July 1st:Of Farmar, Evans and the 1st day of free agency.

Phil · Retired Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007

Farmar and few between
BY TOM HOFFARTH, Columnist

Does the upside to Jordan Farmar possibly smushing everyone else's playing time in the Lakers' backcourt lead Kobe Bryant to believe he won't have to grind out 43 minutes a game anymore?
Or is there another vet/exemption on the horizon that'll allow the player who fell into Mitch Kupchak's lap some more time to learn himself this triangle thing?

Which leads to the intrigue unfolding on the other side of the hallway: Why haven't the Clippers corraled Sam Cassell yet? Do they really presume that Shaun Livingston can run the circus by himself?

Quiz time: With all the former UCLA star players who've been on the Lakers' roster over the years, can you name the four before Farmar who were first-round L.A. picks right off the Westwood campus (answer below)?

Phil · Retired Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007

Lakers Draft UCLA Star B-ball Player, Farmar

LOS ANGELES- Just two weeks ago, Farmar was contemplating whether to leave his name in the NBA draft or continue his basketball career at UCLA. Due to the great positive feedback he received by numerous NBA scouts and his superb performance in the 2006 NBA Pre-Draft camp earlier this month, Farmar finally came to the conclusion to forego two more years at UCLA and take a giant step towards fulfilling his life long dream of entering the NBA. With the news from Wednesday's draft, it is now definite that Farmar will be able to accomplish this great dream of his.

Farmar was chosen on Wednesday in round one of the NBA draft held in New York city as the 26th pick. Considering the fact that Farmar himself is a local, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers is even more sweet. UCLA students shared in this excitement.

Farmar worked out for the Clippers, Lakers, Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Nets and Sacramento Kings. Originally, the two teams that were most likely to pursue Farmar to fill their point guard position were the New Jersey Nets and the Sacramento Kings. Regarding which team he believed he would be drafted from, Farmar said: “It’s just a matter of who is on the draft board and what the circumstances are.”

Phil · Retired Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007

Lakers: Evans can shine
BY RICH HAMMOND, Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO - Two years ago, as a member of the Sacramento Kings, Maurice Evans occasionally drew one of the toughest assignments in the NBA: coming off the bench to guard Kobe Bryant.
Now Evans and Bryant are on the same side, and the Lakers hope that the acumen Evans has displayed in the past can boost their team defense, which often was subpar last season.

Evans, introduced to the media Friday, two days after he was acquired from Detroit for the Lakers' second-round draft pick, is expected to log the majority of his minutes as Bryant's backup but is determined to show that he can make an impact in the NBA, and not just as a defensive stopper.

"It's definitely a role I can play," Evans said. "There are some guys who are out there just to slow guys defensively ... but they're a liability on the other end. I don't feel I'm that way. I feel like I can play defense but I can also score and put pressure on players."

Phil · Retired Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007

Lakers Look for Bargains
The top free agents are out of their salary reach, but that doesn't mean they won't make deals.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
July 1, 2006

The Lakers appeared to get pretty good value with Jordan Farmar in Wednesday's draft.

Will they be equally fortunate in free agency?

ADVERTISEMENTThe salary cap-strapped Lakers will have about $7 million to spend in a free-agency period that begins today. Teams can now negotiate with players but cannot officially sign them until July 12.

"If there's a year where you're not going to have $10 million available or $15 million available, this is the year," Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. "There's some good free agents available this year, but it's not a stellar group."

The Lakers could tinker mildly with a roster that created an entertaining, but ultimately futile, first-round

Phil · Retired Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007

Commentary: Farmar's jump could pay dividends for UCLA

The visibility of a former UCLA standout playing for the Lakers certainly can't hurt Howland when it comes to recruiting future Bruins.
By Jim Thomas
Daily Breeze

What an NBA draft it turned out to be for UCLA sophomore guard Jordan Farmar, whose dreams came true when he was taken in the first round by the Lakers.

Imagine that. Here's a young man who took a bit of a risk entering the draft when another year in college might have solidified him as a lottery pick, and it all works out perfectly when he slips to No. 26 overall and the Lakers are delighted to take him.

Phil · Retired Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007

The Daily Bruin
[Online Exclusive]: Farmar to join Lakers; Hollins selected by Charlotte Bobcats

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By Adam de Jong
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
adejong (@) media.ucla.edu

Jordan Farmar won't have to leave his native Los Angeles to realize his NBA dreams after all. Farmar, who led UCLA to the NCAA Championship game in his sophomore campaign this last season, was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 26 overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday night. Later that night, senior center Ryan Hollins was the second round draft choice of the Charlotte Bobcats to make it two Bruins about to embark on a pro career.

Farmar had declared for the draft alongside fellow sophomore guard Arron Afflalo, as neither player hired an agent so they could retain their college eligibility if they chose to withdraw from the draft by the June 18 deadline. Although Farmar was never guaranteed the first round pick he was looking for, his impressive showing in the pre-draft workouts in Orlando, Fla., proved to be the turning point. Farmar garnered attention from scouts around the country with a 42-inch vertical leap.

"A player we didn't think we'd get â€" we're happy to have him," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak told the Associated Press. "He's 19 years old, he had an excellent two years at UCLA, he's very talented.â€

Phil · Retired Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007

With Evans in fold, Lakers turn to Banks

By KEVIN DING
The Orange County Register

Detroit Pistons' Maurice Evans (5) heads downcourt with Cleveland Cavaliers' Zydrunas Ilgauskas, from Lithuania, in pursuit during the second quarter of a second-round NBA playoff basketball game May 15, 2006, in Cleveland. Detroit traded Evans to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, June 28, 2006, for the rights to Cheick Samb, a 7-1 center from Senegal. Samb had been taken with the 51st pick.

TONY DEJAK, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

EL SEGUNDO – Fast running out of spots on next season's 15-man roster, the Lakers were willing to take on another guaranteed contract in the form of Maurice Evans because he offers a boost in both categories where Phil Jackson has requested upgrades: speed and defense.

"I feel like my game can be suited for this team," said Evans, acquired from Detroit for a second-round draft pick.

The Lakers plan to add one more guard with quick feet and fast hands via the free-agent market. The Lakers want it to be Marcus Banks, the 6-foot-2 guard they briefly acquired from Boston in 2004

Phil · Retired Joined: 03 Aug 2001 Posts: 10007

Lakers, Clippers Make Moves
Radmanovic signs with Lakers; Cassell on the way out as Clippers sign Suns' Thomas
By Mike Bresnahan and Jason Reid, Times Staff Writer
4:13 PM PDT, July 1, 2006

The Los Angeles Lakers moved quickly Saturday on the first day of free agency, addressing their need for outside shooting by snatching away a piece from their cross-town rival by agreeing to terms with three-point specialist Vladimir Radmanovic.

The Los Angeles Clippers also reacted quickly after Radmanovic and point guard Sam Cassell apparently reneged on agreements to stay with them, reaching terms with sharp-shooting forward Tim Thomas early Saturday.

Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy and the representatives of Thomas, a 6-foot-10 forward who revived his career with Phoenix late last season, completed a four-year, $24-million deal Saturday at about 12:30 a.m. The move capped a dizzying three-hour period in which the Clippers were informed Cassell and Radmanovic accepted and then rejected multi-year offers, sources said.

Radmanovic agreed Saturday to a five-year, $31-million contract with the Lakers, the same package the Clippers offered.

"At the conclusion of the moratorium period, the Lakers intend to enter into a contract with Vladimir Radmanovic," Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said.