31 replies to this topic

[LOdieschick07]

THERE's a recording of an interview on the page

http://www.nba.com/l...tinginwork.html

Walton Putting in Work
Mike TrudellMike Trudell
Lakers Reporter | December 3, 2008

Luke Walton

I've been trying to track Luke Walton down for almost two weeks now. I just need 10-minutes or so, a little window of time to find out where his head's at.

It should be easy for me, right? After all, we work for the same team. I see him almost every day, either after practice, after shootaround, or before or after Lakers games ... But I literally haven't been able to talk to him for more than a few seconds since early in November.

Why? Because Luke Walton is working his butt off.

He's running sprints, going through triangle offense drills, lifting weights, taking jumpers and playing shooting games with assistant coach Brian Shaw. All the time. Every day. Come on Luke, let me get a minute!

"It's about (staying ready) right now," Walton said when I finally tracked him down after a 45-minute pregame workout Tuesday in Indiana. "I know my opportunity is going to come, and it's up to me to stay sharp and be ready for when the coach calls on me. I've learned by playing this game for so long that the only way to do that is to keep working."

Fair enough.

At least I finally nailed him down, right? Alas, Luke gave me about seven minutes to talk specifically about his workout routine, his mind set and more, which you can listen to below:

[JavierLakerFan16]

He has to do better then Ariza, Lamar, and Vladdy

[hype]

I love Luke, he'll get to play when the situation arises. His smarts are going to crucial in close games. I just hope he doesn't get too frustrated with his lack of minutes.

[LALDynasty]

good.. last i heard he doesn't have a ticket to be at the game so he better be trying to get out there.

[Real Deal]

My dog has been constipated for about three days now, and he works hard every time I let him outside.

I guess I can't say I like Luke Walton as much as you guys, especially after he cashed in with a new contract.

[LOdieschick07]

My dog has been constipated for about three days now, and he works hard every time I let him outside.

I guess I can't say I like Luke Walton as much as you guys, especially after he cashed in with a new contract.

again...

[Real Deal]

again...

Honest question: does Luke deserve to be on this team because he works hard?

Coby Karl worked harder than anyone not named Ronny Turiaf, just to be in the NBA (in fact, he probably worked harder than Ronny, surviving cancer). I never thought he should be here, and as much as I liked Ronny as a funny and considerate man, he wasn't a player I thought we should keep, either.

You can't pick something I say and be upset by it, especially when it's about Luke Walton. Do you realize how many Lakers fans call him Puke Walton? Do you see that the two dominant nicknames, other than the Machine, are Puke and Odumb?

I rarely ever, ever see female Lakers fans hate on the players. Ever. And, I realize that's probably more due to feeling sympathy for them when others DO hate on them. Then, there are guys who claim to be die-hard Lakers fans who refuse to hate on anyone, also. The fact of the matter is, as much as a fan favorite Luke used to be, and Ronny, and even Smush when he first put on a Lakers jersey, those guys were never good enough to put in solid minutes and contribute to a championship-caliber team.

[LOdieschick07]

^^ i never thought smush and kwame should be on our team.. haha.. or coby karl.. and i think the only way karl got in the nba was cause of his dad.. maybe same goes for Luke.. but he WAS a GREAT player and something happened.. but because he did have the talent.. now that he is working hard AGAIN.. maybe means he'll get back to where he was before the slump.. see the diff?

[Real Deal]

^^ i never thought smush and kwame should be on our team.. haha.. or coby karl.. and i think the only way karl got in the nba was cause of his dad.. maybe same goes for Luke.. but he WAS a GREAT player and something happened.. but because he did have the talent.. now that he is working hard AGAIN.. maybe means he'll get back to where he was before the slump.. see the diff?

Alright, but I've never seen him as a great player.

Not even a good one.

Great, to me, is Kobe, MJ, Magic, Bird. Good would be Gasol, Bynum. Decent? Fisher.

Walton did good in spurts, and it was in garbage time, or in games with Shaq (and dumping the ball off to Shaq, when nobody defends you, isn't as difficult if you have NBA talent).

I can list 29 other teams that wouldn't start Luke Walton right now. That's all 30 he wouldn't start on. In about half of them, he would struggle to get playing time (for instance, the Mavs and Spurs, at full health, would brush him off).

I make light of things and crack jokes about these guys because, if I didn't, I would write paragraphs about how they are detrimental to this team, or how they aren't earning the money they are making. Hell, I took 300-500 shots a day, worked out like crazy, probably harder than anyone else on the three main Lakers message boards...and I still don't belong in the NBA, and I know and understand that.

Hard work is only half the battle. There's a mental aspect that these guys have to climb, along with being able to put your talents on the floor and understand the offensive sets and defensive assignments.

I'm sorry if it pisses you off that I don't like Odom or Walton. To me, both need to go to Chicago, who would probably use those guys, in some way (Odom would start, for instance). It's better for them, better for us, and ultimately, it should work out for everyone.

If being a true, die-hard Lakers fan means that I have to like every player on the roster and feel they belong on our team, count me out for sure. I will still support them and hope they have big games, but I'm not going to support them if they are doing bad.

[LALDynasty]

If being a true, die-hard Lakers fan means that I have to like every player on the roster and feel they belong on our team, count me out for sure. I will still support them and hope they have big games, but I'm not going to support them if they are doing bad.

THANK YOU BRANDON!

[JavierLakerFan16]

Luke deserves to be on the team NOT Mihm

[Saber]

I don't know why people keep bashing Luke. He, Kobe and Fish are the only guys from the 03-04 team. Luke has been with this team in bad and good times ( mostly bad ). He doesn't have the flash in his game, I'm not saying he's a great basketball player too, but his basketball IQ, passing, and experience ( yes that's right ) are extremely useful. I think Luke deserves more play time, just because of his commitment to this team...

P.S. I think that Luke is almost as good as Vlad. Vladimir has better 3pt shooting, but Luke has better passing and midrange jumper...

Edited by Saber, December 04, 2008 - 11:50 AM.

[Klewfish]

He's running sprints, going through triangle offense drills, lifting weights, taking jumpers and playing shooting games with assistant coach Brian Shaw. All the time. Every day. Come on Luke, let me get a minute!

Theres a reason your not getting minutes, Luke. And it's not because you don't know the triangle offense, or can't shoot jumpers. I think there is other aspects of your game you could be working on to improve your chances of getting on the court. Catch my drift?

[LOdieschick07]

I don't know why people keep bashing Luke. He, Kobe and Fish are the only guys from the 03-04 team. Luke has been with this team in bad and good times ( mostly bad ). He doesn't have the flash in his game, I'm not saying he's a great basketball player too, but his basketball IQ, passing, and experience ( yes that's right ) are extremely useful. I think Luke deserves more play time, just because of his commitment to this team...

P.S. I think that Luke is almost as good as Vlad. Vladimir has better 3pt shooting, but Luke has better passing and midrange jumper...

i agree.

maybe not MORE playing time right noww just because there are better players on the team.. but he deserves to stay

[Real Deal]

I don't know why people keep bashing Luke. He, Kobe and Fish are the only guys from the 03-04 team. Luke has been with this team in bad and good times ( mostly bad ). He doesn't have the flash in his game, I'm not saying he's a great basketball player too, but his basketball IQ, passing, and experience ( yes that's right ) are extremely useful. I think Luke deserves more play time, just because of his commitment to this team...

See, this is what I mean.

Chris Mihm has been committed to the Lakers as well. I don't think that means he needs to play 20 minutes.

Here's a question for you: look how dedicated Shawn Bradley was to helping out the Mavericks. In his last season with them, he was incredibly bad on defense, and a poor offensive player in garbage time. Did he deserve minutes, though, since he played with them for eight or nine seasons?

[Saber]

The thing is that we have so many good players, that there will always be guys that are unhappy with their minutes, role, etc... Players that were starters a few years ago are now stuck on the bench. It's good for the team , but not for the guys...
The thing I'm trying to say is that Luke deserves a little more minutes and he doesn't deserve most of the boos.
It's kind of unfair... You can always hear boos from the Lakers crowd when he enters the court... He is just trying to prove the haters wrong, but that's really hard when you barely play 3 minutes per game...

[Real Deal]

The thing is that we have so many good players, that there will always be guys that are unhappy with their minutes, role, etc... Players that were starters a few years ago are now stuck on the bench. It's good for the team , but not for the guys...
The thing I'm trying to say is that Luke deserves a little more minutes and he doesn't deserve most of the boos.
It's kind of unfair... You can always hear boos from the Lakers crowd when he enters the court... He is just trying to prove the haters wrong, but that's really hard when you barely play 3 minutes per game...

They aren't booing. They are saying, "LUUUUUUUUUUUUKE."

They really are, by the way.

[SILO]

Luke is much better than he shows us. When i saw him practice before the suns and lakers game, they did some post drills with Luke, Bynum, DJ and some others. Hes got alot of post moves and he "Executes" them really well. He has the foot work, and has a nice baby hook to use. He thrives off confidence, we all know that. Hes workin and workin hard for the moment he is needed. Better than being that bench warmer who just slacks off.

[ファイナルファンタジ]

That's good to hear.

[kobynum]

MARK MY WORDS...Luke will have a HUGE moment this year, that will prove to us why he is so important to the Lakers...I would start him over Ariza, for ball moving purposes, if VLAD ever missed any games