Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Kuminga, Lakers, Wolves, Watson

January 31st, 2024 at 10:42pm CST by Rory Maher

At 20-24, the No. 12 seed in the West, the Warriors certainly aren’t where they hoped to be in the standings at this point in the 2023/24 season. However, one bright spot of late has been the play of third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga, says Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

As Slater writes, Kuminga has been highly efficient attacking the paint over the past seven games, scoring 20-plus each game in averaging 25.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 61.9% from the field (32.0 minutes). Star guard Stephen Curry thinks Kuminga is turning a corner in his development.

“(He has) clarity on how he can impact the game,” Curry said. “Defensive intensity, pressure, taking what the defense gives him on the offensive end. Whether it’s attacking driving lanes, finishing at the rim, getting transition buckets for us, and knocking down open shots. There’s just an element of aggressiveness. You don’t want him out there second-guessing anything.”

Playing Kuminga more and letting him learn from mistakes shows the team finally realized it needed to shake things up, especially on offense, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, who notes that Andrew Wiggins has played well lately too with Draymond Green starting at center.

Kuminga’s prominent role is in stark contrast to the uneven minutes he received earlier this season, with a report just a few weeks ago suggesting the 21-year-old was losing faith in head coach Steve Kerr. However, Slater recently said Kuminga has felt better about his situation since he met with Kerr in the wake of that report.

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

Christian Wood sent out a tweet saying “lol” shortly before the Lakers announced their starting lineup on Tuesday featured Jaxson Hayes starting at center with Anthony Davis sidelined, but he said after the game it wasn’t related to basketball, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “I meant to quote (tweet) something,” Wood said. “I thought I did and I just pressed send, and I couldn’t check my phone before because we have to go out (to the court), but it was an accident. … I looked at it just now. … It came off a certain type of way. I didn’t mean it that way.” After the loss to Atlanta, LeBron James also sent out a cryptic hourglass emoji, Buha adds. The trade deadline is next Thursday, and the Lakers are currently 24-25.
The Timberwolves have only advanced past the first round of the playoffs once in franchise history. How will they handle the pressure of being considered a title contender? ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explores that topic, writing that Karl-Anthony Towns‘ willingness to adjust his game has paid dividends thus far in 2023/24. “The winning helps. It’s good when you’re able to sacrifice to see the result you wanted and share the success,” Towns said. “We’re all making this happen. This is not just a singular effort. This is a team coming together and saying ‘We really want to do something special.’“
Already an impressive defender in year two, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson says he’s looking to expand his game on the other end of the court, according to Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. Watson has been taking far more mid-range shots lately, an area he’s comfortable in. “Coming in as a young player and trying to make a name for yourself and get a spot in the rotation, you’re not just coming in shooting of the dribble jumpers,” Watson told DNVR. “That’s not analytically the best shot, especially if you’re someone just coming in and trying to create his role. Now that I’ve created my role and people know what I’m going to do on the defensive end, it’s just been more about me expanding my game offensively, seeing what works, trial and error, and getting ready for when it counts in the playoffs.”

Eastern Notes: Simmons, Wizards, Pistons, Russell, Hawks

January 31st, 2024 at 8:34pm CST by Rory Maher

After recording 10 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists with no turnovers in 18 minutes during Monday’s win vs. Utah, former No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons appeared to tweak his left knee due to an awkward landing after blocking Talen Horton-Tucker‘s shot (video link).

The Nets swingman subsequently underwent an MRI after experiencing swelling, but it revealed no structural damage, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Simmons is out for Wednesday’s contest against Phoenix with a left knee contusion and is considered day-to-day, according to head coach Jacque Vaughn (Twitter link via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps). Simmons’ agent, Bernard Lee, said there’s hope that it will be a one-game absence, since Brooklyn doesn’t play again until Saturday vs. Philly, giving the 27-year-old more time to recover (Twitter link).

Here’s more from the East:

As has been previously reported, the Wizards are focused on securing first-round draft picks — preferably in drafts beyond 2024 — as they take calls on veterans, according to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who take a look at the possible return value of nine different players on the roster. League sources tell The Athletic’s duo that the Wizards are looking for two first-rounders for Kyle Kuzma, though the writers have gotten some push back on that from sources within the team, who said the reported asking price is “somewhat overblown.”
While Bojan Bogdanovic has popped up in plenty of trade rumors the past couple years, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic isn’t convinced the Croatian veteran will be moved prior to the February 8 deadline. Edwards hears the Pistons are willing to take calls on Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, but they aren’t actively shopping two of their best floor spacers. Edwards also covers other topics in his mailbag, including what he thinks of Detroit making a run at possible targets like Zach LaVine (he argues against it).
In Tuesday’s matchup with the Lakers, Hawks fans taunted D’Angelo Russell with “We don’t want you!” chants, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Russell has been linked to Atlanta as part of L.A.’s interest in Dejounte Murray, who badly outplayed Russell en route to a Hawks win. It has been reported that Atlanta doesn’t have interest in Russell and would want to flip him to a third team in a potential deal.

Nets Rumors: Bridges, Dinwiddie, Finney-Smith, O’Neale, D-Lo, Simmons

January 31st, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

After getting off to 13-10 start this season, the Nets lost 17 of their next 21 games. Even after back-to-back wins on Saturday and Monday, they now own an underwhelming 19-27 record, which isn’t good enough for a play-in spot. However, Brooklyn’s front office isn’t any more willing to listen to inquiries on forward Mikal Bridges than it was earlier this season, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Rockets recently expressed interest in Bridges and conveyed a willingness to offer back several of the Nets’ own draft assets that they gave up for James Harden, league sources tell Scotto. However, talks didn’t move forward because Brooklyn wasn’t willing to entertain the idea of moving the 27-year-old.

Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) confirmed a few days ago that Bridges is still viewed as “essentially untouchable” and suggested that even if Houston was willing to return all of Brooklyn’s draft assets, the Nets wouldn’t consider it. The Rockets still control the Nets’ unprotected first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, along with the right to swap first-rounders with Brooklyn in 2025 and 2027.

Here’s more on the Nets:

Point guard Spencer Dinwiddie appears increasingly unlikely to remain in Brooklyn beyond this season, according to Scotto. That doesn’t necessarily mean Dinwiddie will be moved by next Thursday though, since the Nets could also try to do a sign-and-trade with him this offseason, like they did back in 2021 when he left Brooklyn for Washington.
Rival executives who have spoken to HoopsHype believe the Nets could potentially extract a first-round pick and a rotation player in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and multiple second-round picks for Royce O’Neale, says Scotto.
While Dejounte Murray is still the Lakers‘ top trade target, Los Angeles continues to have interest in a handful of Nets players, including Finney-Smith, O’Neale, and Dinwiddie, Shams Charania of The Athletic said during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back (Twitter video link).
Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link) identified Dinwiddie as the most likely Net to be traded by the deadline and noted that Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell has been “floated” as a possibility for Brooklyn. I imagine the Lakers would only be interested in a Dinwiddie/Russell swap if they could acquire a wing like Finney-Smith or O’Neale in the same deal by sending the Nets another asset or two.
Before making any deadline moves, the Nets are hoping to evaluate how their rotation looks with Ben Simmons back in the fold, Scotto observes. The former No. 1 overall pick was in high spirits after having a big game in his return on Monday, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “It’s amazing because this is probably one of the best teams in terms of just friendships I’ve been a part of. Everyone gets along, we don’t have egos or anything like that on the team, and guys want to win and compete,” Simmons said. “So for me to be able to be in an environment like this is amazing. I get to come to work with a bunch of friends that want to get better and compete. So, I’m happy.”

Lakers Notes: Vanderbilt, Davis, Whitmore, LeBron

January 30th, 2024 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt was ejected in the first half of the team’s Monday loss to Houston after some back and forth with Rockets forward Dillon Brooks. Vanderbilt earned his first technical foul for shoving Brooks in the chest, then picked up another technical just seconds later for jabbing a finger into the back of Brooks’ head (Twitter video link via Bleacher Report).

After the game, Vanderbilt’s teammates defended his actions, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, who notes that Brooks pushed the Lakers forward in the back as he was going airborne for a dunk a moment earlier (video link). A Lakers player also told McMenamin that Brooks called Vanderbilt a “p—y” during the exchange leading up to the ejection.

“He’s going for a wide-open dunk and (Brooks) just pushed him in the back,” Anthony Davis said. “It’s not a safe play. Guys get hurt like that. And you got to know what type of player (Brooks) is. (The referees) kind of let that just keep going on and (Brooks) kind of provoked it.

“He talks and says whatever he wants to the refs, to players and at the end of the day, we’re men. No man is going to talk towards another man the way he was talking to Vando. So, Vando did what he had to do.”

Brooks received a flagrant 1 foul later in the game for hitting LeBron James in the face as he went over his back on a rebound attempt (video link). Lakers head coach Darvin Ham suggested to reporters in his postgame media session that either that play or the earlier push on Vanderbilt could’ve warranted an ejection for the Rockets forward.

“Being competitive is one thing,” Ham said. “But … putting players at risk of injury with certain plays — I just watched it again before I came in here, (Brooks) pushes him in the back, a guy that’s in the air. Airborne, defenseless. Then Bron’s play, Bron goes to the basket and it’s a double move with his arms. One arm trying to deflect the ball and it goes back and then it goes across (James’) face. So maybe Dillon Brooks shouldn’t have been in the game, either.”

Ham added that “my hat’s off to Vando” for how he responded to Brooks’ physical play.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Anthony Davis has been ruled out for Tuesday’s contest vs. Atlanta, the second game of a back-to-back set for the Lakers (Twitter link via Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times). According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Davis (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and left hip spasm) said he felt “a little sore” on Monday and “couldn’t move how I usually move,” so he’ll get a night off.
Cam Whitmore‘s performance on Monday (20 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes) was a tough pill to swallow for the Lakers, who could’ve drafted the 19-year-old last June. Los Angeles used the No. 17 overall pick on Jalen Hood-Schifino, while Whitmore fell to the Rockets at No. 20. “The kid is going to be special, man,” Ham said of Whitmore before the game, per Buha. Ham also noted that the Lakers had a pre-draft workout with the former Villanova standout and referred to him as “another bright, young superstar that’s going to be in our league for a long time.”
Given LeBron James‘ age and the Lakers’ up-and-down play this season, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer posits that the two sides are facing a crossroads and explores what might be next for the franchise and for one of the NBA’s all-time greatest players.

Russell Fined $15K For Kicking Ball

January 29th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

D’Angelo Russell has been fined $15K for kicking the game ball into the spectator stands, the NBA announced (via Twitter). The Lakers guard booted the ball following the conclusion of their 145-144 victory over the Warriors on Saturday.
During the past six games, Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is averaging 11.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 2.2 steals in 26.5 minutes per night. Coach Darvin Ham was evasive when asked if he’s considering putting Vanderbilt in the starting five but indicated that the finishing unit is even more important, Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes. “It’s not about always starting that way, but you know you’re going to get to it,” Ham said. “Every coach has a finishing six or seven, group of six or seven guys that he knows he can potentially finish with.”

Central Notes: Duren, Pistons, Haliburton, Mitchell, Mobley

January 29th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jalen Duren had 22 points and 21 rebounds as the Pistons surprised Oklahoma City on Sunday, but he didn’t want anyone to think that’s all he did, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit News. “And six assists,” Duren pointed out as he spoke with reporters after the game. Cade Cunningham was a late scratch as he continues his recovery from a knee strain, so Detroit ran some of its offense through the second-year center.

“Honestly, we were able to get the win and that’s what I’m most happy about, it’s a big-time win,” Duren said. “Especially after yesterday. Just happy about that. 20 and 20 is 20 and 20, but for me I knew it was bound to happen at some time so I wasn’t really that worried about it.”

Duren has been one of the few bright spots for the Pistons, but Sankofa reports that the organization still believes it can salvage something from this season despite a 6-40 record and a historic losing streak. Duren has become much more polished that he was as a rookie, Sankofa adds, displaying better touch and footwork around the basket while being given more leeway to handle the ball and create plays under new coach Monty Williams.

“I just think he’s putting the work in,” Williams said. “I’ve told him if he’s gonna be the guy that we feel like he can be, he’s gotta own that position. Earlier, I thought that he was renting it because he would show flashes of it and then you wouldn’t see it. We just talk about the work that goes into being a solid player, then a good player, then a really good player and then a great player, on and on and on, you have to put in tons of work and just repeat those moves.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

With the trade deadline nearing, James L. Edwards of The Athletic talks with other Athletic writes about potential Pistons deals involving Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks. They review proposed trades with the Lakers, Knicks and Thunder.
The Pacers are optimistic that Tyrese Haliburton will be available Tuesday night against Boston after missing 10 of the last 11 games with a left hamstring injury, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell participated in today’s shootaround and is listed as probable to play tonight after undergoing a scare involving a groin injury late in the Milwaukee game, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Evan Mobley also took part in the shootaround amid reports that he’ll be able to return soon following left knee surgery (Twitter link).

Stein’s Latest: Lakers, Murray, TV Deal, Tillman, J. Allen

January 28th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

There has been “little to no” dialogue in recent days between the Lakers and Hawks about a potential Dejounte Murray trade, league sources tell veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein (Substack link). The clubs reportedly previously discussed the possibility of a deal that would include D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick, a pick swap, and possibly rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino.

As Stein notes, there’s still more than enough time before the February 8 trade deadline for the two teams to reengage, but he spoke to one source briefed on the talks who believes it’s “unrealistic” that Murray ends up with the Lakers.

One factor for the disconnect between the two clubs, Stein explains, is a gap in how they value Russell. The veteran point guard has been playing some of the best basketball of his career as of late, averaging 27.5 points and 6.4 assists per game since being reinserted into the Lakers’ starting lineup on January 13.

However, the Hawks appear to have no real interest in acquiring D-Lo and would want to flip him to a third team in a potential Murray trade. With Russell performing so well recently, the Lakers’ pursuit of Murray seems to have been “dialed back,” Stein writes.

Here’s more from Stein’s latest Substack article:

Some industry insiders think the NBA’s next media rights deal will be a shorter-term agreement than the league’s current nine-year pact, which is expiring in 2025. As Stein points out, a five-year media rights deal could put commissioner Adam Silver in position to lead negotiations on the next contract after that, before his new extension expires.
Grizzlies big man Xavier Tillman is a player to watch as a possible trade candidate in the next week-and-a-half, according to Stein. Tillman is the only one of 15 Grizzlies on standard deals who doesn’t have a contract for next season — 13 have guaranteed salaries, while Memphis holds a team option on Luke Kennard.
Stein also passes along some reporting from his podcast co-host Chris Haynes, who stated on his latest Bleacher Report live stream that the Cavaliers have zero interest in fielding inquiries on Jarrett Allen at this season’s trade deadline.

Pacific Notes: Warriors’ Lineup, Kerr, Bridges, Barnes

January 28th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors dropped a little further in the Western Conference playoff race on Saturday, but coach Steve Kerr might have a lineup that’s capable of saving the season, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Slater notes that Draymond Green has been outstanding since returning from his suspension and is no longer on a minutes restriction. He logged 46 minutes in last night’s double-overtime game, and the team was plus-31 when he was on the court and minus-32 without him.

Green has taken over as the starting center, with Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins as the forwards. The Kuminga-Wiggins tandem was terrible earlier in the season, but Green’s defensive presence and ball-handling skills are making the combination work. Slater notes that the three of them are plus-41 in their minutes together since Green’s return.

“We’re trying to maximize the number of possessions that those guys play together,” Kerr said. “We’re in a position now with Wiggs playing at a high level and JK having come around, Klay (Thompson), (Stephen Curry), Draymond back after the suspension. We’re in a position where we can put those guys together and it’s probably our best five.”

Their success together likely minimizes any chance that Wiggins or Kuminga will be traded before the February 8 deadline.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Kerr found a quasi-diplomatic way to express his displeasure with the officiating after the Warriors fell to the Lakers Saturday night, Slater adds. “My Mom is here and I want to be on my best behavior,” Kerr said. “So I’m not going to comment on the 43 free throws to our 16. I’m not going to comment on Steph shooting three free throws in 43 minutes.” Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic was fined $25K for complaining about the free-throw discrepancy in a loss to L.A. earlier this month.
Amid rumors that the Suns are confident about their chances of acquiring Miles Bridges from the Hornets, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports argues against the move, saying the organization shouldn’t be considering someone with Bridges’ history of domestic violence. Bourguet also speculates that Phoenix hasn’t moved on Bridges already because it fears a backlash from fans.
With Kings forward Harrison Barnes frequently mentioned in trade speculation, James Ham of Kings Beat (subscription required) looks at how Barnes’ recent scoring outbursts might affect his future with the team.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Davis, Vanderbilt, Trade Deadline

January 28th, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James added another memorable chapter to his long-running rivalry with Stephen Curry in a double-overtime thriller Saturday night, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The 39-year-old James collected 20 rebounds for the first time in his career as part of a triple double that also included 36 points and 12 assists. After sinking two game-wining free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining, James reflected on his many battles with Curry, which include four NBA Finals.

“It’s been a treat to go against one of the greatest to ever play this game,” James said. “For us to continue to push each other at the state of our careers, you don’t take it for granted because you don’t know how many times you’re actually going to get the moment to actually be on the same floor with such a talent.”

Both players continue to amaze late in their careers, even though the Lakers and Warriors are struggling to reach the play-in tournament. Curry, who scored 46 points and hit a late three-pointer to give Golden State the lead, also talked about what it means to face another all-time great.

“Every year that we get to do this and go back and forth, the battles — the Finals runs, the playoff battles last year — after the horn sounded tonight there was a little laugh of, I can’t imagine a scenario where a game like tonight happens, [with] him in Season 21 and me in Year 15,” Curry said. “You look forward to the battles, but you also appreciate the mutual respect of what it takes to keep doing what you’re doing at this level. Only a few people know how hard it is. I’m happy to be in that group.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

Anthony Davis had to leave Saturday’s game due to hip spasms, but he was able to return and told reporters, “I’m good,” tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Davis explained that it’s the same area of his body where he’s experienced a groin injury for most of the season.
Even though he came off the bench, Jarred Vanderbilt played more than 40 minutes with 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. According to Buha (Twitter link), coach Darvin Ham deflected a question about whether he’ll consider returning Vanderbilt to the starting lineup. “Well, right now, I’ll consider getting me something to eat, a nice glass of wine and consider sleeping very soon here,” Ham said. “Getting a good night’s sleep. No lineup questions, please.”
Saturday marked the opener of a six-game road trip that could determine how active the Lakers will be at the trade deadline, notes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register.

Pacific Notes: Suns Rumors, Caruso, Clippers, Powell, Barnes

January 27th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at some of the potential trade targets who have recently been linked to the Suns, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports reports that a source close to the situation has described Phoenix as “very confident” about its ability to make a competitive offer for Hornets forward Miles Bridges. Bourguet adds that Charlotte center Nick Richards is also a target, but that the team would likely only be able to acquire one Hornet or the other due to salary-matching considerations.

Bourguet also confirms that Nets forward Royce O’Neale is a legitimate target for the Suns, observing that O’Neale is more attainable than Dorian Finney-Smith due to his expiring contract and smaller cap hit.

The Suns would almost certainly need to use Nassir Little ($6.25MM) as their primary outgoing salary piece in any trade and would need to get to within 10% of the incoming salary, so acquiring a player who is earning much more than O’Neale ($9.5MM) would be tricky. Phoenix would presumably need to add one or two minimum-salary players and multiple second-round picks to its package for either Bridges or O’Neale.

The buyout market could also prove fruitful for the Suns, Bourguet writes, even though they’ll be prohibited from signing a player whose pre-waiver salary exceeds $12.4MM. P.J. Tucker would have interest in Phoenix if he’s bought out, according to Bourguet, who says the team has also been in touch with center Bismack Biyombo, a current free agent.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Veteran guard Alex Caruso, who left the Lakers for the Bulls as a free agent in 2021, tells Melissa Rohlin of FOX Sports that he still sometimes thinks about how things would have played out if he had remained in Los Angeles. “Yeah, definitely,” Caruso said. “Just because of how well I played with them when I was here. I know how I supported them. And I’ve gotten better. I was expecting myself to get better. It’s actually what had to move me on. I kept getting better and eventually I was at a point where I couldn’t stay here. I definitely have always thought about it because those guys (LeBron James and Anthony Davis) are my brothers. We’ve been through a lot together. Always good seeing them. Every now and then you think about what could’ve been.”
Rival coaches and executives are praising Clippers head of basketball operations Lawrence Frank for the way his gamble on James Harden has paid off so far, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “I didn’t think it would work out,” one exec said. “A lot of people didn’t think it would work out. But he had it right. Russell (Westbrook) is playing within himself. Harden is sharing the ball. They have great chemistry right now.”
In a conversation with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Clippers wing Norman Powell spoke about his impressions of Harden and Westbrook as teammates, the role that coach Tyronn Lue has played in the team’s success, and how these Clippers compare to the 2019 champion Raptors, among other topics.
Viewed as a probable outgoing piece if the Kings make a major deadline trade, Harrison Barnes has been on a heater this week, scoring 32 points on Monday and a career-high 39 on Thursday, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes.