Lakers News & Rumors Recap: D’Antoni Gets Chatty This Time

NBA: Miami Heat at Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers announced the hiring of former Laker, four-time champion and former head and assistant coach, Kurt Rambis, and it was all thanks to Mike D’Antoni. Despite being vocal about his shock for D’Antoni’s hire last season, Rambis has the faith of the Lakers head coach. The new assistant coach has always been a great fan of Phil Jackson and was “shocked” when D’Antoni asked him to join the Lakers staff. Kurt has been an analyst for both Time Warner Cable and ESPN this past year, but really shines in the coaching spotlight. Kurt Rambis joins Dan D’Antoni, Johnny Davis, and recently hired Mark Madsen and Larry Lewis for next season.

Mike D’Antoni is excited about the opportunity to finally have a full training camp with the Lakers, and Mitch Kupchak expects Nash and Gasol attend the camp. Able to play and workout, the two Lakers stars are expected to take the time during training camp to work on team chemistry with their teammates. D’Antoni used last season’s quick turn around from Mike Brown to his hire as one of the reasons the organization failed. But this year, he won’t have that excuse:

“Last year, I came in with certain ideas and didn’t get a chance to see if it’s realistic or not. Also, Steve Nash was hurt for the first seven weeks. So we kept waiting for him to come back to see if it’s all going to work. We had to adjust some things to maximize what we had.”

Kobe’s status will of course be up in the air. The priority is to get him healthy. Training camp allows the Lakers coaching staff to figure out player tendencies and put them in the best positions to succeed, especially when it comes to the bench. Nash will be heavily relied upon to make up for the missing Bryant. Gasol will also be asked to step up as starting center seeing as Dwight Howard left for Houston. The Lakers seem to have significantly improved their depth this season and if they can assimilate the new players with the returning veterans with the help of an entire training camp, they can hopefully get off to a better start.

Every week, our loyal fans head over to the Lakers Nation Facebook page to give their thoughts on everything happening in Lakerland. We like to honor your hard work by picking out Top Ten Facebook Comments of the week. See if you made the cut.

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Lakers Nation News

Lakers News: Pau Gasol Looks To Redeem Himself After Rough Season

Lakers Nation Giveaway: Enter To Win New Era Lakers Beanie

Lakers News: D’Antoni Says That Dwight Leaving Was In His DNA

In Phil Jackson’s Shadow, D’Antoni Hires Kurt Rambis To Move Forward

Mitch Kupchak Expects Nash and Gasol To Participate In Training Camp

Mike D’Antoni Was The Driving Force Behind Kurt Rambis Hiring

Lakers News: Kurt Rambis Talks Jim and Jeanie Buss Dynamic

Lakers News: Mike D’Antoni Discusses Importance Of Training Camp

Lakers News: Mike D’Antoni Expects 11 Lakers To Play Big Minutes

Mike D’Antoni Expects Pau Gasol To Have ‘Best Year He’s Ever Had’

Top 10 Lakers Nation Facebook Comments Of The Week

Lakers News

Kobe Bryant and Derek Jeter: Mirroring One Another From Beginning to End [Silver Screen and Roll]

Jordan Farmar Might be the Best Point Guard for this Lakers Team [Silver Screen and Roll]

Mitch Kupchak Discusses Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, and More [Silver Screen and Roll]

Not Tanking the Path to a Better Future? The Lakers Seem to Think So [Forum Blue and Gold]

Howard’s Move Puzzles Mike D’Antoni [ESPN]

Mitch Kupchak Says Lakers Won’t Throw In The Towel Next Season [LA Times]

Mike D’Antoni on Lakers: “We can be better than most people think” [Inside the Lakers]

Mike D’Antoni and the Lakers: Radio [ESPN]

Pau Gasol Looking Forward to a Bigger Role in the Lakers’ Offense [Lakers Now]

Lakers Hire Kurt Rambis and Johnny Davis to Coaching Staff [THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS]

Kurt Rambis Says He Was ‘Shocked’ that Mike D’Antoni Asked Him to be an Assistant Coach with the Lakers [ProBasketballTalk]

Pau Gasol Eager to Reclaim Post [ESPN LA]

Kurt Rambis Tweets He’s Back as Lakers Assistant Coach [latimes.com]

Lakers Expect to Have Nash, Gasol Ready for Training Camp. Kobe… We’ll See [ProBasketballTalk]

Nash Looking Forward To Next Season [ESPN]

Dwight Howard’s Departure Leaves Pau Gasol Eager to Have a Larger Role [Inside the Lakers]

Kurt Rambis on on ‘Max & Marcellus Show’ [Los Angeles Lakers Blog]

1on1: Kurt Rambis | Video [THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS]

Steve Nash and the Lakers: Radio [ESPN]

Magic Johnson Uncertain Whether Lakers Make Playoffs Next Season [Inside the Lakers]

Steve Nash Says He’s ‘Pretty Close’ to 100 Percent [CBSSports.com]

Which Team Had Best Offseason in Western Conference? [Fox Sports]

Lakers’ Week in Review [latimes.com]

NBA News

The NBA’s Midnight Run, Part 1 [Grantland]

Brandon Jennings Has ‘strongly considered’ Playing for the Qualifying Offer Next Season [ProBasketballTalk]

Dallas Mavericks Sign 1st-Round Pick Shane Larkin [ESPN Dallas]

Al Harrington Hopes to Play for Contender [HOOPSWORLD]

Which ’10 Draftees Worth Extending? [5 on 5]

The 10-Man Rotation, Starring Chris Bosh as the Smallest Miami Heat Nesting Doll [Ball Don’t Lie]

Look Out, Miami; Indiana Is Now The East’s Most Talented Team [Dime Magazine]

Josh Childress is Still Garnering NBA Interest [ProBasketballTalk]

Kevin Durant Dominates At Summer League Game [All Ball Blog]

VIDEO: Kevin Durant Hammers a Dunk at the Drew League [CBSSports.com]

Were Bynum’s Comments Inappropriate? [ESPN]

Corey Maggette, Front Office Executive? That’s What He Wants. [ProBasketballTalk]

In Rivers, Clippers May Have Biggest Prize in Celtics’ Breakup [CBSSports.com]

Thunderball [Grantland]

Obstacles Abound for Greg Oden’s Return [ESPN]

Heat’s Chalmers: ‘East is going to be a beast’ [NBA.com]

Tim Hardaway Regrets Anti-Gay Comments, but Believes Dialogue That Resulted Was a Positive [ProBasketballTalk]

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