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Author Archive for The Nugget

Podcast: Voice of the Nation - Episode #6

Published by The Nugget on July 4, 2008 in Voice of the Nation. 12 Comments

The Voice of the Nation Podcast with Andrew Rafner (varsityoptimism) and David Brickley (DBricks) will guide you through the capillaries and ventricles of the Lakers Nation.

Andrew and D are joined by Chris Manning (LD2k) to talk about the offseason so far, the true meaning of the Olympic Basketball and the newest member of the NBA: the Oklahoma City… ?!

Playlist -
Lucky Soul - I Ain’t Never Been Cool
The Crystals - Girls Can Tell
Death Cab for Cutie - No Sunlight
Port O’Brien - I Woke Up Today

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Download Link: Voice of the Nation - Episode #6

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Culture as part of the game

Published by The Nugget on July 5, 2008 in USA Basketball. 4 Comments

Las Vegas Sun: Kobe Bryant leaves the Thomas & Mack Center court after a FIBA Americas basketball game and speaks Spanish to his wife, Vanessa, whom he calls Mamacita, and two young daughters.

In Italian, he instructs his kids to begin eating, mangia, and playfully cusses out U.S. national team assistant coach Mike D’Antoni. He writes in Latin on his Web site. From his Lakers teammates, he’s learning French (Ronny Turiaf) and Serbian (Vladimir Radmanovic and Sasha Vujacic).

He picked up some Portuguese from Ronaldinho, the famous FC Barcelona soccer player whom Bryant has befriended and watched, as one of 100,000 fans, at the Nou Camp Stadium in Spain.

Bryant brings an arsenal of talent to the U.S. national team as it seeks to end an embarrassing stretch on the global stage at the Olympics in China next month.

He also brings something intangible to an American squad that has underestimated recent opponents and paid a heavy price for those blunders. For the first time, the United States has not played in the championship game of three consecutive international tournaments.

Bryant has a curiosity about the world, formed growing up in Italy, that teammates who have been embarrassed by Greece and Argentina don’t comprehend.

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Lakers interested in Brent Barry

Published by The Nugget on July 2, 2008 in 2008 Off-Season. 33 Comments

We already know the Lakers are going after Posey but it seems like their also making a run for Barry. What are your thoughts on this? Sound-off…

L.A. Times: The Lakers have talked with representatives of Boston small forward James Posey and veteran San Antonio sharpshooter Brent Barry to gauge the free agents’ interest.

Barry, 36, spent the last four seasons with the Spurs. He averaged 7.1 points last season, making a commendable 42.9% of his three-point attempts. He is a career 40.7% shooter from three-point range.

Management trying to keep Lakers together

Published by The Nugget on July 2, 2008 in 2008 Off-Season. 1 Comment

Sporting News: First thing Wednesday morning, Sasha Vujacic will meet with the Lakers in Los Angeles, according to Bill Duffy, Vujacic’s agent. Vujacic is coming off his best year in the NBA, averaging a career-high 17.8 minutes per game and shooting 43.7 percent on 3-pointers, which was eighth in the league. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has made it clear that he’d like to hold the roster together and that keeping Vujacic and forward Ronny Turiaf are offseason priorities.

Complicating matters is that Vujacic and Turiaf are restricted free agents, which means the Lakers can match any offers they might receive. “We’re going to try to get a sense of what the parameters are to make a deal work,” Duffy said. “I think that both sides want to find a way to make something work.”

Agent says Lakers’ Bynum wants maximum contract extension

Published by The Nugget on July 1, 2008 in 2008 Off-Season. 63 Comments

Two weeks ago we posted an article where Bynum said he just wants to be Laker, money isn’t any factor him, and he just wants to take care of his family. So what happened in those two weeks? Who knows. Sound off… *sigh*

Press Enterprise: While the Lakers were making an announcement about their intentions to keep restricted free agents Sasha Vujacic and Ronny Turiaf, Andrew Bynum’s agent announced his client’s intentions.

Bynum can get a contract extension this summer from the Lakers. When his agent was told that Bynum suggested he would be willing to take less than the maximum of five years, $80 million, David Lee said they would be seeking the maximum.

“He was talking as a 20-year-old,” Lee said in a telephone interview Monday. “He had not consulted with his representatives. I think the Lakers know how we feel about this.”

The Lakers could have a potential dilemma with Bynum.

He missed the final 46 regular-season games after he suffered a knee injury. He had arthroscopic surgery May 21 to remove some cartilage debris and smoothing some rough spots on the underside of the knee.

Bynum, a 7-foot, 285-pound center, has said he should be ready to start training by the second or third week of July.

“The ball is in their court,” Lee said. “They’ve got a decision to make. The question is whether they believe in him the way I believe in him. It’s their decision to make if they want him there for the future.”

Bynum averaged career highs in points (13.1) and rebounds (10.2) last season. But he has played in just 163 games in three seasons.

“I don’t think the Lakers have anything to worry about with Andrew’s physical condition,” Lee said. “The only thing is he wants to stay in the purple and gold. It’s in their court.”

ESPN: Baron Davis to opt out of deal

Published by The Nugget on June 30, 2008 in 2008 Off-Season. 67 Comments

Now that we can put Ron Artest behind us, let’s start putting all our thoughts in having Baron Davis in Purple & Gold. Whose with me?! Sound-off…

ESPN: Golden State point guard Baron Davis elected to become a free agent Monday night, opting out of the final year of his contract with the Warriors in a surprise move.

Davis had until Monday night to decide whether to turn down his $17.8 million contract for next season, the final year of a six-year deal. The Warriors didn’t expect him to opt out of the deal despite little progress in the parties’ long-term contract negotiation, but club spokesman Raymond Ridder said they received a letter from Davis’ agent, Todd Ramasar, late Monday indicating his intentions.

Davis still could return to Golden State as a free agent, but his opt-out clause was his only bit of leverage in forcing contract talks with the Warriors before next summer. The former All-Star also is now free to negotiate with other clubs, possibly facilitating a sign-and-trade deal with Golden State.

Davis, a 29-year-old veteran, repeatedly has said he intended to return to Golden State, but he might be displeased by Warriors coach Don Nelson’s recent declarations about giving more playing time to Golden State’s young players, even at the expense of a few victories next season. Nelson reiterated his plan Monday at a news conference to introduce draft picks Anthony Randolph and Richard Hendrix.

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Everybody Loves Sun Yue

Published by The Nugget on June 27, 2008 in 2008 Off-Season. 34 Comments

If some of you don’t know me, I really want to see Yue in a Lakers uniform next season. Why? ‘Cause most analyst are comparing him to Magic Johnson, thats why! Well, the asian Magic Johnson, to be exact. So whose with me?! Sound-off… Do it, Mitch!

L.A. Times: They are also keeping tabs on 6-foot-8 Chinese guard Sun Yue, whom they took last year with the 40th pick.

“We’re very optimistic that we can get him on the roster next year,” Kupchak said. “I’ll contact his agent this week and have some initial discussions.”

Shawn Marion Decides Not To Opt Out

Published by The Nugget on June 24, 2008 in 2008 Off-Season. 35 Comments

I was ready to post a Odom/Walton for Marion article ’til I updated my Inbox, received an e-mail, and saw that Marion has decided not to opt out. Freakin’ rumors! Now, we can put all this talk to rest… *cough*Elton Brand*cough*!

Miami Herald: Agent Dan Fegan said he has reached an impasse with Heat president Pat Riley after a month of on-and-off negotiations on an extension. Fegan said he informed the Heat of Marion’s decision.

Marion faced a deadline of 6 p.m. Tuesday to notify the Heat and league of his intensions. Fegan declined to discuss details of the negotiations. But Marion, 30, was believed to be seeking an extension of at least three seasons at an average salary of about $13 million a season.

Riley, whose priority has been to create maximum salary-cap space by the summer of 2010, is believed to have preferred an extension that averaged about $10 million a season.

”I spoke to Shawn again [Monday night] and we’ve decided that he’s not going to opt out,” Fegan said. “It just wasn’t in Shawn’s best interest. That’s all I can really say about it right now.”

Marion, who worked out in Chicago on Monday with Heat guard Dwyane Wade, could not be reached for comment. By declining to opt out, Marion faces the likelihood of playing out a lame-duck season with the Heat. He already has been mentioned in trade rumors because he stands to enter the 2008-09 season with an expiring contract that could be attractive to teams seeking relief.