Do you really suppose the new comer, Roy Hibbert,
could turn out to be a match made in Basketball heaven?
He arrived in L.A. coming off a string of disappointments
with the Indiana Pacers for whom he was a 2-time All-
Star while patrolling the middle of one of the best teams
in the league until an inexplicable fall from grace resulted
in the Pacers literally giving him away to the Lakers for a
second-round pick. As it has been written of him, one day
he was an NBA Defensive Player of the year candidate,
the next he was a 7 ft. 2" enigma whom the Pacers
evidently could not wait to rid themselves of, happily
shipping him off to us. We seem to love a redemption
story. Does not seem to be a better opportunity or
bigger stage to offer such a down-on-his-luck star
the one the Lakers can provide Hibbert with now.
Lakers general manager, Mitch Kupchak says "If he
can do what we hope for, rebound and take up space
to protect the rim and divert guys in the paint that
beat our fellows on the perimeter, then that is what
is going to be a really good year."
Hibbert has one year remaining on his contract,
which means he and the Lakers can spend
next season figuring out if they want to make
this a more permanent thing. It is a mutually
low risk low pressure investment that
could turn into a blockbuster before it is
all said and done.
So we have this new player to watch over and
determine just how he will fit in with or Lakers.
BABS WELLS
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