About damn time.

What's your guys take on Sun Yue? Would you all consider him a bust yet? I personally would. He looks like a deer in headlights when ever he's on the floor, put simply he sucks. While Farmar is no Magic, he's a hell of a lot better than Sun. Also, even though I don't think we will keep him past this year, Shannon Brown is WAY more game ready to get those garbage minutes. So that puts Sun as the fourth string PG in my eyes.

Maybe there's a future for him when Fish and Brown leave but I don't see Sun being NBA "ready" for a few more years, kind of a lot to put in to a player that hasn't really shown any potential.

Lamar = Finals MVP

GO LAKERS

AK,

It puzzles me why the Lakers did not send Sun Yue to the D-League much earlier. To send him down now, with just a little over a month to go does not seem to make sense. To me, it does not bode well for Sun as it appears very unlikely that the Lakers will exercise their team option for a second year unless Sun Yue has played better in practice than in the few games he has appeared. Have you guys seen Sun during practice and does he still look like a deer caught in the headlights in practice?

Tom

wow,

I think Wade forgets what Kobe means the the NBA. Sure Wade and Le bron mean everything to their team. So does Kobe.

Globall, Kobe is the ambassador.

Laker Tom,

For a little while, Sun wasn't sent down because of Farmar's injury. They needed him available in a pinch. Beyond that, it is admittedly a little curious, if not necessarily "telling" of something specific. He hasn't seemed particularly "deer in the headlight" during practices I've seen, but remember, we're only allowed to watch the tail end of stuff.

It is important to remember, however, that most teams have rookies (hell, even guys with more experience) who mostly collect dust on the bench. Sun's situation isn't really all that unusual, particularly on a team this stacked. I have no idea how good a player he'll become, but I also wouldn't read too much into his lack of PT, particularly as it translates to his option. They figured he'd barely play when they brought him into camp.

AK

Laker Tom,

How are you sir? I know we cross blog entries here and I fail to say hello.

Anyways, I don't think Sun looks like a deer staring at head lights. Maybe more like a monkey flying a plane?

Xie-xie...

Laker Tom

Excellent post on "Posted by: LakerTom | March 06, 2009 at 01:14 PM"

You also provided a link from Kevin Ding's article stating that PJ would like for Lamar to sustain his energy coming off the bench as if he was starting.

AK,

Thanks for responding. What is your take on whether the Lakers will exercise the team option on Sun’s contract for next year? What is the deadline to do so? Is it possible that Sun would have a chance to come to camp and play before they decide whether to exercise the team option? Thanks.

Tom

wow: "The one thing I've always admired about Kobe is not publicly making comments about other stars or other teams that might seem "hateris." He always seems to focus on his game and the lakers."

Kobe's comments on Gilbert Arenas after the Lakers lost to the Wizards 147-141 in Dec 2006:

"You tip your hat and say, 'See you next time.' First of all, he shot 27 free throws. We as a team shot 30. Think about that.

But him individually, it's funny. He doesn't seem to have much of a conscience. I really don't think he does. Some of the shots he took tonight, you miss those, and they're just terrible shots. Awful. You make them and they're unbelievable shots. I don't get a chance to play him much, so I haven't gotten used to that mentality of just chucking it up there. He made some big ones, but I'll be ready next time."

Charles,

Good to hear from you. That Kevin Ding quote about Phil commenting that Lamar plays better as a starter was really a puzzler because, as AK pointed out, Ding used the quote as part of his argument that Lamar was going to go back to the bench once Drew was ready to start again, even though on the face of it, the quote basically seems to say that Lamar needs to start to play at this level. It will be fun seeing how this plays out. The Lakers are fortunate to have three big men who can post up, score, and rebound as well as any big men in the game. Unfortunately, only one of them is really a power player, which is why Drew is the key.

As to Sun Yue, the Chinese half of me wants the guy to succeed as does the former point guard in me. I thought Sun showed great promise with his play in the Olympics but so far we have not seen anything but a guy who wasn’t ready to face the pressure of playing in the association. Maybe he can show enough in the D-League that the Lakers will exercise their team option and spend $700K to sign him for a second year. We can only hope.

Tom

LAKERS SEND SUN YUE TO D-LEAGUE
By LA Times

http://tinyurl.com/dfr4ep

Interesting quote from Phil:

“"I am impressed with Sun's basketball talents and am hopeful that he will play for the Lakers for many years to come,'' Jackson said.

Hopefully, this will mean that Sun will get a chance to play with the Lakers next year.

Tom

JohnnyP: "Secondly (I wonder if you'll agree), Bynum is a little high on himself. He will try harder if he needs to prove himself."

The past few seasons, when Drew was Kwame's back-up and challenged to earn the starting spot, he performed poorly. Even moreso than LO, he's proven to be a self-esteem type player who is driven by confidence and knowing his coaches and teammates have confidence in him. Frankly, I don't believe it's a viable excuse for either player. The emotional/self-esteem thing is a wash. So, Xs and Os-wise, to me we looked a lot more dominant with Pau and Drew on the floor playing their best.

"We have a reaaaally good thing going. No need to mess it up."

I may be in the minority here, but this "reaaaaally" good thing doesn't look all that different from what looked "reaaaaally" good last year until it was proven not to be good enough in the Finals. I don't want to have to learn the same lesson this year. Once was enough for me.

JohnnyP,

Thanks for your comments. Good to hear from you again. While I don’t post on the live blog, I always get a kick out of your comments and enthusiasm there. I understand what you are saying and there is no doubt that Drew will come off the bench until he gets his game together. Even 15 to 20 minutes of a recovering Drew will be a big help.

Once Drew is ready to start, however, there is also no question that he WILL start. The big key is his ability to block and alter shots and protect the lane and rim on defense. That is something that we do not get from Pau and Lamar no matter how well they play together on offense. I also think that the team needs Drew’s power inside game, which is a perfect compliment to Pau’s game as a power forward. Nothing as intimidating as having a 7-1 285 lb beast throwing down dunks on the other team’s big men.

I also agree with lakers_sth that Drew, like Lamar, will play better as a starter. There were several interviews with Drew during the early part of the year where he clearly stated that he preferred to start and felt that he played better knowing when and how much he was going to play. The dilemma, of course, is that Lamar feels the same. My opinion, as everybody knows, is to keep Lamar as a starter and put Luke on the bench.

It will be interesting to see how Phil handles the situation once Drew is ready to start again, which will hopefully happen by the time the Lakers hit the playoffs. While I think we are a better team this year without Drew than we were last year without him, there is no doubt that Drew and Pau and the better center/power forward combo than Pau and Lamar. The key is to figure out how to keep Lamar playing at the level he has as a starter. If Phil can solve that problem, the Lakers will be unstoppable. Of course, if Drew can really come back and play like he did the week before he went down, then the Lakers will sweep through the playoffs.

JMNSHBO! DNFTT!

Tom

Purple & Gold,

From an earlier thread you wrote:
All this talk about our big man rotation got me thinking about last year's finals lost (honk if you are still thinking about '04 and '91). I know it's hard to shift lineups in the middle of the playoffs, but maybe we would have been better off with this frontcourt against the Celtics:

C: Turiaf
PF: Gasol
SF: Odom

Big man off bench: Mbenga

Turiaf and Mbenga could have given us a more physical presence and shot blocking (no Ray Ray going to the hoop in game 5). I'd like to think LO would have done a better job at guarding Pierce than Walton. While SF is not his best position because he can't shoot, this isn't quite the same as him being at the 3 with Bynum/Gasol because Turiaf/Mbenga would not have posted as often.

my response: Nope. Turiaf & Mbenga
would have fouled out last year.

lakers_sth,

you wrote:
I may be in the minority here, but this "reaaaaally" good thing doesn't look all that different from what looked "reaaaaally" good last year until it was proven not to be good enough in the Finals. I don't want to have to learn the same lesson this year. Once was enough for me.

my response: If you are in the minority,
I'm sitting across the aisle on the same
bus. Want some chips?

I figure Bynum will play himself back into shape by coming off the bench. Having him available will also let Pau & Lamar play more aggressively and not have to worry as much about foul trouble.

Hopefully he can help carry the load against whatever bigs we face...Yao, Shaq? Duncan, Boozer, Oden, etc.

Lastly, I love Josh Powell, but Drew will be a force and give the bench mob another weapon even if Lamar continues to start.

GO LAKERS!!!

With all this Bynum discussion, has anyone heard a recent report on his rehab progress?

Wow, what a statement on Yue's cameo playing time:

“"I am impressed with Sun's basketball talents and am hopeful that he will play for the Lakers for many years to come,'' Jackson said

~~Is this an address to fans in People's Republic who are willing to spend, just to see their favorite son? Or a passing fancy to please an Asian player who was an Olympian relegated to the D' League.

Firstly, Sun Yue himself knows he is not ready to play in the NBA. he should have been in the D'League since mid- November. If he had played a lot of games in that league, maybe, just maybe he could have been ready by mid March like Farmar in previous years. Secondly, If they think of Sun Yue as an oriental jade plant or the smiling buddha near the cash register (I mean a lucky player), they should have hired a personal coach just like what they did for Bynum. Bynum has the height, reach and biceps to control the posts while Sun Yue has 100 million followers that can take care of the luxury taxes or contracts of other good players. Look at his frame, he's a lightyear distance of Magic Johnson but if trained well, a close resemblance of Tayshaun Prince and if he becomes a deadly perimeter shooter at best, he could be Reggie Miller. Just imagine the name of Sun Yue on cable, Internet, on CNN Asia making headlines in the NBA the Lakers clutch shooter, are we all aware how big are the fans in Asia, not only in China but in Taiwan, Philippine Chinese hoopsters, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, Middle East and Europe as well as USA additional 50 million more? However, if Sun Yue remains as a Sun Yue now, you can't extract a single penny or get the giant market interested with our Asian flavor.

I have said it before, if we focus on the target market of 100M fans who will just spend a quarter of their meager income for Sun Yue's whether in video, jersey, figurine, signature ball or any kind of gimmick that's $25M added to the coffers of Jerry Bush enough to pay LO, TA and of course Yue, himself.

*Caveat: (These conjectures are not statement of facts from well established institutions like ESPN or from the NBA world but to fans exposed to Asian basketball that log on the Lakers Blog.)