L.A. Times: One big-time business deal is in the books for the Lakers, the signing of Andrew Bynum to a contract extension Thursday that secured the young center until 2013.
But next summer will bring more business dealings for the Lakers. Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza are in the final year of their contracts, and Kobe Bryant can opt out of his contract next summer.
Odom and Ariza were happy to hear that Bynum had signed a four-year, $57.4-million contract extension. Odom and Ariza can’t negotiate new deals until July 1, but neither seemed concerned about his future when they talked Friday after practice.
Odom will earn $11.4 million in the final year of his contract this season. (His salary counts as $14.1 million against the salary cap because of a trade kicker he received when the Lakers acquired him from Miami.)
Last summer Odom’s agent talked to the Lakers’ management about a contract extension but was told to wait until next summer. Odom, who turns 29 Thursday, was asked if he’d be willing to take less money to stay with the Lakers.
Forum Blue & Gold: Seriously, if you are a Lakers fan, it’s pretty hard not to be sky high right now. Two blowout wins to start the season on national television. The team is playing defense. Bynum locked up for four years. Kenny Smith from TNT last night saying, about Nate McMillan’s comment that the Lakers are the present and the Blazers are the future, “No, the Lakers are the present and the Lakers are the future.”
Let’s try to bring ourselves down to earth a little bit. This is just two games, against borderline playoff teams with key injuries. We’re just 2.4% of the way into a very long season. DJ Mbenga has yet to play. The imported beers at Staples are just so expensive. Okay, I’m really reaching now.
L.A. Times: Andrew Bynum on Thursday signed a four-year contract extension worth $57.4 million, but the Lakers aren’t done talking with agent David Lee.
Lee also represents forward Trevor Ariza, who will be an unrestricted free agent in July in what could be another lengthy contract negotiation.
Ariza has increased his all-around game, adding a three-point shot to an already intriguing mix of solid defense and burst around the basket.
He makes $3.1 million this season and could command at least double that number next summer if he continues to play as well as he has in a very young season. Through two games, Ariza is averaging 11 points and four rebounds in only 22.5 minutes a game. He has made four of five three-point attempts.
Ariza, 23, was acquired last November from Orlando for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans.
He worked hard during the off-season — “three hours a day,” his agent said — to improve his outside touch.
The Lakers have noticed. In fact, they’d like him to shoot more often.
“It’s not that he’s not a good shooter, it’s just that he doesn’t think shot,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “He’s looking to drive or penetrate. We try to get him to think [about] the fact that if you’re open, take a shot. This offense is an offense that creates shots for guys.”
This is a New era, a New Season, a New beginning. Just like this year’s edition of your Los Angeles Lakers.
David Brickley and Gregory Small will be your host throughout the 2008-2009 NBA season, updating you on everything that has to do with your Los Angeles Lakers. Bringing you up to date news, stats, exclusive interviews, relevant information and most importantly all this will be given to you from a Lakers perspective.
For this introductory episode, David and Greg talk about the new direction of the Voice of the Nation, Andrew Bynum getting that new deal, A recap and discussion on the first two wins of the season, and the debut of TOP Lakers Moments.
Playlist -
Flo’z – VOTN Official Intro Song
O’Jays – For the Love of the Money
Guns ‘N Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
Randy Newman – I Love L.A.
T.I. – Whatever you Like
Kayne West – American Boy
Other Audio -
Trevor Ariza’s Postgame Comments
Marv Albert’s TNT Broadcast (Jan 16 2006)
There was a surreal electricity at Staples Center Tuesday and Wednesday Night. an excitement for a special team. A team that if they stay healthy, could make a serious run at becoming the second 70 win team in NBA history. A team with so much to prove.
From before the opening tip-off, you could feel the buzz in the air. The excitement and the anticipation had the fans on the edge of their seat, even before the national anthem was sung. As everyone put on their community promoting yellow opening day shirts on, you could tell that this was much more than a regular season game.
It was sense of redemption for the pain and suffering that was caused by the events in the NBA Finals. Instead of letting the heartbreak mold them, it motivated them, as the Lakers’ defense and all around game, at least through two games, looks better than ever.
Forum Blue & Gold: Waiting until just 24 hours before the window closed, it appears the Lakers have reached a contract extension deal with Andrew Bynum. The deal is expected to be a three-year extension for $42 million, which works out to $14 million a year. The Lakers would reportedly have a have a fourth-year option at $16 million. So, in the end, we are talking 4 years at $58 million.
Bynum, who is 21, looked good in the couple of Lakers wins so far this season – he is averaging 10 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots per game, is pulling down 24% of the available rebounds is shooting 53%. He outplayed Clipper center Chris Kaman on Wednesday night. More importantly, he and Pau Gasol seem to be developing a real chemistry, one that will keep the Lakers as contenders (along with that Kobe guy) for the next several years.
This is a pretty fair deal for everyone – Bynum gets a big raise, not quite max but close. The Lakers get a little cushion in case he never fully recovers or reinjures his knees, as the deal can end after three years. Although, my bet, is that in four years the negotiations are far simpler, because he’ll get a max deal.
Lakers Examiner: It’s only a couple days before Halloween and you still don’t have a costume. Instead of heading to your local “Halloween Super Store” and picking out one of the overpriced, overused costumes, why not do something original by dressing up as your favorite Laker!
Below are a few suggestions. Remember that the way you carry yourself is just as important as the clothes you wear.
Kurt Rambis- One of the more easily recognizable Lakers, a few small touches will take your costume to the next level. Although there are many different Rambises (or Rambi) to emulate, the most effective would be the “Good Teammate Rambis” shown in this picture.
Costume: Black horn-rimmed glasses with Laker-gold sunglasses strap. V-neck Laker warm-up with the smallest bit of chest hair exposed just to tantalize the ladies. Towel over left shoulder. Chestnut-brown feathered mullet with matching perfectly-groomed Ron Jeremy mustache.
Attitude: Treat every male at your Halloween party as your teammate. Hand him beverages, cheer for him while he does keg stands, and don’t be afraid to deliver a firm, open-palmed slap on his rear end to indicate a job well done.
This was the final day to get this deal done, otherwise Bynum would have been a restricted free agent this off-season. Andrew is now set to average around $14.5 million for the next four seasons.
L.A. Times: The Lakers and Andrew Bynum have agreed in principle on a four-year contract extension worth about $58 million, keeping their center of the future in the fold through the 2012-13 season, according to sources familiar with the negotiations who would not speak publicly.
Bynum, who will make $2.8 million this season, will earn close to $42 million over the first three years of his contract extension. The fourth year will be a team option for about $16 million.
The Lakers declined to comment, although an announcement could come as early as this afternoon.
David Lee, Bynum’s agent, spent more than a week in Los Angeles trying to negotiate the extension and returned to his New York home Wednesday afternoon without a deal in place.
Lee, however, will return to Los Angeles today, to formalize the deal, one day before the Friday deadline for contract extensions for players such as Bynum.
Both sides appeared to be far apart earlier in the week, with Bynum’s agent asking close to an average of $17 million a year on a five-year deal and the Lakers countering with an average of $11 million a year over five years.
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L.A. Times: One big-time business deal is in the books for the Lakers, the signing of Andrew Bynum to a contract extension Thursday that secured the young center until 2013.
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