- Gonzaga big man Drew Timme was among the draft prospects who worked out for the Lakers on Monday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets. Damion Baugh (TCU), Alex Fudge (Florida), Colin Castleton (Florida), Sincere Carry (Kent State) and Hunter Tyson (Clemson) joined Timme at the workout.
- Rui Hachimura‘s market value is projected to be in the $12-18MM starting range, multiple executives told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. While a majority of teams won’t have more than the $12.2MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception to offer Hachimura, at least seven teams project to have the cap room to put together a substantial offer sheet. Since Hachimura is a restricted free agent, the Lakers can match any offer.
The Suns‘ acquisition of Bradley Beal may leave the Mavericks as the only bidder for Kyrie Irving when free agency begins, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.
Stein states that when Dallas traded for Irving in February, team officials were told that the Suns and Lakers were likely to pursue him this summer. Phoenix appears to have taken itself out of the race by trading for Beal, while L.A. is focused on keeping key elements of its current roster and doesn’t appear interested in bidding for Irving, according to Stein.
League sources tell Stein that the Mavs don’t seem to have any competition for Irving, although that could change before free agency kicks off in 11 days. The Rockets could get involved if they’re unsuccessful in luring James Harden back to Houston, but Stein was told that Irving would be their third choice behind Harden and Fred VanVleet.
Stein identifies the Heat as another team that could make a run at Irving after missing out on Beal, noting that Miami had interest in Irving before he was traded to Dallas. Stein is skeptical, however, believing the Heat are more focused on acquiring Damian Lillard from the Trail Blazers. Miami officials are hoping Lillard will opt for a change of scenery if Portland can’t trade the No. 3 pick for veteran help and that he would be motivated to join a team that just reached the NBA Finals.
Stein adds that the Lakers could still reverse course, but “Plan A” is to re-sign Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura while trying to add Chris Paul if he’s bought out or released once he joins the Wizards. The Clippers are reportedly trying to get their hands on Paul before that can happen, either by expanding the Beal trade or making a separate deal with Washington.
Stein notes that Mavericks haven’t wavered in their plan to re-sign Irving, and team officials believe he wants to stay in Dallas. Negotiations may still be complicated, Stein adds, because the Mavs are hoping to get Irving to agree to a team-friendly contract without alienating him. Irving can receive an estimated $210MM over four years from Dallas, but he may find himself at the bargaining table with very little leverage.
Twelve games into the 2022/23 NBA season, the Lakers sat at the very bottom of the league’s standings. Despite relatively good health from Anthony Davis and LeBron James, as well as Russell Westbrook‘s willingness to buy into new head coach Darvin Ham‘s plan to bring him off the bench, L.A. got off to a dismal 2-10 start.
With the Lakers’ season seemingly headed for disaster, speculation ran rampant. Would the team consider trading Davis? Would James – whose new contract extension made him ineligible to be dealt during the season – ask to be moved in the summer? Would the Lakers’ first-round pick, which the Pelicans controlled in a swap, be used to get Victor Wembanyama to New Orleans?
The Lakers didn’t panic though. They were able to tread water long enough to remain in the playoff hunt at the trade deadline, at which point they exhibited their belief in the Davis/James foundation by making a series of trades to complement that core despite being several games below .500. Westbrook’s $47MM+ expiring contract, a lightly protected 2027 first-round pick, and a handful of second-rounders helped the team land D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, and Mohamed Bamba.
The impact was immediate. Despite missing James for most of March due to a foot injury, the Lakers went 18-8 down the stretch, won their first and only play-in game, then knocked off the No. 2 Grizzlies and defending-champion Warriors to make the Western Conference Finals. They didn’t win a game against the eventual champion Nuggets in that series, but they played Denver as tough as any playoff opponent did, losing those four contests by a total of just 24 points.
With LeBron turning 39 years old in December, there’s still a sense of urgency in Los Angeles to make the most of a title window that could close in a year or two, but the Lakers will at least enter the 2023 offseason having alleviated some of the pressure that led to that Davis- and James-related trade speculation last fall.
The Lakers’ Offseason Plan
When the Lakers acquired Westbrook in 2021, the thinking was that a third star could help ease the burden on Davis and James, take on a greater role if one of those players missed time due to an injury, and perhaps even become AD’s co-star if LeBron decided to call it a career within the next few seasons.
Westbrook wasn’t the right fit, but the logic was sound enough. Two years later, after seeing how poorly the Westbrook experiment went and how well the team played with complementary pieces surrounding their two remaining stars, the Lakers will have a decision to make: Do they try to run it back and stick with the two-star model that worked so well in recent months, or will they look to construct another Big Three, knowing that LeBron’s days in Los Angeles – and in the NBA – could be numbered?
Going the cap-room route in order to create space to sign a star free agent probably isn’t a route the team will take. If the Lakers were to guarantee Vanderbilt’s modest salary for 2023/24, issue a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Austin Reaves, and divest themselves of the rest of their non-guaranteed contracts (including declining options and renouncing free agent cap holds), they could create nearly $28MM in cap room. And they could even push that number a little higher by trading their No. 17 overall pick and/or Max Christie.
But that still wouldn’t be enough to offer anything close to a maximum-salary contract to a free agent like Kyrie Irving, and it would mean sacrificing some depth — notably, Hachimura couldn’t be re-signed and the mid-level exception couldn’t be used in that scenario. It makes more sense for the Lakers to operate over the cap, retaining the cap holds of Hachimura (another RFA) and Russell, while perhaps also negotiating with other unrestricted free agents like Dennis Schröder.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Lakers simply have to bring back the same group. Trading for an impact player who is already under contract isn’t out of the question. If L.A. believes it has a chance to acquire that sort of player, the club could guarantee Bamba’s $10.3MM salary for next season and pick up Beasley’s $16.5MM team option and use those expiring contracts for matching purposes. This year’s No. 17 pick and the Lakers’ 2029 first-rounder could also be dealt.
There are roadblocks in play there though. Star guards like Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard have massive contracts that would require more than just the combined salaries of Beasley and Bamba to match — a sign-and-trade of one of the Lakers’ own free agents would probably be necessary, which would complicate matters. Based on recent reports, L.A. doesn’t appear to be seriously in the mix for Beal anyway, and we don’t know yet whether Lillard will even seek a trade out of Portland.
The Bulls are said to be gauging Zach LaVine‘s value on the trade market, but he’s a subpar defender who is on a massive contract and has no history of postseason success. As good a scorer and shooter as LaVine is, the Lakers may not be eager to upend their roster to land him.
A sign-and-trade for a free agent like Irving or Fred VanVleet wouldn’t be impossible, but it would be challenging, both for salary-matching reasons and because a sign-and-trade acquisition would hard-cap the Lakers at the first tax apron. If they hope to bring back Reaves and Hachimura on market-value deals and sign-and-trade for a top point guard, the Lakers would probably need Irving or VanVleet to accept a team-friendly offer to make it work. Even then, there’s no guarantee Dallas or Toronto would play ball.
The simplest – and seemingly most likely – path for the team this offseason would be to play it relatively safe: Negotiate new long-term contracts with Reaves and Hachimura or match any offer sheets they sign, even if it’s a back-loaded Arenas Provision offer for Reaves; re-sign Russell to a shorter-term deal; use the mid-level exception to re-sign Schröder (who will only have Non-Bird rights) and/or add another player; and keep an eye out for supplemental pieces in free agency who could be willing to sign minimum-salary contracts to play in L.A. for a contender (Chris Paul, maybe?).
The No. 17 pick is also an asset that shouldn’t be overlooked. This Lakers’ front office has a solid history of identifying young talent, having drafted well and found some undrafted gems like Reaves and Alex Caruso. If that pick is retained, it could be used to acquire a young, affordable player who might be able to play regular minutes as a rookie. As a trade chip, it could be packaged with a player on an expiring contract like Bamba or Beasley to bring in a useful veteran on a multiyear deal.
If the Lakers don’t find a trade they like by June 29 involving Beasley or Bamba, I’d probably let Bamba go, but I’d seriously consider picking up Beasley’s option. While Beasley’s price tag is a little higher than you’d hope, his outside shooting is a valuable skill that would be hard to replace on the cheap, whereas the Lakers could probably find a productive enough part-time center for the veteran’s minimum, like they did during the 2022 offseason when they signed Thomas Bryant.
It’s not an easy decision though, especially when factoring in how new contracts for Reaves, Hachimura, and Russell could affect the Lakers’ team salary. Even without Bamba’s salary on the books, there may not be enough room to bring Beasley back and use more than the taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception. Turning down Beasley’s option and trying to re-sign him at a more cap-friendly rate may be prudent, since they’d hold his Bird rights.
As the Lakers showed this past year, a team doesn’t necessarily have to be fully formed out of the gates, given that the in-season trade market offers real opportunities for roster transformations. Rob Pelinka and the front office will certainly explore every avenue to significantly upgrade the rotation this summer in an effort to maximize the final season of LeBron’s 30s (for what it’s worth, I don’t buy that he’s a real threat to retire this summer, but a 2024 exit is conceivable).
However, the team will likely be reluctant to give up any of the important role players that keyed its spring success. If those players are re-signed or otherwise retained and no major additions are made, the Lakers would be in position to be a player again at the 2024 trade deadline if needed.
Salary Cap Situation
Guaranteed Salary
- LeBron James ($46,698,737)
- Anthony Davis ($40,600,080)
- Max Christie ($1,719,864)
- Jarred Vanderbilt ($300,000)
- Note: Partial guarantee. Rest of salary noted below.
- Cole Swider (two-way)
- Total: $89,318,681
Dead/Retained Salary
- None
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- Malik Beasley ($16,524,106): Bird rights
- Total: $16,524,106
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Mohamed Bamba ($10,300,000)
- Note: Bamba’s salary would become fully guaranteed if he’s not waived on or before June 29.
- Jarred Vanderbilt ($4,398,000)
- Note: Vanderbilt’s salary would become fully guaranteed if he’s not waived on or before June 30.
- Shaquille Harrison ($2,413,304)
- Total: $17,111,304
Restricted Free Agents
Rui Hachimura ($7,744,600 qualifying offer / $18,789,564 cap hold): Bird rights- Austin Reaves ($2,189,698 qualifying offer / $2,189,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Total (cap holds): $20,979,262
Two-Way Free Agents
Draft Picks
- No. 17 overall pick ($3,640,200)
- No. 47 overall pick (no cap hold)
- Total: $3,640,200
Extension-Eligible Players
- Malik Beasley (veteran)
- Anthony Davis (veteran)
- D’Angelo Russell (veteran)
- Jarred Vanderbilt (veteran)
Note: These are players who are either already eligible for an extension or will become eligible before the 2023/24 season begins. Russell would only be eligible until June 30.
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- D’Angelo Russell ($40,200,000 cap hold): Bird rights
- Lonnie Walker ($7,774,800 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Troy Brown ($1,989,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Wenyen Gabriel ($1,989,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Dennis Schröder ($1,989,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Tristan Thompson ($1,989,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Carmelo Anthony ($1,989,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Avery Bradley ($1,989,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Jared Dudley ($1,989,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
- Wayne Ellington ($1,989,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Dwight Howard ($1,989,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Dion Waiters ($1,989,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Mason Jones ($1,774,999 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $69,646,779
Note: The cap holds for the players listed in italics remain on the Lakers’ books from prior seasons because they haven’t been renounced. They can’t be used in a sign-and-trade deal.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Mid-level exception: $12,220,600
- Bi-annual exception: $4,448,000
- Trade exception: $2,700,000
- Trade exception: $2,298,385
- Trade exception: $1,836,090
- Trade exception: $1,836,090
Note: The Lakers would lose access to the full mid-level exception and the bi-annual exception if their team salary surpasses the tax apron. If the Lakers go under the cap to use room, they’ll lose access to all of these exceptions and will gain access to the room exception.
New head coach Ime Udoka’s desire to land a veteran point guard makes the Rockets a strong contender for Fred VanVleet in free agency, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Houston will be part of a large group of teams expected to pursue VanVleet, who remains open to re-signing with the Raptors, Scotto adds.
The Suns expressed interest in VanVleet the last time he was a free agent, Scotto notes. Chris Paul appears to be on the way out of Phoenix, as Scotto’s sources say the team has discussed a number of trade scenarios, including a proposed deal reported Saturday that would send him to Washington as part of a package for Bradley Beal.
The Lakers would also like to add VanVleet, according to Scotto, but would probably need to work out a sign-and-trade with the Raptors to make it happen. That would require Toronto to have interest in D’Angelo Russell, who is also a free agent.
VanVleet has also been linked to the Magic because president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman previously worked in Toronto, but Scotto cites skepticism that Orlando is ready to make a big free agent move while the core of the team is still young.
Scotto passes along more inside information:
- The Grizzlies are a team to watch if the Raptors decide to part with OG Anunoby, Scotto states. Memphis is offering future first-round draft picks to add a wing player, according to Scotto’s sources, and Anunoby would be an attractive target if he becomes available. Scotto notes that the Grizzlies were willing to give four first-round picks to Brooklyn in February for Mikal Bridges, and the need for wing help has increased with Dillon Brooks not expected back next season.
- League executives tell Scotto that they expect Khris Middleton to re-sign with the Bucks for about $130MM over four years if he turns down his $40.4MM player option. Milwaukee is hoping to re-sign Brook Lopez as well, Scotto adds, but the veteran center will likely get an offer from the Rockets.
- Donte DiVincenzo is expected to turn down his $4.7MM player option and receive better offers than the Warriors can match. One executive told Scotto that DiVincenzo is likely to be offered the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is well above the four-year, $23.2MM deal that Golden State can give him due to cap restrictions. Scotto hears that the Warriors have also received interest in Jonathan Kuminga from several teams that believe he can be more successful with an increased role.
- The Mavericks have expressed interest in Celtics free agent forward Grant Williams, who has the same agent as Luka Doncic, sources tell Scotto. Dallas has also considered bringing back former Maverick Harrison Barnes, Scotto adds.
- League executives expect the Bulls to re-sign center Nikola Vucevic, likely for about $65MM over three years, according to Scotto.
- Miles Simon and John Lucas III are the latest additions to Frank Vogel‘s coaching staff with the Suns, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. Simon was the head coach of the South Bay Lakers in the G League, and they both worked under Vogel in L.A.
- The Lakers hosted six players for a pre-draft workout on Saturday, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. On hand were UConn’s Andre Jackson Jr., Stetson’s Sam Peek, Chattanooga’s Jake Stephens, Overtime Elite’s Jazian Gortman, Texas’ Timmy Allen and Arizona’s Azuolas Tubelis. L.A. has the 17th and 47th picks in this year’s draft.
Former NBA point guard Jarrett Jack is joining the Pistons‘ coaching staff under new head coach Monty Williams, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Jack, who played in the NBA from 2005-18, recently transitioned into coaching and spent the last two years in Phoenix as an assistant on Williams’ staff. According to Wojnarowski, the Pistons’ newest assistant has “established himself as a fast-rising future head coaching candidate” since his playing career ended.
Here are a few more coaching-related notes from around the NBA:
- Pat Delany and Jama Mahlalela will be the top assistants on Darko Rajakovic‘s new staff with the Raptors, reports Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Delany is an experienced assistant who has worked for Charlotte, Orlando, and – most recently – the Wizards. Mahlalela is returning to Toronto after spending eight seasons with the Raptors from 2013-21 (six as an assistant and two as the Raptors 905 head coach). He was an assistant with the Warriors from 2021-23.
- Michael Grange and Sportsnet.ca and Eric Koreen of The Athletic shared their key takeaways from Rajakovic’s introductory press conference this week, with Grange noting that the Raptors‘ new head coach made a strong impression in his first interview with the team despite it occurring less than 24 hours after Memphis was eliminated from the postseason. Rajakovic’s belief in forming close relationships with players may have helped win him the job, Koreen writes. “I want to be very invested in them as human beings,” Rajakovic said. “… I really want to connect with those guys on a personal level. When they know how much I love them and care about them, I have a strong belief that we’re gonna come together as a group and be ready to take it to another level.”
- Jon Pastorek is leaving the Lakers to join Frank Vogel‘s Suns coaching staff, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). Pastorek worked for the Lakers from 2017-23, serving under both Luke Walton and Darvin Ham in addition to Vogel.
If the Suns ultimately decide to waive Chris Paul on or before June 28, when his full $30.8MM salary for the 2023/24 season becomes guaranteed, the Lakers would have “strong” interest in signing the veteran point guard as a free agent, reports Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
The Lakers have been linked to Paul since a report last week stated that he’ll likely be waived unless the Suns find a suitable trade. Buha takes Los Angeles’ interest a step further in his latest report, suggesting that CP3 looks like the team’s top target at point guard in the event that D’Angelo Russell and/or Dennis Schröder aren’t re-signed.
As Buha explains, re-signing both Russell and Schröder is the simplest, cleanest, and perhaps most likely way for the Lakers to address their point guard position this summer. However, if they decide to go in another direction, Paul is a far more realistic option than free agents like Fred VanVleet or Kyrie Irving or potential trade targets like Damian Lillard and Trae Young.
Paul’s family in based in Los Angeles and he has a long-standing friendship with Lakers star LeBron James, Buha writes, pointing out that the two future Hall-of-Famers have envisioned playing together in the past. The 38-year-old would provide the Lakers with the type of “traditional floor general” they’ve lacked in recent years, Buha adds.
Since Paul is owed $15.8MM by the Suns even if he’s waived, Los Angeles could potentially bring him in on a minimum-salary contract or something close to it, creating cap flexibility for other moves. The veteran would also represent a low-risk addition, since his deal likely wouldn’t cover more than one season.
Of course, given that the Suns haven’t yet made a decision on Paul, the Lakers are preparing for other scenarios, starting with re-signing Russell. Team sources tell Buha that one possibility the club has discussed internally is bringing back D-Lo on a front-loaded two-year deal that would put him on the same timeline as James and Anthony Davis. Buha says such a contract could include a second-year option, but an option can’t have a lower cap hit than the prior season, so if they intend to front-load their offer, the Lakers couldn’t go that route.
The Lakers have also discussed the idea of re-signing Russell and adding Paul in free agency, per Buha, who says CP3 would be the favorite to become the starting point guard in that scenario.
Re-signing Schröder and bringing in Paul is considered less likely, since L.A. doesn’t want to lose Russell for nothing and only holds Schröder’s Non-Bird rights, but it’s another possibility. As Buha writes, the team knows Paul and Schröder can coexist, since they thrived together in Oklahoma City in 2019/20. The Lakers may have to dip into their mid-level exception in order to make a competitive offer for Schröder.
Suns point guard Chris Paul, a 12-time All-Star, is hoping to stick around in Phoenix for the 2023/24 season, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic .
Paul is owed $30.8MM for the 2023/24 season, but only $15.8MM of that money is fully guaranteed, and the club is reportedly weighing its various options with regard to his future. A decision will likely have to be made by June 28, which is when the rest of the 38-year-old’s salary will become guaranteed.
“Absolutely (I want to stay in Phoenix),” Paul said. “I’ve talked with my family, we’ve had conversations about what could be, what might be… I’ve talked with my agent. Talked to my brother.”
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- New Suns head coach Frank Vogel will be adding another familiar face as he continues to round out his bench in Phoenix. Sources inform Marc Stein (Twitter link) that former Mavericks assistant coach Greg St. Jean is set to join the team. St. Jean also served under Vogel with the Lakers.
- The Lakers, who possess two picks in this year’s draft, held another pre-draft workout on Wednesday. Dave McMenamin of ESPN (via Twitter) reveals that San Diego State guard Adam Seiko, Miami combo guard Isaiah Wong, Florida forward Alex Fudge, Akron guard Xavier Castaneda, G League Ignite shooting guard Mojave King, and Memphis small forward Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu auditioned for L.A. brass yesterday.
- The PR team of the Warriors has been honored with the Professional Basketball Writers Association’s 2022/23 Brian McIntyre Media Relations Award, the PBWA announced in a press statement (Twitter link). The PBWA notes that the media relations staffs of the Hawks, Heat, Mavericks and Pistons comprised the other finalists under consideration this year.
The Lakers, Warriors, Nets, Grizzlies, and Pacers are among the teams with draft picks in the back half of the first round who are believed to be exploring trade scenarios, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo report within their latest mock draft for ESPN.com (Insider link).
According to Givony, the Lakers are especially interested in talking to teams that hold multiple picks, which suggests they may be open to trading down from No. 17 in order to acquire an extra selection or two. The Warriors are looking into the possibility of moving up from No. 19 by moving a young player like Jonathan Kuminga, sources tell ESPN.
The Nets, who hold the Nos. 21 and 22 picks, are investigating whether they might be able to move into the lottery or the middle of the first round by packaging those two selections, according to Givony, who says Memphis (No. 25) is another team seeking opportunities to move into the late lottery or mid-first round.
As for the Pacers, they have a lottery pick at No. 7 and are thought to be interested in adding an “explosive, defensive-minded power forward,” so Givony has them selecting Jarace Walker in that spot, noting that Ausar Thompson and Taylor Hendricks are also very much on their radar. Indiana also controls the 26th, 29th, and 32nd overall picks and has been engaged in trade discussions about those selections. It seems unlikely the club will use all of them, per Woo.
Here’s more from ESPN’s two draft experts:
- Scoot Henderson had a “highly impressive” workout with the Hornets over the weekend, but Brandon Miller still looks like the favorite to be the pick at No. 2, says Givony. If a team like the Pelicans were willing to include an impact player such as Brandon Ingram in an offer for the second overall pick, that could shake up the top of the draft, but it’s still too early to say whether that’s a realistic possibility, according to Givony.
- While the Trail Blazers continue to explore trade opportunities at No. 3 and have done due diligence by working out prospects outside of the consensus top three, they seem content to select either Henderson or Miller if they hang onto the pick, Givony reports.
- Villanova forward Cam Whitmore is receiving consideration from the Rockets at No. 4 and is viewed as one of the leading candidates to be drafted there, along with Amen Thompson, says Woo. If he’s not picked fourth overall, Whitmore seems like a good bet to go fifth, Givony writes, given the makeup of the Pistons‘ roster.
- Givony suggests that a trade of Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic for Mavericks wing Tim Hardaway Jr. and the No. 10 pick is one scenario that could be “in play.” Based on Givony’s wording, it’s unclear whether that offer has been put on the table by either team or if it has even been seriously considered. But the specific terms suggest it has at least been discussed.
- Arkansas guard Anthony Black has worked out – or will work out – for several lottery teams, including the Magic (Nos. 6 and 11), Jazz (Nos. 9 and 16), and Mavericks (No. 10), says Woo. The ESPN mock has Black being drafted at No. 8 by the Wizards, who are said to be focused primarily on backcourt players.
- The Raptors are believed to be a “strong suitor” for Kansas wing Gradey Dick, according to Givony, though there’s also speculation that Toronto could be major movers on the trade market and might not end up picking at No. 13.
- The Jazz (Nos. 9 and 16) and Thunder (No. 12) sent decision-makers to Europe this week to watch French wing Bilal Coulibaly in the LNB Pro A playoffs, according to Woo, who has Coulibaly coming off the board at No. 14 to the Pelicans in ESPN’s mock.
- Big man Adama Sanogo of national champion UConn was among the draft prospects who worked out for the Lakers on Tuesday, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. Taevion Kinsey (Marshall), Taylor Funk (Utah St), Tosan Evbuomwan (Princeton) and Nathan Mensah (San Diego State) were among the other visitors.