Farmar only shoots about 67% from the line?

He needs to include some FT shooting in his off season yoga schedule so he can both be raising more bucks for charity and be more valuable to his team.

For those who show any interest about Josh Powell this may have been posted earlier on last month but it is a good review of him. Personally I don't trust the reviews too much until I see his actions on the court on my television set or at the Staples Center like I said about Trevor but hey it's a good heads up of what we should expect from Josh Powell. Maybe Jon "No Jon UCLA did get whipped 59-0" K. would be a little interested since Josh was a former Los Angeles Clipper.

http://tinyurl.com/6qgjpl

Carpe Diem!

-blitz

It's you.

I love it when the Lakers step up and do things in the community and for others. It's a great opportunity Jordan is to be commended.

GO LAKERS!!!!!!

Few things make a person think that Monty Python has taken over all reality than waking up to Vic the Brick and groups of dancing rabbis.

GO LAKERS!

thekobebryantblitz,

I've read that bit about Josh Powell.

I will certainly miss Ronny Turiaf and will always wish him well in his career, but I think Josh Powell is going to fill a whole in what the Lakers need probably better than Ronny Turiaf could.

Simply put, Powell has a better shot and is a better rebounder. He may not block shots as well as Turiaf, but, quite frankly, Turiaf wasn't really a shot-blocking machine and we've got Bynum back to block shots now. So, I think we're going to like what we see with Josh Powell. I think it was a very good (and financially wise) pick-up by Mitch Kupchack.

GO LAKERS!

Jordan looks like he did before. TV adds 10lbs. He'll be in game shape when the time comes. Is it basketball season yet?

http://tinyurl.com/6xary5

Blast from the past!

Gentleman. I caught the piece as well and thought it was terrific. Here's an org trying to raise money for a drug rehap and kids programs and they got JF shooting hoops for it. It was 90 sec of entertainment and 60k raised. how do u beat that? no offense to Tom Arnold or Zev Yaroslavsky but id rather see JF shooting hoops against a clock than listen to a speech. Kudos to the Rabbi Telethon!

Chris Verde
Culver City

Any truth to the Odom trade mentioned today on Hoopsworld?

Mike Miller and Jason Collins to the Lakers for Lamar Odom??

EastCoastJessie,

Lamar Odom = Laker for Life

GO LAKERS!

RUMORS: SUMMER WINDING DOWN
By Eric Pincus for HoopsWorld.com

http://tinyurl.com/6ztbuj

Here is excerpt re Lakers:

>>>>>

Odom: It may be fun to speculate on the future of Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom, but the team has every intention of keeping him. Yes, there is the issue of next summer's free agency but that's not today's problem. LA has discussed moving him for years but no deal has truly been imminent.

The closest might have been with the Grizzlies when forward/center Pau Gasol was sent to the Lakers. Odom was almost included in the deal for forward/guard Mike Miller.

It was supposedly Memphis who decided against taking on Odom's salary- which in the end was better for the Lakers since center Andrew Bynum was never able to return from his knee injury (and Miller is no power forward).

The Lakers are very happy with their roster. Odom may flourish as the fourth option while trying to earn his next contract - or he may flounder. Looking ahead, LA is counting on his versatility both at guard/small forward - and as the team's second string power forward.

Mike Miller is definitely a player who interests the Lakers but the Minnesota Timberwolves aren't about to move him. LA would need a high level backup at the four before taking on another perimeter shooter. Center Jason Collins doesn't fit the bill and is coming off elbow surgery.

Odom is a valuable trade asset with his expiring contract along with his ability to play five positions. The last thing the Lakers are going to do is rush to cash that chip in - considering they are among the favorites to get to the NBA Finals.

>>>>>

Tom

Hey blog family!!! It's good to be back!! Spent some time in Northern Ontario Canada visiting family - not a computer in sight....seriously.

Oh well - it's good to be back & now with only a couple of weeks left before training camp I know I can fight off the jitters with the finish line to this long boring summer (with the exception of Team USA B-ball) so close at hand.

It's amazing that we all made it intact & relatively unscathed!

GO LAKERS!

>>>Any truth to the Odom trade mentioned today on
>>>Hoopsworld?
>>>
>>>Mike Miller and Jason Collins to the Lakers for Lamar
>>>Odom??

none. If you read further, the source of the trade was a fan
who posted it to an online chat. I'm sure Mike T would love
that trade though, as Jason Collins has about the biggest
calves in the NBA.

EastCoastJesse -

I found this on hoopsworld...

"It may be fun to speculate on the future of Los Angeles Lakers forward Lamar Odom, but the team has every intention of keeping him. Yes, there is the issue of next summer's free agency but that's not today's problem. LA has discussed moving him for years but no deal has truly been imminent...

The Lakers are very happy with their roster. Odom may flourish as the fourth option while trying to earn his next contract - or he may flounder. Looking ahead, LA is counting on his versatility both at guard/small forward - and as the team's second string power forward.

Mike Miller is definitely a player who interests the Lakers but the Minnesota Timberwolves aren't about to move him. LA would need a high level backup at the four before taking on another perimeter shooter. Center Jason Collins doesn't fit the bill and is coming off elbow surgery."

That should answer your question.

Oh, by the way, that Memphis trade I just proposed works in
the trade machine, so it must be true.

Leggy, leggy, leggy, leggy, leggy,

leggy blond, good-bye.

Flight of the Conchords is da bomb on a murky day.

Jamie Sweet

Which episode is that?

"Murray, Present!"

The Big Don't-Let-The-Door-Hit-You-On-The-Way-Out

http://tinyurl.com/6hybfv

>>>Won't we have to many signed contracts for your
>>>proposed trade?
>>>
>>>I like Javaris too. But hey maybe buried in the bench at
>>>his position.

Other than the fact that it was a ridonculous trade that Memphis
would never agree to, not really.

I think the Lakers might be willing to waive Coby Karl to
make a roster spot for Javaris... Or they could throw him
into the trade.

VON WAFER SIGHTING!

from AJC.com (via True Hoop)
LIGHTS OUT: The spies around the Hawks’ practice court the past few weeks have proclaimed free agent swingman Von Wafer the most lethal shooter of the summer, with retired former Hawks’ sniper Tony Delk right on his heels.

Wafer reportedly won a game by himself last week - he scored every single point as his team shutout the opposition, which is a frightening shooting display in any venue.

Kiwi -

"Question - this organisation is supposed to be one of the great ones to play for...Steve Nash is supposed to be the best guy to play with....so why are all these guys moving mountains not to be there?"

Well, you'd have to ask the same of kobey and the lakers last season, right? All sorts of playas get frustrated and fed up with their organizations...KG...AI...Ben Gordon..etc.

I don't know exactly why JJ wanted to go, nor the Matricks. Shawn was the highest paid playa on the team and yet felt somehow underappreciated. It was a confusing thing to get at from the outside looking in.

But the fact is that the SUNS - nor any other NBA team - was going to give Marion 17.5 mil for four more years, or whatever. His agent wanted to get the max deal, and the SUNS wanted to wait to give him the contract, so Marion would have left this summer and the SUNS would be left hanging. Trading for SHACK made sense, not only to replace Marion but to rejuvenate the locker room, shore up rebounding and add size in the paint.

On the opposite end are the Grant Hills and Barnes who are willing to take a pay cut to be with Nash and the SUNS. And as of this summer, with Kerr in full command, the SUNS have had one of their best offseasons in years. Lopez, Dragic, Singletary, Barnes....all quality additions that help in needed areas.

JJ is making his bucks, and is a star, but the hawks are a poor organization. He's close to home though and he almost beat Boston last season! Good for him...in return, the SUNS have Diaw, not a bad playa at all, and LOPEZ, the pick from the ATL trade. We'll see how things pan out, but the saved money allows the SUNS more flexibilty.

As for Marion, his story is not yet clear. He may stay in Miami or be traded of course, but you won't find anyone willing to pay a max deal as he had hoped. That doesn't mean it won't happen though. Hopefully he'll be happy wherever he ends up - as long as it ain't LA!

Amazing Happens,

I will always rue the day Mitch Kupchak opted not to lock up Von Wafer with the same 12 year/12 mil deal I would have also given Slava. Such precious and rare hilarity now perhaps in the hands of Atlanta, along with the next 8 teams he'll play for from now until 2012.

Man, I miss that kid.

AK

Sorry for the length --

The reality of the NBA is that teams hit peaks and valleys. Different teams are measured differently with regard to their peaks. for the Lakers and Celtics its NBA Finals. For the Clippers it’s getting out of the first round. For a tweener team like the Suns it’s winning the Pacific division.

The Celtics managed 22 years between peaks.

The Lakers climbed up again after three years – which is amazing considering the doom and gloom after Shaq left.

The question is which way will the Suns go after both Nash and Shaq retire. I believe the Suns won’t get to the finals in the next 10 years, the Lakers, Portland and NO are much better equipped long term. But if they win the Pacific after Kobe retires, then maybe they have justified their existence to their fan base. As Laker fans we take Pacific division banners and use them as rags for washing our cars. But to each his own.

BIG UPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Props to Brian and Andrew
Who put together two of my favorite blogs to scan through
And who keep me up to date on everything Purple Gold and Blue

And it's great too see that this thing is really blowing up
I remember late '05 when everybody started showing up
Look at us now, over a thousand strong
And that's even assuming Mike T. is long gone!! (j/k mike)
We even have fans of other teams regularly visitin'
Cuz we have the blog that the other teams wish they did

LAKERSBLOG FOR LIFE! Thats my motto
Gas prices haven't stopped me from running Trolls over at full throtle
It may be BUTLER today, maybe LGC's tomorrow
The only thing I know is that trophey's comin back to our home

So there it is.
Plain. Simple. Wrote "63 WINS"
Floated a bottle, tracked the storm
It should reach Japan Sunday, hope Jon's back in his dorm

>-<

"I remember late '05 when everybody started showing up"

Wasn't that the start of the blog?

Charles

It's the one where Murray has the IT lady constantly coming into his office...I don't remember the name, but that show is so funny. I love Leggy Blond, I'm Not Crying, and, of course, Robots (The Humans Are Dead).

How does veryone feel here about the Roger Clemens' of the NBA. I'm not talking the juicers, but the dudes who sit out half the season and then suddenly feel like lacing up the ol' high tops. PJ Brown, Zo, Sam I Am, etc.

I hate this practice, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. When we won Mitch Richmond a ring, he rode the pine all season and played the last 45 seconds of Game 4. That was it. JR Rider rode the bench all season and then was left off the playoff roster and didn't win squat! Awesome. PJ Brown sat on his duff until the All Star Game and got a ring. Bull sh*%t! I hate that crap. The only exception that I make in this case is for Magic Johnson and Alonzo Mourning. They had their careers cut short by prejudice and illness, repsectively. To attempt a come-back when they did was the best they could do. They didn't sit on the sidelines waiting for the team with the best chance to win it to come a calling.

GO LAKERS!!!!

Vanessa sez:

"Matrix wanted to go because the media, in their overzealousness to promote Steve Nash as the MVP, basically gave all the credit to Nash and completely ignored Marion"

So the alternative was to go to Miami to play alongside D-Wade and thus become the "main man" there? That makes no sense, my dear.

The media in PHX loved Matricks, as did the fans. Although I can't vouch for the man's mind, I believe Matricks got fed up because he wasn't featured in the offense, and, he had to play extra hard on defense to secure the perimeter each night, which doesn't get you much praise in general.

We in PHX understood that Matricks was the SUNS MVP - he did everything, and played 40 minutes a night.

Nash however was the MVP as far as offense goes, and as the MVPs have traditionally gone to offensive-minded playas, Nash easily earned his two MVPs. The reason why the MVP is forever tainted, is because the voters wimped out and didn't give Steve that 3rd trophy which he so richly deserved.

Doesn't matter though - Nash has twice as many as kobey, and always takes out kobey when they meet in the postseason.

BTW, "overzealousness" is redundant. Clear language use will make your arguments more effective.

BD sez:

"I just read an article on Fox sports stating the Suns will win it all this year."

The SUNS will win it all this year? Sounds great!

Seriously, I'm always surprised how many fans take what the media gives them, and accept it as gospel.

This is the same news site that ran a story last week about the Bulls. The quote from the story was:

"After Del Negro worked as an assistant in Phoenix for Mike D'Antoni the last couple of seasons, we may have a clue as to what the Bulls' offense will look like this season."

First of all, Vinny was a front office man, not an asst coach. And second, anyone who knows the SUNS knows that Del Negro was not a fan of the offensive emphasis that D'ANTONI embraced.

Fox sports...the wellspring of truth and intelligence!

Anyway, it's fun to see these SHACK-hate stories. I imagine it motivates the team. The SUNS are going to be better than they were last year, personnel wise. I don't quite understand what all the doom predictions are based on - the SUNS will have a year with SHACK going into the playoffs (not just a few weeks), and now have a much deeper bench than last season, with all starters returning...questions will surround any new team with a new coach, so we just have to wait and see, yes?

The illigitimacy of Nash's MVPs remains counched in the fact that he is still the only MVP never to get to the finals -- 'nuf said.

Thanks everybody. Can't wait for the season to start already. If it hadn't been for the Olympics, I would've slit my wrists (not really).

Can't wait to be back on the blog in full force.

Vanessa...

Sure Marion might have been fed up with the mvp hype but even if his stats were the same after Nash arrived theres no escaping the fact that the suns improved by 33 games in Nash's first year...thats more than double the win total.Stoudemire,Marion,Joe Johnson were all on that team.Nash shows up and they get the best record in the NBA - how can you not give him the credit...maybe other players developed and different things happened but Nash is just going to get the credit in that situation...particularly over a guy like Marion who was there the year before posting his stats with all the other guys plus Marbury and posting all of 29 wins.

Nash,in my opinion,under the way the MVP is voted, deserved both those MVP's...particularly the first one.The second was arguable and there were a few guys you couldnt begrudge that year and Nash was simply one of them.The only other guy who could have won it the first year Nash won was Shaq and he wasnt even the most valuable player on his own team....this is the way it goes... was it Kobe or Shaq,Pippen or Jordan or Jackson?...theres arguments for all regarding the extent of their value and circumstances mean the credit is often distributed unfairly...but if your team improves by 33 games becasue you turn up (and on the surface at least not much esle changes) ...then you're going to get the credit.

And besides nash was always clutch in the playoffs and Marion would disapear.The biggest problem was Marion's attitude.The only possible problem with Nash winning MVP for me was it was the first time in my memory that a player won who was a complete and utter defensive liability.

Nice post though

Kiwi sez:

"And besides nash was always clutch in the playoffs and Marion would disapear."

I'd have to at least partially disagree with you there. Matricks had some great moments in the playoffs, and was much more consistent the past couple years.

Take Game 5 vs LA in LA in 2006...Shawn grabbed a board in the closing seconds of regulation and passed it to Tim Thomas, who nailed a 3, sent the game into overtime where Shawn scored a few buckets to help put the lakers away.

He also showed what he could do if he was featured in the offense in Game 5 of the SUNS-spurs series in 2007. No Amare, no Diaw meant that Shawn played PF and worked pick and rolls with Nash. Matricks had 24 points by halftime! It made me realize that perhaps his complaints had some veracity, not getting used enough in the offense.

Charles sez:

"BUTLER

Don't you feel with the amount of money he (Marion) was getting paid, was in praise to his ability. Wasn't he the 2nd highest paid if not the highest paid player?"

It was praise for his shark agent, but yes, Marion was given the best pay of any SUN...17.5 mil...you'd think he'd be happy. But being a millionaire doesn't mean happiness at all, because you've still got your respect as a person and playa to consider. And Shawn was upset...about something.

BUTLER

What's wrong with this picture:

-Russell
-Wilt
-Bird
-MJ
-Nash HAHAHAHA!!! Sorry I couldn't make it through this post without cracking up!

My point is, yeah Nash has back to back MVP"s (hightly political, I must add), But Nash"s name should never NEVER be used in the same conversation.

That's right butler...

Are you not aware at all why only NASH has not played for a championship... and yet you are telling us here that he is one of the greatest player who ever play ball... Look at your example.. Wilt, Bill, MJ... they are there because they battled for championships.. not just WIN MVP's... they BATTLE for something greater than thier personal accomplishments... THEY went to war and took with them thier team... Your Steve Nash has not brought his team to an NBA Championship game inspite of having around him 2 All Stars in Amare and Shawn and as you say...with the greatest coach in the NBA...

Are you not aware of this? Do you not see the irregularity of this thought?

Amazing... just amazing...

I am perplexed...YOu are better than this.. wake up man...

At least Kobe brought his team all the way to the finals after winning an MVP...

Go KOBE!

GO Lakers!