Here are the rosters for the camp. For now, there are 20 attending...which means out of these, 5 will be cut. <u>Key</u> <font color="Magenta">Magenta = Definite spot</font> <font color="Blue">Blue = Unsure</font> <font color="Red">Red = More than likely cut</font> <u>#</u> <u>Name</u> 1 <font color="Magenta">Caron Butler</font> - SF/SG 2 <font color="Red">Nate Johnson</font> - PG 3 <font color="Magenta">Devean George</font> - SG/SF 4 <font color="Magenta">Luke Walton</font> - SF 5 <font color="Blue">Tierre Brown</font> - PG 6 <font color="Red">Jerry Dupree</font> - PF 7 <font color="Magenta">Lamar Odom</font> - SF/PF 8 <font color="Magenta">Kobe Bryant</font> - SG 9 <font color="Magenta">Chucky Atkins</font> - PG 10 <font color="Red">Ike Nwankwo</font> - PF 12 <font color="Magenta">Vlade Divac</font> - C 14 <font color="Magenta">Slava Medvedenko</font> - PF/C 15 <font color="Blue">Tony Bobbitt</font> - PG 18 <font color="Magenta">Sasha Vujacic</font> - PG/SG 20 <font color="Magenta">Jumaine Jones</font> - SF 21 <font color="Magenta">Kareem Rush</font> - SG 31 <font color="Magenta">Chris Mihm</font> - C 43 <font color="Magenta">Brian Cook</font> - PF 49 <font color="Red">Neil Yanke</font> - C 55 <font color="Magenta">Brian Grant</font> - PF/C C - Divac/Mihm/Medvedenko/<strike>Yanke</strike> PF - Odom/Grant/Cook/<strike>Nwankwo</strike>/<strike>Dupree</strike> SF - Butler/Walton/Jones SG - Bryant/Rush/George PG - Atkins/Vujacic/<font color="Blue">Bobbitt</font>/<font color="Blue">Brown</font>/<strike>Johnson</strike> So, in your opinion, who should be cut? Tony Bobbitt or Tierre Brown?
Definite Laker projects at best. Tough one to call since I haven't seen any of their potential whatsoever, but I'd go with Tierre Brown only due to the fact that he really wasn't signed to a contract, and I believe Bobbitt was signed to a one year deal. And if the front office is going to sign a guy with that type of minor offer, I'd hope they'd abide by that contract. Plus, Bobbitt is 6'4". With Bobbitt and Vujacic coming off the bench, they'd definitely provide the Lakers with more size at the point which really shouldn't hurt at all.
Well, the way I look at it, the decision the Lakers make will be big...because there's a huge possibility that one of these guys will see playing time this season. We don't really know how Sasha will do...he may not ever dribble the ball, for all we know. Chucky Atkins may surprise us...or may not. Looking at our other positions, we have players that we KNOW will provide. At the PG spot, I'm almost clueless. Tierre Brown brought home an MVP last season in the NBDL (with the Lowgators) and has been improving ever since he was a Rocket in 2001. Bobbitt, on the other hand, was called on way before Brown...so apparently, the Lakers were looking at him first. He's got alot of work to do, because there isn't really a part of his game that fits NBA PG specifications...but there's always room for improvement. However, he's not working under a PG that really is starter-material in Atkins, so who knows how that'll progress during the season.
Honestly, I don't think neither will make the squad. Buss has never liked paying for extra guys ... remember when he cut Brian Shaw just to resign him for less? The Lakers have 14 guys with "definite" spots, so two will be on IR. I expect those two to be Deavan (injured for real) and Jumaine Jones. If they do pick up a 15th man, he will be cut before the season is over...
