Guided the Lakers to the playoffs

So where do I begin? William Henry Parker, also known as Smush, was recently acquired by the Miami Heat. After two season with the Los Angeles Lakers the organization decided he was not worthy of trying to resign a contract. But whats funny to me is what he had this to say to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in his recent signing. “D-Wade is more of a people person than Kobe,” Parker said of Bryant, his often-mercurial teammate. “I’m looking forward to jelling with Wade, and playing with him. He’s going to be a great teammate.” Smush Parker was picked up by Miami as a back up to Jason Williams and the most interesting part was he wasn’t there first choice. The Miami Heat tried to acquire Mo Williams who ended up resigning with the Milwaukee Bucks. Ok so the Heat went to Plan B — Smush Parker? Huh No. Actually, there second choice was Steve Francis who decided to reunite with the Houston Rockets. The real reason Smush was picked up by the Heat was because they ran out of options. I mean come on any other off season and Smush would be still looking for work in this league.

Before coming to LA Smush started in Cleveland where he played 66 games averaged 16 mins and 6 points-per game. Then went on to Detroit where he only played in 11 games before he was cut. His next stop was in Phoenix where he played 5 games and was cut again. Smush finally got a chance to play for a team when he played very well in the Summer League and was given a chance to sign a contract with the Lakers. His competition that year was Sasha Vujacic, Aaron McKie, Laron Profit and Von Wafer. That year Aaron was hurt, Laron was loss to a season ending injury and Von Wafer was basically in the development league for most of the year. So needless to say there was no real competition in LA that year. But Smush went on to have a decent regular season when he ended with 11.5 points, 3.7 assists and 1.8 turnovers per game. But then the real Smush Parker emerged when the playoffs started where he couldn’t guard a man on crutches. He couldn’t make a layup if you cleared the lane for him. But the start of the 2006 – 2007 season, he was given a second chance to make things right. He basically did the same that year when he ended with 11.1 points, 2.8 assists and 1.9 turnovers per game and got himself in the dog house with Phil Jackson. Towards the end of the season Smush was benched as the starter and replaced by rookie Jordan Farmar. When Smush did actually play in those 5 games he, not averaged, but totaled 9 points, 3 turnovers and 3 steals. Now the point of me giving you all the facts was because this is what was said about Smush Parker in the Miami newspaper after he signed with the Heat. “Parker helped guide the Los Angeles Lakers to the playoffs in each of his two seasons as their starting point guard. They were over the salary cap and didn’t try to resign him.” Now that’s joke because the only thing Smush Parker guided was his man down the lane for an easy basket.

I will admit I pulled for Smush because he has a lot of nice skills when he wanted to play. Now he is going to Miami as a back up to Williams but yet he is claiming that he cant wait to play with Wade. Maybe Im crazy but Wades a starter so unless Williams gets hurt he wont be playing with Wade much. I find it funny that a guy who in his career doesn’t even average 10 points per game is acting like he had it bad in LA. He was won a starting position, the chance to play with Kobe and Lamar and yet he couldn’t produce when he was asked to. Smush was asked what was the best advise you’ve been given and he said his father told him “you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it” Now the Smush I know didn’t really listen to his dad because he couldn’t guard the man he was assigned and in turn put our big men in foul trouble. So obviously Smush didn’t put his mind into much as a Laker. I cant wait to see the papers in Miami when Smush plays like he did here. They rip Eddie Jones after every game and we all know Jones is a much better player than Smush.

Smush is nothing more than a back up, someone who looks good playing against 2nd and 3rd string players but the minute you put him against a Steve Nash or a Jason Kidd he gets schooled. All I have to say is I am glad he is gone and we now have a real point guard in Derek Fisher. If Smush makes it through this entire year without being cut I will be shocked. I wish him the best but the minute he started to bash Kobe I lost all respect for him. Ok let me not lie I lost respect for him when he couldn’t guard a man standing in front of him not moving. Goodbye Smush and I can’t wait to see you 2 times this year at least we will know that Derek Fisher will have great games against you.