Talking with: Derek Fisher, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I wanted to get Lamar Odom's contract negotiations interview up ASAP, but he wasn't the only Laker I spoke with at a screening for Warner Home Video's 2008-2009 NBA Champions: The Los Angeles Lakers DVD. Jordan Farmar, Derek FIsher and Luke Walton were also on hand to check out the title run retrospective. They talked about a variety of topics ranging from the championship glow to poker to... well, Lamar Odom's contract negotiations (and for a great examination of this issue, check out Henry Abbott's latest piece at True Hoop). Here's what everyone had to say:
Fisher is used to championship offseasons, but the championships themselves never grow old. "It's hard to imagine feeling any other way once you have this feeling," smiled Fisher. But for Fish, those feelings tend to revolve more around the team concept than individual moments. "I Just Became a Laker God Lane" isn't a place Fish goes out of his way to stroll. Not only hasn't he re-watched those big shots in Game 4 against Orlando yet, he "held out as long as I could" before a repeat viewing of ".4" Said Fisher, "It was surreal. I saw stuff that I didn't see in that split second? Fans. The reactions of teammates. It was cool."
(This, by the way, is yet another example of why Fish is more mature than me. I'd not only be constantly watching my glory highlights, but I'd invite friends and even strangers over specifically to watch said glory. Similar to how if I ever won an Academy Award, I'd wear it around my neck like Flava Flav's clock. That's just how petty and small I am.)
Fisher also vowed not to pester Lamar Odom about his up-in-the-air contract status (or as I suggested, "guilt trip" him). "I just want to be somebody who can see him and not talk about that, because I'm sure everybody else is."
Like many a film's star, Walton had already checked out the dailies. "I watched it (Sunday) night. I thought it was awesome." Having watched plenty of these championship vids growing up, Walton was blown away by being part of one. He also knows the perfect time to suggest another viewing. "When I have my my buddies (over) like Brian Cook or Richard Jefferson that play on other teams. I'll probably just put it on repeat and lock the DVD player up so there's nothing they can do about it." For Cookie, he may go with the fourth quarter of Game 7 against Houston (a DVD extra), just for funsies.
Walton admitted that Trevor Ariza being Cook's new teammate "hurts," but likes what Ron Artest brings to the table, between his defensive toughness and ability to play multiple positions. And speaking of cats that play multiple positions, Luke approved of my last ditch suggestion to tackle LO, shove a pen into his hand and force a signature onto a contract.
"If that's what it gets to. I know where he lives. It's not too far from me. I'll make sure I at least try that before I hear he signs somewhere else."
The other big revelation in this clip? Walton frequents Costco. Even pro athletes buy in bulk.
For Farmar, being a champion is a feeling he still can't wrap his head around. "I don't know when it will really ever sink in. Maybe raising the banner. Maybe getting a ring. Maybe down the line, it might. I'm not sure when that will actually hit me, but I'm very glad to be having that experience." Having played his entire career in L.A., this title becomes even more special.
And being the poker geek I am, I needed to ask Farmar about his World Series of Poker run. Given that he's an admitted novice, I was surprised that he managed to survive two full days (and 4000+ casualties) before busting out. Count him among the shocked. "I was expecting to be there a couple of hours," shrugged JF. But a combination of early luck and being seated next to a pair of example-providing bracelet winners laid the foundation for an unpredictable run. "I started to pick up on their tendencies. When they called, when they raised, how they play. I just started getting better. Sitting there for ten hours a day, you get better fast."
By the way, the "Unabomber" I was referring to with Jordan was this one, not this one.
AK
Thank you for posting the Derek clip. I'll check out Jordan and Luke as well, but I jumped right on Derek's interview. With all that's been swirling around, watching and listening to him is like the big calming breath, even if he doesn't have anything real specific to say about Lamar.
Posted by: dave m | July 14, 2009 at 06:06 PM
How about a non-LO trade for a change?
Use Boozer to get Hinrich and Harpring.
Whaddya think?
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=ntqlx6
Posted by: LakersRepeat | July 14, 2009 at 06:37 PM
And before anyone brings it up:
LO in sign-and-trade for Turiaf and Anthony Randolph.
GS can give him a 5 year deal on MLE terms, and we get someone who can fill in now (Turiaf) and someone to tutor for the future (Randolph).
Posted by: LakersRepeat | July 14, 2009 at 06:43 PM
this is a repost. it's all about timing...
yellowfever, i have to correct you. likely you're too young to ever have seen Wilt play, that's why you link to 50's players to compare his size to, when he played in the 60's and 70's.
in fact, there were a number of big guys in the league by the mid to late 60's, a perfect example is Wilt's own backup Mel(Chick called him "big Mel") Counts. he played against Bob Lanier and Kareem later in his career. there was the 6' 11" Nate Thurmond. Willis Reed wasn't huge, but he wasn't a pushover either(think a more skilled Ben wallace. how did Ben do against Shaq?). Walt Bellamy was 6' 11". actually, there were quite a few BIG men in the NBA by the mid 60's. there weren't as many as in the 70's and 80's, but there were big guys in the league.
Wilt was great. in his time, there was none better, the same for Magic, Bird, MJ, Dr. J(i'm guessing you never saw him play either) and even Kobe.
here;s some bla bla bla about Wilt:
http://tinyurl.com/bbywfm
Posted by: mud | July 14, 2009 at 06:43 PM
Why no Blu Ray?
Posted by: Erik Waters | July 14, 2009 at 06:45 PM
wes,
Excellent stuff. You raised some very interesting points, especially the issue of Lamar preferring to stay in the background and not get involved in the day-to-day stress of negotiating his contract versus Bynum stepping in and ordering Lee to make a deal.
As much as I love Lamar and want him back, I admit I’ve experienced some of the same ambivalence that you’re going through right now. When you step back, however, this is just classic Lamar Odom. Lamar is simply not comfortable dealing with pressure. That’s why, despite his great talent and versatility, he has never become the All-Star player he could be, although his consistency on court improved greatly over last year.
Trevor Ariza shares some of the same reticence and passivity in his personal style, too. Even now, he doesn’t seem to want to question whether or not he and Lee screwed up. We all know that I think it was all out of their hands and that the Lakers wanted Artest from the beginning. But Trevor seems to just want it all to go away. He doesn’t want to deal with the stress that he screwed up somehow. Instead, he ostriches himself.
Bottom line, I don’t see Lamar leaving the Lakers for another team. What we are seeing, however, is a pretty blatant admission by Odom’s agent that as tough as the economic situation is right now, it may even be worse down the road in 3 years. I think that is powering the demand for a longer contract. That’s why 5 years is now so important.
What we have right now, however, is the perfect prelude to a compromise – two sides who both really want to agree entrenched over 3 years versus 5. You have to believe that a 4-year deal for $36M with an opt out after the third year might get both sides to sign on the dotted line. With Lamar, this team should win 2 or 3 more titles than it might without him. This not a one-season decision. We need to maximize Kobe’s prime.
Part of why we are all starting to become more ambivalent about Lamar, aside from boredom and frustration, is the realization that the signing of Lamar would put the Lakers some $20M higher than all the other elite teams contending for a title. I don’t know for sure where the line is where the costs overcome the revenues but I would guess we are getting pretty close to it with a $110M payroll counting luxury tax.
If it we only had to worry about our revenues, no problem. Championships will generate lots of Lakers revenue. The problem is those other 29 teams, whose plunging revenues will drive the salary cap and tax threshold lower and lower, which will result in more and more of the Lakers total payroll subject to luxury tax. Before you know it, we’ll be paying luxury taxes on even Luke Walton’s salary. That’s where the crunch will come.
There is also a point where Jerry Buss’ gambling style will win out over his patience and he will decide to keep that $36M and gamble instead that Drew will stay healthy and Artest’s ability to play power as well as small forward will let the Lakers keep on rolling. Not as sure a bet as with Lamar but imagine Drew playing the entire year and playoffs like he did last January and our defense getting even better. Would you spend $36M for 4 championships instead of 2 or 5 instead of 3? Or would you rather keep $36M?
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 14, 2009 at 06:48 PM
Can I be the first to complain about why we plan to pay Artest 7.7M in 2013, when he will be 35? Couldn't we restructure that deal so that we pay him the most in the middle years with diminishing value towards the end? You know, along the lines of expected production?
Posted by: LakersRepeat | July 14, 2009 at 06:48 PM
MAXIMIZE KOBE BRYANT’S PRIME YEARS..
With 32-year old Kobe Bryant at the height of his game, the defending champion LA Lakers absolutely must surround him with the best team that money can buy because we will never have a better opportunity to win more rings than over the next 4 or 5 years. That is why the Lakers top priority has to be to re-sign Lamar Odom. Bet on the Lakers to understand this and to sign Lamar to a 4-year $36M contract this week.
I have no doubt that a Kobe Bryant led Lakers team with a healthy Andrew Bynum and bruising Ron Artest backing up Pau at power forward could win several rings over the next few years. I just think adding Lamar Odom to the Lakers would put the Lakers in position to dominate the next 4 or 5 years and maybe win 4 rings instead of 2 or 5 rings instead of 3. Players like Kobe do not appear very often. You don’t waste them.
That used to be what we all were concerned about. All of you who are ready to throw Lamar under the bus or off the team need to stop and think. Dynasties don’t happen because good teams string together several great seasons. They happen because one team becomes dominant and essentially unbeatable for a prolonged period of time. Signing Lamar is not about keeping this team together next season. It is about keeping this team together to maximize the 4 or 5 prime years remaining for Kobe Bryant.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 14, 2009 at 07:13 PM
can someone tell me what blue ray is? i hear it all the time
Posted by: Rodney | July 14, 2009 at 07:16 PM
I went ahead and got the 4-pack offer from NBA store after the championship. UPS came today with the DVD, haven't watched it yet but looking forward to it even more now.
Well the ball is totally in Lamar's court. No way the Lakers go beyond 3 years and beyond 9 million. Frankly on the Lakers he is now going to be the 5th best player if Bynum comes back strong. 9 million is a pretty sweet deal to be doing anything on the planet, much less live in a town you love, with teammates you like, and a chance to win again.
27 million even after taxes and agent cuts should be enough for 5 lifetimes of comfortable living. Lamar needs to 'process' making less money. Process this: 99.9999999999999999% of the population of the planet would have their wildest dreams come true, beyond their wildest dreams to have been offered what you have been offered. Time to start looking at the glass being 99.999999999999999999999% full like it is or u a fool. That is my advice to Lamar.
Posted by: LarryofLA | July 14, 2009 at 07:20 PM
Gi Nasty Dynasty, everybody.
Posted by: phred | July 14, 2009 at 07:21 PM
Botton Line:
Agents Suck!!!!!!! They are ruining our team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: warren with butterknives | July 14, 2009 at 07:32 PM
Phred
Nasty Dynasty. Where's my check... I didn't clear to sample mine.
Posted by: Charles | July 14, 2009 at 07:35 PM
sorry repost:
mud
interesting article on wilt... i dont doubt wilt wasnt the greatest of his time or that he didnt have some competition esp towards the end of his career. my biggest problem with considering him the greatest is that most of his accomplishments was due to his size and physical attributes. i guess we can go all day on who the greatest is and really just depends on your criteria. i know wilt was just a superb physical specimen like shaq who scored most of his points by towering over the opposition but how good were his skills?
if your judging on other aspects like all around game, athletic talent or basketball skills you could say jordan and even magic or oscar... personally i think its a bigger feat to dominate the competition on athleticism and skills. thats why kobes 81 on a wide array of outside jumpers and fadeaways is a lot more impressive than wilts 100 on layups and dunks.
Posted by: yellofever | July 14, 2009 at 07:46 PM
sorry, charles. I give you full credit and creative ownership. but I like gi nasty dynasty better. take the money, I just want the dynasty.
Posted by: phred | July 14, 2009 at 07:55 PM
ok, ok, how much for user's rights? Eternal gratitude?
Posted by: phred | July 14, 2009 at 07:58 PM
Ramona Shelburne from the Daily News has just tweeted that the Lakers have taken the Odom offer off the table.
Posted by: Anna in Bondi | July 14, 2009 at 07:59 PM
AK,
>>> by then Obama would have increased our national debt to 5 zillion dollars -
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 14, 2009 at 08:16 PM
$9 million per is a great deal, but it's got to be the right amount of years, because LO isn't exactly going to be able to spotlight himself for the next contract as 6th man alongside Kobe, Gasol, Ron and emerging Drew, so he has to feel it's his last big contract if he stays with us.
Otherwise, dude could start for most teams in the league, and star in a place like Miami back with his boy D-Wade, and he could take a shorter deal there, with player options and what not, since he'll be able to showcase that he's still one of the best all-around players in this league.
It's a tough deal, I'm a die-hard Lakers fan, and have become a die-hard Lamar Odom fan too after witnessing his game and person up close with the purple and gold, so I definitely want LO back, and would lose some joy in the team if he were gone, but I understand it might be best for him business-wise to roll, and Miami would be my second favorite team in the league (I'm a D-Wade and Beasley fan too), but I'm always purple and gold first, and Drew is about to break out, and Ron is entering the scene, so the joy will return.
All that said, $9 million over 3 years is $27 million guaranteed, and he could collect average $6+ million easy after that for another 3-5 seasons, so LO has to consider that. Sure, he could run the East with Wade and earn himself another big contract in 2010, but he could get hurt too, it's a risk, but I wouldn't blame him for going for it, since he's good for MLE for next 7-8 years.
Posted by: Critical Beatdown | July 14, 2009 at 08:25 PM
whoah. the sweetest voice doth bear the direst news? say it ain't so, anna.
LakerTom- politics? do you really want to go there? doesn't matter, we can't, but I call BS on you.
Posted by: phred | July 14, 2009 at 08:32 PM
Anna
i love the fact that people from CA (california and not Canada) r getting their news from New Zealand.
actually i expected this to happen if it is true.
Posted by: ouchhhhhhhhh | July 14, 2009 at 08:48 PM
The Lakers took the offer for Lamar off the table.
Monday Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said that he wasn't sure the organization and Lamar Odom's representative were ``on the same page.''
Now it looks as if the Lakers offer to the free agent forward has been taken off the table, according to our Elliott Teaford, who is attending the Lakers summer league game in Las Vegas.
Posted by: cinz | July 14, 2009 at 08:49 PM
Looks like he will start for another team. Lesson not learned.
Posted by: Otis | July 14, 2009 at 08:55 PM
Buss pulled the trigger
NO LO
http://tinyurl.com/maovzw
Posted by: ouchhhhhhhhh | July 14, 2009 at 09:01 PM
phred,
blog brotherhood?
Posted by: Charles | July 14, 2009 at 09:02 PM
Lamar Odom's offer been pulled off the table by Mitch Kupchak.
Looks like to be a sign and trade unless he does another Ariza and accepts less money in which case both deserve to be booed once they come back to the Staples Center.
Still that doesn't mean the end. We can still pull a sign and trade to hopefully get something if his days in LA are done.
Or he will find the market not as strong as they thought and will come back to the Lakers.
We lost both LO and Ariza (still hasn't lost LO yet but it seems more and more like it) and both are both are big losses to the Lakers though it was negated somewhat by Ron Artest. Still Artest can't replace either one really.
Posted by: KB Blitz | July 14, 2009 at 09:08 PM
"Ramona Shelburne from the Daily News has just tweeted that the Lakers have taken the Odom offer off the table."
----------------------------------------------------------
Just read the same myself from the "Inside the Lakers" website
http://www.insidesocal.com/lakers/
Boy... if true then this is a really bad sign. Talk about a mercurial nosedive into disastrous off-season to spoil all the good cheer from the wining the championship where we have now lost both Ariza and likely Odum now and only gained Artest.
Posted by: LoveTheLakeShow | July 14, 2009 at 09:09 PM
Ok La Times and Oc Register is reporting that the deal is off the table for LO. I am bitter about LO's camp right now. Now he is going to sign with another team for the mid level I bet.
Posted by: Charles | July 14, 2009 at 09:13 PM
Oh, crap. Well I said earlier that we were at a tipping point. Things just got a whole lot tougher. It's now about personalities, not numbers.
Posted by: dave m | July 14, 2009 at 09:14 PM
Front page in LAT Sports:
Buss pulls Odom Offer
At 9 mil a year, Buss upset that Odom wouldn't respond to the offer, so he pulled it. And the sleepless nights continue for this Laker fan...
Posted by: lone star laker fan | July 14, 2009 at 09:20 PM
bye bye odom? man this sux!
Posted by: Marcus | July 14, 2009 at 09:26 PM
Buh-bye, LO.
Hope you find what you're looking for.
Let's move on, shall we?
Posted by: lurker | July 14, 2009 at 09:27 PM
I'll sleep just fine, thank you.
Posted by: Otis | July 14, 2009 at 09:28 PM
LO could have gotten 3 years at $27 million. After that, the Mid level would have been realistic for a 33 year old LO. Maybe $10 million for 2 years. $37 million dollar possibility to play with the Lakers and now he can only make $34 million in Trevor Ariza dollars. So sad.
I hope a sign and trade is still possible.
David Lee?
Posted by: Charles | July 14, 2009 at 09:30 PM
What the heck?!
If we lose both Trevor and LO (which seems to be more and more probable), I'm going to be MAD.
Come on! We just won a freaking NBA Championship, keep the team together!
Honestly looking at the Lakers salary before free agency began, I knew logically that it would be extremely hard to retain both of our major FAs but I never truly believed that Lamar and Trevor would be in anything but purple and gold next season.
I don't know who to blame, because none of us truly know what's going on. When you win the championship, its simple KEEP THE TEAM TOGETHER! Terrible.
LG
P.S. Please forgive my rants, I'm just angry about this recent LO news. =)
Posted by: LG | July 14, 2009 at 09:30 PM
Jackson should step in, bring the sides together. It's about team and winning championships, not about winning individual battles.
Posted by: dave m | July 14, 2009 at 09:33 PM
What about how he loved the whole los angeles scene and would play for less. I guess at the end of the day that kind of talk is insincere Odam is in talks with Miami and portland and shut down talks with the lakers. Because of this Buss has pulled a very fair offer. Like any failed marrige there comes a time to move on. The laker orginazation is moving on, Odom is moving on and we as fans need to move on.
Posted by: markjsunz | July 14, 2009 at 09:42 PM
OK, Lamar is turning down a 27M offer so he can sign a 34M 5 year offer? Given the Lakers' is a 3 year deal, isn't it likely after it expires, he could sign a 2 year deal for greater than the 7M difference?
Unless a sign and trade is looming where Lamar gets what he wants, I don't understand this at all.
Posted by: jwbrent | July 14, 2009 at 09:46 PM
Do we get any consolation prize in this? Where is the loyalty? Where is the love?
The guy will make easily over 100 million dollars in his career in the NBA and odds are if he leaves only one ring to tell the grand kids about.
So much for enhancing his legacy or wanting to retire a Laker.
Lamar, it's still not too late. What are you thinking???
Posted by: Tap | July 14, 2009 at 09:49 PM
The pressure will be on Bynum to perform and not get hurt. If he succeeds on both counts, no worries.
Posted by: jwbrent | July 14, 2009 at 10:13 PM
KB Blitz,
After reading that the Lakers had pulled the
offer for Lamar, I thought about our
brief conversation.
Do you have some interesting statistics
on how Lamar will force Dr. Buss to pay him?
Posted by: hobbitmage | July 14, 2009 at 10:30 PM
about the Odom situation, the Lakers didn't say that they wouldn't be willing to talk, still. it's not over yet. if Lamar doesn't want to stay though, what can be done? i can see how he would want more money, but still, no one was going to pay more than 9 million dollars a year. he could have at least reponded to the offer.
yellowfever, i'm not meaning to get on you, but Wilt was not just a layup and dunk guy. Wilt shot LOTS of jumpers. as the article pointed out, he was well known for having many, many shots. also, he was more than a little athletic. DID YOU EVER SEE HIM IN HIS DAY? you are repeating garbage propagated by people not old enough to know. Wilt was a VERY complete player. he had a terrible knee injury in 1969 and was never as mobile, but he played volleyball professionally after he retired from basketball. yes, he was big and strong and intimidating, but he was skilled. the man was a track star in college, he wasn't just big. you must face facts, you don't know what you're talking about. if you like MJ or Kobe better, hey, THAT'S COOL! i like Kobe best as the best player because he's here today, but i'll tell you this, Magic Johnson was a better basketball player than Michael ANYday for me. it doesn't matter. when you're as good as those guys, who's the best only depends on the who's on your team. great players are great in any time or place, so i'm not arguing with your choice of MJ. i'm just telling you that your opinions about Wilt are just plain in error. Wilt was nothing like you imagine.
yellofever, this post is a test to see if you read and comprehend all of the words when you argue, or if you just close eyes and ears and claim "victory"...
Posted by: mud | July 14, 2009 at 11:13 PM