Follow Club Lakers on Twitter
RECAP posed by: lakersfreak @ Lakers Ground
Mitch was on with Rob Fukuzaki. This is not verbatim but its close. Excuse the typos, spelling ect.., its a long one.
Rob: What about Horry's 3 that went in and out.
Mitch: It could have changed that series against the spus, but that the Lakers have benefited from that shot in the past, sometimes they just don't go in.
Rob: In the finals, a lot of people look at the box score and for Rick Rox they don't see a lot of stats, but he means so much for the team, away from the ball he does so much that does not show up in the box scores, how much did the team miss Rick during the playoffs?
Mitch: When Rick went down against Minny we had enough to get thru that series, Devean came in and played well. But not only does Rick score points and produce defensively, he's an emotional leader for the team and when he went down Devean came in, played a game, then Devean went down. So actually our depth got reduced quite a bit and our bench wasn't a deep as it could have been, so it had a big effect on our perfomance, but we didn't play as well as we could have, I think the best team won tonight, san antonio.
Rob: If you had to pick 1, what was the single most disappointing thing about this past season?
Mitch: We were never able to climb out of the hole we dug early on, our team was not intact during training camp, we had some suspensions early in the season, we spent 3 to 4 months just trying to get to .500. Once we got to .500 we were able to put together a nice run towards the end of the season, our goal was to try to improve our position in the playoffs and we didn't quite do that, so we spent the whole season trying to get to the next step and we never got there.
Rob: What about the defensive inconsistencies this year?
Mitch: Because our training camp didn't go well and a bunch of injuries and trying to climb out of that hole, we never got the rythm you want to get offensively or defensively. And the other teams got better.
Rob: Shaq has said he has hired a personal trainer. Was his conditioning a hinderance to him and the team?
Mitch: For Shaquille I think the most important thing for our team this summer, and we have a lot of work to do, we have the draft coming up, we have the free agent date where we can pursue free agents, and you can only make a trade at certain times of the year as well, but I think the most encouraging sign for us is that our players should be healthy going into training camp. In the past 2 seasons, Shaquille missed camp w to pick 1, what was the single most disappointing thing about this past season?
Mitch: We were never able to climb out of the hole we dug early on, our team was not intact during training camp, we had some suspensions early in the season, we spent 3 to 4 months just trying to get to .500. Once we got to .500 we were able to put together a nice run towards the end of the season, our goal was to try to improve our position in the playoffs and we didn't quite do that, so we spent the whole season trying to get to the next step and we never got there.
Rob: What about the defensive inconsistencies this year?
Mitch: Because our training camp didn't go well and a bunch of injuries and trying to climb out of that hole, we never got the rythm you want to get offensively or defensively. And the other teams got better.
Rob: Shaq has said he has hired a personal trainer. Was his conditioning a hinderance to him and the team?
Mitch: For Shaquille I think the most important thing for our team this summer, and we have a lot of work to do, we have the draft coming up, we have the free agent date where we can pursue free agents, and you can only make a trade at certain times of the year as well, but I think the most encouraging sign for us is that our players should be healthy going into training camp. In the past 2 seasons, Shaquille missed camp with foot surgery and thats not going to happen this year and Kobe had surgery last week and we are hoping thats going to be behind him the rest of the year. So #1 for us is to get into training camp healthy and ready to go. And we have to make some improvements, were probably going to be without Fox to start the year, so we have to have someone step up in his place.
Rob: Kobe made some unbelievable dunks, posterizing the league, does it concern you when he goes up so strong? When he comes back from the injury do you think it will eaffect his play at all?
Mitch: Thats Kobe's nature, his nature is to attack, and he will never back down from someone guarding the basket, or something that looks like he may not be able to do it, he will always believe he can do it and he will always attack, thats just his nature, his injury won't affect how he plays next year, I guarantee it.
Rob: You gotta like the fact that he had the surgery immediately, he got a second opinion, but he got the surgery done early so he will be ready for training camp.
Mitch: It was something that bothered him though out the playoffs. But if you walk up to Kobe and ask him how he feels he says he feels great, don't worry about me. But after a play or an akward movement you would see him grab it so you knew it was bothering him. Were happy he got it addressed, got it behind him ith foot surgery and thats not going to happen this year and Kobe had surgery last week and we are hoping thats going to be behind him the rest of the year. So #1 for us is to get into training camp healthy and ready to go. And we have to make some improvements, were probably going to be without Fox to start the year, so we have to have someone step up in his place.
Rob: Kobe made some unbelievable dunks, posterizing the league, does it concern you when he goes up so strong? When he comes back from the injury do you think it will eaffect his play at all?
Mitch: Thats Kobe's nature, his nature is to attack, and he will never back down from someone guarding the basket, or something that looks like he may not be able to do it, he will always believe he can do it and he will always attack, thats just his nature, his injury won't affect how he plays next year, I guarantee it.
Rob: You gotta like the fact that he had the surgery immediately, he got a second opinion, but he got the surgery done early so he will be ready for training camp.
Mitch: It was something that bothered him though out the playoffs. But if you walk up to Kobe and ask him how he feels he says he feels great, don't worry about me. But after a play or an akward movement you would see him grab it so you knew it was bothering him. Were happy he got it addressed, got it behind him and hopefully he will be on to a speedy recovery.
Rob: A lot of teams came calling about their GM vacancy, the Lakers said no, they could not talk to you, because we are very happy with you. They are showing a lot of confidence in you.
Mitch: I have been here since 1981 and we have the best owner in professional sports with Dr. Jerry Buss. Its nice to know that I'm in his future and I hope to be in his future for a long, long time.
Rob: Phil Jackson is usually gone fishing after the season but he stuck around this year, he seems really committed to bringing the title back to the Lakers.
Mitch: We have been off now close to a month, our staff is in town, on the way here I stopped and worked out two euro players, getting ready for the draft in 10 days. Phil and I meet every day about ways to improve the team.
Rob: How much did Phil's surgery change him?
Mitch: He really changed quickly for the positive. When I spoke to him he said he felt immeasurably better, immediately. Prior to that there was a period of months where he didn't feel like himself. During the san antonio series, games 1 and 2, he could barely get off the bench to even coach and didn't know why. Thank God they were able to find out what it was and correct it quickly.
Rob: Your busy scouting for the draft, is there one rookie out there that youand hopefully he will be on to a speedy recovery.
Rob: A lot of teams came calling about their GM vacancy, the Lakers said no, they could not talk to you, because we are very happy with you. They are showing a lot of confidence in you.
Mitch: I have been here since 1981 and we have the best owner in professional sports with Dr. Jerry Buss. Its nice to know that I'm in his future and I hope to be in his future for a long, long time.
Rob: Phil Jackson is usually gone fishing after the season but he stuck around this year, he seems really committed to bringing the title back to the Lakers.
Mitch: We have been off now close to a month, our staff is in town, on the way here I stopped and worked out two euro players, getting ready for the draft in 10 days. Phil and I meet every day about ways to improve the team.
Rob: How much did Phil's surgery change him?
Mitch: He really changed quickly for the positive. When I spoke to him he said he felt immeasurably better, immediately. Prior to that there was a period of months where he didn't feel like himself. During the san antonio series, games 1 and 2, he could barely get off the bench to even coach and didn't know why. Thank God they were able to find out what it was and correct it quickly.
Rob: Your busy scouting for the draft, is there one rookie out there that you could draft that would help you immediately?
Mitch: There are a couple that we would like to draft, be we are not going to get them at 24.
Rob: A lot of people are talking about player possibilities, I know you can't name names, but I can. Gary Payton, Karl Malone, there are some out there that could be Lakers next season, Juwan Howard. When it comes to what you need, were do you think you need a player the most, the 4 or 2 spot?
Mitch: We have a lot of roster flexibility this year. Thats due to 3 players in our front court, 2 have their contracts expired, Walker and Madsen, and Horry has an option. There is a lot of uncertancy in our front court. If you look at the front court you say thats the #1 area we need help in. We will look to improve our front court with 1 or 2 players and we still have to make a decision on Horry. It would be nice to add another guard to the team that can play.
FINISHED ====
