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Pacific Notes: Batum, LeBron, Hachimura, Christie, Warriors

October 6th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Rumors that Nicolas Batum may be entering his final NBA season swirled in August following a series of tweets from his wife, Aurelie. She clarified in those tweets that her husband hasn’t formally decided to retire following the 2023/24 season and that his future beyond his current contract is still up in the air. This week at training camp, the Clippers forward confirmed that message, as Janis Carr of The Orange County Register writes.

“I think I’ve done a lot in the NBA,” Batum said. “I’m trying to focus on this season. We’ll see what happens after this season. Maybe I’m going to stay, maybe not. I don’t know yet.

“… (I’m) thinking about what I’ve got left. All I’m thinking right now is I’m just ready for this year. … I’m really excited for this year and what’s ahead for this franchise, that’s for sure.”

Batum averaged 21.9 minutes per night in 78 appearances for the Clippers last season, his most games played in a season since 2013/14. The veteran anticipates having a rotation role again this season and indicated a willingness to play as much as head coach Tyronn Lue wants to use him, even though he’ll turn 35 in December.

“A bunch of guys want to get like minutes, and they don’t get it. I’m playing, so I’m not complaining about it,” Batum said. “You can’t be tired and complain because you play too much when guys only want opportunities to play.”

Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific:

  • No player was around LeBron James this offseason more than Rui Hachimura, according to LeBron, who has taken his Lakers teammate under his wing this offseason in the hopes of unlocking his full potential, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. James, the NBA’s oldest player, will sit out the team’s preseason opener on Saturday as the club manages his minutes, though he still plans to see plenty of action during the preseason, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
  • Lakers guard Max Christie, who was expected to be given a chance to prove in training camp that he deserves a rotation spot, appears to be taking advantage of that opportunity, earning praise this week from coach Darvin Ham and his teammates, according to Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “Max Christie is a dog! … His game surprised me a lot,” big man Jaxson Hayes said of Christie. “I already knew he was a good player, but he can really go.”
  • Warriors wing Klay Thompson said on Thursday that he’s up to the challenge of defending some power forwards this season and will do whatever’s asked of him (Twitter video link via Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area). Head coach Steve Kerr spoke about that plan earlier in the week.
  • Stephen Curry said he played a lot of pickup ball with new Warriors teammate Chris Paul this summer and believes the fit on offense will be “seamless” (Twitter video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). The goal will be making sure the pairing works on defense as well.
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Nuggets Notes: Braun, Holiday, Porter, Malone, Title Defense

October 5th, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Maher

In a lengthy interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Nuggets wing Christian Braun discussed a number of topics, including an opportunity for an expanded role in his second season following the free agency departure of Bruce Brown. When asked how Denver could mitigate the loss of Brown, Braun said he’s ready to step up to the plate.

“I was fortunate enough to learn a lot from him and from KCP (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope),” Braun said. “I was fortunate enough to be around guys who are similar to me in a lot of ways. Bruce and I are similar in a lot of ways, but we’re also different. We bring different things to the court, whether it’s defensive intensity, transition scoring or being a pest. We’re similar, so I think I can fill that role pretty easily.

“Obviously, he’s a great player and did a lot of great things for us in big moments, too. So there is definitely some expanding to my game that I need to do. But with watching him and his effort every night, I think that’s a big reason why he was so good. That’s also something that I’m really good at, so I think I will fit into that role well.”

As far as his goals for 2023/24, Braun said he’s more focused on helping the Nuggets defend their title than earning individual accolades.

“My goals stay the same,” Braun told Medina. “We’re no individual. We’ll make sure we win as a team. We’ll emphasize on starting off on the right foot, get the No. 1 seed and make sure everybody knows our goal is the same. We’re not satisfied with one. We’re trying to turn this thing into a dynasty. We’re trying to turn it into something consistent every year so that we’re consistently fighting for a championship every year.

“It’s not about my individual goals. I do know I’m going to have a bigger role this year. But I know what comes with that. I know we’ll compete for a championship for the next few years.”

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

  • Veteran wing Justin Holiday is already making an impact with his new team and is pleased with his decision to join the Nuggets in free agency, writes Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. “My game is made for the way the Denver Nuggets play,” Holiday said. “This organization is a championship-caliber organization. Obviously, they just won, but how they do things, what they expect from us, and that’s something I appreciate. After the organization, the players. No egos. You’ve got the best player in the world, the best few players in the world, and guys are cool on the court. They put you in actions with them.” Holiday signed a one-year, minimum-salary deal with Denver this offseason.
  • Forward Michael Porter Jr. sustained a left ankle sprain during Wednesday’s practice and left the gym in a walking boot, Wind adds in the same story. A source tells Wind that the Nuggets aren’t concerned with the injury, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Porter rests a few days for precautionary reasons.
  • After the Lakers said they were motivated by Denver’s trash talk after being swept in the Western Conference Finals, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone dismissed any friction and is focused on the present, not the past. “Oh, they’re talking about us? That was what, four months ago?” Malone said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “I can’t speak for anybody in L.A., but if they’re still worried about us, that’s on them. This is a new season, a new challenge, and it was a hell of a series against them. I know it was a 4-0 sweep, but all those games seemed like they went down to the wire. We have tremendous respect for that team. I have tremendous respect for Darvin Ham as a coach and the job that he did. But yeah, I don’t listen to any of that stuff. I don’t know what they’re saying, and if we’re on their minds, then I guess that’s on them.”
  • The Nuggets are focused on defending their championship by maintaining their strong work ethic and team play, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. “If we want to try and be the team that can repeat, and the team that can be a dynasty, we have to have a standard of excellence each and every day,” Malone said. “And it’s going to be my job to hold the guys accountable when we’re not playing well.”
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Lakers Notes: Hood-Schifino, LeBron, Davis, Storylines

October 5th, 2023 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

A 20-year-old rookie on a deep, experienced team, Jalen Hood-Schifino likely won’t have a major role in his first NBA season, but multiple Lakers players pointed to this year’s No. 17 overall pick earlier this week when asked who stood out most at the club’s first practice, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.

“I will give you one actually,” veteran point guard D’Angelo Russell said when asked about early camp standouts. “Jalen played really well today. Competitive. Made shots. Got after it.”

“Jalen looked really good today for his first day,” Austin Reaves said of the rookie. “So, super excited just to see what (he does).”

With Russell and Reaves penciled in to start, Gabe Vincent expected to play a major role, and Max Christie on track to get rotation minutes, it’s hard to see a clear path to regular playing time for Hood-Schifino in the backcourt as long as everyone is healthy. However, a strong showing in camp and the preseason could make the Lakers think twice about where he ends up on the depth chart.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

  • LeBron James was slowed in the spring by a foot injury that sapped him of some of his athleticism and explosiveness, but that hasn’t been an issue so far in camp, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Teammate Jarred Vanderbilt said that James has been “a freight train,” while head coach Darvin Ham confirmed the foot injury is no longer affecting the four-time MVP, who isn’t looking like the NBA’s oldest player. “He’s 100% healthy,” Ham said. “He looks fine. He looks like third- or fourth-year LeBron.”
  • The Lakers view the trash talk aimed at them by the Nuggets following Denver’s win over L.A. in last season’s Western Conference Finals as “motivational,” according to Anthony Davis, who said the team is looking forward to its regular season opener in Denver on October 24. “There was just so much of that going on it was like, ‘All right, we get it, y’all won,'” Davis said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “But me and Bron had some conversations like, ‘We can’t wait (to play them again).”
  • Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times has noticed a change in Davis’ demeanor this fall, writing that the star big man appears more focused, determined, and vocal as a leader. “I think I’m going to be the second-oldest guy here now, so guys lean on me a lot, especially the bigs,” Davis said. “I feel like it’s my responsibility, being one of the leaders on the team alongside Bron.”
  • Jovan Buha of The Athletic identifies 10 of the most important Lakers storylines to follow this season, including Russell’s future with the organization, whether Christie can make a leap, how the team will handle its stars’ workloads, and how frequently the coaching staff will use two-big lineups.
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Pacific Notes: LeBron, Green, Jackson-Davis, Sabonis

October 3rd, 2023 at 6:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

As last season ended, Lakers superstar LeBron James hinted he would consider retiring. With training camp opening this week, James struck a much different tone, Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes.

James says he’s ready for another run at a championship. “I feel like I got a lot more in the tank to give,” he said.

However, he’s not ready to commit to playing beyond this season. He holds a $51.4MM option for the 2024/25 season.

“I don’t know what the end of this road looks like, or at the end of the season. I have no idea,” he said.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • While some people look at the Warriors’ roster and conclude they need more beef up front, Draymond Green has a different take, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “They said we didn’t have enough size in 2022, and we won,” Green said. “I’ve been told I wasn’t the right size forever, and I’ve won. … I can show you where we didn’t have enough size and we won. In saying that, I’m not totally against having another big.” Golden State doesn’t have a traditional center to back up Kevon Looney.
  • Late second-round pick Trayce Jackson-Davis knows what he must do to get playing time in his rookie year with the Warriors, Anthony Slater of The Athletic relays. “I’m going to screen for some of the best shooters in the world, and I’m going to get rebounds,” the forward out of Indiana University said. “I’m going to try to be a lob threat, and I’m going to try to bring energy.”
  • Kings star big man Domantas Sabonis says his thumb is fully healed and didn’t require surgery, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets. Sabonis suffered an avulsion fracture in his right thumb last season and played through the injury.
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Lakers Notes: James, Russell, Wood, Davis

October 2nd, 2023 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LeBron James says he’s no longer the face of the Lakers franchise. He gives that title to Anthony Davis, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes.

“He is the face [of the franchise],” James said. “You look at all these [retired] numbers that surround this facility, all the greats that have come here and AD is one of them.”

Davis, who signed a three-year max extension in August, says he feels the need to be a leader.

“I think I’m going to be the second-oldest guy here now so guys lean on me a lot,” he said. “I feel like it’s my responsibility, being one of the leaders of the team alongside Bron. It’s my job to help those guys and help the young guys and continuously being on them. Let them know what we need and what we need to get better and giving them advice so we can all be together and unified to be able to compete for a championship.”

We have more on the Lakers:

  • D’Angelo Russell offered a simple explanation as to why he re-signed with the Lakers this summer, McMenamin tweets. “They made me feel wanted,” he said. Russell signed a two-year, $37MM contract at the start of free agency.
  • Christian Wood says he’s motivated to disprove the “false narrative” about him, he told Spectrum SportsNet (video link). Wood lingered in free agency much longer than expected before accepting a two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Lakers. “Just ready to prove a lot of people wrong,” he said.
  • Davis believes the Lakers are primed for another championship due to the moves the front office made this offseason, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “A lot of teams around the league have made a lot of good moves to improve their teams. We did as well,” Davis said. “So we know every night, going into every game is going to be a battle. I think we’re prepared for it. Obviously, we have a lot of work to do. But I like our chances against anybody. We have depth, we have speed, we have shooting, we have ball-handling, we have play-making. We have it all. Now it’s just time to get on the floor.”
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Durant, Curry, LeBron, Other U.S. Stars Express Olympic Interest

October 2nd, 2023 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2024 Olympics in Paris were a popular topic of discussion on media days around the NBA in Monday, with many of the league’s biggest American stars expressing interest in representing Team USA next summer.

Suns forward Kevin Durant, who won Olympic gold medals in 2012, 2016, and 2020, was adamant in addressing his 2024 plans, telling reporters, “I will play in the Olympics next year,” according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

Durant’s Suns teammate Devin Booker also indicated that he would accept an invite from USA Basketball, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes, while KD’s former Warriors teammate Stephen Curry told reporters, “(I) definitely want to be on the team,” per Reynolds.

Lakers forward LeBron James, who was rumored last month to be recruiting his fellow U.S. stars to play at next year’s Olympics, confirmed his interest, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic. His teammate Anthony Davis wasn’t prepared to commit yet, telling reporters that it’s too early to say whether he’ll play (Twitter link via Buha).

Of course, one of the biggest question marks for Team USA is Joel Embiid, who has yet to take part in an international competition and has citizenship in France and the U.S. in addition to his native Cameroon.

As Tim Bontemps of ESPN relays (via Twitter), Embiid said today that he’d like to play in the Olympics but is still weighing his options. While the U.S. and France have already qualified, Cameroon will compete in a qualifying tournament next summer in the hopes of earning a spot in the 12-team Olympic field. Embiid, who was reportedly given an October 10 deadline by the French team, said he hopes to make his decision “in the next few days.”

“I love all three options,” Embiid said, per ESPN. “Cameroon, I’m born there, I’m from there and I always want to represent my country. But the goal is also to play in the Olympics. If we had a chance, or if we would qualify for the Olympics, that will be an easy decision. But that’s still up in the air. And I really do want to play in the Olympics.”

Here’s more on the potential Team USA roster, which can only accommodate 12 players:

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And-Ones: Holiday, N. Young, J. Parker, 2024 Draft, More

October 2nd, 2023 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat and Clippers are believed to be the other teams that were seriously in the mix for Jrue Holiday before the Trail Blazers accepted the Celtics’ offer for the All-Defensive guard, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during the latest episode of his Hoop Collective podcast.

“I’m not sure exactly where are the offers were at the end for the Blazers before they decided on the Celtics’ offer, but based on my conversations, my feel was there was at least three teams who were making significant bids.” Windhorst said, according to RealGM. “… The teams I really think were there in the end were the Celtics, Heat and the Clippers.

“The reason I think those three teams were there because I think those were the three teams Jrue Holiday was really focused on at some point being able to sign a longer-term contract (with). And that message kind of went out in recent days. Other teams made offers but it was sort of a three-team, aggressive race at the end. Only the Blazers know exactly what the offers were.”

The Clippers came close to acquiring Malcolm Brogdon back in June, so it will be interesting to see if they make any effort to re-engage the Trail Blazers in talks for Brogdon after missing out on Holiday.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Former NBA guard Nick Young is resuming his playing career overseas, having signed with the Macau Black Bears of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL), according to the team (Instagram link; hat tip to Sportando). A former first-round pick, Young has appeared in 720 regular season NBA games, but has been out of the league since being waived by Denver in 2018.
  • Speaking to Alex Molina of Eurohoops following his move to FC Barcelona, former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker said he believes the NBA is getting “watered down” because so many teams are trying to tank for draft picks each season, and expressed dismay that players like Dwight Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, and John Wall can’t find NBA homes.
  • ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Insider link) has updated his mock draft for 2024, moving USC guard Isaiah Collier up to No. 2 and Perth Wildcats big man Alexandre Sarr up to No. 4. While Ron Holland of the G League Ignite is still considered the early favorite to be next year’s No. 1 pick, Givony says Sarr has done enough to join the small group of prospects with a legitimate case for the top spot in the 2024 draft.
  • With a series of holes in its programming schedule this winter due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes, ABC will air NBA games on every Wednesday night in January, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. That slate of games will includes matchups between the Pelicans and Warriors, Mavericks and Lakers, and Suns and Nets, among others.
  • Kurt Helin of NBC Sports believes that Jason Kidd (Mavericks), Steve Clifford (Hornets), and Billy Donovan (Bulls) are three head coaches who will be on the hot seat this season.
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Pacific Notes: Vincent, Primo, Gay, McGruder, Suns

September 30th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Gabe Vincent said he isn’t upset that Lakers coach Darvin Ham has already chosen D’Angelo Russell as his starting point guard. Vincent is only a few months removed from starting for the Heat in the NBA Finals, but he’s willing to accept a reserve role with his new team.

“That’s something for D-Ham to worry about,” Vincent said. “I’m not the coach. I don’t set lineups. I just go out there and do my job. I’ll do whatever I can to help this team win games and help this organization win games. As I’ve seen in the past, every night doesn’t always look the same. With that big picture in mind with trying to help us win, I’ll wear whatever hat is needed.”

L.A. signed Vincent to a three-year contract worth $33MM, so he’s obviously in the team’s plans even if he won’t start right away. Vincent had several options in free agency, but he liked the idea of playing for Ham because they have similar backgrounds.

“I think it’s just in general his route,” Vincent said. “I think there are some similarities between me and him in that regard and his journey. He spent some time in the G League as did I. There are some similarities that we have naturally, even when we sit down and talk the game and catch up. It’s seamless. We get along well. D Ham has been great. He’s been very real. So I definitely have appreciated him early in this process.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

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Pacific Notes: Primo, Hachimura, Jasikevicius, Poole

September 30th, 2023 at 11:05am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Clippers signed guard Joshua Primo to a two-way contract on Friday, the same day the league suspended him for four games after the league determined he “engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women.” Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times writes that the Clippers felt comfortable with signing Primo after meeting with him for months and hearing from specialists who spent time with him.

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, said that the decision to sign Primo came with “a great deal of conversation with people throughout the organization,” according to Greif. Frank also said that female employees who most frequently interact with players were consulted on the decision, per Greif.

“We took many steps to make sure that we could feel very confident that we will be able to create a safe and comfortable workplace,” Frank said.

The specialists who met with Primo worked in mental health fields, Frank said, according to Greif.

“We’re not disputing allegations or condoning the alleged conduct, but why we’re here is because of all the work he’s put in since those allegations,” Frank said.

Primo was drafted with the 12th overall pick by the Spurs in the 2021 NBA Draft but was waived four games into his second season after a psychologist who worked for the Spurs, Dr. Hillary Cauthen, alleged in a civil complaint against the Spurs that Primo exposed himself to her nine times during individual private sessions.

A source tells San Antonio Express-News’ Tom Orsborn (Twitter link) that, in addition to Dr. Cauthen, Primo exposed himself to two other women, with all incidents occurring while he was with the Spurs. Orsborn adds that it’s possible that charges could arise in other counties like they did in Bexar County (Twitter link).

In addition to being suspended for the first four games of the season, Primo is ineligible to appear in the NBA’s preseason, Greif writes.

We have more notes from the Pacific Division:

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Lakers Notes: Russell, Starters, Davis, LeBron, Wood, Pelinka

September 29th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

After the Lakers signed Gabe Vincent to a three-year, $33MM contract in July, there was some speculation that he might supplant D’Angelo Russell as the team’s starting point guard. However, that’s not the plan to open the season, head coach Darvin Ham told reporters on Thursday.

“He’s our starting point guard,” Ham said of Russell, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m going to encourage him to be assertive. He’s a highly intelligent basketball player who’s coming back with a chip on his shoulder. He chose us, we believe in him and he’s one of those guys who has a ton of pride and passion about not only his individual performance, but those of his teammates as well.”

Ham also confirmed that Austin Reaves will start alongside Russell in the backcourt, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis obviously penciled in for starting roles in the frontcourt. The fifth spot in the starting lineup will be up for grabs heading into training camp, as Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

  • Every Lakers player is healthy and is expected to be fully available entering camp, according to Ham (Twitter link via Buha).
  • Although James and Davis have battled injuries in recent years, the Lakers are optimistic about the stars’ chances of staying healthy in 2023/24. Head of basketball operations Rob Pelinka acknowledged that “unexpected” injuries are always a possibility, but said that Davis has been focused this offseason on getting “leaner, stronger, quicker, (and) more explosive,” while James has taken his training regimen to a new level. “It’s staggering for a player who has 20 years under the hood already and is preparing for 21 like he’s a rookie,” Pelinka said of LeBron (link via Mark Medina of Sportskeeda). “He’s been doing 6 a.m. workouts. Probably been in our building as much as any player this offseason.”
  • Pelinka told reporters, including McMenamin (Twitter link), that he spoke to Christian Wood‘s agent almost daily for much of the summer and that the big man ultimately chose Los Angeles’ offer over others from contenders. Pelinka likened Wood to Malik Monk and Dennis Schröder, who each signed a minimum-salary contract with the Lakers and parlayed a strong season into a bigger payday the following year.
  • Pelinka spoke during Thursday’s press conference about prioritizing continuity and “trying to improve around the edges” this offseason, which is an approach that Ham appreciated, as Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group writes. “The sustainability of bringing back the main part of our core, and also adding to that – Rob used the phrase of not just going after star players, but players that star in their roles,” Ham said. “I thought we did a phenomenal job doing that, executing that.”
  • In a column for the Los Angeles Times, Bill Plaschke refers to Pelinka as the Lakers’ “most improved player,” praising him for admitting to and correcting his mistakes (such as the trade for Russell Westbrook) and for making a series of moves that have turned the club into a legitimate contender.
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