July 8th: Summer League begins. "The Lakers' Bynum again expected to pack the gym."

[Phil]

Summer sensation
The Lakers' Bynum again expected to pack the gym.

By ADAM MAYA
The Orange County Register


Big draw: Capacity crowds watched Andrew Bynum play in the Summer Pro League last year.

ARMANDO BROWN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER


El Segundo Andrew Bynum arrived at The Walter Pyramid in Long Beach a year ago to a maximum capacity crowd, with hundreds denied at the door. More than 5,000 people came to see the youngest player in NBA history in his first Summer Pro league game.

And he had no idea.

"I didn't know that until after," Bynum said. "I thought it was always like that."

Bynum, at 18 still the youngest player in the league, said he expects to see the same type of crowd at the Lakers summer-league opener today. Given how little he played last season Bynum doesn't think his novelty has worn off.

For the past two months he has committed himself to showing everyone how much he has progressed. Instead of returning home to New York, Bynum was at the Lakers training facility in El Segundo every day working out.

"I think he's made tremendous strides," Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. "He's been here every day over the summer, lifting weights. You can see his body has changed. He's definitely more mature.

[Phil]

Lakers stay put for summer

10:00 PM PDT on Friday, July 7, 2006
By BRODERICK TURNER
The Press-Enterprise


Summer pro league

DATES: Today-July 19

NBA TEAMS: Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards

SCHEDULE: Five games per day at 10:30 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

TICKETS: Available at the Long Beach State box office, 562-985-4949 or at LongBeachState.com

Platinum season pass: $575.00 (includes VIP courtside seat)

Season seat: $120

Single day: $12

Groups tickets: $7 (groups of 20 or more)

INFORMATION: 310-348-8747 or www.summerproleague.com




The Summer Pro League in Long Beach appears to be teetering; standing, it seems, only because of the Lakers' loyalty.

For 37 years, the Lakers have been entrenched in the SPL in Southern California. And they don't plan to go anywhere, which just might be enough to keep the league alive, despite the mass exodus of NBA teams.

The new trend for NBA teams has been to trek off to the Las Vegas Summer Basketball League. Sixteen NBA teams, including the Clippers, are in Las Vegas for the third-year league.

The SPL has just four NBA teams -- the Lakers, Memphis, Washington and Dallas -- which is why many wonder how much longer it can survive.

[Phil]

Summer league looks to rebound
By Earl Williams, Staff writer



LONG BEACH — John D. Younesi, the chief executive officer of the Southern California Summer Pro League, has seen his program roster of NBA squads dwindle from eight in 2004 to four this year — the Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies.

But he remains optimistic that teams will gradually return to the league.

Last year, the loss of the Clippers to the upstart league in Las Vegas was a huge blow in terms of seeing them face off against the Lakers' new and rising stars, which had been a major attraction for years. The league had five teams, plus a team from Senegal.

But the Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies and Miami Heat were a skeleton lineup compared to 2004.

That summer, the hometown teams, Sacramento, the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, the Hornets, Grizzlies and Dallas as well as former NBA Stars and coaches swarming the hardwood.

“The (Orlando Magic) team, has a small camp. We have a couple of teams that normally travel out here playing in that area. We believe based on some of the things that are going on in some other summer leagues that (teams) are going to choose to come out to Southern California next year,” Younesi said.

“The Lakers, who happen to be trendsetters in many different ways, also will hopefully be a model for other teams and be the envy of teams because they are going to have a good time playing in front of packed crowds.”

[Now_I_Know]

Shammond Williams A Laker?
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
July 9, 2006

The Lakers are close to a deal with Shammond Williams, a 6-1 guard who has played with six NBA teams. The Lakers are trying to complete financial discussions with Williams' pro team in Spain.

Williams, 31, has career averages of 6.1 points and 2.5 assists with Atlanta, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Orlando and New Orleans. He last played in the NBA in the 2003-04 season.

The Lakers, who agreed to terms last week with former Clippers forward Vladimir Radmanovic, could sign Williams with their biannual exception, which allows teams that are over the salary cap to sign a player for about $3.5 million over two years.
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