Coach Brown Hires Kuester To Coaching Staff

New Lakers Coach Mike Brown announced officially the hiring of John Kuester to his coaching staff.

“I’m extremely excited to have John join the team as a member of my coaching staff,” Brown said in a statement released by the Lakers. “Having previously worked together in Cleveland, I know what assets he will bring to the team. His ability to effectively communicate with the players while teaching them valuable skills on both ends of the court is a quality that I respect and value. I look forward to working with him again.”

Brown still has yet to announce who will fill his other coaching positions, but The Times' Broderick Turner recently reported that the Lakers also plan to announce the hiring sometime of this week of Chuck Person and Quin Snyder. Numerous outlets have also indicated the Brown plans to have former Moscow CSKA coach Ettore Messina serve as a consultant or special assistant role, though nothing has been formally announced.

Kuester's recent stint with the Detroit Pistons didn't end well. The defining mark of Kuester's 57-107 mark entailed a number of Pistons players leading a revolt that entailed five of them skipping practice. When he was ejected during a regular-season game, several Detroit players could be seen laughing over the incident.

Nonetheless, Kuester earned plenty of credit for helping the Cavaliers' offense when he was an assistant under Brown from 2007-09 where he was assigned to be the team's "offensive coordinator."

Kuester has had several assistant coaching stints, including the University of Richmond (1980-81), Boston University (1981-83), the Boston Celtics (1995-97), Philadelphia 76ers (1997-2003), Detroit (2003-04), the New Jersey Nets (2004-05), the 76ersagain (2005-06), the Orlando Magic (2006-07) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (2007-09).

Kuester's head coaching experience includes succeeding Rick Pitino at Boston U, as the youngest coach in NCAA Division I history, with a two-year stint from 1983-85, and then moving to George Washington from 1985-1990. In the 1988-89 season Kuester's Colonials went 1-27. He finished with a 81-122 record coaching college basketball.

Latest Lakers Trade Rumors: Odom for Iguodala talks fizzled because of Odom

Trade talks between the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers for a switcheroo between Andre Iguodala and Lamar Odom may have been squashed because of Lamar Odom.

Let me explain, according to HoopsWorld, "Philadelphia wasn't going to trade Iguodala for Odom if the latter was going to be unhappy and unmotivated. That's when the talks died."

Basically, the 76ers don't want Odom on the team if he didn't want to be there, remember when he used to play for the Clippers?

Odom has been the subject of numerous trade rumors since weeks before the draft. He has been connected with the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard, the Golden State Warriors for Monta Ellis, and other teams around the NBA for their draft picks.

Odom is perhaps the Lakers most tradable asset because of his contract.

He is fresh off of winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award and a power forward in the league making only $8.9 million next year. He also has a team option for the same amount next year, or the team can buy out his contract for about $2 million, freeing up salary cap space for the team.

In addition, Odom is only 31 years old averaging 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in his 12 year career.

Iguodala is younger than Odom and may have more potential at 27 years of age. In his career, Iguodala has averaged 15.6 poitns and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Like Odom, Iguodala has also been linked in numerous trade rumors including with the Golden State Warriors in a trade for Monta Ellis.

Ron Artest: May You Go In Peace

"Metta World Peace", yep, that's the new moniker that Ron Artest is going by, and evidently it's justa matter of time until it's his legal name now, I just hope it will fit on his new jersey.

Ron Artest is not just making a few minor changed to his name, a la Shaq's numerous nicknames like "Big Daddy", "Diesel" or "Big Luggage" -no, this is a monumental name change. Following in the footsteps of Muhammed Ali and Kareem Abdu Jabbar he's taking his name from the Eastern religious influence he's experienced lately and changed his name officially to "Metta World Peace".

Artest, um, Mr. World Peace (or Mr. Peace?) cites that he has “personal reasons” for the recent change. While it appears the new name has roots in the Buddhist tradition, there's nothing said of whether he will be adopting a new religion along with the new name change. The word “Metta” is a multifaceted word in the Buddhist faith, referring to a feeling of benevolence and kindness. If this makes Ron Ron a better player, and a better person, than May you go in Peace, Mr. Peace...

Dealing With Lamar Odom

The Lakers did not make any major moves on draft day, Lamar Odom could be the subject of a deal soon, as I write this twitter rumors run rampant...

The rumors about an Odom trade started at the offset of the end of the regular season, and the most well respected offer holding any weight at this point involved Odom possibly going to Orlando. Many people want the Lakers acquire Dwight Howard from the Magic, and give up Odom and several other players including Bynum and possible Gasol? as part of the deal.

The most recent trade rumor had the Lakers Odom packing his bag (and, um Kourtney, too) and heading to Philadelphia with Luke Walton, and in return the Lakers getting athletic forward Andre Iguodala. There are also rumors that Lamar will go to Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love.

Lamar played a pivitol role in the Lakers' past two championship teams and his incredible versatal ability as a 6th man to come off the bench and consistently play, and play well this season, but, alas, it seems as though Kupchak and the front office have decided to part ways with the the 6th Man of the Year 2011. I understand the Lakers want another star player and want to deal Odom before he gets any longer in the tooth, but his versatility, dedication and style of play is going to be hard to replace.

Lamar will just have to go where his hand is dealt, we just have to hope that Kupchak realized he already has an ace up his sleave...

Ron Artest's 'Abused Women of Afghanistan Rap Video' No Picnic...

In what first appeared to be a set up for a perfect slam dunk of a parody rap video...comes a serious (yes, this is for real folks) piece from the only NBA player to fail his pre-draft mental evaluation, Ron-Ron has taken time out from his busy schedule of writing court order apology letters, applying for a job at Circuit City in order to get an employee discount, recording a country song with an elderly woman neighbor, showing up to practice in a bathrobe, smashing a 100k HD Camera, not feeding his dog, recording a Michael Jackson tribute song (yes this is real), and evidently picking #37 to grace his new Lakers jersey because of MJ's 'Thriller' (you can't make this stuff up), making nice-nice with Kobe, anyone remember this?, and being arrested for domestic abuse himself, to put together this high quality rap video for the abused women of Afghanistan.

In his rapping ode to “all his Afghani women,” the video intertwines clips of battered women from the war-torn country of Afghanistan juxtaposed with apparently a bunch of hand-held camcorder shots of a walk in the public park with Artest rapping while families enjoy, um... picnics in the background.

Michael Jordan allegedly commented on his charitable attempts as “not a very good way to make money for himself.” But Artest is not letting that get him down, he is always about doing it his way...whatever way that is. Thanks for showing us your sensitive side, Ron ('cuz you know he's all about the ladies) and for making this country proud...

Mbenga Off To A Great Start...

Mbenga, the Congolese 7-footer, had started just two games in his entire career, getting one start in each of his first two NBA seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. D.J. Mbenga made the most of a rare and first Lakers start tonight, with five points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in a win over the Grizzlies.

Other notes on tonight's game... The Lakers honored John Radcliffe, their longtime scorer, by presenting a championship ring to his wife, Carolyn. Radcliffe, who had held his job since 1961, died during the summer. ... Bryant is responsible for the three highest-scoring performances by an opponent in Grizzlies history, including a 60-point game in March 2007.

Lakers Win By 40!

What a great game, from start to finish. (reporting via mobile text)
The game started with an incredible rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by the most famous 'Pulgas' ever... incomparable Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It's a difficult feat to name a notable bass player by name, let alone someone named Flea....but his unmistakable funkafied slamming on the bass' strings letting loose what could only be the work of the resounding and his unmistakable sound. It was quite fitting to have him break off a little funk, cuz that same rhythm was cancelled through the Lakers playing tonight.

All the way through to the diminishing minutes I started my section to start chanting for MBENGA to come in and play. I said in other posts and before this game that I was waiting for a little of Mbengas funk to be injected in this game, and as you know his funkified style of play is infectious.......thank you Phil for listening...great to see his first appereance in these playoffs.

final score: 118-78

let's end this Thursday nite.....


UPDATE: I think I saw Neil Diamond at the game in a fake moustache and disguise (no, I am not kidding!) if anyone has a picture please send it, I'm going to do story tomorrow.