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James Suspended One Game, Stewart Gets Two-Game Penalty

November 22nd, 2021 at 5:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers superstar LeBron James was suspended one game without pay and Pistons center Isaiah Stewart will serve a two-game suspension for their altercation on Sunday, the league announced in a press release.

James was suspended for recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation. Stewart was given a bigger penalty for escalating the incident by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing James in an unsportsmanlike manner.

Stewart had to be restrained numerous times by coaches and players from retaliating after James struck him in the face battling for position as Jerami Grant attempted a free throw. Pistons coach Dwane Casey stated afterward he didn’t feel Stewart deserved an additional penalty besides the in-game ejection.

James, who has never previously been suspended his career, will miss a marquee matchup against the Knicks on Tuesday. Stewart will serve his suspension Tuesday against the Heat and Wednesday against the Bucks.

Pistons’ Casey: Stewart Shouldn’t Face Further Punishment For Altercation

November 22nd, 2021 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star LeBron James and Pistons youngster Isaiah Stewart were ejected from Sunday’s game in the third quarter following an on-court altercation and could face further punishment from the NBA league office.

James struck Stewart in the face while the two players were battling for position on a Jerami Grant free throw, opening up a large cut near Stewart’s right eye. The Pistons’ center, with blood streaming down his face, tried to go after LeBron and had to be held back by several teammates and coaches (video link). James was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul and Stewart was tossed for “multiple unsportsmanlike acts,” as our Dana Gauruder writes for The Detroit Free Press.

While it seems likely that James and Stewart will face fines, if not suspensions, for their actions, Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said after the game that he didn’t believe Stewart should receive any additional penalties.

“He shouldn’t be facing anything,” Casey said, per Gauruder. “Not getting off the court in time, the league will have to decide on that. The man got eight stitches, or whatever the number of stitches it is, across his forehead. … He was upset, blood running down his face. I don’t see ramifications from the league from that standpoint, except for him just (not) leaving the court, maybe. I thought that’s why he got ejected out of the game. To me, that’s enough punishment.”

The Lakers and Pistons are both off until Tuesday, but if the NBA is going to assess fines and/or suspensions, an announcement will likely come at some point on Monday.

Here’s more on the fracas in Detroit:

Anthony Davis said after the game that James didn’t elbow Stewart intentionally and that he wanted to apologize to the 20-year-old. “Everyone in the league knows LeBron’s not a dirty guy,” Davis said, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “In fact, when he knew he hit him, as soon as he did it, he looked back at him like, ‘Oh, my bad. I didn’t try to do it.'”
Lakers guard Russell Westbrook also received a technical foul as part of the skirmish, since referee Scott Foster and his crew believed Westbrook was acting as “an escalator and not a peacemaker.” Westbrook didn’t realize he had been assessed a technical until after the game, writes McMenamin. “Why’d I get a tech? I didn’t know I had a tech. Wow. That’s interesting,” Westbrook said. “Well, you know, that’s just being Russell, I guess. When you’re Russell Westbrook, they just try to do anything, apparently. Well, whatever. … They had to put it on somebody. I’m the easiest person to throw s–t on. Why not me?”
While there may be an outside perception that Stewart, who also had a minor scuffle with Blake Griffin earlier this season, is a troublemaker, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic contends that couldn’t be further from the truth. Casey agrees with that assessment. “I told him, ‘Don’t let this define who you are. It doesn’t define your game whatsoever. Keep your head (up) and don’t get a reputation afterward,'” Casey said after the game. “I feel for the young man because he’s such a competitor and plays so hard. He’s a great kid. He felt like he got a cheap shot across his brow. On the street, it would be a different story. It’s no reflection on who Isaiah Stewart is whatsoever.”
The Lakers were down by 17 points following James’ ejection, but battled back without him in the fourth quarter for a victory. Bill Oram of The Athletic wonders if the comeback could be a turning point for a Lakers team that has been up and down so far this season.

Lakers Notes: James, Kanter, Davis, Nunn

November 21st, 2021 at 8:49pm CST by JD Shaw

Lakers superstar LeBron James offered his thoughts about the comments recently made by Celtics big man Enes Kanter, addressing the ongoing feud between the two after Saturday’s game.

Kanter recently called out James on social media, writing, “Money over Morals for the “King.” Sad and disgusting how these athletes pretend they care about social justice. They really do “shut up & dribble” when Big Boss says so. Did you educate yourself about the slave labor that made your shoes or is that not part of your research?”

When asked about the post, James noted that he typically doesn’t bother engaging. But, as mentioned previously, this isn’t the first time the pair has had an issue, which includes a face-to-face altercation during a game back in 2017.

“I think if you know me, you know I don’t give too many people my energy,” James explained, as relayed by Analis Bailey of USA TODAY. “He’s definitely not someone I would give my energy to. He’s trying to use my name to create an opportunity for himself. I definitely won’t comment too much on that.

“He’s always had a word or two to say in my direction, and as a man, if you’ve got an issue with somebody, you really come up to him. He had his opportunity tonight. I seen him in the hallway, and he walked right by me.”

There’s more out of Los Angeles:

It’s apparent the club can’t win without LeBron, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. In the seven games that James has played this season, the Lakers are 4-3. Without him, the team is 4-6.
The team has committed to Anthony Davis at center, but the defensive kinks must be worked out by committee, Goon writes for the Orange County Register. Starting Davis at center allows the Lakers to improve its offensive spacing, but it reduces the team’s size in the frontcourt. The club must now determine its starters alongside Russell Westbrook, James and Davis.
Backup point guard Kendrick Nunn (right knee bone bruise) isn’t expected to return anytime soon, Goon tweets. Nunn signed a free-agent deal to join the organization back in August. He averaged 14.6 points, 2.6 assists and 29.5 minutes in 56 games with the Heat last season.

LeBron James: Lakers Should Have Sense Of Urgency

November 20th, 2021 at 2:14pm CST by JD Shaw

Lakers superstar LeBron James believes the team should have a sense of urgency going into each game, something that certainly won’t change now that the team is below .500 with a 8-9 record, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com writes.

James returned from an abdominal strain on Friday against the Celtics, recording 23 points, six rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes. Los Angeles was dominated by Boston 130-108 — its third straight loss and sixth in the last 10 games.

“It’s never, ‘We got 65 games left,'” James said when asked if he can take the long view on the season, according to McMenamin. “We damn sure need to play better, no matter who is in the lineup. We have our system and we need to obviously fast-track it and get better with it so we can play, no matter who is out on the floor, we can play at a high level.

“There’s no level of panic, but there should be some sense of urgency any time we take the floor.”

The Lakers have been dealing with several injuries to start the season. Along with James, projected starting forward Trevor Ariza underwent ankle surgery back in October, while backup point guard Kendrick Nunn has been out with a bone bruise. James has only played in seven of 17 games to date.

Los Angeles currently owns the ninth-best record in the Western Conference, with upcoming road games scheduled against the Pistons on Sunday, Knicks on Tuesday and Pacers on Wednesday.

LeBron James Returns On Friday Night

November 19th, 2021 at 6:17pm CST by Luke Adams

NOVEMBER 19: James will return to the Lakers’ starting lineup tonight, the team announced. The starters will be Russell Westbrook, Bradley, Horton-Tucker, LeBron, and Anthony Davis. The Lakers face the Celtics at 6:30 CT on ESPN.

NOVEMBER 16: Injuries have limited LeBron James to just six games so far this season, and he hasn’t suited up since November 2 due to an abdominal strain. However, it sounds like we could see the Lakers‘ star forward back on the court later this week.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), there’s “growing optimism” that James will make his return on Friday when the Lakers face the Celtics in Boston.

That contest vs. the C’s will be the second game of a five-game Eastern Conference road trip for the Lakers. That trip begins on Wednesday in Milwaukee and also includes games in Detroit (Sunday), New York (Nov. 23), and Indiana (Nov. 24). If the Lakers are easing James back into action, he likely wouldn’t play both games of that back-to-back set next week.

Still, getting LeBron back in any form would be good news for a Lakers team that has had an up-and-down season to date. After Monday’s loss to Chicago, L.A. has an 8-7 record, good for seventh in the Western Conference.

The Lakers’ starting five has been fluid as of late, but Carmelo Anthony is probably the likeliest candidate to move to the bench once James is ready to go. Talen Horton-Tucker and Avery Bradley are the other starters whose spots aren’t necessarily 100% locked in.

LeBron James A Gametime Decision On Friday

November 19th, 2021 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers star LeBron James will be a game-time decision on Friday night in Boston, head coach Frank Vogel said today (Twitter link via Kyle Goon of the Southern California News Group). If James isn’t able to return from his abdominal strain tonight, he’ll likely target Sunday in Detroit for his first game back.
While the Lakers are still waiting to see if LeBron will be available for Friday’s game, the Celtics have already ruled out Jaylen Brown, the team announced today (via Twitter). Brown has been on the shelf since November 4 due to a right hamstring strain.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Horton-Tucker, Nunn, Offseason Moves

November 18th, 2021 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers’ roster isn’t constructed to withstand prolonged absences from star forward LeBron James, Dylan Hernandez writes in a column for The Los Angeles Times. With James still sidelined on Wednesday, the Lakers lost in Milwaukee to drop to 8-8 on the season, including 4-6 in games without LeBron available.

When the Lakers acquired Russell Westbrook in the offseason, it was viewed in part as an insurance policy after James and Anthony Davis missed time due to injuries in 2020/21. The thinking was that if one of the Lakers’ two returning stars went down for an extended period, the club would now have a third star in Westbrook to help carry the load. However, Westbrook has been inconsistent during his first month as a Laker, raising the stakes of LeBron’s return, writes Hernandez.

Fortunately for L.A., it sounds as if James should be back very soon. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this week that there’s “growing optimism” the 36-year-old will be able to play on Friday in Boston.

That’s not a lock, however. While James said on Wednesday that he hopes to return vs. the Celtics, head coach Frank Vogel is still referring to him as day-to-day and sources told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that there’s only a “50-50” chance he’ll be available on Friday.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Since returning from his thumb injury, Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker has started all three games and is making a strong case to remain in the starting five, writes Kyle Goon of The Southern California News Group. Horton-Tucker had perhaps his best game yet on Wednesday, with 25 points and 12 rebounds. “Sometimes scoring off the bench is what you need,” Vogel said of Horton-Tucker. “But he’s playing as good as anybody from a standpoint of both sides of the ball. What he’s given to us on defense and what he’s given to us on offense. So he’s been terrific in his first few games back and he’ll have a big role. He’s definitely made a case (to continue starting).”
Third-year guard Kendrick Nunn, who has yet to debut for the Lakers after signing a two-year, $10MM deal in August, isn’t with the team on its current road trip, tweets Bill Oram of The Athletic. Nunn continues to do rehab work on the bone bruise in his right knee.
The Lakers’ slow start has made it easier to second-guess Rob Pelinka‘s summer roster moves, Oram says in a story for The Athletic. According to various reports, L.A. had a chance to trade for DeMar DeRozan or Buddy Hield and to re-sign Alex Caruso, but passed on those opportunities. Acquiring Westbrook closed the door on the DeRozan and Hield scenarios, but re-signing Caruso was simply a matter of how far into the tax the organization was willing to go.

L.A.’s Staples Center To Become Crypto.com Arena

November 17th, 2021 at 8:11am CST by Luke Adams

One of the NBA’s most iconic arenas is getting a new name. Los Angeles’ Staples Center, the current home of the Lakers and Clippers, will become Crypto.com Arena later this year, according to a press release.

The arena, which is also the home of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and the WNBA’s L.A. Sparks, will officially be rebranded on December 25, the day the Lakers host the Nets in a prime-time showdown.

According to Sam Dean of The Los Angeles Times, the naming rights agreement between Crypto.com and AEG, which owns and operates the arena, will cover the next 20 years and is worth more than $700MM, making it one of the biggest such deals in sports history.

Although the Lakers and Clippers share the arena for the time being, Steve Ballmer‘s Clippers are building their own arena in Inglewood, California. That arena is on track to be opened in 2024, so – barring setbacks – the Clips will only play in the newly-renamed Crypto.com Arena for a couple more years before moving into the Intuit Dome.

The Lakers aren’t the first NBA team to partner with Crypto.com — the Sixers currently wear the company’s logo on their uniforms. Crypto.com also isn’t the first cryptocurrency brand to enter into a naming rights deal with an NBA franchise. The Heat’s arena was renamed earlier this year as a result of a deal with cryptocurrency exchange FTX.

Lakers Waive Sekou Doumbouya, Add Chaundee Brown

November 17th, 2021 at 2:34am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

NOVEMBER 17: The Lakers have issued a press release confirming the signing of Brown and the waiving of Doumbouya.

NOVEMBER 16: Two-way Lakers forward Sekou Doumbouya is set to be waived by L.A. as he recovers from a foot ailment, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The banged-up Lakers are replacing the injured Doumbouya with the healthy Chaundee Brown, a 6’5″ wing currently with the team’s NBAGL affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. Brown will now occupy Los Angeles’ second two-way roster slot, alongside Jay Huff.

Brown, 22, went undrafted out of Michigan this summer. He was initially inked to an Exhibit 10 contract and logged time on the Lakers’ preseason roster before being waived and subsequently added to the club’s South Bay affiliate. Brown, the 60th-ranked prospect on ESPN’s 2021 predraft big board, averaged 8.0 PPG and 3.1 RPG with a .419 3PT% during his senior season in 2020/21.

The 6’8″ Doumbouya, still just 20, was selected by Detroit with the No. 15 pick in the 2019 NBA draft. After not establishing himself as a cornerstone for a rebuilding Pistons club during his first two NBA seasons, Doumbouya signed a two-way deal with the Lakers this year. He appeared in two contests, averaging 7.0 PPG and 3.0 RPG.

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN notes (via Twitter) that Doumbouya’s foot injury is fairly minor. Meanwhile, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets that Brown is not traveling with the Lakers, who are set to kick off a five-game road jaunt tomorrow against the Bucks.

DeRozan Thought Offseason Move To Lakers Was “Done Deal”

November 16th, 2021 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Before he agreed to a three-year, $81MM+ deal with the Bulls over the summer, veteran forward DeMar DeRozan believed he’d be headed to the Lakers, he told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

According to Haynes, DeRozan’s agent Aaron Goodwin was working “feverishly” behind the scenes with the Spurs in the days leading up to free agency to orchestrate a sign-and-trade deal that would send his client to Los Angeles. However, the Lakers’ talks with San Antonio tapered off as they pivoted to a trade for Russell Westbrook, forcing DeRozan to go in another direction as well.

“I felt like going to the Lakers was a done deal and that we were going to figure it out. I was going to come home,” DeRozan told Haynes after the Bulls’ victory over the Lakers on Monday. “The business side of things just didn’t work out. A couple of things didn’t align. It didn’t work out. It’s just part of the business, part of the game. My next option was definitely Chicago. So, looking back at it, it worked out well.”

Although there were multiple offseason reports linking DeRozan to his hometown Lakers, this is the first indication we’ve gotten that a potential deal gained real traction. The Lakers also reportedly seriously considered the possibility of trading for Buddy Hield before instead opting for Westbrook.

Acquiring a player via sign-and-trade would’ve hard-capped the Lakers’ team salary at $143MM in 2021/22, so it makes sense that the club preferred to trade for a player on an existing contract, avoiding that hard cap. Given how DeRozan and Westbrook have played so far this season, Los Angeles may be regretting its decision, but DeRozan told Haynes he doesn’t look at it that way.

“Nah, Russ is a Hall-of-Fame player,” DeRozan said. “It’s hard to turn down that caliber of player. I can’t speak for the Lakers, but they went with what they felt was best for them. And all due respect to them. No hard feelings. No animosity, but I just look at it as part of the game. A deal is never done until it’s done. I learned that. It just didn’t work out. I’m just happy I’m in Chicago.”

The Clippers were also considered a viable suitor for DeRozan during free agency, and the 32-year-old acknowledges L.A.’s other team was in the mix. However, he told Haynes it “didn’t get as far as the Lakers situation.”

Since the Lakers agreed to trade for Westbrook on draft day (July 29), four days before free agency opened, DeRozan’s comments and Haynes’ report suggest the Spurs and Lakers may have violated the NBA’s gun-jumping rules if they were exploring a sign-and-trade that early in the offseason. Given that the Bulls are currently being investigated for possible gun-jumping in their Lonzo Ball sign-and-trade, perhaps DeRozan’s insinuation that other teams were engaging in similar conversations wasn’t an accident.