Lakers in the News 7/26/12 & 7/27/12: Update 10pm: Lakers Rumors: Lakers reach out to free agent Jodie Meeks

[Cha*n]

Dwight Howard still wants to be traded by Orlando Magic

After meeting with Orlando Magic GM Rob Hennigan on Wed. July 25, Dwight Howard remained adamant about wanting to be traded by the team according to Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM.com:

Howard was staunch in his stance and again made it clear to Hennigan that he has no desire to return to Orlando. He told the 30-year-old general manager that he would “never sign another contract with the Magic,” according to sources that spoke with RealGM.

Howard gave the Magic three options with an immediate to the Los Angeles Lakers being the first on the list. Along with a potential trade to Los Angeles, Howard also mentioned he wouldn’t mind being dealt to the Brooklyn Nets in January or leaving the team via free agency after the 2012-13 NBA season.

[Cha*n]

Dallas Mavericks to open season at Lakers against Nash

Posted Thursday, Jul. 26, 20120 Comments PrintReprintsShare on
By FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
The Dallas Mavericks open the 2012-2013 season at the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 30, and immediately have a back-to-back with a game the next night at the Utah Jazz. The NBA schedule was released Thursday night.

The opener against the Lakers will be televised on TNT. It will be former Maverick Steve Nash's debut with the Lakers.

Nov. 3, against the Charlotte Bobcats, is the home opener.

Deron Williams, who spurned the Mavericks to sign re-sign as a free agent with the newly relocated Nets, and Brooklyn pay their only visit to American Airlines Center on March 20. The Mavericks make the trip to Brooklyn on March 1.

The Mavericks are not in the Christmas Day mix.

The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the NBA champion Miami Heat as part of a five-game slate on Christmas Day (to be aired on ABC.

The All-Star Game is in Houston on Feb. 17. The regular season ends April 17.

[Cha*n]

Lakers to play New York Knicks on Christmas Day

By Mark Medina
July 26, 2012, 5:07 p.m.
The Lakers are still forming their roster for the 2012-13 season.

But they at least know who, when and where they'll play. And unlike last season, games are not at risk of being canceled because of labor woes.

The Steve Nash-Kobe Bryant duo will make their debut Oct. 30 at Staples Center against the Dallas Mavericks. Lakers fans will also pay attention to other dates.

Nash will first host his former team, the Phoenix Suns, on Nov. 16 before playing them in Phoenix on Nov. 30 and March 18 and in L.A. on Feb. 12. The Lakers have another marquee Christmas Day game at Staples Center (New York Knicks at noon). The Orlando Magic visit the Lakers on Dec. 2 -- which uniforms will Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum be wearing? If they haven't swapped teams before then, perhaps they might by the time the Lakers play at Orlando on March 12.

[SilverBullet]

Why are you making different thread when your "news thread" is already sticky? Merge these to there?

http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=148528
_________________
You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.

[lakerjoshua]

[Cha*n]

[Cha*n]

Lakers Rumors: Lakers reach out to free agent Jodie Meeks

The search for a free agent shooting guard continues for the Los Angeles Lakers with the team in need of a viable option off the bench behind Kobe Bryant. There are still some options available at this position in free agency, but only a few that might be willing to take the veteran’s minimum that the Lakers are likely to offer.

Perhaps one of the best remaining options for the Lakers is Jodie Meeks. According to Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld.com, the Lakers are currently in talks with Meeks as of July 26:

“
"The Los Angeles Lakers continue to express interest in Jodie Meeks, according to source. No deal is imminent, but the two sides are talking."

Of the options left available at shooting guard in free agency for the Lakers, Meeks is arguably one of the most appealing. At 24-years-old, 25 in August, the Lakers would be able to go younger with Meeks rather than signing a veteran guard over 30 to a one-year deal.

[Cha*n]

Five things to take from Lakers' 2012-13 schedule

By Mark Medina

July 26, 2012, 7:50 p.m.
Here are five things to take away from the release of the Lakers' 2012-13 schedule.

1. The Lakers open the season with a favorable schedule. It's fair to say the Lakers won't have to experience the same sort of anxiety that they to start last season. You know, the whole nixed Chris Paul deal, Mike Brown having little time to teach new concepts in a brief training camp, the Lamar Odom trade and opening the season with three games on consecutive nights.

That won't be an issue this time around. The Lakers have a full training camp and, more importantly, a favorable schedule. They play 12 of their 17 games to open the season in the comfortable confines of Staples Center. Only 11 of their first 30 games are against teams who made the playoffs last season. Of the 16 back-to-back games the Lakers face this season, only five of them happen from October to January.

The Lakers have more stability entering this season than the previous one. But the Lakers should take full advantage of having more time for Brown to implement schemes as Steve Nash and Antawn Jamison get acclimated.

[wolfpaclaker]

So awesome to have you, Ch*an ! Been super busy .... Good work.

I hope we sign a shooter - not sure if Meeks is that but he has good shooting % in his career.

We really need a knockdown shooter out there with the big 4 of Nash/Bryant/Gasol/Bynum.

[Omar Little]

[Remembering Showtime]

[eureca]

Here's a Pau article. Didn't see it posted.

Spain's Gasol Feels Like 'a Beast' at Games

Pau Gasol described his health and mindset as the Spanish National Team approaches its first game of the Olympic tournament on Sunday against China.

"I'm a beast," Gasol said. "Yeah, I feel pretty good. I feel strong."

Gasol led Spain with 19 points in an exhibition game loss to the United States on Tuesday.

"I have been preparing myself and working to get better this summer," Gasol said. “First for the Olympics and to perform at a high level to be able to achieve our goal, and then when the Olympics are over, take a little break and continue to prepare myself for what's going to be a very demanding (NBA) season, a season where we (the Lakers) want to get back on top as a team."

[Cha*n]

[LakerFan87]

If we could get Meeks with the vet minimum, that would be amazing.

Jamison and Meeks....best bench veterans minimum duo in the history of western civilization!
_________________
...in my opinion.

[Tanlentueux]

[Luke]

[SilverBullet]

[Nobody]

[jim93]

Meeks would be a nice realistic pickup if he comes cheap.

[Cha*n]

London Olympics: Lakers star Kobe Bryant backtracks on Dream Team

Lakers' Kobe Bryant, quoted earlier that 2012 U.S. squad would beat the original 1992 Dream Team, now says he didn't mean that the current team was better—only that it was capable of winning a game.

By Mike Bresnahan

July 27, 2012, 7:30 p.m.
LONDON -- On second thought, maybe the original Dream Team was better.

So says Kobe Bryant, who lighted a metaphorical fire around his feet earlier this month by saying this year's U.S. team would beat the original cast of NBA stars from 1992..

"I didn't say we were a better team," Bryant said Friday amid a mob of reporters at an introductory Olympic news conference. "But if you think we can't beat that team one time? Like I'm going to say no, that we'd never beat them."

Bryant agreed with President Obama, who countered Bryant's comments earlier this month by saying the 1992 squad was superior.

"He's right. They are a better team," Bryant said. "The question was 'Can we beat them?' Yes we can. Of course we can.

"We like where we are but we're not going to compare ourselves to them because those guys are living legends. We just hope that when our careers are all said and done, people can look back on our team and say we had quite a bit of Hall of Famers as well."

[Cha*n]

Los Angeles Lakers Could Acquire 76ers' Jodie Meeks, Further Improve Bench

By Michael C. Jones | Yahoo! Contributor Network

COMMENTARY | With the Dwightmare looming in Los Angeles, it's refreshing to hear sensible developments when it comes to the Los Angeles Lakers, the latest being the front office's pursuit of Philadelphia 76ers guard Jodie Meeks.

A move for Meeks may be simple and not exactly what Lakers fans are looking for, but it's realistic, smart, and reasonable. The Lakers have been plenty busy this offseason, and all indications are they aren't done. When it comes to greatest team needs, the Lakers must improve their second unit above anything else.

Athleticism, perimeter shooting, and total offensive production are what the reserves struggled with most in 2011-2012. They were last in the league in scoring at 21.3 points per game during the regular season. Meeks would be only a role player, but he will provide key scoring off the bench should the Lakers trade for him.

Another important consideration is that he has the ability to ease the wear and tear on an aging Kobe Bryant.

[Cha*n]

News dominated by the Olympics today obvious. Hope we add Meeks soon.

[ReaListik]

[DaGreatKobe]

[Texas_Pete]

Meeks would probably be the best backup Kobe ever had. Kobe could conceivably play 35 mpg (or less against lotto teams) with Meeks on the roster. Do it Jim, er uh, Mitch!