Given the chance, Jordan Farmar says he’ll be a Laker next season
The Lakers have two games left before they wrap a miserable regular season.
Despite the team’s down year, point guard Jordan Farmar said if it was up to him, he’d be back next season with the franchise.
“Of course, I’d be a Laker,” he said after the Lakers’ 102-90 loss on Sunday night to the Memphis Grizzlies. “And if I was [General Manager] Mitch [Kupchak], I would sign me.”
Farmar left a significant amount of money behind over the summer, when he bought out his contract to leave Turkish team Anadolu Efes, to return to the NBA.
“I came back with a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm at being back,” said Farmar, who missed 41 games with hamstring and groin injuries.
“Battling injuries all season, they were like stupid nagging injuries,” he said. “I didn’t have to have surgery, or tear my ACL. Just little things that kept me off the floor. It was really frustrating.”
Through 39 appearances, Farmar has averaged 10.3 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 42.1% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range.
“It’s been a tough year,” said Farmar. “I have faith in the Lakers organization. I have faith the fans will stick with it.”
Farmar signed a one-year minimum deal at $916,099, returning to the club he won NBA titles in 2009 and 2010. The Lakers paid $500,000 to get him out of his Turkish contract, but Farmar left millions behind.
“I’m a Laker. I’ve been through the best of times, the worst of times. It’s all part of it. I feel it. It’s home. I’m cool with that,” he said. “I think the Lakers organization will be OK in the long run and I’m proud to be part of history.”
Although Farmar hopes to return, he acknowledged that as a free agent, he could end up elsewhere.
“It wouldn’t be ideal but it’s part of our business. We can’t control that,” he said. “I’ll sit down with Mitch and the guys, and see if something can be worked out.”
The Lakers have just Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Robert Sacre under guaranteed contracts next season. Nick Young has a player option to become a free agent, which he’s likely to take. Kendall Marshall has a non-guaranteed deal at $915,243.
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Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
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