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Photo courtesy of NBA.com
LeBron James is a Los Angeles Laker. Which looks less weird than Kawhi Leonard in a Raptors jersey but still is sufficiently weird. Just like the choices the team official Twitter account went with for photos here.
Fun game. Do you think it is more likely the guys he’s smiling next to(Kyle Kuzma, Lukw Walton) or the stoic expressions(Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram) are on the team by season end? I’m on team mean mug!
On a more serious note, Coach Walton had this to say about Bron’s arrival and the effect it has on the young roster and organization.
“He knows what time it is, he’s been around a lot of years. He’s setting the tone that it’s time to work. He comes in every day and works during the offseason, playing pickup and things like that. He’s still, by example—the way he comes in and lifts weights, does his prep work, post work—is serious. There’s definitely that look that I’ve seen before in somebody that I used to play with that knows the season is coming up soon.”
Walton claims the player he was talking about is Ronny Turiaf, but many speculate he meant Kobe. I’m betting Kobe, I don’t know if Turiaf knew when the season was starting each year.
LeBron confronted the possibilities of being distracted by outside commitments within the Los Angeles media market head on.
“My decision was based solely on my family and the Lakers,” James said. “I am a basketball player. I play ball, that’s what I do. That’s what I live by, and when I do it at the level I do it at, everything takes care of itself.”
Wow. I hope that doesn’t mean he’s going to mail in his performance on Space Jam 2. People will forgive if the Lakers struggle this season but let that movie flop and kiss surpassing Michael Jordan goodbye. Will anything change this year?
“My game does not change no matter who I’m alongside,” James said. “I believe my game can fit with anybody. I’m a team-first guy. I love passing the ball, love sharing the ball.”
The King adapts to nobody; nobodies adapt to the King. Go on.
“And then watching these guys from the outside looking in (last year), the level of pace that they play with I’m excited about. I love running up and down and things of that nature.”
Isn’t this the guy that found new ways to take naps during games? Can ‘things of that nature’ be defending the pick and roll with Rajon Rondo? Kuzma is apparently ready to pick up the slack when asked about what he improved upon in the offseason.
“I think the biggest thing is defensively — that’s been my focus this whole summer,” Kuzma said. “Really just trying to get my body right. Get stronger, quicker, more agile. The knock on me last year was defense. Not every rookie can come in and be perfect. That’s just one area I really wanted to fine-tune.”
Hopefully these guys share the sentiments. And if they don’t, how bad can it really be?
Photo courtesy of Sbnation.com
Doing NBA Media Day for the Boston Celtics and then doing a better job on the Lakers kind of eats me up inside. I mean, even living in New England I grew up a giant Kobe fan and when he got revenge on the C’s in the 2010 Finals I was surprised to find deep inside I really didn’t mind… Wait did I just admit that? Supposed to take that one to the grave. Ah no worries, the editor always chops stuff like this out.