The Orange County Register (Kevin Ding) reports: Andrew Bynum will likely receive a maximum-value contract extension this month worth nearly $90 million over five years. Pau Gasol has nearly $50 million over three years left on his massive contract – also new money being spent by Jerry Buss when you consider the Lakers acquired Gasol for Kwame Brown’s contract that expired at the end of last season. With the Lakers paying Bynum and Gasol that kind of coin into the future behind one Kobe Bryant, it’s just not in the budget to keep paying Lamar Odom his current wage – $14.3 million this season – or more. There were no talks over the summer about a contract extension for Odom for good reason: The Lakers can’t possibly do it. If the Lakers win the title this season, the only way to keep the team intact figures to be Odom accepting a massive pay cut. And the only way that even becomes a realistic possibility is if Odom has a bad year – at least in the statistical sense, which fewer minutes as a sixth man might trigger.
Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog
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Luke Walton not healthy yet
The Press-Enterprise (Jeff Eisenberg) reports: Luke Walton said he’s still “a couple weeks” from playing in 5-on-5 games during practice, but his surgically repaired right ankle is strong enough for him to run and lift weights in the meantime. “It (stinks) because there’s so much you get done in training camp,” Walton said. “Everyone knows we have a deep team and guys who can play multiple positions, so there’s going to be a lot of competition for playing time. To be out early, is a little disadvantage, but hopefully they know what I can do.”
InsideHoops.com editor asks: I wonder who will be getting more minutes per game a few months from now, Walton or new Laker Trevor Ariza. Lots of fans may want to say it’ll be Ariza, but Luke knows the system well already, and under Phil Jackson that means a lot.
Lamar Odom must adjust to small forward spot
InsideHoops.com editor says: With Lakers center Andrew Bynum healthy and ready to go, Pau Gasol will play his natural position of small forward. The versatile Lamar Odom can play either small or power forward, but he’s really more of a PF who happens to have a few SF-like skills. So while making Odom the Lakers starting small forward puts the team’s most talented players on the floor, it’s possible he’s best used off the bench to fill in at multiple positions. Here’s more:
The Press-Enterprise (Jeff Eisenberg) reports: Odom will get every chance to win the starting job, but Coach Phil Jackson said he would not hesitate to replace him with defensive stopper Trevor Ariza if Odom struggles during training camp. The most obvious problems the Lakers would face with the 6-foot-10 Odom on the perimeter instead of the block is he may be unable to stay in front of opposing wings and his outside shot is too inconsistent to stretch a defense.
Kobe Bryant enters training camp happy
The Press-Enterprise (Jeff Eisenberg) reports: Kobe Bryant looked relaxed and rested Monday as he ambled around the Lakers practice facility during the team’s annual media day, cracking jokes with teammates and reporters and making funny faces for the armada of cameras that escorted him throughout the room. The Lakers star spoke with reporters on the eve of training camp about a litany of hard-hitting topics such as winning Olympic gold, celebrating his 30th birthday and why he’s just so gosh, darn smiley these days. “There’s just a lot to be happy about, a lot to be thankful about,” Bryant said. “We’re in a much better position than we were. That’s one thing I tell the guys — we’re the favorites for a reason. We’ve got all the tools here, all the pieces of the puzzle, and now it’s on us to make it work.”
The Press-Enterprise continues: Bryant also took time to dispel the idea that he might opt out of his Lakers contract at the end of the season to sign with a European team for $50 million, a story originally sparked by an offhand comment he made to a reporter during the Olympics.
Sun Yue has mononucleosis
Lakers guard Sun Yue, who arrived in Los Angeles from China on Sunday, was taken to the emergency room of a local hospital last night after becoming ill. He has tested positive for mononucleosis, it was announced today by the team.
He is not expected to be ready to practice by Tuesday when the Lakers open training camp and will be out indefinitely. His condition will be monitored on a regular basis.
InsideHoops.com editor says: I hope he didn’t catch mono from kissing random Los Angeles girls. And I will immediately point out that I’m kidding and have no idea if he’s single or married or whatever, so don’t go spreading that as a rumor or something you crazy wackos.
Lakers re-sign DJ Mbenga
The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed free agent center Didier “DJ” Ilunga-Mbenga, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Mbenga, a 7-foot, 255 pound native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Lakers last season on January 21 and February 1 before signing for the remainder of the year on February 11.
In 26 games with the Lakers, Mbenga averaged 2.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.62 blocked shots in 7.8 minutes while totaling four points and five rebounds in 10 minutes over seven postseason games.
Earlier in the season, Mbenga signed with the Golden State Warriors on November 17 after spending three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks prior to their request for waivers on him October 30. In 16 games with the Warriors prior to his release January 6, Mbenga averaged 1.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.63 blocked shots in 8.1 minutes.
After signing with Dallas as a rookie free agent in 2004, Mbenga, 27, played 79 games over three seasons with the Mavericks, totaling 106 points, 75 rebounds and 35 blocked shots in 374 minutes. In his rookie year of 2004-05, he averaged 4.10 blocks per 48 minutes played while improving to 5.00 blocks per 48 minutes in 2005-06. In 2006-07 he was limited to just 21 games after missing the first 16 games of the year with a left foot tendon strain and suffering a torn right ACL 2/7/07 vs. Memphis.
In 121 career games including two starts, Mbenga is averaging 1.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.50 blocked shots in 5.8 minutes.
The Lakers preseason roster now stands at 19.
Lakers sign CJ Giles
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent forward CJ Giles, it was announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
Giles, a 6-11 forward who finished his collegiate career at Oregon State after playing two seasons at Kansas, averaged 6.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in ten games last season for the Beavers.
InsideHoops.com editor says: The Lakers continue to sign players who were pretty unimpressive in college, or played overseas yet didn’t do particularly well and weren’t even the best player on their team, etc. It’s unusual. But this is an end-of-the-bench signing that will likely end during or right at the end of training camp so it doesn’t matter too much. At least Giles gets a chance to prove himself, even if it doesn’t lead to being signed just yet.
Lakers sign Brandon Heath
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent guard Brandon Heath, it was announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
Heath, a 6-3 guard out of San Diego State spent last season playing in France for Entente Orleans 45 where he averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 25 games.
Most recently, Heath played for the Los Angeles Clippers 2008 Summer-Pro League team in Las Vegas, averaging 5.6 points and 1.0 rebounds in five games played.
InsideHoops.com editor says: This is presumably a “training camp” signing, meaning there’s a 99% chance Heath will be cut before the regular season starts. Also, this continues the Laker trend of signing players most fans have never heard of.
Sun Yue does not want Chinese Magic Johnson nickname
The AFK reports: Los Angeles-bound guard Sun Yue has said he does not want to be known as “China’s Magic Johnson” as he seeks a spot on the Laker’s roster, but is happy to be known as the “Monkey King.” Sun is expected to depart for the Laker’s training camp as soon as the US Embassy here issues his visa, and he is confident that he can make a roster that is led by superstars Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. “I don’t want to be called the next Magic Johnson,” Sun told the China Daily of the nickname given him to by the Chinese sporting press.
InsideHoops.com editor says: From today on, I now insist on being called the Chinese Magic Johnson. No, I’m not Chinese, but if the title is available I’m claiming it until something better comes along.
No finger surgery for Kobe
Now we know why Kobe Bryant was taking so long to have surgery on his finger. Because he wasn’t sure about even having it. Here’s the Associated Press today:
Although I play a doctor on television (and play husband to multiple supermodels in real life), I’m no expert on ligament issues in fingers. But let’s consider this. The regular season starts in around 7.5 weeks. If Kobe was out 10 weeks, that’s not so bad. Missing 12 is obviously a bit worse. And, it could always take more than 12. Could the Lakers still win and hang around for a playoff spot while Kobe was out? If so, Kobe should probably have the surgery now. If not, he’s probably doing the right thing in delaying it. And then the worry is if the finger will hold up all season and through the playoffs.
Here’s what Bryant said today on his official website:
“I have always felt that I can still focus and play at a high level even through various injuries. That’s really just part of the game. When the doctors told me recovery from a procedure could be 12 weeks, I just decided now was not the time to have surgery. What it really came down to for me is that I just didn’t want to miss any time ‘punching the clock’ for the Lakers, given all we are trying to accomplish as a team this NBA season. I am just really excited and looking forward to being there with the guys when camp opens in a few weeks. That is a real bonding process and if I can avoid being on the sidelines for that, God willing, I will,” said Bryant.
I think the Lakers, featuring Pau Gasol, a healthy Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom, would do OK for a few weeks without Kobe. Not great, but they’d hang around the 6th-9th West playoff spot. So, I’m not sure Kobe is making the right move by delaying the surgery. But again, medical info about the finger will help. I’m sure articles quoting medical experts will come out today and in the next few days, and I’ll be sure to quote everything worth knowing on the NBA Rumors page.
–Jeff