Forum Blue And Gold

A Lakers Blog. Thoughts, reflections, and the odd rant on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA (even the Clippers).

Lakers Media Day Notes

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Hey, guys. As you guys probably know, Phillip and I were able to get in for Lakers Media Day as representatives of Forum Blue & Gold.

We apologize for the lack of coverage throughout the day, though. The Wi-Fi was pretty awful at the facility. Was hard to get work done and we hardly even got to tweet the happenings at Media Day.

But let me give you kind of the cliffnotes (or mini-preview) of what we did do there. We talked to pretty much every Lakers role player on the team (there were tons of people around the starters, obviously).

Andrew Goudelock really wants to continue working on his point guard skills.

Earl Clark is really laidback. He seemed very happy and content to be there.

Chris Duhon hopes that he becomes known more for his good play on the court instead of the travel dance at Orlando. He also describes himself as very intense and emotional on the court.

Darius Morris knows it’s going to be tough competition in the point guard spot. He also talks glowingly about one Kobe Bryant.

Steve Blake tweeted earlier that he can start doing some spot shooting now. He should be good to go in a couple of weeks or so.

Antawn Jamison reminded us how long he’s been in the league (it’s his 15th year) and he said that this is his best chance at a ring. He is also glad to be reunited with Mike Brown.

Jodie Meeks said that it wasn’t a hard choice at all to go to the Lakers. He mentioned that he could’ve taken the money and played somewhere else but, in the end, he wants a shot at that championship ring.

And Darius Johnson-Odom said that he is the best dunker on the team. He even said that he could beat Dwight Howard in a dunk contest but then stopped short about beating Kobe Bryant in his prime.

I didn’t get to talk to Jordan Hill (I believe Phillip might have) but those are pretty much what I got to do. I was also in the middle of an interview scrum for Kobe Bryant.

I’ll get the full interviews up starting tonight tomorrow morning (will do them in groups of two or three) and will post a few at a time in the next few days here at Forum Blue & Gold. Stay tuned, guys. And thanks for your patience.

*A special thanks to John Black, the Lakers spokesman, for giving us access to Media Day.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Magic Phil says

    So Jodie Meeks said he wants a shot at that championship ring?

    I though he signed with the Lakers for the chance to backup Kobe Freakin Bryant. Being Kob’s bench is actually an honor, in my point of view.

    And to just pratice with those guys…man.

  3. Chris J says

    How can the Associated Press write the following sentence and keep a straight face?

    “Bynum was expected to soon help the Sixers win their first championship since 1983. Only 24, the New Jersey native won two championships with the Lakers.”

    I loved Bynum more than anyone not named Mrs. Bynum or Aaron. But seriously — who, exactly, believes Bynum is going to lead that Sixers team to a championship “soon”?

    Are they better than Miami? Oklahoma City? The Lakers? Or a half-dozen other teams? I don’t think anyone sees them making that kind of leap.

  4. Kevin_ says

    Every Lakers fan is willing to pay 5.99 easy for this new Lakers channel. What is the holdup? They launched tonight and I’m stuck watching interviews off Nba.com

    Preseason starts Sunday. Are we going to miss that game too?

  5. Magic Phil says

    I just watched the whole thing (it’s 10pm PST and they started the “rotation”, i. e., replaying the same tapes).

    It was AWESOME! The last 30 mins was called Backstage: Lakers. Man, a bunch of unseeing angles, nice soundtrack…Dwight, Nash…

    THIS IS GONNA ROCK!

  6. harold says

    It looks like we’re going to have lots of coverage this season. And right when we need it too.

    Now it just has to end the right way…

  7. haushinka says

    When does the roster get finalized?

    Definitely in:
    Nash, Kobe, Artest, Gasol, Howard, Jamison, Meeks, Blake, Hill, Ebanks.

    Likely in:
    Clark, Douglas-Roberts (since we just signed him)

    That’s 12. That leaves only 3 spots for

    Duhon, Goudelock, Morris, DJO, Nelson, Aguilar, Sacre, Somogyi.

    Did we already drop some guys?

  8. LT mitchell says

    – Am I the only person who thinks Philly will be less successful this season with Bynum and no Iguadala? Training camp starts at the beginning of October, and Bynum decides to get his knee procedure in September? Same ole Bynum.

  9. Don says

    Seriously anyone have the story on the delayed Bynum procedure? ie why did he wait?

    Also who shoots technical free throws down the stretch this season?

  10. haushinka says

    according to ESPN, the doctors advised Bynum to get it closer to the start of the season to get maximum effect.

    nash to shoot free throws for sure.

  12. Casual Fan says

    Why did Bynum do his procedure in early September instead of anytime between June and August?

  13. Cayucos says

    according to ESPN, the doctors advised Bynum to get it closer to the start of the season to get maximum effect.

  15. Shaun says

    Duhon, Clark and Morris are locks for the roster with guarenteed contracts while cdr is on a training camp contract so he most likely won’t
    Make the team.

    In total we have 13 spots locked up with sacre being a possible 14th

    Personally i would like to see us shore up the sf position but I don’t think that we will go onto the season with a full roster as we will be looking for buy out bait come the trading deadline

  16. kareem says

    CDR had a great series of games in Jersey if my memory serves me; yet he never put it together in Milwaukee. He could be an explosive scorer off the bench (not that Meeks and Jamison don’t fit that bill), but his defense is pretty lackluster.

    For the price he’s a pretty good find. Obviously we might pick up a gem at the deadline, but damn, our eyes keep growing bigger and bigger with this offseason. I say take the man on and cut Duhon, but that’s more money bleeding unnecessarily. We’re already stacked.

  18. T. Rogers says

    LT,

    Iggy was a solid wing in a conference with many solid to great wings. Bynum is a true seven foot scorer in a league short on real seven footers. If he applies himself, Philly should do very well.

    The key is the “if” part.

  19. Kswagger8 says

    Did anyone get to see the Bynum interview with NBA TV during their media day? Man, looks like he gained weight in a bad way… One might think he might be headed to Shawn Kemp (to the Cavs) and Vin Baker (to Sonics) territory after getting traded from their longtime teams. Good riddance for the Lakers. Lakers give away ‘potential’ for ‘potential realized’. Can’t argue with that…

  20. any_one_mouse says

    I’m in favor of CDR over CD 🙂 Too many point guards, not enough scorers or G/Fs.

  22. Luiz André says

    I’d just like to say to whoever told Nash his haircut is cool: shut up. If he lets it grow long again with this cut he will be Emo Steve.

    And what’s up with this roster? Lotta dudes on a team with a bigger payroll than a small country’s GDP. Exaggeration for effect, if you didn’t get it the first time.

    Looking forward to those interviews!

  23. Ed says

    Bynum certainly looks Shaq-lite and ready for the power game,as does his old mentor Kwame. Going for his big $100m max contract, I expect AB to give max effort this year. Good battle between DJO and CDR for a spot. Will they keep 13 or 14?