Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: James, Davis, Pelinka, Identity

February 24th, 2022 at 6:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James needs to offer the Lakers a commitment before they decide what to do with him and the roster in general this offseason, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. James is eligible for a two-year extension after the season but otherwise would become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2023. If James is intent on returning to Cleveland, their trade options would be limited, similar to what happened in Brooklyn when James Harden expressed his desire to play in Philadelphia.

We have more on the Lakers:

Trading James is the Lakers’ only viable path to success in the coming years, according to Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times, who contends that LeBron’s trade value offers the greatest rewards for the lowest risk, since no team wants Russell Westbrook‘s contract and declining production while Anthony Davis presents major injury concerns for would-be suitors. James could be a worthwhile one-year rental for a top contender and the Lakers could acquire some badly needed young talent.
James has wielded more power within the Lakers than Kobe Bryant ever did, sources inside the organization told Bill Oram of The Athletic. James and agent Rich Paul are putting the squeeze on GM Rob Pelinka and the front office with tensions at an all-time high. The Lakers’ front office doesn’t want to squabble with James, Oram adds, and Pelinka has insisted internally that there are no hard feelings between the two sides.
The season has gone too far along and there’s too many deficiencies for the Lakers to establish a positive identity the rest of the way, scouts told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Pelinka, Rich Paul, Westbrook

February 22nd, 2022 at 12:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James‘ comments during All-Star Weekend sent a strong message to the Lakers that they need to improve quickly, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. James, who is under contract for just one more season, hinted at a possible return to Cleveland and said he wants to play the final season of his career for whichever team drafts his son, Bronny. He also heaped praise on Thunder general manager Sam Presti for his ability to identify talent, leaving an unspoken contrast with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, who James and Klutch Sports are reportedly upset with for standing pat at the trade deadline.

Woike states that all the young All-Stars on display in Sunday’s game were a reminder that many teams have surpassed the Lakers when it comes to the level of talent on their rosters. He suggests that unless Pelinka can strike gold with more minimum-salary signings this summer, like he did with Malik Monk, James won’t show much patience when he hits free agency.

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Rich Paul, who runs Klutch Sports, told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Monday that he never urged Pelinka to trade Russell Westbrook and a future first-round pick to the Rockets for John Wall (hat tip to Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll). Wall, a Klutch client who hasn’t played this season under a mutual agreement with Houston’s management, has a $44.3MM contract that matches up with Westbrook’s salary. According to Smith, Paul called the report a “damn lie” and said, “There is no truth. It never happened.”
L.A. probably won’t find a much better market for a Westbrook deal this summer, per Marc Stein of Substack. Westbrook will have a $47MM expiring contract once he exercises his option for next season, and Stein doesn’t expect the offers to be better than Wall’s expiring deal or a collection of bad contracts from the Knicks.
There’s no willingness among the leaders of the Lakers’ organization to accept responsibility for the decisions that led to this year’s downfall, observes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Front office members have taken turns denying their role in the decision to trade for Westbrook, Goon adds, and James has deflected his own involvement in the move.

Lakers Notes: Monk, LeBron, Handy

February 21st, 2022 at 9:58pm CST by Rory Maher

Malik Monk has found redemption and a home with the Lakers, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. It’s an interesting, in-depth profile/interview with the 24-year-old guard and his older brother Marcus, a former NFL player, who serves as Monk’s agent.

As Buha relays, Monk had a bumpy road with Charlotte and his value was depressed due to inconsistent play and violating the league’s anti-drug program in 2019/20. The Lakers tried to trade for Monk in ’19/20 and ’20/21, but the Hornets didn’t budge and said Monk was part of their future.

After the Hornets refused to trade him, Monk was then surprised that they didn’t tender him a qualifying offer or re-sign him last summer after he had the best season of his career to that point. Those moves further hurt his reputation around the league, according to Buha.

“Teams don’t have access to all the information on the character of a person and who the person is,” Marcus said. “They’re not in the locker rooms. … I think all of that stuff played into why there wasn’t much interest. And, from me looking at it as if I’m the other 29 teams, I don’t blame them. … All of those things needed to happen. If those things wouldn’t have happened, he would be in the mindset that he’s in right now.

“He’s literally trying to kill every time he touches the floor. Because there are 29 other teams that had the opportunity to sign him.”

Monk thought he’d receive several multiyear offers above the league minimum, but only the Lakers and Mavericks called and offered him a minimum deal. He chose the Lakers because VP of basketball operations Rob Pelinka‘s pitch was both flattering and compelling to a young player looking for a consistent role.

“The Lakers just let me be me,” Monk said. “Let me play free. I’m going out there with a free mind, not worrying about a mistake, and if I’m gonna come out if I make a mistake. They just give me all the confidence to be me.”

Although the Lakers have had a disappointing season, Monk has been a bright spot. He’s averaging career-highs of 13.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 27.1 minutes per game, with a shooting slash line of .471/.399/.772 through 52 games. Monk will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and it might be a challenge for the Lakers to retain him — they only have his Non-Bird rights, so they’ll be limited to an offer of 120% of his minimum salary.

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ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Insider link) thinks that LeBron James is trying to force L.A. into major offseason moves with his recent comments and actions. James was reportedly unhappy that the team stood pat at the trade deadline and then was further upset by Pelinka’s comments stating that James and Anthony Davis had been consulted and were aligned with the inaction.
In his latest column for Substack, Marc Stein says he isn’t convinced the Lakers will bend to LeBron’s will. As Stein explains, the franchise thinks highly of Pelinka, and James and agent Rich Paul are “still outsiders when it comes to the Lakers’ power dynamics.”
Assistant coach Phil Handy says James has always done his best to create cohesion with teammates. “His approach has always been about, ‘Let me embrace the guys that are around me and how can we figure out ways to win? How can we figure out ways to get better?’ He’s always been a guy that is all in with whoever is in uniform with him,” Handy said, per Mark Medina of NBA.com.

And-Ones: LeBron, 2022 Cap Room, Maker, Rookies

February 21st, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers superstar LeBron James has been the face of the NBA for the better part of the last two decades and is happy to continue in that unofficial role until he retires, as Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports writes.

“I’ve held that title of ambassador,” James said. “Nobody told me to do it, but I felt like if I wasn’t gonna do it, who was gonna do it? So I took that responsibility, and I’ll continue to do it till I’m done playing the game.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver tells Goodwill that he’s “not prepared to talk about the post-LeBron era” yet, since James is still playing at an All-NBA level and presumably has multiple strong seasons left in him. However, he’s not worried about having to prepare for a leadership void among the game’s superstars.

“At some point, a new player or players will emerge, I think, [to] take that leadership mantle in the league. It seems they always do,” Silver said. “I’m just not prepared, even in the slightest, to start thinking about the league without LeBron, because he continues to be as committed as ever to the competition, to the league overall.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Danny Leroux of The Athletic takes a look ahead at the 2022 offseason, identifying the teams that project to have the most cap flexibility. As Leroux outlines, the Pistons and Magic remain the best bets to create significant cap room, while teams like the Spurs, Trail Blazers, Pacers, and Grizzlies could potentially join them, but have more variance.
Veteran big man Thon Maker spoke to Alec Strum of NetsDaily about his role with the Long Island Nets – Brooklyn’s G League affiliate – and his efforts to make it back to the NBA. Maker has played a limited role in Long Island so far, averaging 5.8 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 15 games (17.4 MPG), with a dismal .360 FG% (.133 3PT%).
Mike Schmitz of ESPN (Insider link) updated his NBA rookie power rankings over the All-Star break, providing best-case comps for Evan Mobley (Anthony Davis), Cade Cunningham (Luka Doncic), Scottie Barnes (Scottie Pippen), and other standout rookies.

Rob Pelinka Reportedly Frustrating Klutch Sports

February 20th, 2022 at 4:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Klutch Sports, the sports agency run by LeBron James‘s agent and friend Rich Paul, is reportedly frustrated with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.

Multiple league sources inform Pincus that Klutch, which represents Los Angeles players James, Anthony Davis, and Talen Horton-Tucker, has grown agitated with Pelinka’s team-building after he opted not to send out underperforming $44.2MM point guard Russell Westbrook and a future Lakers first-round draft pick to the Rockets in exchange for inactive Houston point guard John Wall, currently netting a comparable salary of $44.3MM. Notably, Wall is a Klutch client, though Westbrook is not.

The 31-year-old Wall averaged 20.6 PPG, 6.9 APG, 3.2 RPG and 1.1 SPG in just 40 games for a lottery-bound 2020/21 Rockets team. He and the Rockets mutually agreed that he would sit this season. Though Westbrook, 33, has been mostly healthy this year while averaging 18.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 7.5 RPG, his struggles as a shooter, defender, and late-game decision-maker haven’t helped the 27-31 Lakers’ cause this season.

James certainly seems to have had an impact on L.A.’s choice to trade for Westbrook in the first place. Though Pelinka had been planning to make a trade with the Kings for shooting guard Buddy Hield, he eventually opted to make the deal for Westbrook after Westbrook met with James over the summer.

The embattled team is currently the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference, a far cry from its anticipated standing when Pelinka traded for Westbrook during the 2021 offseason.

Pincus notes that James will become eligible to ink a two-year, $97.1MM contract extension with the Lakers on August 4 this year, that would keep him in Los Angeles through the 2024/25 NBA season. Should James and his representatives opt not to sign the extension, James would reach free agency in 2023. James is currently in the first season of a two-year, $85.7MM maximum-salary extension he signed with the Lakers ahead of 2020/21.

LeBron James: “The Door’s Not Closed” On A Potential Return To Cleveland

February 19th, 2022 at 6:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

With LeBron James back in Cleveland for All-Star Weekend, he offered a hint that he might consider returning for one more stint with his hometown team, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic. When asked about playing for the Cavaliers again before he retires, James gave an open-ended response.

“The door’s not closed on that,” he said. “I’m not saying I’m coming back and playing, I don’t know. I don’t know what my future holds. I don’t even know when I’m free.”

James has one season remaining on his current deal with the Lakers at $44,474,988. He could be back on the free agent market in the summer of 2023 at age 38.

James emphasized that he hasn’t specifically pondered a return to Cleveland, but he also hasn’t ruled anything out. Lloyd notes that he could be referring to a simple one-day contract so he could retire as a Cavalier, but he could also mean something more.

The Cavs selected James with the first pick in the 2003 draft, and he spent seven years with the team before leaving for Miami as a free agent in 2010. He returned four years later and took the Cavaliers to four straight NBA Finals, capturing the franchise’s only championship in 2016, before departing for Los Angeles.

Although the Lakers won a title in 2020, Cleveland may have a brighter future than L.A. The Cavaliers have rebuilt since James left and are fourth in the East at 35-23 with plenty of youth on the roster. The Lakers, whose roster is stocked with veterans, are ninth in the West at 27-31.

“I think (Cavs general manager Koby Altman) and those guys have done an unbelievable job drafting and making trades,” James said. “I think big fella (Jarrett Allen), that acquisition was amazing for them to make that trade. Obviously Darius Garland is a big-time player. And I think the role that Kevin (Love) is playing right now has kind of uplifted those young guys, seeing a veteran that could sacrifice, a champion that’s won a championship, all the things that he’s done, to come off the bench and play this role. I am not surprised by anything that they’re doing right now.”

As Lloyd points out, it wouldn’t be easy for Cleveland to open enough cap room to sign James without tearing apart its current core. And James made it clear that he wouldn’t be interested in providing a hometown discount so the Cavs could sign him with their mid-level exception.

“I don’t play mid-level basketball,” he said. “I don’t come back for anything below the top.”

James also revealed today that he plans to play his final NBA season for whichever team winds up with his son, Bronny. Currently a junior in high school, the earliest that Bronny could be draft-eligible is 2024.

“My last year will be played with my son,” James said. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”

Bucks “Aggressive” In Pursuit Of Goran Dragic

February 18th, 2022 at 8:07pm CST by Rory Maher

Appearing on NBA Today (video link), ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Bucks have been “aggressive” in their pursuit of Goran Dragic, who reached a buyout agreement with the Spurs on Tuesday.

Dragic has been spending the week speaking to interested teams, and Wojnarowski calls the Bucks the “foremost” team on Dragic’s list. The defending champions find themselves with a hole in the backcourt after trading Donte DiVincenzo to the Kings and losing Pat Connaughton for approximately four weeks after surgery to repair his broken right ring finger.

Milwaukee’s brass, including GM Jon Horst and head coach Mike Budenholzer, has been pitching Dragic on the opportunity to play meaningful minutes and a “pretty significant role,” says Wojnarowski.

However, he notes that the Bulls, Clippers, Nets, and Lakers remain interested in the former All-Star guard. Woj thinks Dragic is getting closer to making a decision on his next team.

Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein tweets that the Warriors are also in the mix for Dragic, but notably did not include the Lakers on his list of teams vying for Dragic’s services.

How Will The Lakers Survive Without AD, Plus Magic's Thoughts On The Team

February 18th, 2022 at 7:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Jovan Buha of The Athletic explores how the Lakers will attempt to survive without star Anthony Davis, who’s sidelined for at least a month with a mid-foot sprain. The Lakers will likely lean more heavily on LeBron James and Russell Westbrook in Davis’ absence, Buha writes, with James figuring to see more time at center. Lineups featuring James at center have a positive net rating (+2.5) and are outstanding offensively, but struggle on defense.
Lakers legend Magic Johnson recently shared his thoughts on the current team with Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (the interview was conducted prior to Davis’ injury). Johnson says the group lacks an identity and has been inconsistent throughout the season, but he thinks that if the “Big Three” can figure out how to mesh together, the Lakers will still be dangerous in the playoffs.

Poll: Which Team Will Win Western Conference?

February 18th, 2022 at 7:48am CST by Luke Adams

On Thursday, we asked you which Eastern Conference team will make the NBA Finals this season. At the moment, no team in that poll has more than 24% of the vote, and five clubs have at least an 11% vote share.

While the East has been the conference of parity this season, the Western Conference has been something quite different. Two teams, the Suns (48-10) and Warriors (42-17), have controlled the top of the standings for essentially the entire season — no other club has cracked the top two since November 10.

Teams that have a ton of regular season success but haven’t yet proven themselves in the playoffs are often regarded with skepticism, not considered true contenders until they make a deep postseason run. But Golden State’s current core, led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green – has a long history of playoff success. And while Phoenix certainly can’t match the Warriors’ recent track record, the Suns showed last spring that they were no fluke, making it all the way to the NBA Finals and coming within two wins of a title.

In other words, these two teams are legit, and look like the odds-on favorites to meet in the Western Conference Finals. But that’s obviously not a foregone conclusion yet, with a handful of intriguing clubs filling out the playoff picture.

The Grizzlies, for one, are putting pressure on Golden State for the No. 2 seed in the conference — their 41-19 record puts them just a game-and-a-half back of the Dubs. Memphis is one of those teams we alluded to above, whose lack of recent playoff success means they’ll have plenty of skeptics to win over. But Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson, and company have shown they’re not willing to back down from anybody and have made the Grizzlies one of the NBA’s most exciting teams.

The Jazz (36-22) have championships aspirations and look great when they’re firing on all cylinders, but they’ve been up and down this season and have been exposed at times by smaller lineups. The Mavericks (35-24) are hoping that this year’s supporting cast is a better fit for Luka Doncic, but they’ll still only go as far as their All-NBA guard takes them.

The Nuggets (33-25) are one of the Western Conference’s most interesting contenders. Nikola Jokic has kept them firmly in the playoff mix with another MVP-caliber performance, and he could get some help before the end of the season — if Jamal Murray (ACL) and Michael Porter Jr. (back) return for the playoffs and look anything like their 2020/21 selves, Denver will be an extremely tough out.

Like Denver, the Clippers (30-31) and Lakers (27-31) could be dangerous if they’re at full strength, but Kawhi Leonard seems like a long shot to make it back this spring for the Clips, and the Lakers haven’t been able to put it all together even when their stars are healthy.

The Timberwolves (31-28) currently hold the top play-in spot ahead of the two Los Angeles teams and are looking to clinch a playoff spot for just the second time since 2004. It’s too early to rule anything out, but a deep postseason run seems unlikely for a Minnesota team that would’ve been happy entering the season just to earn a playoff berth.

If the nine teams we’ve already mentioned finish in the top 10, that leaves one play-in spot for a group that includes the revamped Pelicans (23-36) and Kings (22-38), the surprisingly-surging Trail Blazers (25-34), and Gregg Popovich‘s young Spurs (23-36). Again, never say never, but it’s a pretty safe bet that none of these teams will be representing the West in the Finals this June.

What do you think? Which Western Conference team do you expect to make it to the NBA Finals? How many legitimate contenders do you think there are in the West?

Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Anthony Davis Out At Least Four Weeks

February 17th, 2022 at 8:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The injury to Lakers star forward Anthony Davis is even worse than the original diagnosis. Davis has a mid-foot sprain, according to the team (hat tip to Brad Turner), and will be reevaluated in four weeks.

The original prognosis was a right ankle sprain that would cost Davis a minimum of two weeks. Davis took a scary fall in the second quarter of Wednesday’s game against Utah after landing on Rudy Gobert‘s heel and had to be helped to the locker room.

The injury was revealed during an MRI. It’s another major ailment for Davis, who has already missed 21 games this season.

He was sidelined for more than a month in December and January with a sprained MCL in his left knee. He also missed 36 of the 72 games last season.

It’s another blow to a franchise with championship aspirations that is now in danger of even reaching the postseason with one of the league’s premier big men out for an extended period. Los Angeles has the ninth-best record in the Western Conference. The Lakers ended a three-game losing streak on Wednesday by defeating the Jazz.

Los Angeles will have to lean more heavily on Carmelo Anthony (who currently has a hamstring issue), Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan, Stanley Johnson and Trevor Ariza in Davis’ absence.