Lakers find spot on their roster for 36-year-old World Peace
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Metta World Peace and Thomas Robinson both went into training camp with only a small chance of making the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster.
They seized that chance and wouldn’t let it go, much to the surprise of coach Luke Walton and general manager Mitch Kupchak.
The Lakers kept the two veteran forwards on their opening-night roster Monday, waiving Chinese 7-footer Yi Jianlian and forward Anthony Brown.
Yi requested his release after realizing he wouldn’t have a prominent role immediately with the Lakers. Brown, a second-round pick last year, simply was outplayed by the 36-yearold World Peace and Robinson, who is with his sixth team in five NBA seasons.
“As much as I like (Brown), and as well as he was playing, Metta World Peace and T-Rob, they were bringing it every single day,” Walton said. “They were giving us a toughness that I think we need, and giving us some vocal leadership, some experience, and I just felt like in talking with the guys upstairs, that was what was most valuable for those last couple of spots.”
When the Lakers return from the worst season in franchise history against the Rockets on Wednesday night, they will do it with World Peace on their roster for the second consecutive season after his NBA career appeared over. Kupchak acknowledges he didn’t expect World Peace to make the team again this year, but the former Ron Artest continues to provide veteran stability and defensive ability.
World Peace, who played for the Rockets during the 2008-09 season, begins his 17th NBA season this week, and he credits his longevity to a personal reawakening in his mid30s. After living a “very reckless” lifestyle, World Peace embraced a healthy existence and gained a cerebral understanding of his role with the Lakers.
“It’s weird — at the end of my career, I feel like the beginning,” said World Peace, who turns 37 next month. “I’ve got a goal, a personal goal, of trying to reach 20 years, and in order to reach those goals, I’ve got to take care of my body, have that body freedom. I have to have a no-partying lifestyle, eating the right ways. Obviously there’s such a thing called Father Time, but if you take care of your body, you’ll have a chance to run with these young guys.”
World Peace was out of the league for 18 months between his release by New York in early 2014 to his return to the Lakers, playing in China and Italy during his absence.”
Odds and ends
Memphis has given up on its first-round draft pick from 2014, waiving guard Jordan Adams. The 6-5 Adams played in just 32 games over two seasons with the Grizzlies because of injuries, averaging 3.2 points and 8.2 minutes in those games. … New Orleans waived veteran forward Alonzo Gee — a move that keeps recently acquired guard Lance Stephenson on the Pelicans’ opening-night roster. Stephenson has struggled to find a long-term fit since leaving Indiana in 2014, playing with Charlotte, the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis during the past two seasons. The 6-6 Gee, acquired by New Orleans during the 2015 offseason, appeared in 73 games with the Pelicans last season, averaging 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 22.4 minutes a game. … Oklahoma City finally cut ties with troubled forward Mitch McGary, waiving its 2014 first-round pick in 2014. McGary faces two drug suspensions for a combined minimum of 15 games. The former Michigan standout saw action in 52 games during the past two seasons. He averaged 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. … Detroit claimed guard Beno Udrih off waivers from Miami and released guard Ray McCallum, who averaged six points a game over three seasons with Sacramento, San Antonio and Memphis.