Laker Nation

After months of speculation about whether or not Lakers guard Kobe Bryant would play overseas during the NBA lockout, a decision has finally been made. According to the Associated Press, Virtus Bologna and Bryant have verbally agreed to a contract that will pay the star guard $3 million over a span of the first 40 games of the Italian League season.

Olden Polynice joins VOTN, where he touched on a wide-range of topics including the NBA lockout, who is the better player between Kobe Bryant and Lebron James and his opinions of Mike Brown as the Lakers newest head coach.

A controversial off-season has seen the Lakers hire a new head coach without consulting with their star player, unceremoniously parting ways with assistant coach Brian Shaw, and as Assistant GM Ronnie Lester put it the “Lakers are throwing employees out in the cold”. Author Roland Lazenby joined the Voice of the Nation on Thursday night to discuss exactly what is [...]

The Los Angeles Lakers have traded their 56th pick. The much criticized pick of Chukwudiebere Maduabum, who averaged all of 0.7 points and 0.3 rebounds for the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Developmental League, has been traded to the Denver Nuggets for a future 2nd round pick. Two picks later with the 58th overall pick in the draft, the Lakers [...]

With the arrival of Spanish PG Ricky Rubio to the Minnesota Timberwolves, rumors are flying that the Wolves may be interested in trading for his Spanish national team running mate, Pau Gasol. Our friend Eric Pincus at Hoopsworld.com wrote a very interesting article regarding the Los Angeles Lakers and the possibility that they could trade Pau Gasol for Minnesota Timberwolves [...]

While many in the Los Angeles sports world have been miffed at Laker star Kobe Bryant’s unwillingness to address the Mike Brown hiring publicly, the other captain of the Purple and Gold will reportedly get some face time with the teams’ new head coach. Accroding to ESPN Los Angeles,  Lakers co-captain Derek Fisher, took a break from the negotiating table [...]

According to ESPN.com, the Los Angeles Lakers have placed former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach, Mike Brown on their list of potential head coaching candidates. According to the report, Brown is expected to “interview soon” with the Lakers brass. Mike Brown has a career coaching record of 410-272 (.663). He lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals for the first [...]

Now that the dust has settled and the masses have calmed down (for the most part), much of the focus on the disappointment of the Lakers four game series loss to the Mavericks has shifted to intrigue in the search for the next head coach for the Purple and Gold. There has been much speculation over potential candidates to replace [...]

Add another name to the very short list of candidates to replace Phil Jackson as the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. According to ESPN LA, Dunleavy was contacted by the team this week and is said to be on the team’s current “short list” to succeed Jackson, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Dunleavy [...]

The Lakers have made their quest for a three-peat a lot more difficult following their 93-81 loss in Game 2 of their Western Conference Semi-Final match up against the Dallas Mavericks. While the series is obviously not over, the historical numbers certainly do not play in the Lakers favor. In NBA history, 238 teams have been down 0-2, and only [...]

Forward/Center Derrick Caracter has been sent down the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA D-League. In 40 appearances with the Lakers this season, Caracter has averaged 2 points and 1 rebound in just over 5 minutes per game. While Caracter wont be with the Lakers these last couple of weeks, he will at least be able to recieve ample playing time with [...]

As well as the Lakers have played since the All-Star break (14-1), head coach Phil Jackson is not pleased with the way his bench is playing. “They have to play defense a lot better and not turn the ball over…its a problem right now” – Phil Jackson as told to Brad Turner of the LA Times The bench unit (which [...]

It was November 17th when Laker fans received the news that back-up center, Theo Ratliff, would have to miss 4 to 6 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. 17 weeks later, Ratliff has yet to return to the hardwood, however there may be some encouraging news for Lakers fans: “Ratliff practiced today for the second time this [...]