AK,

Thanks for your response about Drew's grade. I was giving you grief for fun. Actually, you guys are doing too good a job. Slow the report cards down so we have a chance to comment. We're all getting bombarded now but will be bored too death in a couple of weeks. You need to wean us into the off season, not cut us off cold turkey. LOL.

But you didn't answer my question:

Has there ever been a player in the history of the Lakers who had a bigger breakout year or made a greater leap in his play in a single season than Andrew Bynum this year?

I would be interested to hear your answer. Thanks.

Tom

AS THE BASKETBALL BOUNCES…

Ron Artest is supposedly now going to sleep on whether or not to opt out of his contract. Since he has stated outright that he wouldn’t accept the MLE under any circumstances, the only way he can get more money would be via a sign and trade, which opting out of his contract would motivate the Kings to agree to or lose him with no compensation.

If Ron opts out, it probably means that he has gotten indications from one or more elite teams that they would try and work and sign and trade deal to get him. Otherwise, Artest would probably not risk only being able to sign for the MLE or with a losing team. I sure would like to see Ron in purple and gold but not if it costs us Lamar Odom. I would have no problem sending Luke and Vlade or even Ronny. Artest would be a perfect fit for us.

***************

O. J. Mayo or Kevin Love and Mike Miller. Give me a break. I would have killed to see the Lakers get Kevin Love or Mike Miller. Miller would have been a great small forward for the Lakers. He would have given us what we have never gotten from Vlade. And he has the toughness that it takes to win championships in the right situation. Good move by Kevin McHale. What can you say about Chris Wallace other than he is becoming every general manager’s best friend. I wonder how we can get Marc Gasol back…

***************

Apparently the commissioner doesn’t feel any need to chastise Shaq for his tasteless and classless rap attack on Kobe, Kareem, and Patrick. You’d think that Shaq’s behavior was more of an image threat to the league than player hip-hop fashion and excessive jewelry. I even read that some stupid deputy sheriff has now offered to replace the badges that other sheriffs had requested back from Shaq. Can’t wait for Drew and Kobe to give Shaq a taste of their own posteriors as they posterize and YouTube him next year.

***************

How lucky were the Chicago Bulls to turn their 1.7% chance at the top pick into Derrick Rose, their point guard of the future? As Bulls fan Barrack Obama says, Derrick Rose is Jason Kidd with a jump shot. Big bounces of the ball for Chicago with Barrack running for president, Bulls drafting Derrick Rose, and Cubs having the best record in baseball. Wonder what is going to happen to Kirk Heinrich? What ever happened to his shining star anyway? He was once talked about as a potentially great player.

***************

I have to laugh at the posters who compared Luke Walton to Rick Fox. While I still believe Luke will be a valuable Laker down the road, the simple fact is that he and Ronny are the two players on the team that have not really improved their games as much as the rest of the young players on the team, such as Drew, Jordan, and Sasha. Meanwhile, Rick Fox became a shut down defensive player – remember him shadowing Peja like white on rice? – as well as a clutch 3-point shooter and team enforcer. Luke, on the other hand, regressed this year and probably set a season record for having his shot blocked. While ex claims otherwise, I also have never heard of Luke staying in the gym and working on his shot after a bad shooting night the way Kobe, Sasha, Jordan, and Lamar have done. Bottom line, Luke is a good role player. Foxy was a great role player.

***************

Edwin asked if the Lakers could trade the contracts of Luke and Vlade for draft picks. The answer is that they can do that IF another team would accept the contracts AND the Lakers take back contracts of players from the other team worth at least 75% + $150K of the sum of Luke’s and Vlade’s contracts. For trade exceptions, the values used are the current annual salaries of the players. Thus, to really relieve themselves of Luke’s and Vlade’s contracts, the Lakers would need to find a team with players with expiring contracts to trade for. Sound familiar? Expiring contracts are the only way to reduce your payroll in the new NBA. That’s why they are so valuable. Teams trade away players with long contracts for players with expiring contracts. Thus, they reduce their long term payroll commitment.

Tom

Anyway we can make sure that Jim Buss doesn't go on radio this offseason?

Long Time Laker Fan,

Great sequence of posts on the Andrew Report Card thread. Your response to the Puke posters was an impressive array of points. Well done. Luke can be a valuable Laker.

I also just watched the YouTube compilation of Sun Yue and again came away very very impressed. I think this kid can really play point guard in the NBA. Here are my latest observations from watching various videos and reading draft reports on Sun Yue.

First, the guy is a genuine 6-8 wiry type of player that the Lakers like. The thought of another 6-8 point guard running the Lakers definitely has a unique appeal. Sun reminds me a lot of a slighter, smaller, but faster, quicker, and better shooting and ball handling version of Lamar Odom – another lefty who can play the 1, 2, or 3 for the Lakers down the road. Several draft reports also noted Sun’s ability to fill a stat sheet like Lamar.

Where people worried about Lamar’s ball handling ability playing point guard, Sun Yue looks to be a far better ball handler than Lamar. In fact, his ball handling and passing were outstanding and he looks as if he could be the Lakers long term solution at the point with his size and skills. He could be the perfect point guard for the Triangle Offense. You can see why he is called the Chinese Magic Johnson.

For a 6-8 guy, Sun runs like a greyhound. His quickness and herky-jerky moves remind me a lot of Manu Ginobli. One thing that I really loved watching him play is that he knows how to use long strides and a jump stop to get into the lane to score or an assist. This is the primary move that Ginobli and Parker use in the paint to score under control without getting their shot blocked. By using a jump stop to land on two feet in the paint, the player can then use either foot as his pivot foot and is in great position to score. The jump stop is also the move that Farmar needs to add as well as his old teardrop shot.

What looks best about Sun Yue is that he looks to have great lateral quickness as well as the hops and length to really be an excellent defender. I think he is fast and quick enough to do a good job staying in front of his man. I saw several videos of Sun running back chasing a defender on a breakaway and blocking his shot ala Kobe Bryant. That type of aggressiveness is something that is critical when selecting a player from China, where players are nowhere near as aggressive as in the NBA. Playing in the CBA and the NBA Summer League in Vegas definitely helped Sun acclimate more to our style of play.

At any rate, I was thrilled to hear that the Lakers are still high on Sun and hope to add him to the roster this year. It will be exciting to have a new player with high expectations to root for this summer. Thanks again for the excellent posts. They were critical to my surviving the end of the NBA season. Nice rag on your paragraphs by the way. You can always spot your posts by the look.

Tom

they got an A for bringing in Gasol but they could've got a huuuuge steal had they taken Jamont Gordon or Davon Jefferson!! either of those dudes has serious game and could be a huge part of our future!!

BLOG CRUE,
Colorado can't wait till the Lakers season begins. I volunteered for a deployment to Qatar in Nov-Mar 09 so we'll see if that happens. If not, I'll make the Lakers-Nuggets at the Laker Center in Denver. CO bleeds purple and gold.

Colorado loves the Lakers!

**************** Artest will be a Laker****************

RonRon hates kg--
LO and Artest are best friends
He even likes Kobe--hehe
He wants to come to LA for business ventures
He wants to be in the FINALS for a change. It's eating him
He and Lakers know he is the missing piece on D

All I know is that Ron is crazy enough to just do it and opt out and if he does the Lakers Organization, Kobe, LO need to: MAKE HIM AN OFFER HE CAN'T REFUSE.

Somehow, Someway they need to get this done.

Add Bynum, Artest, and the Chinese Magic Johnson to this squad, I don't think they would ever lose 82-0.

Celtics Suck and Lakers Forever!

BD

Let's go C's,
I hope the Lakers and the "Lucky" Celtics will meet again in the Finals next year. Let's see who's ass will be kicked this time around. I'm sure it will not be the Purple and Gold. I hope to see those hated Celtics again so you will shut your "big mouth"

i am a die hard laker fan, i bleed purple and gold but i live in reality and sun yue isnt packed with potential!! dude is about to be 23 years old and averaged around 13 ppg in the aba!! not the pac 10, not the acc but the aba...yes that aba!! he did average around 10 apg but also over 3.5 tpg!! over 3 turnovers in the aba!! come on Mitch, i cant understand why the lakers wouldnt take Jamont Gordon, can you imagine him and Farmar runnin the break for your bench!! Gordon is 6'4 230 and he averaged 17 ppg, 5apg plus 6.6 rpg!! ask the number 1 pick in the 08 draft about Gordon, he'll tell you that Jamont dropped 21 points, 11 boards and 5 assist on him in the second round of the tourney!! the lakers messed up not takin Jamont but the whole NBA is sleepin on dude too, its crazy man!!

Crawford is supposed to have some decent skills. Kupchak said that it's difficult for a draftee at that spot to make a team. Draft success need not necessarily be a route to ultimate success. Look at the current champion.

In any event, Artest could sign with LA, but in order to stay, the Lakers would have to let go or significantly renegotiate with Odom to keep them both after '09, do I have that right?

BD,

Are Artest and Lamar "best friends"?

GO LAKERS!

Hugo Boss,

I won't remember in November, so I'll tell you now:

Thank you, much respect, God bless and be safe.

LakerTom

"The answer is that they can do that IF another team would accept the contracts AND the Lakers take back contracts of players from the other team worth at least 75% + $150K of the sum of Luke’s and Vlade’s contracts. For trade exceptions, the values used are the current annual salaries of the players."

Thanks again for your usual expertise in this area. I don't thinK JB would waste so much money through that route and getting an expiring contract which is a waste of time as well. I guess the SF and C will be a competitive position for the Lakers. We need Mbenga lurking around to push Mihm to tap his potentials or becomes a odd man in C. We need a competition in SF with Lamar, Vlad, Ariza and Luke to push them for playing or else they sit down. If Mihm and Luke continue to be odd players, don't let them ruin the strenght of the roster. All we need now is sign a PF like: Artest as MLE or Milsap or Posey 3.5m for 2yrs.

Joey Crawford is good pick, an attacker, slasher and a good shooter another Javaris Crittenton type that will compete minutes from Sasha, Karl, Lue and/or Farmar. That's great to have many options of shooters and talents than dealing with dead-ends players. Even just a rookie, PJ will like Crawford who had carried Kentucky Wildcats offense as well as defense. Here is my line up

Fisher/Farmar/Karl
Kobe/Sasha?/Lue(D'League) /Crawford(D'League)
Ariza/Vlad/Luke
Pau/LO/Ronny?/MLE?
Bynum/Mihm/Mbenga?

Edwin Guerco,

You forgot to add Quinton Ross to the lineup.

GO LAKERS!

Hugo Boss,

Much love and respect for the protection. We appreciate that.

Brotherly Respect.

Charl;es

Big ups to you Hugo!!!

Lamar = Laker for Life

GO LAKERS

LakerTom,

>>>the simple fact is that he and Ronny are the two players
>>>on the team that have not really improved their games as
>>>much as the rest of the young players on the team, such
>>>as Drew, Jordan, and Sasha

Luke and Ronny = 2nd round picks

Drew, Jordan, and Sasha = first round picks

`nuff said

Paul Lee,

I like James Jones, and I think the Lakers should at least
consider him if they can't re-sign Sasha. But he's an average
defender, he plays the SF spot, where the Lakers are overloaded,
and he opted out of 3 million, which means he probably wants
more than 3 million. He's probably thinking just like Sasha...
"If Jason Kapono can get a full MLE, then I can get a full MLE"

Jon K.

If Quintin Ross can convince Mitch and scouts how he can be inserted with the crowded roster and what he can bring to the team, perhaps there is a room for him. He has to do the 'Tonya Harding" method of eliminating competitions by hitting Sasha and Turiaf below the belt and bamboozle Vlad and Luke by quitting their Lakers contract maybe, Ross is within the striking range. Haha!

DB,

We never know about Sun Yue shooting, he's another finnesse but can be developed.

BLOG CRUE
Thanks to all and it's my pleasure.

Colorado loves the Lakers!

Easy on Sun Yue...
take into account the improved quality of coaching that he will get as a Laker. (ever hear the the rumors of how the Chinese national team trains, and the way they dog out Yao Ming for a compilation of things)...

I've watched Laker games for decades, I've gone to games, I've gone to their training camps in Honolulu, one thing I saw about Sasha (Shi-Shi) was that he kept working away at that jump shot, while the rest of the team was gone. Him and a either a ball retriever or Craig Hodges who was around...He worked on that shot for hours. Then he would clank them in games (for what? 2-3 years?...and we all put up with that). Until this year...when things finally clicked. That's why I think we should bring in Sun Yue asap to give him more time to acclimate (and less time to develop bad habits)...Granted he's not going to be as good as just traded Yi, but at least we'll have "Yi-Lite". For all we know Kobe know will know how to speak to him in Chinese after this summer. I just read up on Sun on wikipedia...it sounds like he's stuck in their political approach to assembling their team for the summer. (and in the past)...I think if you remove all that b.s. from his life, he will grow as player and a person.

i am a die hard laker fan, i bleed purple and gold but i live in reality and sun yue isnt packed with potential!! dude is about to be 23 years old and averaged around 13 ppg in the aba!! not the pac 10, not the acc but the aba...yes that aba!! he did average around 10 apg but also over 3.5 tpg!! over 3 turnovers in the aba!! come on Mitch, i cant understand why the lakers wouldnt take Jamont Gordon, can you imagine him and Farmar runnin the break for your bench!! Gordon is 6'4 230 and he averaged 17 ppg, 5apg plus 6.6 rpg!! ask the number 1 pick in the 08 draft about Gordon, he'll tell you that Jamont dropped 21 points, 11 boards and 5 assist on him in the second round of the tourney!! the lakers messed up not takin Jamont but the whole NBA is sleepin on dude too, its crazy man!!

Posted by: cid | June 28, 2008 at 02:37 AM

Cid,

I looked at the names taken in the draft and Jamont Gordon was not selected by anyone. That means he can get invitation to summer team to compete for spot.

Long Time Laker Fan,

Excellent points about Sun Yue. It is even more important that he to play in an NBA or even D-League setting because of the cultural variances between USA and China that make competing on the Chinese National Team a different experience than playing NBA style basketball. Playing in the NBA is a bigger cultural challenge for Chinese players than for European or South American players.

While Sun’s team oriented and focused background will fit well with the Lakers, he will have to learn as Yao Ming did to raise his level of play physically and mentally to match that which he will encounter in the NBA. That is why China sent him over as part of an ABA team that competed in California the year before last. To learn how to play more of an aggressive American style of basketball.

In some ways, it’s as if the Chinese are where the Europeans and South American players were several years ago, where both the play and the players were not yet athletically or mentally ready to play in the tougher, trash talking, dunk-in-your-face environment of the NBA, where our style and rules make the game more physical and difficult for foreign players to excel, more than international rules make it tough for us in the Olympics.

Anyway, I am glad that the Lakers want to get Sun Yue over here for next season. He could be a great addition to the roster with his ability to play several positions. When you think about Lamar playing the point, you are always intrigued but also worried. Sun Yue has a lot of the same versatility, multiple skills, and athletic length that Lamar has but in a much quicker and faster package that could really be a defensive force at a long 6-8.

Now if we could just get Ron Artest for 6-years of MLE, we would be ready to go. LOL. Thanks for your outstanding posts. It’s always a pleasure to share Laker time with you.

Tom

Also-

As a Duck, I would like to point out that, while he may or may not prove to be want to Lake Show is looking for in their long term plans, FA Bryce Taylor can shoot the rock like a Mo Fo. Just in case anybody was wondering.

GO LAKERS

**LOS ANGELES WANTS RON ARTEST TO BE A LAKER!

Is it Monday yet?

Artest wake up from your Laker Dreams...Wake up!

Decision Time Ron!

This is what you have been waiting for Ron...

Come to LakerNation where you will be loved and cheered for your GREAT DEFENSE!

Jerry Buss your the Best make it happen. From his heart he wants to be a Laker and run with LO.

Monday is a BIG DAY in LakerNation. I hope the Lord grabs him by the neck and states Ron your destiny is in LALALand with Phil, LO, Kobe and the most storied franchise in all of sports.

Lakers Forever!

BD