Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: James, Bosh, Noel

July 1st, 2018 at 9:42pm CST by Austin Kent

LeBron James‘ 2018 free agency was always a two-horse race between the Lakers and Cavaliers, Brian Windhorst of ESPN said on SportsCenter, noting that the meeting with the Sixers earlier today was a mere courtesy.

The decision to move to Los Angeles had been in the back of James’ mind for a while now, leaving the Lakers in the driver’s seat for the past three weeks with little left to do but not blow it.

In the television interview, Windhorst spoke of the exodus of the King’s staffers, who relocated from Miami to the west coast during James’ second stint with the Cavaliers, and the fact that his wife has been looking at Los Angeles schools for the past year.

With James already in hand, Magic Johnson simply had to close the deal and, as ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne adds, was actually at James’ residence when free agency officially began.

There’s more out of Los Angeles tonight:

One name to keep an eye on as a potential Lakers addition is free agent big man Chris Bosh, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. Bosh played alongside James for four years in Miami but has been out of the game since February, 2016 after being diagnosed with life-threatening blood clots. A comeback would require some additional paperwork but a successful return would not impact the Heat’s payroll.
There’s a chance that Brook Lopez ends up back in Los Angeles now that much of the team’s available cap space has been tied up in James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Keith Smith of RealGM tweets. Lopez was under contract for $22MM with the Lakers in 2017/18 and averaged 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
The Lakers are one of three teams that Nerlens Noel has narrowed his free agency decision down to, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets. Noel is represented by Rich Paul, the same agent that represents James and Caldwell-Pope. The Wizards and Thunder are the other two teams on Noel’s short list.

Lakers Re-Sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

July 1st, 2018 at 7:43pm CST by Austin Kent

JULY 6: The Lakers have officially re-signed Caldwell-Pope, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 1: The Lakers will re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Chris Haynes of ESPN reports. The news comes less than an hour after it was revealed that they’ll be inking LeBron James as well. James and Caldwell-Pope are both represented by agent Rich Paul and the Klutch Sports Group.

In a subsequent tweet, Haynes added that the deal for Caldwell-Pope will be a one-year pact worth $12MM. That’s $6MM less than the one-year contract the two parties agreed on last summer.

Caldwell-Pope, 25, joined the Lakers last summer after spending the first four years of his NBA career in Detroit. The 6’5″ shooting guard enjoyed his best season as a shooter last year, setting new career highs in FG% (.426) and 3PT% (.383). He averaged 13.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, and 1.4 SPG in 74 games (all starts).

Caldwell-Pope, who complements his ability to make three-pointers with strong perimeter defense on the other end of the floor, will return to Los Angeles after apparently seeing interest from a number of teams, including the Grizzlies and Clippers.

Adding Caldwell-Pope’s new $12MM deal to James’ max contract significantly reduces the Lakers’ available cap room. With Luol Deng‘s $18MM salary and Julius Randle‘s $12MM+ cap hold on their books, the Lakers are essentially capped out after committing $47MM+ to LeBron and KCP. However, the team could re-open space by renouncing Randle and trading or stretching Deng.

The Lakers could get up to about $23.6MM in cap room by renouncing Randle and stretching Deng. Renouncing Randle and trading Deng for no incoming salary would result in $30MM+ in space. Keeping Randle’s cap hold on the books and stretching Deng would open up about $12MM.

Luke Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Free Agent Rumors: Gordon, Brewer, Favors

July 1st, 2018 at 6:02pm CST by Austin Kent

While the Magic plan to pursue a long-term deal with restricted free agent Aaron Gordon, another team to keep an eye on is the Lakers, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets.

It’s no surprise that Gordon, a 23-year-old fresh off of a career year with averages of 17.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, is generating interest in free agency but Zach Lowe of ESPN writes that Orlando may not have much pressure to go as high as the max to retain him.

The Lakers join a number of other teams apparently interested in poaching Gordon’s services, including the Pacers (story) and Kings (story).

The Rockets have scheduled a meeting with free agent wing James Nunnally, per international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link). Nunnally, who has also been linked to Portland and Minnesota, played for Turkish team Fenerbahce last season and knocked down 55% of his three-pointers in EuroLeague play, making him an interesting fit for Houston.
Having already been linked to several potential targets since the free agent period opened, the Timberwolves have also “planted seeds” with Corey Brewer and Davis Bertans, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link). As Wolfson observes, Minnesota has made a habit in recent years of spreading a wide net in free agency, inquiring on dozens of players.
In a later tweet, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News added that the Timberwolves have also checked in on Derrick Favors, Mike Scott, David Nwaba and Ian Clark.

Malik Newman Signs Two-Way Deal With Lakers

July 1st, 2018 at 3:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

JULY 1: The Lakers have officially signed Newman to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release. Having not tendered qualifying offers to Caruso or Payton, the Lakers appear poised to have new players in both two-way slots for 2018/19.

JUNE 22: The Lakers will add Kansas guard Malik Newman on a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.

Newman, 21, spent just one season with the Jayhawks after transferring from Mississippi State. He put up 14.2 points per game this year and shot 42% from 3-point range. He helped the Jayhawks reach the Final Four with a 32-point performance against Duke in the regional finals.

Alex Caruso and Gary Payton II are the Lakers’ current two-way players, with their contracts set to expire at the end of June.

Lakers Sign First-Rounder Moritz Wagner

July 1st, 2018 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers have officially signed first-round pick Moritz Wagner to his rookie scale contract, the team announced today in a press release. While most signings can’t be completed during the July moratorium, there’s nothing stopping first-rounders from formally inking their rookie deals during the first week of July.

Wagner, the 25th overall pick in last month’s draft, played his college ball at Michigan and posted 14.6 PPG to go along with 7.1 RPG in 2017/18. The 6’10” forward also flashed stretch-four potential, knocking down 38.5% of his threes in his three-year college career.

Wagner’s salary in 2018/19 figures to be approximately $1.76MM, which is 120% of his rookie scale amount.

The fact that Wagner has formally signed his deal won’t impact the Lakers’ cap room for this summer, since he was already on the team’s books with a cap hold equivalent to his new rookie salary. However, it does mean that he can’t be included in a trade for the next 30 days.

O’Connor’s Latest: LeBron, Cousins, Lakers, Wizards

July 1st, 2018 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Within his latest piece for The Ringer, Kevin O’Connor focuses primarily on DeMarcus Cousins‘ free agency and his possible fit with the Lakers. Along the way, he relays a few tidbits of note, so let’s dive in and round them up…

The Lakers are still viewed by O’Connor’s sources as the favorites to sign LeBron James, though they aren’t considered locks. O’Connor notes that some executives believe James has already decided on the Lakers and that his “indecision is all theater.”
According to O’Connor, James “remains interested” by the idea of playing with Cousins. If that happens, it would almost certainly be with the Lakers, since no other team has the cap room to sign both players.
If the Lakers make Cousins a contract offer, league sources expect it to be a one- or two-year maximum-salary deal, says O’Connor. That would allow both sides to test out the fit on a trial basis, though it might not be enough to lure Cousins away from the Pelicans if New Orleans makes a longer-term offer.
The Wizards are considered a possible sign-and-trade spot for Cousins, but O’Connor’s sources classify such a deal as a long shot. Alex Len is a more realistic target for Washington, O’Connor adds.

Lakers To Meet With Clint Capela

July 1st, 2018 at 1:51pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Lakers will meet with Clint Capela today, David Aldridge of NBA.com reports (Twitter link). Aldridge adds that the team is working on multiple scenarios in regard to its free agency planning.

The Rockets are also meeting with the big man today in Los Angeles. The center is widely expected to return to Houston, as the team has the ability to match an offer sheet he receives.

The five spot appears to be a position of priority for the Lakers, as they reached out to DeMarcus Cousins just hours after free agency began. While no date has been set, a formal meeting is expected to be held between the two parties.

President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson promised to bring top talent to the Lakers and he’s leaving no stone unturned in his quest to do so. However, the team has yet to reach an agreement with any of the top free agents. Los Angeles saw Paul George shun the franchise and though the Lakers are considered the favorites to land LeBron James, it’s no lock that he comes to town, as the Sixers are courting him and using the potential Kawhi Leonard pairing as a selling point.

Capela had his most efficient season to date during the 2017/18 campaign, making 65.2% of his attempts while sporting a player efficiency rating of 24.5. Only five players rank ahead of the 24-year-old in our 2018 Free Agency rankings.

Free Agent Notes: Stephenson, Tolliver, McGee, O’Quinn

July 1st, 2018 at 11:50am CST by Arthur Hill

Plenty of teams will have interest in Lance Stephenson once the higher-profile free agents are signed, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. The Pacers remain open to bringing back the 27-year-old swingman after declining their team option on him this week. Wolfson lists the Timberwolves, Knicks, Sixers and Lakers as other interested teams, but says there are more.

Stephenson appeared in all 82 games for Indiana this season, averaging 9.2 points per night. He would have made $4.36MM in 2018/19 if the Pacers had picked up his option.

There’s more free agent news to pass along:

Timberwolves coach/executive Tom Thibodeau has talked to Pistons free agent Anthony Tolliver, according to Wolfson (Twitter link). Tolliver shot 44% from 3-point range this season, and Minnesota sees him as a possible replacement for Jamal Crawford. The Wolves also like his locker room presence, which could be valuable if Cole Aldrich doesn’t come back.
JaVale McGee has said he wants to return to the Warriors, but he is also getting interest from the Lakers, Pelicans and Thunder, tweets TNT’s David Aldridge. Because of luxury tax concerns, Golden State is unlikely to offer more than a veteran’s minimum contract, while the other teams have more financial flexibility. McGee averaged 4.8 PPG and 2.6RPG this season, but his numbers rose after he became a starter after the All-Star break. This is the third straight summer of free agency for McGee, who has spent the past two seasons with the Warriors.
The new contract for Luke Kornet is a sign that Kyle O’Quinn won’t return to the Knicks, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. He adds that the Sixers are showing “heavy interest” in O’Quinn, who spent the past three years in New York as a backup center.
The Knicks are hoping to re-sign Isaiah Hicks, who was on a two-way contract this season, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley. New York gave him a qualifying offer last week, making him a free agent and giving the team the right to match any offer. Hicks appeared in 18 NBA games, averaging 4.4 points per night.
A scheduled meeting between Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Clippers has been moved from today to Monday, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.

Sixers Notes: Ennis, Ilyasova, Bird, Milton

July 1st, 2018 at 10:50am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers have their eyes on free agent forward James Ennis, tweets ESPN’s Ian Begley, but landing him won’t be easy. Detroit owns Early Bird rights on Ennis and has made re-signing him a priority.

Ennis, 28, came to the Pistons at the trade deadline after beginning the season in Memphis. He was a part-time starter in Detroit and averaged 7.5 points per game. He earned a little more than $3MM this season.

The Rockets and Nets have also expressed interest in Ennis, according to Begley. The Pelicans would also like to sign him, but the growing interest may push him outside their price range, adds Scott Kushner of The Advocate (Twitter link). Ennis played nine games in New Orleans at the end of the 2015/16 season.

There’s more from Philadelphia on the first day of free agency:

The Sixers talked to veteran forward Ersan Ilyasova about a return before he signed a three-year, $21MM deal with the Bucks, according to Gery Woelful of The Racine Journal Times (Twitter link). The Lakers, Timberwolves and Raptors were other options for Ilyasova.
The Sixers are among the teams showing interest in Celtics shooting guard Jabari Bird, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, who adds that the Wolves are also considering an offer. Bird was a two-way player for Boston this season, appearing in 13 NBA games and averaging 3.0 points in 8.0 minutes per night. He was a big scorer for the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine, posting a 19.3/5.8/2.7 line in 20 games. Boston submitted a qualifying offer this week, making Bird a restricted free agent.
Second-round pick Shake Milton will be held out of summer league play because of a stress fracture in his back, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team plans to re-evaluate him in three weeks. His injury occurred during pre-draft workouts.
Justin Anderson had surgery on his left leg due to recurring tibial stress syndrome, the team announced on its website. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks, then again in six to eight weeks. Anderson has spent the past season and a half in Philadelphia and appeared in 38 games this year.

DeMarcus Cousins Expected To Meet With Pelicans, Lakers

July 1st, 2018 at 2:37am CST by Luke Adams

DeMarcus Cousins received calls from the Pelicans and Lakers after free agency officially got underway early Sunday morning, reports Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link). According to Spears, Cousins is expected to schedule meetings with both teams.

Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times confirms (via Twitter) that the Lakers have spoken to Cousins about setting up a meeting, though no date has been set yet, per Turner’s source.

We heard on Saturday night that Cousins may be emerging as a top target for the Lakers, who saw Paul George commit to re-signing with the Thunder early in free agency. No NBA team has more cap room than Los Angeles, but with George returning to Oklahoma City and LeBron James still weighing his decision, the Lakers haven’t had a chance to use that cap room on anyone yet.

As for the Pelicans, they project to be over the cap, but they hold Cousins’ Bird rights, so they could make him a significant offer, especially if they’re willing to cross into luxury-tax territory.

It’s not clear yet what Cousins’ next contract might look like. The standout center was in the midst of a career-best season – with 25.2 PPG, 12.9 RPG, and 5.4 APG in 48 games for New Orleans – and was headed for a probable long-term max deal before he tore his Achilles earlier this year. Teams interested in signing him will have questions about his health and his ability to bounce back from the injury. A shorter-term deal may be a possibility for the All-Star, who turns 28 next month.