Lakers Schedule Released
The NBA has released the schedule for the upcoming 2008-2009 season. The Lakers kick off the season playing host to the Portland Trail Blazers. Greg Oden will make his pro debut in The Staples Center and face a matchup with Andrew Bynum. These two young centers could have some major battles throughout their careers. They’re young, talented and huge. This blogger is very excited for the first of many battles between these two towers. On Christmas Day, the Lake Show will spend the holiday hosting the Boston Celtics. This rematch of the Finals is sure to get heated between two teams that are likely to find themselves atop their respective conferences yet again.
The first matchup between Kobe and Shaq since the infamous freestyle rap will take place on November 20th in Phoenix. The Daddy comes to Los Angeles on December 10th. The Lakers’ overall schedule is obviously tough in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, but this blogger expects the team to rise to the top yet again. Their biggest competition will probably come in the form of the Rockets and Hornets, but don’t sleep on the Spurs or Jazz. After a lot of rumors that Artest was headed to L.A. this offseason, he’ll come into town wearing a Houston Rockets uniform on November 9th.
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Nothin’ But a Hound Dog
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has given himself a new nickname. Already known as The Black Mamba, Bryant referred to himself as The Doberman after he hounded fellow NBA player Sarunas Jasikevicius in Team USA’s exhibition win over Lithuania. Bryant is being looked at on this team as a defensive stopper. The lifetime Laker has become a regular on the NBA All-Defensive Team, but his defense in often overlooked because his offensive game is so amazing. In Beijing though, Bryant will have a team full of incredible offensive players at his side, but nobody who can bring the defensive ability that he can.
Kobe is a premier perimeter defender. He’s got great athleticism, lateral movement, instincts and understanding of the game. Don’t get me wrong, he’ll get his fair share of points, but he won’t be asked to be the team’s primary offensive weapon game in and game out. In the game against Lithuania, Bryant absolutely shut down Jasikevicius, who is heralded as a basketball god in his native land but hasn’t amounted to much in the association. This blogger even read a description of the matchup between the two that said Jasikevicius looked as if he’d never played a game of basketball. Sounds like The Doberman is taking to his role.
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Kobe Open to Playing Overseas?
Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was recently asked if he’d consider playing overseas. “Of course,” he replied in an interview after the Team USA’s exhibition defeat of Russia. “By the way, are you the owner of a Russian team? It can be arranged for $40 million per year.” This type of question is all the rage right now in the wake of Josh Childress’ decision to bolt for Greece when he received a substantial offer from Olympiacos. Speculation has begun to brew that a major European team will make an astoundingly rich offer to an NBA superstar in the next few years in the attempt to lure a true marquee NBA player overseas.
Don’t expect this speculation to come to fruition, at least in terms of an actual deal being signed. I do think the European option will become something that NBA guys will explore, but not opt for on a regular basis, especially American-born players. I see the option to play overseas as more of a bargaining chip than a viable option for most NBAers. Would a guy like Kobe Bryant or LeBron James accept an offer to play overseas if they received $40 million per year? Kevin Garnett makes the most money in the NBA per year at approximately $25 million. I wouldn’t rule it out completely that this kind of pay increase could tempt a superstar, but abandoning the prestige of playing in the NBA is something I can’t see many guys doing.
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Kobe’s Big Third Quarter Helps Top Russia
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 11 of his 19 points in the third quarter to stave off a comeback attempt by the Russian National Team in the U.S. Men’s exhibition game yesterday. The USA won the game 89-68 in what was a defensive battle. Bryant was a clear fan favorite among the Shanghai crowd, receiving chants of “MVP!” each time he stepped to the free throw line. The U.S. team had been averaging 118 points in exhibition play before yesterday’s game, but showed that they can shut down the opposition when need be.
The club is looking for Bryant to be their defensive stopper. He’s the most accomplished defensive player on the squad and will probably be matched up against the opposition’s best perimeter players throughout the summer games. Bryant should thrive in this role as he won’t be asked to do offensively what he does for the Lakers night in and night out. Kobe noted that he went off in the third quarter yesterday, but it won’t always have to be him. He said that any player on the roster can explode offensively at any time and that he expects someone to step it up when the teams needs it. The U.S. team plays one more exhibition game, against Australia, before the games begin.
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Kobe Drops 13 in USA Exhibition
Lakers forward Kobe Bryant scored an efficient 13 points in 16 minutes in the U.S. National Team’s third exhibition game in Beijing. Bryant hit six of nine shots from the field, hitting one of three from distance. The USA defeated Lithuania 120-84, winning each of the four quarters. Dwyane Wade dropped 19, hitting all three of his threes, and Dwight Howard chipped in 17. LeBron James has his standard well-rounded game, scoring 15 on seven of nine shooting, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out six assists. The Lithuanian team featured NBA players Sarunas Jasikevicius and Linas Kleiza.
The fact that Bryant logged just 16 minutes is a bit surprising, but it is only an exhibition game. Expect to see Kobe get significant minutes once the Olympic Games begin. While Kobe is certainly one of the best players on the team, James has been the most impressive of the bunch despite injuring his ankle in a practice game in Las Vegas last week. He rolled his ankle when he landed on Oklahoma City and practice squad forward Kevin Durant’s foot. But he’s shined in both of the exhibition games he’s partaken in, doing a little bit of everything thanks to his extremely well-rounded skill set. Team USA looks to be a force, but they haven’t faced any real competition yet.
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Gasol Leads Spanish National Team
Lakers forward Paul Gasol will be leading what is perhaps going to be the biggest competition for the USA national basketball team in Beijing. The Spain squad should make a formidable opponent and is a consensus top three team in this year’s games. Gasol will be paired up with his brother Marc, who is expected to play his rookie season in the NBA this year and is a bonified bruiser. The Gasol brothers will also be teaming up with shooting guard Rudy Fernandez, who the Blazers selected in the 2007 draft and will be crossing the Atlantic to play in the NBA’s 2008-2009 campaign as well. With Toronto Raptors point guard Jose Calderon and former Raptor Jorge Garbajosa on board, the talent on the team is substantial.
Spain and Greece are the two most likely teams to give the U.S. a run for their money. While the Greek team is full of unknowns who just play solid team basketball, the Spanish team is crawling with NBA players and hopefuls. Spain also has a trick up their sleeve in the form of teenage sensation Ricky Rubio, who at 17 is set to be one of the youngest players to partake in Olympic basketball. Rubio is being projected as a top five pick in the 2009 NBA draft and has been compared to Steve Nash. This blogger has watched plenty of tape on him and he looks like the real deal.
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No Artest in L.A.
Ron Artest will not be joining the Lakers in an offseason trade, as the forward was dealt to the Houston Rockets yesterday for rookie Donte Green, Bobby Jackson’s expiring contract and a first-round pick. So the Lakers didn’t acquire the controversial defensive ace as many NBA pundits had anticipated. Make no mistake; they’re still a top team in the league.
The club would have loved to swap Odom for Artest, but the Kings’ insistence on including Kenny Thomas’ hefty contract was probably a deal-breaker for Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak. With Odom still on the roster, the Lakers are still in great shape to contend for a title. With Andrew Bynum back, the team will receive some much-needed toughness on the inside. Celtic bigs Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins seemed too physical for the Lakers in the finals, but there’s no way they would have manhandled the seven-foot, 275-pound Bynum. He’ll inject rebounding and defense into the Lakers’ game, but will add that presence that makes opposing players hesitant to enter the paint on offense. With Odom and Pau Gasol as second and third offensive options alongside Kobe Bryant, the offense is as potent as any in the league. The team will be just fine sans Artest.
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Vujacic Signing Shows League’s Strength Isn’t Fading
The fact that Sasha Vujacic turned down more lucrative offers from European teams in favor of re-signing with the Lakers shows that not every player is prepared to make the overseas jump, even if they hail from Europe. A lot of people went into panic mode when Josh Childress left the NBA to play for more money in Greece, declaring it as a new trend that was about to explode. At this point, Childress is pretty much a pioneer and it doesn’t appear that too many players are prepared to follow him.
The day after Childress signed with Olympiacos there were rumors about several players leaving the NBA for European teams, including Vujacic. But the prestigious honor of playing in the NBA doesn’t seem to be lost on most players. Childress made a financial decision and that’s his right, but don’t expect it to become commonplace. If European-born players like Vujacic would rather play in the NBA for less financial compensation, it signals that the reputation the NBA has built as the premiere basketball league in the world has not faded. Players will occasionally jump at the cash and play overseas, but expect it to be the exception more than the rule.
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Sasha Staying, Signs Three-Year Deal
After learning of the possibility of losing him to a European team, the Lakers decided to step up their offer to Sasha Vujacic and have come to terms on a three-year $15 million deal. The Lakers had reportedly offered a contract worth $12 million earlier in free agency. After Josh Childress and Bostjan Nachbar left the NBA for more to play overseas, there were reports that Vujacic was considering going back to Europe instead of returning to the Lakers.
While it would have been a bargain to get Vujacic for $4 million a year, the team is not overpaying at five. Vujacic played an integral part in the Lakers’ success last season. After several years of looking lost on the court, Vujacic finally came around last year. The 6-7 guard/forward averaged nearly nine points per game last season coming off the bench. The Yugoslavia native also scored a playoff career-high 20 points in game three of the NBA Finals, which included a clutch three-point shot in the final minutes. Vujacic provides the team with a scoring spark off the bench and supplies instant energy when he enters the game. Re-signing Vujacic was identified as the team’s number one priority this offseason, so the club has to be satisfied that they made it happen.
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So Long Sasha?
While there has always been a chance that restricted free agent Sasha Vujacic would not be in a Lakers uniform next season, now, in a more surprising turn, there is a chance that he won’t even be in the NBA next year. In the wake of NBA contributors Josh Childress and Bostjan Nachbar departing from the league to play in Europe, and not because they had to, Lakers fans could see Vujacic follow suit. Since Childress signed with Greek club Olympiacos, there have been rumors flying around about other players going overseas. Due to salary cap restrictions, some players can make more money in Europe.
While some players may just be using the possibility of playing overseas as a bargaining chip with their respective teams, don’t assume Vujacic’s threat to be idle. It’s much more likely for a European-born player to ditch the NBA because there will be little, if any, adjustment period in their new country. American-born players have to take a number of factors into consideration before taking the plunge. There is a good chance that they don’t adjust well to playing overseas or just don’t like it, exemplified by Childress’ ability to opt-out of his contract after each season.
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