Los Angeles Lakers 2005/2006 Roster

Los Angeles Lakers roster, including new players, pictures, draft picks and playoff roster for the 2005/2006 NBA Season.

Lakers rebuilding, again... 2005/2006 Roster

After the big changes made in the roster and a 2004-05 season that went from bad to worst (read injuries, coach resignation and missing the playoffs for the first time in 11 years) it is necessary to star rebuilding, again, even if it means bringing back Phil Jackson.

Below you can read about all the changes made.

On this page:
The coach ...
They arrived...
They stay...
They left...
Draft picks...
Complete Roster...

The coach and the coaching staff:

Phil Jackson is back Phil Jackson:
The Lakers original idea was to reestablish some kind of showtime with Tomjanovich, but his health wasn't good enough and he couldn't stand the pressure. Frank Hamblen just kept the coach chair warm for the return of his old boss Phil Jackson.

Jackson finally accepted back the job for 3 years and a total salary that goes from 30 to 36 million. He said he plans to run a different version of the triangle Lakers fans have seen. Without that big, big presence in the middle (Shaq) it will look more like the Chicago system with Kobe as the central focus and Odom in the Pippen role.

Phil Jackson's coaching staff will include Frank Hamblen, Kurt Rambis and Brian Shaw. Tex Winter will be a consultant. The Lakers also hired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as an assistant coach to work with the big men, specially with young promise Andrew Bynum. Abdul-Jabbar, a basketball legend and one of its greatest centers, played 14 seasons for the Lakers and is still the NBA all-time leading scorer.

The Lakers also hired former Bulls guard Craig Hodges as a special assistant coach to work with players on offensive skills and also brought Scottie Pippen to training camp as an unofficial assistant coach (officially a "consultant") to teach Odom how to play with Bryant the way he did it with Michael Jordan in Jackson's triangle offense.

They arrived:

Kwame Brown
- Forward/center Kwame Brown arrived via trade (read they left). Brown was the 2001 No.1overall pick from the Wizards and although in 4 years in Washington he couldn't live up to the expectations, he is young, big (7-0) and has a lot of potential that the Lakers expect he will develop in LA. The Lakers will give him $16 million over two years, and will have a team option for about $9 million in 2007-08.

Kwame Brown

Aaron McKie
- 6-foot-5, 210-pound, 32-year old, McKie was released by the 76ers with the amnesty clause and agreed to a 2-year $5 million contract with the Lakers. He was the league's sixth man of the year in 2001 when the 76ers lost in the NBA Finals to the Lakers. Although McKie has been a shooting guard throughout his career and his numbers have decline in the last seasons, Jackson's triangle makes an unconventional use of the point guard or "initiator", and a big man with defensive skills and good attitude like McKie fills the role perfectly for the system. To have a better image you just have to remember Ron Harper.

Others:

Laron Profit

Guard/forward. He was included in the trade with the Wizards.

William "Smush" Parker guard free agent from Phoenix, signed a 1-year partially guaranteed contract.
Devin Green an undrafted guard from Hampton University
Jim Jackson Guard/Forward, free agent from Phoenix. With 22 games remaining, the Lakers signed the 14-year veteran to add experience to the backcourt, something Aaron McKie couldn't contribute due to his injuries.

Rumors...
The Lakers were only offering short term deals because they wanted to be under the salary cap for the free-agency period in the summer of 2007 when big free agents like Amare Stoudemire, Yao Ming or Dirk Nowitzki were going to be available, but the first two have signed maximum contracts with their teams in the past weeks, so some say the Lakers could still gamble with the possibility of waiting another year and land Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony or Dwyane Wade. They could also be making room for a trade that could land a player like Kevin Garnett.... Rumors archive.

They stay:

Luke Walton
A restricted free-agent, has agreed to a two-year contract. He was the 32nd pick in the 2003 draft and although he averaged 2.4 points as a rookie and 3.2 points last season, Phil Jackson likes his passing skills.

They left:

Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins
They were sent to Washington in a trade for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit. Butler was the most consistent player toward the end of last season, averaging 21.9 points in the last 15 games, but the Lakers might have lost him without compensation next July when he becomes a restricted free agent. Also the team was overloaded at small-forward with Odom, Jones, George and Walton and needed help in the frontcourt, that's why Brown is coming to LA.

Vlade Divac
Divac told the Lakers his back was not completely healed and he didn't wanted to play like this, so making use of a $2 million dollar clause included in the original deal, the Lakers bought out Divac's second year of contract which was worth $5.4 million.

Divac, who was originally drafted by the Lakers in 1989, could play only 15 games last season, averaging 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds. But he leaves behind a 16-year career where he averaged 11.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists, was one of the first international players to have NBA impact and is one of only 3 players in NBA history (together with Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon) to get 13,000 points, 9,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocked shots.

He will be a scout in Europe for the Lakers. You can review Divac' profile here...

Brian Grant...
The Lakers waived him under the one-time amnesty provision clause included in the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement. They still have to pay him $14.3 million next season and $15.4 in 2006/07, and he will still be considered for the salary cap, but the team will save 30 million in luxury tax. Grant, who was a part of the Shaquille O'Neal trade, averaged only 3.8 pts and 3.7 rebounds in 69 games last season.

Others:

Tierre Brown

Free agent. Signed with the Raptors.

Jumaine Jones was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for a second-round draft pick in 2007.
Tony Bobbitt Was waived before the start of the season. He had joined the Lakers in the 2004-05 season to replace Kareem Rush.
Corie Blount an 11-year power forward veteran, signed during the off-season as a free-agent but sprained his left foot, couldn't play in the preseason and was waived before the start of the season.
Will Conroy an undrafted guard from the Washington Huskies. He played in the Summer League and participated in training camp in Hawaii but was waived before the start of the season.

Laron Profit

was expected to miss the rest of the season because of a ruptured Achilles' tendom and was waived to make room for Ronnie Turiaf

Slava Medvedenko Unable to play for the rest of the season because of a surgery to repair an henrniated disk, was waived 60 games into the season to make room for Jim Jackson.

Lakers Draft Picks:

Andrew Bynum

1st round 10th pick: Andrew Bynum
The Lakers still can't believe Andrew Bynum, a high-school prodigy was available for the 10th pick. With his 17 years, 8 months and 2 days, the 6-11 center became the youngest player ever drafted. Although he may need a couple of years to fulfil his potential, he already has well-developed post moves an excellent hook shot. The comparisons with Shaq may be too much but he has a promising future and as he said: "I can hit my free throws". Bynum averaged 22 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks as a senior at St. Joseph's High School.

2nd round 37th pick: Ronny Turiaf
Native of the Caribbean island of Martinique, Turiaf is a 6-10 forward that got the West Coast Conference Player of the Year award as a Senior averaging 15.9 points and a league-best 9.5 rebounds for Gonzaga. He signed a 2-year deal for about $1 million. Update: Ronny Turiaf was diagnosed with an enlarged aortic, a serious heart problem, and will have to undergo open-heart surgery. Doctors say it is good it was found on time because it could have taken his life. 7/27: Turiaf underwent successful 6-hour open-heart surgery. His aortic valve was functioning normally and did not need to be replaced. He won't be able to play basketball for a year at least. 12/20: He was cleared to play by Lakrs doctors. He will play with the Sun Kings of the CBA to complete his rehabilitation. 1/18/06: After 9 games in the CBA Turiaf was signed by the Lakers for the rest of the season.

2nd round 39th pick: Von Wafer
A 6-5 shooting guard that last season led Florida State with 12.5 points per game. He signed a two-year deal worth about $1 million. Feb 27: He was sent to the D-League

This is the 2005/2006 Los Angeles Lakers roster

GUARDS:
NO. PLAYER POS HT WT YRS DOB more
18 Sasha Vujacic PG 6-7 193 1 3/8/84 buy jersey
8 Kobe Bryant SG 6-6 220 9 8/23/78 buy jersey
2 Aaron McKie PG 6-5 210 11 10/2/72 buy jersey
1 William "Smush" Parker G 6-4 180 2 6/1/81 buy jersey
11 Devin Green G 6-7 210 R 10/25/82 buy jersey
24 Jim Jackson (1) G/F 6-6 220 14 10/14/70 buy jersey
23 Von Wafer (2) PG 6-5 210 R 7/21/85 buy jersey
9 Laron Profit (3) G/SF 6-5 204 3 8/5/77 buy jersey
FORWARDS:
NO. PLAYER POS HT WT YRS DOB more
4 Luke Walton SF 6-8 235 2 3/28/80 buy jersey
3 Devean George SF 6-8 240 6 8/29/77 buy jersey
7 Lamar Odom SF 6-10 232 6 11/6/79 buy jersey
43 Brian Cook PF 6-9 234 2 12/4/80 buy jersey
21 Ronny Turiaf (2) PF 6-10 249 R 1/12/83 buy jersey
14 Stanislav Medvedenko (1) PF/C 6-10 255 5 4/4/79 buy jersey
54 Kwame Brown PF/C 7-0 243 4 3/10/82 buy jersey
CENTERS:
NO. PLAYER POS HT WT YRS DOB more
31 Chris Mihm C 7-0 265 5 7/16/79 buy jersey
17 Andrew Bynum C 6-11 285 R 10/27/87 buy jersey

(1) Injured Medvedenko was waived 60 games into the season to sign Jim Jackson.
(2) Rookie Von Wafer was sent to the Development League on Feb 27.
(3) Injured Laron Profit was waived to make room for Turiaf.

PG: point guard, SG: shooting guard, SF: small forward, PF: power forward, C: center

Head Coach: Phil Jackson
Assistant Coaches: Frank Hamblen
Kurt Rambis
Brian Shaw
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Craig Hodges
Consultant: Tex Winter
Athletic Trainer: Gary Vitti