Kobe Congratulates Farmar; Mitch: "We're Not Done"

Kobe Congratulates Farmar; Mitch: "We're Not Done"

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- When Jordan Farmar's cell phone rang Thursday morning, he wasn't surprised to discover it was another call of congratulations.

But it wasn't just any caller -- it was Kobe Bryant.

"That was the best way to start my career, to get a phone call from the best player in the NBA," Farmar said at a news conference less than 24 hours after the Los Angeles Lakers took him in the first round of the NBA draft with the 26th overall selection.

"It wasn't long at all -- about 5 minutes," Farmar said of his conversation with Bryant. "It was very meaningful to me. He's the best player in the NBA and we're on the same team."

Farmar, who turns 20 in November, passed up his final two years of eligibility at UCLA to make himself available for the draft. He played at Taft High in nearby Woodland Hills, then started all 66 games in which he played over two seasons with the Bruins, who advanced to the NCAA championship game this spring before losing to Florida.

The 6-foot-2 point guard averaged 13.2 points and 5.3 assists as a freshman and 13.5 points and 5.1 assists as a sophomore, when he was a first-team All Pac-10 performer.

"Man, I'm very excited to be here," he said. "It's been the longest month of my life, traveling around the country to pursue my lifelong dream. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. I'm blessed to be here."

There were some who questioned Farmar's decision to pass up his final two seasons at UCLA, but he was very impressive in pre-draft workouts in Orlando, Fla., earlier this month. He made his final decision to stay in the draft on June 18 -- the deadline for withdrawing.

"It was the toughest decision of my life so far," he said. "I had to follow my dream. I just want to get out there and make my dream a reality."

Farmar's family attended the news conference at the Lakers' training facility.

"He called to give me directions, and he told us about his call from Kobe," said Farmar's mother, Mindy Kolani. "We're all just numb -- we're all so excited."

Farmar's mother acknowledged to having doubts when Farmar made his decision to leave school.

"I'm really big on education. I wanted him to get his degree," she said. "Mostly, I wanted him to be happy. He said, `I just have this feeling it's going to work out.' He told us to have faith in his decision."

And so, she said she does.

While Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak reiterated he doesn't expect Farmar to play big minutes next season, Farmar said: "If I'm going to be an asset on the court, I'm going to play."

When asked what advice he offered to Farmar, Kupchak replied: "He can control how good he's going to be based on work, improvement. The talent is there. He's in control of his own destiny."

The Lakers selected center Cheick Samb from Senegal in the second round with the 51st overall selection, but traded his rights to Detroit for swing man Maurice Evans, who averaged 5.0 points in 80 games for the Pistons last season.

"I think we're a better team today than we were yesterday," said Kupchak, pointing to the addition of Farmar and Evans. "I think Maurice Evans gives us an added dimension."

The Lakers also sent a 2007 second-round draft pick to Dallas for the rights to guard J.R. Pinnock, who averaged 14.5 points per game for George Washington last season. The Mavericks drafted Pinnock with the 58th overall selection.

"We're not done," Kupchak said, making it clear there were more changes in store.

After reaching the NBA finals four times in five years and winning three championships, the Lakers traded Shaquille O'Neal to Miami two years ago and took a nosedive, going 34-48 and missing the playoffs.

They rebounded this season, going 45-37 before taking a 3-1 lead over Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs. But the Suns became the eighth team in NBA history to overcome such a deficit, winning the final three games including a 31-point blowout in Game 7.</div>

Woohoo! More moves coming. Is it weird that I have a little bit of faith in Mitch?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-l...ov=ap&type=lgns

 

Does Farmer know how massive his ears are?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The courtship period for free agents starts Saturday -- General Manager Mitch Kupchak said he'll start making calls to free agents at 9:01 p.m. today -- and teams can start signing players 11 days later. The Lakers have a $5 million mid-level exception and are interested in spending it.

The Lakers will probably take a good look at Marcus Banks, who played in Minnesota last season, Sam Cassell (Clippers), Bobby Jackson (Memphis) and Speedy Claxton (New Orleans).

The Lakers had Banks for about week during the summer of 2004, but the trade in which they acquired him was rescinded when Gary Payton refused to report to Boston for his physical. Banks went back to the Celtics, and the Lakers ended up getting Jumaine Jones instead.

Banks was traded to the Timberwolves last season and played a total of 58 games, averaging 10 points on 46.8-percent shooting. The three-year vet has career averages of 6.5 points on 42.7 percent shooting.

Banks' agent, Mike Higgins, said the 24-year-old wants the full mid-level exception for five years, for a total of $29 million.

Higgins, aware that the Lakers were unable to sign Antonio Daniels for the mid-level last year because they offered just two years, said Banks will have Minnesota and several other teams vying for him this summer.

"If somebody offers the mid-level for five years to Marcus and the Lakers offer two, it's going to be tough for the Lakers no matter how much Marcus likes the Lakers," Higgins said by phone.

Jackson has told friends he'd love to play for the Lakers. But the Lakers question the 33-year-old's durability: He has often been injured in his nine-year career, and he's only once played as many as 81 games in a regular season.

"I would think that they would want a veteran guard who has playoff experience, and Bobby has that," Jackson's agent, Andy Miller, said by phone.

Cassell has said he wants to return to the Clippers and is willing to accept a one-year deal for $7.5 million with incentives. He would take a two-year deal for $10 million from the Lakers. But they are hesitant to sign Cassell because he'll be 37 next season.

The Lakers also have their biannual exception of about $1.65 million; they could break up the mid-level and use it on several players.

"A mid-level, at five years earning 10 percent (more) a year, is a good number," Kupchak said. "And there are a lot of players out there that would be enticed by that type of number. We have the ability to do that.

"Are there players out there that deserve the mid-level? Yeah, there's a couple of guys. But I don't know if we'll end up using it."</div>

More Backcourt Help On The Way?

Bobby Jackson from 5 or 6 years ago would have been great, but I don't think the Lakers should consider him at this stage in his career.

Speedy Claxton wants too long of a contract, he's expecting a 6 year deal. No thank you.

Option 1 should actually be Jason Terry
Option 2 Sam I Am
Option 3 Marcus Banks

 

Jason Terry is about to Re-sign with Dallas, no shot.

Pass on B-jax, he's too old and too often injured.

Sam I Am, he'll be a Laker, just watch. Sam Cassell will be playing alongside Kobe Bryant.

Marcus Banks will have to wait to become a Laker.

Shape, do you think we do any trades?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheBlackMamba:</div><div class="quote_post">Jason Terry is about to Re-sign with Dallas, no shot.

Pass on B-jax, he's too old and too often injured.

Sam I Am, he'll be a Laker, just watch. Sam Cassell will be playing alongside Kobe Bryant.

Marcus Banks will have to wait to become a Laker.

Shape, do you think we do any trades?</div>

Yes, Chris Mihm is probably getting traded, I'm sure rumors will surface after July 1st.

 

Farmar is going to be the glue? Did we forget about the two star players we have, Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom?