NOTE: This is just based on my opinions and knowledge...I'll try and update the roster when needed, because there still may be roster changes before the season starts up, so keep that in mind. :thumbsup: Possible Opening Day Roster (w/ injuries) C - Chris Mihm/Brian Grant/Vlade Divac PF - Lamar Odom/Brian Cook/Slava Medvedenko SF - Caron Butler/Jumaine Jones/Luke Walton SG - Kobe Bryant/Kareem Rush/Devean George PG - Chucky Atkins/Tierre Brown/Sasha Vujacic 2004-2005 Los Angeles Lakers (projected lineup, possibly not accurate) Starters... C - Vlade Divac (<font color="Purple">$4,900,000</font>) PF - Lamar Odom (<font color="Purple">$10,465,000</font>) SF - Caron Butler (<font color="Purple">$1,920,560</font>) SG - Kobe Bryant (<font color="Purple">$14,175,000</font>) PG - Chucky Atkins (<font color="Purple">$4,200,000</font>) Bench... PF - Brian Grant (<font color="Purple">$13,346,250</font>) C - Chris Mihm (<font color="Purple">$3,375,000</font>) SG - Kareem Rush (<font color="Purple">$1,172,446</font>) PG - Tierre Brown (<font color="Purple">n/a</font>) SF - Luke Walton (<font color="Purple">$620,046</font>) PF - Brian Cook (<font color="Purple">$809,300</font>) SF - Jumaine Jones (<font color="Purple">$1,687,500</font>) IR... PG - Sasha Vujacic (<font color="Purple">$846,840</font>) SF - Devean George (<font color="Purple">$4,500,000</font>) C - Slava Medvedenko (<font color="Purple">$3,000,000</font>) PG - Tony Bobbitt (<font color="Purple">$385,277</font>) Also, keep in mind that the maximum amount of players on a roster is 15...minimum is 8...so one has to go sooner or later. Potential Lakers: <font color="Purple">PF - Karl Malone</font> (would definitely provide security near the hoop on defense, and although he's lost his shot, he is a nice scoring option to have on the court...also, still able to pull down boards and is a veteran that shows great leadership skills) Something to smile about: The Lakers, since trading Shaquille O'Neal, have really grown back into a fine, talented group of players, led by Kobe Bryant and his new "Robin" in Lamar Odom. Strengths for the Lakers include their ability to shoot from the perimeter and their depth. Last year, the Lakers had a weak bench with the exception of Fisher...the others were developing (Walton, Rush, Cook). Also, there were no backups for Shaq, which caused HUGE problems once Shaq was injured or sitting out early in the 2nd and 4th quarters due to foul trouble. Also, these players will want to work as a team...whereas last year, Payton had problems with the triangle, Kobe/Shaq were arguing back and forth (media war), and Fisher wanted more playing time. On top of that, rumors of Phil Jackson leaving haunted the players thoughout the season. This year should not resemble last year as far as conflicts and problems go. Something to worry about: For one, guys named Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Yao Ming...all hiding and waiting for their chance to make a playoff run and win the West. Hopefully, Karl Malone will re-sign and this problem will be less of just that. If Malone is a Laker this upcoming season, he'll be able to play these guys straight up and provide better defense than the likes of Grant, Mihm, etc. Also, a Laker dilemma leaks from our point guard spot. Chucky Atkins is no Jason Kidd, and we know this...but hopefully, Sasha Vujacic develops quickly and provides some sort of security at the point. And don't rule out a trade for the likes of Kidd just yet...for some reason, Buss is stacking players on this team a little early, maybe to make a run for Kidd...so don't be surprised. Let's analyze each player, strengths and weaknesses... <font color="Purple">Kobe Bryant</font> - the obvious player to take the reigns of this team. No doubt, he is the best perimeter player in the league...in which you can assume that he's one of the best one-on-one players also. He can score in the clutch, or whenever you need the points. He's a great defensive player...just all-around incredible. He needs to focus on passing the ball this season, a key in the Lakers' success...pretty much sharing the ball similar to Michael Jordan back in the Bulls era. If he does this, the Lakers will be a threat once again. <font color="Purple">Lamar Odom</font> - the "Pippen" of the Los Angeles Lakers. He can play all positions on the court except center...he's a decent defender, and a great passer. He crashes the boards well and is able to pull down 10 a game. The only problem would be his off-court issues, and being in Los Angeles, this is a concern...but it's possible that he's matured since then. <font color="Purple">Caron Butler</font> - hasn't really had the opportunity most solid rookies have had, so he's yet to come out to his full potential. He can rebound well, slash to the hoop, and has alot of strength. His dribbling and jumpers need work, but once that's improved, he could be a great starter for the Lakers down the road. <font color="Purple">Vlade Divac</font> - also known as the "Flopper" in Lakerland. He's got a nice touch, and really does well against bigger centers in the league. He's not very athletic, and his age is getting to him, but he's probably one of the best passing centers in the NBA right now, something that's needed in Los Angeles. <font color="Purple">Chucky Atkins</font> - likes to shoot when he needs to, and can hit the three. He's pretty quick, and he can sneak in and out of the paint easily on cuts, but it's because he's 5'11", which is pretty short. Not to take anything away from him because of that. However, he likes to shoot more than pass, so hopefully this can be adjusted in the practices soon enough. <font color="Purple">Kareem Rush</font> - to me, a young kid who wants to be the next Kobe. He can shoot well, yet he's only streaky at times...he'll either make 5 threes in a row, or miss 4 of them. He needs to work on his handling and his strength on the drive...other than that, he's got potential. <font color="Purple">Luke Walton</font> - has great court awareness. His passing is much like Jason Kidd...eyes in the back of his head. He needs to work on his shot, and his ability to score...although, he's more of a pass-first type player. <font color="Purple">Devean George</font> - good, athletic forward who can rebound really well. His problem lies in his outside shot...where he literally has to be open to hit it. More drives to the hoop will make him a disciplined player, because he has the ability to play off screens...just not face up against a defender (such as Bowen or Hassell). <font color="Purple">Brian Grant</font> - has a really good jumper beyond the free throw line. He defends really well and can crash boards with the best of them. He's more of a power forward, so placing him at center would be a mistake. He likes to be on the court, and he brings a winning attitude to our organization. <font color="Purple">Chris Mihm</font> - can really play the post. He likes to score, and gets a kick out of the crowd when he does. By looking at him, you wouldn't think he's a tough player...but he is. He needs to take his game to a new level to earn the respect he deserves. <font color="Purple">Slava Medvedenko</font> - can hit shots and score with jumpers. He's got a nice touch and can pull down boards, but needs to work heavily on his defense to become a better player. <font color="Purple">Sasha Vujacic</font> - a combo guard who is quick and smart. He can dribble well, and has an eye for open players. If he develops a decent shot, he has the potential to become a starter at the point. <font color="Purple">Jumaine Jones</font> - very underrated. I'm almost glad we have him instead of Marcus Banks, although we could've used another point guard instead. Jumaine can do nearly everything on the court, from defending to shooting the three...he just doesn't give it his all. He needs to try and become one of the leading role players for the Lakers, while focusing on driving to the hoop and dishing it out if needed. <font color="Purple">Brian Cook</font> - a developing offensive player. He needs to get a little bigger and try to work more on his defense. He has good footwork and can be a good second option in the future for the Lakers. <font color="Purple">Tony Bobbitt</font> - a tough defender. He can steal the ball from anyone if they don't keep their head up. Can play well, just not at a high level at this time. What is your take on our roster? What changes should be made, who should be kept, and who will make the biggest factor off the bench? Now that you know all about these guys...let me know what you think. Lakers in 2004-2005!
Real nice. We should keep this topic on the main page. I think the reason why Rush seems kinda like Kobe is cus Kobe was his mentor for all of last season. He trained with him and I think Malone trained with Walton. Now that could be a good thing for Rush...or a bad thing...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Lakerland:</div><div class="quote_post">Real nice. We should keep this topic on the main page. I think the reason why Rush seems kinda like Kobe is cus Kobe was his mentor for all of last season. He trained with him and I think Malone trained with Walton. Now that could be a good thing for Rush...or a bad thing...</div> Well, I know Rush won't spell out the word "success" as far as being an individual star goes...but there's that possibility that he could be a starter on down the road, and end up with a ring in due time. I like him...he's a good shooter, and he wants to play...but he just needs to work like he's trying to take away Kobe's spot in the lineup (yeah right, but work that hard) and he'll become better and better each year.
Nice job Realdealbneal. Taking a look at the Laker roster, PG is an eye-sore for us, going into the season with Atkins and a couple of rookies. I wonder if Fisher would have been back if he knew Payton was going to be traded? If Malone comes back, I see him being the starter at PF and Odom sliding down to the SF position. However, if Odom starts at PF, there should be a nice fight between Butler and George for the starter minutes. I don't expect to see Grant or Russell back with us, and I'd rather see the Lakers load up on younger players and start off fresh. With the loaded roster I also expect a trade to go down sometime during the season. I'm not high on getting Kidd, because of his salary and depleting health. He would be a huge upgrade, but I think it hurts the Lakers future because he ties up our salary cap and won't allow the Lakers to get more pieces to build around #8. I'd still like to see the Lakers make a run at Abdur Rahim and possibly acquire Lue from the Rockets.
JRush could be the key to the season [quote name='realdealbneal']Well, I know Rush won't spell out the word "success" as far as being an individual star goes...but there's that possibility that he could be a starter on down the road, and end up with a ring in due time. After his flash of talent in last years playoffs, if he could get consistant with his outside shot and defense off the bench he could be our key to another championship. I could also see him playing the two spot with Kobe handling the rock and being a great change of pace. I hope he can adapt to Rudi T's system and it doesn't set him back. :thumbsup:
Excellent thread realdealbneal, In my opinion, the Laker roster looks fairly decent. It's not an intimidating roster in years past with the likes of Shaq and Kobe with average role players that step it up big time in the playoffs, but with a new beginning in place for the 2004-05 Los Angeles Lakers, I'll take each and every roster lineups as they come. As I start from the top, I look at the point guard spot. And I really have to criticize this pointer heavily on our front office. If we had any negotiations to trade Gary Payton to the Celtics or let Derek Fisher go via free agency, why couldn't we just get better talent in their absences? Gary Payton would've flourished with Rudy T's offense after hearing he wanted Payton to be the similar point guard back in his Seattle days, and Derek Fisher would've been a better plus for still-aerage bench at best. Chucky Atkins is a downgrade at best, and if there's some sort of secret negotiations going on to land Jason Kidd or lure Baron Davis to be a Laker, then that's a spot with a huge question mark on it. Kobe Bryant..let's face it. Arguably the best one on one player there is, excellent in the clutch, excellent defender, but something that needs to be answered that all of us fans will noticeably see is can Kobe lead the Lakers? Since Kobe loves to imitate Michael Jordan all the time by the way he talks, pulls his shorts up on defense, and gives us glimpses of Jordan's shots, can he put all arrogance aside and do everything he can to lead the Lakers to not only the playoffs but later on in his Laker career a championship? Something the Lakers really benefited from in the Shaq trade was better depth at the forward positions. Caron, although he's a 3rd year player and fairly young, showed a lot of potential in his rookie season, and if he can stave off all types of injuries and still develop into a great player in which he's capable of being, then he definitely is a prize for our team. Lamar Odom, although he has a terrible past in Los Angeles with his drug problems, is also a legitimate talent. He can play all positions besides the center position, he's a scorer averaging seventeen last season with the Heat, and he can crash the boards giving LA a significant chance of second chance opportunities any given night. If Karl Malone makes a decision to return to the Lakers next season, he provides leadership, defensive tactics with some of the top forwards in the Western Conference, aggressiveness, and most importantly the experience. Malone may have lost his trademark 18 footer, but the guy in his 40's definitely still has a ton of heart left in him to play this game. As for Vlade Divac, well I'd just like to see him continue what he's done in Sacramento. Receiving the ball in the low post, looking for cutters to the basket with his excellent vision and passing mechanics, and confuse the refs by pretending to take a charge by the opponents. If I had a say on who needed to be traded, I'd probably trade Brian Grant and Devean George and here's why. Brian Grant is someone that definitely takes up a lot of salary in our budget and who deserves making a salary of 13 million dollars when he's a joke of what he used to be and has shot up knees? Devean George would benefit from his scoring of playing within the Big Four last season. Since Payton, Kobe, Malone, and Shaq sat with their injuries, he was nothing but a joke and completely lost all of his confidence when everybody on that coaching staff gave him chance after chance to prove himself. Very much like Shapecity, I'm a fan of youth too. No need to bring in the leftovers so to speak, but to bring in the fresh meat. The Lakers should be alright in the West if they add another free agent acquisition at the point, but if they stick with their orginial lineup, I have the Lakers being no better than a 6th seeded team at best.
If only the Lakers could trade Brian Grant and Devean George, then there would be a lot of flexibility in tweaking the roster. The Lakers could get at least three or four talents to match up to those two's salaries. Trouble is, would there be any takers? By the way, how do waivers work? Can the Lakers get those two waived?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting batman9970:</div><div class="quote_post">If only the Lakers could trade Brian Grant and Devean George, then there would be a lot of flexibility in tweaking the roster. The Lakers could get at least three or four talents to match up to those two's salaries. Trouble is, would there be any takers? By the way, how do waivers work? Can the Lakers get those two waived?</div> Any player released between August 15th and the end of the season has to stay on waivers for 2 days (48 hours) until some other team claims them off waivers. If they are waived any other time during the offseason, they stay on waivers for 10 days. Now, if a team claims a player, that team is responsible for his contract and they pay the remainder of it. If more than one team wants the player, the team with the worst record gets him after the 48 hours is up. As for claiming guys, the teams have to either be under the cap far enough for his salary to fit (in Grant's case, the team's total salary has to be approx. $32 million...considering they've used up their MLE and everything). Or...the team can acquire someone if they have a disabled player that equals or is greater than the salary of the waived player. Another exception would be that the team has an LLE or an MLE left and the player's salary is as much or lower than those (LLE is $1 million, MLE is $5 million). Finally, the only other way a team can acquire a player is if the player's contract is short (the max of two seasons) and he's getting paid the league minimum for that season or those seasons. So...if the Lakers waive Brian Grant, they'll still be responsible for his contract until another team picks him up. If Grant is not picked up within the 48 hours, he is said to have cleared waivers...and can sign with any team he chooses. Here's the tricky part...now the Lakers have to still pay out the remainder of his contract, while the team that he chooses to sign with only pays his prorated minimum salary for him. In other words, waiving Grant and George would be a mistake. The Lakers need to trade them off and get what they can out of them, if they feel the need to let them go somehow. Waiving both salaries would be beneficial if the Lakers did this at the beginning of the off-season, where free agents are looking for teams...yet, the problem is that those two salaries (Brian Grant and Devean George) aren't enough to drop the Lakers under the cap for them to sign anyone else. That's the best I can explain the waivers...sorry if that wasn't clear enough...maybe Emo or someone could help me out if I didn't hit the nail on the head
Thanks for the explanation, realdealbneal. So, as an example, Golden State would still be paying Christian Laettner's salary even though he just joined the Heat for the veteran's minimum? Is that how it works? I didn't realize it was that hard to get a player off a team. Coaches seem to get fired more often, though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting batman9970:</div><div class="quote_post">Thanks for the explanation, realdealbneal. So, as an example, Golden State would still be paying Christian Laettner's salary even though he just joined the Heat for the veteran's minimum? Is that how it works? I didn't realize it was that hard to get a player off a team. Coaches seem to get fired more often, though.</div> Well, I know Laettner was released from Golden State...I'm thinking it was a contract buyout...but the Warriors are responsible for $6.2 million next year.
Why cut George when they can get young talent such as Marcus Banks out of him? That would be a very dumb mistake to just waive him off. Either keep him or trade him IMO.
The best thing the Lakers can do right now is to get rid of George and try to acquire Banks, somehow. I'm not sure about getting rid of Luke Walton...if we did that, I'd like to see Walton and George go for Banks and someone else (other than Michael Stewart). George shot way too many threes that were uncontested. You would think that this is good...but the fact is, he can't shoot any with defense in his face. He has to rely on someone else for him to get a shot off...he's just too inconsistent otherwise. Butler will start over George anyways, or possibly Odom if Malone returns to the Lakers. Then, George would be stuck on the IR. He's going to become a liability to our team sooner or later, so why wait? Don't release him...trade him off, but at least get a PG back.
What really makes me angry is that the Boston Celtics really have never gave Michael Stewart a chance. Maybe Lakers should get him. I know prolly not for Walton but somehow lets get this guy because I noticed that he plays like 5 mpg and thats why hes not good. His first year in the NBA...he played 21 mpg and actually averaged 7 rpg. All the rest of the years he started dropping in minutes and his first drop in minutes was 9 mpg. Thats dumb. I know I know im sure the Lakers would do the exact same thing but if we ever happened to need a backup man for Vlade...this would be someone to think about. Get rid of either Brian Grant or Chris Mihm whichever one for someone else and that would be nice. Maybe not the greatest idea either tho but just a thought since I noticed how good Yogi could be if he got some more minutes other than 5 lol. Maybe this could be a risk to take...maybe not. But Im sure if we get him then he might be some sort of help in the future. Never know
Nah, Mihm has to stay Yogi isn't as good as Mihm. Chris is proven, Yogi's not...and it's just too big of a risk. The Lakers have completely changed their lineup, if you think about it...adding Odom, Butler, Grant, Mihm, Atkins, Divac, Jones, Bobbitt, Johnson, and Vujacic. That's a drastic change, really, for any team...so the last trade or so should be a wise one, something that the Lakers know for a fact that they'll improve with.
<u><font color="Purple">The 2004-2005 Los Angeles Lakers? Off-Season Review & Season Outlook</font></u> <font color="Purple">Someone?s Gotta Go</font> The Lakers ended the 2003-2004 season the way it started?without a championship. What was once a dynasty had crumbled. Led by Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O?Neal, the Lakers faced a destiny that they knew would appear before their eyes sooner or later?just not this soon. Someone had to go, and unfortunately, Phil was the first to walk. Following him out the door was a bitter O?Neal, who seemed overjoyed by the trade to Miami. When the dust cleared and the media frenzy somewhat vanished, Kobe Bryant stood tall, still bearing purple and gold, but with new faces?and a new Laker team, ready to begin a new quest, in hopes to bring the Larry O?Brien trophy back to Los Angeles. ------------------------- <font color="Purple">The Off-Season Transactions and Decisions</font> June 22nd ? Gary Payton re-signs with the Lakers, even after the devastating loss to the Pistons in five games in the NBA Finals NBA Draft 2004 ? with the 27th pick in the draft, the Lakers select a Euro standout, Sasha Vujacic, in hopes to fill the void at point guard, after losing Derek Fisher to free agency (Golden State) July 10th ? the Lakers hire former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich as head coach to replace Phil Jackson July 14th ? the Lakers trade Shaquille O?Neal to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, and a future first-round draft pick July 15th ? a day after the O?Neal trade, Kobe re-signs with the Lakers July 20th ? the Lakers ink center Vlade Divac to somewhat replace O?Neal in the paint August 2nd ? the Lakers re-sign Slava Medvedenko August 6th ? the Lakers sign free agent rookie Tony Bobbitt August 13th ? in a shocker, the Lakers trade Gary Payton, Rick Fox and a future first-round pick to the Celtics for Chris Mihm, Chucky Atkins and Jumaine Jones (after being amended) August 24th ? the Lakers sign free agent rookie Nate Johnson <font color="Purple">Departing players</font>: Shaquille O?Neal, Gary Payton, Rick Fox <font color="Purple">Arriving players</font>: Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, Vlade Divac, Sasha Vujacic, Chris Mihm, Chucky Atkins, Jumaine Jones, Tony Bobbitt, and Nate Johnson <font color="Purple">Returning free agents</font>: Kobe Bryant, Slava Medvedenko ------------------------- <font color="Purple">Breaking Down the Lakers</font> Starters? <font color="Purple">Vlade Divac - C</font> 7?1? 260 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $4,900,000 2003-2004 Stats: 9.9 PPG on 47% shooting, 5.7 RPG, 5.3 APG in 28.6 minutes Vlade Divac, a former Laker, has a nice touch and really does well against bigger centers in the league. He's not very athletic, and his age is getting to him, but he's probably one of the best passing centers in the NBA right now, something that's needed in Los Angeles. His experience will be a plus, also. <font color="Purple">Lamar Odom - PF</font> 6?10? 225 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $10,465,000 2003-2004 Stats: 17.1 PPG on 43% shooting, 9.7 RPG, 4.1 APG in 37.5 minutes Lamar Odom can be seen as the "Scottie Pippen" of the Los Angeles Lakers. He can play all positions on the court except center...he's a decent defender, and a great passer. He crashes the boards well and is able to pull down 10 a game. The only problem would be his off-court issues, and being in Los Angeles, this is a concern...but it's possible that he's matured since then. His presence will surely be felt in the Lakers? lineup this season. <font color="Purple">Caron Butler - SF</font> 6?7? 217 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $1,920,560 2003-2004 Stats: 9.2 PPG on 38% shooting, 4.8 RPG, 1.9 APG in 29.9 minutes Caron Butler hasn't really had the opportunity most solid rookies have had, so he's yet to come out to his full potential. He can rebound well, slash to the hoop, and has a great deal of strength. His dribbling and jumpers need work, but once that is improved, he could be a great starter for the Lakers down the road. <font color="Purple">Kobe Bryant - SG</font> 6?6? 220 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $14,175,000 2003-2004 Stats: 24.0 PPG on 44% shooting, 5.5 RPG, 5.1 APG in 37.6 minutes Kobe Bryant is the obvious player to take the reigns of this team. No doubt, he is the best perimeter player in the league...in which you can assume that he's one of the best one-on-one players also. He can score in the clutch, or whenever you need the points. He's a great defensive player...just all-around incredible. He needs to focus on passing the ball this season, a key in the Lakers' success...pretty much sharing the ball similar to Michael Jordan back in the Bulls era. If he does this, the Lakers will be a threat once again. <font color="Purple">Chucky Atkins - PG</font> 5?11? 160 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $4,200,000 2003-2004 Stats: 8.4 PPG on 40% shooting, 1.5 RPG, 3.5 APG in 24.1 minutes Chucky Atkins likes to shoot when he needs to, and can hit the three. He's pretty quick, and he can sneak in and out of the paint easily on cuts, but it's because he's 5'11", which is pretty short, yet, not to take anything away from him because of that. However, he likes to shoot more than pass, so hopefully this can be adjusted in the practices soon enough. Bench? <font color="Purple">Brian Grant - PF</font> 6?9? 254 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $13,346,250 2003-2004 Stats: 8.7 PPG on 47% shooting, 6.9 RPG, 0.9 APG in 30.3 minutes Brian Grant has a really good jumper beyond the free throw line. He defends really well and can crash boards with the best of them. He's more of a power forward, so placing him at center would be a mistake. He likes to be on the court, and he brings a winning attitude to our organization. To have a successful year, Grant will have to contribute more on the offensive end, including in the assist column, coming off the bench. <font color="Purple">Kareem Rush - SG</font> 6?6? 215 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $1,172,446 2003-2004 Stats: 6.4 PPG on 44% shooting, 1.3 RPG, 0.8 APG in 17.3 minutes To some, Kareem Rush is a young kid who wants to be the next Kobe. He can shoot well, yet he's only streaky at times...he'll either make 5 threes in a row, or miss 4 of them. He needs to work on his handling and his strength on the drive...other than that, he's got a lot of potential. Rush?s goal this season should be providing a solid offense coming off the bench and making better decisions while on the court. <font color="Purple">Luke Walton - SF</font> 6?8? 235 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $620,046 2003-2004 Stats: 2.4 PPG on 43% shooting, 1.8 RPG, 1.6 APG in 10.1 minutes Luke Walton is the ?fan favorite? in Los Angeles. He has great court awareness, and his passing is much like Jason Kidd...eyes in the back of his head. He needs to work on his shot, and his ability to score...although, he's more of a pass-first type player. <font color="Purple">Sasha Vujacic - PG</font> 6?7? 193 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $846,840 2003-2004 Stats: N/A Sasha Vujacic is a combo guard who is quick and smart. He can dribble well, and has an eye for open players. If he develops a decent shot, he has the potential to become a starter at the point, and may get considerable playing time this season behind Chucky Atkins. <font color="Purple">Chris Mihm</font> 7?0? 265 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $3,375,000 2003-2004 Stats: 6.3 PPG on 49% shooting, 5.4 RPG, 0.3 APG in 17.5 minutes Chris Mihm can really play the post. He likes to score, and gets a kick out of the crowd when he does. By looking at him, you wouldn't think he's a tough player...but he is. He needs to take his game to a new level to earn the respect he deserves. <font color="Purple">Slava Medvedenko - PF</font> 6?10? 250 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: approx. $3,000,000 2003-2004 Stats: 8.3 PPG on 44% shooting, 5.0 RPG, 0.8 APG in 21.2 minutes Slava Medvedenko can hit shots and score with jumpers. He's got a nice touch and can pull down boards, but needs to work heavily on his defense to become a better player. If Karl Malone returns, Medvedenko will more than likely find himself on the injured reserve. <font color="Purple">Jumaine Jones - SF</font> 6?8? 218 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $1,687,500 2003-2004 Stats: 2.2 PPG on 34% shooting, 1.6 RPG, 0.3 APG in 8.9 minutes Jumaine Jones can do nearly everything on the court, from defending to shooting the three...he just doesn't give it his all. He needs to try and become one of the leading role players for the Lakers, while focusing on driving to the hoop and dishing it out if needed. Injured Reserve <font color="Purple">Devean George - SF</font> 6?8? 240 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $4,500,000 2003-2004 Stats: 7.4 PPG on 41% shooting, 4.0 RPG, 1.4 APG in 23.8 minutes Devean George has proven to be a good, athletic forward who can rebound really well when he crashes the boards. His problem lies in his outside shot...where he literally has to be open to hit it. More drives to the hoop will make him a disciplined player, because he has the ability to play off screens...just not face up against a defender (such as Bowen or Hassell). <font color="Purple">Brian Cook - PF</font> 6?9? 234 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $809,300 2003-2004 Stats: 4.4 PPG on 48% shooting, 2.9 RPG, 0.6 APG in 12.6 minutes Brian Cook is a developing offensive player. He needs to get a little bigger and try to work more on his defense. He has good footwork and can be a good second option in the future for the Lakers. <font color="Purple">Nate Johnson - PG</font> 6?2? 190 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $385,277 2003-2004 Stats: N/A Nate Johnson is the "errorless player" from Florida State. The word "turnover" is not in his vocabulary, which made him one of the top point guards in the nation his senior year. Coming from the USBL, he's an excellent ball-handler and scorer. Only problem is that he may not be ready for the NBA. <font color="Purple">Tony Bobbitt - SG</font> 6?4? 190 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $385,277 2003-2004 Stats: N/A Tony Bobbitt has proven to be a tough defender in college. He can steal the ball from anyone if they don't keep their head up. Can play well, just not at a high level at this time. ------------------------- <font color="Purple">Laker Prospects</font> <font color="Purple">Karl Malone - PF</font> 6?9? 259 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: yet to be signed 2003-2004 Stats: 13.2 PPG on 48% shooting, 8.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 32.7 minutes Karl Malone was a huge part of the Lakers? success last year, before suffering an injury that sidelined him for half of the season. ?The Mailman? has excellent defense and can provide great leadership to this Laker squad, if he returns. Malone did exceptionally well for a 19-year veteran last year, playing more than half of the game and putting up really impressive stats. Who wouldn?t want a two-time MVP and the second highest scorer in the history of the league? <font color="Purple">Marcus Banks - PG</font> 6?2? 200 lbs. 2004-2005 Salary: $1,343,200 2003-2004 Stats: 5.9 PPG on 40% shooting, 1.6 RPG, 2.2 APG in 17.1 minutes Marcus Banks was a Laker?but for a short period of time, being acquired (and then sent back) in the Gary Payton transaction. Banks is a tenacious defender and very aggressive, both offensively and defensively. He?s an above-average spot shooter, and could be one of the quickest players on the Lakers if he ends up in purple and gold. His playmaking needs work, yet he?s only in his second year as a pro. Banks would provide stability in the backcourt for the Lakers, something the organization desperately needs in hopes to make a run for the playoffs.
