Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Notes: Booker, Allen, Tatum, Lakers, Wizards

December 25th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns will be missing guards Devin Booker and Grayson Allen on Christmas Day. Both players were deemed unavailable for Wednesday’s game vs. Denver after sitting out the team’s practice on Tuesday, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Booker was originally ruled out for two games after injuring his groin last Thursday, with the Suns referring to the ailment as groin soreness. On its latest injury report, the team is now listing the star as out due to a groin “strain.” Wednesday will be Booker’s third consecutive absence.

Allen, meanwhile, has been in the concussion protocol since taking an elbow to the head in Saturday’s loss to Detroit. This will be the second game he has missed.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Celtics star Jayson Tatum was a surprise late scratch for Monday’s game vs. Orlando due to a non-COVID illness, as Brian Robb of MassLive.com details. Tatum has been listed as questionable to play in Wednesday’s Christmas Day game vs. Philadelphia as a result of that illness.
Lakers stars Anthony Davis (left shoulder contusion) and LeBron James (left foot injury management) are both listed as questionable for the team’s Christmas Day game against Golden State (Twitter link via Dave McMenamin of ESPN). However, I’d be surprised if either player missed the game — they were listed as questionable due to the same ailments on Monday before being upgraded to available. Point guard D’Angelo Russell is also considered questionable to play due to a sprained left thumb.
The Wizards were missing starters Bilal Coulibaly (right groin soreness) and Alex Sarr (low back soreness) on Monday, prompting the club to deploy a small starting lineup featuring guards Jordan Poole, Malcolm Brogdon, and Carlton Carrington (Twitter link). While neither of those injuries sounds serious, we’re still waiting for an update on big man Marvin Bagley III, who had to be helped off the court midway through the fourth quarter on Monday after suffering a painful-looking knee injury (Twitter video link).

Pacific Notes: Kuminga, Gillespie, Suns, Lakers

December 24th, 2024 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

Prior to Monday’s game against Indiana, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Jonathan Kuminga‘s recent shot selection and decision-making had been “poor” and that he had spoken to both Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski about making better decisions, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN relays.

Kuminga responded with one of his best games of the season off the bench. In just under 30 minutes of action, he racked up 26 points, eight rebounds, and four assists while only turning the ball over once.

“This is the JK we want,” Kerr said after the game, per Youngmisuk. “Spent a lot of time in the paint, took care of the ball. Had a couple really nice passes. Found Buddy (Hield) for three on a beautiful play and really attacked. So this is a great example of how JK needs to play. I’m really proud of him for coming out, playing that way. … He’s getting better, and it’s fun to watch his development.”

Kuminga started six straight games earlier this month, but has come off the bench for the past three. Kerr has suggested the change isn’t necessarily permanent, but noted last week that the club sets a better defensive tone with Draymond Green starting alongside a center. Kuminga, whose role has fluctuated frequently since he entered the league in 2021, said he’s gotten used to the unpredictability and isn’t letting it faze him.

“From where I come from, you always got to be mentally tough,” Kuminga said. “A lot of people that are playing … if they were in my shoes, they’ll quit basketball. They’ll need a therapist. They’ll go through a lot of mental situations. But that thing don’t affect me. As long as I go out here every day and just play, be with my teammates, (they) keep encouraging me to be who I am every day.”

We have more from around the Pacific:

Suns two-way guard Collin Gillespie, who was diagnosed last month with a right ankle fracture, is hoping he’ll be able to return to action shortly after the G League’s regular season begins next week, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I haven’t really talked to the coaches about it, but I’m sure that’ll be the plan of making sure I check off all the boxes here, individual workouts,” Gillespie said. “Play 2-on-2, 3-on-3 and just build it up until I’m ready to go 5-on-5. Then I’m sure once they get back from break (between the Winter Showcase and regular season), they’ll have some home games that I’ll be able to play. Hopefully get some reps there.” The Valley Suns, Phoenix’s NBAGL affiliate, will play their first regular season game next Monday.
A year ago at this time, the Suns had a 14-14 record. This year, despite an 8-1 start, they’re 14-14 again. Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports explores why the team is being plagued by the same issues as last season and considers whether those issues are fixable.
The Lakers‘ offense ranks 29th in the NBA over the past four weeks and head coach J.J. Redick believes the team’s shot selection is a big part of the reason why, as Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group writes. “Over the last 13 (games), we’re taking five more non-paint twos – we’re shooting 39% on those,” Redick said. “… Those five extra non-paint twos, if we shot them at the same rate as Phoenix – who shoots 49% on non-paint twos – our offense would go from 29th to 27th. … If we took those five middies and we shot league average on threes, our offense would go from 27th to 12th. In some ways, we need to shoot more threes and we need to make more threes. That doesn’t mean we come down and just, no pass, one dribble shot. We’ve got to generate the right ones and we’ve got to do it with the right process.”

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Mazzulla, Porzingis, Trade Priority

December 21st, 2024 at 7:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics star Jayson Tatum grew up as a huge admirer of Kobe Bryant, so he was excited about the chance to join the Lakers in the 2017 draft, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. However, Tatum never got a tryout with L.A., which held the second overall pick, even though he was one considered one of the draft’s top prospects following a stellar freshman season at Duke.

Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who served as team president at the time, explained this week that they were already set at forward with Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr. on the roster and were focused on finding backcourt help.

“Yeah, I think I was upset at the time that there wasn’t genuine interest,” Tatum said. “From my perspective, I grew up the biggest Kobe fan and wanted to play for the Lakers. And Magic explained it. They had too many forwards and that was their thought process at the time. It wasn’t like I got any animosity toward Magic or the Lakers. It was just as a kid, I was close to accomplishing a life-long dream, the way I thought it would be.”

The draft played out perfectly for Boston, which landed Tatum with the No. 3 pick after trading down from No. 1. Tatum is already a five-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection, while Markelle Fultz, who went to Philadelphia with the top pick, is currently out of the league, and Lonzo Ball, whom the Lakers took at No. 2, recently resumed playing in Chicago after missing more than two full years with a knee issue.

“Obviously it worked out best-case scenario,” Tatum added. “But I love Magic Johnson. I love what he means to the game. I have no hard feelings toward him. Every time I see him, it’s always love. It’s just something that happened and it’s probably a million stories throughout the NBA that guys should have went or thought they were going somewhere. Everything happened for a reason.”

There’s more from Boston:

Coach Joe Mazzulla, who was fined $35K for “aggressively pursuing” an official following Thursday’s loss to Chicago, talked to his players before this morning’s shootaround about the importance of staying in control and not overreacting to bad calls, Washburn adds in the same piece. “It’s a long year, so whatever the keys are not only to games but to how you want to go about the season,” Mazzulla said. “It’s just small reminders, always good to refresh those.”
Kristaps Porzingis has been removed from the injury report for tonight’s rematch with the Bulls, according to Souichi Terada of MassLive. Porzingis was originally listed as questionable with a right heel contusion he suffered Sunday at Washington.
Assuming the big-man rotation stays healthy, finding veteran wing depth should be the Celtics’ priority in any trade before the deadline, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. He notes that Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman and Jaden Springer haven’t inspired confidence that they can be reliable during the playoffs.

Lakers Notes: Bronny, G League Showcase, Defense, Davis, LeBron

December 21st, 2024 at 5:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

The past year-and-a-half would have been remarkable for Bronny James even if he weren’t the son of an NBA legend. A high-profile recruit at USC, he suffered cardiac arrest during a Trojans practice during the summer of 2023 and underwent a medical procedure to fix a congenital heart defect. That was followed by the Lakers‘ controversial decision to take him with a second-round pick so he could make history by teaming up with his father. After making a few appearances at the NBA level, James has been honing his skills with South Bay and is playing this week at the G League Showcase in Orlando.

“I’ve become resilient over these past couple of years fighting through injuries, mental illness, stuff like that,” James told Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “Just, you know, coming in and working every day and staying the course.”

The level of scrutiny has been intense for a 20-year-old rookie, but James said the public perception “flies in one ear and out the other.” He has the security of a four-year, $7.9MM contract, and he’s working to improve his game to ensure that he has a long NBA future. He also doesn’t lose sight of the fact that he’s fortunate to still be playing after his medical emergency.

“My family, my parents, they are extremely thankful that I’m not only able to play basketball but also just walk around and speak to other people,” James said. “It’s a blessing to be able to play this sport that I love. There’s a chance I wasn’t going to be able to. So I wake up and I’m thankful for that every day.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

James is the most famous name in the G League Showcase, but anyone expecting him to dominate has come away disappointed, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. He had 16 points and five assists on Thursday, but followed up that performance with six points, seven assists and six turnovers on Saturday. Carelessness with the ball has been an issue since James was sent down to the G League, Hollinger adds, and he’s shooting just 24-of-76 from the field with South Bay.
Better teamwork is being credited for the Lakers’ improvements on defense, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. The team’s three best statistical defensive outings have come in the past two weeks, and Anthony Davis said it’s because players are committed to working together as a unit. “We’re just covering for each other,” he said. “We [weren’t] having a lot of that. A guy gets beat, it wasn’t a guy there to protect him. We’ve got some practice time to kind of take care of that. And it’s shown and translated onto the court.”
Davis, who is dealing with a contusion on his left elbow, and LeBron James, who is still managing an injured left foot, were both upgraded to available for today’s game against Sacramento, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

And-Ones: MVP Race, Redick, Birch, Obst

December 20th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Nikola Jokic has a commanding lead in ESPN’s first straw poll of the season on the MVP race, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The Nuggets center captured 57 first-place votes among the 100 ballots, giving him 827 total points.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came in second with 24 first-place votes and 678 points, followed by Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo, who topped 19 ballots and has 643 points. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (267 points) and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (123) round out the top five.

A win by Jokic would give him four MVP trophies in five years and would put him in very select company, Bontemps notes. Only LeBron James and Bill Russell have collected the award four times in five seasons, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain are the other players to be named MVP at least four times.

Bontemps adds that Antetokoumpo had a significant surge in the poll after his dominant performance in the NBA Cup final. Twenty-nine voters changed their ballots after Tuesday’s game, giving him more than twice as many first-place votes and moving him much closer to Gilgeous-Alexander.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

J.J. Redick, who was a rising media star before being hired to coach the Lakers, weighed in on the NBA’s declining television ratings after Thursday’s game, according to Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Redick doesn’t believe the league is being presented well by its national TV outlets. “We don’t have anybody that’s willing to step up to the fact that this is an awesome game and we should talk about it and celebrate it in a positive way,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we don’t critique it. We should critique it, but we should celebrate it. Nobody’s doing that, and the people that are have a small niche following on Twitter. And frankly, I would argue as well, that everyone in our ecosystem pays too much attention to what is said on Twitter. And part of this whole ratings discussion is because people on Twitter are talking about it.”
Khem Birch will remain with Fenerbahce for the rest of the season, relays Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. In September, Birch signed a one-year contract with an exit clause that would have allowed the Turkish team to terminate the deal in January. Urbonas states that other EuroLeague teams had interest if the 32-year-old center had become a free agent again.
German sharpshooter Andreas Obst spoke about a potential three-point shootout with Stephen Curry and his interest in an NBA future in a BasketNews Film Session Episode. Obst says he heard that NBA executives were talking about him after he starred in the 2023 World Cup, but he never got a formal offer. “At some point, yeah, I could see myself in the NBA,” he said. “I can fill a role as a shooter. I know how to use my gravity to space the floor, spot up, and play off the ball. That’s something I think any NBA team could use.”

Fischer: Valanicunas Among Several Centers On Trade Block

December 19th, 2024 at 3:19pm CST by Rory Maher

Jonas Valanciunas of the Wizards may be the most “attainable” and desirable trade candidate among centers this season, but he’s certainly not the only big man who could be on the move prior to the February 6 deadline, league sources tell Jake Fischer (Substack link via The Stein Line).

According to Fischer, several teams are looking for help in the middle, including the Lakers, Clippers, Bucks and Pelicans. The Clips and Bucks are interested in reserve centers to complement their starters (Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez, respectively), with Lopez also drawing trade interest since last summer.

The Warriors are another team contemplating a trade involving big men, with Kevon Looney garnering “plenty of interest” from rival clubs, Fischer writes. Like Lopez, who earns $23MM in 2024/25, Looney is on an expiring contract ($8MM).

Confirming a recent report from Stefan Bondy, Fischer says Knicks center Jericho Sims is viewed as a potential trade candidate due to his inconsistent playing time as a backup this season. Fischer also notes that New York gauged injured center Mitchell Robinson‘s trade value around this time last year.

Despite his lengthy injury history, Trail Blazers center Robert Williams may be the “most coveted” big man on the market outside of Valanciunas, but it’s no lock that Portland will end up moving him, according to Fischer’s sources. If the Blazers do trade a member of their frontcourt, expect it to come closer to the deadline, Fischer adds.

Here’s more from Fischer:

Like Clint Capela, whom we highlighted in another story, Nikola Vucevic is a starting center who could be on the move, but it’s unclear if the Bulls will be successful in their attempts to trade the two-time All-Star, in part due to his contract ($20MM in ’24/25, $21.5MM in ’25/26).
Valanicunas, Williams and Walker Kessler are among the big men on the Lakers‘ trade wish list, sources tell Fischer. However, the Jazz have declined multiple offers for Kessler, so it’s difficult to decipher if Utah is actually willing to trade him or is simply gauging what he might bring in return.
Chris Boucher (Raptors), Day’Ron Sharpe (Nets), Trey Lyles (Kings), Daniel Theis (Pelicans) and Nick Richards (Hornets) are also “known to be on the market,” according to Fischer.

Lakers Notes: Ham, James, Christie, Wood

December 19th, 2024 at 10:58am CST by Dana Gauruder

Darvin Ham, now back with the Bucks as an assistant, admitted to Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he was stunned in May when the Lakers fired him after two seasons.

“To do as well as I did, I swear to God, anywhere else I’m probably looking at an extension with what I did,” Ham said. “I’m not talking about feelings. I’m talking actual facts. They go from not making it to the playoffs to the final four in the NBA, the conference finals. And then you win the in-season tournament, navigate through all the injuries and win both of your play-in games to get to the playoffs. People always talk about us losing to Denver, but they never talk about how we got to Denver.”

Ham received criticism for his coaching methods and in-game strategy and there were reports the team’s stars felt the same way. Ham was blindsided by the negativity.

“I’m not a mudslinger and I’m not going to wait until I’m 51 to become one,” Ham said. “You feel like you did enough to sustain in one spot. I felt like I did that. I get it. The franchise I’m working for, the expectations can be unrealistic at certain points in time.

“To be 33-49 when I was hired, with an unbalanced roster, turn that around, make it to the Western Conference Finals. The very next year we were a plus-10 in wins, going from 33-49 to 43-39. And guys got paid on my watch. It went from a lot of unknown scenarios to I think we have a little bit of a core. And then we got hit with the injury bug like crazy last [season]. We might have been top five in games lost to injury.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

LeBron James is listed as questionable to play against Sacramento tonight due to left foot injury management, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. James has only missed two games this season, but both of those absences have come in the last 11 days.
Max Christie has suddenly become a key member of the rotation, averaging 25.1 minutes per game since November 15 and getting an audition as a starter as of late. He didn’t contribute much offensively on Sunday against Memphis but did an excellent job guarding Ja Morant, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register writes. “It’s a lot of confidence,” Christie said. “I’ve been thrown in the fire guarding a lot of really good players. Trae Young, Ja Morant, to name a few. So it’s definitely a big confidence booster for me.”
Christian Wood has yet to make his season debut but he will take a significant step in his rehab from knee surgery during the team’s road trip, according to Price. Wood will remain in Southern California and do live drills against the team’s coaching associates. “He’s doing more on the court with obviously just individual work,” coach JJ Redick said. “His Alter-G (anti-gravity treadmill) stuff, getting to 95%, 100% on the Alter-G. He’s had progress and it’s looking like it’ll be soon. Barring a setback, he’ll be back.”

Warriors Remain Atop 2024 NBA Franchise Valuations

December 18th, 2024 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors remain the NBA’s most valuable team, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico, who unveiled the website’s updated NBA franchise valuations for 2024 on Wednesday.

Badenhausen projects the Warriors’ value at $9.14 billion, making them one of three teams to surpass the $8 billion mark this year. The Knicks have a projected worth of $8.3 billion, while the Lakers come in at $8.07 billion, per Sportico. Only the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys – at $10.3 billion – have a higher valuation than Golden State among North American sports teams, says Badenhausen.

While Sportico’s figures suggest the Warriors, Knicks, and Lakers are worth significantly more than the fourth-place team (the Nets at $5.7 billion), the average value of an NBA franchise is up to $4.6 billion, with no team worth less than $3 billion.

That average has increased by 15% since Sportico released its 2023 valuations last December and has nearly doubled since the site published its first NBA franchise valuations four years ago, when the average was $2.37 billion.

The NBA’s new $77 billion media rights deal and a 15% increase in team sponsorship are among the factors contributing to the rising valuations of the league’s franchises, according to Badenhausen, who notes that a post-COVID boom in concerts and other major events has been good news for team owners who also control their arenas.

NBA team owners operated 10 of the world’s 20 highest-grossing concert venues in 2024, with the Nets’ Barclays Center coming in at No. 1, says Badenhausen. The Nets’ valuation is up 43% this year, per Sportico, easily the largest year-over-year increase among the 30 NBA franchises.

When Forbes put out its NBA franchise valuations in October, it pegged the average value of a team at $4.4 billion. In the past, we’ve used Forbes as our primary source for NBA franchise valuations, but with Badenhausen making the move from Forbes to Sportico in recent years and the outlet establishing itself as a go-to resource for sports business news, we begun highlighting Sportico’s projections as of 2023.

Of course, it’s worth noting that figures from Sportico, Forbes, or any other media outlet are just estimates and often don’t quite match up with the sale prices for franchises that change hands. But these projections are usually in the right ballpark and remain useful for getting a sense of the league’s most and least valuable teams.

Here’s Sportico’s full list of NBA franchise valuations for 2024:

Golden State Warriors: $9.14 billion
New York Knicks: $8.3 billion
Los Angeles Lakers: $8.07 billion
Brooklyn Nets: $5.7 billion
Los Angeles Clippers: $5.68 billion
Boston Celtics: $5.66 billion
Chicago Bulls: $5.56 billion
Miami Heat: $5 billion
Houston Rockets: $4.77 billion
Toronto Raptors: $4.66 billion
Philadelphia 76ers: $4.57 billion
Dallas Mavericks: $4.46 billion
Phoenix Suns: $4.32 billion
Sacramento Kings: $4.11 billion
Atlanta Hawks: $4.07 billion
Denver Nuggets: $4.06 billion
Washington Wizards: $3.98 billion
Cleveland Cavaliers: $3.95 billion
Milwaukee Bucks: $3.91 billion
San Antonio Spurs: $3.79 billion
Indiana Pacers: $3.74 billion
Utah Jazz: $3.67 billion
Portland Trail Blazers: $3.6 billion
Oklahoma City Thunder: $3.55 billion
Orlando Magic: $3.46 billion
Detroit Pistons: $3.45 billion
Charlotte Hornets: $3.39 billion
Minnesota Timberwolves: $3.29 billion
New Orleans Pelicans: $3.09 billion
Memphis Grizzlies: $3.06 billion

As Badenhausen notes, Sportico’s projections are based on a control sale price, rather than limited stake purchases. No NBA franchise saw its majority control change hands in 2024, but that could change in 2025, with control of the Celtics up for sale.

According to Badenhausen, team executives and investors have predicted a sale price ranging from $4.5 billion to $6.5 billion for the Celtics. The final valuation will be determined by a number of factors, including how many bidders are on the mix, what percentage of the team they can buy, and whether current governor Wyc Grousbeck insists on remaining in that role until 2028, which he has indicated is his goal.

Pacific Notes: Leonard, Schroder, Van Arsdale, Bronny

December 17th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kawhi Leonard, who has yet to make his season debut as he rehabs his right knee, took part in two non-contact practices last week. Noting that Leonard has “progressed very well,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue didn’t offer any real hints about when his star forward might suit up, but said Kawhi may accompany the team on its upcoming two-game road trip.

“I think we’re going to be more excited to have him for a full practice,” James Harden told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “We don’t really have contact practice, but when we do, just contact practice and then games. So, he’s inching his way back towards the court and take his time. Whenever he’s ready, we’re ready for him.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that newly-acquired Dennis Schröder will take some of the offensive burden off Stephen Curry. “We need a pick-and-roll player right now,” Kerr said, per Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. “The last 10 games, our pick-and-roll efficiency is dead last in the league. Teams are loading up on Steph. You can’t ask him to run every pick-and-roll. Dennis is a pick-and-roll player.”
Suns legend Dick Van Arsdale has passed away at the age of 81, the team’s PR department tweets. He was the first selection in the expansion draft to build the Suns’ roster and scored the first points in team history. Van Arsdale earned three All-Star selections, was a member of the team’s NBA Finals team in 1976 and retired as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer in 1977. Van Arsdale was also a broadcaster and front office executive for the franchise.
Lakers rookie guard Bronny James will participate in the NBA G League Winter Showcase this week, Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN report. The Lakers’ front office and James’ agents at Klutch Sports partnered on the plan to have the guard play in the Orlando event as another step in his development, the ESPN duo adds. Bronny has averaged 20.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists over his past three games for the South Bay Lakers.

Lakers Rumors: Trade Targets, LeBron, Davis, Bronny, Hachimura

December 17th, 2024 at 12:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are expected to be one of the most active buyers on the trade market during the 2024/25 season, though it remains unclear how much of their available draft capital they’re willing to move and how significant a deal they’ll make, says Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

As Buha notes, the Lakers were also considered likely to buy last season, but ultimately stood pat at the February trade deadline, choosing not to surrender a first-round pick. However, there’s hope that Golden State’s deal for Dennis Schröder (which saw the Warriors give up three second-round picks and get one back) may be a signal that teams’ asking prices for useful role players will be more modest this time around.

The Lakers are believed to be in the market for three kinds of players, according to Buha: a “physical, defensive-minded” center, a three-and-D wing, and an athletic guard with some size who can defend at the point of attack. As Buha writes, players the Lakers have been linked to in the past, including Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas and Nets wings Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith, are among the targets who would make sense at this season’s deadline.

Jazz guard Collin Sexton and center Walker Kessler, Raptors swingman Bruce Brown, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and center Robert Williams, and Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma are some of the other potential players of interest who have come up in Buha’s conversations with team and league sources. However, the Lakers aren’t expected to be in on former All-Stars like Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Brandon Ingram, Buha adds.

Here’s more on the Lakers and their approach to the trade deadline:

Unsurprisingly, the Lakers aren’t considering trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis and almost certainly wouldn’t do so unless they asked to be dealt, sources tell Buha. Other players unlikely to be moved include Austin Reaves, Max Christie, and Dalton Knecht, who are viewed as potential long-term pieces.
While Bronny James isn’t untouchable, he’s not expected to be included in a trade that doesn’t involve his father, sources tell The Athletic.
One or more of the Lakers’ four mid-sized contracts – D’Angelo Russell ($18.69MM cap hit), Rui Hachimura ($17MM), Gabe Vincent ($11MM), Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.71MM) – figures to be included in any deal of note this season. Of those players, Hachimura looks like the one the Lakers would least want to move, Buha writes, though the forward would probably also have the most trade value of the four. Russell hasn’t drawn significant interest from potential suitors during previous discussions, Vincent has dealt with injuries and has struggled offensively since joining the Lakers, and Vanderbilt has yet to make his season debut as he recovers from offseason surgeries on both feet.