Lakers' rookie has weight issues

Caracter is being motivated by the Lakers to keep his weight down by an incentive to be fewer than 275 pounds Friday in the contract detail reported by ShamSports.com. Pro Basketball Talk further elucidates how Caracter, who slipped to the Lakers at the 58th overall draft pick because of past weight and behavioral issues, will get his contract this season fully guaranteed if meets that weight goal — after $250,000 of his $473,000 was already locked in because of how he showed NBA-ready strength and moves in summer ball.

The Lakers project for the 6-foot-9 Caracter to make the team after a strong summer-league session and with just 14 players signed now; Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Theo Ratliff are the only other bigs on the team before training-camp expansion, although Ron Artest could bump up to power forward at times. Caracter was impressive enough in Las Vegas over the summer to sell many on his ability to contribute a little as a rookie, even for a contender.But before that, Caracter was far more impressive in college at a lower weight; he dropped from 319 to 280 pounds with pre-draft workouts. He laughed as he described himself to Tim Povtak of Fanhouse before the draft as “once a top five talent, but with a second-round head.

”Caracter has struggled with his weight since he was once considered the nation’s top high-school recruit. It’s worth noting that Bynum also rushed to drop weight from nearly 300 pounds before his 2005 selection by the Lakers. Slimming down showed Bynum’s potential, although he was just out of high school and not as powerful as Caracter — and the Lakers are optimistic the same is happening with Caracter, who would be a steal at No. 58 compared to Bynum’s No. 10 selection.

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