Kobe Bryant Fans!

HONOLULU - He has been called the Lakers’ “silent warrior,” even though Coach Phil Jackson says Ronny Turiaf is “an outspoken guy.”

But it’s that warrior mentality, that energy and effort and defensive intensity that had Jackson saying after practice Friday that Turiaf has positioned himself to have a bigger role.

“I plan on starting him,” Jackson said. “I really am seriously considering starting him. Those positions are so wide open. He’s a guy that can bring energy to the game, the kind of start we need to have with a physical front. He’s a guy that can block some shots.”

It had been assumed that Luke Walton would start at small forward and Lamar Odom at power forward, just like last season. But Jackson is toying with the idea of bringing Walton off the bench.

Jackson was asked if he had told Walton about his plans.

“No,” Jackson responded.

Is Walton OK with that?

“He’s OK with it,” Jackson said, laughing.

Walton, who strained his right hamstring Friday and is listed as day-to-day, took it all in stride, even joking about the possible demotion.

“You lose your starting spot over the summer, right? You don’t even do anything,” he said, laughing.

“I would like to start,” he added, “but I’m not going to pout if I don’t. … I like starting. I enjoy it. But if he feels we have a better flow coming in with the second unit, I guess we’ll try it out and see how it works.”

When told of Jackson’s comments, Turiaf wasn’t sure how to take them.

“It’s been a joking-around process for about 2½ years, so I never know what to take seriously,” he said. “But on a more serious note, I’ll be ready to do whatever is coming my way.”

At 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, Turiaf gives the Lakers more size on the front line. He can hit jump shots from 15 to 18 feet, but his main job would be to defend and set screens.

Turiaf played on the French national team in the FIBA European championships this summer, which gave him a chance to develop his game.

“It helped me a lot because I regained confidence in myself,” he said. “Playing off and on and not playing and playing (for the Lakers), it’s stressful on my mind. But going over there and knowing I was the backup center and I was playing even more than center … I got the opportunity to showcase myself, score down low, hit the jumper, do everything else. Just have some fun again. Just build my confidence up.”

Turiaf knows there is room on the Lakers for a player to do the dirty work.

“When haven’t I done the dirty work?” he said. “That’s what I do. If that’s what it takes for me to get on the basketball court, that’s what I’m going to do, brother.”

Source: PE.com

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