Los Angeles Lakers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nuggets, Thunder, Pacers, Lakers Fold Draft-Pick Deals Into Four-Team Trade

June 23rd, 2023 at 1:59am CST by Luke Adams

Three separate draft-pick trades have been officially completed and have been turned into a single four-team deal, according to press releases from the Nuggets, Thunder, and Lakers. The reported terms are as follows:

Nuggets acquire the draft rights to Julian Strawther (No. 29 pick; from Pacers), the draft rights to Jalen Pickett (No. 32 pick; from Pacers), the draft rights to Hunter Tyson (No. 37 pick; from Thunder), and the least favorable of the Timberwolves’ and Hornets’ 2024 second-round picks (from Thunder).
Thunder acquire the Nuggets’ 2029 first-round pick (protected; from Nuggets).
Pacers acquire the least favorable of the Thunder’s, Clippers’, Rockets’ (top-four protected), and Jazz’s (top-10 protected) 2024 first-round picks (from Thunder); the draft rights to Mojave King (No. 47 pick; from Lakers); and cash (approximately $4.3MM; from Lakers).
Lakers acquire the draft rights to Maxwell Lewis (No. 40 pick; from Nuggets).

The Nuggets and Thunder reached the first of these trade agreements two weeks ago, followed by the Nuggets and Pacers agreeing to a deal on Wednesday that included one of the picks Denver had received from Oklahoma City. Indiana subsequently flipped one of the picks it got from the Nuggets to the Lakers in a third agreement on Thursday.

Each team involved in this four-way swap is “touching” at least two other clubs in the deal, so no additional pieces needed to be added to make it legal.

Lakers Signing Castleton, Hodge To Two-Way Deals, Fudge To Exhibit 10 Contract

June 23rd, 2023 at 12:23am CST by Arthur Hill

Florida center Colin Castleton and Missouri guard D’Moi Hodge will join the Lakers on two-way contracts, according to tweets from Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.

Castleton, 23, was a first-team All-SEC selection this season after averaging 16.0 points and 7.7 rebounds as a fifth-year senior. His season ended early after suffering a broken hand in mid-February.

Hodge, 24, was a 2023 finalist for national Defensive Player of the Year honors. Also a fifth-year senior, he averaged 14.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game in his only season with the Tigers.

In addition, L.A. will sign Florida forward Alex Fudge to an Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The 20-year-old forward posted 5.8 PPG and 4.5 RPG as a sophomore.

Western Rumors: Suns, Jazz, Pelicans, Zion, Rockets

June 22nd, 2023 at 8:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite trading away all of their second-round picks for the next seven years after this one, the Suns do still hold the No. 52 selection in tonight’s draft. According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), Phoenix has been exploring trade options with that pick. Dealing it for a player is one option — moving up in the second round using cash as a sweetener is another path the team has considered, says Gambadoro.

Here’s more from around the West:

The Jazz had some discussions about trading the No. 9 and/or No. 16 pick, but ultimately hung onto both, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Utah continues to explore deals involving No. 28, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), who reports that the team’s decision on whether or not to keep it will depend on who’s still on the board at that point.
Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s draft broadcast that he couldn’t find a team that was offered Zion Williamson in trade talks with the Pelicans leading up to the draft. While New Orleans did try to move up from No. 14, the club was focused on using future draft assets in those efforts rather than offering a star like Williamson.
The Rockets, who are picking at No. 20, have made trade inquiries with the Lakers (No. 17), Heat (No. 18), and Warriors (No. 19), but haven’t revealed which prospect they’re looking to move up for, tweets Fischer.

Trade Rumors: Siakam, J. Allen, Mavs, Suggs, Suns

June 22nd, 2023 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s a “growing sentiment” that Pascal Siakam wouldn’t re-sign with a team that trades for him, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link), who reports that the forward’s preference is to remain with the Raptors for the long term.

Siakam will be entering a contract year in 2023/24, so a club that gives up a significant package to acquire him would probably want assurances that he’d be willing to stick around for more than one season, even if he doesn’t agree to an extension right away.

It’s worth noting that Siakam would qualify for a super-max contract – worth 35% of the cap instead of 30% – if he makes an All-NBA team in 2024, but would become ineligible for the super-max if he’s traded. That’s not to say that his reported desire to remain in Toronto isn’t genuine, but he’d also have contract-related reasons to want to stay put. Either way, his apparent stance figures to reduce his trade value for the Raptors.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Cavaliers are receiving trade inquiries and offers for center Jarrett Allen, but have rebuffed those overtures, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, who reports that the Mavericks are among the teams that have reached out to Cleveland about Allen. As Fedor notes (via Twitter), the Cavs are scouring the trade market for a two-way wing and don’t have a ton of assets to offer for one without including a core player like Allen, but they don’t appear inclined to go that route at this point.
The Lakers would be among the teams with interest in Magic guard Jalen Suggs if the team were to make him available, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. There’s no indication that Orlando is considering moving Suggs, but if the club drafts a guard or two in the lottery tonight, its backcourt would be getting a little crowded.
The Suns had the option of trading Chris Paul to the Warriors for a Jordan Poole-centric package like the one the Wizards received, says John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). However, according to Gambadoro, Phoenix determined that Bradley Beal was a better fit for what the club wanted.
Deandre Ayton isn’t a lock to open the 2023/24 season in Phoenix, but new Suns head coach Frank Vogel “loves” the young Suns center, who reminds him of a more skilled Roy Hibbert, according to Gambadoro (Twitter link). Vogel’s fondness for Ayton is a factor in favor of him sticking with the Suns, Gambadoro adds.

Draft/Trade Rumors: Am. Thompson, Blazers, Beal, Brogdon, More

June 22nd, 2023 at 1:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Many view the 2023 NBA draft as having a “big three” of Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller, but league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer that Amen Thompson, who is ranked No. 4 on ESPN’s big board, is expected to receive consideration from the Trail Blazers at No. 3 if Henderson goes No. 2 to Charlotte.

Still, O’Connor has Portland selecting Miller in his latest mock draft, with Thompson heading to Houston at No. 4. As O’Connor writes, Thompson could make sense for the Blazers if they decide to trade Damian Lillard, but there’s been no indication that’s in the plans as of yet.

Here are a few more draft and trade-related rumors:

Multiple sources tell O’Connor that the Raptors registered interest in Bradley Beal while he was still with the Wizards, but the three-time All-Star preferred to go to the Suns. O’Connor doesn’t specify what Toronto may have offered for Beal or if the talks advanced at all.
According to Adam Himmselsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link), the Clippers decided to pull out of their three-team trade talks with the Celtics and Wizards because they didn’t have time to complete a physical on Malcolm Brogdon. The three sides were facing time constraints, as Kristaps Porzingis had a midnight ET deadline to pick up his $36MM player option as part of the trade (he wound up being sent to Boston anyway in a separate deal). Brogdon reportedly suffered a torn tendon in his right elbow during the Eastern Conference Finals and recently said he hoped to avoid surgery. Sources tell Himmelsbach that even if the 30-year-old does need surgery, there’s a belief that he’d be ready to go by the start of 2023/24.
In addition to the Raptors and Mavericks, the Hawks have also discussed trades with the Celtics, reports O’Connor. It’s unclear which players or draft picks may have been discussed. For what it’s worth, there’s a “strong belief” around the league that the Celtics aren’t done making moves, writes Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com.
O’Connor hears that Chris Livingston, who opted out of his remaining pre-draft workouts a couple weeks ago, impressed teams with his shooting ability prior to making that decision. O’Connor has the Kentucky wing going No. 43 to Portland.
Jordan Hawkins is a name worth monitoring for Lakers fans, according to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com (Twitter link), who reports that Hawkins met with the team. The UConn wing is considered one of the best shooters in the draft and is currently No. 16 on ESPN’s board, while the Lakers control the Nos. 17 and 40 picks.

Lakers, Pacers Swapping Second-Round Picks

June 22nd, 2023 at 11:55am CST by Rory Maher

The Lakers are trading the 47th pick and cash to the Pacers in exchange for the 40th pick in tonight’s draft, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star confirms the news (via Twitter).

As Wojnarowski tweets, the Lakers now control the Nos. 17 and 40 picks, while the Pacers control Nos. 7, 26, 47 and 55. It’s Indiana’s second trade ahead of the draft — the team previously reached a previous agreement with the Nuggets.

The Lakers sent out $2MM in cash at the trade deadline as part of the deal for Mohamed Bamba, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter), so they could send the Pacers up to $4,363,000 as part of the agreement.

A source tells Dopirak that Indiana will receive $4.3MM in cash from L.A., so it appears the Lakers have temporarily reached their cash limit (Twitter link). The cash allotment will be reset when the new league year begins July 1, Marks adds.

Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files hears the Pacers are “very active” on the trade market in search of a veteran wing, holding conversations with multiple teams (Twitter link). Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported similarly earlier today, with Indiana coming close to acquiring De’Andre Hunter from the Hawks before talks fell apart.

The Sixers might target the No. 47 pick if the Pacers aren’t able to make a consolidation trade, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. The Sixers don’t currently own a pick, but have been looking to buy a second-rounder.

Draft Rumors: Miller, Henderson, Pistons, Howard, Jaquez

June 22nd, 2023 at 10:10am CST by Arthur Hill

Numerous insiders have stated that the Hornets are leaning heavily toward taking Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick in tonight’s draft, but Miller indicated Wednesday that he hasn’t been promised anything, writes Adam Zagoria of NJ.com.

“Probably when I get drafted is when I’ll know where I’m going,” Miller said. He added that he’ll be equally happy heading to Charlotte with the second pick or Portland at No. 3.

In an updated mock draft released this morning, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic moved G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson up to No. 2 ahead of Miller. Vecenie has been skeptical of rumors that Charlotte is leaning toward Miller because he’s a better fit, and he continues to doubt leaks that the Hornets have decided on Miller after bringing both players in for a second workout on Monday.

Vecenie points out that general manager Mitch Kupchak said at a news conference Wednesday that team officials didn’t get a lot of new information from that second visit. Vecenie adds that incoming owners Gabe Plotkin and Rich Schnall will be involved in the draft decision, and they may view Henderson as the better prospect.

There’s more draft news to pass along:

The Pistons are listening to offers for the No. 5 pick, but their asking price is “prohibitively high,” Jonathan Givony states in ESPN’s updated mock draft (subscription required). He cites the Jazz, who hold the ninth and 16th picks, as a team that would like to move up if Detroit eases its demands. Givony adds that Pistons’ ownership may be reluctant to trade down, hoping to add an exciting prospect after such a difficult season. Givony lists Ausar Thompson as his choice for Detroit, noting that Cam Whitmore has likely fallen into the 6-9 range.
Michigan’s Jett Howard tells Sean Deveney of Heavy.com that he worked out this week for the Lakers, who hold pick No. 17. Deveney points out that the freshman guard already has a connection with L.A. general manager Rob Pelinka, who played with Jett’s father, Juwan Howard, for two seasons with the Wolverines. “Rob was there, talked to him a little bit,” Howard said of the 30-minute session with the Lakers. “I have known him so long, it was kind of an organic conversation. And yeah, if they pick me, I would be more than happy to play for them.”
The Lakers, Heat (18) and Warriors (19) may all have interest in UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez, Deveney adds in a separate story. Jaquez credits strong workouts with helping to raise his draft stock. “I think I did well in the workouts, I went out there and showed what I can do, and hopefully teams saw what I was capable of,” he said. “There were question marks going into those workouts, I went into those workouts trying to answer those questions. I think that is why I got this invite here.”
Jaquez is one of the final additions to the Green Room list issued by the NBA (Twitter link), along with Brandin Podziemski and Rayan Rupert.

Draft Rumors: Miller, Hornets, Blazers, Pacers, Magic, More

June 21st, 2023 at 8:44pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets appear to be leaning toward selecting Alabama’s Brandon Miller with the second overall pick in tomorrow night’s draft, according to reports from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link via ClutchPoints), Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link), Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link) and Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.

Wojnarowski, Givony, and Woo have all heard from sources who say Miller performed much better in his second workout on Monday in front of Hornets brass, including owner Michael Jordan. Wojnarowski goes so far as to say Miller “further solidified his standing as Charlotte’s choice at No. 2.”

For his part, Miller said in a SiriusXM NBA Radio interview (Twitter video link) that he didn’t feel intimidated by working out in front of Jordan, noting that he didn’t grow up watching the Hall of Famer. He also said he had a “fun time” exchanging verbal jabs with Jordan.

Here are more rumors on the draft, which is less than 24 hours away:

It would take a “significant return” for the Trail Blazers to part with the No. 3 pick in a draft that many view as having a consensus top-three prospects, but they’ll continue to listen to offers up until it’s time to make a selection, Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s NBA Today (YouTube link). “Certainly, they want to build around Damian Lillard, Wojnarowski said, per RealGM. “That’s been their focus. Damian Lillard says he wants to continue to be in Portland. So I think they’ll go right up to the clock on Thursday night. Offers and outreach from teams tend to get more serious the closer you get to the deadline…Portland may not have gotten the best offers that will come to them, but they will here in the next 24 hours or so. This is a significant decision for this organization, for Damian Lillard’s future in Portland.” If Miller gets picked No. 2, the Blazers would almost certainly select Scoot Henderson, Woj added.
Fischer confirms a recent report that the Spurs are inquiring about adding a second lottery pick and have been linked to French wing Bilal Coulibaly, who played with projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama on Metropolitans 92. Interestingly, sources tell Woo that Coulibaly hasn’t unilaterally granted access to his medical details, indicating he may have a preferred destination in mind.
Cam Whitmore‘s stock may be falling due to medical concerns, sources tell Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, who has Whitmore going No. 9 to the Jazz in his latest mock draft. Whitmore had been viewed as an option for the Rockets (No. 4) or Pistons (No. 5).
Although Ausar Thompson canceled a workout with the Pacers (No. 7) last week, he still had a meeting with team officials, he told Fischer. Indiana sent a “select group” of personnel to Atlanta to meet with Thompson over the weekend, Fischer writes.
Anthony Black‘s camp “initially showed resistance” to the idea of working out for Orlando due to the Magic‘s guard depth, sources tell Fischer. However, he wound up leaving a strong impression on the team and now thinks he could be picked No. 6 overall, he told Fischer. If the Magic do pick a guard, they’ve given rivals the impression they’d consider trading Cole Anthony, who has a “great relationship” with the front office, or Jalen Suggs. “They didn’t tell me that,” Black said, “but that’s what I figured they’d do if they picked me.”
The Lakers have been exploring all kinds of options with their first-round pick (No. 17), including possibly moving up a few slots, Fischer writes. Keyonte George could be a target — the guard has also been linked to the Raptors at No. 13, per Fischer.
According to Fischer, Jarace Walker believes he could go as high as No. 5 (Pistons), with a floor possibly being Indiana (No. 7); Taylor Hendricks believes he could go anywhere from No. 5 to No. 12 (Thunder); and Dereck Lively II has been told he could be picked anywhere from No. 10 (Dallas) to No. 20 (Houston).

Trade Rumors: Lakers, Kuminga, Nets, LaVine, Raptors

June 21st, 2023 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

There has been growing buzz in recent days that the Lakers are increasingly more likely to trade their first-round pick (No. 17) than to keep it, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. In his latest story, Buha explores all the possibilities in play for Los Angeles, including hanging onto the pick, trading out of the draft, or trading down.

As Buha writes, the idea of the Lakers packaging the No. 17 pick with Malik Beasley ($16.5MM team option) and/or Mohamed Bamba ($10.3MM) to acquire a starter-caliber player appears more viable than ever. League sources say that Pacers center Myles Turner and sharpshooter Buddy Hield, Nets wings Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, and Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. are among the players who have been linked to the Lakers.

While it sounds less likely than trading down or out of the draft, Buha says the Lakers have at least considered the possibility of trying to move up from No. 17. Dereck Lively and Kobe Bufkin are among the prospects the club likes, a source tells The Athletic.

Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA:

Addressing a report from last week that suggested the Warriors have explored moving up in the draft using Jonathan Kuminga, Anthony Slater of The Athletic provides some additional context, writing that rumor stemmed from an inbound call from a lottery team that has long been interested in Kuminga. Multiple sources tell Slater that Golden State isn’t shopping the young forward.
While the lottery team that called the Warriors about Kuminga is unknown, it’s worth noting that Slater uses the Pacers as an example in his discussion of that scenario. Additionally, when ESPN updated its mock draft on Wednesday (subscription required), Jonathan Givony added Kuminga to the list of forwards the Pacers may explore acquiring via trade.
In the latest episode of The Lowe Post podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Zach Lowe said the Nets‘ asking prices for forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale have been high. Brooklyn is seeking “real first-round pick equity” for those players, not just looking to move up a few spots in the draft, according to Lowe.
Despite reports that they’re gauging his trade market, the Bulls continue to value Zach LaVine very highly, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, who hears from one league source that the team would seek a good young player, multiple first-round picks, and salary filler if LaVine is moved. Another league source thinks a single first-rounder might be sufficient if the Bulls could get an “established, high-end” player back.
Toronto has been involved in a series of trade rumors so far this offseason, but a pair of sources who spoke to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca indicated that they wouldn’t be surprised if the Raptors don’t do anything drastic. “What I’m hearing now is they’re not going to trade from their core,” one source told Grange.

Lakers Hosted Six Prospects On Tuesday

June 20th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers hosted a pre-draft workout for six prospects on Tuesday, Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times tweets. That group included Ben Sheppard (Belmont), Landers Nolley II (Cincinnati), Patrick Gardner (Marist), Omari Moore (San Jose State), Sidy Cissoko (G League Ignite) and K.J. Williams (LSU).