Los Angeles Lakers Roster 2008-2009

Los Angeles Lakers current roster, including new players, pictures, draft picks and playoff roster for the 2008-09 NBA Season.

Roster for the 2008-09 Season Only small changes on the horizon...

  Lakers 2008-09 roster will include Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol

Despite the fact that they were completely dominated by the Celtics defense in the 2008 FInals, Kobe Bryant seems to be committed with the team and the future looks promising with a big frontcourt conformed by Andrew Bynum at center and Pau Gasol moved to his natural position of power forward.

In the off-season the Lakers decided to keep Sasha Vujacic and let Ronnie Turiaf go and the only relevant movement in the horizon seem to be deciding whether to trade Lamar Odom and his big contract or just try to adjust him to a new position... again. Sun Yue's addition created a lot of media attention but his minutes will surely be very limited (he's a rookie and the coach is Phil Jackson...)

Here you can read about all the changes made for the 2008-2009 Season

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

Rumors

Lamar Odom rumors
His name is always included in trade rumors and the Lakers in fact wanted to send him to Memphis for Gasol but this time he's the team most valuable piece to include in a trade mostly because of his 14-million contract that expires after 2008-09. The rumors about a trade for Sacramento Ron Artest ended when Artest was sent to Houston but the Lakers will be hearing trade offers during the season...Update: the Lakers decided not to trade him and he will be a free agent after the 2009 Playoffs. Rumors archive

They arrived:

Sun YueSun Yue
The "Chinese Magic Johnson" is a 6-foot-9, 212-pound point guard that was selected by the Lakers in the 2nd. round of the 2007 NBA Draft. A starter for the Chinese National Team in Beijing 2008, he played with the Aoshen club in Beijing last year. He can play shooting guard if necessary but despite the media buzz generated by his arrival his role will be limited this season.

Josh Powell
A 6-9 power forward/center, Powell signed as free agent. He spent last season with the Clippers where he averaged 5.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 19.2 minutes in 64 games. After going undrafted in 2003 he played in Italy and Russia for two years. Later was a member of the Mavericks, Pacers and Warriors.

Adam Morrison
The 24-year-old, 6-8 forward was the 3rd pick in the 2006 draft and was included in the midseason trade that sent Radmanovic to the Charlotte Bobcats. He averaged 11.8 points as a rookie but missed the entire 2007-08 season after suffering a torn ligament in his left knee. He played 44 games for Charlotte this 2008-09 season, including 5 starts, averaging 4.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 15.2 minutes a game.

Shannon Brown
Also included in the Radmanovic's trade, the 23-year-old guard was selected 25th in the 2006 Draft. He averaged 3.2 points as a rookie for the Cavaliers, spent time with the Cavaliers and the Bulls in his second season and was averaging 4.8 points in 11.4 minutes a game with the Bobcats this 2008-09 season. Neither him nor Morrison, figure to get significant playing time in the near future.

They stay:

Sasha Vujacic
He was a restricted free agent, and with the Lakers ready to match any offer sheet for him, he received no offers from other teams. He said that if he didn't get a satisfactory contract from the Lakers he could leave to play in Europe but finally he agreed to a 3-year, 15-million deal to stay in Los Angeles. Retaining Vujacic was the main goal for the Lakers postseason. He was a key member of the team in 2007-08 becoming a long distance threat from the bench and playing good defense in the playoffs. He averaged 8.8 points in 17.2 minutes during the regular season and shot 45.4% from the field, including 43.7% from 3-point range. In the playoffs, he averaged 21.7 minutes, 8.1 points and shot 39.9%, including 39.2% from beyond the three-point line.

DJ Mbenga
The Lakers re-signed the center from Congo to a one-year partially-guaranteed contract.

They left:

Ronny Turiaf
Restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf signed an offer sheet with the Warriors for about $17 million over 4 years. The Lakers had the right to match it but decided not to do it. Despite Turiaf being a fan favorite and a big energy provider, he wasn't going to have many minutes in the lakers crowded frontcourt.

Ira Newble and Coby Karl
The Lakers decided not to keep them and they left as free agents.

Vladimir Radmanovic
In a trade the week before the All-Star Game the Lakers sent him to the Charlotte Bobcats for a pair of young players -- Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown. The movement trimmed $8.5 million off the Lakers' payroll and eliminates a possible problem ahead because Radmanovic wasn't happy with his playing time --which had been significantly reduced before the trade-- in a crowded position that includes Walton, Odom and Ariza. In 46 games with the team this season he started 28 times and averaged 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds but despite a great 3-point average (.441) his defense and adaptation to the triangle were below-average.

Chris Mihm
The backup center was traded to Memphis for a conditional 2nd-round draft pick in 2013. It was basically a financial decision to avoid future luxury tax and give him the opportunity to get more playing time somewhere else. Even with Bynum out Mihm wasn't playing and Josh Powell was getting the available minutes. Mihm, 29, averaged 2 points, 1.9 rebounds and almost 6 minutes in 18 games this 2008-09 season, his 5th season with the Lakers. He was the starter center in 2005-06, when he averaged 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds but also suffered an ankle injury that affected him for the next two seasons and required 2 surgeries.

Lakers Draft Picks:

1st round pick: none
The Lakers sent their first round pick to Memphis as part of the Pau Gasol trade. The Grizzlies selected Donte Greene with the 28th pick and traded him to Houston.

 

2nd round 58th pick overall:Joe Crawford
He's a 6-5 guard that averaged 17.9 points a game and shot 36.4% from three-point range in his senior season at Kentucky. Update 8/27: The Lakers didn't sign him for the season.

This is the 2008-2009 Los Angeles Lakers roster

Guards:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB more
5 Jordan Farmar Point Guard 6-2 180 2 11/30/1986 profile buy jersey
2 Derek Fisher Point Guard 6-1 210 12 8/9/1974 profile buy jersey
9 Sun Yue Point and Shooting Guard 6-9 212 R 11/6/1985 profile buy jersey
12 Shannon Brown Shooting Guard 6-4 211 2 11/29/1985 profile  
24 Kobe Bryant Shooting Guard 6-6 205 12 8/23/1978 profile buy jersey
18 Sasha Vujacic Shooting Guard 6-7 205 4 3/8/1984 profile buy jersey
Forwards:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB   more
3 Trevor Ariza Small Forward 6-8 210 4 6/30/1985 profile buy jersey
6 Adam Morrison Small Forward 6-8 205 1 07/19/1984 profile  
4 Luke Walton Small Forward 6-8 235 5 3/28/1980 profile buy jersey
7 Lamar Odom Small and Power Forward 6-10 230 9 11/6/1979 profile buy jersey
16 Pau Gasol Power Forward / Center 7-0 250 7 7/6/1980 profile buy jersey
21 Josh Powell Power Forward / Center 6-9 240 3 1/25/1983 profile  
Centers:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB   more
17 Andrew Bynum Center 7-0 285 3 10/27/1987 profile buy jersey
28 Didier Ilunga-Mbenga Center 7-0 255 4 12/30/1980 profile buy jersey
Played but were traded:
No. Player Position Ht Wt Yrs DOB   traded to
10 Vladimir Radmanovic Small Forward 6-10 235 7 11/19/1980 profile buy jersey
31 Chris Mihm Center 7-0 265 7 7/16/1979 profile buy jersey

Head Coach: Phil Jackson
Assistant Coaches:
(they are allowed to be on the bench)
 
Frank Hamblen
Kurt Rambis
Brian Shaw
Jim Cleamons
Special Assistant Coaches:
 
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Craig Hodges
Consultant: Tex Winter
Athletic Trainer: Gary Vitti