Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 174 – NBA Blog

Warriors sign Ronny Turiaf to offer sheet

The Golden State Warriors have signed restricted free agent forward Ronny Turiaf to an offer sheet, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today. Per team policy, terms of the offer sheet were not announced. Under the rules of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, the Los Angeles Lakers have seven days (through Thursday, July 17) to match the Warriors’ offer.

Turiaf, 25, appeared in 78 games (21 starts) last season with the Lakers, averaging 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.38 blocks in 18.7 minutes per contest. In the 35 contests in which he played 20-or-more minutes last season, he averaged 10.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.14 blocks.

A native of the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Turiaf ranked fifth in the NBA in blocked shots per 48 minutes played (3.56) and ranked 22nd in the league in blocked shots overall despite limited playing time.

A three-year NBA veteran, Turiaf owns career averages of 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.13 blocks and 15.6 minutes in 173 regular-season games with the Lakers. The 6’10’’ 250-pound graduate of Gonzaga University has shot 50.4% (350-695 FG) from the field and 70.3% (244-347 FT) from the free throw line during his career.

Lakers raise ticket prices

The Los Angeles Times (Mike Bresnahan) reports: Courtside seats were raised from $2,300 to $2,500 a game, an 8.7% hike that moved beyond the typical annual increase of 4.5%. Seats in six lower-level sections between the baskets — 101, 102, 110, 111, 112 and 119 — were raised from $230 to $245, a 6.5% increase that also topped the team’s normal action on such seats. The league average for ticket-price increases is usually 3% to 4%. Other tickets in the lower bowl at Staples Center will be $210, $147, $110, and $85, increases of 4.8% to 6.3%.

2008-09 Salary Cap set to $58.680 million

The National Basketball Association today announced that the Salary Cap for the 2008-09 season will be $58.680 million. The new Cap goes into effect immediately as the league’s “moratorium period” has ended and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.

The tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million.

The mid-level exception is $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season and the minimum team salary, which is set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $44.010 million.

For the 2007-08 season, the Salary Cap was set at $55.630 million, the tax level was $67.865 million and the mid-level exception was $5.356 million.

Lakers chasing Marcelus Kemp

The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliot Teaford) reports: The Lakers are pursuing Marcelus Kemp, a shooting guard from the University of Nevada. Kemp’s agent, John Grieg, told a Reno newspaper he expected a deal to be struck soon.

InsideHoops.com says: Why do the Lakers always go after such low-profile free agents? They need James Posey, not Marcelus Kemp.

Business booming for Magic Johnson

The Los Angeles Times (Mike Bresnahan and Greg Johnson) reports: His Beverly Hills-based Magic Johnson Enterprises now has AMC Magic Johnson Theatres in four cities, 116 Starbucks in 14 states and Washington, 31 Burger King restaurants in the Southeast, and 13 24-Hour Fitness/Magic Johnson Sport health clubs. He also owns a nearly 5% share of the Lakers. Johnson consistently has declined to release financial data for his privately held businesses or himself. But a business associate, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak by Johnson, estimated the value of the former NBA star’s various holdings at $700 million. This associate estimated Johnson’s personal net worth at nearly $500 million… Canyon-Johnson, formed in 1998, has financed 31 real estate developments in 13 states and Washington. It launched its third and biggest investment fund in April — and in a matter of weeks drew $1 billion from pension funds and others with deep pockets.

Kobe not responding to foul Shaq rap

The Los Angeles Times (Jonathan Abrams) reports: Kobe Bryant’s response to former teammate Shaquille O’Neal’s lambasting him in an obscenity-laced rap freestyle at a New York nightclub? No response. “I didn’t take it any kind of way whatsoever,” Bryant said Saturday, before declining to take any more questions on the topic. Bryant, however, was more than willing to discuss several other subjects as the U.S. men’s basketball team held a one-day mini-camp in preparation for the Beijing Olympics. He has had a bit more time to reflect on the NBA Finals, labeling Boston as “champions until somebody proves otherwise.”

Shaq rap costs him another police badge

Shaquille O’Neal’s freestyle rap in NYC the other day which mocked Kobe Bryant and included various profanities, resulted in one police badge being taken away the other day, and now it’s happened again.

The AP reports: Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown said Wednesday that he has asked the Phoenix Suns center to return a badge he was given for his work with the southwest Virginia county’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force… The decision comes one day after a sheriff in Arizona asked O’Neal to return a special deputy’s badge because of language he used in the rap.

Foul Shaq language in rap costs him badge

The East Valley Tribune reports: Shaquille O’Neal will lose his special deputy’s badge in Maricopa County because of language he used in a rap video that mocks former teammate Kobe Bryant. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the Phoenix Suns center’s use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in January and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse earlier this month. “I want his two badges back,” Arpaio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they’re fired. I don’t condone this type of racial conduct.”

InsideHoops.com says: Looks like Shaq, without any help from Kobe, can bring dishonor to police department badges.

Discuss this with other fans here.

Pondering Bynum and Gasol

Fox Sports (Randy Hill) writes: “Assuming Andrew Bynum’s knee is sound and a happy contract-extension accord can be achieved, Andrew would provide a lot of what the Lakers require. Bynum, who was on the cusp of becoming a dynamic low-post presence when the injury occurred, may turn into an inside beast. Please mind that dunking-with-authority lesson, Pau Gasol. Ah yes, Pau Gasol. The skilled big man, purloined from the Memphis Grizzlies after Bynum was lost, demonstrated little of the ol’ nastiness needed to deal with the Cs. If he spends a hefty portion of the summer working on functional strength with shoulders a priority, Gasol could make next season a campaign of atonement. There’s nothing like adding a bit more muscle to inspire confidence, swagger and a relatively roughhouse maneuver or two. However, Coach Phil Jackson and his basic triangle set may not be the optimum alignment to maximize the potential created by having two 7-footers on the floor simultaneously. While Gasol is a typical European big man who’s defined by — ahem — finesse, he’s not much of a marksman away from the hoop.”

Trevor Ariza exercises player option

Lakers forward Trevor Ariza exercised a player contract option for the 2008-09 season, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Ariza, acquired by the Lakers this past season on November 20 in a trade with the Orlando Magic, posted averages of 6.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.08 steals and 18.0 minutes in 24 games with the Lakers before suffering a fracture of the fourth metatarsal in his right foot January 20 and missing the rest of the regular season and 11 playoff games.

Returning for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the four-year veteran played in eight total postseason games, recording playoff career-highs in points (6), rebounds (5), steals (1) and blocks (1) in nine minutes during Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Drafted by the New York Knicks with the 43rd overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, Ariza is originally from Los Angeles (Westchester High School) and played one season at UCLA prior to entering the NBA. He averaged 11.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in his one season at UCLA.