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Wizards Notes: Howard, Miles, Beal

November 30th, 2019 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

After injuries wiped out nearly all of his 2018/19 season, Dwight Howard made promises to new Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard that he never got a chance to fulfill, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Howard suffered a back injury before training camp and played just nine games last year. Entering the second season of his two-year contract, Howard vowed to Sheppard that things were going to be different.

“I told Tommy I was gonna lose 30 pounds and come back in the best shape of my life and we were gonna have a shot at winning a championship,” Howard said. “That was my goal all summer, to lose weight and come back better than ever.”

Howard delivered on his promises, but not in D.C. He was traded to Memphis in July to create more minutes for centers Thomas Bryant, who re-signed this summer, and Moritz Wagner, who was acquired in a trade. Howard reached a buyout with the Grizzlies and accepted a non-guaranteed offer from the Lakers. It marked his second straight summer with a buyout arrangement and his seventh team in the past five years, but he’s grateful for the chance to rebuild his reputation.

“A lot of times, you gotta outlive the lie,” he said. “I’ve been lied on for many years about who I am as a player, person, my character. So, I just wanted to get into good shape. If I say something, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna be that way, and (that’s) not gonna change.”

There’s more Wizards news to pass along:

The team is holding out hope that C.J. Miles won’t need surgery for his injured left wrist, relays Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Miles damaged ligaments while taking a charge in Tuesday’s game and can’t visit a specialist until Monday when the Wizards are back from their current road trip. An operation would sideline him for about four months and likely end his season. “Right now, they’re talking to the doctors, talking to C.J. as well and our staff and have a game plan, I’m sure, the next couple of days,” coach Scott Brooks said.
Bradley Beal doesn’t regret his decision to accept a two-year extension, even though Washington is off to a poor start at 6-11, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Beal could have turned down the offer and possibly paved the way for a trade to a contender, but he opted to commit to the organization through at least 2021/22. “It’s easy for people in all walks of life to see the grass as greener on the other side and not to see and appreciate your current environment,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “And I do admire that in Bradley.”
Beal blamed weight gain over the past two seasons on Couvade Syndrome, also known as “sympathetic pregnancy,” writes Quinton Mayo of NBC Sports Washington. Beal’s partner has delivered two children in the past two years. “I gained about 12-15 pounds,” he said. “Coach Brooks used to make fun of me and say my uniform was fitting a little tighter, and not in a good way. I was up at 3, 4 o’clock in the morning eating ice cream when I shouldn’t have been eating ice cream. That’s all because momma was pregnant and I had the exact same symptoms. I was craving stuff that I never had the desire to eat before.”

Lakers Tie Franchise Record Season Start

November 30th, 2019 at 1:46pm CST by JD Shaw

The Lakers tied a team record on Friday for the best start in franchise history, extending their current record to 17-2. The team recorded their 10th straight win with a victory over Washington, led by the likes of Anthony Davis (26 points, 13 rebounds) and LeBron James (23 points, 11 assists). “Obviously, this is a historic franchise; they have done so many great things,” Davis said, as relayed by Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. “To be a part of a franchise like this is definitely amazing. I just want to leave my mark here and just keep it going. Obviously, our goal is to add another banner here. It’s something we feel like we can do, and if we do that, to be a part of that would be nothing but great.”

Pelicans Notes: Zion, Davis, Griffin, Gentry

November 29th, 2019 at 10:20am CST by Arthur Hill

Excitement is building in New Orleans for the debut of Zion Williamson, even though a target date hasn’t been set, writes Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. The top pick in this year’s draft is recovering from meniscus surgery, and a return before Christmas is still considered possible. He is able to do partial, weight-bearing workouts, but hasn’t been cleared to take contact.

“He’s dying to be back out here,” Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said. “He’s taking his rehab very, very serious. He’s chomping on the bit. We’d love to have him out there because he is a game-changer. Who wouldn’t want him out there? … It’s been tough for him only to be able to play in the preseason and not play now. He’s going to be special regardless because he is a team-first guy. And team-first guys seem to succeed in this league and have an impact on their team.”

The Pelicans are expecting Williamson to contribute right away when he does return. After a 6-12 start marked by a long string of injuries, executive vice president David Griffin said the team needs Williamson’s “energy” and “unbridled joy” for the game.

“He’s a monster,” Jrue Holiday added. “Having Zion has been really cool. He definitely surprised me professionally. Obviously, coming from college at 19, he is a little kid at heart. But the way he handles it is like an ultimate professional.”

There’s more from New Orleans, all from Spears:

Former Pelicans star and fellow No. 1 pick Anthony Davis met with Williamson when the Lakers traveled to New Orleans this week. Davis could have been Zion’s teammate, but didn’t back off from his trade request after the Pelicans won the draft lottery. “I told him to get healthy,” Davis said. “Obviously, they’re waiting on his return and they’re trying to hold on until he gets back.”
Gentry cites “a change of culture” since Griffin was hired to run the organization in April. The move was part of a front office overhaul that included adding Trajan Langdon as general manager and former WNBA star Swin Cash as vice president of basketball operations and team development. “The players know that everything is first class,” Gentry said. “Not that it hadn’t been before. But just the overall feeling and overall environment in a more positive way.”
One change that wasn’t made was on the bench, where Gentry was retained despite a 33-49 record last season and a 145-183 mark in his first four years in New Orleans. Griffin had previous experience with Gentry in Phoenix and is confident that he can eventually produce a winner. “Everybody says, ‘Why didn’t you start over with a new coach?’ ” Griffin said. “‘Well, I don’t know a lot of other coaches that I went to the conference finals with, with a roster similar to this.’ The fearless Alvin that coached the 2010 Suns to the conference finals is a different animal than he was able to be here. My job is to get to channel as much of that person as I can because that was a masterful job that I watched him do.”

Lakers Notes: Kuzma, Ingram, Davis

November 28th, 2019 at 2:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Kyle Kuzma continues to search for his fit on this year’s Lakers, as Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times writes.

“It’s tough sometimes, but you just have to be positive, have an even-keeled mindset. But that’s easier said than done,” Kuzma said. “It’s something I’ve got to kind of figure out. But it isn’t anything I can’t handle.”

Kuzma has scored 10 or fewer points in half of the 14 games he’s played this season. In 70 games last season, he scored 10 or fewer just seven times as well.

Here’s more from Los Angeles:

Brandon Ingram spoke with Mark Medina of USA Today about the environment in Los Angeles last season. “The team was a little rattled. Coming in every day, it wasn’t always good,” Ingram said. “It wasn’t always good energy.” The former No. 2 overall pick was sent to New Orleans in the Anthony Davis deal.
The trade talks surrounding half the players on the Lakers became public last season and while it would have been better to keep the discussions out of the spotlight, Ingram says he isn’t too bothered by how everything went down. “I’ve never been in a position of GM. I don’t know how it could’ve been handled,” Ingram said (via Medina’s piece). “I know it’s hard decisions to be made. I know these decisions had to be made to make them a better team, and they’re obviously a better team this year. So I don’t know how I would’ve handled it. They had to handle it how they handled it, and it worked out great.”
Davis, who has been reunited with DeMarcus Cousins in Los Angeles, believes the duo could have done great things in New Orleans if they would have been given more time together, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register relays. The Pelicans allowed Cousins to leave in free agency in 2018.

Anthony Davis Quickly Adjusting To Los Angeles Spotlight

November 28th, 2019 at 12:43pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Playing for the Lakers comes with added attention, scrutiny and a spotlight unlike most other places in the NBA. Anthony Davis is quickly adjusting to that environment in his first year with the Lakers and he takes pride in thriving it.

“It just shows the world,” Davis said. “I think the world didn’t believe that I was able to do the same things in ‘the spotlight.’”

Davis and LeBron James take turns addressing the media during practices in Los Angeles. Having James on the team alleviates the pressure for Davis to speak with reporters at times and James, who is one of the most scrutinized athletes of all time, lending Davis plenty of advice since he came out west.

“At the end of the day, we’re all human, so you have great days and sometimes you have bad days. And I think he’s handled it as well as you can, as well as any human can, and he’s enjoying the process, being in a situation like you said he hasn’t been in before,” James said. “He got some of it last year … everybody was bringing his name up, every talk show, every radio show if you watch that type of stuff, his name was being mentioned. So a lot of the attention there, and rightfully so. That’s the caliber of basketball player he is. So I think he’s handled it with a lot of gracefulness, and it’s pretty cool to be around.”

Rajon Rondo, who played in both New Orleans and Los Angeles with Davis, believes the big man is well-suited to handle the spotlight.

“It’s a big shock, big difference,” Rondo said. “From a media standpoint, I’m sure there were days in New Orleans where he didn’t have to talk to media even though he’s Anthony Davis. … He’s born for this. He hasn’t had it in his career but he’s born for it.”

Frank Vogel Off To Strong Start With Lakers

November 25th, 2019 at 12:40pm CST by Arthur Hill

The first month of the season has worked out far better for Lakers coach Frank Vogel than anyone could have predicted during his dysfunctional hiring process, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Vogel agreed to a three-year contract in May, but he clearly wasn’t the organization’s first choice. The Lakers chased Tyronn Lue, LeBron James‘ former coach in Cleveland, who rejected an offer after it seemed a deal was close. They also pursued Monty Williams, Anthony Davis‘ ex-coach in New Orleans, well before the trade that brought Davis to L.A.

They finally settled on Vogel, but not without some conditions. He had to hire former Nets and Bucks head coach Jason Kidd as an assistant, fueling rumors that Kidd was waiting for his turn to take over once things started to go poorly.

Somehow, Vogel has made the best of the situation and has the Lakers off to a league-best 14-2 start. They have bought into the defense-first reputation that Vogel developed in Indiana, ranking fourth in the league in defensive rating at 102.5 points allowed per 100 possessions and first in blocks with 7.6 per game. Vogel’s approach has helped him gain the respect of his two stars.

“(Those Pacers teams) were always one of our toughest opponents when I was in Miami, when he was at the helm,” James said. “They were always prepared, as well as we were as well in Miami, so I knew that for sure once (general manager) Rob (Pelinka) and everyone upstairs decided to choose him to be our head coach, I knew we would be very prepared.”

James has been an important part of the defensive turnaround, Amick adds. He has played with something to prove this season and his effort on defense has been notably different.

The coaching staff has also developed a rapport that has quashed any talk of a mutiny, at least for now. Amick offers a reminder that former team president Magic Johnson called out coach Luke Walton after seven games last season, and Vogel could have been in the same situation if the team hadn’t been successful right away.

“Some people might be saying (Kidd) is gunning for his job, (but) I see a family approach,” veteran swingman Jared Dudley observed. “I see them laughing. I see Vogel laughing with Kidd and Lionel Hollins. You see how they all have their own role. …Obviously Vogel’s a big defensive guy, (so) you have (him) breaking down the opponents. Phil Handy, going over certain personnel. (You have) Jason Kidd, because of familiarity with certain players. … When he speaks offense you’re more keen. You’d think that would be a little rocky trying to figure people out man, but he’s a player’s coach. He asks for opinions. He said ‘This is what I like to do, what are your guys’ views on it, and eventually he makes a decision.’

“… So for me, I couldn’t even imagine it even getting better. I was just shocked how smooth of a transition it was, not only for the coaching staff but for the coaching staff relating to the players. I think it’s been phenomenal.”

Josh Hart Apologized For Comments About Lakers

November 25th, 2019 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Lakers guard Josh Hart called some of his ex-teammates and front office members to apologize for comments he made in a podcast this summer after being traded to the Pelicans, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

The incident took place in a video version of his Sept. 6 “LightHarted Podcast” that included Lonzo Ball, who was also part of the deal that sent Anthony Davis to L.A. Ball was talking about a trip to Lithuania to visit his brothers when they were playing there and called the country “very depressing.”

“I wouldn’t do it again,” he said. “… It’s like hella gloomy, nobody smiles, it’s like everybody just hates that they’re there. I’m like ‘Damn.’ I had to get out of there, bro.”

Hart responded with “Sounds like L.A. … No, I’m not talking about the city.” When the producer promised to “edit that part out,” Hart laughs and said, “I was going to say the Lakers organization.”

He later went on social media to explain that he was upset that the Lakers didn’t give him prior notice that he was about to be traded to New Orleans. He learned about the deal on social media after taping another podcast.

“When my sarcasm, that wasn’t supposed to be in that — it was supposed to be cut — was in there, I called some of the people in the [Lakers] front office, I called some of my teammates that I had and made sure they knew that none of this stuff was about you guys,” Hart said in an ESPN interview last night. “I loved my time here. I loved my time here and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I love Laker Nation. They show so much love, so much support.”

Pacific Notes: Davis, Looney, Suns

November 24th, 2019 at 9:44pm CST by JD Shaw

Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis will return to New Orleans on Wednesday in a nationally-televised game, marking his first time playing in the city since being traded to the team in June.

Davis, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the franchise, understands that he’ll likely receive a chorus of boos upon his return. His trade request last season hit the organization like a ton of bricks, catching an already-upset fanbase by surprise.

Davis admitted on Saturday it’s been challenging not to think about the team’s upcoming game and the personal importance it holds.

“It’s hard not to think about,” Davis said. “You’re just waiting for it to happen. It’s going to be different, obviously. Going through a different entrance, being in a different locker room, all those types of things. We’ll get to it man, when it’s time to play them.

“It’s definitely something that’s kind of in the back of my mind, but I’m trying to keep everything else in front of me. Right now it’s San Antonio (on Monday). So we’ll get there, get out of San Antonio and head back there (to New Orleans). It’ll feel weird staying at a hotel, taking buses to the arena and stuff like that. It’s going to be different, but my job is just to go in there and play and just get the win.”

Through 15 games with the Lakers, Davis has averaged 25.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and three blocks per contest on 48% shooting from the floor and 36% from deep. He received overwhelming boos from fans in his first home game after requesting a trade last season, and he expects much of the same on Wednesday.

“I got a little bit of it after the trade (request), that first game against Minnesota,” Davis said. “It felt like I was on the other side. I got a little taste of it, but I know it’s going to be even worse (this time around). I don’t really know what to prepare for, but I’m happy with the win.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division tonight:

Warriors big man Kevon Looney revealed he’s been dealing with a nerve injury for the past two-to-three years, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN (Twitter link). Looney, who’s missed the past 16 games with the injury, expects to return this coming week. He’s served as a key cog in Golden State’s rotation during his career, averaging 6.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 18.5 minutes in 80 games last season.
The Suns have revealed plans for a makeover of Talking Stick Resort Arena, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. The arena is set to undergo a renovation worth $230MM, with 60% of the upgrades scheduled to be finished by the start of next season. “I think the community is going to be really happy about what we’ve done,” Suns managing partner Robert Sarver said. “I know the city is happy about it. We’re happy about it. They get a chance to see the design pictures. They get a chance to see what it’s going to looks like. It brings a lot of excitement.”

LeBron And Vogel Frustrated By Lack Of Foul Calls

November 24th, 2019 at 4:16pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After the Lakers eked out a 109-108 win against the Grizzlies yesterday, All-Star forward LeBron James registered his ire at a lack of foul calls in his favor granted by the game’s attendant referees (he had zero free throw attempts). “I’m living in the paint,” James said after the game, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “If you look at my arm right here, these are four or five [scratches] that happened the last two games, and they weren’t called at all.” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel shares James’ frustration, and apparently intends to bring the officiating up with the NBA. “We’ll deal with the proper channels and talk to the league about that,” Vogel said.

L.A. Notes: Caruso, Rondo, Beverley, Williams

November 23rd, 2019 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Alex Caruso was barely noticed on the Lakers‘ 2017 Summer League team that featured Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma, but he’s making a name for himself now, writes LZ Granderson of The Los Angeles Times. Caruso earned a two-way contract from that opportunity, but spent most of the past two seasons in the G League. He has turned into an NBA fixture and a fan favorite this season, averaging 20 minutes per night through the first 14 games.

“When I got called up I thought I had made it,” he said about his NBA debut in 2017. “I loved everything about being in the NBA and wanted to stay, but it didn’t work out that way. It was frustrating but I tried to stay focused on the things I could control. … There’s a reason I went back to the G League and I ended up growing and improving myself mentally and physically. When I got my chance to play more minutes at the end of last season, I was able to show how much I grew. … It all worked out.”

There’s more from Los Angeles:

Rajon Rondo doesn’t believe he deserved a Flagrant 2 and an ejection last night against the Thunder, relays Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Rondo was fined $35K for “unsportsmanlike physical contact” with Dennis Schroder, along with verbal abuse of an official and failing to leaving the court in a timely manner. McMenamin observes that Rondo appeared to knee Schroder in the groin, but the fiery guard insists he was ejected because of his reputation. “You know, you’re a four-, five-time felon, the judgment is kind of harsher when you’ve had a history prior,” Rondo said.
Also fined today was Clippers guard Patrick Beverley, who was assessed a $5K penalty for a second violation of the league’s anti-flopping rules, tweets Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Beverley reacted to the news with a tweet of his own, featuring several emojis and the message, “what NAW MAN.”
After adding two All-Stars this summer, the Clippers have kept Lou Williams as their late-game closer, notes Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. Coach Doc Rivers recalls that Williams wasn’t excited about joining the team when he was traded there two years ago. “He came in the day before camp and the rest of the team had been there for 30 days,” Rivers said. “In his defense, he’d been traded, what, four years straight at that point and probably didn’t believe that we had any interest in keeping him around. So I just thought we needed to have a good talk, and I thought we both needed to prove something to each other. It was a two-way thing … we just talked and said, ‘You prove it, I prove it,’ and if we can get to a trust point, then we can get to a great spot.”