Throwback Thursday: Soft-spoken Josh Powell from the 2009-2010 Los Angeles Lakers squad

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As a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, forward Josh Powell was never really known to be much of a talker but his speed and versatility off the bench helped the Lakers capture gold, back to back in the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 campaigns.

Powell joined the purple and gold on August 14, 2008 and filled in the void that was left by Ronny Turiaf. Initially, the soft-spoken forward did not see to much playing time given the fact that big men like Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom took up most of the time in routine.

When Bynum went down with a devastating injury, Gasol filled in as the enforcer down in the paint but it was clear that  the Lakers were in need of a big who could play step in and solid defense while having the capability to stretch the floor. This was the perfect time for Powell and he had received the opportunity whole-heartedly.

His statistics do not say much as Powell averaged 4.2 ppg 2009 and his numbers took a dip with 2.7 ppg the following year. However, during the stretch in which he actually got to play alongside Gasol and Odom, Powell showed promise in his poise and patience as a player. He never rushed the offense and only took shots when he was the best option. The perfect role player and an easy guy to throw into the offense.

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With the ability to take jump shots and drive off the dribble, Powell was the perfect player for the triangle offense. Although he only stands at 6'9'', he has been reasonably difficult for larger players to guard as they would have to chase him around screens and close out unless, they were up for getting drained on.

After sharing two championship runs with the storied franchise, Powell signed a one year, $1.1 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks and subsequently the San Antonio Spurs a year after before embarking to play overseas.

He has just recently made a return to the NBA by signing with the Houston Rockets.

Josh Powell was not much of a talker, he did not have the athleticism to perform flashy moves, and really did not have a particular characteristic that stuck with fans. The glamor and the awe of Hollywood never got to him.

Powell was just an exceptional basketball player with heart and determination for setting himself up to succeed. He never knew if he would ever get to play with the Lakers but kept himself in game form every day, showing up three hours early to shoot around and workout with what he like the call "the activation," a machine allows him to work on his hops. Powell was an intricate part of the Lakers bench mob and I will always remember his loyalty and faith that he had carried with him every night, wearing that number 21.
  

Steve Nash will prove to be effective in the coming year

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The glory days of the crafty and ever efficient Steve Nash had ended long before the 40-year guard put on the purple and gold jersey. Nash's statistics had stooped to all time lows during the course of the last two seasons, averaging 12.7 ppg during the 2012-2013 campaign and only 6.8 this past season.

However, no one has the right to blame him. Nash had suffered from some freak injuries that really were beyond his control. The former two-time MVP has not been coy about his own upsetting play as he has personally admitted that he has not looked the same and will likely never be the same.
 
Nevertheless, Nash has never backed down from working to keep himself healthy enough to contribute to the team the best that he possibly could. When he managed to stay on the court, he helped players like Nick Young, Chris Kaman, and Robert Sacre flourish. He has also showed some glimpses of his vintage game when he managed to get the consecutive playing time that he fought so hard to get back to.

Video Courtesy of NBA.com via YouTube.com

Nash has made it clear that this will be his last season on the court and given his work ethic, it is obvious that he will lay it all out on the table. Moreover, with 19 seasons under his belt, Nash will be a great mentor to younger guards like Jeremy Lin and Jordan Clarkson (who has really opened some eyes during Summer League). With a player that has the potential of passing the torch over to young, athletic guards, keeping Nash will only help the organization in the long run. Take a look at Goran Dragic and the player that he has developed into, the possibilities are endless.

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The Lakers seem to be heading into yet another rebuilding season so Nash's influence on Lin and Clarkson will hopefully give the young guards enough time to develop their skills for bigger and better years to come.

If Nash could manage to make the most of his expected playing time, he could still produce a great exit from the Association. The depletion of his game has been quite depressing to see but his courage and strength to stay optimistic is everything that you would hope to see from a dedicated athlete. Although Nash has received some backlash for his comments concerning money and staying on the team to collect his final paycheck, Nash has not simply given up and has put his body through grueling workouts to get back to earn that money.

Nash will go on to be one of the most captivating point guards to have ever played the game and though it is frustrating for fans to see that his game had never reached its full potential as a member of the purple and gold, he still has a season to make it all worth while.  

For now, take a look at Nash and his offensive highlights with the time that he has spent on the Lakers:

Videos Courtesy of NBAClutchTime via YouTube.com

  

Byron Scott's fitting return to Los Angeles comes at a well needed time

Photo Courtesy of Jason Miller-Getty Images

Greetings all, I know it has been a while since my last post, but with the latest news on Byron Scott's return, I had to be back!

Scott, a three-time NBA champion and intricate part of the Showtime Era, has been under the Lakers radar for quite a while but on Saturday, news broke out of his signing with the purple and gold. Although there has not been much bright spots for the Lakers in this off season, Scott is a great addition to the team given his well respected relationship and history with the organization. In addition, Scott is not jumping into the upcoming season with a empty slate; he knows what type of situation the team is in given his work as a television analyst for the Time Warner Cable Sportnet program, the television spot that has taken over much of the Lakers coverage as of the 2012-2013 season.

Many have wondered how Scott and Kobe will mesh but since the two were close teammates at one point, I think that Bryant will sure to have a good connection with the 53-year old veteran coach. As a matter of fact, there had been numerous reports that Bryant made it clear that Scott would be a great individual to lead the team in the 2014-2015 campaign weeks prior to the initial reports of Scott's selection.

He is also familiar to coaching guys like Chris Paul and Jason Kidd so working with a player like Bryant should not be all too difficult for Scott to handle. What will be hard to handle is the press and ensuing fans that may still feel skeptic about Scott's capabilities as a coach. However, no one should have anything to worry at all.

Scott is already known to be quite a capable coach, having won the NBA Coach of the Year award back in 2008 as well as coaching in two NBA All-Star games (of which took place in 2002 and 2008). He also managed to lead the New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals in two consecutive years but faltered both times, first to the Lakers (2002) and then the Spurs (2003).

Scott has a lot of work to do with parts of a team that may not look too promising. Bryant is entering into his 19th season in the Association with a roster full of 1-2 year contracts. Jeremy Lin, Carlos Boozer, and Julius Randle will surely help the team rack up much more victories than last year but without a well-sought out game plan, the purple and gold will not succeed for long stretches. Based on the outcome of the last few seasons, it is clear that a leader on the floor is not necessarily enough; every team needs a coach that is able to set a rhythm and pace that everyone will respect and agree upon, someone that Bryant can trust and not feel the urge to take over every single time he is out there. Phil Jackson had that magic but Mike's did not.

Jackson and Bryant had history and that enabled the two to effectively lead the team to great memorable years in Los Angeles that seem so distant as of late. Scott and Bryant also have history, a history stronger than most of the candidates up for the job this past year. This is why Scott has been the logical choice since the beginning, the same reason why many believed Brian Shaw could have taken the helm when Jackson retired.

The Lakers need a familiar face, a person to rally behind, especially if that person is the one who will primarily call the shots. Scott gives the Lakers that familiarity and also has the credentials to prove that he is no new face to winning and succeeding.

Now I am not saying that this upcoming journey will be an easy one, but at the same time, I believe that the fans must learn to patient with Scott and their beloved team. The Lakers will likely take some time to grow and develop; there will not be instantaneous success. With new pieces to work with, I believe that Scott will have his hands full once training camp begins. However, I am confident that this year will be interesting, to say the least.

 

A Tale From the Sidelines Part Six: When It Hits

(continued from Part Five: Run.)

If you ever got to eat the best ice cream you have eaten in decades, you would likely tend to have an instant urge to savor the moment, holding the rich vanilla as long as you can before you allow it to reach your stomach. Franklin was the ice-cream and it felt so good to just hold onto for as long as I possibly could.

On the way home, I had to pinch myself to validate that the events that had occurred just a few minutes ago. It was all too surreal. I relived every moment of that game: the first clean mid-range jump shot followed by the second one, the steal that lead to two free throws, the charge. My thoughts were all mixed and jumbled up but it did not matter, it all felt great and exhilarating. If only it would hold on.

The next few games were decent but nothing ever matched up with the game against Franklin. My production was average, nothing really spectacular. In terms of my offense, well, let's just say eight points was the highest I would ever get. As my numbers began to drop, I became a player that virtually had no significant numbers on the floor; I was simply occupying space and nothing really showed up in the books.

Given the fact that anyone could possibly do what I was doing on the offensive end, I lost more and more playing time as the pre-season rolled along. I found that Coach Tri was only putting me in the games simply because I was not necessarily doing anything wrong either. I was just playing basketball.

The struggle to find relevant playing time truly began once the season kicked-off. Some of my other teammates had gotten the nod because they were able to score and play decent defense. This is when I realized that great defense on a high school level really was not anything close to having a consistent offensive game.

Soon enough, I had reached a point where I would be fortunate to play eight minutes a game...but I accepted it. There were great points during the season, times when I felt like another Franklin game was in the making but the momentum can only carry on for so long. Nonetheless, I think that the camaraderie that our teammates shared was something that was seriously missing the prior season. Under Coach Chris, we shared a sort of survivor's mentality where we worked together because we all had a common goal: to not piss off the coach and subsequently run suicides. However, this season was quite different in that we all basked in our friendship and support. I did care about the decrease in my time but it helped to know that my teammates were more than capable of performing well and I felt as though everyone who got playing time honestly deserved it.

We went on to have yet another poor season but much more pros came out of it than cons. We were all happy and our bond together was impeccable. I had no regrets for staying on the team because of the type of year we had.

Coach Tri left San Gabriel the following season, which really hurt our entire unit. He was a young coach that had the ability to seriously understand what we were going through and it was hard to see him go. The departure of our coach only left much more question marks pertaining to the future of our program, something that we had grown quite accustomed to sense day one...

To Be Continued...  

Los Angeles brings home Lin; Pau Gasol leaves for Chicago: the end and a new rebuilding

Photo Courtesy of Nathaniel S. Butler-Getty Images

In a week where LeBron James goes home and Carmelo Anthony decides to stay in the empire state of mind, the Los Angeles Lakers have picked up Jeremy Lin from the Houston Rockets while losing out on Pau Gasol, indicating that the City of Angels is sure to head into yet another season full of slow and steady reboots.

The current Lakers squad includes the likes of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Nick Young, Jordan Hill, Robert Sacre, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Kendall Marshall, and the newly required Jeremy Lin. Considering the roster from last week, the team has at least formed a group that can compete with an active starting line-up but this group does not make for an immediate championship contending team; in fact, the Lakers have not been in championship form since the 2010 season and by the looks of it, they may still have a long way to go.

Photo Courtesy of lakernation.com

Lin is going to be an explosive and powerful force on the offense but he does not necessarily have the assets to become the type of player that can contribute significant numbers on a consistent basis. He has actually found his place as a decent player and I am quite excited to see him play but the team needs much more and the players left in the free agent pool may not give them what they need: time and continuity.

The Lakers pride themselves as being a storied franchise that has won plenty of championships but those championships were earned by once solid teams that had taken their fair share of beatings before taking home the Larry O'Brien trophy. Those teams had players that stuck together and played together through the best and worst seasons, switching a couple of players here and there but nevertheless all opting to stay together. There was the Wilt Chamberlain-Jerry West-Gail Goodrich era, the Showtime era of Magic Johnson-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar-James Worthy-Michael Cooper, the Shaq-Kobe era, and yes, the latest to come to an end, the Kobe-Pau era.

The storied franchise that the Lakers once were consists of teams that had the time to feel invested in one another, the teams that took the time to understand the true value in fighting and competing as a unit. The current franchise is trying to reshape and dish out team after after team as though money can literally buy the trophy home.

If the Lakers want a championship they need to sign solid players that could stay more than just a year and get dumped by the end of the season only to be replaced by another player who needs or just simply wants to showcase their own talents. They need to get these guys together, to spend some time to get connected and emotionally invested in what they all want.

Gasol had made it clear that if the Lakers managed to sign a player who could possibly take over Bryant's place once the man has left the building, he would have surely signed. Without a superstar to work with and a solid team, it is no surprise that Gasol has opted to sign with the Chicago Bulls, a team that has a great coach with players that are decent but have made it to the playoff (and further into the playoffs) much more than the Lakers have as of late.

The 2008-2010 Lakers were like a family that went almost beyond basketball. They had went through their fair share of upsetting defeats only to come back stronger, if not as strong, year after year after year. Phil Jackson was a legendary coach but the players' willingness to set their differences aside made all of the difference.

For Los Angeles, there is still hope to save the season. If the team is willing to take a chance and continue to try this waiting out process, they must have a plan B which will allow them to pick up solid guards that could spread the floor and play the wings as well as big men who could either grab boards or hustle for the put backs.

I am a optimist and I would like to see the team pull through but it is definitely going to be a long mountain to climb from here on out.

Lakers' Throwback Thursday: DJ Mbenga Night

Photo Courtesy of Chris Elise

Sure, one can say that he was a terrible center with an imbalanced play style on both ends of the floor but what Didier Mbenga brought on the floor was something worth noting: hustle.

The seven-foot Belgian veteran gave Lakers fans an unorthodox yet lovable player to root for, a player that did not look the part of your typical basketball center but had a good feel for the game and did what he was supposed to do. Mbenga, for the most part, was a rim protector and had a tendency for smacking the crap out of shots that went his way.

Photo Courtesy of Zimbio.com

He also got a lot of attention given his unique personality and interesting habits, hobbies, and talents including the ability to speak five languages (English, French, Portuguese, Lingala, and Tshiluba). He is also a black belt in Judo which only helped build his tough and physical attributes as an enforcer in the paint.

Mbenga was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Mavericks back in 2004 where he stayed for approximately three years before being waived and picked up by the Golden State Warriors in 2007. Eventually the Warriors would also let go of Mbenga during the middle of the season where the Lakers decided to take a chance with the Congo native, signing him to a 10-day contract before signing him for the remainder of the season.

Although he did not see to much playing time, when he actually got on the floor, Mbenga did all he possibly could. On March 6, 2009, Mbenga went on to score his career high 10 points along with grabbing four boards and swatting away 5 shots in the course of 17 minutes; it was surely his night.

Video Courtesy of  jo0k via YouTube

After winning his first of two NBA championships, Mbenga earned the trust of Phil Jackson and obtained his first start for the Lakers during the 2009-2010 campaign when big men Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum both went out with injuries. During his second start for the purple and gold, Mbenga racked up 10 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks. He would go on to earn his second championship with the Lakers that season.

Video Courtesy of LamarMatic via YouTube

"Congo-Cash" was never really a star in the books but he brought a much needed physicality to the team. From his scuffles with teammates during practice to his crazy swiping leaps towards any shot attempt anyone took, Mbenga did not care what the press thought of him, he embraced the opportunities he had and chose to be the player he felt the most comfortable being.

Mbenga moved on to play for a couple of teams in Asian and European leagues after his departure from the Lakers. Last year, he had reportedly joined Barko Bull Energy Cola in the Philippines. Although the 33-year old has been out of the league for awhile, he will always have a place in Los Angeles and in the NBA, for his brute force, his rim protection, and of course TACOS!

Video Courtesy of  expiredtoast via YouTube

A Tale From the Sidelines Part Five: Run.

(Continuing from Part Four: GO! GO! GO!)

Just like that, the summer league was over and despite losing a majority of our games, it felt good to finally find the right tone and place for my personal game. It was clear to me now that my offense had plummeted but I had developed a great flow and sense of direction defensively and that at least gave me something to hold on to.

It was a new school year which meant new classes, new experiences, and a new coach. His name was coach Tri Ta and this would be his debut as a San Gabriel High School coach. All we knew about him was that he had played for San Gabriel and went on to San Diego State to study sports medicine, that was it. Although there were many question marks surrounding the type of coach Tri would turn out to be, we came down to the conclusion that we had already faced the toughest coach there has to be in San Gabriel history in Coach Chris, so really nothing could be that bad. And it was not.

From day one we understood the type of game Coach Tri liked to play: fast-paced. He was a fan favorite of the run, run, run type offense where the ball is constantly moving and finding the basket quickly. Unlike Coach Chris and Coach J (Jason Meador), Coach Tri gave us much more freedom with what we were allowed to do offensively and that was fine for most but this would actually go on to hurt my game.

You see I like a structured offense because I really lost my ability to make great decisions with the basketball earlier on in my basketball career. My lack of confidence and inconsistency on the offensive end was usually balanced out and filtered when our team was required to run sets that forced players to be in specific areas of the floor. It sounds like a boring offensive that may seem repetitive because it was a boring offensive that was repetitive, but it kept me from going out there and relying on my own basketball abilities. This was also the reason why I really could not beat most of my teammates on our little one-on-one tournaments before practices, I just simply could not find the rhythm to score without a play set up. I had grown into a completely different ball player once I left the courts at my middle school and my game had clearly evolved.

In other words, the offense got me nervous but defense, well, you cannot really teach defense. All you could really do is work hard, put your mind over matter, buckle up and lock your man down. By this point I was at my best shape and I felt that I had reached my peak in terms of awareness on the defensive end. I knew how to get around screens quickly, stay grounded when a player ball fakes, and slide my feet fast. More importantly, I developed a knack for helping my teammates out on the off-side, slowly becoming a voice on the team from the defensive end.

By pre-season, nevertheless, I was happy to say that I had earned a spot on the starting lineup and when you are able to come from zero minutes the previous pre-season, this would definitely be considered a huge turn around. Not only did I earn a spot on the starting line-up, I managed to get it by doing what I do best, not by trying to force myself to be that offensive player that I knew I was not.

But I soon learned that being a starter had its side effects too. I kept thinking about the three months that I had worked during the summer to get to this point and it all felt so good, but at the same time, it felt like it could all just go away in an instant. Now that I had decided to really stay dedicated to the team and backed it all up with all the training and hard work, I was nervous that it would just evaporate. The pre-season was important to me and I did not want it all to go to waste, we had Franklin up first and I knew it was important to make it a statement game.

The butterflies kicked in with 10 minutes left on the clock during shoot-arounds. It seemed to get worse with every minute. The pre-game jitters always got to me during summer league but this felt different and I needed this game in order to prove that I could be a contributing factor on my team. I had to let go of my nerves by thinking about nothing but the game; I could not afford to think of anything else.

The buzzer rang and we got into the huddle. Coach Tri told us that the game meant nothing and that we had a long way to go in season.

"Just work on our offensive, be quick on your feet, and stay solid," He said. "I want hard work for all forty minutes. Let's Go. SG on three: one...two...three...SG!"

Coach Tri was wrong. The first game meant a lot and every player knows that. When a coach tells you that a line-up will likely change as the season progresses, you know how important it is to perform at your best when you get the chance to. I knew this and I knew that this was not going to happen if I forced myself into the offense.

I told myself to start with the defense and to let the energy carry over to the offense. The ball is tipped and we lose it. I am not guarding the point so I am at the free-throw line extended where I could see my man and the ball. The ball is passed to my man and I get up on him. He takes a dribble and crosses-over but he allows me to see the ball, I reach in and take it.

Next thing you know, I am off to the other side but with the lack of concentration I miss the easy lay-in but I draw the foul. Start from the defense and carry through to the offense. So far so good. I split the buckets at the charity stripe. Not bad.

Back on the defense nothing much happens for a while. Franklin scores off a jumper but that is what we want. The ball is ours again, I come off a pick and the ball lands in my hands but I cannot take the shot, my defender is up on me. I pass it back to our point guard, junior Tien Quach who scores. That makes for an assist and a point.

That is when my body reacts on me and I begin to feel fatigued. The buzzer sounds and the subs come in. On the bench, I reflected on my performance with my teammates and took long sips of water and Gatorade. Not long into the second quarter I came back into the contest with some fresh legs. The next few moments would really go on to make my night.

on the second possession after I had checked in, we ran the same play with the off-ball pick on the guards which freed me up for an open mid-range jumper. Now this time I was ready to go. I caught the ball and set my feet before letting the ball roll off my finger tips. Splash.

The next play is a quick one, Quach runs the ball down off a transition and spot me open from the same spot that I had sinked the previous basket. My defender is deep in the paint. He won't get to me. Splash.

"Who is that guy," Coach J chuckles out.

At halftime the game was still a tight one. Coach Tri wanted us to slow down on the offensive end but liked the type of tempo we were playing with. He did not want any of us to get over our heads so he really didn't offer too many compliments.

"Guys we still need to clean up the boards and protect the paint."

And so we did what we were told... and then some. With a night that seemed to began with such a bang, the tempo just never stopped. The ball kept moving, everyone was getting touches, and it all seemed too good to be true. One of the best highlights of the game for me came in the fourth quarter of the game.

Despite our scoring, Franklin was still able to drain a couple of critical jumpers to keep the game close and we needed to continue to play solid defense for the remaining five to seven minutes or so. On the help side, I sensed that a guard was heading into the paint, fast and hard. I took a few steps up, put my hands straight up, and took all of the contact.

The whistle is blown by the ref who signals a charge. My Coach did his little fist pump and my team cheered. Taking a charge was one of the hardest things to condition ourselves to do during our first few practices together and I just did it. Pure joy seemed to vanquish the pain in my chest and abdominal area, one charge was good enough.

After scoring eight points, dishing out a couple of assists, grabbing a few boards, obtaining a steal, and taking a charge, it was save to say that I had the game of my entire career thus far. I was extremely happy and knew that I would milk the moment until the next big game.

Coach Tri said that I had done excellent and was very proud that I was able to take the charge for the team. It was all surreal and could only hope for more to come. In retrospect, there was more to come in the season but nothing came close to the likes of this epic pre-season opener to Franklin, no other game at all.

A Tale From the Sidelines Part Four: GO! GO! GO!

(Continuing from Part Three: Freshman Year)

After a season as slow and miserable as my freshman year, I did not think that another year of basketball was even remotely possible for me. In many ways, I was already done and felt that it was time to throw the towel in and call my career a no-go. I joined the newspaper staff given the fact that it was something that I had really enjoyed doing in the past, and the fact that our school paper was quite awesome did help as well.

Other than the being part of the Matador staff, I realized that I had nothing else to really hold onto. In all honesty, most (if not all) of my close friends were part of the team and after an entire year of spending time with them, I was not sure if I was ready to leave them. I thought about my time and decided to give it another a chance, perhaps another year to clear up the upset that was freshman year. So, right after the freshman campaign, it was a GO! GO! GO!

The next step was summer league, a place where I would really fall in love with defense. After a year of playing defense and mainly defense, my offensive game quickly depleted. But at the same time by defense was impeccable and Coach Jason Meador, the boys' varsity coach was noticing.

I got my first ever start during a contest held at the older gym at Mark Keppel High. I still remember the nerves that went through my body when my coach called my name in the pre-game huddle. When it occurred, my lunch felt like it was coming back up.

Then in a blink of an eye I was on the center court, waiting for the tip-off: an event that seemed and looked so different from that spot where I was standing. I never knew how it felt to be on the court in an actual contest, I have only seen this from the sidelines, it was surreal and quite terrifying.

"You got the point guard Marvin. He gets nothing easy," my coach said.

From that point on, I knew what I needed to contribute to the team, the one thing that can prove that this was not all a waste of time but actually worth while.

We lost the tip, the ball landed in the hands of the opposing point guard, and the game was on.

I locked my eyes on the guards chest, a point of the body that cannot shift like the arms, legs, or ball. Where ever the chest goes, the body goes. I observed that he was right-handed so I forced him left and he tried going back right. And so it was a dance. I force him left, he goes back right, I cut him off, he goes back left.

When he crosses the half court mark, I have him where I want him until he passes the ball. Now I am on the help side. Watching him with my peripheral vision as I keep my sight on the ball as well. He gets the ball back but exposes it too much. He fumbles it, I reach but I do not touch it; In a moment of panic, he tries to get it away from him...too late. We have the possession now and we are able to score.

The feeling was exhilarating, and it was only the first play!

What I did not know was that my enemy was not going to be the point guard that I was trying to lock down but rather my own incapability to keep up with the flow of the game. Who knew that basketball is actually that tiring? Well as a player who averages a minute in two contest, I had no clue.

Within three to five minutes of doing the little tango with my offender, I was winded and needed to be subbed out. However, I got a hand shake from Coach and that made the whole thing worth while. We ended losing the game but for our team, we had played decently. I had not scored anything but I was not worried about it. I had my hands all over the the opposition and that made all of the difference. It felt good to finely feel like I could do something to help the team.

In the next game I only scored two points, and in the next just one. It was a pattern that I was willing to live with as long as I got the minutes I deserved and the respect from my teammates that I had always wanted. And I did.

All was well except for the fact that the winning team of any basketball game is the team that scores more points than the other and I guess scoring did matter. Eventually my Coach did move me back to the bench given the fact that my offense was really dragging. As confident as I was as a defender, I was terrified as a offense player. The team was literally playing four guys to five when I was on the court. When I touched the ball, I wanted to get rid of it, there was really no rhyme or reason to what I did on the court offensively, it is pretty hilarious thinking about it in retrospect. I took off from the free throw line when I went up for lay-ups, I threw up wild jumpers, and I really had no three point rage.

I sincerely excepted my role as a reserve and it all just felt right. The summer gave me a purpose to be on the team and it felt great to have some confidence and direction. I just hoped that it would last but for the rest of the summer, I milked out all the time that I had on the floor and seriously got the reputation of a lock-down defender. Things were really looking up and I was glad for the time it lasted.

To Be Continued...

The Endless Chase for LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony May Prove to be Costly for Prospected Teams

Photo Courtesy of Maddie Meyer-Getty Images

Carmelo Anthony has already had a huge week, visiting Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and back to New York in the course of three days. Anthony has been reportedly offered two huge max contracts from the Lakers at a whopping four year, $97 million offer while the Knicks is willing to dish out $129 million for the veteran small forward.

Chicago and Houston had warmly welcomed Anthony by pre-printing huge posters and billboards with his huge mug and a photo-shopped jersey of the respective teams, leading to a nice introduction and set up for the Bulls and a rather awkward one for the Rockets (given the fact that Anthony's number seven had not changed in the image which created a rather insulting and strange situation involving Jeremy Lin who is currently sporting the number).

The Lakers used the glam and glory of the history of the franchise and brought up promising endorsements and opportunities that comes with the whole Hollywood image. Although Kobe Bryant did not make it to the meeting, Jeanie Buss, her brother, Jim Buss, manager Mitch Kupchak, three-time NBA champion and Laker great James Worthy, and a couple of Los Angeles based business owners.

Nevertheless, Anthony's name has appeared quite often this week and I personally think that these teams are riding on quite a slippery-slope by pursuing the score-first forward. Anthony is extremely skilled on the offensive end and he has proven in the past few years that his scoring capabilities are only getting better and better. However, his Achilles Heel is one that can effect any team for the worst: simply put, Anthony does not like playing defense.

If any of you have watched the Knicks for the last two years, you will notice that Anthony loves to play man-to-man Matador defense. It seems as though anyone can score over the thirty year old guard or drive past him with ease. It is not that Anthony is a horrible defender, he just does not like playing it. Do not even get me started on his perimeter defense. Think I am exaggerating, perhaps a bit, but take a look at the following videos and see for yourself:

In addition, Melo has not been capable of being a solid leader for the teams that he has played for. As a member of the Denver Nuggets, Melo was never really the type of player that could get his team past the first or second round of the playoffs. When many believed that this would soon change when he moved to New York, many fans were rather upset.

Last season Anthony was simply on fire. He had multiple scoring games where he managed to put up numbers in the 40 to 50 range; at one point, he even got up to 62. However, this did not ultimately change the outcome of the season for the franchise as they failed to reach the post season.

I am not say that Anthony is overrated since he has proved to be one of the most elite scorers of the league but I believe that his overall contributions for a team, at both ends of the floor, could not be overlooked either. He has plenty of time to grow and develop but his attitude and maturity must carry through and I am not sure if he is the type of player that can learn to embrace the hard work mentality on the defensive end nor do I think he has the voice to be a solid leader.

Photo Courtesy of Bart Young-Getty Images

In the case of James, I think that he is just a player that is really too good to be true. James's agent, Rich Paul, has reportedly already met up with the Rockets, Mavs, Suns, and Cavs in his hometown in Cleveland. Kupchak is scheduled to make the trip to Cleveland to meet with Paul after today's meeting with Anthony.

James is really at the top of his game right now and can instantly help any team he decides to go to become a championship caliber team. He is simply that good on both the offensive and defensive end, let alone his passing capabilities. However, the actual possibility of any team, other than the Heat, obtaining the four-time MVP is highly unlikely. I do not think that Houston nor the Mavs have enough cap space to afford to lure James in and though convincing, I do not think that James will land back in Cleveland either. If the Lakers pull off the unexpected and sign Anthony, there will not be much to offer to James. The Suns do not have much on their team to appeal to the 29 year old small forward.

The way I see it, James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh have opted out of their contracts solely for the point of renegotiating their "terms" so to speak. In other words, the big three have worked hard for the past years and they likely feel as though they deserve a little more than what has been given to them, hence the latest ($90 million) asking price that Bosh has come up with. If James does leave, it is likely that Bosh and Wade will split as well but given the core that these three players have developed over their runs, it is unlikely that they will all disband so early.

As a Laker fan, I am a bit biased in that I only hope that the franchise will consider the pros and cons of what they are actively pursuing. If they truly want to land Anthony or James, they must consider the chemistry that these players will have with the face of the franchise in Kobe Bryant as well as build around a core by filling in the rest of the rosters will players that can effectively complement the team. The starting five cannot do all the work so I hope that the organization will put in the same type of effort to get solid players that may not be making headlines as of late but will help the team in the long run.

A Look at Jordan Clarkson, the Lakers' Second Pick Up of the NBA Draft

Photo Courtesy of Dak Dillion-USA TODAY Sports

As Julius Randle continues his very loud week of press conferences and formal introductions into the Los
Angeles Lakers storied franchise, Missouri's Jordan Clarkson has yet to prove that he belongs.

Clarkson was selected by the Washington Wizards with the 46 pick of the draft on Thursday, June 26th but was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for cash considerations.

The 6'5'' point guard has not received much media attention and may not show up much in the papers but based on his college statistics, he is not a player that should be easily overlooked. During last year's college campaign, Clarkson averaged 17.5 points a night while shooting at 83.1% from the field. Although he has struggled with his jump shot towards the end of the season, Clarkson was excellent off the dribble, especially in pick and roll situations. With this being said, it is very likely that Clarkson may develop his game with a little help from two-time MVP and probable future Hall of Famer in Steve Nash. Under the mentorship of Nash, who knows what type of player Clarkson can ultimately become. Take a look at Goran Dragic and the evidence is all spilled out.

The Lakers clearly need help with the position as they currently only have Nash under contract as Kendall Marshall's $915,000 contract is a team option and may be lifted at any given moment. Clarkson provides the speed and youth the Lakers need to potentially dig themselves out of the slump that was the last two years. The team needs a solid player to bring up the ball and they have not had one since the veteran in Derek Fisher.

As of now, the purple and gold only have five players under solid contracts with a team option on Kendall Marshall and a player option on Ryan Kelly. There are still plenty of spaces to fill and only time will tell what course the legendary Los Angeles team takes. Personally, I do not think that the Lakers have a chance with LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony given the fact that those two will probably be looking at huge contracts in a span of multiple years. The team has already given Kobe Bryant $48 million and I am assuming that James and Anthony are going to be asking for numbers as large if not slightly lower than that of Bryant's which will probably be unlikely.

Instead of chasing these big name guys, I think the organization has a better chance looking for solid players that have already brought their team's to the NBA finals. The Lakers should look at role players who have done fantastic in the past year because they are capable of working with anyone, players like Trevor Ariza and Luol Deng should get the nod. Ariza has played solidly for the Rockets, Hornets, and Wizards and has not really found a big dip in his game. The Lakers, especially Bryant, love his humbleness and already know his sweet spots on the offense. In addition, we already know how fast the stealthy small forward has on the defensive end. Perhaps a return to Los Angeles will help Ariza earn yet other ring; it just works out both ways! Luol Deng is yet another player to look for as he is capable of playing hard-nosed defense as well as creating his own shots as we have all seen in his days in Chicago, leading the team as Derrick Rose continued to recover from his injuries.

As for now the Lakers have much to decide on what to do to fill out the rest of their roster but as of now, everything that they have done so far has been solid. Hopefully a young player like Clarkson could provide some insurance in the meantime as the free agency period opens and chase begins.