Robert Upshaw debut and contract

[JumpingJudkins]

Upshaw's summer league debut with the Lakers: 2 points, 1 rebound, 3 blocks, 12 minutes played and 6 fouls.

Which was apparently good enough to earn him a two-year contract with the Lakers.

I'm sure that under Kobe's steady tutelage, this will all work out for the troubled Upshaw ...

[DefenseWinsChamps]

He took the challenge last night of playing against KAT. He fouled a lot, but at least he was aggressive.

Watch his interview with draft express. I know these guys always say the right things, but the interview was very genuine. I know there are rumors that he was kicked out of both schools for drugs. I don't know if that is the case.

There is a very real scenario where Upshaw was just not a student-athlete, but rather an athlete.

From the interview that I saw, and the way he played last night, I would constantly remind him that he went undrafted, and that KAT, Okafor, and others all were drafted in the first round. I'd make him wear number 61 (60 draft picks) and tape notes of the stat line of Okafor, KAT, and Turner every time they have a good game.

With his past, I think stirring this kind of internal motivation might be the only way to keep him clean and get him to focus his talents.

Oh, and I would keep him away from Nick Young.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I think he'll stick around for the Lakers, but this is a by the numbers Summer League-Training Camp contract... a partial guaranteed for the 1st year, and 2nd year non-guaranteed. We offer this all the time for players that don't stick around past training camp.

[saltlover]

Upshaw's summer league debut with the Lakers: 2 points, 1 rebound, 3 blocks, 12 minutes played and 6 fouls.

Which was apparently good enough to earn him a two-year contract with the Lakers.

I'm sure that under Kobe's steady tutelage, this will all work out for the troubled Upshaw ...

I would be shocked if that were a contract with any guaranteed money.  It's probably a two-year minimum deal with no guarantees -- maybe $50-100k guaranteed in year 1.

[saltlover]

I think he'll stick around for the Lakers, but this is a by the numbers Summer League-Training Camp contract... a partial guaranteed for the 1st year, and 2nd year non-guaranteed. We offer this all the time for players that don't stick around past training camp.

Jinx!

[BudweiserCeltic]

I think he'll stick around for the Lakers, but this is a by the numbers Summer League-Training Camp contract... a partial guaranteed for the 1st year, and 2nd year non-guaranteed. We offer this all the time for players that don't stick around past training camp.

Jinx!

From our friend Baxter Holmes, the only good thing related to anything Lakers

Baxter Holmes @BaxterHolmes
Undrafted C Robert Upshaw agrees to 2-year deal w/ Lakers, league source confirms. Partial guarantee on 1st year, 2nd-year non-guaranteed.

[Boris Badenov]

The Lakers...makes sense. I mean, what could go wrong for him personally in a place like Los Angeles?

[Geo123]

He took the challenge last night of playing against KAT. He fouled a lot, but at least he was aggressive.

Watch his interview with draft express. I know these guys always say the right things, but the interview was very genuine. I know there are rumors that he was kicked out of both schools for drugs. I don't know if that is the case.

There is a very real scenario where Upshaw was just not a student-athlete, but rather an athlete.

From the interview that I saw, and the way he played last night, I would constantly remind him that he went undrafted, and that KAT, Okafor, and others all were drafted in the first round. I'd make him wear number 61 (60 draft picks) and tape notes of the stat line of Okafor, KAT, and Turner every time they have a good game.

With his past, I think stirring this kind of internal motivation might be the only way to keep him clean and get him to focus his talents.

Oh, and I would keep him away from Nick Young.

Sorry but the real probability was that he had a drug problem with more than marijuana plus other serious issues.  Do a search on him.  Several people including won, steve Tyler and many others reported this.  It had nothing to do with him being only an athlete in school.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I really think we missed the boat on him.

There's a ton of potential in that dude that's worth risking. His length itself is bothering players already, and he could get a lot better with coaching and learning schemes.

If we redo the draft, I'd still push for him to be drafted #16. I'm not going to pass on a potential Roy Hibbert player at that spot.

[hpantazo]

He took the challenge last night of playing against KAT. He fouled a lot, but at least he was aggressive.

Watch his interview with draft express. I know these guys always say the right things, but the interview was very genuine. I know there are rumors that he was kicked out of both schools for drugs. I don't know if that is the case.

There is a very real scenario where Upshaw was just not a student-athlete, but rather an athlete.

From the interview that I saw, and the way he played last night, I would constantly remind him that he went undrafted, and that KAT, Okafor, and others all were drafted in the first round. I'd make him wear number 61 (60 draft picks) and tape notes of the stat line of Okafor, KAT, and Turner every time they have a good game.

With his past, I think stirring this kind of internal motivation might be the only way to keep him clean and get him to focus his talents.

Oh, and I would keep him away from Nick Young.

Sorry but the real probability was that he had a drug problem with more than marijuana plus other serious issues.  Do a search on him.  Several people including won, steve Tyler and many others reported this.  It had nothing to do with him being only an athlete in school.

Basketball Insider Steve Tyler on the line:

[BringToughnessBack]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WyuSamh_7KI

A center who blocks shots and plays aggressive defense who can also score. Take away the personal issues and he goes in the first round. I would have been happy to take a chance on him with our last pick.

That block on Towns was nasty!

[Roy H.]

The Lakers...makes sense. I mean, what could go wrong for him personally in a place like Los Angeles?

Too bad Josh Hamilton isn't in LA to mentor him.  He could use a sponsor. /sarcasm.

Seriously, LA is about the last city a drug addict should be playing in.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I'm really upset. I'm seriously upset that I'd rather post here than leave for work.

Even if it's not for #16 (in which I stand firm that we should have picked him then), we had #28, #33 and #45 and we passed on this dude when WE NEEDED a rim protector. And now the stinking Lakers has him. Teams looked to the past without looking to the future. He's still fundamentally flawed and needs improvement on strength, but you can already see the potential. With work, he could turn into an excellent player, but no, we won't pick him because of his past, isn't it?

Now I'm really late for work. Might as well call in sick just so I can rant some more.

[BringToughnessBack]

It is true Los Angeles is probably not the best place to avoid temptations but to be honest, Boston and our own version of living under the microscope, probably would not have been good for him either. A city like Utah might have been jdeal to avoid temptations. I can only imagine our reactions after he had a bad summer league game bjt it would have been interesting to see him add to our interior defense.

They do have good drug programs in both Boston and Los Angeles. He will definitely need to be watched like a hawk.

[tazzmaniac]

I'm really upset. I'm seriously upset that I'd rather post here than leave for work.

Even if it's not for #16, we had #28, #33 and #45 and we passed on this dude when WE NEEDED a rim protector. And now the stinking Lakers has him. Teams looked to the past without looking to the future. He's still fundamentally flawed and needs improvement on strength, but you can already see the potential. With work, he could turn into an excellent player, but no, we can't pick him because of his past, isn't it?

Now I'm really late for work. Might as well call in sick just so I can rant some more.

Every team passed on him in the draft including the Lakers.  They still have only given him a partial guarantee on 1st year money to get him to training camp.