Robert Horry's Laker career could end tonight, after 6 1/2 seasons, three championships and a handful of memorable jump shots that earned him a reputation as a big-game player.
The Lakers are not expected to exercise a $5.3-million option on Horry's contract for next season. Unless General Manager Mitch Kupchak is able to reach a sign-and-trade deal with another team by midnight — and those efforts for the last six weeks have proved fruitless — Horry probably will become a free agent on Tuesday.
He then would be free to negotiate with all teams, including the Lakers, who probably would offer a contract at something closer to $1.4 million, the veteran's minimum. Horry, who will be 33 in August, previously had expressed an interest in finishing his career closer to his home in Houston, if he were not asked back to Los Angeles.
He averaged 6.5 points last season, then 5.6 points in the postseason, when he missed 36 of 38 three-point attempts. One, at the end of Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals in San Antonio, would have given the Lakers the win and a three-games-to-two advantage in that series.
Via Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Lakers
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There are pretenders, contenders and champions, and then there are rarities like Kobe Bryant.
The kind of player who prefers to sip champagne only through the funnels of championship trophies, who celebrates just long enough for his clothing to get drenched before new challenges pique his imagination and fuel his motivation.
We call it an inability to smell the roses, to enjoy the sunshine before it rains, but Bryant has had a beautifully scented garden for some time off a boulevard in Hollywood. Even when it rains, his life continues to blossom.
Bryant is 24 years old. A three-time NBA champion. A recent husband, father, and $45 million man with Nike. Yet he is so far from satisfied, he's also the potential nightmare that could paralyze Tinseltown, the very place where dreams are created.
Bryant made news on Thursday when ESPN announced that he plans to opt out of his contract and test free agency after next season expires. But for anyone close to Bryant, this hardly qualified as a surprise.
Via Philadelphia Inquirer
Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies
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THAT was quite a story Jim Gray "broke" on draft night; it seems, Kobe Bryant revealed to ESPN's perpetually vigilant correspondent he plans to opt out of his Lakers' contract at the end of the 2003-04 season.
Of course, the "exclusive" might've had a little bit more impact had the L.A. Daily News not divulged identical information almost two months ago.
As usual, ESPN, in its unprincipled determination to establish itself All Knowing, All The Time, thinks its audience is stone stupid and believes the competition is its unattributed, primary source. As usual, its policy-makers have no shame, no conscience and no credibility; its guidelines to reporters are to attach the networks' identity on other people's stories: Viewers simply won't know the difference.
Let me guess, USA Today's "Boob of the Tube," Rudy Martzke, gave Gray Matter a "hustle award" for his flagrant rip-off and regurgitation.
Gray, by the way, offered a list of reasons why Kobe intends to test the free agent market - and risk roughly $100M (what if he becomes permanently disabled while shooting one of his commercials?) by rejecting a long-term extension.
Supposedly, Kobe's unsure what will happen to Phil Jackson (several days ago, the L.A. Daily News reported the Laker coach is interested in signing a 2-year extension to follow '03-04; look for Gray to present that info as his own on ESPN some time in August), he wants to see how the Lakers renovate their roster and he needs to know how conditioned and motivated Shaq is next season.
Via New York Post
Los Angeles Lakers, General Basketball
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Lakers Jun 2003 Archive
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 28, 2003
Phil Jackson will mount his motorcycle and leave Los Angeles today, bound for his Montana home and a summer during which he will consider extending his contract with the Lakers beyond next season.
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Rocky Mountain News | Jun 28, 2003
Juwan Howard might be in his final days with the Denver Nuggets.
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ESPN | Jun 27, 2003
Lakers All-Star guard Kobe Bryant says he intends to become a free agent after the 2003-04 season, according to ESPN's Jim Gray.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 27, 2003
The Lakers believe they started back on Thursday night, from a six-game loss in the Western Conference semifinals, from the roster erosion that killed their run of NBA championships at three, finally able to do something after six weeks of pondering.
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L.A. Daily News | Jun 27, 2003
Phil Jackson, in good health and better spirits, has decided to stay in Los Angeles and coach the Lakers for three more years, several sources told the Daily News on Thursday.
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Orange County Register | Jun 27, 2003
Lakers coach Phil Jackson considers his team "fortunate" to have drafted Illinois power forward Brian Cook and Arizona small forward Luke Walton on Thursday night, mentioning the unselfishness the youngsters can bring.
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Los Angeles Daily News | Jun 26, 2003
There is rebuilding to be done, an image to buff up, a measure of pride to be restored, and chances are the deflated, humbled Lakers will achieve none of those objectives through tonight's NBA draft.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 26, 2003
It's the NBA's down time, and some guys go to Cabo, others to Maui, wherever there are nightclubs or golf or whatever.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 26, 2003
If all goes as planned, today's NBA draft will start with a high school player, a Euro child and a college freshman, so imagine how it looks at Nos.
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Los Angeles Times Columnist Bill Sharman | Jun 25, 2003
Thursday is draft day in the NBA and draft day usually makes for interesting stories.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 24, 2003
Kobe Bryant has a shoe again, and Nike has its Michael Jordan replica.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 21, 2003
Free agent point guard Gary Payton said he would have no problem fitting in with the Laker triangle offense.
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Oakland Tribune | Jun 18, 2003
Could free-agent point guard Gary Payton return to his hometown next season to play for the Golden State Warriors?
It may be a longshot, but "it's not by any means out of the question," said one of his agents, Eric Goodwin.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Jun 13, 2003
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is aware that Karl Malone is in pursuit of his all-time NBA scoring record.
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Los Angeles Daily News | Jun 13, 2003
Shaquille O'Neal has his championships and his MVP awards, but he has been humbled by failure, by age and by injury and, with his career at a crossroads, he is dedicating himself to reversing those trends.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 13, 2003
Kobe Bryant, who had surgery on his right shoulder Thursday morning in New York, is expected to recover in time for training camp, according to the doctor who performed the hourlong operation.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 12, 2003
As expected, the Lakers announced Wednesday that their new radio announcing team will be Joel Meyers and Mychal Thompson.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 12, 2003
Shaquille O'Neal, in the process of hiring a personal trainer, has more work ahead of him than many imagined.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 12, 2003
Kobe Bryant will have shoulder surgery today in New York, a decision made after consultations with four doctors and arrived at less than a week after he was diagnosed with a torn labrum.
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San Antonio Express-News | Jun 12, 2003
Spurs television play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers has confirmed he has accepted an offer from the Lakers.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 10, 2003
Kobe Bryant will have surgery on his right shoulder in the next week or two, according to those familiar with the Laker guard's plans, and he expects to be recovered in time for training camp.
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Palm Beach Post | Jun 8, 2003
At 19, and sporting an immature body that jiggles slightly from what we'll call baby fat, James Lang is hoping to fulfill his NBA dream.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 7, 2003
Three weeks later, Shaquille O'Neal was neither cheerful nor somber.
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Los Angeles Daily News | Jun 7, 2003
Shaquille O'Neal has a vision for saving the Lakers dynasty.
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Dallas Morning News | Jun 7, 2003
Mavericks guard Michael Finley will be on the short list of candidates to replace Kobe Bryant on the U.
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San Jose Mercury News Columnist Tim Kawakami | Jun 6, 2003
Trade Shaquille O'Neal? Insanity!
Yet you will hear serious whispers about this maybe in a few months, probably by the middle of next season, certainly by this time next year, when the Los Angeles Lakers tumble out of the postseason again.
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Los Angeles Times | Jun 6, 2003
Kobe Bryant is considering surgery after tests showed he has a torn labrum in his right shoulder, the team announced Thursday, jeopardizing his participation in this summer's Olympic qualifier but probably not fall's training camp.
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El Paso Times | Jun 5, 2003
NBA veteran and former UTEP star Greg Foster said Wednesday he's "disappointed" in assistant coaching salary discussions with his alma mater, which is attempting to fill out second-year coach Billy Gillispie's staff with a fourth assistant.
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Philadelphia Daily News | Jun 5, 2003
In the midst of his search for a coaching successor to Larry Brown, Billy King isn't ignoring the guys who have already been in place.
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Detroit Free Press | Jun 5, 2003
Move over, Sparty.
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New York Daily News | Jun 4, 2003
The most important day during this Nets run to the Finals came when they didn't even play a game.
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Detroit News | Jun 4, 2003
Count Lakers Coach Phil Jackson among those who feel Larry Brown made a mistake taking the Pistons head coaching job.
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New York Times | Jun 4, 2003
The National Basketball Association finals are back, revitalized and juiced up, loaded with suspense for the first time since Michael Jordan sank his famous jump shot against the Utah Jazz in 1998.
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New York Daily News | Jun 3, 2003
Now that Cleveland is out of the picture for Jeff Van Gundy, the former Knicks coach is expected to meet again with Rockets officials this week.
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L.A. Daily News | Jun 3, 2003
Shaquille O'Neal finally met with Lakers officials Monday morning, and he came fully armed -- with promises, contrition and handcuffs.
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Jun 1, 2003
There has been a growing reluctance on the part of National Basketball Association teams to sign free agents to long-term contracts.
