One leftover note from Thursday's NBA draft: At the end of the evening, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak was asked about forward Ron Artest's petition to legally change his name to Metta World Peace.
"I'm not surprised," he said. "Beyond that, I don't have any comment."
Kupchak was then asked if, assuming the change went through, he'd prefer to see "Peace" or "World Peace" on the back of Artest's jersey.
"I'm an advocate of World Peace," he said.
EL SEGUNDO -- It's far too soon to know if Andrew Goudelock will ever see a minute of action with the Lakers, let alone have any kind of impact. But he's already provided one quote that should probably live in Lakers lore.
"Unless something happens, unless I get some kind of disease where I forget how to shoot, I'll be shooting til the day I die," said Goudelock, taken by the Lakers with the 46th pick in the NBA draft, during a short teleconference with reporters.
Goudelock and Darius Morris, the team's pick at No. 41, will have legitimate shots to make the roster this fall -- or whenever the NBA next convenes, given the lockout that's expected when the current labor agreement expires July 1.
From the University of Michigan website, here's a little more on guard Darius Morris, selected by the Lakers with the 41st pick:
-- He spent two years at the school. As a sophomore, he averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.7 assists. A third-team All-Big 10 selection, he set a school single-season record for assists with 235. He shot 48.9 percent from the field, 71.5 percent at the foul line, playing 34 minutes p[er game. As a freshman, he averaged 4.4 points, 2.6 assists and 2.6 assists.
-- A four-year varsity player at Windward High, the L.A. native averaged 21.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists, and was the CIF-SS Division V player of the year as a senior.
Check back later for comments from general manager Mitch Kupchak.
EL SEGUNDO -- Lakers coach Mike Brown is on hand at the team's training facility for tonight's draft, but freely admits he has very little involvement in the process. He said he and one of his sons are sitting in his office, eating pizza and watching the draft coverage on TV, while he occasionally sticks his head into the draft room.
His detachment from the process, he said, reflects his newness in the organization.
"Mitch (Kupchak) and his staff have been doing this the whole year," Brown said. "They have a plan, they know the direction that they're going to go, and I've watched them from afar. They seem extremely organized and methodical in their approach. ...
After a one-year hiatus, the Lakers' wholly owned and operated NBA Development League franchise, the D-Fenders, will return for the 2011-2012 season, the team and league announced today.
The D-Fenders, who previously played their games before or after Lakers games at Staples Center, will play at the Lakers' practice facility, the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo.
"We are excited to continue our investment in the NBA Development League as it continues to evolve into a basketball and business asset for NBA teams," D-Fenders Chief Executive Joey Buss said in a press release.
"We're thrilled to welcome the Los Angeles D-Fenders back to the NBA Development League," said NBA D-League President Dan Reed. "The Lakers have been an outstanding partner with the NBA D-League for years, and their return further reinforces our growing significance to the NBA - especially considering they are now one of seven NBA teams with a 'one-to-one' affiliation. We're excited about the terrific fan experience they plan to provide at Toyota Sports Center."
The D-Fenders are one of seven teams affiliated with single NBA franchises. Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Houston, New Jersey, New York and Dallas also have D-League affiliates.
After Dallas completed its second-round sweep of the Lakers on Sunday, Phil Jackson told reporters he was relieved the season was over. That should not, he said, be taken as a sign he was frustrated with the team.
"I'm always relieved when the season is over," he said.
Still, there is a degree to which his final Lakers team perplexed Jackson to the end.
"This team just had an ability to get into a funk and not be able to resurge, to find a common thread and come back and turn things around," he said Wednesday, in his final media session before heading off into a planned retirement from coaching. "I never really had a team like that, that couldn't make adjustments and learn from mistakes."
Individually, it was a good year for Lamar Odom -- good enough that he was the only player general manager Mitch Kupchak was willing to single out for playing well.
But after two championships, Odom found that individual success was fairly hollow when the Lakers crashed out of the playoffs in the second round.
"It's funny, but on the plane, on the way back (from Game 4 in Dallas), that's what kind of broke me down," Odom said. "When I was with Derek (Fisher), and I was talking to him about individual success, but after experiencing championships, to Hell with it.
EL SEGUNDO -- In hindsight, Mitch Kupchak has no regrets about leaving the Lakers roster intact at the trade deadline, even after saying that a change of chemistry might be necessary to shake the team out of its funk.
"We looked at opportunities,but our feeling was that this group had earned the right to fight this through to the end with their existing group," the Lakers GM said. "And maybe we could have tinkered somewhere. We didn't come across something that we felt was necessary to do. ...
"If there was a switch to be flipped on ... then we were more than willing to see if they could do it."
Andrew Bynum suggested Tuesday that one of the reasons for the Lakers' downfall was that the team's practices weren't intense enough. Kobe Bryant, for his part, acknowledged that something was missing because he mostly wasn't able to practice because of his troublesome right knee.
"I think it played a part in the fact that guys felt like they could take days off because I'm not there," Bryant said. "It's like your big brother not being around: You feel like you can go around the house and do all these things with the toys and other stuff, because I'm not on the court with you.
"And it's upsetting to me. They knew going in what my knee situation was, and we communicated that with them, me not being able to practice and them having to pick up some of that responsibility in practice with the intensity and things of that nature, because of my knee.
EL SEGUNDO -- The exit-interview material is a bit backed up today, because Kobe Bryant, Matt Barnes and Lamar Odom met the media in rapid succsssion, unlike yesterday when there were some long breaks between interviews.
Getting caught up is at the mercy of the time until Phil Jackson and Mitch Kupchak come in. Please be patient.
EL SEGUNDO -- Matt Barnes sounds like a man who will be returning to the Lakers next year.
Barnes, in his exit-interview media session, would not say whether will exercise his option for the 2011-12 season, though he said he's made his decison: "As for now, we're going to keep that to ourselves," he said.
But in the next breath, he gave a pretty good hint of his intentions.
"I want to win," he said. "I still feel this is the best team in the NBA, despite what we showed in the second round."
The view Kobe Bryant will see when he sits down for his media session, although there will be more people crowding in the back. Not visible: Several photographers kneeling in front of the table.
EL SEGUNDO -- The Lakers conclude their exit interviews today, with Kobe Bryant followed by Matt Barnes and Lamar Odom. GM Mitch Kupchak will meet with reporters after the players are done. Still uncertain is whether Phil Jackson will make an appearance.
Look for updates throughout the morning and early afternoon.
Closing out coverage from today's first day of Lakers exit interviews, here are a few highlights from Pau Gasol's session, beginning with his reaction to a joking first question: You know this is all your fault, don't you?
"I would hope not. Obviously, I'm not happy. I'm disappointed that I was not able to perform at my usual high level. But I'm not playing alone. But it's a time to analyze, to sit back and see what actually hapened out there -- not just through this last stretch, but throughout the year. I think we need to look deeply into the stretches we had, the ups and downs, the meaning of them, and see what we could have done better individually and as a team, to become stronger when we needed to."
On the criticism he's received in the postseason:
"I understand with the player that I am and consider myself to be, there's going to be a lot of expectations ... and when those expections are not achieved, there's going to be a lot of criticism. ...
"I understand this is part of the deal, whether you consider it fair or not. The thing that makes me the angriest, I guess, is me not playing at my best, and me not being able to help my team accomplish its goals. The rest of the stuff, you can brush it off."
EL SEGUNDO -- Derek Fisher is clearly still hurting after the Lakers' early elimination from the playoffs.
"I just really never imagined being in this situation and speaking to you guys under these circumstances," Fisher said. "This one definitely hurts. I think we all feel that way. ... This one will be with us for a while."
But, like his other teammates who have met the media today, Fisher is confident the Lakers can, as currently constructed, return to championship contention.
"I would take the same exact group of guys and line 'em up and lace 'em up again," he said. "And we'd get the job done. That's what I believe can and will happen."
EL SEGUNDO -- The longest media session to date, and arguably the most interesting, was Luke Walton's wide-ranging session, which included a discussion of his frustration at not playing more of a role (and his belief he could and should have), his assessment that the team never advanced beyond the most basic level of triangle execution, and his strong belief in Brian Shaw's suitability as an NBA head coach.
Here's what we can get to before Derek Fisher's turn in the interview room.
On his role:
"I worked extremely hard (last) summer to get my back to a level where I could compete and play and help this team. Obviously, getting hurt in training camp didn't help, but I still felt like, once I was healthy again, and coach knowing what I could do and bring to the team, that I'd be able to contribute a lot more than he let me.
"He had told me that his game plan was to have the second unit play at a much faster speed than the first unit. I'm more of a 'let's bring it up and run the offense and execute' (person), and it kind of left me out of the rotation. Which hurt. A lot.
EL SEGUNDO -- Selected comments from Shannon Brown's Tuesday media session:
On dealing with the team's abrupt playoff exit:
"It's very, very frustrating, and I apologized to (Phil Jackson) face to face, and told him that it was a terrible way for him, possibly his last game or season, to go out that way. And I really felt bad about it.
"I really can't put it into words how disappointed, upset, embarrassed, frustrated I really was. It still hurts. ... It happened that way, and it's still baffling."
EL SEGUNDO -- Some comments from Steve Blake's very brief media session (about two and a half minutes) after today's exit interview:
Asked how frustrating it was to go out the way the team did:
"Extremely frustrating, not only to lose, but to lose the way -- they beat us down pretty good. They played great, they made a lot of great shots, they took advantage of our mistakes. But at the same time, it's tough to know how good you are as a team, and the coaches we have, and still to go down that way. So it was tough."
On never quite finding his comfort level in his first year with the team:"
"I never really felt like I got to playing the best I could be. There were some points where I did, but I can't really explain why.
"I was comfortable. i loved my teammates, loved the coaches. So I just never really found my stride and continued it. There were stretches."
EL SEGUNDO -- A few comments from Ron Artest's media session after his exit interview:
On the Lakers' exit from the playoffs:
"You can look at it like Muhammad Ali's one of the greatest ever, and he lost his last fight. ...
"I'm proud of Luke, Pau, Lamar, Fisher, Kobe and Gasol -- they did what not many people have done. They went to the championship three years in a row.
"We went out like warriors, but people don't understand. You've got to really pay attention to the game. We had six players play 82 games, which probably should have sat some games. We were ready to fight, but I think our legs were gone. They played almost 400-something guys the last four years, and a lot of the guys that are winning now, the rookies, they were home in April. They get to go home in April for the last few years. And a lot of the teams that are in it, even the veterans, they weren't in it as far as the Lakers."
Before taking questions at the Lakers' exit interviews, Andrew Bynum offered this statement about the flagrant foul that led to his ejection from Sunday's game in Dallas:
"I want to apologize for my actions at the start of the fourth quarter in Dallas in Game 4. They don't represent me, my upbringing, this franchise or any of the Laker fans out there that want to watch us and want us to succeed.
"Furthermore, and more importantly, I want to actually apologize to J.J. Barea for doing that. I'm just glad he wasn't seriously injured in the event. All I can say is I've looked at it, it's terrible, and it definitely won't be happening again."
EL SEGUNDO -- A packed media room is on hand for the Lakers' season wrap-up, the first of two days of player exit interviews. Players meet with GM Mitch Kupchak and outgoing coach Phil Jackson, then are brought in to talk to the media. Up first will be Andrew Bynum, who started his session is 9 a.m.
Check back throughout the day for occasional updates, and watch PE.com and the Press Enterprise tomorrow for additional coverage.
DALLAS -- Magic Johnson's view that the Lakers are one loss from needing a stick of dynamite ('Dr. Buss...is going to have to blow up this team.') didn't sit well with coach Phil Jackson, who also is one loss from being a former NBA coach.
'I thought it was unnecessary at this time,' said Jackson before Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. 'I'm not surprised. Magic always talks openly.'
Jackson said he doubted Johnson's opinion that the Lakers will need to trade one of the two big men -- Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum -- to get faster and more athletic would have any effect on his team: 'There are too many other things going on.'
DALLAS -- Mavericks taciturn coach Rick Carlisle accidentally drew a laugh when he was asked what he thought the Lakers will gain with the return of Ron Artest from his one-game banishment.
'He's always played well after being suspended,' said Carlisle, an honest reference to Artest's checkered history, which made a couple of dozen reporters chuckle.
'It's not a joke,' Carlisle said, certainly not wanting to be recognized as a quipster. 'It's true.'
DALLAS -- What do you say to your two-time defending champions who are down 0-3 and one loss from bye-bye?
Coach Phil Jackson, who smiled and brought whimsy after Game 1 and Game 2 losses, was out of humor this time.
'We just said we didn't finish the game well, that we're disappointed in or ability to cover the (three-point) line. That we double-teamed (Dirk) Nowitzki ineffectively and irrationally a couple of times at the end of the game...if we come back and play the same game we're going to win.'
Among the recurring themes of disappointment was Pau Gasol's 5-of-13 performance from the floor.
The Spaniard hasn't been anywhere close to his form of the three previous postseasons for the Lakers, in which he averaged 16.9, 18.3 and 19.6 points per game. He's at 13.4 in the first nine playoff games.
Jackson yelled at Gasol during the game and chucked him in the chest during a timeout, because, the coach said, he didn't like the way Gasol failed to protect the ball in one sequence. It seemed much worse than that, but Jackson offered a less-than-ringing endorsement for his faltering forward after the game. Someone asked him if he could expect a solid game from Gasol, and Jackson said, 'He's been through enough playoff games to know the deal -- that you can come back and play games.'
For the most part, the Lakers thought they should have won. Just like they did after Game 1, another contest in which they couldn't protect the kind of lead a champion savors.
The 0-3 deficit will require an historic comeback, or the Lakers are out. No NBA team has ever rebounded that far, and only one Major League Baseball team has done it.
'The Red Sox did it,' said Lamar Odom afterwards. 'That's why we love sports, right? The Broncos (improbable comeback) against Cleveland, when (Earnest) Byner fumbled? Expect the unexpected.'
That's what the Lakers are hanging their future on, for sure. The unexpected.
DALLAS -- It appears everyone just has to wait to see who replaces suspended Ron Artest in Game 3, since Phil Jackson didn't confirm the lineup the team submitted to the NBA earlier today, putting Shannon Brown at shooting guard and Kobe Bryant in Artest's spot.
Most speculation has Lamar Odom taking over for Artest, since Odom himself said he expected it. But the Lakers' first 90 lineups this season all had Artest in them, so whatever Jackson does, he's going to make it a game-time surprise.
DALLAS -- If the Mavericks will never replace the Cowboys in the hearts, minds and attention spans of the natives, they are the darlings of the moment after surprising the Lakers in the first two games of their NBA playoff series.
Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News reports that the local viewership for Game 2 increased by more than 100,000 households over the Game 1 upset -- a game that began close to 10 p.m. local time -- and was the most watched Mavs game in two years.
Not that anyone saw this coming. Local media seems to be as surprised with the 2-0 lead as us Southland 'experts,' most of whom anticipated a favorable matchup against an older-than-the-Lakers team which had been Lakers fodder for years.
The mood here, as you might expect, is a stark contrast to LA, where the end of an era seems to be coming into unwelcome view.
The teams will go from the dissatisfied grumbling and boos of Staples Center Wednesday night to a thrilled, sold-out, blue-wearing American Airlines Center crowd Friday, where tickets on such on-line brokers as StubHub and OnLineSeats are disappearing steadily.
Upper level seats can be had for $100-and-something, while most lower level seats are in the $300-to-$500 range.
Actually, that would be a bargain for postseason shopping Lakers fans -- who may have jeered their team, but now are just hoping that they get to see them again.
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