NBA report: Walton seeks new shot with Cavs
by SAM AMICO
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Luke Walton leaned against a wall, holding a basketball and wearing a wide smile.
He looked ready to play.
Walton is a 31-year-old small forward and Laker for life — until Thursday, when the Lakers shipped him to the Cavaliers as part of the Ramon Sessions trade.
But Walton seemed OK with that, as former Cavs coach Mike Brown really found no use for him in LA. With the Lakers, Walton played in just nine games, averaging 7.2 minutes.
At one time, he was a key part of Phil Jackson’s rotation and a major player in the Triangle offense. But for the Lakers, those days are long gone.
“We weren’t on the same page,” Walton said from the Cavs’ practice facility Saturday. “I felt great and was playing well. Mike said he was going with a certain rotation. With the shortened season and not that many practices, there weren’t many opportunities to earn time.”
Walton, of course, is the son of legendary NBA center Bill Walton. Like his father, he gained a reputation as a proficient passer. During many of those Lakers title runs, Walton was credited with keeping the ball moving and getting it in the hands of some of his more illustrious teammates, such as Kobe Bryant.
“He’s pretty smart,” Cavs coach Byron Scott said of Walton. “He knows how to play the game. He understands basketball. Being in that family all his life, it’s pretty obvious that he has a (high) basketball IQ.”
The Cavaliers already had two small forwards on the roster in Alonzo Gee and Omri Casspi. Both have started. So just like in LA, Walton may be the victim of a numbers (and minutes) crunch.
But maybe not, too.
“I don’t know yet,” Scott said of how much he’ll use Walton. “I want to see how quickly he grasps everything. As far as playing him and things like that, I’m not ruling it out, put it that way.”
Walton is a California guy. He played college basketball at Arizona, then returned to his home state as a pro. He said the trade East took him by surprise.
“I was sick and missed the whole road trip the week before,” he said. “I was in bed all week. I finally felt good on Thursday morning, then got the call from (Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak) saying, 'Sorry, but it's been done.' I had 48 hours to get on a plane and get to Cleveland.”
This is Walton’s ninth NBA season. His best year came in 2006-07, when he averaged career-highs in points (11.4), rebounds (5.0) and assists (4.3). Numbers-wise, it’s been all downhill since.
But he feels like he can still contribute. And now that he’s a member of the Cavs, he’s like everyone else. He wants to play — and he wants to win.
“I’m definitely excited about it,” he said. “I had a great run in LA. I was there 8½ years. It’s a chance to do something new. We have a great young team here.
“The first thing I did was get on the laptop and see if we have a chance to make the playoffs. We’re only two games out. It’s exciting to be out here and work with some of these young guys and try to make a run.”
SOURCE:
http://www.foxsportsohio.com/03/17/12/NBA-report-Walton-seeks-new-shot-with-Ca/landing_cavaliers.html?blockID=690286&feedID=3724
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