In more NBA frivolous spending news, the Los Angeles Lakers have become one of many teams involved in some sort of financial propaganda this week, although this does not involve the cutting of hair or pistols drawn in a locker room.
As you know, there have been many criticisms of some of the Lakers big men for being soft *coughPaucough* and one of the biggest critics of the Lakers big men has been Phil Jackson, who apparently has been putting up $50 for each charge taken by a Lakers player.
ESPN reports:
“To motivate us in a way to take charges and getting away with it,” explained Sasha Vujacic.
And Vujacic says that the way the Celtics players play, the Lakers believe they could be in line to make some extra cash.
Assistant coach Frank Hamblin, who monitors the fines and payouts, said the team has been rewarding players for charges since late last season and the competition has intensified in the playoffs, although admitting that “very few guys are getting charge money.”
The money comes out of a pool accumulated by players” fines, such being whistled for an illegal defense, which costs a player $25. It is a fund, Hamblen says, to which Lamar Odom is the biggest contributor.
The charge-taking competition, however, has yet to involve Ron Artest, who said he learned from growing up on the New York playgrounds, that when you take a charge, fall and then call an offensive foul, well, bad things, like serious bodily harm, can happen.
This story amuses me for the simple reason that players in the NBA need to be paid to be motivated to take a charge, and I know Gasol is contemplating how bad he needs that extra money in fear of his chest getting harmed.
I just know that a couple of meals at Tony Romas will be purchased courtesy of Glen Davis, Kendrick Perkins, and Rasheed Wallace come Finals time.
Kris Moyo is one of BSO’s newest writers and comes from a long background of jive talking and pimp walking. You can follow Kris on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/IAMKRIS24