Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Montrezl Harrell To Exercise 2021/22 Player Option

July 29th, 2021 at 4:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers center Montrezl Harrell is picking up his $9.72MM option for the 2021/22 season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Harrell signed a two-year deal worth the mid-level exception last offseason with the Lakers. That deal included a guaranteed first year and a player option in year two.

The 27-year-old had an up-and-down season in Los Angeles, as his averages dipped to 13.5 PPG and 6.2 RPG following a 2019/20 campaign in which he put up 18.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG and won Sixth Man of the Year honors for the Clippers.

Harrell’s fit with the Lakers wasn’t quite as smooth as it had been with the Clippers. He virtually felt out of the rotation during the playoffs, logging just 39 total minutes in the team’s six-game series vs. Phoenix.

With no guarantee that he’d match or top his option salary on the open market, Harrell is opting in for 2021/22, but he may not be a Laker much longer.

The Kings and Lakers have reportedly made progress on a trade that would send Buddy Hield to L.A. in a package that includes Harrell, the No. 22 pick, and either Kyle Kuzma or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. That deal hasn’t been agreed to yet, but Harrell’s opt-in clears the path for it to be completed, and there’s been momentum toward that happening, Woj reports (via Twitter).

If Harrell is traded to Sacramento, he’d likely assume the rim-running center role that Richaun Holmes played this past season. The Kings are interested in re-signing Holmes but have limited cap flexibility to do so and will face competition for him on the free agent market.

Sacramento isn’t the only possible destination for Harrell, however. The Lakers have reportedly also gained serious traction on a deal with the Wizards for Russell Westbrook. If L.A. goes in that direction instead, Harrell could join Thomas Bryant in Washington’s frontcourt.

Spurs Eyeing Kyle Kuzma

July 29th, 2021 at 3:18pm CST by JD Shaw

The Spurs are believed to be interested in working with the Lakers on a potential sign-and-trade involving DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Kuzma, Marc Stein reports (via Twitter).

DeRozan, a Compton, California native, is reportedly interested in joining Los Angeles once he becomes a free agent. The Spurs could acquire Kuzma in a sign-and-trade scenario, though Stein notes the Lakers’ talks with the Kings have been the most serious.

Sacramento and Los Angeles have discussed a trade centered around Kuzma and Buddy Hield. Hield has spent the past five seasons with the Kings, averaging 16.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 34.3 minutes per game in 2020/21. He also shot 39% from three-point range.

As Stein mentions, while Hield would be an excellent acquisition for the Lakers, any deal could depend on whether Montrezl Harrell exercises his $9.72MM player option for next season. The 27-year-old big man has a July 31 deadline for that option.

Kuzma is under contract with the Lakers next season and the following at $13MM. He also holds a $13MM player option for the 2023/24 campaign.

Trade Rumors: Rubio, Ball, Knicks, Wizards, Simmons

July 29th, 2021 at 1:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ricky Rubio is busy playing the point for Spain in the Olympics but a number of NBA teams are doing due diligence on a potential trade for the veteran point man, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. The Celtics, Clippers and Lakers are keeping tabs on the Timberwolves guard. Rubio has a $17.8MM expiring contract for next season.

We have more trade chatter from around the league:

The Pelicans and Pacers discussed a Lonzo Ball deal, Ian Begley of SNY.TV reports, though it’s unknown if those talks ever reached an advanced level. Ball will be a free agent, so a deal would only be possible via sign-and-trade.
In the same piece, Begley writes that the Knicks plan to maintain enough cap flexibility to pursue top free agents in 2022, a class that could include Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal.
The Wizards have received calls on their best young players, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington reports. Those players are presumably Rui Hachimura, Daniel Gafford and Deni Avdija. The front office could be motivated to move one or more of those players to appease Beal in a win-now scenario.
There’s been plenty of speculation about a potential Ben Simmons trade. The latest from Mark Medina of USA Today (Twitter link) is that the Sixers are looking either for an All-Star talent in return or a starting-caliber player along with multiple draft picks.

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.