SPORTS NOTES - LAKERS: BOMB AWAY

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

They Lakers had the talent to win it all but the players come from an unstable family environment. It's an organization that lets you know they want PERFECTION and has you constantly looking over your shoulder.

Story in Russian language

Friday March 12, 1999

It's another HOLLYWEIRD PRODUCTION by your favorite Los Angeles 'WHINING' Lakers. Let's see… The scene is set. After you've toiled four long years and given everything you had, you feel like your spouse is cheating on you. It gives you that queasy feeling inside of your stomach. You are told before your mate leaves the house, "Don't wait dinner for me honey, I'll be late." You can't sleep at night just wondering what your partner is doing. They haven't come home and you have an empty suspicious feeling inside.

Relief has finally come to former Laker EDDIE JONES; his was relieved of his duties. The Lakers have CUT HIM LOOSE. The rumors were true THEY DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE. Jones and ELDEN CAMPBELL were traded to the Charlotte Hornets for GLEN RICE, J.R. REID and B.J. ARMSTRONG who was then released by the club along with CORRIE BLUNT. But hey.THIS AIN'T ABOUT LOVE. Lakers President JERRY WEST said it best when he came up with an original explanation.

"It's a business," he told ESPN after the trade.

Well there will be NO GOLD WATCHES given out for this latest escapade of "As The Lakers Turn." The hope is they are making it a BETTER TEAM. You have to wonder how much can they improve a team that registered a 61-21 regular season record last year and blew out everyone in the playoffs EXCEPT the UTAH JAZZ in the Western Conference Finals. It was only the ninth time in the franchise history (since 1948) that they have exceeded 60 wins in a season. Jones was instrumental in the their success. Yea, Yea, sure sure, You can make it better by winning the NBA Championship. Well, We'll see. Yea, Rice is a great player..sure..sure.

They Lakers had the talent to win it all but the players come from an unstable family environment. It's an organization that lets you know they want PERFECTION and has you constantly looking over your shoulder.

Jones has heard of the possibility of him being traded for over a year. He's a talented young player who was selected to the NBA All-Defensive second team last year. He was MVP of the Rookie All-Star game in 1995. He was one of four Lakers who played in last years All-Star Game scoring 15 points.

He was the NBA Player of the Month in November last season. He led the team in steals in each of his four seasons with them. His 2.00 average steals per game were sixth best in the league last year. Jones is a 100% GOOD GUY and a great basketball player who was MENTALLY PRESSURED to death.

The Lakers DEREK HARPER was one of Jones' best friends on the team. He talked to Jones after the trade Wednesday. Harper said Jones is dealing with the situation and moving on. Harper talked about how Jones was affected by the trade talk as reported in the LA Times.

"It literally destroyed him as a player," he said. "I mean you can sit in your locker and sit around and say, 'Oh, it's not a distraction, it's not a bother. That's a lie. When you leave here, you take that with you. When you're being discussed in trades, you've been on a team for five or six years, they've talked about moving you to another team, It weighs on your mind. You can only block stuff out for a short time. And sooner or later it's going to have an effect on you."

To the Lakers credit, they were merciful. They put Jones down, like a lame stallion, on the eve of the trading deadline when he became a Hornet. Jones was spared another 24 hours of Laker misery.

A sign should be placed over the door leading to the teams locker room advising the players: WELCOME TO THE LAKERS FAMILY. PLEASE WEAR YOUR BULLETPROOF VEST AND LIFE SUPPORT JACKET AT ALL TIMES. THE MANAGEMENT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR WELFARE.

It makes you wonder why the Lakers can't get it right in the first place. They have ONE player, Derek Fisher, remaining from their number one draft picks over the past 15 years. They (ORGANIZATION) had the talent BUT THE ORGANIZATION DOESN'T HAVE THE HEART. They run their club like some sort of CIA clandestine operation having a party held at the PLAYBOY MANSION.

In spite of their abundant team ability, there is always an underpinning of tension. Tension, that is noticeable to the players. The players can see how they are treated and how the organization treats others. It certainly isn't PC (politically correct) to talk about. It's not so much the trade. A trade is a trade. In this case, the problem is the way it was handled.

Yes it's a business. That's a given. What the Lakers need to understand?. If you treat people, right it could be a GOOD business CHAMPIONSHIP AND ALL.

   
THE BODY COUNT FROM THE LAKERS 1998-99 ROSTER:
DEL HARRIS       	TONY BATTIE
EDDIE JONES		MARIO BENNETT
ELDEN CAMPBELL		SAM JACOBSON
CORIE BLOUNT		TYRONE LUTE
NICK VAN EXEL		SHEA SEALS

DECISIONS, DECISIONS???: The trade of EDDIE JONES and ELDEN CAMPBELL to the Charlotte Hornets puts them on a list of the Lakers JERRY WEST'S No. 1 draft picks in the past 15 years who are now with other teams. The picks that aren't mentioned are no longer in the NBA. The others include:

1993	GEORGE LYNCH		Philadelphia 76ers
1992	ANTHONY PEELER		Minnesota Timberwolves
1989	VLADE DIVAC		Sacramento Kings
1985	A.C. GREEN		Dallas Mavericks

1983  	RALPH SAMPSON		Houston Rockets
1984	HAKEEM OLAJUWON		Houston Rockets
1985	PATRICK EWING		New York Knicks
1986	BRAD DAUGHERTY		Cleveland Cavaliers
1987	DAVID ROBINSON		San Antonio Spurs  

TRIVIA ANSWER:  The New York Knicks PATRICK EWING in 1985.
The other top picks that year were:

2.  WAYMAN TISDALE		Indiana Pacers
3.  BENOIT BENJAMIN		Los Angeles Clippers
4.  XAVIER McDANIEL		Seattle Supersonics
5.  JON KONCAK			Atlanta Hawks
6.  JOE KLEINE			Sacramento Kings
7.  CHRIS MULLIN		Golden State Warriors