Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Free Agency Rumors: LeBron, Clippers, Harris, Suns, Warriors, Klay

June 25th, 2024 at 7:24am CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James‘s decision on his $51.4MM player option is due this Saturday, and while the Lakers star has yet to formally make a call one way or the other on that option, at least one recent report indicated he’s leaning toward opting out. That doesn’t mean he’ll leave Los Angeles though, since the Lakers will still be in position to offer him more than any other suitor as a free agent — and it sounds like they’ll do just that.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers are “committed” to retaining James and are prepared to offer the maximum three-year contract that he’s eligible for. Teams can typically re-sign their own Bird free agents for up to five years, but in LeBron’s case, the over-38 rule would trigger if he signs for four or more years, meaning a three-year agreement is his max.

A maximum-salary three-year contract for James projects to be worth nearly $162MM if he declines his option. In that scenario, he would also be in position to negotiate a no-trade clause, which is available to players who are negotiating free agent contracts if they’ve been in the NBA for eight years and with the team for four years.

Here are a few more free agency rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Clippers have “some level of interest” in free agent forward Tobias Harris, a source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Harris, who played for the Clippers for about a year from 2018-19, would likely only be an option for Los Angeles if Paul George leaves, since the team otherwise wouldn’t be in position to make him a competitive offer (and wouldn’t have a pressing on-court need for a forward like Harris). Pompey suggests the possibility of a dual sign-and-trade involving George and Harris, but the Sixers have the cap room to sign George outright and the Clippers would be hard-capped at the first tax apron if they acquire a player via sign-and-trade.
While the Suns‘ top offseason priority is re-signing forward Royce O’Neale, they’re also hoping that swingman Josh Okogie picks up his $2.96MM player option and would like to re-sign forward Bol Bol, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. reiterated that the team wants to bring back free agent sharpshooter Klay Thompson (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area). However, as Tim Kawakami writes for The Athletic, Dunleavy is “definitely not shaping this whole offseason” around re-signing Thompson.
John Hollinger of The Athletic shared his list of the best point guards on this year’s free agent market, along with his top shooting guards.

Fischer’s Latest: Redick, Lakers, Valanciunas, Knicks, Jazz, Rockets, Bridges

June 24th, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

J.J. Redick was just introduced as the Lakers head coach in a formal press conference on Monday, but he has already talked to members of the current roster about how he plans to maximize their personnel offensively, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports.

Redick is going to put a premium on positional versatility, three-point shooting, and play-making, and has discussed specific roles with the players. He’ll also utilize lineups that can optimize LeBron James — his former podcast partner — off the ball.

League insiders continue to push the notion that the Lakers will look to upgrade the center position so that Anthony Davis can spend more time at power forward, Fischer writes. Baylor freshman Yves Missi and Indiana sophomore Ke’lel Ware are two possibilities they’ll look at with the No. 17 pick. However, they might be willing to move down the first round.

The Knicks and Jazz are each willing to trade their latter first-round pick and second-round draft capital to move up into the teens of this draft, Fischer hears. Utah owns the No. 29 and 32 picks and the Lakers might consider drafting Bronny James at one of those spots, rather than hoping LeBron’s son is still available with their second-rounder at No. 55.

Here’s more intel from Fischer:

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas could be a free agent target for the Lakers if they decide to get veteran help at that spot. Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant remain potential trade targets.
As previously reported, the Rockets are expected to pick up their $7.56MM option on Jae’Sean Tate and guarantee the salaries of Jeff Green and Jock Landale at $8MM apiece. That doesn’t mean they will remain on the roster. Houston could use those contracts as trade pieces. The Rockets are open for business on the No. 3 overall pick as they’re looking for win-now upgrades.
Numerous teams continue to check on the availability of Nets forward Mikal Bridges, including the Rockets, Knicks and Jazz. Utah could be well-positioned to make a significant move. It can dangle some significant contracts — John Collins ($26.5MM) and Jordan Clarkson ($14MM) — along with its 2024 draft capital (No. 10, 29, 32) and future picks from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades. The Jazz also have substantial cap room to absorb salary.
Along with the Knicks and Jazz, the Suns, Timberwolves and Celtics are among the teams with late first-rounders entertaining trade possibilities that could move them up or down in the draft.

Scotto’s Latest: Hartenstein, Knicks, Kuminga, Holmes, Missi, Lakers, More

June 24th, 2024 at 6:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Because they only hold his Early Bird rights, the Knicks are limited to a four-year offer worth approximately $72.5MM for Isaiah Hartenstein, and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hears from league sources that New York is expected to put that full offer on the table for the free agent center.

Ian Begley of SNY.tv previously reported that the Knicks are considering other options at center, including Goga Bitadze, in the event that they’re unable to retain Hartenstein. Scotto confirms as much, writing that free agent big man Jonas Valanciunas and potential trade target Nick Richards of the Hornets are among the other fives on New York’s radar. There’s also an “outside chance,” sources tell Scotto, that the Knicks would consider pursuing Andre Drummond if they can’t bring back Hartenstein.

Here are several more highlights from Scotto’s aggregate mock draft at HoopsHype, which features many other items of interest that we passed along earlier in the day:

Jonathan Kuminga, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, is expected to remain with the Warriors for the foreseeable future unless the team has an opportunity to acquire an All-NBA caliber player, writes Scotto.
While there have been rumors that Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II received a draft promise from the Nuggets, Scotto hears that there’s no truth to that chatter, adding that multiple executives believe Holmes will be drafted before Denver picks at No. 28.
Baylor center Yves Missi is among the prospects who have worked out for the Lakers and is someone to keep an eye on at No. 17, Scotto writes.
Scotto’s aggregate mock draft has KJ Simpson coming off the board at No. 49, but he says the Colorado guard is a potential target to watch for the Timberwolves earlier in the draft. Minnesota currently holds the 27th and 37th overall picks.
Kyshawn George has some fans within the Cavaliers‘ organization, according to Scotto, who suggests that the Miami guard could be “an upside pick for the future” at No. 20.
Brendan Sabean, who most recently served as the assistant general manager of the Austin Spurs, is expected to be hired as the GM of Phoenix’s new G League affiliate, the Valley Suns, league sources tell Scotto.

Southeast Rumors: Shamet, T. Jones, Adebayo, Martin, Hawks, Buzelis

June 24th, 2024 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Wizards wing Landry Shamet has been the subject of exploratory trade interest from a number of teams around the NBA, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who identifies the Clippers, Lakers, Mavericks, Jazz, Raptors, and Magic as possible suitors.

Shamet has historically been a reliable three-point threat, having entered last season with a career 38.8% rate from beyond the arc. However, he made just 33.8% of his tries last season while averaging a career-low 15.8 minutes per game. Still, Scotto says that if Shamet remains in D.C., the club is leaning toward guaranteeing his $11MM salary for 2024/25. That figure is fully non-guaranteed for now, as is his $11.75MM salary for ’25/26.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

While the Wizards‘ decision to hang onto point guard Tyus Jones through the 2024 trade deadline suggested they’d like to re-sign him as a free agent this summer, rival executives are monitoring the situation to see if he’ll be a sign-and-trade candidate, sources tell Scotto.
Confirming a pair of items that don’t come as any surprise, Scotto says the Heat are expected to have contract extension discussions with star big man Bam Adebayo this offseason and that forward Caleb Martin is expected to decline his $7.1MM player option in search of a more lucrative payday as a free agent, either in Miami or elsewhere.
The Hawks brought in projected top-10 pick Matas Buzelis on Sunday for a pre-draft workout, a source tells Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who confirms the news of Buzelis’ workout, says it signals that Atlanta continues to evaluate all its options in the lottery, including trading down from No. 1. Buzelis has been most frequently linked to Detroit at No. 5.
After he spent the 2023/24 season coaching the College Park Skyhawks – Atlanta’s G League affiliate – Ryan Schmidt is expected to move to the Hawks‘ bench for the 2024/25 season, Scotto reports, adding that Hawks assistant Steven Klei is a candidate to become the Skyhawks’ head coach.

Lakers Hire J.J. Redick As Head Coach

June 24th, 2024 at 2:52pm CST by Rory Maher

JUNE 24: The Lakers have issued a press release officially confirming that they’ve hired Redick as their head coach.

“J.J. is a fierce competitor and has an extraordinary basketball IQ and understanding of the modern game that will energize players and excite fans,” Pelinka said as part of a larger statement. “His rigorous analysis will immediately unlock new opportunities for our roster while setting a foundation for player development over the long term. He brings an intense dedication to innovation, advancing the game, and staying at the forefront of an ever-evolving league.

“Beyond his basketball acumen, J.J. has a care for people and genuine empathy that are critical for connecting with players today. This is an exciting time for Lakers basketball.””

JUNE 20: The Lakers are hiring J.J. Redick to be their new head coach, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that Redick will receive a four-year deal.

According to Woj, head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka believes in Redick’s “basketball IQ” and his “ability to connect with players.” Pelinka also thinks surrounding Redick with an experienced staff “will help to shorten the learning curve” for the first-time head coach. Redick has already begun to assemble a staff, Woj adds.

Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times confirms that Redick has made a verbal commitment to the Lakers (Twitter link). Redick will receive about $8MM per season on his four-year contract, sources tell Shams Charania, Sam Amick and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

Multiple league sources tell Brian Robb of MassLive.com that Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell is a name to watch for an assistant job on Redick’s staff, which echoes a previous report from Marc Stein. Cassell was among the candidates who interviewed for the Lakers’ job.

A former NBA sharpshooter who played 15 seasons in the league from 2006-2021, Redick has connections to the Los Angeles area, having played four seasons for the Clippers. The ESPN analyst also co-hosts a podcast with LeBron James. While James reportedly took a hands-off approach in the search, Redick’s preexisting relationship with the superstar forward surely didn’t hurt his candidacy.

Redick, who turns 40 years old next week, was long viewed as the frontrunner for the Lakers’ head coaching job after they fired Darvin Ham last month following a first-round playoff exit. However, Redick didn’t formally interview for the position until last weekend and wasn’t offered the job until this morning, per Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski previously reported that the Lakers offered a six-year, $70MM contract to UConn’s Dan Hurley, who has won back-to-back NCAA titles with the Huskies. Hurley ultimately declined the offer and is reportedly nearing a long-term deal to stay in Storrs.

Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego was viewed as the other main candidate in the Lakers’ search. Borrego is reportedly a finalist in the Cavs’ coaching search, with recent reports pegging him as the frontrunner for the job.

As our tracker shows, several other names emerged in the Lakers’ search, but it’s unclear how seriously some of them were considered.

Now that the team’s coaching search is over, the Lakers will turn to the draft, trade market and free agency to improve their roster entering 2024/25. Their most noteworthy potential free agent is James, who holds a $51.4MM player option for next season.

Stein’s Latest: Caldwell-Pope, Sixers, Westbrook, Paul, Clippers, Lakers

June 23rd, 2024 at 4:32pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Current Nuggets shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be among the top potential free agents this summer if he declines his $15.4MM player option for 2024/25. A three-and-D swingman still in his prime at age 31, Caldwell-Pope has been a starter on a pair of title teams this decade, with the 2020 Lakers and the 2023 Nuggets.

A pair of Eastern Conference contenders with major projected cap space have interest in the 6’5″ wing, according to Marc Stein (Substack link), who hears from sources that the Magic and Sixers are considering pursuing Caldwell-Pope.

Across 76 contests last season, the former Georgia standout averaged 10.1 points on .460/.406/.894 shooting splits, along with 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks a night.

Here’s more from Stein’s most recent NBA intel:

Should the Sixers be unable to add a top potential free agent like Paul George, OG Anunoby or Caldwell-Pope, Stein notes that Philadelphia could opt to trade for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram or Heat wing Jimmy Butler, the latter a former Sixer. Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, who could reach free agency should he not agree to an extension by June 30, is also an option, Stein adds.
Former MVP Russell Westbrook, now a bench guard for the Clippers, has a $4MM player option for 2024/25, but that may not stop L.A. from considering an upgrade at the position. The team has been linked to veterans Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry, both of whom are significantly better shooters and also more comfortable playing off the ball.
Stein hears that Paul would also draw interest from the Lakers if he reaches free agency, though the team’s interest in him may not be unanimous within the organization.
As far as the league’s two head coaching vacancies go, Stein reports that the Cavaliers are expected to make a decision soon, while the Pistons may wait until at least July to select their Monty Williams replacement. That would take Detroit through the draft this week and the start of free agency next weekend without a head coach.

Pacific Notes: Redick, Van Gundy, Reaves, Suns, Fois

June 22nd, 2024 at 9:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Building an experienced team of assistants will be vital for new Lakers head coach J.J. Redick, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register, who suggests Stan Van Gundy as a potential addition. Van Gundy hasn’t been mentioned in early rumors regarding Redick’s staff, but Price points out that he had extensive head coaching experience with Miami, Orlando, Detroit and New Orleans before becoming a TNT broadcaster, and Redick spent several seasons playing for him.

Price notes that since news of Redick’s hiring broke on Thursday, Scott Brooks, Sam Cassell and Jared Dudley have been the most prominent names mentioned as possible assistants. However, the Celtics want to retain Cassell and the Mavericks would prefer to keep Dudley, so they may be out of the Lakers’ reach.

Van Gundy spoke to Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel about Redick’s ascension to the head coaching ranks, saying it’s consistent with the way he always prepared.

“He took a cerebral, analytical approach to the game even as a player,” Van Gundy said. “He knew the game inside and out because he had to. He wasn’t an overly big athletic guy, so he really had to know the game and apply himself. It was clear how much he knew about the game just by listening to him talk. I didn’t know it, but even back in his playing days maybe he was preparing himself to be a head coach someday.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Austin Reaves is excited about the changes Redick will bring to the Lakers (video link from Cierra Clark of THV11 in Little Rock, Arkansas). “I’ve gotten to know J.J. a little bit, going on his podcast during the middle of the year,” Reaves said. “He’s a basketball genius, I think as everybody knows. I think he’s going to make a good coach, and I can’t wait to get to work with him. … I can’t wait to put our brains together and go have a good year.”
Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports cites Providence guard Devin Carter, Colorado forward Cody Williams and G League Ignite wing Ron Holland as potential targets for the Suns if they try to trade up from the 22nd pick in Wednesday’s draft. Bourguet sees Carter as potentially the best defensive point guard in the draft, possessing an NBA-ready game with lots of upside. If Phoenix decides to move down, Bourguet views Swedish forward Bobi Klintman, Baylor wing Jalen Bridges, UC Santa Barbara guard Ajay Mitchell and Virginia guard Ryan Dunn as possibilities.
Riccardo Fois will become an assistant to Kings head coach Mike Brown next season, tweets Alessandro Luigi Maggi of Sportando. Fois has been an assistant coach with the University of Arizona since 2021.

Trade Rumors: George, Bucks, Centers, Lakers, Murray

June 21st, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Although Paul George sits atop our list of 2024’s top 50 free agents, there’s a chance that the Clippers forward won’t actually become a free agent this offseason. George could sign an extension to remain in Los Angeles before free agency begins. There’s also another scenario worth keeping an eye on in the next week or so, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who has mentioned during multiple recent podcasts and TV appearances that an opt-in-and-trade could be an option for George (hat tip to RealGM).

George holds a $48.8MM player option for 2024/25, and if he decides he wants to join a team that doesn’t have the cap room necessary to sign him as a free agent, he could pick up his option in conjunction with a trade agreement in order to allow the Clippers to get something back for him while getting him to his preferred destination. A former Clipper, Chris Paul, took this route in 2017 in order to accommodate a trade from Los Angeles to Houston.

While it sounds more like speculation than hard reporting, Windhorst has repeatedly referred to the Knicks as a suitor who would make sense in this scenario, since they could offer a strong combination of rotation players and draft assets in a trade package for George (Twitter video link).

If George opts for free agency, a sign-and-trade deal in which the Clippers acquire multiple players for him likely wouldn’t be possible, since a new CBA rule prohibits second-apron teams from taking back salary in exchange for a signed-and-traded player.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Windhorst said during an appearance on Friday’s episode of First Take (YouTube link) that the Bucks may look to shake up their core this offseason, though neither Giannis Antetokounmpo nor Damian Lillard is considered a trade candidate. “There’s starting to be rumblings that (Bucks head coach) Doc Rivers is looking for a change or two to some of their core pieces,” Windhorst said. “Not Dame or Giannis, but potentially looking at another maneuver they could make to alter their team.” Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported earlier today that Milwaukee center Brook Lopez is viewed as a possible trade candidate.
The Lakers, Grizzlies, and Pelicans are a few of the teams who are “closely monitoring” the market for centers this offseason, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, who took a closer look at whether New York will consider moving Mitchell Robinson. Like Lopez, Robinson has been cited as a potential trade candidate.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday (Twitter video link), Shams Charania of The Athletic suggested that the Lakers may renew their pursuit of a Hawks guard in the coming days. “They have to be aggressive,” Charania said. “One name that they did pursue last season at the trade deadline that teams around the league expect to come up again in trade conversations over the next week or so and makes sense for the Lakers is Dejounte Murray of the Hawks.” Atlanta is widely expected to trade either Murray or Trae Young this summer — Young has also previously been mentioned as a possible Lakers target.

LeBron James Reportedly Expected To Decline Player Option

June 21st, 2024 at 12:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Lakers superstar forward LeBron James is expected to decline his $51.4MM player option for 2024/25 to become an unrestricted free agent, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The four-time MVP faces a June 29 deadline to finalize that decision.

Woike’s report isn’t surprising. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, James’ agent, referred to his longtime friend and client as an impending free agent during a TNT Sports altcast at the end of last month before attempting to walk back the comment. Opting out would give James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, the opportunity to negotiate a full no-trade clause if he re-signs with with the Lakers. A return to L.A. is widely viewed as the likely outcome.

Due to the Over-38 rule, James will be limited to a three-year contract, though the 39-year-old is reportedly may not be looking to play for more than a couple more seasons.

In his 21st season in ’23/24, James averaged 25.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 8.3 APG and 1.3 SPG on .540/.410/.750 shooting across 71 regular season contests (35.3 MPG). He averaged 27.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 8.8 APG, 2.4 SPG and 1.0 BPG on .566/.385/.739 shooting in the Lakers’ first-round playoff loss to Denver.

James extended his own NBA record last season by making his 20th All-NBA team, all of which have come consecutively. Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan are all tied in second place with 15 total nods each. James also made his 20th straight All-Star appearance in ’23/24.

Woike’s story is largely focused on the Lakers’ decision to hire J.J. Redick as their new head coach. Woike confirms the Lakers were genuinely interested and optimistic about their pursuit of UConn’s Dan Hurley, who ultimately spurned L.A. to stay with the Huskies. According to Woike, one person in a “prominent” role with the Lakers said they had “never been more shocked” in their life when they learned of the team’s secretive pursuit of Hurley.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, Kings, Siakam, Gordon, Suns

June 21st, 2024 at 7:13am CST by Luke Adams

While there was skepticism both inside and outside the Lakers‘ organization about how genuine the team’s pursuit of Dan Hurley earlier this month was, team owner Jeanie Buss was “highly motivated” to land the UConn head coach and was “genuinely disappointed” when it didn’t work out, sources tell Shams Charania, Sam Amick, and Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

After missing out on Hurley, the Lakers circled back to J.J. Redick, reaching a four-year deal on Thursday with the analyst and podcaster that will make him the club’s new head coach. According to The Athletic’s reporting, Redick had a phone call with Anthony Davis on Monday, which was viewed as an important step in the process, since the Lakers “prioritized Davis’ voice” throughout their coaching search. Davis and other key players were supportive of Redick’s hiring, sources tell The Athletic — while LeBron James isn’t specifically named, it’s safe to assume he approves of the choice to bring aboard his podcasting partner.

As has been previously reported, Scott Brooks, Rajon Rondo, Sam Cassell, and Jared Dudley are a few of the candidates on the Lakers’ wish list for spots on Redick’s new staff, per Charania, Amick, and Buha. However, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link) that the Mavericks will make a strong effort to retain Dudley, who has been an important part of Jason Kidd‘s staff in Dallas.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

A roundtable of ESPN writers discussed the Lakers‘ decision to hire Redick, sharing their thoughts on their former colleague getting his first NBA coaching job. All five panelists believe Redick will be the first Lakers head coach since Phil Jackson to remain in the position for more than three years.
The Kings pursued Pascal Siakam before he was sent to the Pacers, but ended those efforts after the forward reportedly conveyed that he likely wouldn’t sign with the team long-term. Appearing on The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross (YouTube link), Sam Amick of The Athletic explained why Siakam wasn’t enthusiastic about going to Sacramento. “There was an inference from his camp that over the years there were, behind the scenes, somewhat disparaging remarks made that came from the Kings about his game,” Amick said. “The way it was framed to me was that – in an attempt to drive down what it would to get him – some gossipy-type feedback on his game had gotten back to him. … That is the way it was put to me from his side.”
Responding to a report stating that Eric Gordon is “50-50” on exercising his player option with the Suns, plugged-in local reporter John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) says he doesn’t expect the veteran wing to be back in Phoenix next season.
Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports takes a look at five guards who might make sense as Suns targets in next week’s draft, with Marquette’s Tyler Kolek topping his list. Kolek reportedly visited Phoenix this week for a workout.