# Report Card/Exit Interviews



## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Luke Walton*

<img title="Luke_walton_2" alt="Luke_walton_2" src="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/images/2007/05/08/luke_walton_2.jpg" style="margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; float: left;" _base_target="_parent" border="0" height="369" width="245"></a> *Report card:*</strong> The end of Walton's season garnered most of its headlines for news that he <em>wasn't</em> dating Britney Spears- Luke's got a steady lady, but it's nice knowing if things go bad, a post-rehab, head-shaved wacko on a public rebound from <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=V6RvngAZCcQ&mode=related&search=" _base_target="_parent">this guy</a> remains an option- but the early ink was all about his improved play.  Phil Jackson expected to use Billy Boy's to spell Vlad Radmanovic, but Cat Stevens' training camp began on a lousy note and he never picked up his game.  In the meantime, Luke <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3735/career;_ylt=Ap7StliU5NBKhQmZ317nYtKkvLYF" _base_target="_parent">bumped his stats</a> in just about every major category and his November was <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3735/splits;_ylt=AuxdS5A7N2UWf3TZhjNtzjmkvLYF" _base_target="_parent">ridiculous from behind the arc.</a>  And when Lamar Odom went down, he did a solid job picking up some slack.  The additional heavy lifting caused by Kwame Brown's simultaneous absence eventually took its toll on Walton, who began struggling before suffering his own ankle injury.  Upon returning, his now-slower step (combined with a bad finger) conspired to crap up his playoff series.  He remains a defensive liability and is likely better served coming off the bench.  But there's no arguing his value as a role player (considering how the team struggled almost immediately after he began watching games in civvies), especially in a system like Phil Jackson's, which caters to his strengths.  I think Luke is smart enough to realize that he wouldn't thrive on certain teams and all indications seem to point towards him resigning with the Lakers.  Assuming the dough's not outrageous, good news for both parties.  And good news for Britney, who could use a local source of inspiration during this difficult time.  <strong>Final Grade: B-<br><br>-AK</strong>


_The interview began with everyone giving Walton a little crap when he entered the room carrying a bunch of envelopes and papers, plus two home jerseys._

*Luke Walton:* (Laughs) They gave me my mail. They said, "Get out! We don't want to see you again!"
*
Q:* You only have a yellow jersey? What about a purple one?

*LW:* No, they kicked me out before I could get my hands on one. (Laughs)

*Q:* How did your meeting go?

*LW:* It was alright. We just kind of talked about how disappointed we all were at how the season ended. And not just in the playoffs, but just the way we were playing for those last couple weeks and into the playoffs.

*Q:* Were the playoffs a disappointment for you personally, considering you were heading into a contract year?

*LW:* Yeah, but not on that level. They were a disappointment to me because it's what we play the whole year for. It's the best time of the year and to be playing at a level, I didn't think we were playing nearly as well as we could have or should have been playing. That's frustrating as a player, when you play this long together with the same team and you can never really get that chemistry going that you need to win. It's why I was mainly disappointed.

*Q:* Do you want to come back here next year or do you plan to look at all your options?

*LW:* I definitely gotta look at all my options. Like I said before, in a perfect world, I'll be back here in L.A. You're only a free agent once or twice in your career, so I definitely have to go out there and see what else is available.

*AK:*The struggles you had throughout the series against Phoenix, how much of that do you put on health and how much do you just say, "I may have had a few bad games, period?" 

*LW:* It's tough to say how much it is, because you tell yourself you're fine and you mentally get ready for each game, but obviously, when your body won't let you do things that your mind is telling you to do, things that you think you should be able to do, it makes it frustrating. And when you play a good team like Phoenix, where they just run and run and run, it's tough to not be able to compete at the level that you prepare yourself to play at.

*AK:* I don't know if you heard, but after the Game 5 loss, Kobe singled you and Lamar Odom out and appreciated how you both played through these injuries. How does it feel to hear that?

*LW:* Kob told me the same thing after the game yesterday. I didn't know he had said that publicly, but you know, it's bittersweet. It's nice to hear, but it still doesn't help that I feel pretty crappy about the we ended this year.

*Q:* What about L.A. appeals to you?

*LW:* Everything. I grew up in San Diego, right down the street. I love the Laker franchise. It's the best from top to bottom. From what I've heard from other guys around the league, guys on my team that have played other places, it's the best run franchise around. I love the people out here. I love my teammates and the coaching staff. There's not really too many negative about L.A.

*Q:* Maybe the smog? The traffic?

*LW:* Traffic? I live in Manhattan Beach. We practice in El Segundo. (Laughs) 

*Q:* When you say you're looking at your options, are you talking about dollars. Situation? What are you looking for?

*LW:* Everything. It's not just money. It's not just the number of years I can sign for. It's gotta be a good situation for me. A team that plays the right way. A team that wants to win a championship. It can't just about money, otherwise the rest of your life might suck. A whole package type of thing.

*Q:* As somebody who's been here for a while, do you feel like this team is further along than when you first got here?

*LW:* Well, it's tough, because when I first got here, they had Shaq and they just got done winning championships. Then we hit rock bottom, everyone left and we lost 19 out of 22 games. Now I definitely feel like we're going in the right direction again. I don't think we advanced as much as we'd like to this year. I think last year at the end of the year, we really had a lot to build on. And early in the year, it looked like we had built. We had gotten better as a team and we were going to start competing for championships again and then we kind of got hit by the injury bug and it was all downhill from there. We're definitely in the right direction, but it would be nice if we made some bigger strides this year.

*AK:* Having played with Kobe for a while, how hard is it to see him voice frustrations?

*LW:* The thing with Kob, which makes him such a great player, he's the best competitor in the league. He won't lose. He hates losing. It is frustrating. It's frustrating for me. It's frustrating for all the guys, but Kob won those championships, so it's gotta be that much harder for him and it's just one of those things where you know he's pissed off a lot of those times when he's talking. He knows that everyone's giving it his all. I don't think he's trying to be negative towards us. He's just frustrated with losing.

*Q:* How far away from being a contender do you think this team is? Phil mentioned being one player away.

*LW:* Yeah, I don't think we're far away at all. I think, with the team we have right now, if we were playing basketball the right way, the way it's supposed to be played, we'd be able to compete with all these teams a lot better. As far being an NBA champion, we might just be one player away. It might be all we need, but basketball is funny. On paper, you can have a great team and you're not any good. Unless you actually get the guys together and they're willing to play on the same page, willing to do it all for each other, that's the only to ever really know if you're able to win a championship or not.

*Q:* How's your ankle right now?

LW: My ankle's fine. I've had plenty of ankle injuries before. It's just tough in the NBA. You play so many games that you don't ever get a chance to get it back to full strength.

*Q:* But no surgery?

*LW:* No. I'll just take a couple weeks off. Get it strong this summer. A little beach volleyball will strengthen it up. (Laughs)

*AK:* In terms of your game, what specifically are you looking to improve?

*Q:* Everything. I think what I bring to the table is that I'm an all-around basketball player and in the summertime, obviously, I focus on my shooting the most, when I'm doing my workouts. I run 2-3 miles a day and try to do everything I can to be a better player. It's not just one thing I go into the off-season and try to be better at.

*Q:* Did you get a sense in your meeting about whether the team would like to have you back?

*LW:* Yeah. Definitely. Besides them giving me my jersey and my mail and kicking me out, it was an alright feeling. I'm pretty sure they like me around here. They know I'm a team guy that wants to win. There's never any reason to get rid of guys like that, so I don't see any reason why they wouldn't want me back. 

*Q:* Will you bring any offers you get back to the Lakers?

*LW:* Yeah. Definitely.

*Q:* Do you plan on being active in the process or are you going to let your agent handle most of it?

*LW:* Yeah, I'm definitely going to be involved with it. This is where I'm going to spend the couple years of my life, so I'm not gonna let him go out and try to (just) get money, so he can get a bigger cut if it's some town I don't wanna be in. (Laughs) It's definitely a thing I'm going to be very involved in.

*Q:* What type of situation are you looking for? In terms of where you'd fit best?

*LW:* I guess they told me I'm not supposed to talk about any (specific) teams. But just teams that are competing for championships. Teams that have good coaches. I like motion offenses, as opposed to isolation. Just different little things like that will be the teams I'll have my agent go out and try to get a hold of.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Kwame Brown*

<img title="Kwame" alt="Kwame" src="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/images/2007/05/09/kwame.jpg" style="margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; float: left;" _base_target="_parent" border="0" height="222" width="250"></a> *Report Card:*</strong> Give Kwame Brown credit. There are many ways folks will describe his career, but "boring" ain't one of them. There always seems to be something to discuss when it comes to the team's starting center. Off the top of my head, this season alone featured a myriad of injuries (one of which prompted Phil Jackson to implement <a href="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2007/04/phil_jackson_pr.html" _base_target="_parent">prop comedy</a> to cajole a return), <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3511" _base_target="_parent">a brilliant Game 3 sandwiched between four other pretty ordinary playoff efforts</a>, and an off-court incident that really ... wait for it ... <em>takes the cake</em>. 

Came up with that all by myself, folks. Such witticisms are just one reason I make a living as a writer.

Kwame remains a hot bed of debate in part because everyone isn't demanding the same things from him. If you're hoping for a two-way player, the bobbles and blown layups leave one more frustrated than Tom Sizemore's sponsor. But for me, the muffs fall somewhere between "laugh to keep from crying" and "head shaking." Honestly, the biggest reason I hate when Kwame fumbles the rock is because it not only represents a potential turnover or fruitless possession, but because Kwame's actually a pretty good passer, a skill often negated by an inability to keep ball movement flowing. When it comes to Kwame's offense, I'm less concerned with how many points he scores as just simply being a threat to score, period. As long as attention must be paid by whoever's guarding him (so the Lakers aren't playing 4 on 5), I don't really care if Kwame puts up the "15" from the "15/10" card Phil Jackson gave him during the last off-season. It would be sweet, of course, but I won't lose sleep over it...

... assuming the "10" part is covered. And there lies my biggest beef with Kwame. Whether because he doesn't anticipate a ball's flight well, doesn't try hard enough for loose balls not in his immediate vicinity, doesn't want the rebound enough to rip the rock from a teammate's mitts (or, as I suspect, all of the above), Kwame's simply not a good enough rebounder. His 10.4 rp48 isn't great compared to other NBA centers or even his fellow Laker bigs. He's barely out-boarding Brian Cook, who doesn't exactly have a glass eater's rep. Any post player who prides himself on D will pride himself on rebounding, which is why I expect it- among other things- from Kwame if he's going to become a true (and complete) defensive force. 

Obviously, there's no denying how well Kwame does bodying up the Tim Duncans of the world and denying position. He could be among the league's top 5 at that particular skill set. But there's more to patrolling the paint than just being an immovable one-on-one force. He needs to rotate better, prevent more layups by guys other than just his man, block more shots, and generally create a greater variety of havoc. Even if Kwame becomes nothing more than a poor man's Ben Wallace, no worries. You can do considerably worse than that. But at this point, he's more "Homeless Man's" Big Ben than simply "poor." If defense is destined to become Kwame's calling card, his needs to be better rounded. And if he's concerned about making an impression on the Lakers- or another team- during a contract year (I mention this because he later mentions it), it would serve him well to improve upon these aspects I'm mentioning. Final Grade: C+

-AK

Kwame Brown's Exit Interview 

*Q*: What do you think at the end of the season, with the team starting out 26-13, then everything gradually coming to a halt? How disappointing is that for you?

*Kwame Brown:* It's very disappointing, especially sitting and watching and being hurt. Being injured. We talked in our exit interview about (me) being out there for 75, 80 games and not missing 41 games. I wasn't my fault that I rolled my ankle, but at the same time, I did miss a lot of games.

*Q:* Have you decided when or if you'll be having surgery?

*KB:* I gotta go see a doctor tomorrow about my shoulder and then I see another doctor Wednesday about my ankle in Indianapolis. 

*Q:* So your summer vacation starts when?

*KB:* (Smiles) It's not a vacation. Summer rehab starts now. I'm gonna leave next week, Monday and I gotta be there next week to see (ankle specialist) Dr. Porter.

*Q:* Is it the bursitis in the shoulder or something else?

*KB:* Yeah, well it's always bursitis. I have a torn supraspinatus and we're going to take out the bursitis. I've been playing with it, so I just gotta deal with it now.

*AK:* Pretend for a second that I don't know what a suprapinatus is.

*KB:* It's part of your rotator cuff.

*Q:* It'll require surgery to fix that? 

*KB:* We're not sure. I don't want to jump the gun. We'll let the doctors decide.

*Q:* What about the ankle?

*KB:* Ankle's he same. I'm gonna go see Dr. Porter. He's gonna give me three weeks to lay off it and see if it calms down. 

*Q:* If you have surgery on both parts of your body...

*KB:* It's going to be a long summer. (Laughs)

*Q:* Can you have it all at once?

*KB:* I don't know.

*Q:* I thought the shoulder had gotten better, that the pain had gone away. Has it gotten worse?

*KB:* It went away because I haven't been lifting on it and doing any training on it. I'd just been rehabbing it and icing it. That's about it.

*Q:* Will that set back your training some?

*KB:* Yeah, but hopefully, I can either do one or the other. If I have to do ankle surgery, then I won't do the shoulder surgery. I'll just wait.

*Q:* Which is the bigger priority?

*KB:* My foot.

*Q:* Is the shoulder something you can play with?

*KB:* Yeah, I can just rehabbing it and just play with it. But the foot, you definitely gotta fix.

*Q:* What do you think this team can do to get yourself to the next level?

*KB:* Well, we gotta get healthy for one. And then we gotta play together more. I think at times of adversity, we just split up. I think we gotta be more of a team unit and support everyone. Not just think you have to do it on your own. 

*Q:* What were some of the things Mitch and Phil talked to you about during your interview?

*KB:* Mine was interesting. (Laughs) They talked about playing. I've been hurt for so long, so we just addressed what am I gonna do, when am I gonna do it, how fast am I gonna get back here to start rehabbing.

*AK:* The '05-'06 season ended with you on a very nice roll and then you started this season hurt. Do you think that hurt your chances of continuing that flow?

*KB:* Yeah, of course. Anytime you get injured, you gotta take a time period to get back into rhythm and get back into shape. This year's been crazy for me because most of the times, I didn't practice. I've just been playing in the games.

*AK:* Does the season almost feel like unfinished business, in a way?

*KB:* Unfinished business, if that's the way you want to put it. I feel bad, because I wasn't there for most of the season. 41 games is a lot of games. When I got hurt, we were playing a lot of the 4 games in 5 nights type of deal. Back to back to back.

*Q:* Kobe has expressed some frustration the last couple days, talking about changes needing to be made. Do you feel the same way? What do you feel about the way this team is headed?

*KB:* That's not my job. My job is to get as healthy as possible and be the best I can to try to help the team. I don't talk about making changes. When you start talking about that, then you're not a basketball player, you're a personnel guy. That's not me. I'm a basketball player.

*AK:* Aside from just getting healthy, what do you want to work on in terms of helping this team get to the next level?
*
KB:* Once I'm healthy, I have confidence that we're a better team and I'm a better player. I just have to get through all these injuries. We had a good thing rolling once I got back from the shoulder. We were winning a lot of games. Then I got hurt, went down with the ankle. Tough adjustment.

*Q:* It seems like there's two schools of thought. One that the Lakers are young and a lot of guys were hurt, so if you put the same team out there, healthy and a year older, that's how you get better. Then there's the other school that says changes need to be made. Do you think you fall into the first one?

*KB:* When you lose like we have, there's really no right or wrong answer. Hindsight is 20/20. Everybody's a genius after it's over. Who knows? You could make changes and end up worse. You could stay with the team you have and end up better. Or worse. But I think the longer you have guys in this system, and this is not an easy system to learn, you get adjusted to it. The longer you have guys in the system, I think the better it's gonna be.

*Q:* Are you gonna be interested in the developments coming out of Laker camp this summer? Or are you just focusing on your own things?

*KB:* I'm just focusing on me. I'm at the point where I gotta get healthy. It's definitely a critical summer for me with all the injuries I've had. It being a contract year next year, I definitely gotta be real focused on this summer.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Ronny Turiaf*

*Report Card:* It's somewhat hard to evaluate how Ronny truly played this season, since he was so clearly phoning it in with such zombie-like enthusiasm. Kidding. Actually, I think Turiaf was the team's most improved player, especially during the season's second half when the Lakers were low enough on big men that Michael Clarke Duncan almost got a ten-day contract. The balls-out energy one expects from Turiaf was always on display, but a 12-15 foot jumper began to fall with more regularity and he led the team in blocks per 48 minutes. I have my doubts as to whether he could- or really, should- start at power forward in the near future. Turiaf's frenetic style often provides a huge lift, but playing with reckless abandon can result in being a foul machine. As it stands, Ronny would struggle to play 30 minutes (much less 40) without a DQ. A middle ground would need to be found, and who knows how that would affect his performance (or if the skills are even there to begin with, since he's often a more energetic defender than a truly effective one). But no matter what Turiaf's role is next season, he's proving himself both with his play and as a teammate. Plus, he maintained a high standard of sideline-dancing even in the face of increased minutes. That's dedication. Final Grade: B

*-AK*


Ronny Turiaf's exit interview is located below the jump.

*Q:* How did your meeting go?

*Ronny Turiaf:* It was pretty good. Pretty good. 

*Q:* Did they give you things to work on?

*RT:* Yeah, they told me to keep working on my offensive game. Get my body in great shape, because I feel like they're counting on me. I think I'm going to have to do that, put myself in the best shape possible. I think that's what's most important, to put my body in a way where I can play 48 minutes. That's pretty much what I have to do?
*
Q:* How are you feeling today (one day after the loss)?

*RT:* Um... How am I feeling today? Let's try to put it nicely. I feel like crap pretty much. It's tough. We wanted to create history. We wanted to do something good for the city of Los Angeles, for us, for the fans and stuff, so it was very disappointing that we came so close. Once again, a couple plays down the stretch that don't help us, a couple mental lapses. It's basketball, but it's definitely tough.

*AK:* In some ways, did this season feel like a rookie season for you, in terms of being part of everything from start to finish?
*
RT:* Yes. You can say it that way. Not in my head. In my head, I was a second year player and stuff like that. But definitely, it felt great to play from start to finish. I played (72) games before the playoffs, so I'm proud of what I did. I tried to stay healthy, tried to keep my body in the best condition possible. It was fun out there. It was fun, but too bad it came down to an end like that.
*
Q:* What is the feeling like right now? Is it disappointment? Is it frustration? Is it anger?
*
RT:* Well, I was angry yesterday after the loss. But now, I had a nice, quiet night. I played with my dogs and I feel better. But I think that we all care about each other. I think we all wanted to do something special. It's not like we were trying to go on vacation early. We are professional athletes. We want to win basketball games. If you know us, you know we're going to try to do our best to win those games. So it was very difficult for us not to do that. We were always talking about how we were trying to do something special this year. Injury came into hand and stuff like that. So it was tough to deal with, but we cared to do our best. It's very unfortunate that this group didn't accomplish something, because I know right now that there's probably going to be some changes in the summertime. 

*Q:* Is it your preference to stay here? And did you get that sense that you'll be here next season?

*RT:* My first choice is to be here for the rest of my career. I don't control all that stuff. I got the sense that I would be back here next year, but who knows what's going to happen? I'm hoping to be back, so you guys know I want to be here. So know that and that's it. Hopefully, I'll be a Laker for life.

*Q:* You just said that you're expecting changes. Is that based on conversations you've had with people, or is that because of the way the season ended?

*RT:* No, the only reason I say that is because of what I read in the paper. You guys kind of made it sound like there would be drastic changes this summer, so I'm only basing my comments on what you wrote in the paper. (laughs) So don't quote me on that one.

*Q:* Can this team as is compete for a championship? If they get healthy, more mature?

*RT:* To be honest, I truly think so. If you look at the beginning of the season, when everybody was healthy, we were 26-13. We really were in tune with each other. We really had that team chemistry, as far as knowing where the other person was, what the other person was thinking. We were playing some pretty good basketball. Then all of a sudden, one guy gets hurt. We start to play a little better. Then that guy comes back and somebody else gets hurt. It's tough to just find some kind of a balance with each other. We tried our best and were kind of off at the end, but it happens.

*AK:* You mentioned the frustration you're feeling. Is there any comfort that can come from knowing that the Game 5 you played was not only productive, but you very clearly left it all on the court?

*RT:* No. No. To be honest with you, I know this is going to sound cliched, but I would have rather not played and the team win the basketball game. My personal game or success really, really doesn't matter. I mean, I'm being dead honest. I'd rather see Kwame out there scoring 25 points and grabbing 17 rebounds, because would mean everybody's playing well and we're all on the same page. 
_
(AK's note: Ironically, after hearing this comment, I wondered if Ronny may be more concerned about Kwame getting 25/17 than Kwame himself. I don't think Ronny was inferring that. This is just what popped into my head.)_

*RT (Cont'd):* If I have to play 26 minutes, something is not going well for us. That's the way I look at it. But I definitely left everything out there on the floor. My body's a little bit achy this morning because I'm a little bit tired, a little bit sore. I just tried to do my best and I wish I could have scored 50 last night to help us win the ball game. That's how I feel about it

*AK:* Do you feel like you improved this year?

*RT:* Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Even though my season had a lot of ups and downs, stuff like that, I always stayed ready. I always worked on my game. I feel like right now, I can knock down the wide open jumper. I can go block some shots. I can play defense. And my confidence also rose to another level. When Kwame went down at the end of the season and I was playing 20-25 minutes and having some great games, I think it helped me realize that I deserve to be out there, that I was doing a good job out there. My confidence was sky high and I think once your confidence is sky high, you start to feel good about yourself. Toward the end I was starting to feel like I was in college, where everything I was doing out there was positive.
*
AK:* Speaking of being positive, you've always been known for having a lot of positive energy. Can you apply that towards the series and use it to reconcile the way things happened?

*RT:* I'm gonna have to. You know, I've been down that way before. In college, I played four years in the NCAA tournament and had success. And I had disappointing years. So it's going to take me a couple days, possibly a couple weeks to get through it, because I'm so passionate about everything. I get so happy, but I also get so low sometimes. I'm gonna have to try to go back to Spokane, see my friends over there, just sort of take myself away from basketball a little bit. And then go home and relax. Hopefully, in a couple weeks, I will have put it to the side and moved on from there.

*Q:* Are you planning on playing for France's National team?

*RT:* Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. We have a big summer ahead of us. Trying to qualify for the Olympics and stuff like that. I want to be a part of history. Everybody's going, so I'll be right there with them.

*Q:* There are players that worry that playing with a National team can tire you out during the regular season. 
*
RT:* Well, I don't play 45 minutes a game. I don't play 150 games. I've been doing that stuff since I was fourteen and a half, so I won't stop it for a little while. I think I have a couple years, one, two, three, maybe, with the National team. I can just go to the Olympics, have some fun and then see what happens after that.
*
Q:* You come out with an intensity and energy that nobody else can seem to match. Are you sometimes disappointed that your energy wasn't always matched by your teammates?

*RT:* Disappointed? No. We are all different. We have our own personality. You can't ask a cat to be a dog. That's me, being energetic all the time. You don't know that somebody else, for example Drew (Bynum), that doesn't show a lot of emotion, he might be so fired up inside, but he doesn't show it, so you don't know it. So I think we all have our own way to get ready for a game and to show that we're into the game. I'm not disappointed at all, because I know that my teammates care about the game of basketball and I care about winning. So I know that deep inside, there was fire and they wanted to play.

*Q:* A little off track, but we talked with Aaron McKie earlier and he mentioned a possible interest in coaching and how he talked a lot with the younger players. Do you think he'd make a pretty good coach?

*RT:* Oh, yeah. Awesome. And I really mean that, because Blue, every day, every game, we were arguing about basketball. We always argued about everything. He always thought I was being sarcastic, but I was trying to light a fire under him, because he was going to help me. I was going to see different sides and different points from everything. When I was on the bench throughout my career here, he was helping me a lot because he was telling me what he saw. The difference between the game played now and the difference played when he was a youngster. Stuff like that, so I definitely think he's going to be a great coach, because he knows how to deal with different people, different personalities. I think that's one great mark as a coach. And I think he has great ideas and philosophies about basketball, so I want to see him (coach) at the college level. I think he's going to be pretty good at that.

*Q:* College or the NBA?

*RT:* I think he's going to enjoy college more, because he's such a people person. He loves to make an impact on somebody's life. I saw him here, just talking to us. Such a great vet for us for the two years he was here that I think he'll be more interested, I think he'll be better for the kids, to have a person like this. That they can relate to, that they can talk to on a daily basis, so they he can help them be a better man or a better college basketball player.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Jordan Farmar*


Report Card: Smush Parker's first season as a Laker starter was a roller coaster, so it's only fitting that the guy who eventually took William Henry's job during an inaugural (and rookie) year would experience a similar ride. Jordan Farmar's day one presence in the rotation as Parker's backup surprised some and his solid second unit play (combined with Smush's early struggles) led to mid-season lineup switch speculation. But instead of joining the first unit, Farmar proceeded to struggle, eventually finding himself glued to the bench or donning a D-Fenders uni. But the junior circuit success actually bolstered his confidence and when Smush suffered an April meltdown, Farmar found himself a playoff starter. From there, it was up and down all over again. 

But during all the trials and tribulations, Farmar displayed a nice combo of promise, smarts and work ethic, plus an iron will when in over his head (which was occasionally the case). He also has a tendency to telegraph passes, get burnt defensively and generally try to do too much, which is why I'm not sure the front office is convinced he's ready for full-time work running the '08 show. But whether he starts or plays off the pine, it's reasonable to think Farmar can improve upon a nice foundation built during his rookie campaign. Final grade: B-

*-AK*


Jordan Farmar's Exit interview is below the jump. 

*Q:* How did your interview go?

*Jordan Farmar:* It went well. They just talked about this season and what to work on during the summertime.

*Q:* You ended the season on a high note, with a starting spot during the playoffs. Was that important for you to finish strong?

*JF:*I think so. I think it was okay for me to show some positive signs, but I'm only out there to win basketball games and do whatever I can to help this organization. I'm not really thinking about personal things when I'm out there and the team's going. The summertime's when I can really focus on myself and work on things I need to work on. But when I'm out there, I don't really think about myself too much.

*AK:* What did it mean to you that Phil decided to stick with you as the starter during the playoffs, when there had been talk about him possibly going with a different starter for Game 5?

*JF:* I didn't even hear any talk about a switch. I don't really read the paper. I just try to stay focused and do my job. But it was a good feeling to be the starter and be the starting point guard for the Lakers. Go up against Steve Nash and all that great stuff. Playing for Phil Jackson, who's not really known to play rookies. Being a little guard and starting. And that stuff goes into it. But at the same time, I'm just trying to do my job and help this team in any way I can.

*AK:* The rookie season is now done. Thoughts on the experience?

*JF:* It was up and down, you know? I feel like I still have a lot more to offer, but I still feel like I had a productive, positive season. I learned a lot on and off the court. I played for a great coach who a different style of coaching than I'm used to, so I learned that there's a lot of differences and ways to go about it. I had a good time. I think I've grown as a player and a man. I've been humbled, having to play in the D-League and things like that. But it's just all been for my benefit and to help me grow.

*Q:* Did you guys talk about goals or is it too soon for that?

*JF:* I think it's too soon. Right now, I think you have to go work on the individual aspects. If you bring your game back at another level, you can definitely contribute to the team in more ways. The more weapons and things you have personally, the more ways you can help the team. 

*AK:* Is it ever surreal for you to put on the uni of the team I assume you grew up rooting for?

*JF:* Not really. Growing up, I kind of expected it. Not necessarily to be a Laker, I just expected to kind of be in this situation. When you expect something and you know you can do it, it doesn't really overwhelm you. 

*Q:* One of the biggest questions the Lakers have to answer over the summer is who'll be the starting point guard?

*JF:* That's not up to me to answer. I just work on my stuff and be ready if my name is called. I definitely want to be the Lakers starting point guard, but that's out of my hands right now, so i just have to go, get back to work, improve myself and be ready for training camp.

*AK:* What specifically do you want to work on?
*
JF:* A little bit of everything, but really over the summer, I can (look to) get shots in our offense, where I usually don't take shots. Watch some tape and see where I could have been more aggressive, make some things happen. Physically and defensively, that's pretty much all around. Just really focus on the way we play basketball and being able to be successful in this system.

*Q:* Can you talk a bit about watching your old UCLA teammates get to the Final Four and that loss to Florida? Was it tough for you to see?

*JF:* Yeah. I was really proud of them for what they did, rooting them on the whole time. Those are my guys. I was their leader less than a year ago, so it was a lot of fun seeing them grow, seeing them develop. And for me here, it was the same thing. They were looking on me with the same amount of pride. Being proud of me the same way I was proud of them. Watching me grow and I'm seeing the guys make tremendous improvements. Darren (Collison) from one year to the next. And for them to see me at this level, go through my ups and downs and keep fighting, keep working. It's just good both ways.

*AK*: You looking forward to someone else carrying your luggage next year?

*JF:* No, it's not really about that. (Smiles) I'm not worried about that. I'm here to play basketball. That stuff doesn't matter to me. I'll do it again if I have to.


----------



## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Maurice Evans*


*Report Card:* There are moves Mitch Kupchak made that deserve questioning and moves that deserve praise. The 2006 draft day trade of a late second round pick for Maurice Evans definitely falls into the latter category. Before a knee injury took a visible toll, Evans did a nice job as the Lakers' best bench asset, providing serious energy, solid D and some scoring (albeit the type that's often more than a little streaky and sometimes featured some shot-happiness). Were his passing and ball handling skills merely "decent" as opposed to "often shaky" Evans might have had a shot at displacing Smush Parker as a defensive "point guard in name only" starter. Unfortunately, once Mo's knee done swole up, his quickness and shot were never quite the same. But all in all, Evans delivered what you expect from a role player. Quality minutes and a willingness to do what's asked. Assuming he can remain healthy, he's a good guy to have around as the Purple and Gold look to regroup. Final Grade: B
*
-AK *


Maurice Evans' exit interview is below the jump.

*Q:* How would you evaluate this season for the Lakers?

Maurice Evans: In evaluating the season this year, we underachieved. Obviously, we've got a lot higher talent level than what translated into wins this year. 

*Q:* Is there anything specific that jumps out at you to explain why?

*ME*: You could say the injuries, but even throughout the course of injuries, we won big games that supposedly we shouldn't beat. So you can only use that excuse for so long. We had chemistry issues all year long, trying to find lineups that would work most efficiently. Even when he finally did get back healthy, we still didn't have enough fight and resolve to beat teams. Even when our playoffs lives were at stake, we still dropped games and put ourselves in position to where we almost didn't even make the playoffs. For us to have the talent we have on this team and arguably the best player in the NBA, it shouldn't have been that difficult, in my opinion.
*
Q:* Kobe Bryant's in the prime of his career and recently said the front office needs to do something to bring more help while he's still in his prime. Do you understand Kobe's thoughts there?

*ME:* I do understand the thought, but (also) didn't Michael Jordan win a championship when he was 38? Something like that? Is that not right? 36, 37, 38?

(Editor's note: Jordan actually won his final championship at age 35. He did, however, do considerable damage to the Wizard franchise at age 38. Even into his 40's, too!) 

*ME (Cont'd):* So a great player such as Kobe, (the way) players take care of their bodies now, you can still, if you're healthy, play this game for a long time. Just because you're turning 30 years old, Steve Nash is 33 and he's (getting) 23 assists (against the Lakers in Game 4). You can go down the line and mention players who played this game and are still effective. So I don't think that's the case. I think there is a sense of urgency, not because of age, but because you really didn't the result we were looking for. The product that we have right now isn't a championship caliber team.

*Q:* Can this group as is become championship caliber or, as Phil Jackson has said, do you think it could be one player away? Do you think there needs to be players added?

*ME:* I wouldn't disagree with that. I think a certain player could make the difference. I'm not a GM, so I'm not gonna play "Virtual GM," but certain things could definitely make the difference.

*AK:* How would you assess your first season with the Lakers?

*ME:* I always have high expectations for myself, so I know that I could have gone out there and done a little more. I wish that I would have gotten a little more minutes to showcase a little more, because I feel like I was getting into a groove and a good rhythm throughout certain parts of the season. Whether we would get back healthy or certain things would happen, even my own health, at times we just couldn't maintain it. I feel like we were, or at least I was constantly trying to readjust to different lineups, different roles, ever changing throughout the season. But I do feel like, at times in my role coming off the bench, that I was effective. I feel like I did a good job, even though I know I could have done a lot more.
*
Q:* What are some of the things you'll work on during the summer?

*ME:* Just continue to work on my guard skills for this offense, so hopefully I can play a little bit of the two-guard and go up top, maybe come off the pinch post and use my athleticism to attack the rim and face players up, instead of standing in the corner shooting threes or only getting to use my athleticism during the rare times that we fast break. I think that I can do just a lot more. I feel like I can defend, score and help us out in a lot of different ways.

*Q:* How's your knee?

*ME:* My knee is still swollen. I didn't really talk much about it. I just played through it. I didn't really make any mention of it and I felt like I could still be effective. Something I'm going to do is just take some time off in the next few weeks and get back fully healthy, now that I don't have to go back to practice every single day. Get healthy and really focus on coming back here next year and making a stronger impact than even what I made this season.

*Q:* So you can call your friend (and former teammate) Kevin Garnett and get him traded here?

*ME:* I would love to play with Kev. He's obviously a great player. He's very unselfish and passes. He's so unselfish, it's almost to a fault. I would love to benefit from some of his totally unselfish passes.

*AK:* As a "non-virtual" GM?

*ME:* (Smiles) Who knows?

*Q:* Do you think he'll end up staying in Minnesota or do you think it's time for him to move on?

*ME:* I know he definitely wants out of that situation and deservedly so. He's given his heart and his soul to that organization and whether it be here or Minnesota or wherever, I hope and wish him the best in his future.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Smush Parker*


There are exit interviews of the "Have a great winter, see you around the facility, looking forward to next year!" variety, and then there are true exit interviews. As in, "Turn in your keys and parking pass, leave an address with the secretary so we can forward your mail." For Smush Parker, his definitely falls in the latter category. While he didn't flat out say, "I'm not coming back next year," Smush made it pretty clear he didn't expect to be return, and if there was any doubt, P.J. would soon put it to bed. Parker won't be resigned, and there will be few tears shed among the Laker faithful, given that the pride of Fordham had become a lightning rod of criticism since the last few games of the '05-'06 playoffs.

In terms of grading him out, there is one important thing to remember about Smush Paker's performance in his second season as (more or less) the starting PG for the purple and gold: It isn't his fault that the organization couldn't come up with a better option. Parker isn't a starting caliber NBA guard, and to expect him to perform like one just because the Lakers had no real Plan B (not that it would have made a huge difference, but I would have like to see a little more run for Shammond this year) isn't realistic. On the other hand... even measured against himself, Parker didn't make any progress this season. He got off to a bad start early in the year, and never fully picked it up. Parker's scoring, rebounding, steals, assists, and FG% all went down in '06-'07, as did the consistency of his play. Not necessarily by a lot, depending on the category, but it's hard to say a guy made steps forward when the numbers go the other direction. 

Smush had some good moments, taking and making some big shots. And I still contend that a less surly attitude would have made his output seem far more palatable to Lakers fans (after all, scrappy lil' Sasha Vujacic is loved by many, despite being a much less productive player). But his disposition may be the worst possible for a point guard, and overall, he just wasn't good, especially defensively, where his effort and willingness to finish plays were always questionable. Again, given a second year to start in the NBA, Smush didn't progress but went backwards, his sense of entitlement seeming to grow daily. 

Smush seemed to become a symbol of everything that was wrong with the Lakers, "Starting point guard, Smush Parker!" not exactly being a healthy inclusion into the pregame introductions of a championship caliber team. And while I don't think he was as bad as many of you do- given the venom spewed by some fans you'd think Parker started off every game clubbing a baby seal at mid-court- I don't think he was good, either. And more importantly, I don't think Parker was nearly as good as I suspect he thinks he was... which goes a long way towards explaining some of his deficiencies as a ballplayer.
GRADE: C-, very narrowly missing a D+. And give me an hour, it'll probably head lower.

EXIT INTERVIEW:

Sometimes these things are boring. This one? Not as much.

Download smush_parker_exit_interview_1.mp3
-Smush on his exit interview ("They said what they needed to say, I said what I needed to say), on coming back next year ("The summer will play itself out."), on sometimes losing motivation during the season, his tenure with the Lakers ("They allowed me to show not only the world, but the rest of the NBA that I could play at this level.").

Download smush_parker_exit_interview_2.mp3
-Smush on the Parker/PJ controversy ("The situation between me and Phil Jackson was blown out of proportion... He knew I didn't have a problem with him, but the media made it out to be that."), on his relationships with teammates, his personality ("I could have done some things better to make my relationship with my teammates stronger," but he's a naturally quiet, occasionally "standoffish" guy), on learning from his experience as a Laker, on P.J.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Andrew Bynum*


More out of necessity than design, Andrew Bynum jumped from 46 games averaging 7:24 minutes a night in '05-'06 to 82/21:53 this season. Not surprisingly, considering he's still, like, eleven years old, the quality of those increased minutes were all over the map. Month to month, game to game, quarter to quarter, possession to possession, he wasn't often the same player, mixing in moments of great promise with stretches that would have Laker fans worrying about his future the same way some might fret over social security benefits. When the day comes to collect, will the goods be there? When he was good (during a relatively strong January, for example) Bynum showed soft hands inside, quick feet, and a nose for rebounding and blocking shots. There's no question that athletically, he's got the stuff. And even when he wasn't producing offensively, he still tended to stay aggressive on the boards and in shot blocking (his per 48 rebounding numbers led the team). I liked that he started using a short face-up jumper from the high post later in the year. Didn't generally go in, but he showed the confidence to try. I do think he tired out as the season went on, evidenced not just by high profile stats, but the serious drop off in his FT% in the second half. That's indicative of physical and mental fatigue, both understandable, given his age. 

And it's the mental stuff, I think, that has Laker fans worried. Does he understand how hard he needs to work to become a franchise player? How much he has to learn, and the time and drive it'll take to get there? His work habits were called into question more than once this year, even leading to the loss of his starting job after Kwame's first return from injury. Bynum isn't your average second year player. He's a massive physical presence, but not one who has been soaked in basketball since he was old enough to tie his shoes. Bynum's learning curve is going to be different. He needs to develop the drive that all great players have, to learn not to be content with what he has or where he is. I still think he's going to be a good player in the NBA, and has the potential to be very, very good. Whether he does it in a Lakers uni remains to be seen, since he's one of few purple and golders with obvious trade value. But that's another debate. 

This season, Bynum was a mixed bag, showing all the promise of youth while reminding everyone of its potential for disappointment. There's no reason to give up on him, but it might be a good idea to keep the Tums handy. 

GRADE: C/C+

EXIT INTERVIEW AUDIO
It's always refreshing to hear Bynum speak, because you're reminded often of how young he is. In this case, he says all the right things about working harder, and developing, and his ambition to be an All Star within four years. About "being able to be ahead of the basketball," meaning being in good enough shape to get up and down the floor to establish position on offense and cover the hoop on D, and how he hears the trade rumors. And also about how he's taking classes this off-season, and seems excited about it. No jaded vet likes school.

Download bynum_exit_interview.mp3


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Brian Cook*
*

Report Card:* Brian Cook became the Laker equivalent of a third down back or a situational lefty. A limited player whose role is almost entirely defined by circumstances. If you need scoring (and hopefully in a hurry), he plays. If you need anything other than scoring (especially D), he usually sits. Such irregularity explains in part why Cook's stats dropped in almost every category. Ultimately, he gives you exactly what's expected, but little more (and really, my biggest issue with Brian Cook is that he's not Josh Howard, although that's more Mitch Kupchak's fault). It'll be interesting to see what happens with Cook. He just inked a three-year extension, but it's reasonably priced, which means he could be a part of a swap. Lotta teams can use a 6'10" guy with three-point range. Then again, until Vlad Radmanovic starts hitting shots, so do the Lakers. Final grade: C-
*
-AK*

Brian Cook's exit interview is located below the jump.

*Q:* Obviously a disappointing end to the season. How are you feeling right now?

Brian Cook: I feel hurt. I feel like we didn't get to where we want to be. All we can do is learn from it, take that as motivation and come back stronger the next year.

*Q:* Could you have expected this after such a strong start?
*
BC:* I don't ever expect to lose, especially the way we did. We did play basketball the right way sometimes and other times we didn't. I think it had to do with a lot of injuries, a lot of things going on as far as different lineups and things. We weren't ever really ready to get that chemistry going because of that.

*Q:* What are your plans for the summer?

*BC:* Stick around here for a little bit. I'm gonna go back to Illinois for a little bit. See my mother, see my sisters. Work out with (Laker Athletic Performance Coordinator) Alex McKechnie in Vancouver this summer. Just try to come back in better shape. I think my ankle injury kind of set me back a little bit at the end of season, as far a lateral movement and things of that nature. I just tried to push through it. The team needed people, so we could win. Unfortunately, it didn't happen like that and you just learn from that.

*AK:* Your minutes went up and down a lot during the course of the season. Was that a source of frustration for you?

*BC:* It definitely was. There were times when I felt like I played well, produced and I got the minutes. But at the same time, I don't control that. I'll just be professional and come out ready to work every day.

*AK:* Do you have a better sense of what it'll take to make those minutes more consistent? 

*BC:* I think so. I'll just keep on working, keep on being a team guy. Keep on rooting for my teammates. I think it'll be fine. They're gonna use me how they wanna use me. That's why they have the jobs that they have. Myself, I just have to keep in good shape and keep my game where it's supposed to be.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Chris Mihm*


*Report Card:* I'm not gonna waste much time with analysis, considering the guy may not have actually taken part in a scrimmage, much less played a minute of regulation '06-'07 PT. That's about as "Inc." as they come. A crummy year for Chris Mihm, who's been busting *** to rehab one mofo of an ankle injury. But it sounds like things are finally moving at a promising pace. And given the Lakers' limited financial resources (which make a "Bird Rights" 7-footer appealing), that Mihm will obviously take a pay cut no matter where he goes (and if he's looking to showcase himself for a bigger contract, it would help to play in a familiar system) and he likes it here, I wouldn't be shocked to see Mihm on the roster next season, health provided. Final Grade: Inc.
*
-AK*

Mihm's exit interview is below the jump.

Here's the majority of the audio from Mihm's exit interview. 

But space ran out before he was concluded, so here's the rest.

*AK:* How tough was it for you to see what was happening down the stretch and still be a part of the team, but know you couldn't really help?

*Chris Mihm:* It was tough, like I said. Especially from how bright the first half of the year was. Obviously, there were a lot of factors that play into that. We had a lot of guys go down for a long period of time with injury. I think that kind of took a little bit of the wind out of our sails, the momentum we had going.  And obviously, guys were playing banged up at the end of the year. I think we lost a little bit of our mental focus, our mindset, and really kind of lost the path of what was getting us those wins and what made us an elite team. it was tough for me. These guy, they're not only my teammates, but my friends. Even though I wasn't a part of it, I cheered them on all year and wished them the best. This isn't the way I planned on the season coming to an end, but I know guys are gonna work hard and this team's gonna be back and better than ever last year.

*AK:* Have you been thinking about the areas where you want to improve? Or at this point, is it more about just showing that you're still physically able to play?

*CM:* Obviously, where I'm at right now, I'm still in rehabilitation mode. I'm getting myself back to that full speed basketball work, but once I get there, I want to continue to make that hook shots, both hands, is the weapon that is was. That was the shot that no one was gonna tough and as long as I did my work to get into it, it was an unstoppable shot for me. So I'm obviously gonna make sure that's in place for me and other than that, as of now, really just continue to work within the triangle. Boundaries and parameters. Keep working on my shot, make sure that stays there. Just make sure I'm in great shape come training camp next year, wherever it is.

*BK:* Can you feel a substantial difference between where your ankle is now and the first time you tried to come back?

*CM:* Yeah, without a doubt. As I start the running and the agility stuff, the foot has got a little discomfort and pain in various spots, but that's just kind of starting activity again. That's more muscle soreness and foot adjustment, as to when I was trying to come back during training camp, it was just a real searing, stabbing pain in my foot that we couldn't find a way to get a handle on it, much less to get it better. I knew something was wrong at that point. It's exciting to feel like I've got a foot again and to remember what it's like to not have pain in my ankle when I wake up every morning. That's put me in a good mindset here.

*Q:* Assuming things continue to go well with your rehab, Andrew and Kwame are still here. Did Phil and Mitch give you any idea how it would shake out?

*CM:* No, we didn't get into that. I think it's way early for that, especially for them. I'm sure changes are gonna be made this summer. We talked about that. What these changes are gonna be, I don't think anyone knows at this particular point, including them. It's gonna be a wait and see time here. July 1st is gonna tell a lot, not just for myself, but for this team and this organization.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Shammond Williams*


*Report Card:* When Shammond Williams was signed during the off-season, I wasn't convinced he'd end up getting much run, despite the lack of quality point guard competition. And he didn't, in part because getting hurt during training camp quickly put him behind the 8 ball, which led to Jordan Farmar snagging Smush Parker's back up role. But as a reasonably solid series against Phoenix showed, it might not have killed Phil Jackson to play him a little more. Granted, I don't think Williams would have ultimately made much, if any, difference, but as Bluto put it when Pinto asked why that was his pledge name, "Why not?" (Make sure to use Belushi's drunken voice for the full effect.) Either way, Shammond did a decent job during his limited minutes, but he didn't really make much of an impact. Good interview, though. Dude's very thoughtful and has a voice made for radio. Final Grade: D+ 

*-AK*

The exit interview is below the jump.

*Q:* The season's over and it's the final year of a one-year contract. What are your plans for next season?

*Shammond Williams:* I don't really know if I've gotten to the point where I know what I'm going to do, but I know what I'll be looking for. I know what my interests are as an athlete and I'll search for those situations in the off-season and do what's best for me, to put myself in a situation to excel.
*
Q:* What would be that situation?

*SW:* By far, I need an opportunity to play. To put myself in a position where I could compete to play. To put myself in a position where I can use my skills. Do the things I know I'm capable of doing to help the basketball team, be it here or in another situation.

*Q:* As an unrestricted free agent, what do you think your chances are of being back here next year?

*SW:* I really couldn't say what my chances are. That's something that will have to be evaluated later on.

*Q:* And there's 29 other teams out there. Pretty big pool.

*SW:* I'll ask you a question. Do you think there's other teams, or a team that can use my talent?

(The reporter agreed that some teams probably could.)

*Q:* Do you think you got to show some of the things you can do, especially later on during the playoffs?

*SW:* Defensively, I was able to show what I was capable of doing, but offensively, I really haven't been able to show what I'm capable of doing, outside of shooting the basketball. But I think a lot of people saw, once we started running Phoenix's offense (in practice), they turned me into "Steve Blash."
_
(Editor's note: That the line of the afternoon.)_

*SW (Cont'd):* They were like, "Oh my goodness!" So it's not that I wasn't capable of doing it or couldn't do it, but you have to be in a situation and feel comfortable, that allows you to be yourself. That shows the talents you can use at times.

*Q:* What did you and Phil talk about during the interview?

*SW:* We discussed... They just asked me a lot about myself, my opinion about a few things. Phil said some things to me that I appreciate and gave me some insight into a few things. You know, like he always does. Those other things I can't discuss, what he says or what Mitch says. I'll let them, if they want to disclose what was said, but I don't think that's my position to do that.

*AK:* Given how your minutes went up and down during the season and you went in and out of the rotation, how satisfying was it for you to get more minutes as the playoffs continued and the games became more important?

*SW:* Well, it was a shock to me, because the first game, I didn't even dress out, so I guess whatever I could do to help the team, I was concentrating on. Since my season was such a roller coaster, you could never get a rhythm. No matter what I could do offensively, I knew I could always play defense. Regardless of my situation, I felt like I could go out there, I felt like I could go out there, bust my tail and try to stop a person, to help my team be successful. Of course, it was tough, going up and down, not knowing if you were gonna play, sitting out for 50 games. The game you do play, you might play for 50 seconds one game, a minute, two minutes. That's tough, by far, because you're a competitor and I come into practice every day and I bust my ***. 

So it was tough, but I love the game of basketball and I respect the game of basketball. I wouldn't carry myself that would disrespect myself, nor the game, because we're all here to play the game. Even though things might not go your way, you still show respect for the game and for the people who taught me how to play the game. My two coaches in high school would have never allowed me to disrespect the game like that. Coach Dean Smith would have never allowed me to disrespect the game like that. As well as I understood "team," sometimes you have to take yourself out of the equation for the team. Even though I knew that I could participate and I could help the team, if I wasn't chosen to do that, then I still came in and did what I needed to do to put myself in a position that if I were called upon and when I was called upon, I was able to help my team.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Aaron Mckie*


*Report Card:* I don't think it necessarily qualifies as "going out on a limb" to say the front office would likely take a "do over" when it comes to last season's signing of Aaron McKie. Unless, of course, him playing 24 games over two seasons was part of some master plan (and if that's the case, I admire Mitch Kupchak's bold "outside the box" thinking, but advise another drawing board session). Fortunately, McKie took the disappointment of what may be his final NBA stop like a pro's pro, always working hard and trying to add a positive veteran presence. As I've said before, it bummed me out to see McKie's career wind down like this. Sympathy won't lead to grading his play on a curve, but I respected how he tried to make lemonade out of seriously tart lemons. Final Grade: F/Inc.

-AK

Hit the jump to read McKie's exit interview.

*Q:* How tough was it to witness, as basically an observer, what took place with this team down the stretch?

*Aaron McKie:* It was tough from a standpoint of, obviously, losing. I think this team had a lot more to give and it just didn't happen that way. Obviously, in the playoffs, somebody's going to win. One team's going to be better than the other. I thought the guys were competitive in the last game, but I thought there was there was a lot more energy needed to go out and beat (Phoenix), because they come out and they play with a lot of effort and energy.

*Q:* Have you had much of a chance to think about what's next for you?
*
AM:* No, I just want to go home and spend some time with my family. Just sit back and think about everything and see what happens from there. I'll definitely keep myself in shape, just in case. I don't know. It's a decision that I have to make and obviously it's a tough decision, so we'll see what happens.

*Q:* When you look back at your time with the Lakers, all the injuries and never really finding your place on the court, do you feel like you did what you wanted here?

*AM:* (Without hesitation) No. I didn't. I felt like that I could offer something to this team being out on the floor. But with me not being on the floor, there was still more that I could do with the knowledge that I have of the game and the experience that I have, being able to help these guys through situations and through the season. You never want to be a cancer to a team. Obviously, you have that happen with some organizations, where guys feel they aren't playing and they feel like they should be out there playing, but I wanted to be more supportive. Not just to the players, but to the coaching staff as well. And I've learned a lot from being in this organization, from the coaching staff to the players. This has been a situation that was definitely different for me, because I've always been the young guy on the team. And now, I was the older guy, the elder statesman on the team. The guys look to me for advice from time to time, which I took pride in. 

*Q:* What do you think this team needs to do to reach the next level?

*AM:* This was a young team. I don't think nobody really took that into consideration. Think about it. Andrew (Bynum) may have started half the season. Kwame (Brown) is still young. Luke (Walton). You know, the core guys that were out there playing. Mo Evans. Jordan (Farmar). Smush (Parker). Sasha (Vujacic). These are all young guys and they're still getting experience as far as playing and being in game situations. For that matter, playoff experience. That goes a long way. It took (Philadelphia, where McKie played for 8 seasons) a long time to advance. We always got knocked out in the first round. But each year, we learned from that. It sat in our stomach throughout the summer and each year we worked towards that. And I think that's something that these young guys have to understand. It's not party time when the summer comes rolling around. This is the time when you get better as an individual and be able to come together as a team to do it collectively. Try to set your goals to be an NBA champion, which this city and this franchise is accustomed to.

*AK:* You mentioned the experience and knowledge that you looked to share with the younger players. Could you feel any tangible results, either in their reactions or the way they carried themselves?

*AM:* Well, I don't think you'll see the results right away, because that's something that takes time. Once again, like I said, these guys are all young, so when I'm back in Philadelphia and I cut the television on and I'm watching these guys, how they conduct themselves, how they're playing, their feel for the game, then I can say, "Hey, maybe those guys got something from the conversations that we had."

*AK:* Is it almost like a "proud father" feeling, to some degree?

*AM:* You know, I would like to think. It's just somebody, a veteran just passing down knowledge and information that I received when I was in their shoes. When I was a young guy coming into the league trying to find my way, so I think that's just something that you do as a veteran, pass that knowledge down and hopefully, those guys will be receptive to taking it all in. And when they get to that point where they're in a situation like I was in, they can pass it down to someone. I've always looked at the NBA and being part of team as, it's not just about you as an individual. It's about everybody collectively.

*AK:* If you do end up choosing to retire, do you have any thoughts on how you'll look back on your career?

*AM:* I don't have regrets on how my career panned out. I've always been a worker from the time that I got into this league from the time that I finished, I did everything that was asked of me. Worked my tail off and I don't have anything to hang my head on. That's just the roll of the dice sometimes, the situation that you're put in, but I don't have any regrets. I enjoyed my stay out here and like I said, I wish I could have added more to it and played a little more, to be able to help these out, but that wasn't the case. 

*Q:* Do you ever think about coaching?

*AM:* Yeah, I think about it from time to time. That's something that, once again, when I'm back home in the summertime, I'll sit back and consider it. Throw my name in the hat. Maybe talk to a few organizations and see what it is that I can do. There are things that I have to learn about that. I think, for the most part, the X's and O's of the game, the feel of the game, I know all that. But when you're put in different systems, you have to get a better understanding of that. We'll see what happens with that.

*Q:* Having said that you would have liked to have contributed a little more, what do you think you could have done for this team?

*AM:* I don't know. I could sit here and say, "We would have swept Phoenix." (Laughs) You want me to lie to you? I don't know. (Laughs) I don't have a crystal ball or whatever, but I just think I could have brought some experience to the floor and I think that goes a long way at this time of the season.

*Q:* You've had a leadership role on other teams you've played with. How do you think Kobe did growing into that role?

*AM:* I think that's something that takes time, especially when there's a lot of pressure on you to be a leader. I don't think a leader necessarily means you have to be vocal. "Hey, man! You get here! You go here! I think sometimes leaders lead by example and I think he's done a great job of that. Getting in here and taking care of his body, working on his game and getting out and performing. Things of that nature. I think, with a guy like Kobe, a lot of guys are gonna follow his lead. I think he's making strides. I haven't been here long enough to evaluate him from day one when he got into the league up to this point, but I've been knowing Kobe since he was in junior high school. He's always been a good guy in my eyes. That's just something you get better with in time. 

*Q:* You sort of have to find your voice as a leader, is that part of it?

*AM:* I think you gotta get a feel for your teammates, what they can handle, the things they can take in. The dynamics of every team are totally different. Everybody's not going to be able to handle (everything) the same. That's something you have to gage from year to year, because each team, they make changes during the off-season and stuff like that. I think that with the core guys here, he understands them and they understand him.
*
Q:* Of the younger guys, who listens to you the most?

*AM:* All of them. I've never had a problem communicating with those guys. I think sometimes it can be a little too much, especially when you're not playing. There's only but so much you can tell those guy, because at some point, they're gonna look at you like, "What are you talking about? You're not even playing." I never wanted it to reach that point, where it was like I was talking to them and they weren't listening. So I kind of did it with baby steps.

*Q:* Were there some that sought you out more than others?

*AM:* I think all of them. If you watched the game, I always sat down at the end (of the bench) and if they were taken out of the game, they would come over and we would have little conversations. I would say, "Remember this play? When this happened and that happened?" They would listen and I would say, "Try to do it this way." Sometimes that helps. You don't wanna try to go to a guy in the heat of battle, they just look at you like you got ten heads. You don't want that to happen.

*AK:* During one of the San Antonio-Denver playoff games, the commentator said that Allen Iverson cited you as one of the people he learned the most from about how to lead. Did you ever share anything with Kobe, in terms of leadership insight?

*AM:* No, because it was always part of my job. I never put a "C" on my jersey and said, "I'm a captain," or put a sign on my back and said, "I'm a leader." This is just me. I come to the games early. I work, get myself prepared mentally and physically. Taking care of my body during the summer. I think that's leading by example. It never was a thing where we'd be in a timeout and I'd be like, "Be quiet! I'm the leader! I'm talking!" I think guys, they get a great deal of respect for you when they see you go about your business. I think that's what becoming a leader entails.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Vlad Radmanovic*


*Report Card:* We'll begin on a positive note. Vlad's shaggy mane and ever-changing facial hair styles provided some giggles, along with a nickname that allowed me to amuse myself ("Cat Stevens"). For that matter, he inspired quality nicknames from Kobe ("Halfpipe," "Slalom") and Phil Jackson ("Igor," "Count Dracula"), too. Unfortunately, that's pretty much the highlight of Radmanovic's season. The pre-season hand injury may have hurt any chances of a flying start, but he still spent of lot of time freelancing instead of trying to work within the offense. And he capped everything with a beyond stupid off the court injury (and an even stupider explanation). Vlad is the first to say his play and season were awful, so I don't feel bad agreeing with him. He does seem fairly determined to play better for the Lakers. Which works out fantastic, because with his trade value now just slightly higher than Darius Miles' and Mike Dunleavy's, he'll be a Laker for a while. Final Grade: F

*-AK*

Vlad Radmanovic's exit interview is below the jump.

*Q:* How was your exit meeting?

*Vlad Radmanovic:* Normal.

(Editor's note: While the K Brothers have both stated that we like Vlad as a person, we've also both stated that the dude is a little... um... odd. This would qualify as a classic "Vlad answer.")

(Everyone laughs.)

*Q:* How can it be normal? It's the first one you've ever had here.

*VR:* It's like all other exit meetings. That's why I said normal.

*Q:* I suppose of all the people on this team, you might actually be a little happy this season's over, just so you can put it behind you. It's been a tough season.

*VR:* I'm never happy when we end the season, especially in the first round. But definitely, I have to take some time and try to get back in the basketball shape I need to be in order to play at the level I was supposed to. A frustrating season, definitely. And I'm a big part of it, as you all know, but I'll just try to put it behind me and start from scratch.

*AK:* There had been some talk that Phil Jackson was going to activate you for the playoffs down the stretch, which didn't end up happening. Did you get a sense that he would?

*VR:* Honestly, I was ready. I worked hard rehabbing and getting back into shape. If he was about to call my name, I was ready to step up and play. I can be smart and tell you I would have played great, but I don't know how I would have played. He made a decision and I have respect for it.

(At this point, Kwame Brown peeked his head into the doorway and began whispering, "Why'd you jump off that mountain?" Vlad smiled, but I get the impression he's officially "over" snowboarding jokes.)

*AK:* Does next season carry kind of a "redemption" feeling for you, where you have something to prove?

*VR:* Definitely. I think I owe a lot to the organization and to the Laker fans. There were high expectations when I first came here and obviously, I didn't prove any of them. Definitely, next year I have to come back and play good basketball. Just try, like I said, to put everything behind me. That's the only way to do it.

*Q:* Were you able to develop any sort of relationship with Phil Jackson? In the beginning, it was sort of sketchy.

*VR:* I did, even though I didn't play the last three months. We got to know each other a little bit. He's a great coach. A little strange person, but I like it. He's really straight forward and there's nothing you really can't figure out from him. He just does it his own way and I have respect for it.

*Q:* Did he give you a book to read this season?

*VR:* No. (Smiles) That's probably why I didn't play.

*Q:* Did you ask for one in your exit interview?

*VR:* No, I'm gonna hope he gives me one next year.

*Q:* With the obvious first answer being "Park City," is there anything else regarding the season that you wish you could do over or approach differently?

*VR:* There are a lot of things I would change about last year. Maybe I'll just try to forget about it. There's too many things to change. Just putting it behind me and starting from scratch is something that I have to do in order to be the player I was supposed to be.

*Q:* What are your summer plans?

*VR:* I don't have any real plans. I'll stay here for a while, work on the strength in my shoulder. After that, I'll probably go home for a while.

*Q:* When you talk about being "the player I was supposed to be," how do you envision that?

*VR:* Somebody who's going to contribute on the floor, each and every night. Consistency is something I definitely have to work on, in order to be a better player. When I first came into the league, I had a goal to be a better player each and every year. This is probably I've had so far since I got into the NBA. It's hard for a player that signs a new contract. A lot of people expect you to get better and bring something new to the team and obviously, I didn't do it. That's what I have to do next year.

*Q:* How much of that struggle came from it being your first year in the offense?

*VR:* I never thought the offense was going to be a big problem. Obviously, there is a significant difference between Phil's offense and everything else I've faced in my career. It's a process, but I think so far, I gotta figure it out and hopefully, next year I'll be ready to explore it.

*Q:* When you arrived in L.A., did you picture yourself as a starter or did you leave it open to see what happened?

*VR:* I hoped I would be a starter, but I had a hand injury in training camp and Luke (Walton) stepped up and he played really good. He took the spot and there was nothing to complain about. He played better than I did in training camp and he knew the offense. I had no clue about it, so there was the other thing. He deserved it. So hopefully, he'll be back next year and both of us are going to try to fight for the same spot again.

*Q:* At what point, if at all, did you start feeling comfortable in the offense?

*VR:* Probably right before the All-Star break. I thought coming back from the break, I'd just be fresh and ready to continue from where I left. But unfortunately, that didn't happen. We all know why.

*AK:* While you obviously would have preferred to play, do you think you were able to learn a lot just from watching that many games from start to finish?

*VR:* Watching is different. When you're in a system and you run it, you know the timing and everything. When you watch it, you can figure it out, but unless you're on the floor and in the situation, you can't really pick it up that easy. But I think by February, I pretty much had it in my system. That's something that you work on each and every day and it just becomes a habit.

*Q:* Will you need surgery on your hand?

*VR:* I don't know. I'll talk to doctors and if something has to be done, I'd rather do it right now than wait a couple months and then figure out, "Okay, now I have to do a surgery." 
*
Q:* Does it still hurt?
*
VR:* I didn't play for three months, so I can't really tell you.
*
AK:* Can the disappointment from this season be channeled next year, either as motivation or a reminder?
*
VR:* Definitely. It's a huge lesson. Unfortunately, we can learn from other people's mistakes, but unless we experience it by ourselves, we don't believe it. You're always suspicious about it. But once it happens, you're like, "Wow. Did that really happen to me?" You all think it's impossible to happen to you, but once things happen, you feel vulnerable, too. It's a big reminder, too. It can definitely be channeled, but it's something that stays on your shoulders for a while. Every time you turn around, you see it. But like I said, just playing good and doing something different can do something to get rid of it.


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## afobisme (Apr 29, 2006)

wow, andrew is signing up at my school (LMU). a lot of teams come by our facility to practice too. saw yao and tmac earlier this year.

lmu is really small, so it wouldn't be difficult to miss him.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Thanks for all the interviews, homie. Good ****.


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## nguyen_milan (Jun 28, 2005)

afobisme said:


> wow, andrew is signing up at my school (LMU). a lot of teams come by our facility to practice too. saw yao and tmac earlier this year.
> 
> lmu is really small, so it wouldn't be difficult to miss him.


Tell him we say bye bye :biggrin: 













j/k


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

Basel57 said:


> Thanks for all the interviews, homie. Good ****.


No problem.  Took awhile to bold each question / answer but I got it done.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

yeah good stuff.

I am amused that everyone wants to come back and be a Laker again. I hope it translates into them all worling very hard this offseason. But probably its just them saying rehersed lines to the media so they dont sound like *******s. I wonder who will be back.


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## SoCalfan21 (Jul 19, 2004)

elcap15 said:


> yeah good stuff.
> 
> I am amused that everyone wants to come back and be a Laker again. I hope it translates into them all worling very hard this offseason. But probably its just them saying rehersed lines to the media so they dont sound like *******s. I wonder who will be back.


I really found that interesting also ha. It wont happen though. Kobe is probably telling himself.."they're only setting themselves up"


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

I found this question and answer pretty amusing with Williams:



> Q: Do you think you got to show some of the things you can do, especially later on during the playoffs?
> 
> SW: Defensively, I was able to show what I was capable of doing, but offensively, I really haven't been able to show what I'm capable of doing, outside of shooting the basketball. But I think a lot of people saw, once we started running Phoenix's offense (in practice), they turned me into "Steve Blash."


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## Shaolin (Aug 6, 2004)

> Vlad's shaggy mane and ever-changing facial hair styles provided some giggles, along with a nickname that allowed me to amuse myself ("Cat Stevens"). For that matter, he inspired quality nicknames from Kobe ("*Halfpipe*," "Slalom") and Phil Jackson ("*Igor," "Count Dracula*"),


LMBAO.......


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## afobisme (Apr 29, 2006)

if he chooses LMU, i'll probably see him.. since i'm going to summer school there.


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## Bartholomew Hunt (Mar 4, 2003)

Thanks Eternal.


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Lamar Odom*


<img title="Lamar_odom" alt="Lamar_odom" src="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/images/2007/05/07/lamar_odom.jpg" style="margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; float: left;" _base_target="_parent" border="0" height="352" width="235"></a> It's difficult to imagine that Lamar Odom could someday have a tougher year as a pro than the one he just finished.  The tragedy of losing his infant son in the offseason was compounded by an injury riddled regular season, a disappointing record and quick playoff exit.  On the court, Odom was playing arguably the best basketball of his career in November (18.3/8.2/5.0 in November) before suffering a knee injury on December 12th in Houston.  He came back after missing 21 games, but wasn't quite the same guy, reverting to the more inconsistent, too-often-unassertive L.O. that has frustrated fans and coaches throughout his career.  The year got tougher still when Odom tore the labrum in his shooting shoulder, costing him five more games and limiting his ability to knock down jumpers for the rest of the year.  Still, Odom established himself as a team leader, someone unafraid to say when he felt the collective effort wasn't enough, always while pointing the first finger at himself and his mistakes.  And in the postseason, L.O. tried to pick up his game, <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3327/gamelog" _base_target="_parent">recording five double-doubles</a> and hitting the glass hard (two 16 rebound games). 
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<div class="entry-more">
It's hard to grade out Odom, given how banged up he was by the end of the year (the dude looked practically mummified during pregame warmups in the playoffs).  And on a personal level, I admire how hard Odom played, and his continuous refusal to use his injuries as an excuse for off nights.  On a Laker team short on talent and even shorter on the type of chutzpah necessary to overcome it, nobody can accuse Odom of not leaving whatever he had out on the court.  Argue about his aggressiveness, argue about his consistency, but it's hard to criticize his effort.  <strong>GRADE: B,</strong> and it could have been higher, had the injury bug not hit so hard.

<strong>EXIT INTERVIEW:</strong>

Odom was clearly still carrying around the playoff disappointment last week, not surprising since he's a guy who tends to absorb rather than deflect blame and responsibility.  He'll likely require surgery on his shoulder, and perhaps his knee as well.  While he understands the situation in terms of the need for the team to make changes and improve, Odom said he's not worrying about it.  "My job is to go out and play basketball as hard as I can, to my fullest potential."  Still, he was clear that he wants to stay here.  "This is the team I want to retire with," Odom said.  It was also interesting to hear him talk about how the team can improve.  Most involved the intangibles of team building.  "We can work.  We can become closer as a team.  Work together, eat together.  Do all of the smaller things that it's going to take to win a championship."  Injuries, he said, took a major toll on that.  It's hard for guys going in and out of the lineup to find their place, to figure out how they fit in. 

"This one was a little long to me," Odom said of this year.  "I felt like I played great at times, but I wish I didn't have to get hurt.  That first knee injury I had in December took something out of me a little bit."  Add on the emotional burden he carried around, and it's not hard to see why Odom might welcome a little time away.  Once he's back to it, it'll again be about improving his right hand, "but there won't be one thing this summer that I won't work on, whether it's my right hand or getting stronger, or increasing my conditioning."

As for next year, "I know they want me to score.  I might be catching the ball closer to the basket."  That mentality of making sure he gets his shots and his points is still one that doesn't come naturally to him.  "I think people want to see me be aggressive on the offensive end," he said. "I try to play the game of basketball and not just score, but if that's what the people (meaning basically everyone he talks to about hoops, in and out of the organization) want to see, I guess they can expect that a little bit more from me next season."  

<a href="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/files/lamar_odom_exit_interview.mp3" _base_target="_parent">Download lamar_odom_exit_interview.mp3</a>


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## Eternal (Sep 7, 2005)

*Kobe Bryant*

<p><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=327,height=425,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/05/11/kobe_fadeaway.jpg" _base_target="_parent"><img title="Kobe_fadeaway" alt="Kobe_fadeaway" src="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/images/2007/05/11/kobe_fadeaway.jpg" style="margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; float: left;" _base_target="_parent" border="0" height="324" width="249"></a> The Lakers' second half swan dive didn't just cost them a crack at a higher playoff seed, but also a legitimate shot for Kobe Bryant to win the MVP.  When the Lakers were 26-13, looking like a team that could hang with the Houstons and Utahs in the solid second tier of Western Conference squads, led by a Bryant who was shooting well, passing and generally helping an undertalented squad play to the best of its potential, Bryant was being lauded in many circles for playing perhaps the best hoops of his career. It was certainly the best I'd seen him play.  Had the MVP voting taken place at that point, he'd have been a favorite.  Then the injuries hit and the team went into the tank.  Kobe was forced to carry the team offensively for massive stretches, bringing his percentage and efficiency down and using up the energy the Lakers would need him to have in the playoffs just to make them.  

Still there were plenty of great moments (the string of 50+ games, for example) and a season's worth of outstanding play.  In the end, though, Kobe was left with another scoring title, and not much else beyond deep frustration at the state of the team.  I do think Kobe went a long way towards changing the perception of his game and how he can adjust his play to lead and instil confidence in those he plays with.  It's a shame we didn't get a chance to see how it could have played out over a full season, but the real test will come when (lord willing) there's a better supporting cast around him.  I think he's up to it- the prospect of more seasons like the last three has sharpened his focus on winning- but there will always be doubters.  Still, however you slice it, it's hard to argue with Kobe's production this year.  <strong>GRADE: A</strong>
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<div class="entry-more"> <strong>EXIT INTERVIEW:</strong>  You're going to want to listen to this one in its entirety. It's interesting on a lot of levels, most noteably because the veneer of patience Kobe has shown over the last three seasons seems to have officially worn off.  Improvements need to be made.  "I just voiced my opinion," Bryant said of his meeting with management, "and now they know that they've got to go out there to do the best that they can to try to make it happen.  That's one of the things when I resigned here, they promised to build a contender, adn build a contender now.  I don't want to have to wait more than I already have."  

<a href="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/files/kobe_bryant_exit_interview_1.mp3" _base_target="_parent">Download kobe_bryant_exit_interview_1.mp3</a><br>Kobe was pretty clear that things have to get better, and that Mitch Kupchak and the gang understand how he feels on the issue.  "We have to improve in a myriad of areas," so while Bryant can't say definitively how improvements can be made given the salary constraints the Lakers are working with, he knows there are plenty of issues that can be addressed... and they need to be.  As for his own "window," he didn't sound concerned.  "I feel fine physically.  I still eat like crap.  The important thing to me is winning, now.  It's not waiting, or this, that or the other."  It's a question of going into the season with a reasonable shot of winning the whole thing, and then doing it.  Asked about the opt out clause he can exercise in two years, Kobe replied, "I hate to even think about me going someplace else."  Which is not, by the way, the same as saying "I won't go somewhere else."  Just something to think about. 

Telling, too, was his response to the question about making progress internally with the pieces they have.  "No, something has to get done.  We can't be in the same position next year."

<a href="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/files/kobe_bryant_exit_interview_2.mp3" _base_target="_parent">Download kobe_bryant_exit_interview_2.mp3</a><br>Kobe said he felt guys gave their best effort.  "It was a very difficult season with injury, and new guys being thrown into the rotation and trying to learn on the fly and things of that nature.  It was very difficult, and I feel like they gave it their best shot," he said.  As for the offense, he told a story about talking this season to Robert Horry when the Lakers played the Spurs, and Horry joked the Lakers looked like they were running the "Bermuda Triangle."  It's about finding players that fit the mold and understand what needs to be done, but "it's just basketball."  Asked about Phil Jackson and if he'd like see him get an extension, his reply was definitive. "Absolutely.  Absolutely.  The thing about coach is you know is style, you know the way he coaches, and it's proved to be effective at winning championships.  So now it's just about getting players who can play for him, who are willing to play for him.  If we do that, we'll be okay."  In the second go-round, the two, Kobe says, are very much on the same page.     

<a href="http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/files/kobe_bryant_exit_interview_3.mp3" _base_target="_parent">Download kobe_bryant_exit_interview_3.mp3</a><br>"This is really on "E," so we really got to put the pedal to the metal and try to do something," Bryant said.  And he believes Dr. Buss feels the same way, and wants to win.  "He's going to do whatever it takes to make it happen."  Asked about the trade value of his teammates in terms of getting help, Kobe basically said he doesn't play GM.  He had high praise of Lamar Odom ("He's a phenominal player," Bryant said, who played hurt through most of the season.) but said again the team just needs to get better.  How isn't in his realm.  Just needs to get done.  One positive of this season, Bryant said, was that the trials and tribulations helped him develop as a leader. "It's one thing to lead when everything's going right.  It's another when you've got adversity and you're struggling.  That's when you're really, really tested as a leader, and try to keep the ship going."


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