Lakers power forward Thomas Robinson was no lock to make the team’s 15-man roster back in October, but he earned a spot out of training camp and has now earned an increased role as the team’s season nears an end, writes Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. Although Robinson’s stats aren’t eye-popping, his .534 FG% is easily a career best, and his per-minute numbers are also among the strongest of his career.
Head coach Luke Walton, who calls Robinson “one of our hardest workers,” has played an instrumental role in getting the most out of the former fifth overall pick, and Walton’s impact is one reason why Robinson wants to stick in Los Angeles when he reaches free agency this summer. According to Medina, Robinson says he’ll “do anything possible” he can to stay a Laker.
Here are a few more notes on the two Los Angeles teams:
- Like Robinson, Metta World Peace got a one-year, non-guaranteed deal from the Lakers last offseason and wasn’t assured a season-long roster spot. However, he has remained with the team too, and the veteran forward has been a leader in the locker room this season despite playing limited minutes, says Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times.
- The Clippers‘ five core players are in their fourth season together, and they recognize their window for making a deep postseason run may not be open for much longer. As Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times details, three of those core players – Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and J.J. Redick – will be free agents this summer, and Jamal Crawford suggests the team is getting “impatient” to make its mark in the postseason.
- With free agency looming for some key Clippers players, Mark Whicker of The Orange County Register wonders if we may be nearing the end of an era for the club.