10/8: Training Camp News--Day 7 (injuries & updates)

LA Times: Neither Luke Walton (strained hamstring) nor Lamar Odom (shoulder) will play tonight in the Lakers' exhibition opener against Golden State, but Kwame Brown (ankle) has begun full-court contract drills and took about 500 shots Monday.

Of those shots that were free throws, what was Brown's percentage?

"About 80," Jackson said. "Out of 500."

Chris Mihm sat out practice Sunday because of soreness in his right foot, but he returned Monday after changing to a larger pair of shoes that would fit better with his orthotics. He is expected to play tonight.

"I think that's the big problem he had, is the irritation he had in the orthotics that he used," Jackson said.

An MRI exam showed that forward Ronny Turiaf had a bruised right knee. He practiced Monday. . . . Jackson, who once famously quipped that rookies were "lower than whale [excrement], offered an update on this year's batch of Lakers rookies. "That's where the rookies are right now. All of them," he said, smiling. "Some of them are starting to bubble a little bit and move up from the bottom of the ocean, but they're still down there in the bottom of the ocean."

Honolulu Advertiser: One spot of good news for the Lakers has been the return of center Kwame Brown, who is recovering from ankle and shoulder surgery.

Jackson said Brown could see some playing time tomorrow or in Thursday's game against the Warriors.

"I wouldn't be surprised," he said. "He was held out of practice today because he still had a little soreness, but he was kind of aggressive and active enough and he wants to play, I can tell. The trainer just thought he shouldn't be on his feet running around."

Another pleasant surprise for the Lakers was the return of power forward Ronny Turiaf, who underwent an MRI Sunday. Results of the test showed Turiaf to have only a bruised knee.

"I thought he played very well today for having a day off and for being sore. Once he got loosened up he seemed to be pretty good," Jackson said.

OC Register: Winter is the only consultant at training camp. He had high praise for the play so far of Maurice Evans, who is being converted from small forward to shooting guard, and young guards Javaris Crittenton and Jordan Farmar.

Winter sees great upside for the Lakers if neither Kobe Bryant nor Lamar Odom has to be burdened with organizational guard responsibilities in Winter's triangle offense.

INJURY REPORT

When offering praise for free-agent center Larry Turner, Winter used center Kwame Brown, who had just sat out Monday's workout, for context.

"He's a tough kid," Winter said of Turner, "whereas Kwame apparently is not very tough."

Brown is dealing with some discomfort in his surgically repaired left ankle and has been picking and choosing his practice efforts.

"Some days he wants to complain about it, and Gary (Vitti, the Lakers' trainer) says, 'If you're going to complain about it, then I want to hold you out.' " Jackson said. "Then some days it's like he really wants to play to test it out again because it feels good. They're clearing him to do whatever he feels comfortable to do."

Brown might play tonight in the Lakers' exhibition opener against the Golden State Warriors (10 p.m., KCAL/9).

Ronny Turiaf (bruised right knee) returned to practice Monday, so the only Lakers ruled out for tonight are Luke Walton (hamstring) and Lamar Odom (shoulder).

Press Enterprise: The right ankle Kwame Brown had surgery on still was swollen Monday, leaving the 6-foot-11 center in the precarious state of not wanting to push things.

Coach Phil Jackson said Brown could possible play tonight when the Lakers take on the Golden State Warriors in their first exhibition game.

Brown, however, was of a different mind-set.

"I just think it's going to take a little time," Brown said.

Jackson held Brown out of practice Monday and said "he wouldn't be surprised" if he played tonight.

"He was kind of aggressive and active enough that he really wants to play," Jackson said.

Jackson said he would make a decision today at the team's shootaround on whether Brown will play.

Brown didn't sound as if he would be suiting up.

"Would that be the smart thing to do? No," Brown said. "If this was a playoff game and I had to just soldier through it, yeah, I could play. That's kind of the position that we're in. I just want to get healthy so I don't have to play one game and then the next day I'm all sore."

The goal, Brown said, is to be healthy for the season opener, Oct. 30 against the Rockets. "That's my goal," Brown said. "I hope that's their goal. I hope we're all on the same page. But I do understand that preseason gets you in some type of rhythm."


Jackson explained what he wanted to accomplish tonight.

"Just get a feel for the court, see where their conditioning is," Jackson said. "Hopefully, entertain the fans a little bit."

More Lakers Notes

The MRI exam on Turiaf's right knee revealed a bruise, but Turiaf pronounced himself fit.

Chris Mihm, who missed Sunday's practice because of an irritated right ankle, was able to practice Monday after he got larger shoes and had the correct orthotics placed in them.

OC Register Blog: Chris Mihm is filling the shoes of Andrew Bynum. Literally.

Mihm took the day off Sunday to rest his surgically reconstructed right ankle and was back at it in the scrimmage today. He was wearing a pair of Bynum’s Nikes that allowed Mihm’s custom orthotics to fit better. Mihm got an incorrect shipment of his personal sneakers and had been in borrowed adidas sneakers — which were a size smaller than Bynum’s — so far in camp, irritating Mihm’s ankle.

Mihm definitely favored the ankle at times in this scrimmage, but he also definitely knows how to use the triangle offense to get open — and his mechanical scoring moves were generally effective. Mihm did lack lift by the end of practice and couldn’t power through when he got bodied or fouled on shots. It’ll be interesting to see how he does in the exhibition opener Tuesday night; Mihm is hoping to get his own shoes in time for the game.

He likely won’t play much, with the spotlight going to the likes of Javaris Crittenton, who’ll make his Lakers debut. If you haven’t seen the kid play yet, you’ll enjoy it. He looks like he belongs — both in speed and size.

LA Daily News: Jackson said Karl, the 24-year-old son of Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, and Elton Brown, a free-agent forward, were the most impressive players during the first week of training camp. "(But) neither of them has a spot on our roster," Jackson added.

The Lakers have 14 of the 18 players on their training camp roster under contract for this season. General manager Mitch Kupchak said he might sign a 15th before the regular season begins Oct. 30.

"About 80," Jackson said. "Out of 500."

KB8@CL wrote:

"About 80," Jackson said. "Out of 500."

kobeslaker wrote:

KB8@CL wrote:

"About 80," Jackson said. "Out of 500."

What does Phil means? 80 percent or only hit 80 shots out of 500?

JSM wrote:

kobeslaker wrote:

KB8@CL wrote:

"About 80," Jackson said. "Out of 500."

What does Phil means? 80 percent or only hit 80 shots out of 500?

Unfortunately...the latter.

He likely won’t play much, with the spotlight going to the likes of Javaris Crittenton, who’ll make his Lakers debut. If you haven’t seen the kid play yet, you’ll enjoy it. He looks like he belongs — both in speed and size.

JSM wrote:

LA Times: Neither Luke Walton (strained hamstring) nor Lamar Odom (shoulder) will play tonight in the Lakers' exhibition opener against Golden State, but Kwame Brown (ankle) has begun full-court contract drills and took about 500 shots Monday.

Of those shots that were free throws, what was Brown's percentage?

"About 80," Jackson said. "Out of 500."

Chris Mihm sat out practice Sunday because of soreness in his right foot, but he returned Monday after changing to a larger pair of shoes that would fit better with his orthotics. He is expected to play tonight.

"I think that's the big problem he had, is the irritation he had in the orthotics that he used," Jackson said.

An MRI exam showed that forward Ronny Turiaf had a bruised right knee. He practiced Monday. . . . Jackson, who once famously quipped that rookies were "lower than whale [excrement], offered an update on this year's batch of Lakers rookies. "That's where the rookies are right now. All of them," he said, smiling. "Some of them are starting to bubble a little bit and move up from the bottom of the ocean, but they're still down there in the bottom of the ocean."

jOeyB7000 wrote:

JSM wrote:

LA Times: Neither Luke Walton (strained hamstring) nor Lamar Odom (shoulder) will play tonight in the Lakers' exhibition opener against Golden State, but Kwame Brown (ankle) has begun full-court contract drills and took about 500 shots Monday.

Of those shots that were free throws, what was Brown's percentage?

"About 80," Jackson said. "Out of 500."

Chris Mihm sat out practice Sunday because of soreness in his right foot, but he returned Monday after changing to a larger pair of shoes that would fit better with his orthotics. He is expected to play tonight.

"I think that's the big problem he had, is the irritation he had in the orthotics that he used," Jackson said.

An MRI exam showed that forward Ronny Turiaf had a bruised right knee. He practiced Monday. . . . Jackson, who once famously quipped that rookies were "lower than whale [excrement], offered an update on this year's batch of Lakers rookies. "That's where the rookies are right now. All of them," he said, smiling. "Some of them are starting to bubble a little bit and move up from the bottom of the ocean, but they're still down there in the bottom of the ocean."

I've always liked Phil Jackson