for the Lakers
Posted by: Henry | June 28, 2007 at 10:03 PM
JO for Bynum and Odom = stupid. KG deal = near impossible. Solution...
attention Mitch. Involve other teams and get Marion in a Laker Uniform. Keep Bryant and Odom trade anybody else.
Posted by: John | June 28, 2007 at 10:04 PM
Stephen A. Smith?
The guy doesn't know how to talk. He speaks and it's as if he's trying to sell you something, which is irritating. As he's given more time his voice rises as if he getting stronger and stronger but he's actully getting more irritating as he continues. It's as if he thinks he's breaking big new or something.
I bet he doesn't last at his NBA position with ESPN.
mike
Posted by: mike | June 28, 2007 at 10:06 PM
Andrew Z
I agree with you, you and I think very much alike. Are you 23 year old mexican-american too.
Posted by: Oscar | June 28, 2007 at 10:06 PM
Hey, Most of you seem dejected about the draft, but I think that's because everybody was thinking there was a big trade coming down the pipes. There will be trades, but they'll be after the F/A signings begin.
KG is not coming, JO is not coming, but Kobe's going. We'll get some nice players in return and finally we might have a chance to get some team unity for a change. Guys that hang out together and play together.
Posted by: LakerLarry | June 28, 2007 at 10:08 PM
Well Sun yue wasn't a very good choice their were plenty of good players on he board byars, taurean green andeven dj strawberry but yue wasnt even expected to be drafted leave it up to kupchak to pull off that move. But i have one question who can the lakers possibly acquire jo chauncey rashard lewis. we definitley need another good player
Posted by: lakerlover | June 28, 2007 at 10:12 PM
I'll say it again.
That was like going to Disneyland, only to show up and have everything closed but It's a Small World and the Tea-cups...
Talk about anti-climatic. Kobe must feel a little bit better about his public image as Cupcake and Jimbob just made him look like a innocent pinada getting bludgeoned blow after blow by sheer stupidity.
Wow.
Posted by: tajluck | June 28, 2007 at 10:14 PM
I think every Laker fan and Kobe need to remember if it wasnt for all the injuries last year the lakers probably would have won 50 games and made the western conference finals.This team is very young and still gaining experience.I feel with the addition of Crittenton and a a couple other minor changes that would improve the defense the lakers can be one of the top teams in the west this season.With Bynum only 19 and Duncan and Nash each getting older I think these Lakers may only be one or two years away from getting back to the finals.Kobe just needs to be patient because when Andrew the Great is ready he will help get Kobe that fourth ring he wants so badly.
Posted by: jf | June 28, 2007 at 10:14 PM
Very Bad!!!!
Sorry guys it seems like were gonna suck for a long time:(
Posted by: david | June 28, 2007 at 10:19 PM
LakerLarry
You know thats what I really want. Guys who hang out together and play together. Who cares if the have talent and can lead us to a champ. NOT!
Kobe and Shaq hated each other off the court but on the court they were like brothers. The whole team can hate each other for all I care as long aS they give 100% on the court.
Team unity doesn't alway lead to champs. Vets and talent do and some times thats not even enough. Ask the suns and mavs
Posted by: bob | June 28, 2007 at 10:21 PM
jf,
"I think every Laker fan and Kobe need to remember if it wasnt for all the injuries last year the lakers probably would have won 50 games and made the western conference finals."
you're talking out of your a$$. kobe ain't a good leader or teammate. the only way kob's going to win a 4th ring is going to a championship-caliber team and be Pippen to Jordan or Kobe to Shaq. i wouldn't hold my breath because kobe has an inflated ego and kobe believes he, koby bryant, was responsible for the laker championships........buzzz..........wrong. it was shaq.
Posted by: KL | June 28, 2007 at 10:21 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maT6goJvbKs
marc gasol highlight
Posted by: alex | June 28, 2007 at 10:22 PM
wow,
" I don think Kobe will only want to be traded because he does not have players around him. He wants out because management is terrible."
fair enough, but let's not forget kobe wanted to be in this situation when shaq was traded away. i know it's beating the proverbial dead horse, but why take a team which made the finals 4 of 5 years and rebuild? don't make no stinkin' sense. i also don't buy the argument that the FO's a "mess". it's propoganda drama that's created by kobe's "camp" to deflect blame away from kobe. I see right through it. i believe it's called a red herring. no need to respond, i though i'd give my daily jab at The Big......nah, i'll lay off the namecalling for a while.
Posted by: KL | June 28, 2007 at 10:27 PM
These are sad times ??? Please peeps...Kareem's untimely migraines in the mid 70's....Sedale Threatt jacking it up on a scoring spree or Ceballos going for 50 !
Posted by: LALAKERLOVER | June 28, 2007 at 10:33 PM
Getting Gordon and Nocioni to play with Lamar, Bynum and Kwame Brown at the west will make the Lakers less talented than Memphis.
If we ad the surgery of Lamar and kwame....the expectations looks more depressing.
Prediction...
Lakers will trade Kobe, preferably to Chicago, because now the Knicks with Kobe can be contenders in the east.
Phil is gone.
Larry Brown is hired "because he is teacher"
Bynum, will average again 10 points and 6 rebounds. His foul problems will continue and Brown will bring him from the bench.
Larry Brown is blamed for Bynum underdevelopment.
Lamar, will sign with Miami Heat.
No superstars will want to play for the Lakers. The value of the team reach all time low. Buss sell his part of the Lakers and the team start a new development.
Jim Buss start a real state business and got broke in one year.
Phil will marry Jeanie and they will live to Montana.
Johnny Buss will be taking pictures to third or fifth grade models.
Lakers with new ,management will keep team expenses low and they will be the perennial Haws in LA.
Kobe will win a championship in the East, and will retire after that at 33 years old. He will move with his family to Italy and nobody will know about him.
Posted by: jorema | June 28, 2007 at 10:33 PM
seriously, it was the 19th pick. all you can do is draft the best player available. i watched that whole draft; i didn't see anyone out there that would've made a huge difference. we just all got to sit back and hope one of these kids works out. sometimes, making all these moves doesn't mean a team is moving forward. look at new york. all sorts of trades, but they can't even get into the playoffs... IN THE EAST. kobe needs to realize that, however great he is, he can't change the rules of the salary cap. he can't get help unless someone wants to dump a star on the lakers. people keep talking about jermaine o'neal, but when we are left without ANY centers (the trade would have to be lamar, bynum, AND kwame to work under the cap) people will be complaining about how mitch can't get a big man. san antonio and phoenix are winning because the superstar on each respective team is willing to follow a plan; you never heard nash complaining about amare's knee or them trading joe johnson... and last time I checked, nash is QUITE older than kobe. kobe just needs to realize that good leaders lead, not bail when things are rough. kobe forgets when he was a 19 year old kid jacking up 3's against utah; had shaq written him off back then, neither one of them would've had three rings.
Posted by: David | June 28, 2007 at 10:35 PM
Hey, at least Woody Allen will start comong to Laker games now.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | June 28, 2007 at 10:37 PM
david
"kobe just needs to realize that good leaders lead, not bail when things are rough. kobe forgets when he was a 19 year old kid jacking up 3's against utah; had shaq written him off back then, neither one of them would've had three rings."
that's why shaq's responsible for 4 rings and kobe's responsible for 0 rings...........but in kobe's mind, and the minds of kobe loyalists, kobe's responsible for 3 rings plus the 3 rings kobe should have won in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Posted by: KL | June 28, 2007 at 10:44 PM
I'm not sure why you guys buy the mock draft perverbial "you wont get an impact player"
Sure you wont get a superstar...but you get an all star like Boozer, Arenas, Redd.
There were plenty of impact players left on the board after they selected Crittenton. Dudley, Afflalo, Tucker who went right after him arent projects and are immediate impact players.
Posted by: I miss van exel and eddie jones | June 28, 2007 at 10:50 PM
KL--
See that's where you are flat dead wrong. Shaq would have just won his first title with Miami if it were not for Kobe. Slice it or dice it any way you want too. For you not to acknowledge it, you might as well quote the big Aristotle (before he won his first NBA title with the Lakers)
"I've won on every level except the NBA and College..."
I think many of your posts are pretty funny and smart, but your anti-Kobe rants are as bad (worse) than any of the so called "Kobe Appologists".
I've been in Kobe's corner from the get go, and I am now in the "I'm over him" corner.
But to say (and I'll use your tactics here...) "kobe has an inflated ego and kobe believes he, koby bryant, was responsible for the laker championships........buzzz..........wrong. it was shaq."
Just stare at that for a second. Do you see the stupidity of that comment?
Inflated ego, well let's just say Kobe and Shaq's ego could probably lead this years Macy's parade--floating up front, two heads bobing back and forth trying to get the cover shot--that is why the Lakers will be left without EITHER ONE OF THEM SOON.
And, as I said, both of them were responsible for the fantastic three peat us Lakers fans were all a part. To say it was Shaq, just belitles every point you try and make about Kobe. Believe me, as a guy who really liked the idea of having Kobe on the Lakers, I have separated my feelings from him now...It's all about Jaravis and Sun--
Ouch the reality just hit me.
Posted by: tajluck | June 28, 2007 at 10:51 PM
The truth about this draft is........
The teams in the East are all about drafting and making trades to compete now in a weak Eastern conference.
The West if you are not a strong playoff contender like the Spurs, Mavs, Suns, Rockets, Jazz and Nuggets you might as well rebuild for the future or you are just wasting your time.
What's hard is if you are the 7th, 8th, 9th seed. What do you do? Sadly Lakers and Clippers are both in these situation. Worse for Lakers because ... we happen to have the best player in the game.
When these elite teams have passed in three or four years. Sonics and Blazers will rise as the future holds.
The real issue with the LAKERS is...
Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown. You ask WHY?
These two were suppose to be the nucleus of the team with KOBE and caryy the team. THEY HAVE NOT DONE THAT!!
Lamar SMALL FORWRD has been good but not good enough as needed by the team.
Kwame POWER FORWARD? He has brought nothing at all! broken DREAMS! All he did was prove he was a big mistake!
The smush, waltons, mihms, they were asked to put big minutes because of the talent depleted team. They were not paid to play starting minutes. Except for Mihm he was a role player for THE BIG THREE a serviceble center, he was doing well before he got injured.
Lamar and Kwame, especially Kwame has the burden on their shoulders why the Lakers has been a failure. Smush was just a wrong choice for a no choice. Walton did more than what he was supposed to to as a back up role player.
So if you are the Laker management. What do you do? Phil and lakers management are being killed for KWAME BROWN 's failure.
If you are Kobe Bryant, the best player in the game! What do you do?
-----------
Lakers should have taken a more ready NBA player Danny Granger in 2005 draft, signed a veteran PG in 2005, Should not have brought Kwame in 2005, signed a veteran power forward in 2005.
Posted by: Staples 24 | June 28, 2007 at 10:54 PM
Ex, LOL. Sun Yi LOL!
Posted by: Faith | June 28, 2007 at 11:00 PM
I agree with the few on thks blog the picks were not that bad. I mean be realistic. What did you expect to find with the 19, 40, and 48 picks. There are only a handful of guys that you can name that came from the 2nd round and made huge and immediate impacts. and no one expected them to do it either
. And to put all of the troubles of the organization on Mitch would have to make u blind deaf and dumb. He's just the whipping boy because most here don't want to blame kobe and Jerry Buss because of the rings they've given us. I'm a kobe lover to but he really screwed us this off season with his orgy of radio calls. If you look at those picks they will not be in league next year they all need seasoning and Critt will likely be brought in to replace Sasha if we don't trade Farmar.
Don't be surprised if we sign papaloukas and don't pick up KG that kobe gets traded next year (if not this year). There is a method behind the madness of picking up the foreign players. LA is a huge melting pot and just because many people will not buy season tickets because Kobes not here that many more will becuase papaloukas is here (and the other guys). Dude is a mega superstar overseas for good reason. You mix that in with LA lights (and although off subject: Beckham coming to town- which I don't give a rats azz about) and thats were you make up money for the loss of kobe. I think Micth is smarter than what most ofyou a given him credit for. Now if papaloukas is a bust over here that Mitchs azz for sure.
But i don't think he will be. i think it will be a great signing offensively and defensively...so everyone your panties on and the faith
Posted by: richtown | June 28, 2007 at 11:02 PM
I think with where the Lakers were drafting they did alright. I will wait to see if they make any more moves before the season starts but the 3 guys they go might be able to help them in a couple of years. I do not think KG is going to LA. I tihnk he might end up at Golden State. They now can trade Brandon Wright, Monte Ellis, filler & use the 10 million trade exception they got from Charlotte all for KG. I think Minni would take that deal.
Posted by: Ian M | June 28, 2007 at 11:11 PM
Here is the situation:
Midas Touch, anything King Midas touch turns to gold while Mitch Cupcake's Touch, everything he negotiates became a dead deal.
According to hoopshype three Lakers are not coming back namely: Smush, Shammond and Aaron. Two Lakers will be re-signed now it did not elaborate whether sign or trade namely: Luke and Chris. Assuming all will be signed. There were three vacancies, the draft picks for tonite. Kupchak said that they will only sign 14 players so one of the players drafted today was for "publicity". Does this have a link with Jerry Buss recent trip to China? In order to accommodate any pending business, he has to draft a chinese applicant that's the oriental quid-pro-quo then he will be cut off because we only need 14 players. I'm just assuming, don't know the real answer. Why is everyone going to China? Kobe went to China last summer to conduct b'ball clinic, JB's vacation to China and Glen Taylor went honeymoon to China. Are we outsourcing players in that part of the world? lol!
The last crucial test of Mitch Cupcake will be the next two weeks. from July 1st - 15th. He has to CRAM for successful trades and sign ups or else Bastille Day will be celebrated by storming the Lakers Practice Facility in El Segundo and personally throw out Kupchak and Jim Buss out of the building like what they did to the nobles and royalty during the French Revolution. LOL!
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 28, 2007 at 11:12 PM
Step one is to find a new coach, someone capable of working with young guys and running an offense suited to the players. The triangle is a cute little musical instrument that makes the same noise the laker offense does.
Step two is to trade Kobe. Think about it, could anything other than hitting Mega-millions be better for Kupchak. He now has the perfect cover for the next five years--"Kobe demanded a trade". Kupchak can go young, go for now, go cheap, go any dang way he wants and Kobe is the perfect villan.
MITCH, could be your last chance, try not to blow it like you have every other time.
Posted by: JIm | June 28, 2007 at 11:13 PM
Listening to Mitch on the radio on the way home, it souns like they wanted a couple guys in the second round that they could stash away somewhere without cutting, which they can do with both Yue and Gasol. They have some roster space issues, especially if Mihm and Walton come back. I would have liked to see Byars (very possible he could help a little at SF), but regarding the other 2nd rounders, that strategy doesn't necessarily bother me. This team needs the sort of help that second round picks aren't going to bring. FAs, trades, etc. They have real work to do.
I wonder if the Lakers were players at all in tne Randolph talks. If they could have had him without giving up Odom/Bynum? Very well might be worth a shot, despite the risk of getting ZR. Something to think about, at the very least.
Crittendon? Honestly, it's hard for any of us to say how that'll pan out. He's certainly a very solid athlete, and has the sort of potential that had many thinking he'd go higher. Most players at 19 don't have a major impact right away. But he's the type of player they need.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | June 28, 2007 at 11:26 PM
I cannot believe that the Lakers passed up on Chris Richard from Florida! What a joke the Laker front office is. They missed out on so many good players. Chris Richard was great for Florida in the tournament. He owned UCLA coming off the bench at 6,9 tough and athletic and the Lakers passed him up. Once again their draft moves will come back to haunt them..
Posted by: trajan | June 28, 2007 at 11:31 PM
Bob,
Say what you want about no talent on the team, that's BS. We have talent, it's just not used right. Kobe runs this team to suit his needs not the team. No other team mates want to publicly say anything because they want to stay in LA. If they attacked Kobe they know they'd be gone in a heart beat.
The talent we do have, plus what we could get for Kobe, could turn out to be a nice team. All in all I think this team would be better off without Kobe. The Lakers are about LA, Kobe's about Kobe. I get so tired of seeing people write on this blog about how we are mis-treating Kobe, wasting his prime years. Kobe is a player, he's not the team. Kobe has a one track mind and it's all about himself. Exactly what is it that Kobe is "sacrificing" for the Lakers?
Regardless of what you think, a team does need unity. You refer back to Shaq & Kobe not getting along, but still winning. Are you forgetting they did get along for a number of years? Everything was cool with them and we were winning. It was when they didn't get along anymore that the team fell apart.
Now, Smush is gone and the team is falling apart. Ha Ha Ha, I couldn't resist, but it is sort of ironic isn't it ?
Posted by: LakerLarry | June 28, 2007 at 11:31 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=dw-winnerslosers062807&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
LOSER: Los Angeles Lakers – Javaris Crittenton? Yep, that ought to do it. Kobe Bryant is currently wandering Orange County parking lots looking for rogue film crews to tape his latest rant against the franchise.
The Lakers couldn't get Kevin Garnett or any other difference maker that Bryant wanted and if they thought he wanted out of L.A. before, heaven knows what is coming now. Is there really any way he would pull a 180 and show up at training camp as a productive leader eager to help mentor Andrew "Are you kidding me?" Bynum. Agree or not with Kobe, the Lakers needed to do something to solve this problem.
A young and erratic (if gifted) point guard out of Georgia Tech wasn't it. Of course, they did pick up Marc Gasol in the second round. Maybe they can confuse Kobe and make him believe they got Marc's brother, Pau.
At this point, the Lakers need to try something.
Posted by: J-Cool | June 28, 2007 at 11:32 PM
LOOKS LIKE WE ALL NEED GATHER IN FRONT OF STAPLES AND THROW CUPCAKES INTO SEWER ALL DAY - THAT WOULD BE MORE FUN THAN WATCHING THIS DYSFUNCTION.
SHOUTOUT TO MY MAN CRITT - WELCOME TO THE MAD HOUSE BABY, LEARN ALL ABOUT BASKETBALL FROM CUPCAKE - FRIGHTENING THOUGHT INDEED.
WHAT A F.....ING LOSER.
Posted by: siva | June 28, 2007 at 11:35 PM
Didn't Mitch say he would try to get higher pick for an NBA ready player, or trade the picks for a vet?
Now, all three players supposedly have potential, but not able to contribute in 2-3 years.
How long is this rebuilding going to take? 5 years? 10 years?
Like, Kobe, I'm tired of all the talks and excuses, I want to see the results. With the best player in the league, it's dumb and inept not being able to build a contender around him in a few years.
Posted by: gdchild | June 28, 2007 at 11:38 PM
You never know- I always like the possibility of these guys being your sleeper and exploding in the NBA.
The draft was weak and overall we made it look horrible.
Not an ounce of creativity for Mitch, or the rest of the league just doesn't want one guy on our bench. Not one guy was good enough to package for a better pick or for us to gain another veteran - one thing about draft time is there is a buzz and more moves are made Possible in less time than any other time of the year. It is a great time to capitalize on craftiness and creative thinking...Unless you are Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers Management.
I would hate to be one who answers Kobe call the in the AM. Talk about getting an earfull.
Posted by: Pete Maguire | June 28, 2007 at 11:59 PM
Taj
What’s up taj? I believe this is our first chat.
“See that's where you are flat dead wrong. Shaq would have just won his first title with Miami if it were not for Kobe. Slice it or dice it any way you want too. For you not to acknowledge it, you might as well quote the big Aristotle (before he won his first NBA title with the Lakers)”
Debatable, but fair enough. I might think differently had kobe won at least one finals MVP, but i'll concede a little. Even Parker won a finals MVP.....
“I think many of your posts are pretty funny and smart, but your anti-Kobe rants are as bad (worse) than any of the so called "Kobe Appologists".”
You know, I’ll have to agree with you. I’m trying to tone things down……just a little. we need some excitement on the blog besides trade scenarios. BTW, some of my “rants” are jokes gone bad which i've admited when called out.
“I've been in Kobe's corner from the get go, and I am now in the "I'm over him" corner.”
I was in kobe’s corner up until 2003. I say, if kobe wants out, let him go and get it over with. you know, i actually enjoyed watching the beginning of the 2006 season when kobe was out and Luke, LO, Kwame, et al playing good team ball and good team defense. i was even a little happy when kob came back and the lakers were still playing good team ball, but i knew at some point, it was going to crumble under the weight of kobe's ego. i know, there was injuries, but a small demon inside of me told me that kobe was jealous of Melo and AI leading the league in scoring. just my take.
“Just stare at that for a second. Do you see the stupidity of that comment?”
I’ve taken a second look and I still stand by what I say. When I say shaq was responsible, I don’t limit my comment to what was done on the court per se, I’m also referring to “them other guys” willing to take a “role player” status to win championships. Guys like Grant and Shaw who played with Shaq during the ’95 orlando finals run. Other guys willing to sacrifice their #1 or #2 status on lesser teams to come and play alongside shaq. You cannot deny that, can you? Had the KGs of the world tripped over themselves to play with kobe, I wouldn’t be as hard on old-man kob, but since the best free agency signing we can muster is Shammon “who?” Williams and Theo “who?” Papa-something, it tells me that kobe’s reputation hurt us while kobe is the #1 whereas when shaq was the #1 it helped us. You follow my logic or do you still see my comment as “stupid”? eitherway, I respect your opinion. Also, KG has a chance to come play in LA and turned us down because of kobe. i know some would argue that there are mitigating circumstances, but i say "coulda, woulda, shoulda". Why is it with kobe bryant as the #1 there is always a problem? Think, had laker management had the foresight, and i know hindsight is 20/20, to trade kobe for a Dwade, you think KG would turn down playing in LA? Tough speculation, but i think it'll be more likely than not that KG/Shaq/Wade=Championships. Hell, Old Shaq and Wade plus "them other guys" were able to get one in 2006.
“Inflated ego, well let's just say Kobe and Shaq's ego could probably lead this years Macy's parade--floating up front, two heads bobing back and forth trying to get the cover shot--that is why the Lakers will be left without EITHER ONE OF THEM SOON.”
No arguments from me bro. Hey, I appreciate the chat. You take care.
Posted by: KL | June 28, 2007 at 11:59 PM
I cannot believe that the Lakers passed up on Chris Richard from Florida! What a joke the Laker front office is. They missed out on so many good players. Chris Richard was great for Florida in the tournament. He owned UCLA coming off the bench at 6,9 tough and athletic and the Lakers passed him up. Once again their draft moves will come back to haunt them..
Posted by: trajan | June 29, 2007 at 12:00 AM
Staples 24
"The real issue with the LAKERS is...Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown. You ask WHY? These two were suppose to be the nucleus of the team with KOBE and caryy the team. THEY HAVE NOT DONE THAT!!"
i find it interesting that guys play alongside kobe underachieve while guys who play alongside other "great" overachieve........
Posted by: KL | June 29, 2007 at 12:03 AM
gdchild
" I want to see the results. With the best player in the league, it's dumb and inept not being able to build a contender around him in a few years."
i agree, here's the results for the "best player in the league":
Kevin Garnett: No thanks
Chicago Bulls: No thanks, either
Theo Papa-something: I love Kobe..........kobe steak that is
Posted by: KL | June 29, 2007 at 12:06 AM
Here were the ideal picks that could attract trade baits in the future:
1. Rydy Fernandez
2. Jason Smith
3. Tiago Splitter (he could have been perfect with our international flavor)
4. Jared Dudley
5. Morris Almond
6. Javaris Crittenton ( we already have Farmar and this Theodoros)
7. Taurean Green
8. Marc Gasol (one of our picks but 8th in my priorities)
9. Glen Davis (Baby Shaq)
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 29, 2007 at 12:07 AM
I personally think Javaris Crittenton is a good pick. He is Jackson's favorite point guard style (he has size and a decent 3-point range). More importantly, he's been playing the triangle offense for 4 years in college so it's easy for him to fit into the Lakers' offense system.
The only thing the Lakers need now is a good low-post player. They should try to get KG or JO (at a acceptable price)
Posted by: hoak | June 29, 2007 at 12:28 AM
peace
"If you [laker-noodle] had a choice between keeping Kobe and decreasing your chances of winning a title in the next 3 years, or shipping Kobe and increasing your chances of winning a title in the next 3 years, which would you choose?That's a hypothetical, I know, the Lakers could win a title with Kobe in the next 3 years, but if you had to choose, which would you choose?"
i know your question to laker-noodle (i can't spell the name) is rhetorical, but it's all about championship, either building towards a contender or being a contender. with kobe as the #1, we will never be a contender unless kobe plays second fiddle to a true "great". it's arguable that kobe is a "great individual" player, but that's about it.
Posted by: KL | June 29, 2007 at 12:31 AM
I still can't believe how some people on the blog are going nuts that Mitch can't magically produce a superstar trade.
What should he do? Go hold a gun to the other GM's heads?
Kobe can pee and moan all he wants but his butt is here for two next years, period. And that is the way it will stay unless a fair trade comes along. If he wants to sit it out then get out and let us play Lakers basketball. Does he think he is the ONLY guy on the team that wants to win?? What an unbelieveable ego!
All these trade scenarios to the Bulls. They aren't interested in gutting their team for Kobe. And if Kobe opts out and we get the cap space, don't you believe for a second that big name free agents will not want to come here.
Trust me, they WILL come. To be an L.A. Laker is one of the plumb gigs in sports.
History is on our side, Laker fans.
Posted by: Andy B | June 29, 2007 at 12:42 AM
BloGbuster Trade Rumors,
********************************
For the past few weeks we have been hearing blockbuster rumors involving many players and many teams. BSPN TV, internet and radio were leading in spreading trade rumors and it was changing by the hour, sending fans on emotional roller coaster rides. Blogs were going crazy creating more bloGbuster trade rumors.
Finally, the judgment day came and what happened? Only one blockbuster trade (NY-Portland) and couple of smaller trade took place. NOT A SINGLE WORD ABOUT THOSE TRADES SAW THE LIGHT OF THE DAY before the trade was completed. Think about it for a minute.
The rating-hungry media is becoming more and more socially irresponsible and that by "the hour" and at the tip of spearhead are the notorious liars and masters of deception: Ric Bucher, Chad Ford, Chris Sheridan etc. They cover up their despicable lies with phrases like: League official, Source close to the situation and other bogus words
It’s OK, as long as we are just having fun with our bloGbuster trades but don’t waste any sleep over rumors that were created in the sick minds of those hypocrites.
Vent.
Posted by: Ventriloquist | June 29, 2007 at 12:46 AM
Aloha K.g
You know I will always respond to you when your pushing your point to far. K.G O.Ked L.A as a place he would play. He also O.K ed the Suns as another place he would go. Up to this point in time it is MCHALE that turned us down and Atlanta that backed out to blow the Suns deal. Remeber the only team that K.G has said no to has been Boston. And I will reserve my opinion on free agents coming here until we actually have some money to pay one. Now of course grant hill is available, maybe we can get hiim. He can play with Nash, Amare, Marion, Bell, Barbosa or he can play with Kobe, Lamar, Kwame Sasha, and Luke. Which would you choose? But at least you consistant. Consitatly simplistic.
MH
Posted by: michael h | June 29, 2007 at 12:47 AM
CBS Sportsline has some pretty good info on the draft picks:
1) Javaris Crittenton:
http://www.sportsline.com/nba/players/draft/1225725
Overview
Tech won a heated recruiting battle for the services of Crittenton, the player the coaching staff called the most highly regarded point guard to enroll at the Schoolsince Stephon Marbury in 1995. Unlike most players at his position, he is a muscular performer with good strength, demonstrating an excellent first step and the explosiveness that makes guarding him one-on-one a difficult task.
The turnaround the Yellow Jackets had in 2006-07 while compiling a 20-12 record after going 11-17 the previous season was a byproduct of Crittenton's ability to break defenders down off the dribble, getting into the lane, to the basket and making his teammates better. He is blessed with an excellent competitive drive, always striving to get better, and has shown the ability to make big plays at key moments. A student of the game, he likes to study game tape and has an impressive collection of film of great point guards.
Crittenton was a five-star prospect at Southwest Atlanta Christian School, making the McDonald's All-American team as well as third-team from Parade and EA Sports following his senior year. He rated the sixth-best High School prospect in the nation by Hoop Scoop Magazine and was the top-rated point guard in the country according to Rivals.com.
The team captain lettered all four years at SACA, where he helped his Schoolto the Class A state championships in 2004 and 2006, and runner-up finishes in 2003 and 2005, when the squad posted a 113-19 record. He earned All-State honors three times, and was named Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2006 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He set the Schoolcareer scoring record with more than 3,500 points, breaking the mark held by former teammate and current Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.
As a senior, Crittenton averaged 29 points, seven rebounds and nine assists per game, as SACA went 28-5 and defeated Whitefield Academy for the state title. After his final season, he played in the McDonald's All-American game in San Diego, the Derby Festival in Louisville, and the 2006 Nike Junior World Championship in Paris, France.
As a sophomore, playing alongside Howard, SACA won the GHSA Class A state championship in 2004. Without Howard in '05, Crittenton carried SACA to the state final, as he averaged 28.4 points, 7.5 assists and 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 steals per game. He also played in the 2005 USA Youth Developmental Festival, winning a gold medal.
Crittenton excelled academically, graduating with a 3.5 grade-point average. He was a member of the Future Business Leaders of America and the Senior Beta Club. During the summer, he played with the Atlanta Celtics AAU team.
Determined to stay home, Crittenton announced during his prep junior year that he wished to attend Georgia Tech. Even though his career with the Yellow Jackets could have ended after just one season -- Crittenton had not hired an agent as of May 21 and could decide to return to Tech -- he was a unanimous Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team selection, adding third-team All-ACC accolades.
The Atlanta native tied for the team lead in scoring at 14.4 points a game and ranked second in the ACC in assists (5.7 per game), while the Yellow Jackets finished 20-12 with a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He started 31 of 32 games at point guard, as he contributed 460 points by hitting 158 of 351 field goals (45 percent), including 36 of 101 3-pointers (35.6 percent) and had a 78.3 free-throw percentage (108 of 138). He snatched 119 rebounds, including 28 offensive boards, totaled 184 assists and had 65 steals with a pair of blocked shots.
His 184 assists rank 11th on the school's single-season list and his assist average of 5.8 per game ranks sixth on Tech's annual record chart and was the best average by a Yellow Jackets player since Jarrett Jack averaged six assists per game during the 2002-03 campaign. He was hit with 67 Personal fouls as he turned the ball over 124 times, an average of 3.9 per game.
Crittenton scored in double figures in 25 games, including 20 points in Tech's first-round win over Purdue in the Maui Classic. He drove the lane at will in that game and went to the foul line 12 times, making 10, leading the Jackets to a 62-point second half, as he averaged 12.7 points and four assists in the three games, also getting six steals.
He was named ACC Rookie of the Week three times. Crittenton helped start Tech on its February rally with 26 points (9 of 15 FG), six assists and seven steals vs. Clemson, then poured in 21 points (7 of 11 FG) with seven assists and three steals vs. North Carolina State. He had three double-doubles, two in ACC games (13 points and 11 assists vs. North Carolina, 16 points and 10 assists vs. Boston College.
The second-ranked freshman scorer in the ACC in conference games (16 points per game, eighth among all players), Crittenton led all players in assists (5.38 per game) against the ACC, was first among frosh in steals (2.07 per game) and second in free-throw percentage (84.3 percent). Six of his seven 20-point games came against ACC teams (Tech was 6-1 when he scored 20 or more).
Crittenton was Tech's hottest player over the final month of the season, averaging 16.9 points and 6.2 assists over the Yellow Jackets' last 11 games (10 in double figures). Four of his seven 20-point games came in that stretch, including a career-high 29 (10 of 17 FG, 6 of 7 FT) in Tech's only ACC road win at Florida State.
In April, Crittenton and teammate Thaddeus Young announced that they would enter the 2007 NBA Draft pool, but did not retain an agent, thus leaving open the door for a possible return to school.
"Javaris wants to keep his eligibility intact by not having an agent," said head coach Paul Hewitt, "but he wants to further explore his status in the upcoming draft by being able to speak directly with NBA personnel. Javaris wants to focus on finishing out the spring semester and final exams next week, then concentrate on gathering information from NBA teams."
"I enjoy Georgia Tech, the environment here and all the fans, and I appreciate all the support I've gotten though High School and my freshman year, both from the Tech community and the people in Atlanta," Crittenton said. "But I feel I need to enter my name right now in order to get the best possible information from people in the NBA."
Scouting Report
Positives: Tall, muscular athlete with long limbs and impressive strength...Built more like a traditional "two" guard, but has done a fine job of breaking defenders down off the dribble and is a natural at the point...With his size and athleticism, he could also see some minutes at the small forward position, as he has the explosive initial step to slash past his opponent in drives to the basket...Possesses soft, natural, large hands and does a good job with ball security (most turnovers came on passes)...Despite being a freshman, he is a fiery leader on the court and shows good court vision, using his leg strength and quickness to make it tough even for double teams to stop him once he gets within six feet of the basket...Has very good leaping ability crashing the boards for the offensive rebound and has the long reach to battle for the loose balls...Known more for his defensive skills rather than as a shooter, he has greatly improved his mid-range ability...Has the ability to create his own shot when he faces the basket and has the dexterity to sink the one-handed floaters from either the left or right with the same consistency...Drives hard to the basket and can penetrate almost at will, showing the strength to power through and elevate, drawing the opponent into fouling when he gets into the lanes by his ability to squeeze through the defensive gaps...Sees the floor well and has good stamina and the ability to get up and down the court...Uses fakes to keep the defender off-balance...Very efficient at putting pressure on the ball handler and has the hands to make steals off the dribble or score from either side...High flyer with good success when he glides and elevates in the paint, as he will generally float to the rim with ease and loves to dunk...Uses his long limbs to put in the layups above the rim...Floats through the lane and is smooth with a scorer's mentality to take the ball to the basket when given the opportunity...Has a solid work ethic and even though he over-dribbles too much, he is a student of the game who puts in extra hours in the film room studying tape...Still a work in progress, but if his mid-range shot continues to improve, he will be very difficult for smaller guards to defend along the perimeter...Could force the opponent to use their small forward on him defensively due to his size and strength, creating a speed mismatch...Tough to guard him on the open court, especially on pick-and-rolls...Has very good length and instincts to steal the ball and has become very good on drive-and-dish plays when he doesn't try to force the action...Has decent 3-point range, but does not get many opportunities to shoot from that distance (3.15 attempts per game, making 1.12 of those shots)...Seems to be more confident in his shots if they aren't past mid-range, but you can see on film that he is capable of getting good elevation when asked to shoot over his man from the outside.
Negatives: Has good court vision, but most of his turnovers were the result of ill-advised passes, struggling to make reads in the half-court offense...Also has problems vs. the full-court press...Though he has good timed speed, he gets beaten to the hole by the smaller, quicker guards...Must develop a better post-up jumper and shift gears better to keep his defenders honest...Tall, but tends to get too low in his stance, struggling to move his feet quick enough to prevent the slashing opponent from taking a side on him...Will get into a rhythm, where he simply misfires on his shots, but will continue to put the ball up rather than passing it off...Needs to look for the open man more often rather than trying to make the big play on his own...Unselfish player with the tools to play the point, but will lose focus and his turnover rate was alarming in 2006-07 (3.9 per game)...Gets out of tempo too often when asked to play the half-court action and needs to do a better job of changing gears, as he will get too aggressive and out-run the ball at times...Good one-on-one defender in High School, but struggled with his assignment vs. the opponent's pick-and-roll action.
Compares To: JARRETT JACK, Portland. Like the former Georgia Tech guard Jack, Javaris Crittenton is a solid defensive player who handles the ball well. He has developed a nice mid-range shot and can also connect from 3-point range, but did not get too many opportunities to shoot from that distance. He will get a little overaggressive at times, but is generally a physical defender who can break down opponents at the dribble. He might not have the mental maturity to play the point yet, as he will make costly decisions and holds the ball too long at times. Still, with a weak crop of point guards in this class, with patient coaching, he will either develop more of a scoring touch to play shooting guard or calm down and be an efficient point man. He scares some who see too much Stephon Marbury in him.
High School
Attended Southwest Atlanta (Ga.) Christian Academy, where the team captain played four years of basketball for head coach Courtney Brooks...Five-star prospect who earned McDonald's All-American first-team honors, as well as third-team from Parade and EA Sports following his senior year...Rated the sixth-best High School prospect in the nation by Hoop Scoop Magazine and was the top-rated point guard in the country according to Rivals.com...Helped his Schoolto the Class A state championships in 2004 and 2006, and runner-up finishes in 2003 and 2005 and the squad posted a 113-19 record...Earned All-State honors three times, and was named Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2006 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution...Set the Schoolcareer scoring record with more than 3,500 points, breaking the mark held by former teammate and current Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard...As a senior, Crittenton averaged 29 points, seven rebounds and nine assists per game, as the Schoolwent 28-5 and defeated Whitefield Academy for the state title...After his final year, he played in the McDonald's All-American game in San Diego, the Derby Festival in Louisville, and the 2006 Nike Junior World Championship in Paris, France...Played alongside Dwight Howard as a sophomore, as SACA won the GHSA class A state championship in 2004...Without Howard in 2005, Crittenton carried the team to the state final, as he averaged 28.4 points, 7.5 assists and 8.2 rebounds and 3.6 steals per game...Also played in the 2005 USA Youth Developmental Festival, winning a gold medal...graduated with a 3.5 grade point average...Member of the Future Business Leaders of America and the Senior Beta Club...During the summer, he played with the Atlanta Celtics AAU team.
Personal
Management major...Son of Sonya Dixon...Born is Javaris Cortez Crittenton on 12/31/87 in Atlanta, Georgia
2) Sun Yue: http://www.sportsline.com/nba/players/draft/1229858
Overview
Yue is a very intriguing prospect, as he has played a variety of positions during his career.
Even though he has the size of a small forward, his lack of strength makes it likely he'll see time as a guard while waiting for his body to mature and fill out.
With his passing skills, elevation and length, he could be a very effective shooting guard, but he has also garnered considerable action as a point guard and is capable of pushing the ball up court at the next level. Through all of his position switches, one thing remained constant -- his excellent defense -- as he proved to be a capable rebounder and shot-blocker during his team's last two seasons.
His name is well-known in China, but not for the basketball player's exploits. He also shares that name a female pop music singer and with another Sun Yue, the high-flying 6-foot-3 former female volleyball Olympian who now plays professionally in Italy.
Sue began playing in the Chinese Basketball Association in 2002-03. That season was a learning experience for him as a reserve guard, as he was limited to 1.8 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 37.2 percent from the field. In 2003-04, he was the team's valuable sixth man, collecting 4.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and shot 38 percent from the floor coming off the bench.
A member of a unique club, Beijing Aoshen Olympian, it was the only privately owned basketball team in China. The owner would hire players to practice against the team so his players could improve. In the Summer of 2004, Yue was the first player from Aoshen to be selected to play for China's U20 team.
Yue became the center of a controversy between his team's owner and the CBA after the club refused to release him for national team duty. The CBA banned Beijing from playing in the men's league, citing a previous written agreement, and suspended Aoshen for the 2004-05 CBA season. The team's players continued training in their Beijing compound during February, 2004 and then made their first public appearance in December, as the club toured Taiwan.
Yue starred during that seven-game tournament and along with several other teammates, left in May 2005 to play in the National Games for Hebei province but lost in group play. However, Jonas Kazlauskas, who was in the stands watching, picked him for the National Team and Aoshen finally agreed to release Yue.
In September 2005, Yue was a top reserve, as the Chinese National Team captured the Asian Championship, but a month later, they lost to Japan to finish third in the East Asian Games. The owner of Aoshen subsequently moved the team to the American Basketball Association. Yue continued to play with the Olympians, but was finally allowed to play internationally for China, along with another Beijing player, Zhang Songtao. He later played in the 2006 FIBA World Championships, hosted by Japan.
During the 2005-06 American Basketball Association campaign, Yue earned second-team All-ABA honors and was rated the second-best prospect in the league. He averaged 9.5 points, seven rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.9 steals, 2.5 blocked shots and 4.3 turnovers per game while shooting 39.1 percent from the field.
In 2006-07, Yue took time off in December to play for the National Team that won the Asian Games title. He returned to the ABA, earning first-team All-League honors, as he led the team to the ABA Final Four. He finished the year by averaging 13.5 points, six rebounds, 10.5 assists, 1.9 steals, two blocked shots and 3.8 turnovers per game while hitting on 46 percent of his field-goal attempts.
Yue impressed NBA personnel with his performance at the 2007 Orlando pre-draft camp, despite being forced to play out of position at small forward. But, controversy would soon follow. In early June, 2007, Chinese National team coach Jonas Kauslauskas criticized Yue for staying in the United States so that he could be present for the NBA draft at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 28.
By doing so, Yue missed the 4-Nation tournament June 15-21 in Guangdong, as well as other practices with the National Team. Yue told his coach that he would rejoin the national team in July when it arrives in the USA to play in an NBA summer league. Kauslauskas said that Yue's absence could prove detrimental to his chances of being selected for the 2008 Olympic team.
Scouting Report
Positives: Has a good wingspan and great leaping ability and lateral agility that allow him to earn considerable minutes at the point guard position...Demonstrates the natural hands and court vision to execute crisp passes bringing the ball up court...Has shown steady improvement shooting his mid-range jumper, but is more comfortable when given the opportunity to slash to the basket...Does a good job of keeping the ball on the floor, doing a nice job of keeping it away from the defense...Is a patient ball handler who whips the ball out past double teams to an open teammate, taking advantage of his length and pinpoint passing...Has a quick initial step in his drive to the hoop, but is also an unselfish sort who will always look for an open outlet rather than take the shot himself...Gets good elevation near the rim, feathering the ball into the basket with his fingers...Uses his height, long arms and timing to secure the defensive rebound...Timing is also evident on the offensive glass, where he gets his fair share of putbacks...Good perimeter defender who won't bite on pump fakes and has turned into a very good shot-blocker...Excellent dribbler who can execute the crossover to elude his defender...Can lead the fast break, play in the half-court set or control the tempo of the game with his ball-handling skills, showing excellent vision on the dish-and-drive to continually feed his teammates...Looks fluid attacking the basket from the weak side when in the post...Shows very good leaping ability and has developed a nice turnaround jump shot, along with an efficient reverse layup...Has a high release (with very good speed) getting the ball up and over the defender...Showed in the Orlando pre-draft camp that he is capable of posting up his opponent while stationed along the wing...Even though he gives up considerable bulk, he will not hesitate to get in the paint to battle centers for the ball under the boards.
Negatives: Built more like a forward, but lacks the bulk and strength to compete at that position at the NBA level...Played point guard with his team, but doesn't have the speed to play defense at that position in the NBA...Predominantly a left-handed shooter and needs to develop better consistency with his other hand in order to keep the defender off-balance when he slashes to the basket...Because of his long limbs, he struggles at times to stay in front of smaller and quicker point guards on the perimeter...Seems more comfortable slashing to the basket, even when double teamed, rather than pull out to the perimeter and challenge his opponent to defend him there...Gets too pass-happy feeding his teammates, even when it is obvious that he has a better opportunity to take the shot...Might lack confidence in his outside shot due to marginal mechanics and a slow release point that sees more than a handful of his attempts altered.
Compares To: RUDY GAY, Memphis. Yue lacks the quickness that you look for in an NBA point guard but is an efficient ball handler who is unselfish to a fault. He looks for an open outlet often, but needs to be more confident creating his own shot. He is a good battler going for the rebound and shows excellent shot-blocking skills for a backcourt man. He might never be able to gain the bulk and strength needed to play small forward. As a shooting guard, he will need to develop better range and an array of moves. He favors his left hand often going to the basket, but is an excellent leaper attacking the weak side of the basket. He is more likely to have to put some time in the developmental league, but after his performance at the Orlando pre-draft camp, he could have pushed himself right into the second round.
Orlando Pre-Draft Camp Measurements:
6-9 Wingspan...8-9 Standing Reach...5.1 percent Body Fat...34-inch Vertical Leap...185-pound benchpress: 9 reps...10.68 Lane Agility...3.45 Court Sprint (3/4).
Personal
Born 11/06/85...Resides in Hebei, China.
3) Marc Gasol:
http://www.sportsline.com/nba/players/draft/1225848
Overview
The brother of Memphis Grizzlies' forward Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol is more of a classic center.
Born in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain, Marc Gasol spent the 1998-2001 seasons playing for Winterthur F.C. Barcelona in the Spain-Youth Team League. The younger Gasol then joined his brother in the United States while attending Lausanne Collegiate Schoolin Memphis from 2001-03.
Gasol returned to F.C. Barcelona for the 2003-06 seasons, playing in the ACB League. He averaged 3.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists while hitting on 23 of 38 field goals (60.5 percent) and 19 of 34 free throws (55.9 percent) in 21 games as a reserve in 2005-06. He was much more effective during the U-20 European Championship in Russia, where he averaged 16.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Gasol was part of the Spanish FIBA World Championship team in 2006, playing alongside his brother, Pau, and guard Rudy Fernandez, who is expected to be selected in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Gasol switched to Akasvayu Girona for the 2006-07 season. He started 11 of 33 games, as he shot 62.1 percent on two-point attempts (123 of 198), 45.5 percent from the 3-point range (5 of 11) and 65.1 percent from the free-throw line (97 of 149). He scored 358 points, averaging 10.5 points per game. He had a 5.5 rebounding average, as 69 of his 181 boards came off the offensive glass. He was also credited with 30 blocked shots and doled out 39 assists, mostly off of screens.
Scouting Report
Positives: Widebody with good strength, long arms and a good reach...Feels much more comfortable playing with his back to the basket...Is a physical defender playing in the paint...Does a decent job when he puts the ball on the floor with his right hand and is capable of drawing contact on his path to the basket...Handles the ball effectively for a player his size and is alert to where his teammates are positioned...Quick to look for the open outlet and a better shot...Works well distributing the ball to his guards in transition and has a nice move under the basket...Will check every outlet first before creating his own shot...When he parks himself in the lane, opponents can't seem to move him out, leaving him free for the defensive rebound to keep the offense going...Willing passer with the quickness to keep the flow of the game going...Has a soft shooting touch from short range, getting most of his points on putbacks, as he uses his strength to overpower the defender when attacking the rim...His long reach lets him keep the ball high and away from his opponent, negating their double-team activity, as he shows the vision to quickly dish it out to an open man...Takes pride in his ability to draw the opponent into foolish fouls, as he loves generating contact working inside.
Negatives: Might have been better playing in the 225-pound range as a power forward, as the additional bulk in recent years has slowed him significantly...Likes to shoot with his right hand, but is not as effective with his jump hook as when he executes the same move with his left hand...Relies on positioning to contain his man, but if he gives the opponent a side, he is easily beaten, as he lacks the agility to recover... Uses his body well to get position, but gets a little unbalanced when he has to defend on the perimeter...Lacks range to shoot from the outside and seems very reluctant to even attempt those shots (only 12 attempts in the last two years)...Needs to get himself in better condition, as he tends to lose stamina as the game progresses (averaged 10 minutes per game in 2005-06 and 22 minutes last year)...Will at times use his length to deflect shots, but is not a consistent shot blocker and fails to get good elevation...Will struggle to get up and down the court, especially in an up-tempo game.
Compares To: KELVIN CATO, New York Knicks. Until he gets into better condition and improves his foot speed, Gasol is nothing more than a big, physical body. He can draw fouls and dish the ball, but is only effective for short spurts. He applies good pressure in the paint and has a decent shot close to the basket, but despite his size, he lacks the leaping ability to dominate the boards. He is good dishing the ball out to his guards and keeps the ball high and away from the opponent. There are too many holes in his game for him to see much more than garbage time off the end of the bench at this stage in his career.
Personal
Bother, Pau Gasol, is an All-Star for the Memphis Grizzlies, having played five seasons in the National Basketball Association...Born 1/29/85 in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain...Resides in Barcelona, Spain.
Posted by: RC | June 29, 2007 at 12:55 AM
It's interesting that the only issue that KL talk about basketball is repeating the same axiom:
Kobe is selfish, he doesn't make his teammates better....and that's the only think he is capable to write about it.
Thank god he doesn't know about basketball.
KL is paid for smush.
The worst and most boring Kobe trasher that had passed in this blog.
I don't remember reading more than two lines from KL post.
Kobe trashers need more imagination, more convincing arguments, because even in national survey of most popular athletes Kobe come out in the top 10.
.
Posted by: jorema | June 29, 2007 at 01:14 AM
Aloha KG
One mor thing
04/05
Kobe(injured 20+games
Atkins
Mihm
George/Butler(still learning)
Lamar(injured 20= games)
05-06
Kobe
Smush
Kwame
George
Lamar
06/07
Kobe
Smush
Kwame (missed40 games)/Andrew
Luke(missed 25 games)
Lamar(missed 25 games)
Which year screams Championship? You are always preaching team. I ask you, wheres the team? Please no Kobe drove Shaq out rants, because its the post Shaq roster in question here. Simply stated you say Kobe cant win a ring as a number one and I ask you, How do you Know?
MH
Posted by: michael h | June 29, 2007 at 01:23 AM
Bryant's status is matter at hand
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers29jun29,1,3891169,full.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers
Posted by: J-Cool | June 29, 2007 at 01:24 AM
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-draft29jun29,1,6745929.column?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers&ctrack=3&cset=true
The Lakers got Javaris Crittenton, a big promising point guard, whose future may or may not be too far ahead of him to play a lot alongside Kobe Bryant.
Garnett, sought by the Lakers and Phoenix Suns in multi-team talks that broke down this week, may still be traded … with speculation now centering on the Golden State Warriors.
Whether it was part of a deal the Warriors are working on with Minnesota or not, they traded guard Jason Richardson to Charlotte for North Carolina's Brandan Wright, a promising young big man whom the Bobcats drafted at No. 8.
The Warriors may now offer Wright with center Andris Biedrins and guard Monta Ellis and enough salary to make the deal work to Minnesota for Garnett.
Indiana is still discussing trades for O'Neal. A league source says the Pacers have interest from a team other than the Lakers.
After failing to get Garnett or O'Neal, it remains to be seen what the Lakers have in mind next.
They can reportedly have O'Neal for Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom but, to date, have decided that's too much.
Of course, the off-season has just started, the Lakers hope.
"It looks like there's going to be a lot of activity," said Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak.
"I doubt there'll be a flurry of activity the next week or two. You have the whole summer to sort it out. It could actually go into next season.
"I wouldn't say in the next week there's going to be four or five big-name players exchanging teams, but maybe by the time training camp rolls around and the season starts, you'll see some substantial and significant movement in the league."
For the Lakers, whatever happens will be significant.
Posted by: J-Cool | June 29, 2007 at 01:37 AM
McHale on KG - too late for KG trade now?
http://getgarnett.com/blog/?p=404
Posted by: J-Cool | June 29, 2007 at 01:51 AM
call me crazy, but i have a trade idea. it's a proposed 3 way deal between our Lakers, denver, and the queens. the Lakers send Kwame (expiring k), Sasha (expiring k), and BCook to denver. in return, denver unloads kenyon martin's "personality" and contract to the Lakers. the other part of the trade would be the queens unloading ron ron's "personality" to the Lakers in exchange for Luke (sign and trade) and Mo Evans. if either denver or the queens want our #19 pick, let's do it.
if anyone can make this "reality show" work, it's Phil. you now have the following lineup...
Kobe/Farmar/#19 pick
Artest/MLE --> Grant Hill?
LO/Vlad
Kenyon/Ronny
Bynum/Mihm
we round out the rest of the roster thru free agency. with 4 all-star caliber players in the staring lineup, we either win the championship or "implode" by Xmas. man, if Phil could make this work...we are golden.
honestly, i would gamble and try this. what do we have to lose at this point? think of the defensive intensity this lineup would bring. we could play any style against anyone and we would own the boards.
remember, Phil and Kobe love Artest and denver is done w/ Kenyon. FYI...i think Crittenton at #19 is a great pick. i think he's going to be better than Farmar. he's long, athletic, d's up, and is a leader. on top of that, the guy is a student of the game...watches film all the time and had a great GPA in school.
what do you guys/gals think?
Posted by: magikobe | June 29, 2007 at 02:11 AM
Marc GASOL is a WORLD CHAMPION BASKETBALL,and he ATE "BABY SHAQ center from Greece in the Finakl, give him some credit
Posted by: Spaniard | June 29, 2007 at 02:20 AM
Looking down the Garnett road
http://blogs.ocregister.com/lakers/archives/2007/06/looking_down_th.html#more
Lakers stand pat
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/pros/lakers/abox/article_1748620.php
Forget the rumors, Kobe is staying
http://www.dailynews.com/lakers/ci_6257665
Bryant still the focus on draft day
http://www.dailynews.com/lakers/ci_6257519
Jackson: Kobe will play
http://www.pe.com/sports/basketball/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_lakers_29.40467ec.html
Lakers' Draft Day Worthy Only of Yawn
http://www.pe.com/sports/basketball/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_patton_29.40472fa.html
Posted by: J-Cool | June 29, 2007 at 02:51 AM
Kevin Ding at the OCR - "Jackson reiterated his view that the Lakers need improvement with a lead guard and a big man. . . "
Not the 1 and 3? So Kwame being part of the core is nothing but a rumor? My my, who's the "insider" spreading that?
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