With three straight losses, an injured star, and COVID-19 affecting both the roster and the coaching staff, acting Lakers head coach David Fizdale feels like Russell Westbrook may be trying too hard to fix the situation by himself, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Westbrook has posted impressive numbers in the two games since Anthony Davis suffered an MCL sprain, averaging 21.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 steals, but he’s also committed a combined 13 turnovers, which Fizdale said disrupts the offense.
“I think the circumstances over the last few games, with so many people being in and out, triggered in him that he had to save us,” Fizdale said.
Already dealing with a disappointing season at 16-16, the Lakers are now facing the uncertainty that many teams have felt since the latest COVID-19 outbreak began sweeping through the league two weeks ago. They’re scheduled to host the Nets on Christmas Day, but Brooklyn’s last three games have been postponed.
“You’re just taking it and living day to day, you just don’t know what’s going to happen,” Carmelo Anthony said. “We could wake up tomorrow morning and they could say our game tomorrow is canceled. … Again, we don’t know what’s gonna happen, so we’re taking it day to day and we’re just trying to stay on top of what we need to stay on top of. But as we can see, it’s affecting everybody. It’s affecting a lot of different people, people who are vaccinated, people who do have boosters, so you just don’t know what’s going to happen.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Warriors players are raving about Klay Thompson after watching him in workouts, according to Shayna Rubin of The San Jose Mercury News. Thompson is expected to return sometime in January, and his teammates say he’s looking like the player he was before the injuries. “He’s always going to shoot the ball well, but he seems really confident in his body,” Kevon Looney said. “He’s going up for dunks. He’s playing physical and when you see that much confidence in him, it means he’s getting close to ready. It’s a joy to have in practice to have his energy back.”
- Clippers guard Reggie Jackson entered the league’s health and safety protocols today, but he’s not experiencing any effects from the virus, tweets Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. “Reggie says he feels fine, no symptoms, so that’s a good sign,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “Happy for him about that.”
- With trade rumors heating up again for Buddy Hield, Mark Schindler of Basketball News examines three potential destinations for the Kings guard. Schindler suggests deals that would send Hield to the Magic, Grizzlies or Pistons.
Not sure why Memphis would want Buddy when they have DBane doing similar things for a small fraction of his cost
I’d love to see the Bulls trade Derrick Jones Jr. and a future second for Marvin Bagley III.
I really think a change of scenery could do wonders for Bagley, and the Bulls desperately need some size. They also need a big that can provide a scoring punch, and MBIII could fit that role perfectly!!
DJJ & a future 1st might do it but idk if Chi has any future 1sts left to deal tbh
I really dont think Bagley is getting a future first at this point.
If I’m Sacramento I wouldn’t trade him at all. He’s still an extremely talented young big, especially as a scorer. It’s not easy to find guys like that
Still believe in Bagley. He just needs to get out of Sacramento. Would love to have him on Knicks. Been saying it since the draft. Ben can revive his career and basketball in Sacramento. And Sixers can get good value and youth. And contend for years with Halliburton at PG.
Bagley to the Knicks is okey, but for Robinson please. Center rotation with Holmes Robinson help this kings team.
Kings need to figure out their identity and who they intend to focus this team around. Is Fox the guy or is Haliburton? If they truly cover a guy like Simmons, then the rest of the team needs to be above average 3pt shooters and one of those guys needs to be an All Star caliber player – someone that can get you 25 a night.
Buddy and Barnes make too much. MB3 is an ok player but wants to be paid.
If they wanted to be aggressive they would target Simmons and Jaylen Brown.
Money wise the trade would be structured around Ben, Brown and Schroeder to Sac with Fox to Phl and Barnes, Bagley and Mitchell to Bos.
Boston would need 1sts included to give up Brown. Idk if Morey would do a 1:1 trade with Ben and Fox. If you added Hield to Phl it becomes a more complicated trade.
But from the Kings perspective Ben and Brown > than who they’d give up.
Haliburton
Brown
Ben
Holmes
They’d need to add a wing or a 4 via trade, draft, or FA and it would have to be a shooter.
The premise of this trade is that they go heavier on D.
Trade Bagley & Woodard to Detroit for 6-8 PF T. Lyles & 6-7 SF J. Jackson.
Trade Hield to Indy for 6-11 C M. Turner & 6-5 SG J. Lamb
New Line Up :
—————–
6-10 PF Holmes – 14pts / 8rbd / 1blk
6-8 SF Barnes – 16pts / 6rbd / 1blk
6-11 C Turner – 14pts / 7rbd / 3blks
6-3 SG Fox – 22pts / 4rbd / 6asst (Fox has been playing SG over the last few games, thus, why his asst are way down)
6-5 PG Haliburton – 18pts / 5rbd / 8asst
————————————————–
6-8 PF Lyles
6-7 SF Jackson
7-0 C Len
6-5 SG Lamb
6-0 PG Mitchell
————————
6-9 PF Metu
6-9 C Thompson
7-0 C Jones
6-5 SG Davis
6-2 PG Ramsey
PF – 3
SF – 2
C – 4
SG – 3
PG – 3
With the lack of success and stacked Western conference it’s hard to imagine they don’t ship Fox out of town and try to build around Mitchell and Haliburton in the backcourt