Pau Gasol and the Championship Trophy will be headed to India

NEW YORK — Los Angeles Lakers star Pau Gasol will travel to India next week with the NBA championship trophy to conduct clinics, the first time a member of the reigning NBA champions has ever visited India.

The 30-year-old Spanish forward will visit Mumbai and Delhi for six days starting Monday to help boost the NBA and basketball in general in the world's second-most populated nation.

"I have always wanted to visit India and I am very excited to represent the Lakers and the NBA," Gasol said.

"As an international player in the NBA, I know how important it is to do my part to grow the game globally and would love to compete against a player from India in the NBA one day."

Another NBA star, Orlando Magic center Dwight visited Bangalore and Delhi last week.

Gasol will appear with the Larry O'Brien Trophy, also making its first trip to India, and conduct clinics in Mumbai next Thursday for players in an NBA-backed community league.

The Barcelona native will stage a clinic for underprivileged childre through NBA Cares, the league's social outreach program, on August 27 in Delhi.

"Giving youth in India the unique chance to step onto a court and learn from a reigning two-time NBA champion will inspire more athletes to play the game," NBA International President Heidi Ueberroth said.

"Pau is a great ambassador for the NBA."

Ebanks and Caracter signed by Lakers

This is not exactly coming as a surprise to anyone but the Lakers have signed Ebanks and Caracter to two year contracts on Thursday, with each being worth about 1.1 million over 2 years should they make the team. This move helps the Lakers by adding some needed albeit rookie youth to an aging team. It makes great financial sense as well since Mbenga and Powell (or any other vets) would have cost the team much more than the approximate 470,000 the second rounders will receive in their first seasons provided they make the team.

Besides the obvious financial reasons, I believe these kids will amount to more than Mbenga and Powell as those guys are somewhat 1 dimensional even though I like them both. I must admit looking at Ebanks is a little creepy since he looks so much like Trevor Ariza, but hopefully he can play like Trevor as well. He looks to have a very nice shooting stroke, and has the length that the Lakers front office just loves.

Caracter seems to have great instincts in the paint despite being undersized at his position. Scoring looks to come easy and has shown to make some smart passes as well. Of course these views are coming from summer league playing time which is very different from NBA minutes but they have impressed so far and were considered league standouts in Vegas.

I for one am very excited for this damn thing to get started already with so much going on this offseason. Miami, Shaq to Boston and the moves the Lakers have made to improve the team have me counting down the minutes.

The Boston Celtics finally out of the closet and here is the proof

I always thought Rajon Rondo looks like he wears makeup, now it looks like the big three is really the big threesome. No wonder why their players seem to relish all the physical contact. One can now re-imagine how the got the reffs on their side for the 08 finals, although I'd rather skip the imagery.

this evidence really clears up why mr. wheelchair is such a flopping bitch. Now Shaq might have to add a new nickname to the list before the season is over.

Now lets wait to see just how they HANDLE Miami.

Congrats to Jerry Buss for being inducted to the basketball H.O.F

I know this is a bit late but congratulations to jerry for making in into the hof and thanks for being the best owner in sports. Oh , and thank you Jeanie for being so damn hot ;)?

And Finally, Shannon Brown Re-signs

Shannon Brown had suitors. Six of them or so. Some offered the free-agent guard more money than he might make if he returned to the Lakers. He thought about that.

But in the two years Brown had spent in purple and gold, he won two rings. He thought about that too. Eventually, the idea of three in a row was too much to pass up, and the guard agreed to a two-year contract worth about $4.6 million to stay with the Lakers, his agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Thursday.

"Obviously, the process took a while, but Shannon wanted to be here and they wanted him," Bartelstein said. "Shannon had a number of other opportunities out there, but he had been in L.A. for two years and they won two championships. The chance to go for a three-peat is very special to him."

The athletic, high-flying dunker averaged career highs in points (8.1), rebounds (2.3), assists (1.3) and minutes (20.7) last season. Brown, 24, had opted out of a contract that would have paid him $2.1 million next season, the second year of his previous deal with the team.

The Lakers like his potential and own his "early bird rights," meaning they could have paid him about $5.5 million in the first season of a new contract. But Bartelstein said Brown, whose new deal includes a player option in the second year, was willing to take less money to stay in L.A.

"It was important for him to go through the process and hear what people wanted to say, but his heart was with the Lakers to stay here and try to win a third title," he said.

Brown, who was hampered late in the season with a bone bruise and torn ligament in his right thumb that he said could require off-season surgery, was perhaps the Lakers' final off-season priority.

Coach Phil Jackson, obviously the highest priority, announced he would return for one more year, and veteran point guard Derek Fisher signed a three-year contract. In moves to bolster the lineup, the Lakers added Steve Blake, Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff.

With Brown signed, the Lakers have 12 players under contract and can focus on signing second-round draft picks Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter.

baxter.holmes@latimes.com

L.A. Times

Lakers 2010 Preseason Schedule

The Los Angeles Lakers have announced the preseason schedule for the 2010-11 season, along with ticket purchase information. The preseason line-up includes games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, and is highlighted by games in London and Barcelona as part of NBA Europe Live 2010.

The Lakers will kick off the 2010 preseason on October 4 when they take on the Timberwolves in London. The Lakers will then travel to Barcelona, where they will face off against Euroleague powerhouse Regal FC Barcelona on October 7. The Lakers will then head to Las Vegas, where they will play the Kings on October 13 at the Thomas and Mack Center.

The Lakers will host their annual shootout at STAPLES Center on October 16 and 17. In addition to the Lakers, teams scheduled to participate in the event are the Nuggets, Jazz and Clippers.

The Lakers will then play the Jazz in Anaheim at the Honda Center on October 19, before wrapping up the preseason with games against the Warriors on October 21 at the San Diego Sports Arena and October 22 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.

Below is the complete 2010 Los Angeles Lakers preseason schedule:

DATE	OPPONENTT	LOCATION	TIME (Pacific)
Oct. 4th	Minnesota Timberwolves	London (The O2)	12:00pm Pacific / 20:00 Local
Oct. 7th	Regal FC Barcelona	Barcelona (Palau Sant Jordi)	11:30am Pacific / 20:30 Local
Oct. 13th	Sacramento Kings	Las Vegas, NV (Thomas and Mack Center)	7:00pm
Oct. 16th	Nuggets, Jazz or Clippers	Los Angeles, CA (STAPLES Center)	7:30pm
Oct. 17th	Nuggets, Jazz or Clippers	Los Angeles, CA (STAPLES Center)	7:30pm
Oct. 19th	Utah Jazz	Anaheim, CA (Honda Center)	7:00pm
Oct. 21st	Golden State Warriors	San Diego, CA (San Diego Sports Arena)	7:00pm
Oct. 22nd	Golden State Warriors	Ontario, CA (Citizens Business Bank Arena)	7:00pm

Individual game tickets for the Lakers preseason games in Las Vegas, Anaheim, San Diego and Ontario will go on sale at 10:00 am on Monday, April 19. Tickets for games in Anaheim, San Diego and Ontario will be sold at Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com, and available by phone at 1-800-4-NBA-TIX. Tickets for the game in Las Vegas can be purchased at unlvtickets.com or by phone at 702-739-FANS. Group seats for the game in Anaheim are available for purchase by calling 714-704-2420 or visiting www.hondacenter.com. Group seats for the game in San Diego are available by calling 619-224-4171 ext. 311 or emailing groups@sandiegoarena.com. Tickets for the preseason games at STAPLES Center will go on sale at a later date. Tickets for the game in London are available through the O2 Arena website. Check back in June for more information on tickets for the game in Barcelona.

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Ticket Information

London
O2 Arena
Monday, October 4, 2010 @ 12:00pm Pacific / 20:00 Local
Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

This game is sold-out

Barcelona
Palau Sant Jordi
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Lakers vs. Regal FC Barcelona

This game is sold-out

Las Vegas
Thomas and Mack Center at UNLV
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 @ 7:00pm
Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings

Tickets on Sale: Monday, April 19, 2010 at 10:00 AM
For tickets, call 739-FANS or visit unlvtickets.com

Anaheim
Honda Center
Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 @ 7:00pm
Lakers vs. Utah Jazz

Tickets on Sale: Monday, April 19, 2010 at 10:00 AM
For tickets, call 1-800-4-NBA-TIXS or visit Ticketmaster.com.
Groups of 15 or more call 714.704.2420 or visit www.hondacenter.com , or call 1-800-398-7021 or www.socalgroups.com

San Diego
San Diego Sports Arena
Thursday, October 21, 2010 @ 7:00pm
Lakers vs. Golden State

Tickets on Sale: Monday, April 19, 2010 at 10:00 AM
For tickets, call 1-800-4-NBA-TIXS, visit Ticketmaster.com or call 619-220-tixs(8497).
Groups of 15 or more call 1-619-224-4171 ext. 311 or email groups@sandiegoarena.com

Ontario
Citizens Business Bank Arena
Friday, October 22, 2010 - 7:00pm
Lakers vs. Golden State

Tickets on Sale: Monday, April 19, 2010 at 10:00 AM
For tickets, call 1-800-4-NBA-TIXS or visit Ticketmaster.com.