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August 08, 2006
Laron Profit update
For as much as he has been around the Lakers, it's easy to forget that Laron Profit isn't officially part of the team. After rupturing his left Achilles tendon in a December game, the Lakers released Profit in January to make room for Ronny Turiaf on the roster.
That didn't stop Profit, however, from putting in appearances in the locker room at Staples Center after games, at the practice facility during workouts and, most recently, at the summer league in Long Beach.
It took Profit nearly seven months just to be cleared to play again after undergoing surgery in December. Now the free-agent guard is trying to find an NBA job.
With Profit rehabbing after the surgery in Los Angeles, the assumption has been that he would come to training camp with the Lakers and try to win a spot on the roster. But Profit's agent, Andre Buck, said several teams have shown interest in Profit, provided he can prove he is healthy.
The Lakers also added two veteran guards this summer in Shammond Williams and Maurice Evans, leaving Profit to question the role he would play with the team. Profit was averaging 4.2 points and playing 11.2 minutes a game before his injury.
"He would have loved to go back to the Lakers,'' said Buck, who did not rule out such a return. ``But he wants to be somewhere he's going to have the opportunity to contribute the same way he did with L.A. last year until his injury.''
Buck said Memphis has shown the strongest interest of any team in Profit. Other interested teams include Denver, New Orleans/Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Washington and the Lakers. Profit has yet to start auditioning for teams, Buck said, but likely will spend August and September doing so.
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One player who probably won't be coming back to the Lakers is guard Kareem Rush, who was released by Charlotte with nine games left last season. Lakers coach Phil Jackson defended Rush at the time, even as the Bobcats questioned Rush's commitment.
``I have had some conversations with the Lakers, but with the recent trades, signing Kareem does not seem likely,'' agent Aaron Goodwin wrote in an e-mail. ``Teams are interested, but Kareem has been put into a position where teams are wondering about his supposed attitude before they focus on his basketball capabilities. His release from the Bobcats created a bunch of untrue rumours that had to be addressed.''
In the news release that announced Rush's release, the Bobcats put out a statement on behalf of coach/general manager Bernie Bickerstaff that said: "The Bobcats are about two things -- hard work and maximum effort. With that in mind, we think that it is best to go in a different direction with Kareem.''
It's hard to measure how damaging those words were. Goodwin said Rush thought he had a deal with Orlando, but the team got cold feet about Rush's reputation.
Posted by Ross Siler at August 8, 2006 05:01 PM
Comments
Hey when are you gonna update us with some new laker news. I know there isn't much out there but give us something. Thanks
Posted by: Mr. Cobos at August 29, 2006 08:55 PM