Ben Maller: Andrew Bynum to New Jersey for Harris/Lopez???

Jan 22, 2010 10:01 AM

Lakers down on Andrew Bynum

Andrew Bynum hasn’t made enough progress this season to keep Lakers executives happy. Bynum has been such a disappointment, he’s been made available on the trading block, two different Eastern Conference sources confirmed to me this week.

While Bynum’s overall numbers are pretty good (15 ppg 8.4ppg, but he’s been far too quiet most nights. Bynum has also struggled to perform along side talented teammate Pau Gasol.

A source confirmed to me this week that the Lakers have taken Bynum’s name off the untouchable list and would deal him for a player that they feel will give them the best chance to win another championship this season.

Peter Vecsey tossed out Raptors star Chris Bosh’s name last week. This is a longshot but I’m told told Bosh loves the idea of playing in Los Angeles.

A person in the know tossed out the idea of a blockbuster trade that would send Andrew Bynum back to his home state of New Jersey. In a multi-player deal the Lakers would end up with Brook Lopez and Devin Harris of the Nets.

Lopez is averaging 19 ppg and 9.6 rpg for the Nets this season and would give the Lakers another dominant inside presence and more toughness.

– As good as Pau Gasol can be, he’s the last guy you want to have the basketball late in games for the Lakers…

My thoughts: Andrew Bynum for Devin Harris and Brook Lopez…take the trade! Only because we could get them both. Right now with the numbers Lopez racking up, it shows me that he would have no problem doing exactly what Phil Jackson been asking of Bynum: REBOUND/BLOCK SHOTS. Now as a Laker fan, understand that I love Bynum, and honestly I think he is one of the top 3 centers in the league, but unless he can find a way to get his “head” in the game consistently, he will be shipped. Bynum is in the perfect system right now, and he must learn to play with Pau Gasol, because we know he is not going anywhere. I only pull the trigger though if it gives us Devin Harris, because we need someone who can take the minutes away from Derek Fisher in his “waning” years. Other than that, like Lopez straight up for Bynum, I would not do it. LakerFam sound off…what would you do? And can someone tell me where we can find THAT ANDREW BYNUM IN THE PICTURE ABOVE.

 

Andrew Bynum for Chris Bosh??? Let’s Explore

Well today all the hoop-la begin about a “possible” trade between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Lakers. This trade would include All-Star forward Chris Bosh, and future All-Star center Andrew Bynum. Now being a Laker fan this “trade” is so intriguing to me. When I look in depth at this possible trade, having Chris Bosh on this Laker team could be an absolute blessing. Chris Bosh is long, and versatile. He has descent handles for a big guy (nothing to really brag on) but knowing that he can hit that 17ft jumper..gives me great joy. We also know that he stays in the top 10 in rebounding, so it’s nothing that he’ll have to be “motivated” to do, night in and out. Also watching Chris play with the U.S. Olympic team, he understood his role coming off the bench with those guys, and I don’t think it would be a problem for him to be the 3rd option on this star-studded team. And think about him playing with Ron Artest. Ron’s 3pt shot just becomes more open. Chris wants to win, and he is very humble already, so on that note the Lakers would become almost virtually unbeatable.

But then there is the “size” that’s being given up, in terms of strength. Bynum is built like a tank, with massive arms, and he knows how to utilize that height. When Pau Gasol is not in the game, we have noticed how dominate he can be, but the problem for us is when Pau is in the game, Bynum is almost non-existent. This trade could be great for him as well, because it would allow him to be a “legit” focal point for a team, night in and night out. He definitely is capable of putting up big numbers, so Toronto would not be losing much in that aspect.

The Lakers would have to include a couple of players in order for this trade to even potentially go down, so first to go would be Adam Morrison, who I honestly believe if he can stay on the floor is able to put up descent scoring numbers for a team, and Jordan Farmar. Now Farmar is one of those players, that has me straddling the fence. One minute I want him gone, then he scores 20, and get’s steals, and I want him to stay. Yet the one thing that proves to me is he is inconsistent. Can we really have that on a championship caliber NBA team, and expect to keep winning? I’m not so sure. Honestly I would rather give up Sasha, but with his “bad” contract we can’t give him away, so that leaves Farmar. I did this trade: ESPNTRADEMACHINE. What I was surprised by the most, was the +8 wins for the Lakers, even with the bench losing two guys. That says alot.

We know that Phil Jackson would definitely love this trade, along with Kobe Bryant. So the question is, how much more in debt would this put Dr. Buss? Would it take long for Bosh to learn the triangle? Or would he be able to adapt quickly like Pau? And the most important question…is this trade even necessary to solidify the Lakers chances at a repeat? Lakers fans hit me up and let me know.

 

Lakers Opening Day vs Clippers "Ring Ceremony"

 

LakerNation-It’s That Time Again Media Day

Today is media day in El Segundo, and for the first time since Shaquille O’neal left, their were more cameras around a player that was not named Kobe Bryant. Lamar Odom, due to his recent nuptials to Khloe Kardashian, had what looked like a “circus” of reporters surrounding him, as the Lakers gathered together for their first step toward defending their NBA title. It’s 50 years in LA, let’s celebrate with another one. The road to 5 starts here.

While addressing a thirsty group of reporters, Kobe Bryant alluded to his calm, physically restful offseason, said that the Lakers are 100 percent focused on repeating and continuing to improve, and declined to acknowledge any off court distractions. Lakers center Andrew Bynum spent most of his offseason training in Atlanta, where he told us his primary focus was “getting my base back.” Bynum said that his workouts included a lot of work strengthening the muscles around his knees, and declared himself 100 percent healthy. He also talked about his personal goal for the 2009-10 season and what is was like scrimmaging against Ron Artest.

Shannon Brown came to the Lakers in a February 2009 trade from the Charlotte Bobcats, then promptly showed L.A.’s operations office exactly why they’d coveted his combination of athleticism and skill, particularly in the playoffs.

As such, Mitch Kupchak and Co. re-signed Brown subsequent to the season, and are looking forward to seeing him grow even further after a full summer of digesting Phil Jackson’s offense.

Brown mentioned the benefits of coming into training camp with the team when we spoke to him at media day, talked about what he added to his game and gave a quick review of Jay-Z’s new album.

Source Lakers.com

 

Phil Jackson Press Conference for upcoming season

Lakers.com click here to listen to audio

Phil Jackson: 2009-10 Intro Presser

Published

by

Mike Trudell

on September 25, 2009

in Phil Jackson and Training Camp

.

Media day is still three days away, but that didn’t keep Phil Jackson from sitting down at L.A.’s practice facility on Friday to provide a little teaser for a hungry group of journalists that assembled in El Segundo.
It was a busy summer in Laker Land, featuring the 15th championship celebration for the franchise, the return of Jackson for another run, the acquisition of Ron Artest, the re-signing of Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown, Pau Gasol’s finger injury and subsequent MVP award in the European Championships, an assemblance of most of L.A.’s young players at the practice facility and, sure, Odom’s weekend wedding.
Alas, as Jackson was talking, we did our best to follow along with the fingers moving:
– The Coach opened by answering a question about his T-Mobile commercial, citing that he goes “way back” with Jesse James because James was a companian of Dennis Rodman’s. Your usual soft opener.
– The first comment Phil had regarding the coming basketball season was that the team wanted to “make the transition for Ron Artest seamless,” adding that Artest is “The defensive player we’ve wanted over the course of the last couple of years. Defense is going to be the item of the day.” Jackson also mentioned that he doesn’t think Artest’s presence will disrupt the offense: “Our game is not predicated on calling plays, it’s about the players reading the game and trying to get the ball to the open man.”
– Jackson neglected to talk about his contract after the coming season, saying he hasn’t talked to Jerry Buss.
– On Kurt Rambis taking the Timberwolves’ head coaching position: “I don’t think a person particularly (will replace him) but the do-it-all nature that he had has to be picked up by some people. I’ll have to spend a little more time working with the big guys, and the staff will have to take on the defensive responsibility that Kurt had. We’ll miss that but we’re (happy he had the opportunity in Minnesota).”
– Jackson agreed that his frontcourt foursome of Bynum-Gasol-Artest-Odom is easily the most talented he’s ever had, and cited the Portland team in 2000 as the last big foursome that had similar on-paper talent.
– On distractions regarding certain players’ off court interests: “It will be something we have to talk about. There’s a certain amount of privacy that we have to demand from (the players) and I think these guys are professional. They’ll understand it.” Jackson said one difference between his Bulls days and now is the media climate, including Twitter, TMZ and constant internet coverage.
– There will be restrictions for players in terms of social media from the team. “There are things they’ll have to be cognizant of.”
– Jackson said he is going to Lamar Odom’s much-reported wedding. “I’m very supportive of Lamar and want everything to go right for him.”
– On continuity from last season: “I have a group on the floor that I know can finish ball games, but a spot is open (with Trevor leaving). I have a second unit that I’m proud of and played really well last season.”
– On point guard dynamic: “There’s no secret that we’ve tried to limit Derek’s (Fisher) minutes … His work ethic is unbelievable, his preparation is as good as anyone I’ve ever coached and he’s played 82 games over the course of (four years). That being said, we want to keep him in a 22 to 28 minute role. He needs to do things for us like he did in the playoffs, a guy that can do critical things in critical moments.”
– On similarities between Artest and Dennis Rodman: “Both of them have an ability to focus at certain times and also to be distracted, but other than that, I don’t think so. Dennis was interested in defense and rebounding, but he’d pass up a shot when he was wide open. There never was that consideration that he’d be taking too many shots or bad shots. Ron is a guy that likes to score and will score, so that’s a different role. Personality wise, Dennis was a guy who could really go through the day without talking. Ron’s the kind of guy that’s very verbose. There’s quite a difference.”
– Jackson said that he’s concerned about Sasha Vujacic’s mindset. He thinks he’s the best shooter on the floor, but needs to rebound from a mental standpoint heading into the season. He thinks the Slovenian situation was difficult, but hopes Vujacic can use it as motivation. Phil added, “We asked him to cut his hair and he did.” A psychological fresh start? “Sasha played with his hair last year more than he did on the court,” Jackson quipped.
– On Andrew Bynum, who’s back in town after training in Atlanta all summer. “Andrew looks good. His weight is lighter, which is a good deal. He’s been back here for a few days (after working out in Atlanta). He’s really excited about getting back and has a goal of making the All-Star team this season.”
– On Twitter and social media: “I think it’s wonderful in our society that we’ve had (the ability to access) so much information for free. A lot of it ends up just being gossip or heresay, so it makes our society more personality oriented. From that standpoint there’s a negative, but from a positive standpoint there are some things that are very good. As far as Twitter goes, Jeannie (Buss) uses it and thinks that it’s a good source of (information) and wants me to start, but I’m saying no.
More to come next week from what’s shaping up to be quite an interesting ride.

 

So Glad To Have An Andrew Bynum "Story"

For those wondering…Bynum is “doing well”

September 8th, 2009, 9:46 am · 13 Comments · posted by JANIS CARR, OCREGISTER.COM

For all those inquiring minds….
Andrew Bynum is “doing well”, “feels great” and apparently did not hook up with Orlando’s Dwight Howard over the summer, according to his agent, David Lee. Bynum had mentioned during the NBA Finals that he might train with the Magic center.
Lee told me in a phone conversation Tuesday that Bynum has been working out in Atlanta all summer, where he has an established training base and the place he has migrated to during the off-season for the past several summers. That’s also why there has been no sightings (or stories) of the young Lakers center in and around L.A. the past three months.
“He’s doing great, he’s fine, there aren’t any problems,” Lee said. He was referring to Bynum’s troubled knees.
Lee said Bynum would be back in Southern California on Sept. 18, 11 days before the Lakers open training camp.

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I’m Speaking Lakernese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m speaking LAKERNESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could begin this FIRE TIRADE with all type of things that went wrong in this game and taking accountability for my teams’ inability to buy a basket in the first quarter, but for once I am going to just fly off the handle about some of the things the players on the floor COULD NOT CONTROL: THE REFS, PHILS SUBSTITUTIONS, & PAU GASOL SIMPLY RUNNING OUT OF GAS!

Let’s get the thing about the refs out of the way first, when the Lakers started this game, it was bad from the tip when Drew miss timed his jump. Scola was playing outside of himself, and yet this game did not have the same DRUBBING feeling of game 4. But after the first half Chuck Hayes had 3 fouls, and lakers had 12! All I ever ask from refs is to stay consistent in a game, if it’s over the back on one end it’s the same on the other. I watched Gasol get a rebound and Landry come over the top and mug him. Now Pau should have kept the ball, but it’s still over the back. Lamar Odom go up for a rebound get pushed in the back No Call, come down on next play and Bynum get’s called for a push off, it’s just painful when it’s playoff games! People are really mistaken if they truly believe that adjusting to the way the refs call the games does not affect or should not affect if a player is aggressive or not! If Kobe continues to go to the hole, and get NO calls, he adjusts that part of his game, which could be costly. Yet I hear analyst scream out Kobe is not aggressive enough, or the big men are passive, but anything aggressive generally ends with cheap foul calls. Have the refs bought into the analyst crap that the ROCKETS DO NOT FOUL when people come into the lane? selah

Now Phil Jackson’s substitutions are becoming suspect to me. We already know the greatness that is Phil Jackson, but playing Fisher so long in the first quarter IN THIS SERIES, is not the answer. Just like Farmar played sparingly during the Utah series, Fisher should be doing the same in this series. Yet when Jordan does come in, hit a 3, plays descent D on Brooks, he takes him out and put in Vujacic (who can’t buy a bucket)! I just don’t understand! It’s the pg play that TRULY hurts our team, so why not stop it from the beginning?

Pau Gasol, WOW! Not here to talk bad about Pau Gasol, because he has truly been the one CONSISTENT proponent on our team, and with that said, I think he is running out of GAS! It’s times when he seem to be able to turn it on for like 5 minute stretches and then next game he is laboring up and down the floor. Tonight was a great example. Scola was letting him have it specifically, and he could do nothing! He didn’t have those blocks like game 5, but when he did assert himself, nothing but field goals. If Kobe Bryant has to hit u upside the head, in a timeout, things are not looking good!

In conclusion, the analyst have ALL decided they will NOT pick the LAKERS anymore past this series! From Mark Jackson to Stephen A Smith, who also added through twitter that Kobe Bryant HAS ABSOLUTELY NO HELP! From Gasol to Odom, no one is stepping up to help him put this team away! How do the analyst go from LeBron is MVP because he has less to work with, to Kobe team is too young, and though talented just has NO HEART, to the Lakers will not go back to the Finals? The Celtics have been fighting for their lives in the playoffs, back last season and this season, and they are NoT getting the slack we are getting. When we lost Bynum for a minute, their was no COMPASSION for us, kg is out, and the Celtics are the veterans that find a way to win, albeit in Game 7’s? You know what I guess the best way to look at this is when Kobe Bryant is hugging that trophy in June, with tears streaming down his face, I don’t want to hear a word from these same analysts! It’s a spirited game, and I can understand that, but the Lakers are not the first to team to go to a game 7 in these playoffs, so get off of our backs, all that matters in the end is that we win that game, and keep it moving. And don’t be so quick to jump on the Nuggets bandwagon because they have not played any team up to par with them yet, so I look forward to a great WCF’s!

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Now playing: Ocean 7 – So Much Swag Mix 1 Dirty
via FoxyTunes

 

I hosted my weekly chat this morning, and during the course of the rapid-fire Q&A the question came up of whether or not the Lakers should trade Andrew Bynum this summer and let the group that got them to the NBA Finals last year and the best record in the league this season continue to comprise their current rotation.

The idea stems from the play of Lamar Odom, who has put up All-Star numbers since taking his place back in the starting lineup. As a starter this season, Odom is averaging 17.2 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 52% from the field. Meanwhile, Pau Gasol, playing back at the center position, is putting up season-highs of 22.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting a season-high 62% from the field.

With that in mind, consider trading Andrew Bynum.

Some Lakers fans will angrily say that Bynum is dominant and the best center in the NBA. Blah, blah, blah. You can’t dominate from the bench, and historically we’ve seen that big men who get injured early and often usually continue to suffer injuries throughout their careers. As one regular emailer pointed out to me today, Bynum just underwent his third knee operation at age 21 and has a four-year deal worth around $50 million. Is that a sound investment?

Let’s say you could work a deal with the Detroit Pistons and land Tayshaun Prince for Bynum and add-ons. Now you have a premier perimeter defender – much more important in today’s NBA – as well as another Finals-tested All-Star caliber player. Meanwhile Detroit could put Bynum out there with a young core and try to build for the future, which is their new goal.

The NBA has changed. Sure, dominant big men will always have a use, but the permium in the new generation of run-and-gun offense is quicker, running big men like Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. If that tandem continues to play as well as they have over the last few weeks, the Lakers should consider letting another team take the gamble on Bynum’s questionable health. They can win a championship without Andrew Bynum.

 

Andrew Bynum hurt vs Memphis (AGAIN)