Lakers star big man Anthony Davis had an encouraging practice session on Thursday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets.
“He did jump in with the group today, did some non-contact stuff, pick-and-roll drills, a little offensive scripting,” head coach Darvin Ham said. “He’s looking good. Moving well. … Got a great sweat in [during an] individual workout … He’s progressing really, really, really well.”
Davis has a general timeline of early February to suit up again. He has been out since December 16 after suffering a stress reaction in the navicular bone in his right foot.
We have more on the Lakers:
- Guard Kendrick Nunn is one of the most tradable pieces on the team, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. Nunn is on an expiring contract and could be part of a package for a frontcourt player. “He could help someone,” one executive told Deveney. “But they need to show he is healthy. He’s got a very manageable contract and they’re dying for size on that team.”
- The Lakers have lost three close games over the past week and LeBron James laments how injuries have impacted the team, noting they have “zero room for error,” according to McMenamin. “We are limited with bodies,” James said. “So until some of our big guys or some of our key guys get back … we’ve got to continue to play how we’ve played the last couple games. Play mistake-free basketball.”
- James has averaged 34.9 points while playing 37.8 minutes per game so far in January. Ham would like to reduce his aging superstar’s minutes, McMenamin writes in the same story. “He’s playing at an amazing level, but we can’t run him in the ground,” Ham said.
- If the Lakers remain committed to chasing championships with Davis and James, they may be better off adding multiple role players prior to this year’s trade deadline, according to Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. Even if they let all their projected free agents walk at season’s end, they might be priced out of the market for a top-level free agent while still having many roster spots to fill, as Gozlan explains.
Why do these reporters act like any team wants Nunn? He only has a $5 million contract for this year so unless he is a add on in a trade there is 0 reason for anyone to trade for him. If his shooting doesn’t help the Lakers why would he help somebody else?
The Lakers refused to give Alex Caruso the 4-year, $37 million he got from the Bulls because they didn’t want to hit luxury tax.
Kendrick signs with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports. He then proceeds to leave a lot of money on the table to take a low-ball offer from the Lakers (2 years, $10 million). The deal keeps the Lakers under the tax. Nunn had a player option for year 2, but spent year 1 injured.
How many problems would Alex Caruso solve for the Lakers right now? He would be their best shooter as well as their best defensive player.
Caruso / shooter ?
Like ALex , but he hasn’t exactly spun a huge profit on his current contract
yes that was strange when they let Caruso go. His defense is very good which what they lacked when he left.
Not a lot. Caruso has missed alot of time due to injuries last couple years with bulls
Caruso can miss half the season and still have three times the impact that Kendrick has had.
Kendrick missed all of last season. All of it.
Agreed. There is no trade market for Kendrick currently. Not a rotation guy anywhere right now with the season he has had.
The Lakers are only fooling themselves if they think this roster is going to win them another championship. Trade LeBron and Davis for the best possible return and start preparing for the 2023/24 season.
At what point do the Lakers admit that Pelinka is a horrible GM? Does he have dirt on the Buss family?
I don’t want to be mean but I’m starting to question Jeanie Buss’ intelligence.
Even an average GM would be miles better than Rob.
You cannot just blame Pelinka, you have to blame Buss AND LeBron. LeBron wanted the Westbrook trade, and Buss was dumb enough to sign off on it…
That move, by itself, single-handedly destroyed the amount of quality depth the Lakers once had.
Caruso, KCP, Kuzma, etc. they were all vital parts to winning their title, and they all played their roles next to LeBron very well too…
One of the very few mistakes of James’ career, and unfortunately it also happens to possibly be his worst mistake…
You can definitely just blame Pelinka since it’s literally his job and he’s not required to listen to LeBron in the first place.
Does a pilot let passengers tell him how to fly a plane?
They’re more like co-pilots, and Buss has the final say..
Except she wanted to keep LeBron at all costs, so she okay’d the Russ deal..
EVERYONE knows the Russ deal was made at LeBron’s request and to appease him. They didn’t even try to hide it whatsoever…
Idk, maybe they are now, so they can use Pelinka as a scapegoat, but at the time, it was common knowledge LeBron was 100% behind that trade..
Yes and it’s common sense for a GM to not follow the random things a player says.
If the owner was the one behind it then just swap her name in. Either way leadership is responsible for their own decisions. It doesn’t matter whose idea it was.
Actually Lebron wanted dame first. That couldn’t happen than he wanted derozen. Pelinka didn’t want to give 3 years so he circled to Westbrook. Westbrook was never lebrons choice. Lebron also wanted Ty lue as coach and caruso back. That didn’t happen. You think lebron makes the moves?
He’d be a horrible GM if he can’t see that this roster is not going to win another championship. He should be looking to trade LeBron and Davis for the best return.
What exactly was he getting this past off-season with no cap space and very few assets? No player worth anything is taking a big pay cut just to play for the Lakers this isn’t the 1980s.
If Jeanie Buss can’t see this either, she should sell the team to someone who cares about winning, not just star players
I’m sorry but no one can just “trade LeBron”. He transcends the sport. The only person that dictates where LeBron plays is LeBron. According to CBA language he can’t be traded this season anyway, but even in the off-season while you technically could trade him no one would have the guts to do so unless he asked to be traded. He’s one of top three most famous athletes in the world right up there with Ronaldo and Messi.
What exactly where you guys expecting this season? No team wants Westbrook or any of the other players the Lakers are shopping. Teams with very limited assets and no cap space aren’t bringing in elite role players.
I’m thoroughly convinced pelinka doesn’t want James nor does he like him. He’s very intimidated by James. Doesn’t care about a ring just getting rid of James. Kupchak is with him but just to keep his job, he’s also useless…..
I’m convince Pelinka is sandbagging lebron so he doesn’t catch Kobe with 5 rings. Soon to be 3 non playoff years under pelinkas watch. Remember magic met with lebron not pelinka. Ad came due to rich Paul and lebron. Pelinka really hasn’t made a move that really worked out. Most of title team was in place under magics watch