Lakers Rumors & News Recap: Birthdays, TV and High Expectations

This coming season is going to be a “championship or bust” kind of year. Kobe, Pau, Dwight, Nash and Mike Brown are the five pieces to this Lakers team who have been expected to undergo the most pressure next year.

Josh Sexton of Lakers Nation listened to Lakers Nation readers and asked the question “which Laker has the most pressure on them this coming season?”

With an incredible surge of votes, the fans of LN decided Mike Brown was the clear winner of this poll. Which makes sense; Mike Brown has no excuse not to win this year with the dynamite team Mitch Kupchak and the front office delivered him. His abilities as a coach were questioned last season, but he was also dealt some difficulties, including a lockout that lasted several months.

But this year, Brown has no excuse. Make sure you check out Sexton’s post, as he breaks down the pressures the five of them face, and why he thinks Mike Brown has it the worst.

Even though his death at 63 left the world void of one of their greatest centers of all time, Lakers Nation wants to honor Wilt Chamberlain on his birthday today. He would have been 76 years-old. During his Hall of Fame career in the NBA, the two-time NBA champion played for three different teams including the San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and the Lakers in 1973. He will be remembered forever by Lakers fans for his contributions on the court and his jersey hanging in the rafters of the Staples Center.

Another Lakers great is celebrating a birthday soon, and he goes by the name Kobe Bryant! That’s right, this Thursday marks the 34th birthday of this NBA giant. Many of us, including myself, grew up watching Kobe Bryant take the Lakers and the league by storm and become one of the greatest players of all time.

Surely you have a favorite Kobe memory, and Lakers Nation wants to know what it is. For a chance to become this week’s Fan Friday, follow the instructions here on how to upload a Bryant Birthday video.

Lastly, in case you don’t watch daytime kid’s programming, here is Metta World Peace on “Yo Gabba Gabba” with his daughter. Metta is certainly a special one, but his goofy nature must make him a really fun dad. Keep the chuckles coming, Ron!

Lakers Nation News

Lakers Nation Wishes Happy Birthday to Wilt Chamberlain

Fan Friday Kobe Moments: Send in Your Videos!

Mitch Kupchak on Dwight Howard Trade: ‘I Didn’t Think There Would Be a Deal’

Abdul-Jabbar Unsure Whether Bynum Can Lead Sixers

Thunder Sign Serge Ibaka to Four-Year Contract Extension

Metta World Peace Makes An Appearance on ‘Yo Gabba Gabba’

Trend Creeper – Dwight’s Mansion & Metta on Yo Gabba Gabba

Cavs Will Not Buyout Former Laker Luke Walton

Wallpaper: “It Has Begun” from Laker Fanatics

Which Laker Faces Highest Expectations?

Lakers News

Five Things Kobe Bryant Needs for a Successful Season [LA Times]

The Laker Way [Forum Blue and Gold]

How Popular is Kobe Bryant in China? [ESPN]

Lakers Bench Has Gotten an Upgrade [LA Times]

Writers’ Roundtable: What’s The Biggest Risk Factor Facing The 2012-13 Lakers? [Silver Screen and Roll]

Numerology Readings on the Lakers’ Reserves [LA Times]

Dwight Howard’s Offense, and How it Helps the Lakers [Forum Blue and Gold]

Summer Pod: Howard & Nash with Kevin Ding [BasketBlog]

Lakers Will Maintain Superiority Over Clippers [LA Times]

That’s Why I’m Cashing Out: Coming to Grips With Post-Dwight Lakers Fandom [The Basketball Jones]

Lakers Have Too Much Talent For San Antonio Spurs [LA Times]

Top 10 Lakers Moments of 2011-12 [Lakers.com]

Kobe Bryant Wows in China Exhibition [ESPN]

NBA News

Kevin Durant Goes From Gold Medal to Red Carpet [NBA]

Van Gundy Rips Magic CEO in Radio Interview [Yahoo Sports]

Ex-NBA Exec Simon Gourdine Dies [ESPN]

Watch the Top Plays from Howard, Bynum, Iguodala [ProBasketballTalk]

Thunder Summer Report Card [NBA]

How Much Tax is Oklahoma City Willing to Pay? [ProBasketballTalk]

Legends Profile: James Worthy [NBA]

Stan Van Gundy Says Orlando’s Culture Changed Under CEO Martins [Eye on Basketball]

LeBron James Eyes Rio Games [ESPN]

A List of Things That May or May Not Have Been for Sale at Michael Beasley’s Estate Sale [The Basketball Jones]

It’s the Truth — Warriors in Line for a Playoff Run in the West [NBA]

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