“He still could decide in his own mind early, but we’re anticipating that July 1st will come and he’ll experience being a free agent which is really what he’s earned and once again he can’t sign anything anyway until July 10th.”
Dwight Howard dabbling in free agency was expected; the Lakers newbie spoke openly about what he is thinking today:
“This is my chance to choose my own destiny instead of letting someone else choose it. So I’m going to really sit down and think about what is best for me as far as basketball and what is going to make me happy. There’s nothing one team can say to sway me away from another team. It’s just going to be what’s best for me basketball-wise. That’s how I’m going to approach it.”
Whatever his decision, Mitch will be waiting, anxiously. Basketball is a tough business; Kupchak has seen a lot and been through a lot with players. The Lakers GM detailed how even Kobe Bryant has put him through this turmoil. It appears this stress never gets easier, no matter how long you are in the business.
This year’s Game 7 between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs earned an 17.7 overnight television rating, but it wasn’t enough to out-due the Lakers, who have the second highest rating of all time. The 2010 Lakers’ 83-79 victory over the Celtics earned an 18.2 overnight rating. Michael Jordan’s 1998 victory to win his sixth championship with the Chicago Bulls against Karl Malone’s Utah Jazz earned a 22.9 and remains at the top.
Kobe Bryant is a hot topic, even during the Heat win last night in the NBA Finals. During last night’s game, when the Lakers had no connection to the finals, Kobe was trending on Twitter. Why is that? Many fans took to the social media platform to engage over the game, and our predictions for next season, including what would happen with the Lakers. Also, there was the issue of Tim Duncan matching Bryant’s 5 rings that became null, while LeBron got a little bit closer to meeting Kobe with ring number two. All in all, one thing is for sure, Kobe Bryant stole the show.
Two months after his Achilles surgery, Kobe is up and walking without his boot. The Mamba took to his Instagram to show fans his amazing progress. Check it out here.
Lakers Nation News
2010 NBA Finals Game 7 Still Holds Second Highest Ratings
Lakers News: Kobe Is Up And Walking Without The Boot
Lakers News: Dwight Howard Discusses Back Rehab, Free Agency
Kobe Bryant Trends Worldwide on Twitter After Heat Win
Lakers News: Mitch Kupchak Speaks Up About Dwight Howard
Lakers News
Pros and Cons of LA Lakers Trading Pau Gasol During 2013 Offseason [Bleacher Report]
Kim and Kanye, Baby Blocked in Maternity Ward by Dwight Howard [TMZ.com]
Oddsmakers Say Lakers Far From Favorites to Win 2014 NBA Title [Lakers Now]
Kobe Bryant on Why Keeping Dwight Howard Matters [Land O’Lakers]
Five Laker Needs [Hoops Hype]
Phil Jackson Claims He’s Consulting for Lakers After Team Sought His Help [Bleacher Report]
Family Dynamics Keep Phil Jackson an Outsider With Lakers [Lakers Now]
What Phil Jackson’s Renewed Ties Mean for LA Lakers’ Future [Bleacher Report]
Phil Jackson Always Part of Lakers Family [Lakers Index]
Kobe Bryant on Dwight Howard: Lakers Need to ‘lock him in’ [SI Wire]
What Are The Lakers Options? [Los Angeles Lakers Blog]
Lakers’ Initial Las Vegas Summer League Schedule Announced [Lakers Now]
Brian Shaw is First One Up to Talk to Clippers About Head Coach Job [LA Times]
Dwight Howard Would Be Crazy Leaving the Lakers This Summer [Bleacher Report]
Kobe Bryant Debuts Instagram Video of First Steps Without Boot [Lakers Now]
NBA News
The Greatest Chokes in Sports History [Yahoo Sports]
Ranking Worst NBA Draft Busts of Past 25 Years [Bleacher Report]
Tim Connelly Introduced as New GM of Denver Nuggets [ESPN]
Tim Duncan: ‘Game 7 is always going to haunt me’ [Yahoo! Sports]
Tim Duncan Illegally Entered Game 6 for Crucial Possession [SI Wire]
Rapper Drake Denied Access to Heat Locker Room After Finals Victory [The Point Forward]
NBA Finals Shootaround: The Gospel of King James [Grantland]
Five Hot Rumors of the Week [Hoops Hype]
Old-School Spurs Earn Extra Measure of Respect in Defeat [ProBasketballTalk]
Bill Simmons Brings Up ‘The Decision,’ ESPN Feed Dies [For the Win]
Clippers, Celtics Resume Doc Rivers Trade Talks [USA Today]
San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat [ESPN]
Phoenix Suns to Tweak Color Scheme, Logo [The Point Forward]
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade Deliver Another NBA Title in a Game 7 to Remember [Yahoo! Sports]
Champion Heat Marvel at LeBron James as Spurs Ponder Tough Loss [SI.com]
The Spurs, Heat, Basketball, and Life [Pounding the Rock]
Roc Nation Sports Confirms Jay-Z is Licensed NBA, MLB agent [ESPN]
Your Unexpected Hero: Shane Battier Drains Six Three-Pointers in Heat Win [ProBasketballTalk]
Five Thunder Needs [Hoops Hype]
Proud Spurs Fall to James, Heat in Game 7 [Yahoo Sports]
Miami Heat: Best Shooting Team in History? [ESPN]
Miami Heat Takes What is Theirs, Downing the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 to Win the NBA Finals [Ball Don’t Lie]
LeBron James Matches Magic Johnson’s NBA Finals Mark [ProBasketballTalk]
The 5 Indelible Moments of the 2012-13 NBA Season [For the Win]