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Latest On Lakers’ Buddy Hield Trade Talks

July 29th, 2021 at 7:45am CST by Luke Adams

A weekend report indicated that the Lakers and Kings have discussed a potential trade centered around Buddy Hield, and it sounds like those talks may be gaining some momentum.

After Sam Amick of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Hield scenario is the “most promising” of the possible deals the Lakers are pursuing, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote late last night that L.A. has stepped up its efforts to get something done, adding that the talks have gained “real traction.”

According to O’Connor, the Lakers’ offer to the Kings would include the No. 22 pick in tonight’s draft, along with Montrezl Harrell and either Kyle Kuzma or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Harrell technically isn’t eligible to be traded at this point, since he has yet to make a decision on his $9.7MM player option for the 2021/22 season. He’d have to pick up that option to be dealt, so he’ll have to consider several factors — if he opts out, he’d get to choose his next team, but he may not be able to match his option salary, whereas if he opts in, he may immediately be dealt to Sacramento or another team.

As O’Connor outlines, the proposed trade makes some sense for both teams. The Lakers could use a sharpshooter and secondary play-maker on the wing, and Hield certainly fits that bill, having knocked down 4.0 three-pointers per game at a 39.1% clip in 2020/21. His contract is pricey, but not especially unfavorable for a shooter of his caliber — he’s owed $62.5MM over the next three years, and his salary declines each season.

As for the Kings, they still have interest in re-signing center Richaun Holmes, but Holmes is believed to be seeking a four-year, $80MM deal, according to James Ham of NBC Sports California. Armed with only the big man’s Early Bird rights, Sacramento will have a very hard time getting anywhere near that asking price without dumping some salary to create cap space. If the Kings expect to lose Holmes, they could view Harrell as a solid alternative to step into that role of a rim-running center.

O’Connor’s report suggests the Kings would likely prefer Kuzma to Caldwell-Pope as the second player in the deal, but either one would fit into Sacramento’s rotation. Caldwell-Pope could play a three-and-D role, while Kuzma would see minutes at the four. The Kings are reportedly exploring trading Marvin Bagley III, which would open up more playing time in the frontcourt for a player like Kuzma.

The Lakers have shopped Kuzma and Caldwell-Pope to many teams around the NBA this month, per a weekend report. According to J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), the Pacers, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Jazz, and Knicks are among the teams that have been offered Kuzma in various trade scenarios.

If the Lakers and Kings want to move forward on a deal involving Hield, we can probably expect an agreement to be reached later today so that Sacramento is the team making the No. 22 pick. In that scenario, the deal may not be made official until the new league year begins next week for cap reasons.

Mental Toughness Factors Into Prospect Analysis

July 28th, 2021 at 8:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mental toughness is one of the things the Lakers focus on regarding draft prospects, Jovan Buha of the Los Angeles Times writes. They have devised a 90-second shooting drill, among others, to help determine how well players can perform under pressure.

The Lakers hold the No. 22 pick, though they might trade it to help improve the roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Buha adds.

Draft Rumors: Knicks, Duarte, Thunder, Pacers, Kings, Giddey, Nuggets

July 28th, 2021 at 6:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With the draft just over 24 hours away, here’s some of the latest rumors:

The Knicks hold the Nos. 19 and 21 picks on Thursday but they’re aggressively trying to move into the lottery with the hope of landing Oregon guard Chris Duarte, draft expert Chad Ford tweets. The Hornets (No. 11) and Pacers (No. 13) are among the teams that appear willing to trade down. The Knicks are trying to leapfrog the Warriors (No. 14) and Wizards (No. 15), the teams most likely to pick Duarte ahead of them. However, a package of their two first-rounders alone won’t get it done, Ford adds. The Thunder have also held discussions with Charlotte regarding the No. 11 pick, Ford reports in another tweet.
Duarte may not last beyond the Pacers, either, unless they deal the pick. According to J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter link), Indiana’s selection is expeccted to come down to Duarte and Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert, assuming both are still available.
If the Knicks can’t move up, West Virginia point guard Miles McBride and VCU point guard Nah’Shon Hyland are potential targets at No. 21, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report tweets.
The Kings (No. 9) are taking a long look at Australia’s Josh Giddey, James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. The Kings not only interviewed Giddey, they made a trip to Las Vegas to see the 6’8” guard work out with the Australian national team.
The Nuggets (No. 26) have fielded some calls from teams in the 20-25 range looking to trade down, Mike Singer of the Denver Post writes. One of those teams is apparently the Lakers (No. 22).

Zavier Simpson Commits To Summer League With Lakers

July 28th, 2021 at 5:05pm CST by JD Shaw

Former Michigan point guard Zavier Simpson has committed to play summer league with the Lakers in Las Vegas, a source told Hoops Rumors. Simpson signed with the Lakers as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He averaged 9.8 points, 6.1 assists and 28.5 minutes with Oklahoma City’s G League affiliate this past season.

Mavs, Lakers, Pelicans Have Interest In Landry Shamet

July 28th, 2021 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks, Lakers, and Pelicans are among the teams with interest in Nets shooting guard Landry Shamet, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv.

An earlier report indicated that Brooklyn has been willing to discuss Shamet in trade talks. Begley confirms as much, writing that several teams have been in touch with the Nets about a possible Shamet trade. Most of those scenarios would involve Brooklyn receiving a first-round pick, Begley adds.

Shamet, 24, averaged 9.3 PPG on .408/.387/.846 shooting in 61 games (23.0 MPG) for the Nets in 2020/21. He’s eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and would reach restricted free agency in 2022 if he’s not extended, so if Brooklyn isn’t prepared to give him a raise, it makes sense that the team would gauge his value on the trade market. If he’s traded, he’d be joining his fourth team in four seasons.

The Mavs don’t have a first-round selection in 2021, but both the Pelicans (No. 17) and Lakers (No. 22) pick ahead of the Nets (No. 27) and could be in the market for low-cost veteran help on the wing. Begley notes that the Knicks, who hold the 19th and 21st overall picks, have had interest in Shamet in the past.

The Nets have also discussed DeAndre Jordan with potential trade partners, according to Begley, who hears from sources that one of those conversations was about a possible three-team deal.

Jordan, who has two years and $19.7MM left on his contract, probably doesn’t have positive trade value, so Brooklyn could use Shamet or the No. 27 pick as a sweetener to try to move his salary. However, it’s not clear if any of the talks involving Jordan have gained any traction, says Begley.

Amick’s Latest: Lakers, Hield, Sixers, Simmons, Lillard

July 28th, 2021 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

Of all the trade and free agent scenarios the Lakers are rumored to be considering, a deal with the Kings for Buddy Hield seems to be the “most promising” so far, a source tells Sam Amick of The Athletic.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that Hield is the Lakers’ top target this offseason, but it indicates that a trade with the Kings is a more realistic option for L.A. than acquiring a higher-level player like Chris Paul or Kyle Lowry, given the team’s cap constraints. A Hield trade would involve Kyle Kuzma and may require Montrezl Harrell to exercise his $9.7MM player option in order to be included in the package, writes Amick.

Here’s more on Hield, along with a few other tidbits from Amick related to free agency and the trade market:

The Lakers aren’t the only team with some interest in Hield. A source with knowledge of the trade discussions tells Amick that the Sixers have also displayed interest in the veteran sharpshooter (unrelated to a Ben Simmons deal), and other teams are believed to have talked to the Kings about him as well. Amick believes Hield is a good candidate to be on the move this summer.
It looks increasingly likely that the Sixers will move Simmons will this offseason, according to Amick, who says one source identified the Heat, Raptors, and Wizards as some of the most likely landing spots for Simmons. Washington would probably only be a realistic trade partner if Bradley Beal is in play, however. Meanwhile, Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com expresses skepticism that any deal sending Simmons to Miami would be a good fit for both the Heat and Sixers.
Sources tell Amick that Damian Lillard is expected to continue focusing on earning gold with Team USA for the time being and will reassess the Trail Blazers‘ roster later in the offseason before making any decisions about his future.

Lakers Notes: Trade Obstacles, Hollins, Penberthy, Workouts

July 27th, 2021 at 9:42pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Lakers’ desire to land another big star is well-documented at this point, but their ability to actually make the money work is another matter altogether.

Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register goes through the obstacles facing the Lakers in a variety of different high-profile moves, such as a trade for Russell Westbrook or a sign-and-trade of Dennis Schroder for Kyle Lowry. Goon also discusses the idea of stars like Chris Paul, DeMar DeRozan, or Kyle Lowry taking pay cuts to play with LeBron James, explaining why it’s unlikely.

Lastly, Goon touches on the reports that the Lakers have been shopping a package of Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all over the league, and how poorly that reflects on the strength of that trade offer.

We have more from the Lakers:

Lionel Hollins will no longer be an assistant coach for the Lakers, reports Jovan Buha of The Athletic (via Twitter). Hollins’ contract expired without the team and him coming to an agreement on an extension. Kyle Goon tweets that Hollins indicated he would be open to coaching again in the right opportunity.
With the departure of Hollins, shooting coach Mike Penberthy is being promoted to a front-of-bench coaching position on head coach Frank Vogel‘s staff, Buha and Sam Amick write in a piece for The Athletic. Penberthy was offered a similar position on Jason Kidd‘s staff with the Mavericks before the Lakers matched their offer. Buha and Amick write that it’s unclear if the Lakers will add another assistant coach this offseason.
The Lakers worked out five prospects today, according to Lakers reporter Brad Turner: MaCio Teague, Spencer Littleson, Jose Alvarado, Brandon Boston Jr., and Moses Wright. Of the five, Boston is the highest-ranked, and could be an option either at 22 or if the Lakers look to trade back from 22 into the top of the second round in order to save money.

Scotto’s Latest: Harrell, Cavaliers, Knicks, Trent Jr., Jones

July 27th, 2021 at 12:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers center Montrezl Harrell remains undecided on his player option as a Saturday deadline looms, sources tell Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Harrell is described as “50-50” on the option, which would pay him $9.7MM for next season.

Picking up the option would make the 27-year-old a trade chip for the Lakers, who are hoping to add another star to their roster. There was a report over the weekend that L.A. has discussed moving Kyle Kuzma and the 22nd pick to the Kings in exchange for Buddy Hield, and multiple sources tell Scotto that Harrell has been included in several variations of that hypothetical trade.

Sacramento may view Harrell as a replacement for Richaun Holmes, who is headed toward free agency. Scotto reiterates that the Mavericks, Hornets and Raptors are among the teams likely to enter the bidding for Holmes. He adds that the Lakers offered Kumza and the 22nd choice to the Pacers for pick No. 13 and salary filler, but Indiana turned it down.

There’s more from Scotto:

The Cavaliers have been contacted about the No. 3 pick by the Raptors, Thunder, Warriors and Knicks, but Oklahoma City didn’t talk to Cleveland about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was reportedly part of an offer the Thunder made to the Pistons for the top overall selection. Cleveland would like to acquire another top-10 pick, Scotto adds.
Before the Pelicans agreed to trade the 10th pick to the Grizzlies, the Knicks made an unsuccessful offer involving the 19th and 21st selections, according to league sources. New York is believed to be focused on Oregon’s Chris Duarte.
Several people around the league believe that Gary Trent Jr., who received a qualifying offer from the Raptors on Monday, could get an offer in the neighborhood of $18-$20MM per season.
The Grizzlies are making back-up point guard Tyus Jones available in trade talks, league sources tell Scotto. Jones will make $8.38MM next season in the final year of his contract.

Point Guard Rumors: Paul, Conley, Lowry, Dinwiddie, More

July 27th, 2021 at 9:39am CST by Luke Adams

After watching Chris Paul play a key role in turning the Suns into a legit title contender in 2020/21, teams around the NBA are weighing whether they might be able to replicate that success by adding a veteran guard such as Kyle Lowry, Mike Conley, or Paul himself this summer, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Those three point guards will be free agents and will headline a talented group that also includes Lonzo Ball, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dennis Schröder, and Derrick Rose, among others.

According to both Windhorst and Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, there’s a belief around the NBA that the Jazz will be able to re-sign Conley this offseason, even if they have to shed some salary to comfortably do so. However, they’ll face competition for the point guard. Windhorst and Fischer identify the Mavericks as one team expected to be in the hunt for Conley.

As for Paul, he has indicated he’s prepared to turn down his $44MM+ player option for 2021/22, but it’s possible that’s a leverage play, writes Windhorst. If the Suns and Paul are interested in continuing their relationship, a scenario in which CP3 picks up his player option and then signs an extension at a lesser rate may be in both sides’ best interest. If Paul does opt out and seeks a new team, he’ll be limited by the Over-38 rule to a three-year contract.

Here are a few more notes on the point guard free agent market:

Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer confirms a Miami Herald report that stated Kyle Lowry is expected to be seeking a three-year, $90MM contract in free agency.
The Knicks will be among Lowry’s suitors and are willing to offer him somewhere between $20-30MM per year for two seasons, according to Pompey, who says that Spencer Dinwiddie and swingman Evan Fournier are among New York’s other potential targets. Dinwiddie is thought to be seeking $25MM annually, while Fournier is after $18MM per year, says Pompey. I’m skeptical that Dinwiddie, especially, will achieve that goal.
Dinwiddie is viewed as a likely Plan B for the Pelicans if they’re unable to land Lowry, according to Fischer. As Windhorst notes, current New Orleans GM Trajan Langdon previously worked in Brooklyn’s front office during Dinwiddie’s time with the Nets.
League executives believe the Pelicans are willing to let Lonzo Ball go if they find another option they like or if Ball receives an aggressive offer sheet, writes Windhorst.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, who had success with Dennis Schröder in Oklahoma City, is thought to be interested in a potential reunion with the Lakers guard, according to Windhorst.
Timberwolves veteran Ricky Rubio is among the point guards whose names have been floated on the trade market so far, per Windhorst.

Draft Rumors: Spurs, Pacers, Knicks, Nets, Duarte, Warriors, More

July 27th, 2021 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Reports in recent weeks identified the Nos. 9 and 10 picks in the draft as two of the most available lottery picks. New Orleans agreed on Monday to move the 10th pick to Memphis, while the Kings‘ pick at No. 9 continues to be viewed as available, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

In addition to Sacramento’s pick, the Spurs‘ (No. 12) and Pacers‘ (No. 13) selections are among the lottery choices that could be had, according to Fischer, who suggests that both teams are viewed as candidates to move back into the mid-teens or early 20s if the price is right.

As for which teams picking later in the first round might be looking to move up, Fischer says the Knicks (Nos. 19 and 21), Rockets (Nos. 23 and 24), and Nets (No. 27) fit that bill. Brooklyn has been willing to discuss shooting guard Landry Shamet in trade talks, Fischer adds.

Here are a few more draft-related rumors and notes:

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report is the latest reporter to indicate that Chris Duarte is unlikely to fall past the No. 15 pick on Thursday. The Lakers are among the teams that have shown interest in Duarte and have looked into possibly moving up in the draft, Wasserman notes.
James Bouknight, Duarte, Trey Murphy, and Jonathan Kuminga are among the prospects the Warriors are eyeing, says Wasserman. While Kuminga isn’t necessarily NBA-ready, there’s support for him within Golden State’s front office from those who consider his upside too significant to pass up, Wasserman adds.
The Warriors turned down a Knicks offer of the Nos. 19 and 21 picks for the No. 14 selection, per Wasserman.
Some teams outside the top 10 believe Michigan forward Franz Wagner has assurances he’ll be selected in the top 10, according to Wasserman. The Kings at No. 9 are considered a strong candidate for Wagner if they keep their pick.
Both Wasserman and Matt Babcock of BasketballNews.com continue to suggest the Raptors aren’t a lock to draft Jalen Suggs at No. 4, since the team has done “extensive homework” on Scottie Barnes.
Alabama’s Joshua Primo and Illinois’ Ayo Dosunmu are two of the prospects Wasserman has heard linked to the Nuggets at No. 26.
Alperen Sengun has a good chance of being a lottery pick, according to Babcock, who says the Turkish big man could be picked as high as No. 8 by the Magic.