Why are you a Fan: NBA Edition

We are all fans of particular NBA teams, but it is important to ask: Why do we like the teams that we do?
Was it as simple as cheering for the local team? Or was it parental influence? Was it a favorite player, like Michael Jordan? How about a style of play, like the fast-paced Phoenix [...]

Mihm to Return

After signing free agent guard Derek Fisher, the Lakers also decided to re-sign center Chris Mihm, who missed all of last season due to reconstructive ankle surgery.
Mihm, who was an unrestricted free agent, averaged career highs of 10.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.24 blocked shots during the 2005-06 season.
Unlike many Laker fans, I actually like [...]

Fisher to Return to LA

Former Laker guard and three-time NBA champion Derek Fisher is coming back to Los Angeles to rejoin Kobe Bryant in the Lakers backcourt.
Fisher, 32, cleared waivers on Thursday, and the Lakers scheduled a news conference for Friday in order to announce his signing. The contract reportedly worth $14 million over three years.
Two weeks ago, Fisher [...]

Jermaine O’Neal buys LA Home

Could Jermaine O’Neal be on his way to Los Angeles to play for the Lakers? Well…
Sources have told WTHR’s Henry Wofford of Indianapolis that Jermaine O’Neal has purchased a home in Los Angeles within the past 6 weeks.
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the teams interested in trading for O’Neal. Reporter Peter Vecsey says [...]

Rumor Mill: Fisher to LA?

Could Derek Fisher become a Laker once again? According to the Los Angeles Times, the answer is yes. Derek Fisher, who turns 33 next month, remains a strong possibility to sign with the Lakers. Since he is 33, it is likely that he won’t receive anything more than a three-year contract for about $18 million. [...]

Lakers Re-Sign Walton

Luke Walton reached agreement Sunday with the Los Angeles Lakers on a six-year, $30 million contract after general manager Mitch Kupchak placed a call one minute after midnight to express the team’s interest in retaining its best unrestricted free agent.They called at the earliest possible moment, and we worked on it all day,” agent Lon [...]

Lakers Draft Grades

Los Angeles LakersDraft grade: B
Picks: Javaris Crittenton (No. 19), Sun Yue (No. 40), Marc Gasol (No. 48)
There weren’t many ways for the Lakers to appease Kobe Bryant, whose trade demands have dominated the airwaves. With their first round pick they took point guard Javaris Crittenton from Georgia Tech. He is an intruiging prospect, but with [...]

LA Insider (06/08/07)

Here is the first ever weekend rant. Enjoy!
7. USC’s Josh Pinkard got arrested on suspicion of drunk driving a few weeks ago. I was really surprised to see the lack of publicity it got. Usually the Los Angeles Times is really looking to bash the Men of Troy in anyway they can.
6. Kobe has been [...]

Kobe Demands a Trade

The story lines that have engulfed the Los Angeles Lakers in the last week hit a crescendo Wednesday when Kobe Bryant said he would welcome a trade.Kobe: “I would like to be traded.”
Kobe Bryant tells Stephen A. Smith on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York that he wants to be traded from the Lakers — [...]

Smush not expected to Return

To put it bluntly, Smush Parker’s two-year tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers has basically ended.
Phil Jackson was quoted saying a few days ago, “We were very point-blank with Smush in saying, ‘Hey, we know we have to go in another direction at this position. We have to get better at this position.’ At this [...]