Derrick Caracter optimistic the Lakers will re-sign him
Posted by Inside Hoops
Sep
14
Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times blog reports:
He averaged only two points on 48.5% shooting in 5.2 minutes a game his rookie season, and admitted lacking the necessary conditioning and preparation to excel in the NBA. Yet, Lakers backup center Derrick Caracter remains optimistic the Lakers will exercise their $788,872 option to keep him next season.
“I’m pretty confident that they’ll pick it up based on our conversations [in my exit interview],” Caracter said in a phone interview. “If they don’t, I’m still Derrick Caracter and the basketball player I’m trying to be. My goal in trying to get better doesn’t change.”
That’s why Dan Barto, the IMG Basketball Academy’s pro/college training coordinator who has worked with Caracter for the last three summers, views his stint with the Impact Basketball Academy league in Las Vegas as particularly important in showing he can defend, rebound consistently and finish in the post.
To me this is how Phil Jackson system hurt rookie's on the lakers squad. On a business tip if I had to decide rather or not to resign Caracter I wouldn't because of lack of playing time. You are judge on what have you done lately for us.
Last edited by LA.MJ&KB#1 : 09-15-2011 at 01:20 PM.
Its for certain that Caracter has potential to be a good player at his position. 48.5% shooting as a rookie isn't a bad percentage at any rate. He just needs more conditioning, practice on offense, and minutes.
I hope we keep him simply because he has the potential to rise quickly, and with that, he can either be a valuable asset to the team, or a valuable trade asset as well.
I mean, he looked ok in very limited time this past season, but I go for a veteran big if I had to choose who to go with with the last spot on the roster. He did shoot 49%, but on 2 ppg lol. If no one is avaialbe via free agency, I would not mind him coming back on the cheap. But I put him at a lower priority to re-sign.
dude has a team option at the min, LA would be silly to let him go.
Kid got low post game for days, his footwork is pretty good, uses that massive frame very well to create space. Now his defense is worse than I expected, and his rebounding is come and go. Conditioning is going to be his downfall, once he gets that fat contract he's going Eddy Curry on dat ass. I think Eddy Curry is a good comparison now that I think about it, except he's 6'9" instead of 6'11"
This dude is going to have a solid NBA career, career backup maybe, but well worth it at the given price.
It's not like he was really horrible or anything, he barely played. If we could come back well conditioned, would love to see him back though. He definitely has a lot of potential, and Phil usually just doesn't develop the rookies.
With the payroll the Lakers have it would be crazy for them to not keep him on the roster at the minimum. It's not like they really will have the money to tie up much more at that position.
Derrick Caracter Optimistic
