- The Lakers are finalizing a deal to add Miles Simon to their coaching staff, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. He will replace Theo Robertson, who left this week to become an assistant at the University of California. The Most Outstanding Player in the 1997 NCAA Tournament, Simon played just five NBA games, all with Orlando. He spent three years as an assistant coach at Arizona and is currently a college basketball analyst for ESPN.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar may be the next Lakers legend to get a role with the team, according to Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. Abdul-Jabbar says he has been invited to meet with president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and controlling owner Jeanie Buss to discuss a position in the organization. He added that he would like to serve as a mentor to second-year center Ivica Zubac and help him develop his hook shot. “He’s equipped to use it well,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “He has the length to begin with. If he can develop his shooting touch and agility, he’ll use it well.”
Former Lakers coach Byron Scott said he “felt betrayed, lied to and deceived” by former GM Mitch Kupchak and former team president Jim Buss, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News writes. Scott said that the pair of executives promised him that the team would pick up his third-year option on his contract and he believes that they made him a scapegoat for the franchise’s struggles during Kobe Bryant‘s final season. He also believes the front office used him to manage Bryant.
“If I asked him to do certain things, Kobe would do it because of his respect for me,” said Scott. “Basically, you just wanted me there to help you guys get through the next two years, so Kobe doesn’t go crazy on you guys. I would be the one that can handle it. They know me. I’m not going to back down. I’m not going to be intimidated by anybody.”
Here’s more from Los Angeles:
- Scott remains a big fan of Julius Randle, but he’s not as bullish on D’Angelo Russell, Medina passes along in the same piece. “I don’t know if his work ethic has gotten any better. Some of the people I’ve talked to in the organization said that it hasn’t,” Scott said of Russell. “I just wish him all the best. The maturity level will catch up to him sooner or later when he realizes it’s an honor and a privilege to be in the NBA and be in the position that he’s in. He has to take full advantage of it.”
- Team president Magic Johnson only considers one player on the Lakers to be untouchable, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com relays. “I would say probably the only player that we would say, hey, we would probably not move is Brandon Ingram,” Johnson in an ESPN radio appearance. “I think that we’re excited about Brandon, his length, his size, his agility, his athleticism. And then when you think about, you know, he was a baby coming in, in his first year last season and we see that he really has a high ceiling and we’re excited about what he can possibly turn into.”
- The Lakers have hired Gunnar Peterson as their Director of Strength and Endurance Training, per NBA.com. Peterson has worked with many entertainers and athletes as a fitness trainer.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge said that UCLA freshman point guard Lonzo Ball will not work out for his team prior to the draft, A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast SportsNet tweets.
The news doesn’t come as a surprise, as his outspoken father LaVar said last week that his son would only work out for the Lakers. Boston and Los Angeles were the winners in the draft lottery, as they hold the top two picks.
Ball and Washington point guard Markelle Fultz are considered the top two players in the draft. Just because Ball refuses to work out for the Celtics doesn’t mean they will pass on him, if they deem him to be the best player in the draft.
Even so, Ball’s desire to play for the Lakers may increase the chances Fultz will be the Celtics’ pick, unless Ainge decides to use it as part of a package to acquire an All-Star level player.
Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan will remain in the draft, ESPN’s Jeff Goodwin reports (ESPN Now link). One GM tells Goodman that Swanigan is the most underrated guy in the draft. The big man is the 35th best prospect, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Hamidou Diallo will withdraw from the draft and play at Kentucky next season, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com tweets. Several NBA teams had interest in Diallo and Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog (Twitter link) reports that the Nets and Jazz were the two teams that had the strongest interest in the athletic wing.
- Josh Jackson is expected to come off the board early on draft night, but Bryan Kalbrosky of Hoops Hype speculates that Jackson’s off-court troubles could cause teams to pass on the Kansas product. Jackson was charged with a misdemeanor back in December for kicking and damaging another student’s car door and taillight. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and ultimately signed a diversion agreement which calls for him to attend anger management classes as part of its conditions.
- The Lakers worked out several prospects, according to Joey Ramirez of NBA.com. Kadeem Allen (Arizona), Jamel Artis (Pittsburg), Sidy Djitte (Clemson), J.J. Frazier (Georgia), Josh Hawkinson (Washington State) and L.J. Peak (Georgetown) all participated in drills for the team.
- Ike Anigbogu, who is expected to be taken in the first round, is dealing with a knee injury, Rod Beard of The Detroit News tweets. The ailment forced the UCLA product to miss a workout with the Pistons.
The Heat and Chris Bosh have reached a unique agreement that will relinquish his salary from the team’s cap space before free agency but will also allow him to play again in the league, sources tell Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson cautions that the agreement, which came together earlier this month, is not official just yet. He adds that an announcement is expected before the start of free agency.
Bosh has been telling people about the agreement and he’s pleased with the terms, Jackson hears. The scribe adds that the terms have reached the highest level of the league’s office. Bosh was cooperative throughout the process and his departure from Miami will be amicable. He previously expressed discontent with the organization, but the two sides are now on the same page.
The deal would permanently remove Bosh’s cap figure, which was set to be an approximate $52.1MM over the next two years, from Miami’s books. The figure would remain off of the team’s books even if Bosh resumes playing again for another franchise because of a change in the new CBA that allows for a medical panel to rule whether or not Bosh would be a risk should he resume his career.
The Lakers would be a possibility for Bosh should he make it back to the league, Jackson speculates. Bosh spends his summers in L.A. and the team’s new GM Rob Pelinka is his former agent. The two-time NBA champions previously said he intends to play again, though it’s unclear if any team will allow him on the court while he’s taking blood thinners for his medical issues.
The Celtics are likely to select one of the top two point guards, Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball, rather than moving their pick, according to David Aldridge of NBA.com. Boston has to protect itself with a tough decision coming on whether to re-sign Isaiah Thomas in the summer of 2018 and Fultz would make the most sense, Aldridge continues. Ball would be a natural fit with the Lakers, while the Sixers will probably go with small forward Josh Jackson, though Kentucky’s Malik Monk is an intriguing alternative, Aldridge adds. A trade in which the Suns move up a spot to snag Jackson to settle their small forward issues isn’t out of the question, according to Aldridge, who goes through each team’s need on a pick-by-pick basis.
In other news involving the draft:
- Austin Peay’s Josh Robinson will hire an agent, meaning he won’t be able to return to the university, Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). The 6’2″ guard, who missed time this season after being suspended from the school’s basketball team, will look to play overseas.
- MiKyle McIntosh is working out for the Raptors today, Goodman tweets. The Illinois State product has until Wednesday to make a final decision on entering the draft.
- Iowa State point guard Monte Morris headed the list of prospects worked out by the Kings today, Sean Cunningham of KXTV tweets. Morris is considered second-round material by both DraftExpress and ESPN’s Chad Ford.
- Gonzaga point guard Nigel Williams-Goss and Indiana big man Thomas Bryant were among the prospects the Lakers worked out on Monday, Robert Morales of the Orange County Register reports. None of the players Los Angeles brought in are considered first-round prospects.
- University of Utah forward Kyle Kuzma, who has already hired an agent, will work out for the Jazz on Tuesday, according to Aaron Falk and Tony Jones of the Salt Lake City Tribune. The 6’9” Kuzma, who is considered a second-round prospect, was one of the other hopefuls who worked for the Lakers on Monday.
Frontcourt may not be the Bulls‘ biggest need, but if someone as talented as Jarrett Allen is available at No. 16, the team shouldn’t hesitate to go in that direction, Mark Strotman of Comcast Sportsnet contends. Strotman believes Allen could be the team’s next Joakim Noah. Chicago drafted Noah in 2007 even though Ben Wallace was under contract and it worked out long-term for the franchise.
Allen may not surpass current starting center Robin Lopez this season, but by the time his rookie contract is up, Allen could be one of the best big men in the league. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express has the Texas product as the 17th best prospect in his class.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- The Lakers recently met with Michigan’s Zak Irvin and the team was impressed with his workout, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Irvin will also work out for the Bucks later this week.
- Pittsburg’s Jamel Artis will work out for the Lakers and Rockets later this week, Scotto reports in a separate tweet. Artis isn’t ranked in Givony’s top 100 prospects.
- The Magic have several players scheduled to work out for the team on Tuesday, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel passes along. Cal’s Ivan Rabb, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan, Villanova’s Josh Hart and Houston’s Damyean Dotson will all participate in Orlando’s workouts.
De’Aaron Fox was eyeing Sacramento as a destination even before the Kings moved up in the lottery, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweets. The Kings need a long-term option at the point guard position and Fox could be the answer when they pick at No. 5. Howard-Cooper notes that Fox is friends with center Willie Cauley-Stein.
Here’s more on the upcoming draft:
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) hears that the Knicks, Mavericks, Sixers and Kings are the franchises which spent the most time scouting Frank Ntilikina in France over the past month. Ntilikina is the 10th best prospect in the draft, according to Draft Express’ Jonathan Givony.
- Joseph Chartouny will withdraw from the draft and return to Fordham next season, sources tell Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). The point guard scored 11.9 points and dished out 4.6 assists during his sophomore campaign at the university.
- While it appears the Ball family may get their dream outcome of Lonzo Ball playing for the Lakers, Adi Joseph of USA Today lays out four scenarios that could hurt LaVar Ball‘s master plan.
George, 27, is one year away from free agency but is keeping his eye on joining his hometown Lakers. Amick notes that George idolized Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and despite the gap in dollars, George is “more focused on legacy than ever.” Also, with the Lakers not having made the playoffs since the 2012/13 season, George “believes he can lift the Lakers out of the darkness,” Amick writes.
The Lakers could entertain trading for George but would run the risk of surrendering their No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft this year. Also, the team reportedly feels confident it can lure George to Los Angeles in free agency next year, but run the risk of Indiana trading him elsewhere, which could lead to George re-signing with his new team. In either case, Amick paints a picture of a man who wants to be in Los Angeles sooner than later.
- The Lakers should trade their No. 2 overall pick to the Pacers and acquire George this offseason, Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated opines. Spears points out that acquiring George, a four-time All-Star, is the biggest upgrade any team can make this offseason. While such a deal could also appeal to a club like the Celtics, the growing belief that George wants to end up in L.A. makes it less viable for other suitors to roll the dice — still, the Lakers may not want to take the risk of letting him land elsewhere.
The Lakers landed the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s lottery and it brought speculation that the team could send it to Indiana for Paul George. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (video link) hears that George would prefer the Lakers to keep their assets since it would allow them to be a better team come next summer when George can be a free agent.
Wojnarowski added that the Lakers are confident that they can sign George and the team is being encouraged not to make a trade for him. It’s unclear exactly who is feeding Los Angeles this information, but it sounds as if someone from George’s camp reached out to the team.
George did not make an All-NBA team this season, meaning he is not eligible for the new designated player extension. He could earn that super max deal with the Pacers should he make an All-NBA team next year, something that would give Indiana an advantage in keeping him on the squad. The awards aren’t announced until after the season, which would leave the team with less than two months to negotiate a new deal since George is likely to opt out of his current deal next July.
New team president Kevin Pritchard may not want to wait and risk losing the organization’s best player for nothing, so a trade with the Lakers or another team remains a possibility. The franchise still has the ability to offer George more years and money than any rival team, though the advantage isn’t as significant as it would be with the designated player extension as an option.