Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kendrick Nunn Exercises 2022/23 Player Option

June 21st, 2022 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn has elected to pick up his player option for the 2022/23 season, sources tell Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).

We knew this was coming, since Nunn referred to the decision as a “no-brainer” back in April. The option, which will pay Nunn a salary of $5.25MM, has been officially exercised, according to RealGM’s transactions log.

After spending two-plus seasons in Miami, Nunn signed a two-year, $10.25MM deal with the Lakers during the 2021 offseason, but a knee issue sidelined him for the entire ’21/22 campaign. The injury was one of many factors that contributed to Los Angeles’ struggles this past year, as the team didn’t get anything out of the player it used its mid-level exception to sign.

Nunn is expected to be on the trade block this offseason and may never end up appearing in a regular season game for the Lakers. But if he returns and if he’s fully healthy, he could still be an asset in L.A.’s backcourt.

The 26-year-old averaged 15.0 PPG, 3.0 APG, and 2.9 RPG on .458/.364/.881 shooting in 123 games (29.4 MPG) with Miami from 2019-21.

With Nunn’s salary locked in, the Lakers will have four players on guaranteed contracts for next season — LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Nunn. We can safely pencil in Russell Westbrook to that group too, since there’s virtually no chance he’ll turn down his $47MM+ player option. Austin Reaves (non-guaranteed contract) and Stanley Johnson (team option) are also good bets to return, but L.A. will still need to fill out about half its roster, with limited resources to do so.

Our player option decision tracker can be found right here.

Fischer’s Latest: Kyrie, Collins, Barnes, Knicks, Magic

June 21st, 2022 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

Monday’s report stating that Kyrie Irving is at an impasse in contract discussions with the Nets and could consider other destinations is widely viewed as an attempt by Irving’s camp to create leverage in those negotiations, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst stated during an appearance on Get Up on Tuesday (video link).

Still, even if that’s the case, the Nets and Irving have some work to do to bridge the gap in their contract talks, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who says the team prefers a shorter-term deal that includes incentives, while Irving naturally wants a longer-term commitment.

Despite the report of an “impasse,” talks between Irving and the Nets are expected to remain fluid as his option decision deadline and the start of free agency near, says Fischer. There still appears to be mutual interest in figuring something out, and Brooklyn team officials have been operating as if Irving, Kevin Durant, and Ben Simmons will all be back in 2022/23, Fischer adds.

According to Fischer, word has circulated among league personnel since May’s draft combine that Irving has interest in the Lakers and Knicks, but most team executives haven’t given much credence to that chatter, given how challenging it would be for either team to acquire him.

Here’s more from Fischer’s newest round-up of NBA rumors:

Fischer is the latest reporter to reiterate that John Collins is viewed as one of the NBA’s most likely offseason trade candidates, writing that Collins and the Hawks seem to have mutual interest in finding him a new home. Fischer also confirms a previous report which stated that the Collins talks between the Hawks and Kings haven’t included the No. 4 overall pick, though he notes that Sacramento forward Harrison Barnes is believed to be available.
The Knicks are considered likely to trade Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel, according to Fischer, who says the team is exploring ways to create $25MM in cap room, possibly to pursue free agent point guard Jalen Brunson. However, Fischer cautions that league personnel still widely expect Brunson to re-sign with the Mavericks.
Teams looking to shed a contract or two will likely be in touch with the Magic. Fischer hears from sources that Orlando – one of the only teams projected to have cap room – has emerged as a possible landing spot for unwanted salary. Any team looking to dump a contract on the Magic would have to be willing to give up an asset or two to make it happen.

Draft Rumors: Banchero, Magic, Smith, Kings, Murray, Pelicans, More

June 21st, 2022 at 8:47am CST by Luke Adams

As Matt Moore of Action Network details, several oddsmakers have significantly moved their betting lines on Paolo Banchero in recent days, signaling that he’s no longer considered as much of a long shot to be this year’s No. 1 overall pick. However, executives around the NBA still widely expect Jabari Smith to be the first player off the board, reports Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

According to Fischer, Banchero was scheduled to meet with the Magic on Monday, but sources close to the Duke forward remain skeptical that he’s receiving serious consideration at No. 1. Fischer suggests that Smith and his representatives have been the most enthusiastic about landing in Orlando, while Chet Holmgren and his reps are thought to prefer the Thunder, since they believe there’s a stronger infrastructure in Oklahoma City to support the big man’s development.

As for Banchero, sources tell Fischer that he’d be happy to end up with the Rockets. The Seattle native has connections with general manager Rafael Stone, who is also from Seattle, and likes the idea of forming a dynamic offensive duo with Jalen Green.

At No. 4, the Kings remain a wild card, according to Fischer, who adds the Spurs to the list of teams interested in moving up in the lottery. The Spurs and Pacers are believed to be eyeing Keegan Murray, while the Wizards and Knicks are targeting Jaden Ivey, Fischer notes.

The Pistons were previously identified as a team exploring a trade up to No. 4, but Fischer suggests Detroit has “projected a strong confidence” that Ivey will be available at No. 5 if Sacramento keeps its pick, since teams drafting behind the Kings are preparing for them to select Murray.

Here’s more on the 2022 NBA draft, which is now just two days away:

Teams drafting behind the Pelicans (No. 8) believe they’re a candidate to trade down, according to Fischer, who identifies the Thunder (No. 12) as a potential trade partner for New Orleans. Fischer says rivals suspect the Pelicans like Dyson Daniels and Bennedict Mathurin, so if at least one of them is still on the board at No. 8, they may be more inclined to hang onto the pick.
There’s a “strong possibility” the Rockets will look to further expand their Christian Wood trade with the Mavericks, which isn’t yet official. Dallas’ side of the deal would presumably remain unchanged, but Houston could tweak the structure of the trade by including another team and additional pieces. Fischer suggests a move related to the No. 17 pick could be folded into the transaction.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has heard from agents that many teams drafting in the second round – even in the 30s – are calling to see if certain prospects will agree to two-way contracts. That could result in some players who project as second-rounders ultimately going undrafted if they don’t want to accept a two-way offer.
Vecenie adds that many of the picks in the 30s are candidates to be traded, since teams without picks are pursuing those selections. The Lakers are among the clubs said to be very much in the market for a second-rounder.

Six Prospects Work Out On Monday

June 20th, 2022 at 10:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers continued to do their homework despite not owning a draft pick, as they worked out six prospects on Monday, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. That group included Javante McCoy (Boston University), Keve Aluma (Virginia Tech), Khalifa Diop (Gran Canaria), Jeenathan Williams (Buffalo), Malik Osborne (Florida State) and Danko Brankovic (Cibona).

Nets, Kyrie Irving Reportedly At Impasse In Talks

June 20th, 2022 at 8:32am CST by Luke Adams

Conversations between the Nets and Kyrie Irving about his future have “gone stagnant,” according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who hears from sources that the two sides are currently at an impasse. The deadlock could prompt the star guard to consider other destinations, Charania reports.

Irving said after the Nets’ season ended that he didn’t plan to go anywhere, and a report just two weeks ago suggested he was likely to remain in Brooklyn. However, negotiations between his camp and the Nets were always expected to be challenging, given that his stock has dipped a little in recent years and he no longer seems like a good bet to land a fully guaranteed long-term maximum salary contract.

Irving has been as productive as ever when he has played for the Nets over the last three seasons, averaging 27.1 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on .490/.406/.920 shooting. However, injuries and personal decisions have limited him to just 103 appearances out of a possible 226 regular season games during that time and have raised questions about his reliability going forward.

Charania writes that the Nets and Irving have “serious work to do” to resolve his contract situation and ensure he remains in Brooklyn. If Kyrie does consider heading elsewhere, the Lakers, Clippers, and Knicks are expected to be among his suitors, sources tell The Athletic.

As Charania observes, the Lakers and Clippers project to be over the tax apron for the 2022/23 season, likely ruling out the possibility of a sign-and-trade. So if he wants to go to either L.A. team, Irving would probably have to pick up his $36.9MM player option with an understanding that a trade is coming. The Knicks don’t project to have cap room, but would have the cap flexibility to pursue Irving via sign-and-trade if he declines his option to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Clippers and Knicks are in a better position to make a viable trade offer for Irving than the Lakers, who would almost certainly have to include Russell Westbrook‘s $47MM+ expiring deal in any package for salary-matching purposes.

Darvin Ham Discusses Russell Westbrook's Potential Role

June 19th, 2022 at 7:00pm CST by JD Shaw

Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham gave an honest assessment of Russell Westbrook‘s potential role with the team next season, as relayed by Heavy.com.

“I think the style of play we’re going to have, you know, all of those guys — not only just Russ but LeBron, AD — they’re going to be able to share the load,” Ham said as part of a larger quote. The Lakers’ new coach also mentioned that he’s challenged Westbrook to defend at a high level and the former MVP has accepted the challenge.

Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Grizzlies, St. Jean, Mathurin

June 19th, 2022 at 10:40am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans continue to reap the benefits from the trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers three years ago, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The next piece will be L.A.’s first-round draft pick for this year, which landed in the middle of Thursday’s lottery at No. 8.

New Orleans will also have the option to swap first-rounders with the Lakers next summer, with one more first-round pick coming in either 2024 or 2025, whichever the Pelicans choose. The turmoil that surrounded L.A. this season, along with Davis’ injury history and LeBron James‘ age, could make both those future picks extremely valuable.

Clark also examines the other pieces of the deal, including Brandon Ingram, who has developed into a franchise cornerstone in New Orleans. Ingram averaged 22.7 PPG this season and improved his passing numbers under new coach Willie Green, handing out a career-best 5.6 assists per night.

The other two players in the Davis trade are no longer with the Pelicans, but Josh Hart was used in a package for CJ McCollum, who led a late-season charge into the playoffs. McCollum took over the lead role in the backcourt and was New Orleans’ top scorer over the 26 games he played.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

The Grizzlies, who hold two picks in the draft at No. 22 and 29, are “trying hard” to trade up, according to Marc Stein in his latest column for Substack. Memphis already has 13 players under contract for next season and won’t have much playing time to offer a pair of rookies.
Assistant coach Greg St. Jean is expected to move to the front of the Mavericks‘ bench next season, Stein tweets. He will likely take the spot vacated by Igor Kokoskov, who is headed to Brooklyn.
Arizona guard Bennedict Mathurin said he can envision the Spurs drafting him if he’s still on the board at No. 9, per Jeff Garcia of KENS5 in San Antonio. Mathurin met with team officials at last month’s draft combine in Chicago. “It went pretty good. I was able to meet a lot of the staff,” he said. “It was great, to be honest. I was able to see myself going there with all the players they have on their roster. They have great talent. They have a young core. That is for sure one thing that really caught my eye.”

Jordan Ott May Join Lakers' Coaching Staff

June 18th, 2022 at 9:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nets assistant coach Jordan Ott is being considered for Darvin Ham‘s staff with the Lakers, tweets Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times. They previously worked together under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta.

Lakers Hiring Chris Jent As Top Assistant Coach

June 18th, 2022 at 5:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chris Jent will join the Lakers‘ coaching staff as the top assistant to new head coach Darvin Ham, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Jent is a long-time NBA assistant who has been with the Hawks since the 2017/18 season. Wojnarowski notes that he built a strong relationship with Lakers star LeBron James while serving as an assistant in Cleveland from 2006-11. Ham worked with Jent under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta in 2017-18 and spent the past week recruiting Jent to join his staff, according to Woj.

Jent’s playing career included two brief NBA stops and a career total of six games, but he spent most of his time playing overseas. After retiring, he began his coaching career as an assistant with the Sixers in 2003.

Shareef O'Neal To Work Out With Lakers; Examining Team's Offseason

June 18th, 2022 at 1:35pm CST by JD Shaw

LSU’s Shareef O’Neal — son of Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal — has an upcoming workout scheduled with the Lakers, as relayed by Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Shaq played with the Lakers from 1996-2004, winning three NBA championships. Shareef is a 6’10” big man who also recently worked out for the Heat, another team his father won a title with.
John Hollinger and Jovan Buha of The Athletic analyze the Lakers‘ offseason, exploring Russell Westbrook‘s future, the team’s free agency outlook and more. Los Angeles is coming off an injury-riddled season, finishing with the fifth-worst record in the Western Conference at 33-49.