Laker notes in July

One question remains. Kobe Bryant
underwent a plasma-enriched bone
on bone procedure overseas and now
is still contemplating going out
on to the courts in Turkey this fall
playing hoops, being locked out of the
NBA. It would seem rather rash for this
consideration, I would think, to put
his body in jeopardy in any way, shape
or form. I would think that a
rest until the fall season is upon us
might be the best way to go.
Kobe's Dad coached the WNBA team
(Sparks) from August 2005 through the
2006 season, guiding them to two
playoff appearances. He then was
hired in March as an assistant to
Coach Jennifer Gillom. Gillom has
since lost her position and Joe
"jellybean" Bryant (father of Kobe)
has been hired to take over as Coach.
The Bryant family is certainly
athletically talented, willing and
able to continue to give us some
basketball watching joy!
Good show!
Babs Wells

New Laker NBA staff considered

New coach Mike Brown, began hiring his staff when he named
former Detroit Pistons coach John Kuester as an assistant,
Wednesday. It has been reported that Chuck Person, Ettore
Messina and Jim Boylen will also be hired as assistants.
The Lakers are soon expected to announce the hiring of
Quin Snyder as an assistant coach. Snyder, a former
University of Missouri coach, was the Philadelphia 76'ers
director of player development last season.
Four free agents were at the mini camp, namely:
Bobby Brown, Gerald Green, Bobby Simmons
and D.J. Strawberry. Normally, Mitch Kupchak would pick
several top performers to play in the summer league,
but with a lockout such as we find ourselves in now it
figures to be quite awhile before they will be together
under one roof.
We also have heard rumors that player Kobe Bryant has
undergone an overseas procedure on his ailing arthritic
knee that has not required surgery in hopes it may well
be all he might be needing for more ample flexibility
and strength to play ball and go running up and down court.
Not wanting a more permanent closure for our Lakers,
negotiator Derek Fisher has been spending many hours
in attempts for compromise to pacify all parties concerned.
We can only hope.
Babs Wells

NBA LOCKOUT

Even with Ron Artest attesting to a change of
his name, preferably to Metta World Peace,
it seems minds could not come together enough
to prevent the NBA lockout on June 30th at 9:00
p.m. and thus some changes are in the offing.
Apparantly being an enthusiastic fan was not
enough. Appreciating our Lakers for their games
left out profit for the owners. Commissioner
David Stern said "The goal here has been to make
the league profitable and to have a league
where all 30 teams can compete".
Despite a three hour meeting Thursday and a
final proposal from the players-which NBA
leaders said would have raised average player
salaries to $7 million in the sixth year of the
deal- the sides couldn't close the enormous
gulf between their positions.
"The problem is that there is such a gap in terms
of the numbers, where they are and where we are, we
just cannot find any way, it appears, to bridge that
gap." Union Chief Billy Hunter said.
All league business is officially on hold, starting
with the free agency period that would have opened
today. The NBA's summer league in Las Vegas already
has been canceled, pre-season games in Europe were
never scheduled, and the players might have to decide
if they want to risk playing in this summers' Olympic
qualifying tournaments without the NBA's help for
securing insurance in cases of injury.
Meanwhile, the newest faces lining up as possible
Lakers are: point guard: Darius Morris, Forward: Ater
Majok and shooting guard: Andrew Goudelock.
At least for a few seconds time they are wearing
Laker uniforms and hope to be welcomed but it almost
seemed that they were all dressed up with no place to go.
With this latest labor impasse, general manager Mitch
Kupchak and the newly hired coach, Mike Brown will cease
to have any contact with them. The Lakers cannot sign their
draft picks and cannot allow them inside their practice
facility or place them on their summer league with this
turn of events causing a lockout.
A settlement will have to be handled cautiously and soon.
This is indeed quite a predicament to be in, Lakers'
negotiator, Derek Fisher feels. We can only sympathize
with this ourselves and hope it will all work out for
benefit to both sides.
Babs Wells

Laker News - Summer 2011

Summer time in our land and winter time
in N. Zealand and Australia yet they too
like keeping abreast of what is going on
with the NBA. One thing that is most
annoying to me is that it appears our
former Laker assistant coach, Kurt Rambis
has been let go from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
If this was a given, why on earth did they not
give him the opportunity to come back here and
coach our team when Phil Jackson retired?
Makes no sense to me but powers that be decreed
otherwise. Also, Spero Dedes declined the Lakers
offer to step in as their new T.V. play-by-play man
and is set to take the job with the New York Knicks
instead, industry sources say. The Lakers announced
Tuesday that Bill Macdonald would call games next
season on Fox Sports West and KCAL-Channel 9 partnered
with Stu Lantz. Dedes has worked with the Lakers radio
voice for the past 6 seasons & was first in line to
replace Joel Meyers when his contract was not renewed
last April. Macdonald stepped in for Joel who left to
do an NFL Playoff radio assignment. That was the night
that our Kobe Bryant scored a franchise-record 81 points.
Macdonald says he is humbled and thrilled. He grew up
listening to Chick Hearn & became a Lakers fan in the '60's.
He says "I just want to make the Lakers & the fans proud".
Time Warner Cable takes over the Lakers media package
starting in 2012-13 & will have a say then in who
broadcasts the games on T.V.
Lakers Derek Fisher, Players Association President, claims
as the leagues collective bargaining agreement expires
June 30th, we are still just really too far apart on the
largest issue of hard salary cap & some economic issues
as well. Though Commissioner David Stern refused to call
in his last offer, he said the "cupboard is getting barer
and barer". Meanwhile 15 yr. old WNBA is looking pretty good!!
More data later as it emerges this summer. Keep cool!
Babs Wells

It is Official!

Shaq, former Laker player, has decided to hang
it up after 19 seasons of NBA playing.
He has been dabbling in law enforcement so
it is just possible he may decide on another
career as such. We wish him well in his future
days no matter which way the path takes him.
Our new Lakers Coach, Mike Brown, told some
reporters recently while attending a news conference,
that "This is still his team (speaking of Kobe Bryant)
Kobe is Kobe. He has five titles and is one of the
greatest ever. His role will not change. We'll make
sure he'll have the ball in the sweet spots he likes
to have it. He has a great understanding of my
vision and he is on board".
Lakers general manager, Mitch Kupchak, has
no concerns about a clash. Matt Barnes was
at the news conference as well and feels
evidently, very good about this new coach
and says that he was very impressed with him.
"Mike Brown is coming into L.A., one of the
biggest markets, one of the best teams in
sports history. To carry himself the way he
did, and to answer all the questions and not
shy away from anything, to me, showed a lot
and I believe he is ready and just hope he has
thick skin".
Brown had a 272-138 record in five seasons in
Cleveland and guided the LeBron James-led
Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2007.
The Cavaliers also advanced to the Eastern
Conference twice. They did not win their
first NBA Championship however.
Barnes, by the way, has said that he would
exercise his $19 million option for 2011-12
to remain with the Lakers.
Lets' please not be judgemental but give
this new Laker Coach a chance. Okay?
Babs Wells

Another Coach

Jim Buss, son of Jerry Buss of the NBA Lakers, has chosen
the coach that he seems to favor - the 41 year old former
Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown.
Mitch Kupchak, General Manager for the Lakers
did have a voice in this decision but not evidently
the final say nor was Kobe Bryant consulted.
The elder Buss seems to be fading further and
further into the background on these decisions.
Miami's LeBron James was under the watchful
eye of Mike Brown for 5 years and LeBron says
"I think the Lakers got a great coach with Brown
and in Cleveland we had not earlier been having
success but under his coaching, he gave us
success and it started with his defensive concepts.
He definitely helped me become who I am today".
Brown guided Cleveland to the 2007 NBA Finals
and two trips to the Eastern Conference finals.
Brown was the NBA's Coach of the year after
leading the Cavaliers to a league-best 66-16 record
in 2008-09. He helped guide Cleveland to an
NBA-best 61-21 mark in 2009-10. He was analyst
for ESPN this season and served as an assistant
coach with the Indiana Pacers for 2 seasons before
he went to Cleveland. He also was assistant with
the San Antonio Spurs for 3 seasons and the Washington
Wizards for two. After playing for 2 seasons at the
University of San Diego, he began his career with the
Denver Nuggets. First as a video coordinator and later
as a scout. Never though, has he played for the NBA.
He has continued climbing steadily through the coaching ranks.
On a personal note, Mike Brown was born March 5, 1970
in Columbus, Ohio and attended high school in Wurzburg,
Germany. College was in Mesa Community College and
the University of San Diego. He has a wife, Carolyn and 2 sons.
We are not really 'replacing' Phil Jackson but instead, we
are giving a younger man a chance now to "strut his stuff".
Evidently there is quite an ungodly sum of information on facebook
to find out more about this new younger Laker coach.
Babs Wells

Short Clips from this NBA Lakers Writer:

As we all sigh with a bit of relief from
the onslaught our Laker team seemed
to take the last four games of play,
we go into a near dormancy now for awhile.
By the end of October we should look
alive once again but until then, I see that
former Laker star, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
is feeling rather slighted by the Lakers
for not erecting a statue of him outside
Staples Center. He claims he had to
drag Walton and Lanier up and down
the court for 48 minutes and states he
is not a happy camper right now still
waiting for his statue to be erected too.
Statues of Lakers guards Magic Johnson
and Jerry West are there and now even
the late announcer, Chuck Hearn, who
joined Kings great Wayne Gretzky and
boxer Oscar De La Hoya in what is
known as the Star Plaza in front of the
12-year old arena. Kareem is a member
of the Hall of Fame and with Johnson
won five NBA championships during the
showtime era of the 1980's. He is leading
scorer in the history of the league with 38,387
points during his 20 seasons. He remains
a frequent visitor to Staples Center and was
special assistant coach to Andrew Bynum,
(Laker center) as well as mentor to Drew.
John Black (Lakers spokesman) said that
no set plans have been recently made for
doing another statue, however one for Kareem
will absolutely be the very next one done and the
organization has already expressed this to him.
In many peoples' recollection, Kareem is the
greatest player who ever lived." Somebody had
to go first, some one else second and another
third. But we value him and what he's done
for us greatly". John Black has told reporters.
Patience I guess is the key word here and
we will be very glad when a statue is right there
for all to view, Kareem, & please know we do care.
Babs Wells