From Drew Garrison, Silver Screen & Roll: Pau Gasol will undergo a FAST Technique procedure on both of his knees Thursday to help with the tendinosis he suffers from, reports Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The procedure will eliminate scar tissue in his knees while also preserving healthy tissue and is considered “minimally” invasive. Tendinosis, also commonly referred to as chronic tendinitis, indicates that the damage to his tendons in his knees is at a cellular level. The Los Angeles Lakers will announce an official timetable on his return after the surgery, but there is no indication that this will have negative long-term implications.According to the official FAST (Fasciotomy and Surgical Tenotomy) Technique website, Gasol’s recovery will likely take six weeks:
From Dave McMenamin, ESPN LA: For a franchise that has won 16 titles, any Los Angeles Lakers season that doesn’t end with a championship is considered a failure. But rather than just dole out a blanket “F” for the Lakers’ disappointing 2012-13 season, we’re going to break down each part of the team’s production in groups: Our series ends today with the coaching staff and front office. We have already covered the starters this week and the bench backcourt and bench frontcourt last week.
From Eric Pincus, LA Times: Veteran guard Steve Blake had his best year with the Lakers, when he was healthy. After two difficult seasons with the team, Blake shot 42.2% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range — a big leap from last year’s 37.7% and 33.5%, respectively. Early in the season, an abdominal strain sidelined him for more than two months. A hamstring injury shut him down halfway through the Lakers’ first-round sweep by the San Antonio Spurs. Blake missed 37 regular-season games, averaging 7.3 points and 3.8 assists. When Steve Nash sat out in April, Blake stepped into the starting lineup to help the team finish the season with a 7-1 record. In that stretch, Blake averaged 12.6 points a game. With Kobe Bryant out with an Achilles’ tear, Blake helped carry the offense for the team’s two final, must-win games (scoring 23 points against the Spurs and 24 against the Houston Rockets).
From Kurt Helin, Pro Basketball Talk: When you’re in court battling your mother, you know the relationship is strained. As we told you before, Kobe Bryant’s mother Pamela hooked up with an auction house to sell off some of Kobe’s memorabilia she had — a Lower Merion High School game worn jersey, replica Lakers championship rings and more stuff Kobe’s mother had at her house. Kobe then went to court to block the sale. The auction house is involved in the case as well, asserting its rights to sell.
From Gabriel Lee, Lakers Nation: Professional sports is the most impactful when we, the fans, actually care about the player(s) in our favorite team’s jerseys. At some point over the past year, I began to shift my allegiance from the teams I supported throughout my childhood to the players whose values I share. That epiphany actually happened last summer when the Lakers decided Andrew Bynum wasn’t reliable enough to be their franchise player for the post Kobe-era, so they swapped him for Dwight Howard. Every Laker fan I interact with began to celebrate the trade. I had mixed reactions. On paper, the Lakers had just upgraded their injury-prone center for one that had a much more impressive resume (he led his team to the Finals in 2009, 3-time Defensive Player of the Year, etc.). The way Howard had forced his way out of Orlando made me sick to my stomach. He threw his head coach under the bus, got his general manager fired, opted back into his contract before the trade deadline before demanding a trade again in the summer, all the while blaming everyone but himself for the Magic’s shortcomings.
Kevin_ says
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/9256397/pau-gasol-los-angeles-lakers-procedure-knees Big assumption but one has to think with a 12 week recovery Pau stays put. Similar situation with Granger this year unsure of his ability to play teams didn’t take a flyer on him.
Mentioned in the previous thread about possible wing players Lakers could look at. Nick Young, Wesley Johnson, Martell Webster and Corey Brewer. All would be upgrades with the exception of Nick young. His style of play is far from winning basketball. Wesley Johnson hasn’t found his groove yet. Webster and Mike Dunleavy I hope are possibilities and upgrades if the team comes back as constructed.
Martell Webster who actually had a good year after a few season where he fought injuries. He can play the 2 or 3 and can shoot the 3 well. He was a -0.6 on the court and the team was -4.9 with him off. Webster shoot 38% from 3 for his career and 42% last year. Ron shot mostly open 3s at 34%. He’s a guy who could keep defenses honest or at least make them pay if given the space Ron was last year.
28.9 mins 11.4 pts 3.9 reb 1.9 ast 44% fg 42% 3pt 84% ft 60% true shooting
Mike Dunleavy is known for shooting and Lakers could use him. His team fared better when he was on the court +2.3 as opposed to off -5.2.
25.9 mins 10.5 pts 3.9 reb 1.9 ast 44% fg 42% 3pt 82% ft 57% true shooting
Both guys are specialists and coming off the bench would be an upgrade from the bench players last year. They could come at a bargain too. Neither can create their own shot but if Lakers could get both these guys that would be great.
Chearn says
There are few alternatives for the Lakers to explore this year. They will have to take the growing pains that other organizations in flux have endured. Maybe the organization was wise enough to have a plan B for the 2012-2013, and we’ll see that play out prior to the 2013-2014 season. More than likely the Lakers will retain the core roster, with minor peripheral moves to obtain players that fit the current coach’s preferred players. The Lakers can ill afford to amnesty Kobe, just for him to go down the hallway to play for the Clippers (a sure championship in 2014) while the Lakers foot the bill. Let’s not even entertain the idea as it is blasphemy to think that such a move would occur. Can anyone imagine Pau being amnestied to go down the hall to join Chris Paul and possibly win a championship while the Lakers pay the bill? Besides the addition of a few players, the roster and coach will remain for the 2013-2014 season.
If the Lakers did not have a plan B for the 2012-2013 season they should earnestly begin a plan B for the 2013-2014. A five year plan for the Lakers to include the coach, style of play, team identity, defensive scheme, scouts, and player personnel needs to be addressed. No one can read the future, however to quote George Benson’s Everything Must Change, “Everything must change, nothing stays the same, everyone must change, no one stays the same.” Of this you can be sure.
Let’s hope that Pau uses this off season to add strength and muscle to his upper and lower body. Kobe returns capable of playing near this season’s level. Nash uses the summer to heal and plays James Brown’s The Big Payback while he works out. “I’m mad, I want revenge, my patience ends, my patience ends, I want revenge, the big payback.”
What songs do you think encapsulates the Laker players and should be used as their theme songs (include a few lyrics) this summer?
Tra says
What songs do you think encapsulates the Laker players and should be used as their theme songs (include a few lyrics) this summer?
_____
For Kobe (Momma Said Knock You Out – By LL Cool J)
“Don’t call it a comeback, I been here for years; Rocking my peers, putting suckers in fear ..”
PurpleBlood says
Kevin,
good suggestions on both players. Who would you say is a better defender? & do they `fit´ MD´A´s “system´´? (yes, double quotation marks as i´m still not sure if there is one apart from the run-&-gun thing)
Yeah! Right on Tra, dug that –
Chearn, cool musical references dude – who doesn´t love JB?!
The G. Benson line reminded me of Rush´s `changes aren´t permanent…but change is!´
and of the players, that´s a tough one; but in keeping with the JB theme, I´ll say: `Get On The Good Foot´ (great album as well!) :
¨You know my face gettin’ short and I got the blues
I got a funky job and I paid my dues on the good foot¨
Robert says
Chearn: I like the music references. I am a hard rock guy, so I am going to go with Avenged Sevenfold.
Last Season’ s Song = Nightmare
Can’t wake up and sweat; Cause it ain’t over yet; Still dancin’ with your demons; Victim of your own creation
This Summer’s Song = Afterlife
I don’t belong here; We gotta move on dear; Escape from this afterlife; Cause this time I’m right; to move on and on; Far away from here
I am hoping the second song will apply to the team moving forward into a better place, and not a certain player moving to another team.
Kevin_ says
PurpleBlood: many here already made the suggestions on players I just put numbers next to the names. But if the trend were to continue it would be Dunleavy because he’s 32 and Mitch said in his exit presser that vet players looking for rings on vet minimum contracts are the likely guys. Webster is 26 and could be out the price range. Dunleavy’s also used to coming off the bench. I wouldn’t mind either guy. Both upgrades over Earl Clark.
Chearn says
@Purpleblood- “Get on the good foot…” Appropriate for every veteran player on the team! Fascinated by the quote, “…change isn’t permanent, but change is.”
@Tra- “I been here for years… rocking my peers…” Perfect song for lyrics and song for Kobe.
@Robert- Always good to see some rock lyrics. I’ll take Afterlife after the Nightmare. Nice.
Thanks for your responses. Very enjoyable.