The future of the Los Angeles Lakers looks a little brighter after first round picks Jordon Farmar and Andrew Bynum lead the young Lakers squad to a successful Summer Pro League season at The Walter Pyramid in Long Beach.
Lead by Farmar, the 26th overall pick in June’s NBA Draft, and second-year high school draftee Andrew Bynum, the Lakers finished the eight-game summer campaign with a 5-3 record.
Farmar, the six-foot-two-inch guard who was the starting point for UCLA’s Final Four squad last year, played well on both sides of the ball in his first professional action, averaging 19 points and 3.9 assists.
Bynum, the seven-foot 18-year-old center had a breakout summer, flirting with double-doubles in almost every game, averaging 14.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks.
The Bynum-Farmar twosome had their best SPL game July 18 against the Washington Wizards, a high-scoring affair where the Lakers outlasted Washington 132-123.
Against Washington, Farmar posted his first double-double of his young career with 16 points, 11 assists and three steals. Bynum also had a double-double against the Wizards, racking up 25 points and 11 rebounds.
In the 11th season of the SPL at The Walter Pyramid, NBA rookie standouts got a chance to showcase their game while second-year players honed and maintained their skills in hopes of making an NBA roster.
This year, the SPL had 20 teams participating, 16 independently sponsored teams and four NBA teams: the Lakers, Wizards, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies.
Other noticeable players on the SPL Laker roster included second-year players Von Wafer and Devin Green, as well as Danilo (J.R.) Pinnock, Marcus Slaughter, Marcus Douthit and Kasib Powell.
Based on past years, two to four players of the fourteen-player SPL Laker squad will most likely be signed to either the active or inactive Laker roster. The others will be released or sent to development leagues.
Based on past performances and contract negotiations, the Lakers are expected to have Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Chris Mihm, Smush Parker and Brian Cook, as well as Vladimir Radmanovic, Kwame Brown, Luke Walton, Ronnie Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic and Andrew Bynum on the opening day roster.
With his play in the SPL, Farmar is likely to fill in the final spot on the 12-player roster.