The Los Angeles Lakers signed Andrew Bynum to a contract extension Thursday, removing the possibility the 21-year-old center would become an restricted free agent next summer.

The deal is worth about $58 million over four years, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing sources familiar with the negotiations.

The deal would keep Bynum under contract with the Lakers through the 2012-13 season, according to the report. The first three years of the deal are reportedly worth nearly $42 million, with a team option fourth year for about $16 million.

“We’re extremely happy to have signed Andrew to this extension, which will secure his immediate future with the franchise,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. “Andrew has shown a vast array of skills for a player his size and if he continues to stay dedicated and work hard to improve, he has an excellent chance to develop into one of the top players in the NBA.”

Bynum, the 10th overall pick in the 2005 draft, will make $2.8 million this season. If an agreement hadn’t been reached by Friday, the Lakers wouldn’t have been able to negotiate with him until after the season and he would have become an unrestricted free agent.

“This has been a fantastic week for me so far: turning 21, winning our first two games of the season, and now getting this new contract signed,” Bynum said. “This gives me and my family financial security, and more importantly, cements my future with the Lakers, which in my opinion is the best organization in all of professional sports. I couldn’t be happier.”

Bynum, a 7-foot, 285-pounder, established himself as one of the NBA’s up-and-coming big men last season before having season-ending knee surgery Jan. 13. He averaged 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.06 blocked shots in 35 games, 25 of them starts, before being injured.

The Lakers reached the NBA Finals without him, losing to the Boston Celtics in six games.

Bynum appears healthy now, making his team a solid favorite to win its first championship since 2002. He’s averaging 7.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in his career.

Bynum became the youngest player to be drafted in NBA history when the Lakers selected him following his graduation from St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, N.J.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Karl, the son of Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, averaged 1.8 points, 0.8 rebounds and 4.2 minutes as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Lakers. He also played in 17 games with the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League, averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.1 steals.

The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a senior at Boise State two years ago. He ranks third on the school’s career scoring list with 1,698 career points and left the school as its leader in games played (127) and 3-pointers (266).

The move left the Lakers with 14 players on their roster entering Tuesday night’s season opener against Portland.

The Lakers also announced they had picked up the fourth-year option on guard Jordan Farmar’s contract. Farmar, a first-round draft pick in June 2006 beginning his third NBA season, could have become a restricted free agent next summer had the fourth-year option not been picked up by this Friday.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

King ED      

There is lots of talk about how the Lakers will need to be tougher to be able to win in the finals and how the Celts just pounded the Lakers…and if the Bynum/Gasol show will be tough enough. I just can’t wait to see Andrew back…Lamar/Pau/Andrew/Fish/Kobe!!! WOW

Other things that made the news since the Lakers lost in the finals…

Kobe and gang brought the GOLD home, congratulations to the entire US Basketball team! We also got to see the newest Laker, Sun Yue, at the Olympics.

Kobe Bryant also decided to forego getting surgery on his right pinkie. The injury originally occurred on February 5th and Bryant passed on surgery at that time in order to complete the Lakers season and to subsequently play in the Olympics. It had been anticipated at the time of the injury that Kobe would get surgery after the Olympics and miss at least some of training camp, however, according to the release on kb24.com, further discussions with doctors revealed an estimated 12 weeks of recovery time.

Kobe said, “When the doctors told me recovery from a procedure could be 12 weeks, I just decided now was not the time to have surgery. What it really came down to for me is that I just didn’t want to miss any time ‘punching the clock’ for the Lakers, given all we are trying to accomplish as a team this NBA season.”

Kobe is expected to participate fully in training camp and the upcoming pre-season and regular season.

You can read the full release on kb24.com.

Luke Walton had ankle surgery in mid-July to remove bone spurs and scar tissue and to clean up some cartilage debris from his right ankle.

Sasha Vujacic was re-signed, but we lost Ronny Turiaf to free agency.

Looking forward to a successful season - GO LAKERS!

- Leo

Tip off at 6pm PST at the Staples Center, tonight.

The Spurs’ departure from New Orleans after eliminating the Hornets 91-82 in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals was delayed several hours after their plane had mechanical problems…and seems like they could not find any rooms so they slept in the plane. I hope these old timers don’t complain about not getting enough sleep after they lose tonight.

On another note, Trevor Ariza, who has been out since January 20th, is expected to return during the conference finals, which was reported by the LA Times. This will give LA even more depth.

Have read and listened to a lot of talk about this series…2 things stood out.

People saying the match up between Tim Duncan and Pau Gasol is a wash…WHAT!!! The best Power Forward ever is a wash??? I just don’t understand that. I mean Pau is great and all…been an all-star, but we are talking about Tim Duncan. LA would need to keep an eye on this match up for sure.

Also, another thing was how Bruce Bowen is going to contain Kobe…come on now. I know Bruce gets under people’s skin, but there is not a single player that could contain Kobe Bryant. Mr. 24 could drop 50 in any game he chooses.

I am looking forward to see Lamar Odom play, as I don’t think the Spurs have an answer for him.

I am picking the Lakers (what a surprise)…in 6!

GO LAKERS!

The Lakers made the announcement Sunday, saying Dr. David Altchek will perform the procedure in New York on Wednesday — the same day Bynum’s team entertains San Antonio or New Orleans to begin the Western Conference finals.

An estimated timetable for Bynum’s return will be provided following the surgery.

“I just hope for the best for him,” teammate Luke Walton said following a light practice Sunday. “He was a huge part of our success early on and he’s going to be a huge part of our future.”

The Lakers said the procedure will entail a cleanup of some rough spots and fraying on the underside of Bynum’s kneecap.

Bynum hasn’t played since injuring his knee in the third quarter of a 100-99 victory over Memphis on Jan. 13 at Staples Center. The 20-year-old center averaged 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots in 35 games.

The Lakers estimated a day after Bynum was injured that he would be sidelined eight to 12 weeks. But coach Phil Jackson said April 21 that a return this season was remote, and Bynum said much the same thing shortly thereafter.

Dr. Altchek examined Bynum in New York on April 10 and declined to clear him for practice. The 7-footer was examined again May 7 in Princeton, N.J., by Dr. Steven Gecha, who said there had been some improvement in the knee, but recommended exploratory surgery if there wasn’t more in the ensuing three to four weeks.

The decision was made a lot sooner than that.

“It’s hard, I know that he is probably really frustrated right now,” Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic said. “He’s going through tough times. We miss him. Everybody knows he’s going to have a good, long career in the NBA. He’ll come back when he’s ready.”

Despite Bynum’s absence, the Lakers went 57-25 to earn the top seed in the West, and 8-2 to eliminate Denver and Utah from the playoffs to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2004.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

One of the only two road wins (Pistons beat Magic at Orlando) in the entire 2nd round of the playoffs.

The Lakers improved to 36-1 when winning first two games of best-of-seven series. … Utah was 37-4 at home this season and 4-2 in the playoffs. … Boozer fouled out with 4:34 left in the game. … Fisher, who played in Utah last season, and Williams hugged after the final horn.

Up next, the Lakers will host either Spurs or the Hornets.

Can’t decide who I would rather play…

Spurs: LA has had some battles with the Spurs over the years. It would be a great series watching all the match ups, Bruce gaurding Kobe, Fish on Tony…Pau and Tim. Also Big Shot Bob against his old team.

Hornets: The MVP and the runner up facing eachother…

I think the Spurs series would be a better series to watch, but for the sake of us advancing to the finals (not that i don’t think LA could beat SA), i would rather play Hornets. Hornets have also never been to the Conf Finals.

- Leo

Boozer had a monster game, 27 points and 20 rebounds. Considering we only got outrebounded by 3 (32-35), it seemed like on every miss, Utah got the rebound…even when towards the end when Boozer missed his 2nd free throw, all 3 Lakers stood and watched as Boozer got his own rebound and scored….that and the Luke turnover off the jump ball between Pau and Deron cost us the game. The only positive thing was that after the way the Lakers played, at the end we could have stolen the game, but we just gave it away at the final 3 minutes.

Kobe did his thing 34 points (10-20 shooting) and 7 asst and 6 rebounds.

Game 4 at Utah, Sunday 3:30 Eastern.

Some Facts:

Only 13 of the 211 teams that lost the first two games in a best-of-seven NBA playoff series have overcome that deficit to advance. … Teams coached by Jackson are 39-0 when winning the opener of a playoff series — 24-0 with the Chicago Bulls and 15-0 with the Lakers. … Sloan is fourth on the all-time regular-season wins list with 1,089 victories and Jackson ranks sixth with 976. Jackson is the overall leader in the postseason with 185 wins while Sloan is sixth with 91. … The Lakers have a 15-3 record at Staples Center against the Jazz since the arena opened before the 1999-2000 season.

- Leo

I think this year was one of the toughest to choose the MVP, I think Chris and LeBron both had MVP like seasons as well. But I think with the Lakers finishing 1st in the tough west kind of clinched it.

This makes it 7 times PJ has coached an MVP.

“I don’t know anybody who’s ever deserved this trophy more. I don’t know anybody who’s ever worked as hard to accomplish what he’s accomplished,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who had five-time MVP Michael Jordan with Chicago and was at the helm of the Lakers when Shaquille O’Neal won the award in 2000.

Bryant received 82 first-place votes and 1,100 points in the media vote. He was followed by New Orleans’ Chris Paul (28 and 894), Boston’s Kevin Garnett (15 and 670) and Cleveland’s LeBron James (1 and 438).

So as far as our poll, we had 53 voters, and 47 picked KOBE!

- Leo