Times beat writer Broderick Turner answers readers’ questions about the Lakers
Broderick Turner covers the Lakers for the Times. Readers’ questions about the Lakers will be answered every Friday.
Question -- Don’t you think [Ron] Artest would benefit from losing 15 lbs? He looks like he’s a step slow defending many of the small forwards and two-guards.
Kirk Tang
Beijing via Huntington Beach (Calif.)
Answer -- Hey, to hear Ron-Ron tell it, he gained weight, put on more muscle and got quicker. At least that’s the story he told earlier this season.
No, Artest has never been the quickest player. He may be a half-step slower than earlier in his career, but he feels comfortable playing at his weight of 265 pounds. Dude is so strong that it doesn’t seem to matter that he is not as quick as some of the players he defends.
Q -- After the Lakers did not renew Jordan Farmar’s contract (which will make him a restricted free agent after the season), I thought he was a gonner. However, his play since then has been really strong. What are the chances that he will be re-signed to a new contract after the season?
Todd Anderson
Mission Viejo
A -- How about that? Last season Lakers fans wanted Farmar outta there, gonzo, Hasta la vista, baby!
My, my, my, how times have changed.
For the right price, I think the Lakers would love to have Farmar back. He has been making strides with his play, but more importantly, with his attitude.
Q -- Noticed that for three consecutive games (vs. Milwaukee, New Jersey, and Detroit) that Sasha Vujacic has put up zeros, and I mean zeros? I’m not just talking about zero points. Zero field-goal attempts, zero free throws, zero assists, zero steals, zero rebounds, zero blocks, and even zero fouls. It’s one thing if you only play for the last 10 seconds of a quarter and never get back into the game. But Vujacic played three to four minutes in each of these games. Just how do you put up all those zeros over several possessions? That’s got to be some kind of record. It’s got to be a lack of effort, confidence, intelligence, or a combination of all of these.
Bing Kongmebhol
Cucamonga, CA
A -- Man, that’s paying way too much attention to Sasha.
Ha.
Out of all those stats, Sasha not shooting one shot is the most shocking! And I mean SHOCKING!
He hasn’t scored a single point in his last four games and has taken just one shot.
He has been known to take the first shot he sees, no matter what. Maybe he’s trying to impress the Lakers’ coaching staff, trying to show them that he is not just a shooter.
Or maybe not.
Q -- Is it me or has Pau [Gasol] completely lost faith in his mid-range game? For the last two years Pau was buttery with that 15-foot jumper, which opened up the lane. Now he’s tentative and when he does shoot he often comes up short. At 20-4 and back-to-back-to-back outstanding rebound performances from the Spaniard, this is clearly nitpicking, but it is worth noting and I wish someone would ask him about it.
Chris Mailto
A -- Are you in the media?
Lakers Coach Phil Jackson would get a kick out of that question.
Yeah, I’d call that nitpicking.
Gasol has been getting it done.
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