Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Dwight Howard, Malik Monk In Coronavirus Protocols

December 14th, 2021 at 10:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Lakers role players Dwight Howard and Malik Monk have joined starting wing Talen Horton-Tucker in the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register (via Twitter). Goon adds that none of the triumvirate will be available to play with Los Angeles tomorrow against the Mavericks.

Monk flew with the club to Dallas before recording his positive result, but Howard remained in Los Angeles, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). McMenamin adds that L.A. is currently determining a plan to fly Monk back home safely. The fact that Monk traveled with his teammates in close proximity on a private plane makes this situation certainly worth monitoring.

Howard and Horton-Tucker started in the Lakers’ most recent game, a 106-94 victory over the visiting Magic. Monk has proven to be a helpful offensive contributor off the bench during his first season with the franchise. Should Lakers All-Star big man Anthony Davis miss tomorrow’s game, the Lakers will be at a significant frontcourt disadvantage against the Mavericks. Davis remains day-to-day with a sore left knee that has sidelined him for the team’s last two contests.

The 23-year-old Monk, signed to a veteran’s minimum contract this summer, is averaging 9.7 PPG on .447/.361/.800 shooting splits, along with 2.8 RPG and 2.2 APG across 28 games with the 15-13 Lakers. The 36-year-old Howard, in his third stint with the team, is averaging a more modest 5.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.8 SPG and 0.7 BPG, while shooting .625/.750/.609. Howard’s anomalous three-point shooting conversion rate is the result of an extremely low volume of output, just 0.3 a night.

Central Notes: Bulls, Boucek, Pistons, Lee

December 14th, 2021 at 5:39pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Bulls have announced (Twitter link) that their next contest, scheduled to be a Sunday matinee matchup against the Lakers, has been pushed back to a later start time. The game will now tip off at 7 p.m. CT, after originally being scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. CT.

It was announced yesterday that the NBA would postpone Chicago’s two other scheduled games this week – tonight against the Pistons and Thursday night against the Raptors – after it was revealed that as many as 10 Bulls are currently in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets that Coby White, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr., and star wing DeMar DeRozan all have a chance to be cleared by the new tip-off time Sunday. It was reported over the weekend that White had returned to the Bulls’ Advocate Center practice facility for the first time since his diagnosis.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

After missing the Pacers‘ Monday loss to the Warriors, Indiana assistant coach Jenny Boucek is now in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. The first-season assistant will be replaced by Calbert Cheaney on the front of the bench, Agness adds.
Pistons head coach Dwane Casey has revealed that the NBA will examine game tape to determine which Nets players came into “close contact” with Detroit players, per James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). Brooklyn players Paul Millsap, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter, and James Johnson are currently in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
The Pistons are optimistic that the G League play of second-year point guard Saben Lee will translate at the NBA level, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Langlois notes that the early returns have been positive, and could lead to more minutes with Detroit for Lee. “I’m just doing whatever the coaches ask me to do,” Lee said. “Up here, I know there’s a lot of scorers, a lot of shooters. Whatever coach [Casey] asks me to do, I’m going to do that. That’s how I navigate that.” Saben played with Detroit’s NBAGL club, the Motor City Cruise, for his first seven contests this season.

Talen Horton-Tucker Placed In Health And Safety Protocols

December 14th, 2021 at 12:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and could miss multiple games, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The team canceled practice today, citing COVID-19 concerns, but still plans to fly to Dallas for Wednesday’s game, according to Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register (Twitter link).

Sources told Dave McMenamin of ESPN that a player tested positive for COVID-19 (Twitter link), and the Lakers later confirmed that it was Horton-Tucker. Other team members were required to take both a rapid test and a PCR test before gathering for the flight.

The positive test means Horton-Tucker will be out of action for at least 10 days unless he can return consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. L.A. plays five times during that span, with a three-game road trip against the Mavericks, Timberwolves and Bulls, followed by home games with the Suns and Spurs. Horton-Tucker could return for a Christmas Day showdown with the Nets if he clears protocols.

He has moved into a starting role in his third NBA season and has responded by averaging career highs with 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Western Trade Rumors: Westbrook, Pelicans, Nuggets, Blazers, More

December 14th, 2021 at 9:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have had internal conversations about the possibility of trading Russell Westbrook, league sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. Westbrook hasn’t fit in as well with LeBron James and Anthony Davis this season as the team had hoped.

However, Fischer suggests that any deal involving Westbrook is unlikely. He’s earning $44.2MM, with a $47.1MM player option for 2022/23, and there simply aren’t many players around the NBA who are available and could be used for salary-matching that sort of figure.

Fischer notes that a Cavaliers package centered around Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio would work, but such a deal probably wouldn’t appeal to Cleveland and hasn’t been discussed by the two teams. The Lakers, meanwhile, likely wouldn’t have much interest in acquiring Rockets guard John Wall, whose salary is nearly identical to Westbrook’s.

As Fischer writes, Sixers star Ben Simmons is one player whose salary could make him a candidate to be moved in a trade for Westbrook, and a Monday report indicated the Lakers have interest in Simmons. But Westbrook isn’t on Philadelphia’s wish list and conversations between the 76ers and Lakers haven’t gotten very far, says Fischer.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the Western Conference, via Fischer:

Despite their slow start, the Pelicans haven’t given up on the idea of vying for a spot in the play-in tournament and could be buyers at the trade deadline, according to Fischer, who says former lottery pick Jaxson Hayes is considered to be available via trade.
The Nuggets are seeking wing upgrades and may put JaMychal Green on the trade block, sources tell Bleacher Report.
Jusuf Nurkic and Robert Covington, who are both on expiring contracts, are viewed as perhaps the most obvious trade candidates for the Trail Blazers, but Larry Nance Jr. may also be a prime target for rival front offices, says Fischer.
The Rockets would like to create an opening on their 15-man roster to promote two-way player Garrison Mathews, Fischer writes. Houston has a number of veteran trade candidates on its squad, including Eric Gordon, Danuel House, D.J. Augustin, and Daniel Theis.
The Spurs have been “frequently linked” to Suns center Jalen Smith, who is on the trade block, according to Fischer. Phoenix has previously been reported to have interest in San Antonio forward Thaddeus Young.

Davis Could Return On Wednesday

December 13th, 2021 at 8:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers are hopeful Anthony Davis will return to action on Wednesday, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. Davis has missed the last two game with left knee soreness. Los Angeles begins a three-game road trip at Dallas.

“We did an ultrasound on it,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said. “Everything is structurally intact. Just taking another day, with the two days off before the next game, and hopefully we’ll put this behind us.”

It has been 10 years since then-commissioner David Stern voided a trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers. Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times takes a look back at the circumstances surrounding the voided trade and the aftermath of the decision, which resulted in Paul landing with the Clippers.

Talen Horton-Tucker Targeted By Numerous Teams

December 13th, 2021 at 4:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker has become a trade target for as many as seven teams, Jordan Schultz of Schultz Report tweets. However, the Lakers are reluctant to move one of their few young talents, so their asking price is high, Schultz adds.

The 21-year-old Horton-Tucker is averaging a career-best 11.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 2.9 APG and is coming off a 19-point, six-steal performance against Orlando. His season debut was delayed due to thumb surgery but he has become a major part of the rotation, averaging 29 MPG this month.

The 6’4” shooting guard in the first year of a three-year, $30.8MM deal and can’t be traded until January 15 after signing the new contract as a restricted free agent in August.

His $9.5MM salary this season makes him one of just two Lakers earning between the minimum and maximum. That could make him a necessary trade chip if the Lakers wants to make a win-now splash for a non-max player.

The Lakers are reportedly interested in the Pistons’ Jerami Grant, who’s making $20MM this season, and Horton-Tucker’s salary would likely be an essential component for Los Angeles to acquire Grant or a player with a similar contract.

LeBron James, Domantas Sabonis Named Players Of The Week

December 13th, 2021 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star LeBron James has been named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week and Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis has won the weekly award for the Eastern Conference, the league announced today (Twitter link).

James, who hadn’t played more than three consecutive games this season until the past week, led Los Angeles to a 3-1 record in games vs. Boston, Memphis, Oklahoma City, and Orlando between December 6-12. He averaged 28.3 PPG, 8.0 APG, 7.5 RPG, 1.8 BPG, and 1.8 SPG, with a red-hot shooting line of .608/.417/.867. James had a 30-point triple-double against the Magic on Sunday.

Sabonis, meanwhile, had his best week of the season despite his name popping up in trade rumors. His Pacers were 3-0, defeating the Wizards, Knicks, and Mavericks, and the veteran center put up 25.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG, and 6.0 APG on .750/.750/.857 shooting in those three contests.

James beat out fellow nominees Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Donovan Mitchell in the West. The other Eastern Conference nominees were Jarrett Allen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Kyle Lowry, and Sabonis’ teammate Caris LeVert (Twitter link).

Injury Updates On Trevor Ariza, Kendrick Nunn

December 13th, 2021 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers are hopeful that forward Trevor Ariza will be able to make his season debut within the next week or two, says Shams Charania of The Athletic. Ariza has been sidelined for the entire fall as he recovers from ankle surgery, but continues to ramp up his activity. He was expected to participate on Monday in a practice with some members of the South Bay Lakers, as well as Rajon Rondo and Kent Bazemore, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Like Ariza, Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn hasn’t played at all for the team this season due to a bone bruise in his right knee. Sources tell Charania that Los Angeles is optimistic about Nunn returning to the court and making his debut for the club at some point in January.

Pistons Considered Open To Jerami Grant Trade

December 13th, 2021 at 10:15am CST by Luke Adams

Pistons forward Jerami Grant is expected to be one of the most sought-after players on the trade market this season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who hears from sources that Detroit is open to a possible deal.

Charania says that the Pistons get dozens of calls about Grant each week, though the list of known suitors isn’t long at this point.

Charania identifies the Trail Blazers and Lakers as a couple teams in pursuit of the 27-year-old. The Sixers have previously been said to have interest in Grant, but there have been conflicting reports about how serious that interest is. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote today that Grant would make sense as a trade target for the Jazz — that sounds more like speculation than anything concrete, though it’s worth noting that Charania also said today that Utah is in the market for a “defensive-minded wing” on the trade market.

Grant has expanded his game since arriving in Detroit, showing an ability to be an on-ball scorer and secondary play-maker after establishing himself as a solid spot-up shooter and defender in Oklahoma City and Denver. His skill set would appeal to most playoff teams, so he figures to draw widespread interest around the league if he’s legitimately available.

Grant is currently on the shelf due to torn ligaments in his right thumb and likely won’t return until closer to the trade deadline. However, both Charania and O’Connor hear that the injury is unlikely to affect his trade market or the Pistons’ willingness to listen to offers.

In 78 games (33.7 MPG) across two seasons with the Pistons, Grant has averaged 21.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.1 BPG on .425/.344/.847 shooting. He’s earning just over $20MM this season and his contract runs through 2022/23. As Charania observes, Grant will become extension-eligible during the 2022 offseason and could sign a four-year deal worth up to $112.65MM at that time.

Teams with trade interest in Grant know they’d have to go pretty close to that max – if not all the way up to it – in order to extend him before he reaches free agency in 2023, according to Charania, who likens Grant’s situation to that of Aaron Gordon a year ago. Denver acquired Gordon from Orlando at the trade deadline, then signed him in the offseason to a four-year extension with a base value of nearly $87MM.

Knicks, Lakers Among Teams Reportedly Interested In Ben Simmons

December 13th, 2021 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on ESPN’s recent report stating that there may be momentum toward a Ben Simmons deal, Shams Charania of The Athletic confirms that the Sixers have increased their efforts to explore multi-team trade scenarios involving Simmons.

According to Charania, the Knicks and Lakers are among the teams with interest in Simmons. Charania adds that the Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, Kings, Pacers, and Cavaliers also have interest, but those clubs have been previously cited as potential suitors for the three-time All-Star, whereas New York and Los Angeles are new additions to the list.

The Knicks would be a fascinating potential trade partner for Philadelphia. Their top offseason additions – Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker – haven’t been major successes so far and the team is off to a 12-15 start, perhaps increasing the likelihood of an in-season shakeup. New York would have the contracts necessary to match Simmons’ $33MM+ salary, and it’s probably safe to assume Tom Thibodeau would be a fan of what last season’s Defensive Player of the Year runner-up could bring to the table on defense.

Still, while the Knicks might be willing to roll the dice on Simmons if all it took was Fournier, Walker, and a couple draft picks, Philadelphia will presumably seek a more significant return. The 76ers remain on the hunt for an All-Star caliber player and/or multiple first-round picks in any deal for Simmons, Charania notes.

It’s even trickier to imagine the Lakers as a realistic trading partner for the Sixers. Given the salaries on the team’s books, Los Angeles would almost certainly have to include Russell Westbrook in any trade involving Simmons and I’m skeptical that 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey would want to acquire Westbrook again after doing so in Houston didn’t pay dividends. Perhaps a three-team structure could work, but the Lakers seem like a long shot at best in the Simmons sweepstakes.

It’s unclear whether the Sixers have gained any real traction in any of their discussions involving Simmons, according to Charania.