Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rajon Rondo Expected To Miss 4-5 Weeks

December 28th, 2018 at 12:17pm CST by Luke Adams

12:17pm: Rondo underwent surgery today to repair a ligament in his right ring finger, the Lakers announced in a press release. He’s expected to make a full recovery in about four or five weeks, according to the team.

11:03am: A frustrating season for Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo has taken another unfortunate turn, as the finger injury he suffered earlier this week will require surgery, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links). According to Charania, Rondo is expected to miss about four weeks of action after undergoing the procedure on his right hand.

That right hand has been banged up for much of the 2018/19 season, as Rondo already missed a month due to a separate surgical procedure on the hand. He had been back on the court for just three games before being sidelined again, and has appeared in only 14 total games for the Lakers so far this season.

With Rondo likely out of action until late January, the Lakers will be without two of their veteran leaders for the short term. LeBron James is battling a strained groin, and while the team is calling him day-to-day, he’s reportedly expected to miss at least a few games.

In the absence of Rondo and James, the Lakers will lean more heavily on point guard Lonzo Ball and forward Brandon Ingram. Both youngsters played well in Los Angeles’ loss to the Kings on Thursday night — Ingram posted 22 points, while Ball nearly had a triple-double (20 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds).

NBA Issues Memo Reminding Teams Of Tampering Rules

December 28th, 2018 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has issued a memo to all 30 of its teams, reminding them about the rules – and warning them of the consequences – related to tampering, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The league’s statement to clubs indicates that “employment contracts are to be respected and conduct that interferes with contractual employment relationships is prohibited.”

The memo is presumably a response to last week’s mini-controversy, which arose after Lakers star LeBron James said it would be “amazing” to play with Pelicans big man Anthony Davis. As Wojnarowski detailed last Friday, the NBA’s lack of response to those comments upset several general managers around the league, especially those in smaller markets. Among those GMs, there’s a perception that the NBA turns a blind eye to tampering violations when big-market teams go after smaller-market stars.

An NBA spokesperson issued a statement to Woj last week to explain why the league didn’t view James’ comments as tampering. Still, it seems the league office found it necessary to further clarify its tampering-related rules as speculation about a possible Davis trade continues.

“Teams should be aware that the scope of the anti-tampering rule is broad, and its application in any given case is based on all facts and circumstances,” the NBA’s memo reads, per Wojnarowski. “Accordingly, conduct that doesn’t violate the rule in any single instance may nevertheless constitute a violation if it becomes repeated or part of a broader collection of improper actions. Teams should therefore refrain from any conduct – including public statements – that could be viewed as targeting or expressing interest in another team’s player.”

The league also warned that respecting other teams’ contracts with players is particularly important in “today’s media environment,” since public comments speculating about potential player movement receive “immediate and widespread” attention and coverage.

“Teams should be entitled to focus their efforts on the competition this season with the players they have under contract, without having to divert attention or resources to conduct or speculation regarding the potential destinations of those players in future seasons once their contracts expire,” the NBA said in its memo.

Pacific Notes: Ingram, Green, Motley, Suns

December 27th, 2018 at 5:31pm CST by JD Shaw

The sudden injury to Lakers star LeBron James has opened up a new opportunity for Brandon Ingram, who’s set to control more ball-handling duties until James returns from his strained left groin.

Ingram, who was drafted second by the Lakers in 2016, will have an expanded role with the team in their game against the Kings on Thursday. His numbers have slightly regressed from last season with the new free-agent additions on the club, but the absence of James could give him a chance to show his improvements from the offseason.

“It’s an opportunity,” Ingram said after a team shootaround Thursday, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “It’s an opportunity for me to go out there and play my game a little bit more. I think I’m going to be a little bit more ball-dominant, cutting off the basketball. I have to play even better defense and be on the help side on the defensive end. So it’s a chance for me to just up my game a little bit.”

Along with James, point guard Rajon Rondo will be sidelined as he rehabs from a sprained finger earlier in the week. The Lakers open the first half of a back-to-back set on Thursday in Sacramento, then host the Clippers in an L.A. showdown on Friday.

There’s more from the Pacific Division tonight:

Warriors star Draymond Green discussed his shooting slump after the team blew a home loss to the Lakers on Christmas Day, acknowledging that he hasn’t been himself this season. “I ain’t really been doing me,” Green said as part of a larger statement, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “I ain’t been playmaking like I can, I ain’t been scoring when I got the opportunity, I ain’t been rebounding like I can, I ain’t been defending, I just haven’t been myself.”
The Clippers plan to give an extensive look to two-way player Johnathan Motley, Mirjam Swanson of the Orange County Register writes. The team called Motley up from the G League on Wednesday and plans to activate him in the near future, according to Swanson. “I like Mot,” coach Doc Rivers said, “What we don’t know is if defensively he can play the five spot, but I do like him at that spot. I don’t like him as a four that much. Really like him at the five.”
The Heat Index at Azcentral.com browsed through different mock drafts for the Suns next June, examining various prospects the team could target for the 2019 event. Players such as Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Kevin Porter Jr. could be available for the Suns, who currently hold the league’s second-worst record at 9-26.

LeBron James Day-To-Day, Expected To Miss Multiple Games

December 27th, 2018 at 2:33pm CST by marksuleymanov

DECEMBER 27, 2:33pm: The Lakers are preparing for James to miss “several games” due to his left groin strain, league sources tell ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Adrian Wojnarowski. While LeBron avoided a serious injury, there’s a healing process that will need to occur before he gets back on the court, and the team is expected to play it safe to avoid further aggravating the injury, per Windhorst and Woj.

In the short term, the Lakers will also be without Rajon Rondo, who sprained a finger and will miss Thursday’s game in Sacramento, according to the team (Twitter link).

DECEMBER 26, 12:00pm: LeBron James‘ MRI came back clean and the Lakers superstar is listed as day-to-day, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). James suffered a “slight groin strain” in the Lakers’ 127-101 Christmas Day win over the Warriors.

The Lakers believe James will miss at least a few games, according to Chris B. Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The four-time MVP, who has rarely been injured during his 16-year career, acknowledged his disappointment with missing the remainder of Tuesday’s game.

“I take a lot of pride in [staying healthy], so that is why it pissed me off not being able to go back into the game,” James said. “It’s more than anything being available to my teammates, to my coaching staff; that is something I take more personal than anything.”

The soon-to-be 34-year-old tallied 17 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists in 21 minutes of action before leaving Tuesday’s win in the third quarter. Cameras picked up James telling trainers he felt “something pop” in his groin but reports suggested the injury could have been worse.

In 34 games this year, James has averaged 27.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 7.1 APG for the Lakers.

Head coach Luke Walton said the team wants James back “as soon as possible” but would take a cautious approach when he’s deemed ready to play.

Without their best player, the Lakers (20-14) stepped up to defeat the defending NBA champions by 26 points. While the fear of losing James for a prolonged stretch would be a daunting proposition, Lakers guard Josh Hart said the team would be prepared in that situation.

“The narrative is that it’s LeBron and the Lakers,” Hart said after Tuesday’s win. “Obviously, we hope he’s OK, but we’ve got a lot of good players…If he’s down, we’re ready to step up. We’re not scared of the spotlight.”

The Lakers continue their four-game schedule against fellow California teams on Thursday when they will face the Kings in Sacramento. James told reporters on Tuesday that he would not rule out playing, but Haynes’ report suggests that is unlikely. Los Angeles has three more games left in 2018, including Thursday’s tilt against Sacramento.

If James does indeed miss a few games, it’s possible he does not play until after the New Year, when the Lakers open 2019 against the Thunder on Jan. 2.

“Hopefully, it is not a long thing and I can get back on the floor as soon as possible,” James said.

Pelicans Notes: Davis, Barnes, Mirotic

December 27th, 2018 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

With trade speculation swirling around Anthony Davis, ESPN’s Zach Lowe writes that Davis’ situation is the NBA’s biggest ongoing story, contending that the media didn’t create that story — the calendar did. With the Pelicans now in 14th place in the Western Conference at 15-20 and Davis’ super-max eligibility just over six months away, it’s only logical that NBA insiders – including media, agents, and executives – will start taking a closer look at Davis’ future, says Lowe.

Davis hasn’t expressed interest in a trade. He also hasn’t told people close to him that he wants to join the Lakers or any other specific team if he decides to leave New Orleans, sources tell Lowe.

Still, Lowe – who hears that teams expect Davis to sign a series of shorter-term contracts – is predicting that the All-NBA big man will eventually turn down the Pelicans’ super-max offer when the team puts it on the table in the offseason. If that happens, Davis would effectively become a free agent, according to Lowe, since he’d be on an expiring contract and will have passed on the Pelicans’ best possible extension offer.

Here’s more from Lowe on Davis and the Pelicans:

Explaining why the Lakers and Celtics are most frequently cited as the logical trade partners for the Pelicans if they eventually decide to move Davis, Lowe runs through several other options – including the Heat, Spurs, Bulls, Knicks, and Sixers – and has trouble finding another team with the necessary assets to make it work.
As Lowe details, the Heat, Spurs, Bulls, and Knicks would have to give up virtually all the players Davis would want as teammates, and Klutch’s representation of Ben Simmons would complicate a Philadelphia scenario. The Warriors would have interest, according to Lowe, but they wouldn’t trade Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry, and it would be tricky to make a deal work with Klay Thompson (a 2019 free agent) or Draymond Green as a centerpiece.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer covers similar ground in an article of his own, taking a deep dive into the Davis situation and exploring possible outcomes and trade scenarios. One interesting note from O’Connor, who examines whether the Pelicans can improve their roster around Davis: The Pelicans have never gone into the luxury tax, and front office executives don’t expect them to anytime soon.
On the non-Davis front, Lowe revisits some previous Pelicans roster moves, citing sources who say that the team considered spending all its cap room in 2016 on Harrison Barnes. Instead, New Orleans ended up with E’Twaun Moore and Solomon Hill — the investment in Moore has worked out, but Hill’s contract has become an albatross.
Although the Pelicans’ 2017/18 in-season acquisition of Nikola Mirotic essentially served as a response to DeMarcus Cousins‘ season-ending Achilles injury, they were actually in trade talks for Mirotic even before that injury, per Lowe. Davis, Cousins, and Mirotic couldn’t have all been on the court together, so it’s not clear how New Orleans’ plan would have worked if Cousins hadn’t gotten hurt — it was “the sort of jumble that materializes when a team flings itself from plan to plan,” writes Lowe.

LeBron James To Undergo MRI On Injured Groin

December 26th, 2018 at 9:00am CST by marksuleymanov

LeBron James left the Lakers‘ 127-101 Christmas Day win over the Warriors with an injured left groin in the third quarter and did not return. Cameras caught James telling Lakers trainers that he “felt a pop” in his groin region.

An initial exam on James revealed “all is intact” and that he suffered a “slight groin strain,” per Yahoo Sports’ Chris B. Haynes (Twitter link). James told reporters after the game he will undergo an MRI on Wednesday and did not rule out playing on Thursday against the Kings.

“I don’t know,” James said, per ESPN. “See what the MRI says and see how I feel for the rest of the day today. And I will be all around the clock tomorrow on rehabbing. And we will see how I feel on Thursday when we go to [Sacramento].”

The soon-to-be 34-year-old James exited Tuesday’s win with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists in 21 minutes of action. In 34 games this season, James has averaged 27.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 7.1 APG for the Lakers.

If James were forced to miss any prolonged stretch, it would be a critical blow to Los Angeles, which sports a 20-14 record following their win over the defending NBA champions. James has been the model of health and consistency, appearing fewer than 69 or fewer games in just two of his 15 NBA seasons entering the 2018/19 campaign. One of those years was the lockout-shortened 2011/12 season.

“I take a lot of pride in [staying healthy], so that is why it pissed me off not being able to go back into the game,” James said. “It’s more than anything being available to my teammates, to my coaching staff; that is something I take more personal than anything. Hopefully, it is not a long thing and I can get back on the floor as soon as possible.”

Kevin Garnett Thinks AD to LA 'Has To Happen'

December 25th, 2018 at 5:50pm CST by Austin Kent

There’s no imminent news that would ruin Christmas dinner for Pelicans fans per se, but Kevin Garnett believes that Anthony Davis to the Lakers “has to happen.”

Ivica Zubac Makes Most Of Sudden Opportunity

December 25th, 2018 at 3:13pm CST by Austin Kent

While it’s not always easy to find three pure centers minutes in a regulation basketball match, that’s one problem Lakers coach Luke Walton will be happy to welcome after two solid spot starts from third-stringer Ivica Zubac this week. The third-year center dropped 16 and 11 on the Pelicans on last Friday and followed that up with 19 points and four blocks against the Grizzlies on Saturday. “Luke’s always been saying to me that he trusts me,” the 21-year-old big man told Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “If there’s a chance to put me on the floor, he’s gonna put me there and he’s gonna always trust me like every other player on the team. I’ve been doing the same stuff every day”.

Rajon Rondo Wanted To Stay In New Orleans

December 25th, 2018 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Rajon Rondo has changed teams in each of the past four offseasons, but he tells Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated he would have remained with the Pelicans if the team had made an offer. Rondo played a key role in helping New Orleans win 48 games last year and reach the second round of the playoffs. In addition to posting an 8.3/4.0/8.2 line, he became a locker room leader on a young team without much postseason experience.

“The Pelicans could have got a deal if they wanted me, but obviously they went in a different direction,” Rondo said. “They had money. But they didn’t want to sign ‘Cuz’ [DeMarcus Cousins] and they didn’t want to sign me.”

Rondo, who wound up with the Lakers, adds that he spoke with Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry frequently over the summer and misses playing for him. New Orleans brought in Elfrid Payton instead of keeping Rondo and signed Julius Randle instead of Cousins, but is off to a 15-19 start and is 14th in the West.

Rondo addresses a host of other subjects in a lengthy interview with Spears:

On his decision to sign with the Lakers and play alongside LeBron James:

“The last couple of years, the Lakers have been calling. I had a meeting with them two years ago with the role to come here and back up Lonzo [Ball] for a little bit less money. The following year it was the same thing. And with LeBron joining the team, it was a no-brainer. He didn’t call at all. But he didn’t have to call. He wanted me, obviously. The Lakers are not going to go get a point guard he doesn’t want. He had interviews in the playoffs where he talked about having a veteran guy he can trust with the ball. I feel like I am a great option for that situation.”

On LeBron’s commitment to the game:

“What he does for these young guys is unbelievable. He leads by example every night. Well, not even every night — every day when he comes into the gym. He’s a workaholic. He’s very committed to his body. You read all the articles, but when you see it every day, it’s different. He really is dedicated to what he does. It’s the reason why he’s healthy. He puts in the work, and he deserves it. Look what he’s doing.”

On his reputation as a fiery competitor:

“The perception of me on the court is probably, ‘He doesn’t do this, he doesn’t do that.’ But for the most part, I don’t have one teammate that complains about me. I’m a great teammate. I’m a great mentor. I’ve always been one of the biggest competitors that anybody can name. I love what I do. Regardless of what people think of me, I know my teammates think highly of me, and I like making the game fun for those guys, and I really love giving back because that’s what was given to me.”

On nearly getting dealt to the Timberwolves in the trade that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston:

“If I didn’t get connected with Kevin, I don’t know where I would be in the league. I was in the deal to Minnesota in 2007. There were seven players. I saw my name on the ticker on the screen and said, ‘S—, it’s over.’ And that particular time I was ready to get out of Boston anyway because it was a miserable season. We lost 18 straight. I was playing behind two guys as the third-string point guard. I was ready to move on to a new chapter. I come to find out, he told the Celtics that he wanted me there. I’m sure [Celtics president] Danny Ainge loved me, but I think KG had a lot to do with me staying as a Celtic.”

On his plans when his playing days are over:

“It’s not definite that I want to be a coach one day. I want to be a GM. I want to be a president. I want to help people. I want to put people in a position to be successful and show them the ropes.”

LeBron James: Recruiting Is Key To Success

December 24th, 2018 at 9:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James considers recruiting part of his job and knows that his success in Los Angeles will be tied to how effective he is in wooing free agents, as he told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols in comments relayed by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

The Lakers will have the salary cap room to bring in at least one top-level free agent this summer and James will be at the forefront of the recruiting process. He feels it’s important that the Lakers show growth this season in order to aid those efforts.

“It wasn’t hard getting guys in Miami, I’ll tell you that. So now that I think being in L.A., I don’t think it would be that hard to get guys here,” he told Nichols. “But we got to win, and at the end of the day, it’s all about winning. You know, and that’s what I’m trying to do right now, is to show prospects and free agents — and at the same time, show these guys that I got right now — that we can win now, and let’s not worry about the future.”

James raised some eyebrows recently when he said it would be “amazing” to play with Anthony Davis. James was not reprimanded by the league for the comment but some people around the league felt he got a free pass. James and Davis also met for a post-game dinner last week.

James says he’s been a recruiter since his early days with the Cavaliers.

“I’ve always recruited,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get guys to come play with me since, like, 2007. I’ve got rejected a lot. But I’ve also have not got rejected a lot.”

James also revealed that he spoke with Kevin Durant after the Warriors star was quoted as saying that many young players wouldn’t want to play with him since James dominates the ball. Durant was also quoted as saying that there’s a toxic environment surrounding James’ teams.

James said Durant was apologetic.

“Got a phone call from KD,” James said. “He mentioned how he felt and how the story … how he felt the story took a twist. And as a man, I can’t, I don’t hold onto things — too long. I’m too happy in my life right now, and I don’t hold onto anything that will take away from my happiness.”