Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

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Penny Marshall ripped off by scammer pretending to work for Lamar Odom

Attention filthy rich LA Lakers fans — Lamar Odom does not have a cash-strapped assistant … something director Penny Marshall learned after getting jacked for several thousand bucks.Sources tell TMZ the double-cross started at a Lakers game last month … when a man claiming to be LO’s assistant gave Penny a phone number he said was Lamar’s.

We’re told Penny and the person she thought was Lamar texted back and forth for several days — when finally “Lamar” asked her to loan his assistant a chunk o’ cash. Ever the faithful Lakers fan, Penny forked over more than five grand to the faux “assistant.”

Hook. Line. Sinker.

— Reported by TMZ

Lakers exercise Andrew Bynum contract option

andrew bynum

The Los Angeles Lakers made an expected moved today, and kept their young, promising center on the roster for another season.

The Lakers today exercised a team option on Andrew Bynum’s contract for the 2012-13 season. The Los Angeles Times reports that the option is worth $16.1 million for the season.

Bynum, an early entry candidate for the 2005 NBA Draft, became the youngest player in NBA history to be selected when the Lakers used their first round pick (10th overall) to acquire the 7-foot center.  A two-time NBA Champion with the Lakers, Bynum signed a multi-year contract extension in October of 2008.

In 60 games this season, Bynum averaged career-highs in points (18.7) and rebounds (11.8) while ranking among league leaders in scoring (20th), rebounding (3rd), field goal percentage (4th/.558), blocked shots (6th/1.93), double-doubles (5th/37) and minutes (24th/35.2).  The starting center for the 2011-12 NBA Western Conference All-Star Team, Bynum was named to the All-NBA Second Team following the season, receiving 33 First Team votes and 400 points overall in award balloting (6th highest point total).

Tim Duncan passes Kareem for no.1 on all-time NBA playoff blocks list

tim duncan

By blocking Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha’s driving layup attempt with 6:42 left in the third quarter of Thursday’s Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, Spurs captain Tim Duncan became the career leader in playoff blocks.

He finished the game with five, giving him 478 playoff rejections, two more than former leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Hall of Fame center for the Bucks and Lakers.

That the career milestone came in a 102-82 loss took most of the meaning from the accomplishment. Duncan’s response was dripping with sarcasm.

“Yes,” he said, in mock surprise. “Finally. Truly? That’s great.”

Teammate Stephen Jackson said Duncan would appreciate the milestone soon enough.

“He won’t enjoy it tonight,” Jackson said. “Wait until we get another win.”

— Reported by Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News

Phil Jackson turns down executive job with Orlando Magic

phil jackson

Phil Jackson reportedly has bowed out of an opportunity to join the Orlando Magic in a front office position.

Sam Vincent, who played for the Magic as well as Jackson, presented a scenario that appealed to Magic CEO Alex Martins, the Orlando Sentinel reported Friday.

However, before Martins could discuss the proposal with Magic owner Rich DeVos, Jackson withdrew from consideration Thursday night.

“It drew some interest from Phil,” Vincent said. “But in the end, Phil decided to go with another opportunity.”

— Reported by the Sports Xchange

Lakers promote Glenn Carraro to Assistant General Manager

The Los Angeles Lakers have promoted Glenn Carraro to Assistant General Manager, it was announced today by Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Carraro, who spent last season serving in a dual role as both the Director of Basketball Administration for the Lakers and as the General Manager of the Los Angeles D-Fenders, will retain his title of General Manager of the D-Fenders.

Carraro, who has 17 years of NBA experience, has been a member of the Lakers front office staff since 2000. Originally joining the team as the Assistant to the General Manager/Director of Camps, Carraro was promoted to Director of Basketball Administration in 2006. In addition to his duties with the Lakers, Carraro served as the D-Fenders Assistant General Manager from 2006-2010 and was named General Manager of the Los Angeles D-Fenders at the start of the 2011-12 season. In his first season as GM of the D-Fenders, the team finished with the best regular season record in NBA D-League history (38-12) and had a total of eight GATORADE Call-Ups to the NBA. The D-Fenders also received the NBA D-League Development Champion Award.

“Glenn has done an excellent job in every position he has had in the organization, and he’s become a valuable part of our staff,” said Kupchak. “This is a well-deserved promotion for him, and I expect he’ll do an excellent job in his new position.”

Prior to joining the Lakers, Carraro served in various positions with the New York Knicks from 1995-99, starting off as a Sports Management Trainee, then Player Personnel Coordinator/Manager of Knicks Camps and eventually as Manager of Basketball Operations. With primary responsibilities including the creation and management of player personnel databases as well as separate salary cap reports, in his time with New York’s front office, the Knicks posted a 174-122 (.588) record and made at least the Eastern Conference Semifinals in all four seasons while appearing in the 1999 NBA Finals.

A graduate of SUNY-Stony Brook after transferring from NYU-Polytechnic following two seasons on the men’s basketball team, Carraro completed his graduate coursework in Athletic Administration at St. John’s University (1991-94).  Carraro also spent time working in the USBL and in the CBA for the Hartford Hellcats and Connecticut Pride.

Metta World Peace stars in mental health PSA

NBA star Metta World Peace has said a lot of bizarre things in his career on and off the court.

And his recent public service announcement is yet another head-scratcher.

The trippy PSA stars Peace as ‘Metta Man’ a superhero who skateboards through the New York City skyline. The ad also features Larry King, a Cooper Mini, and a 40 pound curling stone. The partically animated video ends with Peace executing a backboard-shattering dunk.

“I may do some wild things at times,” he says, at the end of the 60 second PSA. “But there’s something I’m really serious about. Mental health.”

The spot directs viewers to Limelight Mental Health, a non-profit organization that claims to boost awareness and reduce stigma surrounding mental illness. Limelight encourages people to wear lime green bracelets or ribbons for mental health awareness.

— Reported by Lindsay Goldwert of the New York Daily News

Ron Artest mental health PSA video

Lakers may name new assistant GM

After parting ways with several longtime employees last summer because of the NBA lockout, the Los Angeles Lakers are continuing to restock their cupboard with new staff.

The Lakers are in discussions to promote Glenn Carraro from general manager of the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the Lakers’ D-League affiliate, to assistant general manager for the Lakers, according to multiple sources.

Carraro would fill the position of assistant GM that has been unoccupied since the Lakers did not renew Ronnie Lester’s contract last year. Lester spent 10 seasons as assistant GM after working his way up the organization from being hired as a regional scout in 1987.

“Ronnie was a dear friend and I thought we really worked well together, but the people that I work with now I have a great relationship with and you have to move on,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak told reporters after the team’s exit interviews last week.

— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles

Clippers must soon decide fate of coach Vinny Del Negro

vinny del negro

The fate of Los Angeles Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro won’t be known until next week at the earliest, according to sources close to the situation.

But Del Negro’s status must be resolved by next Friday at the latest thanks to the June 1 deadline in his contract for the Clippers to either pick up or decline their third-year team option.

Sources told ESPNLosAngeles.com that the decision rests largely with Clippers owner Donald Sterling, which could help Del Negro. The embattled coach has enjoyed a largely positive relationship with Sterling over the past two seasons, with Sterling issuing a public vote of confidence in Del Negro in March after an ESPN.com report that his job was in jeopardy.

The Clippers then followed up Sterling’s backing by winning 14 of their final 19 regular-season games and toppled the No. 4-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs in a grueling seven-game series before getting swept in the second round by the San Antonio Spurs with the star duo of Chris Paul (hip) and Blake Griffin (knee) trying to play through injuries.

— Reported by Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein of ESPN.com