[::2009 Champion LAKERS OFF-SEASON THREAD Vol. Boring Non-News Days Causing In-Thread Tension::]

[notorious 858]

This pic made me

 

[CP1708]

Are those MVP cookies, or what the hell?

 

[westcoastsfinest]

@ the cookies

 

[notorious 858]

There was a question Shannon Brown was unable to avoid during his second annual week long basketball camp at Proviso East.

"When is Kobe coming?"

Brown had bad news for the 350 campers between the ages of 8 and 17, and perhaps some of the coaches as well, who hoped Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant would make a guest appearance at some point during the camp.

"That was the most asked question," Brown said. "I had to tell them it wasn't going to happen. I don't know if they believed me."


"The great thing about this year is having a chance to play and contribute to the championship," said Brown, who was honored by the village of Maywood with a parade in his honor on July 18. "My first year I sat on the bench. I might have played five seconds.

"As soon as I got there I was welcomed with open arms and showed a lot of love. Everybody wanted to contribute and win a championship. The egos are put aside. (The Lakers) still had a bad taste after losing to the Celtics (the year before in the finals). Everybody wants to win a ring and leave their mark. There are players who have been in the league a lot longer than I have and never had this opportunity."

Brown said playing on the floor with Bryant, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza made it considerably easier to find shots.

"Kobe is triple teamed and Pau is double teamed," Brown said. "That means somebody has to be open. The system gave me a chance to show my abilities. I got a chance to just play basketball and it felt good."

Brown recalled as a high school and college player watching from a distance as Lakers head coach Phil Jackson won six titles with the Chicago Bulls.

"Now I'm playing for a coach who has won 10 titles," Brown said. "I would try to emulate what Michael (Jordan) and Scottie (Pippen) were doing in the back yard. Now I'm sitting on the same bench (with Jackson)."

Brown considered himself nothing more than "a throw-in" after hearing about the trade to the Lakers.

It didn't turn out that way with Morrison playing in only eight regular season games and none in the playoffs.

"The realistic side of the trade is I made the money fit," Brown said. "I had a talk with (Lakers General Manager) Mitch Kupchak and realized the Lakers really wanted me. They knew I could score, but they needed somebody to play defense against the bigger guards in the (Western Conference) like Deron Williams (Utah) and Chauncey Billups (Utah). This was the first time I knew what my role was. I think I surprised a lot of people with my basketball smarts. I don't know where I would be right now if I wasn't traded (to the Lakers)."

Brown wasn't sure what his future was in the NBA at this time a year ago, going on the free agent market after playing with both Cleveland and the Bulls in 2007-08.

The 2003 McDonald's All-American signed a one-year contract in August of 2008 with Charlotte and played in 30 games with the Bobcats before being sent to Los Angeles.

"I didn't know if I would even be in the NBA this year," Brown said. "Winning a championship was unbelievable and a blessing. I don't think a lot about my first two years. I don't think I understood what it took (to be successful in the NBA). I didn't understand why I wasn't playing and somebody else was. What did they have that I didn't have? I've learned a lot about the playing side and the business side the last three years."

Brown won't have such concerns this offseason after signing a two-year contract with the Lakers on July 7.

"It was a difficult decision," said Brown, who has played for four NBA and three NBA Developmental League teams in his career. "I turned down more money with another team (Indiana). I had to pray on it. It's one of those decisions you can not rush. We have another chance to win a championship, and I want to be back."
Link:

http://www.pioneerlocal.c...-brown-080309-s1.article

 

[westcoastsfinest]

glad to see brown back (no kwame)

 

[CP1708]

Damn, Shannon took less money to be the 3rd PG on our squad.

This boy gets it, chance at winning something >>> few extra bucks to play for a crap team.

Wish we could have more guys like him out there.......

 

[bhzmafia14]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Damn, Shannon took less money to be the 3rd PG on our squad.

This boy gets it, chance at winning something >>> few extra bucks to play for a crap team.

Wish we could have more guys like him out there.......

It's kinda smart if you think about it. Win your rings at an early age that way it won't be your main concern later. It'll be allabout the money.

 

[chico cummings]

A fellow NT's (SN= Michael32) company is making the championship rings! Taken from the jewelry thread, page 402 inGeneral....

JASON of BH is proud to say that we have been commissioned by the Los Angeles Lakers to do their 2009 Championship Rings!!!

 

[sigmakidownz]

Nostalgia

 

[goldmember]

I'm ready for this game

 

[darthska]

Who the hell they got in the background? It's like a brolic Odom with facial hair, or a taller DFish.

 

[goldmember]

It's Common, Duh!

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by Goldmember

It's Common, Duh!

Artest looks high,

 

[darthska]

Damn, it is Common.

Good call.

 

[teamsir]

First post.. Shannon brown is going to have a big year.

 

[menacin methods]

Originally Posted by TeamSiR

First post.. Shannon brown is going to have a big year.

 

[ledafuture36]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Damn, Shannon took less money to be the 3rd PG on our squad.

This boy gets it, chance at winning something >>> few extra bucks to play for a crap team.

Wish we could have more guys like him out there.......

Yep and I think he'll play the back up 2G as well..He will be our PG for years to come. I know this sounds crazy but he might be our next D Fish
but with more athletic ability. I am really up on this kid and we got a diamond in the rough with that trade. 4 years from now people will be scratching
their heads and saying we got this guy for WHO? and that GM will be fired..

 

[heemsta]

^i agree and i really hope morrison will improve next season.

 

[notorious 858]

Rambo is gone.

[h1]Kurt Rambis likely to become coach of Timberwolves[/h1]

Kurt Rambis was seen boarding a plane Wednesday morning to meet again with Minnesota Timberwolves officials, a strong sign that the Lakers assistant coach will be hired to coach the Timberwolves.

Rambis has already had a second interview with Minnesota, and the only step left is to talk with team owner Glen Taylor, who has said publicly he would be the final part in the decision-making process.


The longtime Laker has already met with new Timberwolves General Manager David Kahn. Rambis would get the nod for the position over two other candidates -- TV analyst Mark Jackson and Houston Rockets assistant coach Elston Turner.

Rambis has had a busy summer. He was a finalist to be the head coach for the Sacramento Kings and was also interviewed to possibly fill the head coaching vacancy with the Philadelphia 76ers. Sacramento hired Paul Westphal and Philadelphia hired Eddie Jordan.

Rambis had serious discussions with the Kings and was offered the job, but he wanted more than a two-year contract and more money than was offered.
With Minnesota, Rambis probably would get at least a three-year deal.

There is a good chance the Lakers would not fill Rambis' position on their bench, leaving them with Coach Phil Jackson and three assistants -- Frank Hamblen, Brian Shaw and Jim Cleamons.

Rambis, 51, has been an assistant with the Lakers for 10 seasons and has filled in for Jackson for medical reasons on a number of occasions.

He was in charge of the Lakers' defense last season and was credited with the Lakers holding the Orlando Magic to only 91.2 points a game in the NBA Finals en route to winning the franchise's 15th championship.

Jackson gathered the Lakers coaches before training camp last October and told them he was appointing a defensive coach, something he hadn't done in his previous 17 years of coaching in the NBA.

"Kurt is real good at this and he's willing," Jackson said at the time.

Rambis would take over a Timberwolves team that finished 24-58 last season and fired Kevin McHale in June.

Rambis made a name for himself as a rough-hewn power forward for the Lakers during the Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Showtime era in the 1980s, providing muscle and energy under the basket for four of the Lakers' championship runs.

He played nine seasons for the Lakers.

Rambis was the Lakers' head coach in 1999, going 25-13 after taking over for Del Harris as interim coach.

Jackson was hired by the Lakers a few months later, ending Rambis' stint as head coach, though he eventually joined Jackson's staff.

In a touch of irony, Rambis would replace the man who clotheslined him on a vicious play during Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, which were won by the Boston Celtics in seven games. McHale was the Celtics' star power forward at the time.

The Timberwolves have a very young nucleus, different from the veteran-laden team Rambis would be leaving.

Center Al Jefferson, 24, is expected to return for the Timberwolves after sustaining a torn knee ligament last February.

Guards Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn were taken by the Timberwolves with the fifth and sixth picks in the June draft, though Rubio has not yet signed with them.

Link:

http://www.latimes.com/sp...009aug06,0,6343255.story

 

[u ttocs]

Why would Rambis bolt now when Phil is gone after this year? You would think he's a legitimate candidate to takeover when Phil retires.

Either way we loaded next year wow at that roster, it's still hard to believe we could be that good.

 

[westcoastsfinest]

i dont understand why he would leave after we just won a chip and he would go to a team like the wolves

...peace out rambo if you aint with us youre against us

 

[CP1708]

Ya'll need to get on my wave lengths. We puttin them spies out there with the West crappy teams like we did with Memphis.

Rambis out in Minny so he can give us Al Jeff in a couple years after all our dudes ride off into the sunset.

Bynum
Al Jeff
Ariza
Brown
Farmar

Class of 2014.

 

[Los Angeles]

go from web 96TruwarierQB I'm over here in China ou the loop call me let me know wus crackin 8322608192 12 minutes ago from web

 

[CP1708]

It would be unwise to put Ron Artest's phone number in front of me. Ima pretend I didn't see it.

 

[frenchblue23]

Originally Posted by CP1708

It would be unwise to put Ron Artest's phone number in front of me. Ima pretend I didn't see it.

You know you wanna give him a buzz CP.