Farmar Makes Good Impression

His final semester at UCLA ended a few weeks ago, but it looked as if Jordan Farmar had been doing a little studying on the side.

The Lakers draft pick showed the same poise he had in two seasons with UCLA and, an added bonus for Lakers followers, demonstrated some decent knowledge of the triangle offense Saturday in the Summer Pro League at the Pyramid of Long Beach.

Farmar, drafted 26th overall, had 17 points and three assists in 31 minutes of an 89-87 Lakers loss to the Memphis Grizzlies’ summer league entry.

The competition will be significantly more challenging in a few months, but all in all, not a bad debut for Farmar.

“He as well as anybody has picked up the offense the quickest,” said Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis, who is in charge of the summer league team. “He seemed like he came in and had been studying it or something. He knows what we’re doing. He understands what we want him to do.”

Farmar showed the ability to penetrate and took numerous trips to the free-throw line, making seven of nine from there. He also demonstrated the same on-court vocal command he had at UCLA.

Farmar said he was acting mostly on instinct. No studying for the triangle.

“To me, it’s pretty much basic principles,” he said. “I just get it.”

A key for Farmar over the next few months is to get stronger. He is listed at 6 feet 2 and 180 pounds, slightly generous in each category.

There will be eight more summer league games, and then there will be a lot of lifting. Training camp begins in early October.

“Once this is over, get to work,” Farmar said. “When you get in there with the big men, you’ve got to box out and rebound.”

Danilo Pinnock, whom the Lakers acquired from Dallas on draft day for a future second-round pick, had 16 points. Andrew Bynum had 12 points.

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The Lakers are close to a deal with Shammond Williams, a 6-1 guard who has played with six NBA teams. The Lakers are trying to complete financial discussions with Williams’ pro team in Spain.

Williams, 31, has career averages of 6.1 points and 2.5 assists with Atlanta, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Orlando and New Orleans. He last played in the NBA in the 2003-04 season.

The Lakers, who agreed to terms last week with former Clippers forward Vladimir Radmanovic, could sign Williams with their biannual exception, which allows teams that are over the salary cap to sign a player for about $3.5 million over two years.

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Ronny Turiaf is not on the Lakers’ summer league team, choosing instead to fulfill obligations to the French national team.

Turiaf, who averaged two points in 23 games as a rookie last season, is expected to be joined on the French team by San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Phoenix’s Boris Diaw.

The basketball world championship is next month in Japan. The U.S. team convenes for the first time under Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski this month in Las Vegas.