The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to snap their losing streak against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night as the news and rumors ramp up.
Check out the latest buzz below.
Bryant to Retire After Contract, Kupchak Says
Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak says that Kobe Bryant will retire after his contract, which runs through the 2015-16 season.
“All indications are, to me, from him, that this (two-year contract) is going to be it,” Kupchak told NBA.com.
“If somebody’s thinking of buying a ticket three years from now to see Kobe play, I would not do that. Don’t wait. Do it this year.”
Bryant has commented on the situation, telling Yahoo recently that he enjoys the grind of the NBA but when he stops enjoying it, he'll retire.
“It’s a lifestyle, an absolute around-the-clock lifestyle. There’s no getting away from it,” Bryant told the website. “I’ve always enjoyed that aspect of it, the process of it, the building of it. But there will come a point when I don’t anymore, and then it will be over for me.”
Young Responds to Being Left Out of Lineup Change
Nick Young thought he might be part of the lineup change, but was left coming off the bench. The change had Ronnie Price replace Jeremy Lin and Ed Davis replace Carlos Boozer in the starting lineup.
Young said he’s comfortable as the sixth man, but wouldn’t mind starting.
“If they want me to start, I'd like to hear my name called in that starting lineup, some time. See how it feel to play with Kobe a little bit more, but I’m comfortable,” he told Lakers Nation.
Young did admit that the change affects both the starters and the bench, as he had to adjust to playing more with Lin and Boozer.
“Jeremy Lin likes to look for his shot a little bit more than Ronnie Price, so we have to adapt to different players playing different positions,” he said.
Young also joked that he laid down rules for Lin and Boozer.
Coach Byron Scott said that Young will likely not start.
“I think he loves coming off the bench and I think he likes that role as well,” Scott said of Young, reported the L.A. Daily News. “There’s not whole lot of guys in this league that are comfortable and accept that role. But Nick is one of those guys.”
Boozer Seeks Advice
Boozer did say that he sought advice from Young about staying warm off the bench.
“It’s different coming off the bench. I’ve never come off the bench my whole a career,” he told the Los Angeles Times.
“I talked to Swag about it, trying to stay warm on the bench -- things like that. Hopefully we can start getting wins, if it works.”
Boozer said he was surprised by the demotion. “I didn’t expect that. But if it helps our team win, I’m a team player. So if it helps our team win, that’s what it’s going to be,” Boozer said, noting that coach Scott didn’t inform him of the change before the game.
Boozer had his streak of starting 569 consecutive games snapped with the demotion.
“With me, it’s nothing personal, because I like Carlos and I like Jeremy,” Scott said.
“But from basketball standpoint, I had to make a change because I wasn’t getting what I needed from that first unit, so I made changes.”
Scott also said he met with Lin, who took his removal pretty well.
“This is one of the toughest situations I’ve been in every since I played the game of basketball,” Lin said. “It’s tough, but I believe God has me for a reason and I just keep working.”
And Scott said he felt good that Boozer wasn’t happy about the promotion. “Wouldn’t expect him to be pleased,” reporter Mike Trudell paraphrased Scott as saying.
Ellington to Start?
Another option for the starting lineup--besides Young--is Wayne Ellington.
The Lakers Nation blog says Ellington should be plugged in, replacing Wesley Johnson.
“The individual numbers on Ellington have been outstanding in limited minutes so far this season. He is averaging 7.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in only 17 minutes, but his efficiency has been outstanding as he is second on the team in both true shooting percentage (59.6) and effective field goal percentage (59.1),” it said.
“His three point shooting has been fantastic at 39.4 percent and he contributes on the glass as well. He has the highest rebounding percentage of any wing player on the Lakers. His presence in the starting lineup would provide much needed spacing for Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin when they attack. Ellington taking the corner threes that Johnson gets is a much better proposition for the Lakers offense, and the tradeoff on defense is minimal at best.
“For all of his physical attributes, Johnson has been anything but a lockdown defender. He made an excellent play on James Harden in Houston, but there haven’t been very many like it. He is a master at getting his hand on the ball, but he is awful at actually catching it and turning it into a turnover.
“Ellington being inserted would likely force Kobe to move to the small forward position, but Bryant is more likely to be successful guarding bigger guys than quick guards anyway. The move of Ellington into the starting lineup also keeps Nick Young in his best spot, as the sixth man, and Johnson being a part of the second unit that gets up and down the floor a little more might be a better fit for him as well.”
Scott has expressed willingness to keep tinkering, so Ellington could see a spot in the starting 5 at one point.
“Just trying to inject some more energy into our team and let them know, if you think your minutes are guaranteed, it really isn’t,” Scott told the L.A. Daily News.
“To be honest with you from a coaching standpoint, I have nothing to lose. I really don’t.”
