From rags to Richmond
By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Through 13 NBA seasons, Mitch Richmond has been honored as an all-league player, a perennial all-star and one of the top scorers in the game.
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He's been recognized as Rookie of the Year, Sportsman of the Year and best shooting guard not named Jordan.
The Lakers need Mitch Richmond's savvy and scoring.
He's also been one of the league's most sympathetic hard-luck cases — a consummate professional trapped in a purgatory of mediocre teams.
That all changed this summer when the Washington Wizards bought out Richmond's contract, freeing him to sign a one-year, $1 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"I was interested and they (the Lakers) were interested and we were able to get a deal done," Richmond said. "It's great to be on this team now and to play with these great players. I'm just trying to fit anyway I can."
Richmond has his hands full this week as he tries to mesh his considerable skills — skills that have enabled him to score more than 20,000 career points — with the Lakers' complex offensive scheme. The Lakers are holding their preseason camp at Stan Sheriff Center through Oct. 9.
"Right now it's early and you just try to find your place, find your rhythm," Richmond said of the closed practices. "They already have guys in place with the offense, so the coaches are trying to get all the new guys familiar with the system."
Laker head coach Phil Jackson said he expects Richmond to provide experience and scoring in the backcourt.
Richmond, 36, will likely start the season as a reserve, an unfamiliar position for a player who has become accustomed to carrying teams.
Richmond was drafted out of Kansas State by Golden State in 1988. As part of the Warriors' vaunted "Run TMC" trio with Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin, Richmond helped Golden State reach the Western Conference semifinals in 1991.
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Richmond was traded to the then-woeful Sacramento Kings for Billy Owens the following season. While Richmond enjoyed tremendous individual success in Sacramento, he would return to the playoffs only once more, a brief first-round appearance in 1996.
Laker Rick Fox watches as teammate Robert Horry tries to post up Jelani McCoy during a training camp practice.
Three years ago, Richmond was traded to Washington for Chris Webber, a move that did wonders for Webber and Sacramento but nothing for Richmond. Through three injury-plagued years on one of the league's most criticized teams, Richmond watched his dream of winning a championship all but evaporate. Worse, because of his expensive contract, Richmond was lumped together with disappointing Juwan Howard and troubled Rod Strickland as cap-killing underachievers.
Last season, injuries limited Richmond to 37 games. Meanwhile, the emergence of guard Richard Hamilton put Richmond's role with the team in doubt. Richmond said the situation tested his professionalism "big time."
"Everyone loves the game," he said. "And you have to love it even more when you're in bad situations."
Though he had much more lucrative offers from teams in need of a proven scorer, Richmond accepted the Lakers' offer for a shot at adding a championship to his long list of accomplishments.
"He's a guy that I think is really hungry to win a championship," Jackson said.
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• Just like good ol' days: Of the 11 new faces on the Lakers camp roster, only one looked totally comfortable during yesterday's drills. Forward Dickie Simpkins, who played on three championship Chicago teams, says coach Phil Jackson still runs practices the same way he did with the Bulls.
"He's running the same stuff," said Simpkins, who signed with L.A. last week. "He's teaching the triangle (offense), teaching some defensive concepts, then inputting it in a little 5-on-5. It's pretty much the same type of practice we had in Chicago."
