good job mitch! i was thinking at one point that he wasnt going to sign turiaf. lol. anyways, dont expect much out of him. hes probably not going to get more than 5 or 6 minutes a game, but his locker room contribution and his hustle will make him a key player for us. congrats ronny for fighting out heart surgery to come and play your life long dream, as a player in the nba.
Turiaf is up for the Challenge <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">After everything he has gone through in returning from open heart surgery, Ronny Turiaf said he wouldn't be opposed to heading to the NBA Development League, as Lakers coach Phil Jackson suggested this weekend. But Turiaf also hopes to prove Jackson wrong, that he doesn't need a trip to the Fort Worth (Texas) Flyers as part of his comeback. The 23-year-old forward is expected to officially sign with the Lakers today, according to his agent, Bouna Ndiaye. "If coach decides that I'm not physically well enough to help this team and sends me to the D-League, that's where I'm going to go," said Turiaf, who stopped by the Lakers' locker room before Thursday's game. "It's my job now as a professional to just show up here and show coach that I shouldn't go to the D-League, that I'm a good enough basketball player to help this team in any way possible. "If that's the decision right now, that's going to be the decision. But I don't think (Jackson's) mind is that made up." Turiaf was asked if in some ways he might be a stronger player coming back from the heart surgery than he was before. Some of the workouts he did for the Lakers after being cleared by doctors to play last month were better than before June's NBA draft. "I think I definitely appreciate the opportunity that I have a lot more," Turiaf said. "It's a privilege to play basketball for a living. I think I might go even harder now. I know for a fact that I'm having way more fun than I ever had playing basketball right now. "I'm just enjoying every single moment that I have, on the bench, talking to the guys, stuff that I used to never do." Turiaf played nine games with the CBA's Yakama (Wash.) Sun Kings as part of his comeback, averaging nearly 24 minutes per game. Jackson previously had said he anticipated Turiaf playing a 6- to 8-minute role in his first month with the Lakers. "My job is going to be to play defense, to set some screens for (shooters), try to get those guys open, try to make things easy for those guys," Turiaf said. "I'm not going to be a superstar on this team. I know that. Everything is clear. My job is to make their life easier." Ndiaye estimated that Turiaf's conditioning is about 85 or 90 percent. Jackson suggested Turiaf could head to the D-League when the Lakers leave on a seven-game road trip at the end of January. But Ndiaye said such an assignment was in no way guaranteed. </div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Source</div> Jackson is bluffing. I hope Ronny proves him wrong and get 15 10 5 a night for us. This guy is a banger. I hope he steals the starting role of Kwame Brown.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Empra!15:</div><div class="quote_post">Jackson is bluffing. I hope Ronny proves him wrong and get 15 10 5 a night for us. This guy is a banger. I hope he steals the starting role of Kwame Brown.</div> No no not Kwame, I'm just starting to warm up to him and I like his progress. I want to see Turiaf take all of Cook's minutes because the defense takes a dive when Cook gets on the court. It just seems like Cook is a momentum killer for the team. Now we just need McKie to get back to keep the other momentum killer, known as Sasha Vujacic on the bench. Sasha's vast improvement earlier in the year was just fool's gold. The refs aren't giving him those charging calls he was getting on offensive players earlier in the year. He's not pulling the trigger on wide open looks, and when he does shoot, it's a brick. He's a two-way liability at this point and belongs on the bench until he finds his game again. Getting back to Turiaf, this is the physical element on the inside the team has been missing. He was the best player in the SPL for us, and PJax used him a lot in those games. Turiaf will bring the Mark Madsen energy, but can score as well. He's going to take full advantage of every opportunity he's given, and with the way Kwame & Mihm enjoy getting fouls, there should plenty of opportunities for Turiaf.
Six months after heart surgery, Turiaf joins Lakers http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2296001 <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Ronny Turiaf is back with the Los Angeles Lakers less than six months after having open-heart surgery. The 23-year-old power forward signed a deal Tuesday. "Of course, people would have some doubts about whether you could come back from open-heart surgery," he said during a conference call. "There is no worries. I feel comfortable that there is no risk." Turiaf, a three-year starter at Gonzaga, was a second-round draft pick of the Lakers last June after averaging 15.9 points and 9.5 rebounds as a senior last season. An enlarged aortic root was discovered by the Lakers in a physical exam four weeks after the draft, and Turiaf underwent surgery July 26 to repair the aortic root and preserve his aortic valve. The contract Turiaf had signed with the Lakers was voided, but the team paid for the surgery. "My expectation is to practice hard," Turiaf said. "I'm back to being a freshman in college. I'll make those guys' life a little bit tough in practice. I want to go out there and do the dirty work." The 6-foot-10 Turiaf averaged 13 points and 6.3 rebounds in nine games for the Yakama Sun Kings of the CBA. Turiaf said he appreciated the outpouring of supportive letters and e-mails he received. "I want to tell those people it's going to take me a while to respond," he said. "I'm going to try to do it one person at a time. It's going to take me time, but I will do it." To make room for Turiaf on the 15-man roster, the Lakers waived guard Laron Profit. He had surgery recently to repair a ruptured left Achilles tendon and wasn't expected to play again this season.</div> Anyone know how to put a link in a word? Like say everyone puts source, how do i put a link in the word?
Use the URL tag Source I'm glad Turiaf is on board, because we need as much depth on the front line as possible.
With so many threads popping up about him becoming an official Laker, I took it upon me to make an official thread. I'll merge every thread into this one, and sticky it.
Ronny Turiaf is amazing, to comeback from something like that is a thing on its own and to come back and play ball in the NBA is a whole different level. Turiaf is one of my favorite players around in the League right now just for what he's overcome and what he did in the NCAA at Gonzaga. GO RONNY!
Turiaf Can't Play Without Visa <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Laker rookie Ronny Turiaf is not able to play because of a work-visa issue and probably will be out for another week, his agent said Friday. Turiaf, who was born on the Caribbean island of Martinique and has French citizenship, signed with the Lakers on Jan. 17 and has practiced with the team but is not eligible to play until he receives a U.S. work visa, agent Bouna Ndiaye said.</div> Source
Turiaf do yourself a favor and fire your agent. He's obviously not on top of things and looking out for your best interests. The Lakers sure could have used his energy last night, the team came out flat and almost lost to a injury plagued Warriors team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Turiaf do yourself a favor and fire your agent. He's obviously not on top of things and looking out for your best interests. The Lakers sure could have used his energy last night, the team came out flat and almost lost to a injury plagued Warriors team.</div> But worry not. Kobe came to the rescue didnt he? How did you like that pose he gave us after his revers dunk that gave us the lead in OT.
do u guys think turiaf will be better than green, wafer, or bynum? hes probably gonna sit with the 3 rookies like the whole game
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting philip2136:</div><div class="quote_post">do u guys think turiaf will be better than green, wafer, or bynum? hes probably gonna sit with the 3 rookies like the whole game</div> In the short term he should be. Turiaf was the best player the Lakers had in the SPL and plays with a lot of energy and hustle. He has NBA body already, and I'm sure he'll bust his butt in practice so he can't get some burn during the games.
how is he have a problem with his visa, when he play college ball the college coulda gave him a green card... this sucks
I don't think Turiaf is gonna keep the bench warm. He showed his potential during the training camp games.
