With the Lakers season officially over, the annual exit interviews are schedule for Thursday and Friday. We’ll provide you with coverage of each player over the two days through tweets from reporters and ourselves. Each player, sans Kobe Bryant, will be interviewed following their exit interview with the front office. Also, Mike D’Antoni and Mitch Kupchak will conduct interviews at the end.
You can follow along yourself at http://www.nba.com/lakers/live or by following us @TheLakeShowLife
Chris Kaman
Kaman: “It was a tough style of basketball for me.” Said he anticipated he’d be playing next to Gasol in a 2-big system.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
"I had my issues with coach" - Kaman "We both came to an agreement that obviously it wasn't going to work"
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) April 17, 2014
Teammates who stood out for Kaman: Rob (Sacre) and Ryan (Kelly)
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Kaman talking about how hard it was to listen to teammates tell him it's alright while they're in games late and he's not
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Kaman says MDA told him, essentially, "his bad" on not playing him. MDA said it was hard for him to play Pau, Kaman, Hill, Rob, and Kelly
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Jordan Hill
Hill "definitely wouldn't mind coming back here." But he doesn't know what's going to happen after up and down season
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
"When I'm out there, I feel invincible. I feel like I can overcome anything. When I have that feeling, I have fun." - Jordan Hill
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Hill on MDA's concern about fatigue w/ heavy minutes: "It gets tiring at times. But I feel like I have that adrenaline flowing"
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
On possible return: "Tough to say right now. I had a great time here. I wouldn't mind coming back here" - Hill
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
"We never argued I never snapped out on him. He never snapped out on me." - Jordan Hill on his relationship with Mike D'Antoni #Lakers
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) April 17, 2014
Jordan Hill sounds like he's out of here. He says he wouldn't mind coming back, but seems like he's looking forward to free agency options
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 17, 2014
"Chris is just a butthole, sometimes." J. Hill on Kaman in what very well might be the Quote of Exit Interviews, 2014. BK
— Kamenetzky Brothers (@KamBrothers) April 17, 2014
Jordan Farmar
Farmar on returning to the Lakers: "I'm pretty confident. This is a business, though."
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) April 17, 2014
Jordan Farmar: “I want to be back…it’s no secret.” #Lakers
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) April 17, 2014
Farmar: "I want to be back. I'm from here, I love it here. Love the fans. This is definitely where my heart's at."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
Jordan Farmar wouldn't expose Kuphack's plans,"It's no secret that they're committed to winning…try to put some more of these banners up."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
While Kaman and Hill said they want to return, you can hear the eagerness Farmar has to return
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Farmar said Kobe will "drive this ship in the direction it needs to go." Added, "whoever is on the team needs to be on his page."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Jordan Farmar wore his two NBA rings to his exit interview to remind management of his value
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Farmar "absolutely" hopes Gasol is part of Lakers future plans. "It's good to have familiar faces around."
— janis carr (@janiscarr) April 17, 2014
Farmar on Young: "Awesome to see Nick really blossom into something we all knew he could be...infectious nature permeated through the city."
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) April 17, 2014
Farmar said it absolutely "isn't fair" to blame D'Antoni for a season in which LAL lost 319 games to injury.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
Nick Young
"Hopefully I could be back. We'll see where they go, what there plans are. I might come into play after that" - Swaggy
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Nick Young joked Mitch Kupchak promised him he'll re-sign him for $100 million
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
"I feel home here. I wanna be here. I think it is a business. I gotta look out for myself and my family at the same time." - Swaggy
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Said what he meant was that "Mike is a soldier" and it's a shame what he's gone thru this year.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Favorite moment of year for #Swaggy: "I think getting ejected in Phoenix. Or scoring 40 points on TNT."
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Young says he can play with Kobe, and that his ability to score would help 24, taking some of the load and defensive attention away. BK
— Kamenetzky Brothers (@KamBrothers) April 17, 2014
Nick Young says he's still learning how to watch film rather than "watch all his highlights." #SwaggyP
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Nick Young on Mitch: "He was just talking about free agency and hopefully they can land somebody."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Young said Kupchak told him "it would be better if you just opt-in." Young told him to have his people call his people.
— janis carr (@janiscarr) April 17, 2014
Steve Nash
Nash says Lakers were appreciateive of how hard he worked to get back and "hopefully I can figure it out for next year."
— Bill Oram (@billoram) April 17, 2014
Steve Nash said Mitch "didn't give me any reason not to believe" he won't stay on the roster next season
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Nash: "I proved to myself I can still play at a high level. It's just how many minutes and how often. That's what I have to figure out."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
Nash said that the organization was "classy" in their continued support for him. #Lakers
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) April 17, 2014
Steve Nash: "They can't rely on me. They don't know what I can bring."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Nash said in three to four weeks he hopes he can sprint. Last year, it took him five months
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Nash is talking about multiple weeks before he can full-on sprint. This is a broken man
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Steve Nash: "It would have to be pretty clear that I'm not going to be able to contribute for me to step aside."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Nash on D'Antoni: "I can't really comment on his future, because I don't know. But it was tough on him"
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 17, 2014
"It felt like an opportunity to be honest, and backlash be damned." Nash, on the "wanting the money" admission in the Grantland doc. AK
— Kamenetzky Brothers (@KamBrothers) April 17, 2014
"We hit the bottom. We had championship aspirations and nothing's gone right." - Nash on Lakers
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Steve Nash says he intends to earn his keep for the Lakers on the court, or if not possible, as a mentor/coach off the court
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 17, 2014
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol: "I'll be in charge of my future, my destiny and I'll have to listen to the different possibilities on the table"
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 17, 2014
Pau Gasol: "I'm still going to listen closely to what the Lakers will have to offer."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Pau on staying with Lakers; "It would be difficult. We have Kobe healthy and hopefully Steve being healthier and being a strong core."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Pau said he's optimistic about Kobe's recovery. Pau says add pieces to that and things could go Lakers' way
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Gasol's priority for next season, it would appear, is to have a chance to win a ring. Unsure what LAL can do to be in that spot next season.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
Pau: "I see myself playing several more years at a high level. I wouldn't really want to play if I wasn't at a high level."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Pau: "I would always lean more towards a more controlled pace where you try to play smarter and out-think your opponents."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
"I'm very privileged that I had an amazing career up to this point and I want to prolong it. I accept it." - Gasol
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Gasol on the last home gm: "I'm always so thankful for the fan support I've received over the years, not just when things were going good."
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 17, 2014
Pau said Kobe would be one of the main reasons he would come back to the team
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Gasol on LAL tenure, whether it's over or not: "It's been amazing. I'll always be a part of this franchise and city no matter what."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
Pau Gasol on Kobe Bryant: "We compliment each other well: personally and professionally" #Lakers
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) April 17, 2014
Jodie Meeks
"I want to come back. I love playing here. Just gotta wait and see how the draft and free agency goes." - Meeks on returning
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Meeks said if it's up to him, he "definitely" wants to return next season. AK
— Kamenetzky Brothers (@KamBrothers) April 17, 2014
Jodie Meeks says he thinks he's "worthy" of a starting role but isn't going to hang his head if that's not how it works out in the future.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Wes Johnson
"It sucked we didn't have that chemistry we wanted to, but it worked out for me as a player." - Wes
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Johnson suggested that Kupchak/D'Antoni saw encouraging signs from him, and that they wanted to see a greater level of consistency.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
Wesley Johnson said he would like to re-sign w/ Lakers. But concedes decision is not up to him
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Wes Johnson said Kobe keeps defensive notes on how to guard certain players in his cell phone: "He's a maniac with it"
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 17, 2014
Robert Sacre
What has Robert Sacre proved this season? "That I belong."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Robert Sacre said his meeting went "great" but didn't want to elaborate.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Robert Sacre: "The biggest thing I'm going to miss about Pau is we're damn near neighbors." Says Pau always comes over for dinner.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
"Chris Kaman is.....Chris Kaman. He's like Ron Burgundy" - Robert Sacre
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) April 17, 2014
Robert Sacre on lack of dancing: "I apologize. That was my fault. I should've been MVP for this year. But I give that to Bazemore."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
Ryan Kelly
Ryan Kelly thinks everyone was happy w/ how he played as a rookie, "but if you ask me I shouldn’t have been a 48th pick in the first place"
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Ryan Kelly: "I've grown a lot as a player and person." He added this summer to become a better knockdown shooter & getting stronger
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 17, 2014
https://twitter.com/MarkG_Medina/status/456923056250691584
Often this season, when Kelly was open from 3 (he's 6-11, after all) he passed or wasn't ready to shoot. That'll definitely improve.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
Kelly said it really helped him to play for the @DFenders this season, an opportunity to play bit minutes and build confidence.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014
Ryan Kelly: "In hindsight, there couldn't have been a better situation" (being able to be picked by the Lakers)
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 17, 2014
Kelly is very aware of his strengths and limitations, and seems to get what he needs to do to stay in the NBA for a long time.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 17, 2014