Lakers in the News 6/1/12: Reports: Brandon Roy considers the Lakers, Ray Allen to the Lakers?

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Report: Brandon Roy considers playing for Lakers

BRANDON ROY, LOS ANGELES LAKERS, NBA, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS | COMMENTS

Brandon Roy is reportedly considering the Lakers as a possible team should he return to the NBA next season. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Brandon Roy, the All-Star point guard who played five seasons with the Portland Trailblazers before retiring due to chronic knee injuries, is considering the Los Angeles Lakers should he return to the NBA next season, according to a tweet from the New York Post’s Peter Vescey.

ESPN’s Chris Palmer also tweeted yesterday that he was told Brandon Roy, who turns 28-years-old in July, could be back next year.

Roy played in only 47 games during the 2010-11 regular season. He reported to the Blazers following the lockout last season but team doctors warned him of the chronic, degenerative nature of his knees and he subsequently announced his retirement before training camp. The Blazers officially used the team amnesty clause on him before the season began.

In May, Roy told KGW Portland that playing in the NBA is “something I may do again.”

“In the back of my min

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Lakers report card: Andrew Bynum's effectiveness hinged on effort

By Mark Medina
June 1, 2012, 8:00 a.m.
This is the fourth in a series of posts grading the Lakers on their efforts in the 2011-12 season.

Player: Andrew Bynum, Lakers center

How he performed: 18.7 points on 55.8% shooting and 11.8 rebounds in the regular season; 16.7 points on 47.7% shooting and 11.1 rebounds in the playoffs.

The good: Finally, the Lakers don't have to judge Bynum strictly on his potential or on the hope that he stays healthy. They can strictly judge him by his performance. And, boy, did Bynum show plenty of signs that he has arrived. After Kobe Bryant said two years ago that "I eat first,Pau [Gasol] second," Bynum immediately bumped Gasol in the offensive pecking order. After longing to make an All-Star team, Bynum finally landed a spot. After Bryant said five years ago in explicit terms that the Lakers should trade Bynum, the team's superstar remains forever supportive of Bynum's growth.

His career-highs in points, shooting percentage, rebounds and minutes (35.2) happened through various circumstances. Bynum added more post moves, based on efficient footwork, hook shots and aggressive drives to the basket. He learned gradually how to quickly post and re-post out of double teams. According to Synergy Sports Technology, Bynum has shown efficiency in cuts to the basket (77.9%), post-ups (46.2%) and defending both the post (37.8%) and pick-and-rolls (38.5%).

[lakerjoshua]

Brandon Roy's knees say no.

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Former Laker Orlando Woolridge dies

Orlando Woolridge, who played two of his 13 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers, died, the Shreveport Times reported. He was 52.

By Mark Medina
June 1, 2012, 10:03 a.m.
Orlando Woolridge, who played two of his 13 seasons in the NBA with the Lakers, died Friday, the Shreveport Times reported. He was 52.

According to the report, Woolridge had been under hospice care for a chronic heart condition at his parents' home in Mansfield, La.

In his college career, Woolridge was best known for his role in helping Notre Dame reach the Final Four in 1978 as a freshman. As a senior, his last-second jumper snapped the 28-game winning streak top-ranked Virginia then held.

Professionally, Woolridge is strongly linked with the Chicago Bulls, whom drafted him sixth overall in 1981. He played in the Windy City for five seasons and averaged 22.9 points per game in the 1984-85 campaign, which also marked Michael Jordan's rookie year.

[Cha*n]

Former Laker Orlando Woolridge dead at 52

By Staff and Wire Services
Posted: 06/01/2012 10:52:50 AM PDT
Updated: 06/01/2012 04:29:55 PM PDT

MANSFIELD, La. - Former NBA standout Orlando Woolridge has died at his parents' home in Mansfield, La. He was 52. | Photo gallery
DeSoto Parish Chief Deputy Coroner Billy Locke said the former Lakers player and Sparks head coach died Thursday night. He had been under hospice care for a chronic heart condition.

Woolridge was a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls in 1981 and played in the NBA for 13 years. He was a star at Mansfield High School before going on to play for Notre Dame, where he was a second-team All-American as a senior.

Drafted sixth overall in the 1981 draft, he spent his first five seasons with the Bulls and averaged 22.9 points per game during Michael Jordan's first season in 1984-85.

After Woolridge joined the New Jersey Nets and was suspended by the league for violation of the league substance abuse policy in 1987, he signed with the Lakers in 1988. As a role player, the 6-foot-9 power forward provided offensive firepower and size off the bench. His 55.6% field goal percentage during the 1989-90 season was fifth in the NBA.

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Friday And-links: Brandon Roy to the Lakers? Doubt it.
Kurt Helin Jun 1, 2012, 5:12 PM EDT
Here is our daily look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT) — done in bullet point form. Because bloggers love bullet points.

• There are no shortage of rumors that Brandon Roy wants to make a comeback. No doubt he does — this is as competitive a guy as was in the league, walking away has to be hard. But would he come back and play for the Lakers? That’s the report. There’s also a “to the Warriors” rumor. Albeit from someone we take with a grain of salt. Personally, I’m just not sure he makes it back. Period.

• You knew somebody was going to write the idiotic “New Orleans should not draft Anthony Davis” post. Congrats to Scoop Jackson.

• An audit of the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami says the Heat have not lived up to their end of the lease. The lease calls for the Heat to share 40 percent of their profits over $14 million annually. The Heat have never paid a dime because they say they have never reached that threshold in the last 15 years. Right. This sounds like when the owners cried poverty during the lockout — there are ways to hide profits and manipulate books. This is potentially ugly, and you can bet the timing of the release is not an accident. (Via IamaGM.com)

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Lakers Rumors: Brandon Roy might be an option for the Lakers

Ryan Ward
Los Angeles Lakers Examiner

After dealing with chronic knee problems that drastically changed his play on the floor, Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers had to call it a career this past December. Despite being a perennial All-Star and arguably one of the best guards in the NBA, Roy made the decision to shut it down to prevent further injury that could affect the rest of his life off the court.

Even though constant injury problems with his knees forced the 27-year-old to retire from the Blazers before the 2011-12 NBA season, there’s talk of Roy returning to the floor next season in a reserve role.

One team that has been mentioned as a possible destination for the three-time All-Star next season is the Los Angeles according to ESPN’s Chris Palmer via Twitter:

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Lakers report card: Kobe Bryant provides a mixed blessing

By Mark Medina

June 1, 2012, 5:54 p.m.
This is the fifth in a series of posts grading the Lakers on their efforts in the 2011-12 season.

Player: Kobe Bryant, Lakers guard

How he performed: 27.9 points on 43% shooting and 4.6 assists in 38.5 minutes per game in the regular season; 30 points on 43.9% shooting and 4.8 assists in 39.7 minutes per game in the postseason.


The good: Reports of Bryant's demise proved to be greatly exaggerated. It turns out he simply needed an innovative procedure on his surgically repaired right knee and sprained left ankle to turn back the clock. Bryant provided so many reminders of just how dominant he remains despite the challenging circumstances surrounding him.

He entered the season with a torn ligament in his right wrist. No problem. Bryant went on a four-game tear in mid-January where he scored at least 40 points a game. He suffered a concussion and a broken nose during the All-Star game and needed to wear a plastic mask simply to play. Not an issue. Bryant dropped at least 30 points in the next three games. He entered Game 6 of the Lakers' first-round series against Denver battling intestinal flu symptoms. That didn't matter. Bryant played out of his mind by scoring 31 points on 13-for-23 shooting, while everyone else played as if they had a stomach virus.

[Cha*n]

NBA Rumors: Ray Allen to Join Forces with Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant?

Submitted by Alex Groberman on Jun 1, 2012

The Boston Celtics came very, very close to shipping Ray Allen out prior to this year’s NBA trade deadline. Where did they almost send the all-time leader in regular season threes? Los Angeles, of course.

But it’s not what you think. They weren’t going to move him to the Lakers – they were in talks with the Clippers. You see, Allen is currently in the final year of his deal with Boston and, seeing as everyone involved knows that he won’t be back next season. Danny Ainge and Co. were hoping to squeeze out a late swap with a team in desperate need of a sharpshooter. Ultimately, nothing materialized. The Clippers came closest, though. Eventually they added Nick Young, but he was their fallback option. Originally, they wanted Allen.

And for good reason. While Jesus Shuttlesworth is admittedly old and nowhere near as good as he was in his heyday, he’s still a lights out shooter. Every squad in the L knows that you leave this man open at your own peril. He’s been hampered a bit by injuries as of late but, presuming he has a full offseason to heal, there is no reason to believe that he wouldn’t come back strong in 2012-13. Plus, it’s not as if Allen’s game is all that reliant on athleticism – age doesn’t hinder your ability to spot-up shoot.

All of which brings us to the obvious question: could Allen maybe, possibly, perhaps end up with the Lakers come next year? Lakers Nation recently delved into that topic:

One option that might intrigue the Lakers’ front office is veteran guard Ray Allen of the arch rival Boston Celtics.

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LA Lakers, Mitch Kupchak wants Ray Allen

Posted June 1st, 2012 by Nick Gelso & filed under Boston Celtics, NBA.


The very respectable Lakers Nation blog is reporting that Mitch Kupchak and the LA Lakers are interesting in Ray Allen for the 2012-13 season.

Despite Ray Allen’s loyalty to the Celtics and desire to finish his career as a Boston Celtics, it’s been noted, on and off, that Ray is not very comfortable playing 18-20 minutes as a 6th man. With the emergence of Avery Bradley, it looks like Ray’s role will be diminished if he returns to Boston.

All that being said, it’s very hard to imagine Ray Allen in a Lakers uniform

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Phil Jackson Restless in Retirement, Lakers’ Buss Says

By Andy Fixmer on June 01, 2012

Retirement isn’t suiting Phil Jackson a second time any better than it did the first.

The 66-year-old former coach, who won a record 11 National Basketball Association championships with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, has mended physically since his final season in 2011 and misses the game, according to Jeanie Buss, the Lakers executive who oversees business operations and is Jackson’s girlfriend.

“When a player leaves the game, it’s just such a loss in their life,” Buss said in an interview. “Phil’s in that situation. He’s not a good person to be retired. He doesn’t build ships in a bottle.”

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Just a note that I am following the news but other thaty Bleacher type articles there is nothing new to post.